1. 1 Installing Cantera 1.7 for Windows S. Browne and J. E. Shepherd Caltech Revised March 24, 2007

2. 2 System Requirements A PC running MS Windows XP with SP2 Python 2.5 Download the Windows installer from http://www.python.org/ftp/python/2.5/python-2.5.msi and run it Cantera uses Python to process input files, so it is required even if you will use Cantera from Matlab or another environment numarray site-package for Python Only needed if you plan to use Cantera from Python Adds fast array operations to Python Download the Windows installer (“Old numarray”) from http://sourceforge.net/projects/numpy/numarray-1.5.2.win32-py2.5.exe and run it Optional Matlab R2006b (See next slide if you are using Matlab 7.1) Graphviz (Needed to use reaction networks in MixMaster) – http://www.graphviz.org/

3. 3 Matlab Version Matlab R2006b Users – GO TO Slide 4 Matlab 7.1 Users – Do One of the Following Upgrade to Matlab R2006b Or Install Cantera 1.6 To Install Cantera 1.6 Read Cantera 1.6 Installation Instructions http://www.galcit.caltech.edu/EDL/public/sdt/Papers/Install_Cantera1.6.pdf If you plan to install Cantera 1.6 – do NOT proceed with this document

4. 4 Cantera 1.7 Installation Download the Cantera installer get Cantera1.7.0.msi and run it. http://sourceforge.net/projects/cantera/ This will create a folder that looks like the one shown here Run Cantera-1.7.0.win32-py2.5.exe This creates the interface between Cantera and Python

5. 5 Add New Environment Variables Cantera needs to know where to find the Python interpreter, since it uses Python to process ‘.cti’ input files and Matlab if you choose to use Matlab To edit the system search path, select “System” on the Control Panel to pull up this dialogue box Press the ‘Environment Variables’ button

6. 6 Add New Environment Variables Add 2 New (user) Environment Variables PYTHON_CMD C:\Python25\python.exe MATLAB_CMD C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2006b\bin\win32\MATLAB.exe Note: Check your paths Environment Variables are Case Sensitive Some installation locations may be different depending on the user’s choices.

7. 7 Put the Cantera Toolbox on the Matlab path Add ‘Cantera’ folder to the Matlab path Use the “Add with Subfolders” option. More details on next slide

8. 8 Setting the Path in Matlab choose ‘Set Path…’ on the File menu Cantera Toolbox Cantera Demos Cantera Tutorials NOTE: There will be many more directories than those shown in this screen-shot (to the right), but only those shown are necessary for Cantera.

9. 9 Cantera Thermo/Reaction Data.cti Format Files – Thermo/Reaction Input Files for Cantera Contain Description of the Mixture Thermodynamic Data Reaction Mechanism (optional) Transport Data (optional) Files included with Cantera Distribution Limited to Low Temperatures (< 3000 K) Includes GRI3.0 and files used in demos. High Temperature (up to 6000 K) Files Available at http://www.galcit.caltech.edu/EDL/public/sdt/SD_Toolbox/Windows/cti.html http://www.galcit.caltech.edu/EDL/public/sdt/SD_Toolbox/Windows/cti.html Creating New/Converting CHEMKIN Style Files Documented at http://www.galcit.caltech.edu/EDL/public/sdt/SD_Toolbox/Windows/cti.html Put Thermo/Reaction Data Files (.cti) in one of two places C:\Program Files\Common Files\Cantera\data NOTE: There is a link ('data‘) to this directory in your Cantera base directory. Your current working directory (set this in Matlab)

10. 10 Mixmaster 1.7 Bug Mixmaster is a GUI written in Python that can be used to carry out equilibrium computations, evaluate thermodynamic properties and post-process reaction rate files. The Cantera 1.7 Distribution Mixmaster has a bug To Fix: Replace C:\Python25\Lib\site-packages\MixMaster\ThermoFrame.py with http://www.galcit.caltech.edu/EDL/public/sdt/SD_Toolbox/Windows/ThermoFrame.py

