Installing Octave

Windows

  • Install a postscript viewer
    • Make sure you have some sort of program for viewing postscript files.
      • If not, or you're not sure, download and execute the latest ghostscript and ghostview. As of this writing, they are gs831w32.exe and gsv46w32.exe. Double click on the downloaded files and follow instructions.
      • Write down where the executable ghostview is placed, you will need this for Octave.
  • Install Octave
    • Download the Octave install program. Right click on the link http://voxel.dl.sourceforge.net/sourceforge/octave/octave-2.1.50a-inst.exe, and save the link target to your desktop. (Try http://sourceforge.net/projects/octave/ and download the latest version if the above doesn't work, e.g, in Mozilla.)
    • Start the install program and follow the instructions.
      • It is easiest to let the install program use its defaults.
        • If you want to change the editing program, do so at the prompt.
        • Enter the postscript viewer executable location at the prompt. If the path includes spaces, don't forget the quotes. (Don't worry if this doesn't work.)
          • Note that it may find ghostview automatically, if so, just hit enter.
      • Octave should now be ready to run.

Macintosh

  • Fink (http://fink.sourceforge.net/index.php?phpLang=en)
    • Install Fink
    • Learn how to setup and use Fink
      • Double click on the Fink-0.7.0-Installer.dmg icon.
      • Inside the disk image Fink 0.7.0 Installer, open Documentation.html.
      • Open the Fink user's guide.
      • Read and follow sections 2.1, 2.3.
      • Read section 3.1.
  • Octave
    • Use Fink to Install Octave
      • Open a terminal window (Applications->Utilities->Terminal).
      • Type sudo dselect and then enter your administrator password if needed.
      • Type U <enter>
      • Type S <enter> <enter>
      • Type /octave <enter>
      • Highlight and put a + next to octave.
      • You will get a bunch of screens about dependencies and conflict resolution.
        • Unless you know better, just hit <enter> through this part.
        • You may want to read ahead a bit to see if you want to install X-Darwin.
      • Type I <enter>
      • Answer yes to install.
      • Type C <enter>
      • Type Q <enter>
    • Install X11 (optional)
      • Don't install X11 if
        • You installed X-Darwin with Octave and are happy with it.
        • You already have an X-Windows system that you like.
      • If you decide to install X11
        • Back-up any previous X-Windows system on your machine.
        • Download X11 from http://www.apple.com/macosx/features/x11/download/.
        • Add one lines to your .profile: source /sw/bin/init.sh .
          • You will need administrator access to edit this file, so use, for example, sudo emacs .profile
          • Comment out the existing . /sw/bin/init.sh line in your .profile by putting a # at the beginning of the line.
        • If it doesn't exist, create a file called .bashrc.
        • Add two lines to .bashrc.
          • [[ -z $DISPLAY ]] && export DISPLAY=":0.0"
          • . /sw/bin/init.sh
    • Start Octave
      • Open some sort of X-Windows terminal.
        • Applications->Utilities->X11 or Applications->X-Darwin.
        • Type octave at the prompt.