: Installing it.
MathSpad is freely available and you can install it on most Unix systems without
any problems. In fact, you can install it without knowing anything about compilers, makefiles
or libraries. The minimum configuration that you need is a Unix system, a C and C++ compiler,
the X window system.
To install MathSpad, you first need to get hold of the distribution (850Kb). The latest version is always
available in Eindhoven, but I suggest you use one of the CTAN mirrors to get a version from a host
close to you. Once you have the distribution, you need to unpack it with the command
gunzip -c mathpad-0.60.tar.gz | tar xf -
This creates the directory mathpad-0.60 which contains the shell script Install. By executing
that shell script, you will install MathSpad in the prefix directory, which depends on who
executes the shell script and what options are given:
- ./Install
- Install MathSpad in /usr/local if you have permission to do that, or in the
current directory if you don't.
- ./Install /opt
- Install MathSpad in /opt. If you don't have permission to install anything in
/opt, you need to install it manually after the system is compiled.
The Install script works like a configure script, except that it also starts the compilation,
install the system if the compilation was successful and optionally sends a short e-mail
message with possible installation problems. You can perform these stages separately if
you want to.
Configure
Install first calls a configure script to check some properties of your system and if problems
occur, it tries to solve them. For example, if your C compiler can't handle function prototypes,
the configure script will automatically try to compile a program which removes prototypes.
If you or your system manager didn't install the C++ libraries for g++, dummy libraries
are created to be able to proceed.
The configure script is tested for a combination of Unix systems, compilers and (simulated or real)
problems. I can't guarantee that it will work on all other combinations, although it usually works
correct.
Compilation
The compilation stage compiles everything and warnings and error messages are recorded in
a log file. Should there be any problems, you could send a part of this log file to me, so I can adjust
the program.
Installation
After a successful compilation, the necessary files will be installed in subdirectories of
the prefix directory:
- bin
- The program itself.
- man/man1
- The manual page.
- lib/mathpad
- The configuration files, the extra fonts and the online help.
Sending a message
Although you usually don't send a message after you installed or tested a program, it would
be very helpful to us if you did. We try to keep track of the level of interest in the system,
the Unix systems it compiles on and any installation problems. These messages
are only used for statistics or to solve problems. Furthermore, sending a message costs you
nothing compared to the costs to get the system and this page.
Testing
After successfully installing the system, you need to test if everything
works and if the system is useful for you. You can do this with the
command
mathpad manual &
The program will display a welcome document explaining what the system
offers you and how to go further. If you get the error message
mathpad: Unable to find font information file fonts.mpt
set the environment variable MATHPADHOME to "`pwd`/lib/mathpad.".
If the warning ``Unable to add fontpath.'' or ``Cannot load font ...'' occurs,
you may need to do some extra work after you have decided to use the
program. You should read the page on how to solve the font problems
if you need to.
Problems
If you have any problems installing the program or with its use please
report them to mathpad@win.tue.nl.
We will try to react as soon as possible.
Richard Verhoeven.