Upgrading GAP

Upgrading packages for the current release GAP 4.6.4

This page describes how to update GAP packages in an existing installation of GAP 4.6.4.

If you have an older version of GAP (e.g. 4.6.3 or 4.5.7) installed, we recommend to install a new version of GAP together with all currently redistributed packages.

If you have the most recent version GAP 4.6.4, then it may happen that some packages were upgraded since the time your installation was made, since packages are released and upgraded individually and independently of the core part of GAP.

We explain how to check this below.

Checking if you need to upgrade

If you run GAP from your installation you can cut and paste the following lines into that session, which produce suggestions for possible upgrades. This gives a list containing the names and versions of the currently distributed GAP core system and GAP packages.

   SuggestUpgrades([
        [ "GAPKernel", "4.6.4" ], 
        [ "GAPLibrary", "4.6.4" ], 
        [ "ACE", "5.1" ], [ "AClib", "1.2" ], 
        [ "Alnuth", "3.0.0" ], [ "ANUPQ", "3.0" ], 
        [ "AtlasRep", "1.5.0" ], [ "AutoDoc", "2013.01.16" ], 
        [ "Automata", "1.13" ], [ "AutomGrp", "1.1.4.1" ], 
        [ "AutPGrp", "1.5" ], [ "Browse", "1.8.2" ], 
        [ "Carat", "2.1.4" ], [ "Circle", "1.5.2" ], 
        [ "Citrus", "0.9999" ], [ "cohomolo", "1.6" ], 
        [ "Congruence", "1.0.3" ], [ "Convex", "2012.11.15" ], 
        [ "Crime", "1.4" ], [ "CRISP", "1.3.6" ], 
        [ "Cryst", "4.1.11" ], [ "CrystCat", "1.1.6" ], 
        [ "CTblLib", "1.2.2" ], [ "Cubefree", "1.13" ], 
        [ "cvec", "2.4" ], [ "DESIGN", "1.6" ], 
        [ "EDIM", "1.3.1" ], [ "Example", "3.4.3" ], 
        [ "ExamplesForHomalg", "2012.10.23" ], 
        [ "FactInt", "1.5.3" ], [ "FGA", "1.2.0" ], 
        [ "Float", "0.5.9" ], [ "FORMAT", "1.3" ], 
        [ "Forms", "1.2.2" ], [ "FPLSA", "1.1" ], 
        [ "FR", "2.0.3" ], [ "fwtree", "1.0" ], 
        [ "GAPDoc", "1.5.1" ], [ "Gauss", "2013.03.07" ], 
        [ "GaussForHomalg", "2012.10.22" ], 
        [ "GBNP", "1.0.1" ], [ "genss", "1.5" ], 
        [ "gpd", "1.19" ], [ "GradedModules", "2013.02.07" ], 
        [ "GradedRingForHomalg", "2013.02.07" ], 
        [ "GRAPE", "4.6.1" ], [ "GrpConst", "2.3" ], 
        [ "Guarana", "0.94" ], [ "GUAVA", "3.12" ], 
        [ "HAP", "1.10.10.2" ], [ "HAPcryst", "0.1.10" ], 
        [ "HAPprime", "0.6" ], [ "hecke", "1.3" ], 
        [ "homalg", "2012.10.28" ], 
        [ "HomalgToCAS", "2013.02.22" ], [ "idrel", "2.14" ], 
        [ "IO", "4.2" ], [ "IO_ForHomalg", "2012.10.22" ], 
        [ "IRREDSOL", "1.2.1" ], [ "ITC", "1.4" ], 
        [ "kan", "1.06" ], [ "kbmag", "1.5" ], 
        [ "LAGUNA", "3.6.3" ], [ "liealgdb", "2.1" ], 
        [ "linboxing", "0.5.2" ], 
        [ "LocalizeRingForHomalg", "2012.10.26" ], 
        [ "loops", "2.2.0" ], [ "MapClass", "1.2" ], 
        [ "MatricesForHomalg", "2013.04.16" ], 
        [ "Modules", "2013.04.19" ], [ "Nilmat", "1.2" ], 
        [ "nq", "2.4" ], [ "NumericalSgps", "0.971" ], 
        [ "OpenMath", "11.1.4" ], [ "orb", "4.6" ], 
        [ "ParGAP", "1.3.5" ], [ "Polenta", "1.3.1" ], 
        [ "Polycyclic", "2.11" ], 
        [ "PolymakeInterface", "2013.03.06" ], 
        [ "polymaking", "0.7.8" ], [ "qaos", "main-1.0.28" ], 
        [ "QuaGroup", "1.6" ], [ "RadiRoot", "2.6" ], 
        [ "RCWA", "3.5.1" ], [ "RDS", "1.6" ], 
        [ "recog", "1.2" ], [ "recogbase", "1.2" ], 
        [ "Repsn", "3.0.2" ], [ "ResClasses", "3.3.0" ], 
        [ "RingsForHomalg", "2013.04.19" ], 
        [ "SCO", "2011.08.11" ], [ "SCSCP", "2.1.2" ], 
        [ "SgpViz", "0.998" ], [ "simpcomp", "1.6.1" ], 
        [ "singular", "12.04.28" ], [ "Smallsemi", "0.6.6" ], 
        [ "SONATA", "2.6" ], [ "Sophus", "1.23" ], 
        [ "SpinSym", "1.5" ], [ "SymbCompCC", "1.2" ], 
        [ "TomLib", "1.2.2" ], 
        [ "ToolsForHomalg", "2013.04.16" ], [ "toric", "1.8" ], 
        [ "ToricVarieties", "2012.12.22" ], 
        [ "unipot", "1.2" ], [ "UnitLib", "3.1.3" ], 
        [ "Wedderga", "4.5.4" ], [ "XGAP", "4.23" ], 
        [ "XMod", "2.22" ], 
      ]);

Alternatively, if you are connected to the Internet, you may call the function CheckForUpdates provided by the IO package which will call SuggestUpgrades with the right arguments automatically.

Upgrading and Installing New Packages

If the procedure described above suggests upgrades, there are several possibilities.

One of them is to get the current archive of GAP 4.6.4 which will contain all latest versions of packages redistributed with GAP and repeat the full installation following instructions for a new installation.

If you wish only to install new versions of selected packages case by case, without changing other parts of your GAP installation, you need to retrieve individual package archives which are accessible via the package overview.

We recommend to install new versions of individual packages (and also to keep your ``private'' packages which are not redistributed with GAP) in your user specific GAP root directory. The name of this user specific directory depends on your operating system and can be found in GAPInfo.UserGapRoot (see GAP Root Directories). This way you will not keep your personal files in the main GAP root directory and will be able to upgrade GAP straightforwardly after the new release without a risk of your customisations being lost.

Finally, if you have used one of the alternative installation methods to install GAP, then you should check their update instructions to find out how to update your installation.