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Installing /eee packages

With thanks to Rob for the first draft of this.

When you run std_suse_11.0_hacks for the first time, it runs a local script (in /home/share/suse_hacks/11.0) called "install_eee_packages". This sets things up, and offers to run VPM (Roger's package/version selection utility) and update_vlsitree (the bit that actually copies the packages over the network from the optik vlsi server onto your local disk, in the /eee/vlsi/ directory). This page gives a bit more information about what goes on.

VPM

As of September 2008 the following is available through VPM:

• Agilent ADS
• Cadence - multiple packages and versions
• Comsol - multiple versions
• CoWare - multiple packages
• Coventor - multiple versions
• Design Kits - multiple packages
• Eagle
• Matlab - multiple versions
• Maxima
• R (statistics)
• Xilinx ISE - multiple versions

In addition, a few small applications are always installed. They are:

• gerbv, a gerber file viewer.
• jabref, a frontend for managing bibtex bibliographies.
• ralcalc (aka =), a simple command line calculator that uses engineering prefixes.
• treewatch, a tool to watch a directory (or directories) for changes in specified files and to then execute a program. This can be used, for example, to automatically recompile C code, remake a PDF file from latex sources, or whatever you can think of making it doing.

Installing Packages (Using VPM)

• vpm
• Select software that you want installed by using arrow keys to scroll up/down and [Enter] (or [space]) to select
• Once you have selected all the software you want, press [Tab] to "Save", then press [Enter]
• Press [Enter] again, on "Quit"

Note that VPM does not install the packages there and then. It alters a configuration file, which another program uses to actually copy over the packages from the optik server. This is usually done overnight, because as well as slowing your own machine down, it will probably slow the network down for others too (especially those in the VLSI group).

If you require the packages urgently, then run:

• sudo /eee/vlsi/updating/update_vlsitree.sh (type in root's password)

This will install locally all the software you selected. This will take some time so I'd suggest you go make yourself a brew.

Once this is completed everything should be installed and accessible from the applications tab under eee in the menu bar, or by typing the name of the program you want ("eagle" or "matlab" or whatever).

Package Dependencies

Some of the software packages require additional software that isn't installed by default. This is by no means a definitive list. Packages here should probably be added to the suse_hacks script.

• Xilinx ISE : fxload (for programming with Xilinx USB cables)
• CoWare : termcap
• Cadence SOC (rc) : libelf1 libelf0 libelf0-32bit openmotif-libs openmotif-libs-32bit openmotif22-libs openmotif22-libs-32bit
• ADS : openmotif-libs openmotif-libs-32bit openmotif22-libs openmotif22-libs-32bit libpng12-0-32bit

Individual package quirks

Eagle

You can install Eagle from the VPM, unfortunately it's a bit tricky in that the license does not sort itself out automatically (you don't want the freeware license). To fix this:

• cd /eee/vlsi/eagle/4.16r1/
• su (type root's password - be careful from here on)
• touch bin/eagle.key
• chmod a+w bin/eagle.key
• cat install.txt
• eagle &

This will bring up a licensing window.

• Cut and paste the installation code (that was revealed above in install.txt) into the bottom box
• Set the license file location to: /eee/vlsi/eagle/4.16r1/license.key
• Click Ok
• Click "No" when asked if you want to create the directory "/root/eagle"
• Exit eagle
• Type "exit" (so you are no longer root)

Eagle should now run as expected.

Experimental software

See Extra stuff for Experimental PCs