11. 11 Matlab Cantera 1.7 Toolbox Bug The Cantera 1.7 Matlab Toolbox has a bug as well To Fix: Replace Cantera\MATLAB\toolbox\cantera\@ThermoPhase\gibbs_RT.m with http://www.galcit.caltech.edu/EDL/public/sdt/SD_Toolbox/Windows/gibbs_RT.m

12. 12 Testing Installation Make sure to restart your computer for the environment variables to take effect. Two Options to Test Installation 1.Open Matlab and try starting the first tutorial ‘tut1.m’ 2.Go to: http://www.galcit.caltech.edu/EDL/public/sdt/SD_Toolbox/Windows/cantera_test.html and follow instructions Notes You must ‘set the current directory’ or ‘add the path’ of any m-file that you want to execute If you added the Cantera directory with the "Add with Subfolders" option (Slide 8) – the demos and tutorials will be in the Matlab path If you have difficulties – READ ON

13. 13 Tips and hints 1. Version Compatibility – Check that Matlab and Cantera Versions are Compatible (i.e. Use Cantera 1.7 with Matlab R2006b ONLY) 2. numarray – Be sure to install numarray NOT numpy or Numeric 3. Python Version – Make sure you have Python 2.5 and numarray 2.5 4. Environment Variables a)Case Sensitivity – Make sure that all paths specified truly exist. b)USER Environment Variables NOT SYSTEM Environment Variables c)Cantera 1.7.0 – TWO New Variables – Check that MATLAB_CMD & PYTHON_CMD exist are properly defined – This is DIFFERENT than the method used for Cantera 1.6

14. 14 Tips and hints 5. Test Cantera/Python Interface Run tut1.py (python tutorial file) Located in Cantera\tutorials\Python To Run: Right click on ‘tut1.py’ and left click on ‘Edit with Idle’ In the tut1.py window enter "F5" (shortcut for Run > RunModule) Results Correct – the comments of the tutorial print in the Python Shell window If NOT – Python or Cantera install is incorrect. This must be fixed before even trying Matlab.

15. 15 Tips and hints 6. Persistent Matlab Trouble  Check Matlab Path – Be sure that BOTH Cantera Toolbox & Program you are Running are in the Matlab Path  Check Slide 8 – Does Your Path Match the Blue Box? You should see Cantera Cantera\MATLAB Cantera\MATLAB\toolbox Cantera\MATLAB\toolbox\cantera Cantera\MATLAB\toolbox\cantera\1D Cantera\demos\MATLAB Cantera\tutorials\MATLAB at the top of the path list if you did this properly 7. Data Directory – Are the.cti or.xml files in the common data directory or your current working directory? (see Slide 9)

16. 16 Tips and Hints 7. (cont) If you are having trouble with.cti data files in Matlab, make sure that you do the following: a. There must be at least one object within the cti file that contains all the species. Start with a working.cti file in the common data directory or use ck2cti.exe to create the file from a working Chemkin input file. Don't try to use IdealGasMix command to create the object within Matlab - only use this with existing xml files. b. Specify not only the cti file but also the specific gas object with the importPhase command. c. Once you have made an error in trying to load a.cti file with matlab, there is a bug that prevents the correct file from being loaded even if you correct the error. The symptom is that you repeatedly get the message "Caught std::exception Exception message is: Access violation - no RTTI data!" To fix this, close Matlab, make sure that your.cti file is in the correct place, and try again. If you are not putting the.cti file in the common location, set the current directory to the one containing your.cti file (and if you are using one, the.m file). Load the correct.cti file and gas object using the importPhase command. (Deleting the old.xml files is probably a good idea too.) d. Make sure that the current directory set in Matlab is one that the program can write into and the xml file is being created.

17. 17 Tips and hints – External Documentation 8. Cantera Documentation  Cantera Web Site (Currently No Windows Documentation) http://www.cantera.org/ref/index.html  SourceForge Web Site in particular Cantera17-vcf17.pdf http://downloads.sourceforge.net/cantera/ (NOTE: Page/Slide 9 of Cantera17-vcf17.pdf NOT Necessary for basic user) Shock & Detonation Toolbox Site http://www.galcit.caltech.edu/EDL/public/sdt/SD_Toolbox/ 9. Yahoo Cantera User Forum http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cantera/