RTcmix Download and Installation

Getting RTcmix is so easy! There are currently three so easy! ways to download and install RTcmix:

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1. Do It All At Once

    click here to download the most recent RTcmix distribution, all packages included (v 4.0.x, 2.5 Mbytes/50 Mbytes installed).


• If the download procedure doesn't automatically unpack the RTcmix-all.tar.gz file into an "RTcmix-all-XXXXXX/" (where "XXXXXX" is a date number) directory, use these commands in a terminal window:

  gunzip RTcmix-all.tar.gz
  tar -xvf RTcmix-all.tar
  

  in the directory where the RTcmix-all.tar.gz file is located. Many contemporary file browsers also allow you to double-click on the RTcmix-all.tar.gz file to unpack it.
  
  
  
• Move this "RTcmix-all-XXXXXX" directory to the location where you would like it installed (we recommend "/usr/local/src/RTcmix-all/" or "/usr/local/src/RTcmix/").
  
  
  
• In this "RTcmix/" directory, type the command:

  ./configure
  

  There are options you may wish to use with the configure command for your installation -- Perl, Python, X-windows, fftw-lib, etc. See the INSTALL file in the "RTcmix/" directory for a discussion of these.
  
  
  
• After running the configure command (with any appropriate options), then type (in that same "RTcmix/" directory):

  make; make install
  

  RTcmix should compile, install, and off you go!

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2. Do It With the Most Recent "Snapshots"

    Periodic archives of the ever-improving RTcmix source code are made and kept at the University of Virginia Computer Music Center.


• click here for an archive made within the past 24 hours
• click here for an archive made within the past week
• click here for an archive made within the past month


• These archives will contain the latest additions and updates to RTcmix. However, because the language is constantly being extended, parts of these may be a little unstable.

  You will also notice that each of the above archive directories contain several separate .tar.gz files. The file named

  
  RTcmix-NNNNNN.tar.gz
  
  

  (where NNNNNN is a mmddyy date) is the main "core" of RTcmix. The other files such as:

  
  imbed-NNNNNN.tar.gz
  std-NNNNNN.tar.gz
  jg-NNNNNN.tar.gz
  stk-NNNNNN.tar.gz
  
  

  (and possibly additional ones) are 'packages' of RTcmix instruments and applications that you will probably also want in your RTcmix distribution. The main download RTcmix-4.0.1.tar.gzi in download method #1 above contains all of these packages. The reason we decided to enable these packages was so that independent developers could contribute new instruments, etc. to RTcmix that wouldn't require the rebuilding or substantial modification of the entire system.
  
  
• If the download procedure doesn't automatically unpack the RTcmix-NNNNNN.tar.gz file into an "RTcmix/" directory, say:

  gunzip RTcmix-NNNNNN.tar.gz
  tar -xvf RTcmix-NNNNNN.tar
  

  in the directory where the RTcmix-NNNNNN.tar.gz file is located. Some file browsers allow you to simply double-click on the file to unpack it.
  
  
  
• Move this "RTcmix/" directory to the location where you would like it installed (we recommend "/usr/local/src/RTcmix").
  
  
  
• At this point, you have a basic RTcmix with all functions and objects for development ready-to-go, but only two instruments MIX and WAVETABLE are included. You can choose to add additional packages by downloading them and unpacking them in the "RTcmix/" directory. Packages containing RTcmix instruments and associated code subdirectories should go in the "RTcmix/insts" directory and standalone applications and environments should go in the "RTcmix/apps" directory.

  Here is a listing of the contents (as of July, 2005) of a few of these packages:

  • "RTcmix/insts/std" (file std-NNNNNN.tar.gz) -- listing
  • "RTcmix/insts/jg" (file jg-NNNNNN.tar.gz) -- listing
  • "RTcmix/insts/stk" (file stk-NNNNNN.tar.gz) -- listing
  • "RTcmix/apps/imbed" (file imbed-NNNNNN.tar.gz) -- listing
  
  
  
  
• After putting in place any of these additional packages you want, go to the main "RTcmix/" directory and type:

  ./conifgure
  

  with any of the configuration options discussed above. Then type:

  make; make install
  

  and RTcmix should build and install correctly. The configure and subsuquent build with make; make install should be done anytime you add a new package to RTcmix.

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3. Get the Most Up-To-Date Version via CVS

    Contact Dave Topper [topper-at-virginia-dot-edu] to get CVS access to the RTcmix repository. You should probably know what you're doing for this option.



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Note on the command path

All RTcmix executable commands, including the CMIX command, are placed in the "RTcmix/bin" directory. To access these commands, you can copy/move them to a directory like "/usr/local/bin" or "/usr/bin". These directories are probably already on your command search path. To see your command search path, type the command:

echo $path

or

echo $PATH

and you should see a listing of all directories that are searched for executable commands.

You can also simply add the "RTcmix/bin" directory to your command search path. You will probably need to edit or create a ".tcshrc: or ".cshrc" or equivalent shell initialization file to do this. An example of a line in a ".tcshrc" that accomplishes this is:

set path = ( ~/bin $path /usr/local/bin /usr/local/src/RTcmix/bin "." )

Once you do this, you will need to start a new Terminal or Shell window (or use the unix source command) to reflect the change you have made. See the documentation for "tcsh" or "csh" or "bash" for more information.

If all else fails, you can type the whole pathname as a prefix to the RTcmix executable command you want:

/usr/local/src/RTcmix/bin/CMIX
/usr/local/src/RTcmix/bin/sfprint somefile.aiff
/usr/local/src/RTcmix/bin/cpspch 8.07