# Version7.txt for Simfit Version 7

     This File: version7.txt

     Brief details of the default paths and other considerations for the
     Simfit and Simdem packages from Version 7.2.4 onwards.

        Contents

        Part 1. Preliminary notes

        Part 2. The Simfit package

        1. New Simfit installations and upgrading existing installations
        2. The top-level Simfit folder
        3. Installing Simfit in Windows from Simfit Version 6.9.1 onwards
        4. The Simfit sub-folders
        5. The NAG library and the program change_simfit_version.exe
        6. Installing Simfit in Linux
        7. PostScript utilities

        Part 3. The Simdem package

        A. Using Simdem from an IDE like Silverfrost Plato or the NAG Builder
        B. Free standing Simdem executables
        C. Redundant configuration options
        D. Compiling the source code

    Part 1: Preliminary notes

     a) Simfit and Simdem do not use the Windows registry.
        All the configuration options are stored in ASCII text files
        (*.cfg) stored in sub-folders below the ProgramData folder.

      b) 32-bit versions will run on 32-bit or 64-bit operating systems.
        They will probably be installed in either
        the C:\Program Files folder\ with 32-bit systems, or
        the C:\Program Files (x86)\ folder with 64-bit systems.

     c) In 32-bit versions the Simfit driver (program manager) is w_simfit.exe
        and the individual programs have the w_ prefix (e.g. w_simplot.exe)

     d) In 32-bit versions the Simdem driver (program manager) is simdem.exe

     f) 64-bit versions will only run on 64-bit operating systems.
        They will probably be installed in
        the C:\Program Files folder.

     g) In 64-bit versions the Simfit driver (program manager) is x64_simfit.exe
        and the individual programs have the x64_ prefix (e.g. x64_simplot.exe)

     h) In 64-bit versions the Simdem driver (program manager) is x64_simdem.exe

    Part 2. The Simfit package

    The Simfit installation tree should be like this:

    C:\Program Files\Simfit     ... top level folder (MUST BE EMPTY)
    C:\Program Files\Simfit\bin ... binaries
    C:\Program Files\Simfit\doc ... documentation
    C:\Program Files\Simfit\dem ... demonstration test files

    where C:\Program Files\ is the local language name for %ProgramFiles%
    and would be e.g., C:\Program Files (x86)\ with 64 bit Windows.
    The first part of the installation folder (e.g. C:\Program Files,
    or C:\program Files (x86)\) is arbitrary, but the installation folder
    name MUST end with \Simfit otherwise the Simfit package will not
    function properly.

    The following points concerning Version 7 should be noted.

    1) New Simfit installations and upgrading existing installations

    Previous versions of Simfit should be uninstalled before upgrading to
    this version, and not simply overwritten. However, Simfit will never
    overwrite any results or configuration files should you decide to
    do a quick re-install without first un-installing.

    2) The top-level Simfit folder

    The top level folder (e.g., C:\Program Files\Simfit\) should always
    be empty. If there are any files in this folder, they do not belong to
    Simfit Version 7 and must be deleted.

    3) Installing Simfit in Windows from Simfit Version 6.9.1 onwards

    Simfit now places all temporary files in the user's %TEMP% folder while
    results, user, and configuration files are created in subfolders
    below the ProgramData folder.

    4) The Simfit sub-folders

    The above directory structure must be strictly observed, except that
    C:\Program Files\Simfit\ would be the local name for %ProgramFiles% or
    the Simfit top level folder. Any attempt to rename the sub-folders
    ...\Simfit\bin, ...\Simfit\doc, or ...\Simfit\dem will disable Simfit.

    5) The programs change_simfit_version.exe and x64_change_simfit_version.exe

    The utility \Program Files\Simfit\bin\change_simfit_version.exe in
    32-bit Simfit installations (or x64_change_simfit_version.exe in 64-bit
    installations) can be used at any time to swap between the academic versions
    or the NAG library versions. It first reads details of the current library
    DLLs to replace w_maths.dll from change_simfit_version.config (or x64_maths.dll
    from x64_change_simfit_version.config) then provides options to overwrite the
    current version of w_maths.dll (or x64_maths.dll) but note as follows.

       a. It can only be used in administrator mode and when Simfit is not running.
       a. Make sure before using it which version of the NAG library you have.
       b. Install the Academic version if you not not have the NAG DLLs
       c. You have to right click and choose Run as Administrator,
          otherwise you may be prevented from overwriting w_maths.dll.
       d. It can be used at any time to restore the Academic version.

