Octave - How to Install and Configure with Notepad++

How to Install Octave - and get it to work with a Notepad++

Step 1 - Download software

1) 7-Zip

• For older computers choose the 32-bit version

2) Notepad++

3) Octave (choose one)

• Octave for Windows 7

• Octave for Windows 8

Step 2 - Install 7-Zip

1) You need 7-Zip in order to extract the Octave Files.

• Most students will use the 64-bit installer 7z920-x64.msi .

• For older versions of Windows, use the 32-Bit version, 7z920.exe.

2) Right click on the download and select "Install". Or, just double click on it.

3) Click on "Next".

4) Check the box to accept the license agreement and click Next.

5) Verify the default installation location and click Next:

6) Click Install

7) Verify software is installing. Don't click Cancel.

8) Finally, verify installation has completed. Click Finish.

Step 3 - Install Notepad++

1) Find Notepad+ installer npp.6.3.3.Installer.exe. Double-click on it, or right click and select open.

2) Select English as the language and click OK.

3) Click Next on the Welcome Page.

4) Click "I Agree" on license agreement.

5) Verify the destination and click Next.

6) Verify components (just use defaults under custom). There is no need to change anything. Click Next.

7) Check the box to add a shortcut to your desktop. Otherwise do not change anything. Click Install.

8) Verify Notepad++ is installing.

9) Click Finish when Notepad completes installation.

10) Notepad++ should open. There is no need to update unless you want to.

Step 4 - Install Octave

1) Create a folder on your C: drive called Octave.

• Go to the Windows Start Menu and select Computer

• Double-click on "Local Disk C:"

• Right click in C:\ and select "New Folder"

• IMPORTANT - Name the folder Octave.

  • Do not name it anything else.

  • Octave will not work if there are spaces in the folder name or path.

    • • This WILL work: C:\Octave (good!)

      • This will NOT work: C:\Octave Files\Octave --> There is a space in "Octave Files" BAD!

• The pic below shows it should look like.

  • Your computer will have other folders listed but you should see Octave, Program Files, and Windows folders.

2) Download the correct Octave file for your operating system.

• Octave for Windows 7

• Octave for Windows 8

3) Extract the file using WinZip

• • Find the downloaded file usually in:

    • C:\Users\<username>\Downloads

• Right click on your Octave file

  • then select 7-Zip

  • then select Extract Files...

• A box should come up.

• Use the select box (see pic) to find C:\Octave or just type it in the "Extract to:" field.

• Click OK.

This is what it should look like.

4) Verify Octave is extracting:

5) When 7-Zip is done extracting, it closes. You should see the following in your C:\Octave folder.

6) You are done installing Octave. Now configure Notepad++ to work with Octave.

Configure Octave to work with Notepad ++.

1) Find the file called "octaverc" located in:

Windows 7 - C:\Octave\Octave3.6.4_gcc4.6.2\share\octave\site\m\startup

or

Windows 8 - C:\Octave\Octave3.4.3_gcc4.5.2\share\octave\site\m\startup

2) Right-click on octaverc and select "Open with Notepad++".

3) The unchanged file should look like this - if your computer is 64-bit Windows. Pay attention to lines 8 and 9.

5) SAVE your changes. Close the file.

Test Your Configuration.

1) Find the shortcut to start Octave in C:\Octave.

• For Windows 7 the shortcut is: Octave3.6.4_gcc4.6.2.

• For Windows 8 the shortcut is: Octave3.4.3_gcc4.5.2

2) Double-click on the shortcut to start Octave.

3) Type the command "edit myfile.txt".

It should look like this:

4) Press the <ENTER> key.

5) A box will come up asking if you want to create the file named myfile.txt. Click Yes.

6) A blank notepad ++ file come up with the file name myfile.txt.

7) Congratulations. You are done.

8) Type exit to quit Octave.