
   SIMFIT information bulletin w_readme.I0 (= install.txt)
   =======================================================
   
   Installation of Simfit and Simdem: Version 7.4.1 onwards.

   For downloads and more documentation visit https://simfit.org.uk
      
   1. Introduction 
   2. Installing the Simfit package 
   3. Installing the Simdem package 
   4. Installing GSview
   
   1. Introduction
   ---------------

   Simfit and Simdem are Open Source and free of charge to all users.

   The 32-bit versions of Simfit and Simdem will run on either 32-bit
   or 64-bit operating systems, but the 64-bit versions will only run
   on 64-bit operating systems. 
     
   Note that Simfit and Simdem do not use the registry: all configuration
   relies on the same set of ASCII text files (*.cfg) and, if any such
   configuration file is deleted, Simfit or Simdem will create a default
   copy.
   
   Windows users who want to make the best use of Simfit graphics should 
   either save SVG, or PNG files directly or, for better quality and greater
   versatility, archive EPS files. These can be transformed into PNG or
   other types of graphics files for importing into documents as required, 
   using the Simfit interface to the Ghostscript DLL. 

   Tables for including in documents can be exported in tabbed-text, html, 
   xml, or LaTeX, formats from the Simfit results files.
      
   2. Installing the Simfit package
      -----------------------------
      
   This is only required by end-users who just want to perform simulation,
   statistical analysis, curve-fitting, and graph plotting.
   
   There is only one 32-bit version of Simfit: the Academic version
   which is free-standing and requires no other libraries. However, 
   there is a program called change_simfit_version.exe which allows
   32-bit Simfit to use the NAG library DLLs if you have an operational
   copy of the NAG library DLLs, from Mark 20 onwards. Similarly, the 
   64-bit version of Simfit has a program x64_change_simfit_version.exe
   to link to the 64-bit NAG DLLs.

   The 32-bit Simfit driver program is called w_simfit.exe.
   The 64-bit Simfit driver program is called x64_simfit.exe.

   a) The Simfit setup programs will install Simfit in MS Windows, and
      also in Linux where Wine is installed, or in Mac with Crossover.

      You can uninstall previous versions of Simfit, or just
      allow the installation program to overwrite the old files. 
      However, if you decide to over-write, make sure that the
      existing Simfit files do not have the read-only attribute, 
      otherwise you could end up with inconsistent binaries and
      test files. Existing *.cfg files and files you make are
      never over-written by the installation program.

   b) Download simfit_setup7_x_y.exe, or x64_simfit_setup7_x_y.exe from
      
      http://www.simfit.org.uk
    
      The subscripts _x_y identify the version and release number.
                  
   c) In Windows, double click on either simfit_setup7_x_y.exe 
      (or x64_simfit_setup7_x_y.exe) from the Disc Explorer and, unless 
      there is some very compelling reason to the contrary, choose to 
      install in the default top-level folder.
      
      The 32-bit installation program will create the default folders:

      C:\Program Files (x86)\Simfit\bin ... (binaries)
      C:\Program Files (x86)\Simfit\doc ... (documentation)
      C:\Program Files (x86)\Simfit\dem ... (demonstration data)

      but the 64-bit installation program will create the default folders:

      C:\Program Files\Simfit\bin ... (binaries)
      C:\Program Files\Simfit\doc ... (documentation)
      C:\Program Files\Simfit\dem ... (demonstration data)
        
   d) Non-default installations. 
      The installation will create sub-folders under your chosen
      top-level folder, and in your ...\My Documents folder. 
                 
   e) In Linux, copy w_simfit.exe into the Wine C: equivalent, e.g.
      /home/user-name/.wine/drive_c
      In new installations you will now create the two files

            l_simfit.cfg 
            w_simfit.cfg
          
      If you mistakenly install the Windows configuration it will
      not run properly in Linux, and you will have to delete these
      two files and let Simfit create a default configuration.
      As root, run using wine, i.e. wine w_simfit.exe, or run from
      the appropriate Wine or KDE start menu. Further details will 
      be found on the Simfit website and in linux.txt.
         
   f) The Simfit package is run entirely from the program manager
      program, w_simfit.exe, or x64_simfit.exe, and you do not need
      to run any other Simfit programs.
  
