Installation guide
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Minimimum requirements
- System platform: Linux or Windows (Win95/Win98 may not work)
- Processor speed: 1 ghz or better
- Python language: 2.3* or better... Download Python
- Tkinter GUI Library: Tcl/Tk version 8.3 or better (built-in with Python distributions, on Linux, make sure it compiled though!)
- AToM3: Download AToM3
* You can determine your version of Python and Tcl/Tk by typing "python" in the console
(works on both platforms with system paths set right, otherwise you'll have to give the entire path to where python is located).
Example:
D:\ResearchSummer2004\atom3>python
Python 2.3.4 (#53, May 25 2004, 21:17:02) [MSC v.1200 32 bit (Intel)] on win32
Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
>>> from Tkinter import *
>>> TclVersion
8.4000000000000004
>>> TkVersion
8.4000000000000004
>>>
Installation Process
- Extract the zip file to X, where X is your favorite path for cool tools. X now contains what will henceforth be referred to as the "Central AToM3 Installation Directory". All core kernel models and source code are in this directory, as well as a variety of models and meta-models/formalisms (I'll henceforth call these formalisms, not meta-models, which is consistent with the AToM3 directory structure). You can use the formalisms to build your own models and even new formalisms. Some formalisms are hidden away in the Kernel subdirectory because of their importance in AToM3 (ie: the Buttons formalism is crucial in generating new formalisms)
- Start up AToM3 for the first time! On some systems you can just type "**Central AToM3 Dir**\atom3.py" , otherwise, you can tweak the "atom3.bat" or "atom3.sh" scripts to start it for you with something like "python atom3.py" (in particular, this is useful if you have multiple versions of Python installed and want a particular version, such as the latest, to start AToM3). There is also "atom3nosplash.py" for those who want AToM3 to start just a tad bit faster, although if your computer requires more than 2 seconds to load AToM3, you get the splash at no cost :D
- User Area Not Found! The first time you start AToM3, you must specify some directory where you will create new models/formalisms. This was meant to enable AToM3 to function properly in a network situation. I recommend you create a new directory (depending on your system, you may need to do this manually with an external file-browsing tool... or console) that is not a subdirectory of the "Central AToM3 Installation Directory", but this is up to you. The advantage of keeping them seperate is that you can easily upgrade AToM3 without affecting any of your current work!
- WARNING: Option Database Error! Again, the first time you start AToM3, you have no options set, so you get these "Errors". AToM3 will automatically fill them up with default values for you. If ever something very very bad happens, and your options are such that you can no longer start AToM3... go to your "%HOMEDRIVE%" directory in Windows or "$HOME" directory in Linux and see the "AToM3" folder there. That is where all the options and temporary files are stored.
- Ready to go! Click the AToM3 logo in the top-left to change the main options, click the toolbar to select something to draw on the canvas, or "Right-Click" on the canvas to see the context-sensitive popup-menu.
Author: Denis Dube
Updated April 3, 2005