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What's this?

This is an experimental tool for GAP installation under Windows. It provides standard installation procedure that will guide you through all steps of the installation process. Experimental GAP Installer for Windows was created and maintained by Alexander Konovalov. It was produced using NSIS (Nullsoft Scriptable Install System) - an open source tool for building installers for Windows.


Downloads

To install the GAP system and GAP packages, you need to download the following files:

• gap4r4p12.exe (49 MB): The core GAP system with optional components tools, htmie and xtom

• the most recent merged archive of all currently redistributed GAP packages packages-<timestamp>.exe (56 MB) from the directory ftp://ftp.gap-system.org/pub/gap/windowsinstaller/

If you already used the experimental GAP installer for Windows to install GAP 4.4.6 or later versions, you can upgrade your system to GAP 4.4.12 installing the following update/bugfix (the procedure of installing upgrade/bugfix is similar to the procedure of installation of the core system described below):

• fix4r4p12.exe (18 MB)
  

Installation

1. First you need to install the GAP system itself:

• launch the file gap4r4p12.exe
• read the license agreement
• select components to install
• enter destination folder (C:\gap4r4 by default)
• install files

Main steps of GAP installation are displayed below (some images point to 4.4.6, but you can ignore this):











If you created shortcuts in the Start Menu and on the desktop, they will look as follows:
               
 
2. Now you can install packages:

• launch the file packages-<timestamp>.exe
• select packages to install
• enter destination folder (if GAP is already installed as on step 1, then the pkg folder of your GAP installation will be suggested by default)
• install files

Main steps of packages installation are displayed below:









Note that some GAP packages will not work under Windows or may work with restricted functionality because they require UNIX-like environment and additional components. See details in the appropriate package manuals.


How it works?

GAP Installer for Windows:

• unpacks archive in the selected folder
• adjusts *.bat files accordingly to the installation folder
• creates shortcuts in the Desktop, Start Menu and Quick Launch panel (optionally)
• stores some information in the Windows registry (so you will be able to see GAP in the list of installed programs)
• puts uninstaller to the GAP root directory
• creates gap.ini file in the Windows directory (to store GAP version, GAP root directory and GAP packages directory)

GAP packages installer for Windows did not perform additional setup - it just puts selected packages in the GAP packages directory.


How to uninstall GAP?

To uninstall GAP, you have three options:

• Control Panel --> Install and Uninstall --> Remove GAP 4.4.12
• launch uninstall.exe in the GAP root directory (gap4r4)
• launch "Uninstall GAP 4.4.10" shortcut in the GAP 4.4.12 folder of the Start Menu

any of these actions will remove all GAP folders and all files in the GAP root directory, except those folders that were created by yourself in the GAP root directory (if such exist). if necessary, you can remove the gap4r4 folder manually afterwards.


FAQ

Q. How can I add new components to GAP?
A. Launch again gap4r4p12.exe and select components again, checking all components that you need now (all previously installed components will be overwritten).

Q. How can I install new packages?
A. Launch packages-<timestamp>.exe and select packages again, checking packages that you want to add. Other packages will be ignored independently of whether they are already installed or not.

Q. How can I update already installed packages with their new versions?
A. Of course, you can download the new version of the merged packages-<timestamp>.exe archive, remove all subdirectories (except tomlib !!!) from the gap4r4\pkg directory and install packages again using the new version of GAP packages installer. Alternatively, you can download the individual package archive from the GAP homepage or package homepage, unpack it and manually replace the appropriate package folder in gap4r4\pkg directory with the new version.

Q. Can I have several GAP installations on my computer?
A. Of course, you can. GAP Installer for Windows allows you to have one installation, and other copies of GAP can be added in a standard way following instructions on the Download section of the GAP homepage. You will need to adjust appropriate *.bat files and create shortcuts manually.


Troubleshooting

GAP Installer for Windows was successfully tested under Windows 98, Windows 2000 and Windows XP. A known problem is that in Windows 98 uninstalling GAP will not remove GAP shortcuts from the desktop and Quick Launch panel, and you should remove them manually.

In Windows 2000 and older you need to have appropriate permissions to perform some operations during the installation of the core GAP system. If you do not have administrator privileges, you are still able to install GAP in a standard way following instructions on the Download section of the GAP homepage.

In Windows Vista installation in the non-standard location may not work. Also, to make GAP working in the RXVT shell window, you need to specify Windows XP compatibility mode in the shortcut properties.


Feedback and support

If you used GAP Installer for Windows to install GAP and packages, please report about this to Alexander Konovalov (konovalov at member dot ams dot org), mentioning the type of your operating system. Please also visit the GAP Homepage for further information about the GAP system.

What's this?	Downloads	Installation	How it works?
Uninstall	FAQ	Troubleshutting	Feedback

Last modified: 28 October 2007