      Make a shortcut from your desktop to the Simfit program manager
      C:\Program Files (x86)\simfit\bin\w_simfit.exe (or else
      C:\Program Files\simfit\bin\x64_simfit.exe). Run this
      shortcut and read any warning messages. Finally, press the
      [Configure] button, then the [Check] button to correct the
      paths if necessary, and finally the [Apply] button to complete
      the configuration.

   g) If you decide not to use the default folders, that is allowed
      as long as the installation folder ends like this ...\Simfit.
      You can install any binaries you like as auxiliaries, as long
      as the fully qualified path is provided using the [configure]
      option.

   h) Run w_simfit.exe (or x64_simfit.exe) at least once from the 
      installation folder with all flags switched on to check for
      missing or obsolete files.

      When a good configuration has been set up, you should switch
      off the options to check for missing files, etc. to speed
      up the start up and prevent errors arising from impatient
      double clicking.

   i) Where Simfit is for group use, the test files *.tf? could be
      made read-only, or refreshed regularly, to prevent accidental
      editing leading to corrupt test files. 

   j) Print out or browse the Simfit manual w_manual.pdf using a
      PS-viewer such as Adobe Acrobat Reader. This can be done from 
      the [Manual] button on the w_simfit.exe main page if Simfit is
      configured properly.

   k) Common errors include inconsistent .exe or .dll files, failing
      to configure Simfit so that it cannot use an editor, PDF-reader,
      calculator, or PS-reader, or not allowing Simfit write
      permission to create configuration and results files.
   
   3. Installing the Simdem package
      -----------------------------

   This is only required by Fortran programmers who want to create
   free-standing Windows programs with tables, input-output functionality,
   and graphics.   
     
   The 32-bit Simdem driver program is called simdem.exe. 
   The 64-bit Simdem driver program is called x64_simdem.exe.

   This is a subset of the Simfit package designed to allow Fortran
   programmers to use subroutines from either w_menus.dll and w_graphics.dll
   (or x64_menus.dll and x64_graphics.dll with the 64-bit versions)
   in order to create stand-alone executables that will run in MS
   Windows, Linux under Wine, or Mac under crossover. It comes with a 
   help program called simdem.chm, source codes for the driver, 70 example 
   programs, and compiled versions of simdem.exe and x64_simdem.exe.
   
   There are several versions.
   
   a) 32-bit Silverfrost FTN95 in CDECL mode and 64-bit FTN95.
      These are the versions bundled with the FTN95 compiler.

   b) 64-bit gFortran version
            
   c) The NAGfor 32-bit version using the -compatible switch (which
      invokes STDCALL mode) and the NAGfor 64-bit version. Both of
      these use the Silverfrost Clearwin+ interface to the Windows  
      AP, and are the versions bundled with the NAG builder.
     
   The default 32-bit and 64-bit Simdem configuration is 

   C:\Program Files\Simdem\bin    ... (binaries)
   C:\Program Files\Simdem\f95    ... (free format codes)
   C:\Program Files\Simdem\for    ... (fixed format codes)
   C:\Program Files\Simdem\doc    ... (.txt, .html, and .pdf files)
   C:\Program Files\Simdem\dem    ... (demonstration data sets)

   The 32-bit and 64-bit binaries are independent and can be in the same folder. 
      
   4. Installing GSview and Ghostscript
      ---------------------------------

   The best and most versatile vector graphics format for archiving
   and printing professional quality scientific graphs is PostScript.
   Simfit creates such high quality Encapsulated PostScript files
   (.eps), but it only displays a low resolution bit-map representation 
   of the graph on screen using Windows graphics. Simfit .eps are designed 
   so that they they can be edited using a text editor, and Ghostscript can 
   create graphics files such as .png, .jpg, .tif, .xps, pcs, or .bmp from
   Simfit .eps files.

   The Ghostscript dlls are distributed with Simfit and Simdem so there is no
   need to install the Ghostscript package. You can install the Gsview package
   if required but, if this is not found, Simfit will simply create a pdf file 
   using the Ghostscript dlls and display it using your pdf reader.   

   Linux users do not need to install GSview, as many PS and PDF
   facilities are standard programs in Linux. 
  
   

   