    6) Installing Simfit in Linux

    The default configuration is for the Academic version in Windows,
    and Linux users must read the file linux.txt. To swap between Linux
    and Windows configurations, just delete the files w_simfit.cfg and
    l_simfit.cfg, and Simfit will then let you re-configure.

    7) PostScript utilities

    Windows users can install the GSview/Ghostscript packages to
    generate professional quality vector graphics hardcopy, and use
    the extensive Simfit PostScript functionality. However such facilities
    are always pre-installed in Linux installations, and are now available
    as installed DLLs in Windows installations.

    Part 3. The Simdem package

    The Simdem installation tree should be like this:

    C:\Program Files\Simdem        ... top level folder (MUST BE EMPTY)
    C:\Program Files\Simdem\bin    ... binaries
    C:\Program Files\Simdem\f95    ... free format code
    C:\Program Files\Simdem\for    ... fixed format code
    C:\Program Files\Simdem\doc    ... documentation
    C:\Program Files\Simdem\dem    ... demonstration files e.g.
                                       NAG library data files referenced in LIST.NAG

    where C:\Program Files is the local language name for %ProgramFiles%.
    The first part of the installation folder (e.g. C:\Program Files) is
    arbitrary, but the installation folder name MUST end with \Simdem
    otherwise the Simdem package will not function properly.

    Many of the points made previously about the Simfit package will also
    apply to the Simdem package. There are, however, four additional issues.

    A) Using Simdem from an IDE like Silverfrost Plato or the NAG Builder

       If the Simdem DLLs are not on the path, they must be copied down into
       each new project folder.

       If there is a fully functional installation of Simdem, and w_simfit.cfg
       contains the path to this as the Program Folder, for example
       character string number 3 = C:\Program Files\Simdem\bin, then the
       executables generated in the project folder by the IDE will use this
       functional configuration for all files created.

       If the character string number 3 in w_simfit.cfg in a project folder is
       set to a blank string or ***Undefined, the only complication will be
       that executables created will not be able to access the demonstration
       and documentation files.

       For these reasons the following solution is recommended.

       i) Users should have a fully functional version of the Simdem package
          installed, so that the driver simdem.exe can be used to demonstrate
          all the Simdem functionality, locate all the auxiliaries, display
          the compiled html help program, and provide the option to copy and
          paste source code sections in either free (*.f95) or fixed (*.for)
          format from the Simdem example codes into their own programs.

       ii) If the Simdem GUI DLLs are not on the path, the IDE should copy into
           new projects the Simdem DLLs.

    B) Free standing Simdem executables

       Executables created using Simdem will only work if they are linked
       to the three 32-bit Simfit GUI DLLs and salflibc.dll as follows:

       w_clearwin.dll ... linked to salflibc.dll
       w_menus.dll    ... linked to w_clearwin.dll
       w_graphics.dll ... linked to w_clearwin.dll and w_menus.dll
       (or just to simdem32.dll in recent Silverfrost distributions)

       In 64-bit installations the corresponding DLLs are

       x64_clearwin.dll ... linked to clearwin64.dll and salflibc64.dll
       x64_menus.dll    ... linked to clearwin64.dll
       x64_graphics.dll ... linked to x64_clearwin.dll and x64_menus.dll
       (or just to simdem64.dll in recent Silverfrost distributions)

       Such executables must have local copies of these DLLs or they must be
       on the path.

    C) Redundant configuration options

       Configuration options 1 to 9 in w_simfit.cfg only have meaning in
       Simfit installations, and do not apply to Simdem.

    D) Compiling the source code

       Those wishing to compile the source code should first study the document
       source.pdf available from the Simfit website.