[Xastir] Help installing Cygwin/Xastir

[Tom Tessier]

Yup, that's the program.

I include only the Cygwin parts needed to make Xastir work in the install
directory for Cygwin, then have Autoit choose "All" packages in the Cygwin
installer. I also included a Xastir dir in the Cygwin installation
directory. This was created from the Xastir source plus a gzip2 file of the
compiled Xastir. The Xastir executable file also includes the libraries
Xastir needs when it runs. Then, when the whole disk is installed, the user
clicks on the Cygwin icon on the desktop, X starts automatically, and a
one-time script copies a .xinitrc file and .xastir dir to the root directory
(this gives the Xastir user a "demo" map to look at right away). The user
can then concentrate on APRS after that instead of Cygwin. Of course, the
user can work directly with Cygwin later if they wish - take out .xinitrc
file and Xastir won't automatically launch, you just get an Xterm where you
can run all the other UNIX commands. Type "xastir" into this window and it
starts normally.

The result is that people interested in Xastir and not the mechanics of
Cygwin now have the option of running Xastir as though it's a Windows
program. It took me a few weeks to get the bugs out, but it works pretty
well. As long as the user has Win98 or Win XP and at least a 500 MHz PC and
~500 MB of free disk space, this installation of Xastir will work fine for
them. It gives the user a kick-start so they don't have to deal with getting
the right components and libraries, compiling, etc., which can be a steep
learning curve to someone who's expertise lies in other areas!

As for bugs, I have found that the script in Cygwin I wrote does not copy
the example ~/.xastir file to ~ 100% of the time for some reason. It worked
in my tests, but once on a friend's computer that part died. I had him
create .xinitrc over the phone and it worked after that. Just make a file
named .xintrc and place it into C:/Cygwin/home/<whatever user root is>, put
the word "xastir" into the file and Xastir will automatically start when
Cygwin X starts. Also, don't move the mouse when the Autoit script is
working-it could cause Autoit to miss a mouse click choice. It is also
recommended to reboot after the install (this is Windows, after all!).

-Tom
de VE4TRT
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Bill Vodall" <wa7nwp at jnos.org>
To: <xastir at xastir.org>
Sent: Thursday, December 23, 2004 11:53 PM
Subject: [Xastir] ] Re: Help installing Cygwin/Xastir


>
>
>
> > For anyone interested, I also made up a Cygwin/Xastir CD. Not as
flexible as
> > Bill's but it's a one-double click process. Double-click and don't touch
the
> > computer for 5 minutes, since it uses Autoit and moving the mouse can
cause
>
> This tool?
>
>    http://www.autoitscript.com/
>
> That's cool!!!   Good find!
>
> Bill
>
> > it to miss a step. Total install takes about half an hour, more if the
> > Canadian Toporama maps are included (add 400 MB). It has Imagemagick and
> > Shapefile support. $10 would cover shipping to the US, the CD and
> > mailer....I found it works on Win98 and XP but not on Win95 or WinME.
> >
> > -Tom
> > de VE4TRT
>
> _______________________________________________
> Xastir mailing list
> Xastir at xastir.org
> https://lists.xastir.org/mailman/listinfo/xastir
>
>