Tech Tip: Problems Installing Solver Packages?

0. Have you installed R4 Error Free? - If there were errors encountered during R4 installation, or if R4 does not run correctly for any reason, solve that problem before attempting to debug a solver installation process.   If you have problems installing R4, the most common problem is not having a Microsoft Internet Explorer browser installed, as required.

1. NT Users: Check if you have Administrator privileges. You should have administrator privileges to install Manifold packages. Check also that you have installed Manifold for this Administrator user, and that you have repeated the Manifold installation while logged in for each username who will be using the software.

Discussion: In NT, Manifold R4 registers itself on a *per user* basis to enable varying configurations. Suppose you have a machine called Workstation that is a member of domain ABC. Logging into a local login on Workstation called Administrator is a different user than logging into an ABC domain login also called Administrator. If you are logging into the machine for installation as ABC\Administrator, use this same login to install solver packages.

2. Run SysCheck.exe: Newer solvers require running SysCheck.exe before installing the package. See the SysCheck Readme file for more information.

3. Verify Adequate Disk Space in TEMP and other Directories:  Go to Options / File Locations and note the directories specified for [Manifold Scripts] and [Manifold Solvers]. These are usually C:\Program Files\Manifold System\Scripts and C:\Program Files\Manifold System. You should have write permissions to these dirs and there should be enough free disk space (2-3Mb is ok).  Your Windows TEMP directory should have 10 to 20 MB of free space at a minimum, depending on the particular solver installation.

4. 3d View Requires OpenGL: It's pretty inconceivable that you don't have OpenGL installed on your system, since all modern graphics controllers install this.  Neither Manifold nor 3d View installs OpenGL .dll files because it is assumed that your graphics vendor has provided a version optomized for that vendor's graphics controller.  If you vendor does not provide OpenGL, it is a sign  of a seriously antique graphics controller that will not provide satisfactory performance with 3d View or other essential business software such as Quake.  Dump the old controller in favor of a modern design.  However, just to get you up and running, we have provided some zip files for NT and for 95/98 that will install the generic Microsoft OpenGL files.  Unzip these into your Windows\System (for '95) or Winnt\System32 directory for (NT).  They are located at ftp://ftp.dnai.com/users/m/manifold/support See the readme file also located at that ftp directory.

5. Try a Test. Try installing a test package (use ftp://ftp.manifold.net/test1.mxz ) to see if the installation fails. If it installs OK, try to run the installed script under Utility\Test, and then try installing ftp://ftp.dnai.com/users/m/manifold/misc/expimp_util2.mxz Write down and send tech@manifold.net any error messages plus the sizes of packages in bytes.

If the above doesn't help, please send us your configuration information (Windows version, service packs info, Internet Explorer version, Manifold version, Manifold service pack version, any other installed products, amount of free space in TEMP var, amount of free space in Manifold drive, file listings from Windows and Windows\System[32] directory made by "dir *.* > filelist" command).

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