Octave is now part of the normal net distribution of Cygwin, available
from http://www.cygwin.com.  To install the Cygwin package of Octave:

 1. Use your favorite browser to view the page http://www.cygwin.com

 2. Click on the "Install or update now" link.

 3. A dialog should appear with the option to run the setup program
    from its current location or save it to disk.  Either will work,
    but I usually choose to save the setup program to disk so that it
    is possible to run it later to update the installation without
    having to go back to the web page using a browser.

 4. Run the setup program.

 5. Choose "Install from Internet".

 6. Select a root install directory.  You may choose any directory, but
    it needs to have enough space for Octave and all the related
    tools.  Sorry, I don't know how much space that is at present.

 7. Select a local package directory.  This is a directory that the
    setup program will use to temporarily store package files before
    installing them.  It should have plenty of space (probably 70MB
    or more).  You may delete this directory once the installation is
    complete.

 8. Select your Internet Connection.  Probably "Direct Connection" is
    OK unless you are behind a firewall of some kind that limits your
    access to the Internet.

 9. Choose a download site.  One that is "near" you on the net is
    probably best.

10. Select packages.  Choose Octave from the Math category and gnuplot
    from the graphics category.

11. Once the download and file installation is done, click Finish.  I
    usually choose to create an icon on the desktop and put an icon in
    the start menu.  After you click finish, a series of scripts will
    run, displaying some output in a terminal window.  It will take a
    few minutes.

12. To run Octave, start Cygwin.  This will bring up a terminal
    window.  In that window type

      startx

    (a running X server is needed for plotting).  Running startx will
    bring up a new window.  In that window, type

      octave

    That should present you with an Octave prompt.  Type

      sombrero (41)

    at this prompt and a new window with the sombrero plot should appear.

13. IMPORTANT: to build .oct files (dynamically loaded functions) for
    Octave, you will also need the octave-headers package.  Currently,
    due to some bugs in the most recent version of the C++ compiler
    and libraries for Cygwin, you will also need gcc and g++ 3.3
    rather than 3.4.  You can use the setup.exe installer to select
    and install the older version.


John W. Eaton
jwe@bevo.che.wisc.edu
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Department of Chemical Engineering

Tue Apr 18 15:22:59 2006