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Chapter 2
Install and start Delta2D

2.1 Available Computing Platforms

Delta2D is available on a variety of computing platforms:

Microsoft Windows
Delta2D works with any of Windows NT 4 / 2000 / XP / Vista. Detailed installation instructions are provided below.
Apple MacOS X
With Mac OS X 10.4.0 (Tiger) Delta2D works without any limitations. Mac OS X v10.3.5 (Panther) works, but is not recommended. Older Versions of Mac OS are not supportable. See the DECODON web site www.decodon.com for details.
Linux
See the DECODON web site www.decodon.com for installation instructions and technical requirements.

2.2 Installation Steps for Microsoft Windows

Your computer should fulfill these technical requirements:
  • at least 512 MB of RAM, preferably 1 GB or more
  • 800 MHz Pentium III processor or better
  • 200 MB free disk space
To install Delta2D 4.0, follow these steps:
  1. Download the install file from your download area on our web site, the public web site www.decodon.com/Support/Download/downloads.html, or find it on a Delta2D CD-ROM.
  2. Start the installation by double-clicking on setup.exe. You will be guided through the rest of the installation process. Almost at the end you are invited to load a license file. The license file is a text file with a name ending as .lfk, which has been delivered to you either by e-mail, per download, or you can find it on your cd-rom.

________________________________________________________________________________

Note:
Depending on your computing environment, you may need special privileges to install software on your computer. If in doubt, ask your local systems administrator.
Enjoy working with Delta2D 4.0!

2.3 Start Delta2D

To start Delta2D under Windows, choose Programs |\ DECODON  |\ Delta2D 4.0  |\ Delta2D from the start menu.

On MacOS start Delta2D as other applications per double-click.

2.4 License Registration

If you have not imported a license during the installation process, a dialog will open (figure 2.1), prompting for the license file. The license file is a text file with a name ending as .lfk, which has been delivered to you either by e-mail, or can be found on your cd-rom.

ui/dialog_activation_noactpresent_scaled
Figure 2.1: Invitation to import the license
There are different types of license files:
Evaluation License
(also called trial or demo license). This license enables you to work with Delta2D in the demo mode, usually for a limited time period. Demo mode means, that you can perform any function of Delta2D, but without being able to save the results. The evaluation license is usually sent to you via e-mail after having downloaded the evaluation version of Delta2D or when contacting our license registration team after having installed a evaluation version from CD-ROM. This kind of licenses usually works without an additional registration step.
Full License
This is the license for the save-enabled use of Delta2D and will either be legitimized via an internet connection (so-called 'web-checked' registration) or is bound to your computer. While the web-checked registration is done automatically (in some rare network environments firewalls refuse the connection), the computer bound version of a Full License requires a two-step registration process:
  1. Import the license file provided by us. This license file will enable Delta2D to produce an unique machine key for your computer. You will be prompted to send this machine key via e-mail to our registration team (register@decodon.com).
  2. You will receive your personal registration key whithin one working day usually. Meanwhile, the initial license will enable you to work with Delta2D in the demo mode.

Click on the Import button to import your license files. If the license you import does not demand for an registration, Delta2D will right away start in the respective mode (evaluation or full).

If an registration of your license is necessary, the dialog Registration will open (see figure 2.2).

ui/dialog_activation_basic_scaled
Figure 2.2: Initial license file is imported
Click on Register. Delta2D will provide the details for your registration request (fig. 2.3) and asks you to send these details to our registration team.
ui/dialog_activation_sendmail_scaled
Figure 2.3: Send your registration request
Click on the button Copy to clipboard to copy your registration details to the clipboard, then click on the text passage with our e-mail address (register@decodon.com) in the top of this dialog. Your mail client will prepare a new mail addressed to our registration team. Simply paste the content of your clipboard into the body of the new mail and send it off.

You will receive the license key within one working day usually. Having received your registration key, simply click the button Enter registration key provided in the dialog figure 2.2. Copy your license key from the e-mail and paste it into the appropriate field (fig. 2.4).

ui/dialog_activation_enterkey_scaled
Figure 2.4: Enter your registration key or load a full license file

2.5 Adjusting Memory Settings

Delta2D can be adapted to the amount of memory available in your computer. Since all computers are equipped differently, Delta2D's main memory usage is set to an average value of 512 MB. If your computer has less or more memory, the setting for Delta2D needs to be adapted, otherwise Delta2D can not perform at its optimum.

To adjust the memory settings of Delta2D according to the real specifications of your computer, open the Options dialog by clicking on the button icons/Options in the main toolbar. Switch to the tab named Memory and click on the button named Recommend. Now close the Options dialog with OK and restart Delta2D.

Find more information in section 10.3.

2.6 Checking for Software Updates

Delta2D can notify you automatically if software updates are available. Based on your settings (see 10.2, Delta2D can check automatically for available updates on every start of Delta2D or only once a week. Automatic update checking can be disabled as well, e.g. on computers not being connected to the internet all the time. In this case you can easily check for updates manually, e.g. when checking your emails. Choose Help |\ Check for Software Updates . . . to perform the check. Open Options, General, Updates to let Delta2D automatically check for updates.

When a software update is available, a notification window will open and inform you about the new version. Click on the link to download and save the update file on your computer.

2.7 Updating an Existing Installation of Delta2D

Basically, there are two ways available to update an installed version of Delta2D: an update file and a complete setup file.

The update file
contains only the changed data and is thus small in size. It can only be used if a previous but not too old version of Delta2D is already installed and needs to be installed into the same directory. Usually this will be the file downloaded via the update notification of Delta2D.
The complete setup file
can install Delta2D over an existing installation as well as into a completely new folder. Since it contains all necessary data for a complete installation, it is much larger than the update file. If you install into a new location you will need to import the license again.

The installation process for both alternatives is structured as the first time installation. Just make sure that Delta2D does not run, double click on the setup file and follow the instructions.

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