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Installing the RepRap software on OS X

Java 5 vs. Java 6

Note! The RepRap host software was, for a short time, dependent on Java 6. This was reverted and it should now work under Java 5 as well. This invalidates the section under about Java 6. YMMV; to my knowledge, nobody is actively using the host software on Mac OS X. Most, or all, Mac users are at the moment using Skeinforge and ReplicatorG.

Java 6

RepRap's controlling software is written in Java 6, and also the Art of Illusion design package for three dimensional objects uses it, so next we need a Java environment. You may have to upgrade to Java 6 (http://developer.apple.com/java).

Note! For Mac OS X 10.5, Java 6 is 64-bit only, which means that the jni libraries below must be installed also in 64-bit version (see more info below).

RxTx

RxTx is the serial communications library that we use to communicate with the RepRap machine. You will need to install it in order to run the host software.

• 32-bit version:
  • Download RxTx from their website.
  • Follow the installation instructions provided.
• 64-bit version (Java 6 on Mac OS X 10.5)
  • At the moment, needs to be built from source.
  • Download source: ftp://ftp.qbang.org/pub/rxtx/rxtx-2.1-7r2.zip
  • Patch instructions: http://mailman.qbang.org/pipermail/rxtx/2008-May/2510291.html

Java3D

Java3D is the software that we use to do 3D rendering and such. You will need to install the latest version (1.5.1)

• Download the Java3D API from Sun.
• Unzip the download.
• Unzip the j3d-jre.zip file in the download.
• Copy everything from the lib/ext folder to /Library/Java/Extensions

J3D Extensions

J3D is a set of libraries to make various things easier with the Java3D API. We use their STL Loader.

• Download the Java3D extensions from j3d.org (latest version: 0.9).
• Unzip the download.
• Copy j3d-org-java3d-all.jar to /Library/Java/Extensions

Java OpenGL (JOGL)

These are the OpenGL^? bindings for Java that should make the program run faster.

• Download JOGL 1.1.1 from Sun.
• Unzip the downloaded file.
• Copy everything in lib/ to /Library/Java/Extensions

The RepRap Java programs

The host software program is the program that controls the RepRap machine itself. You simply download it and run it.

• Download the host software from SourceForge.
• Unzip the host software.
• Copy the RepRap folder to your Applications directory.
• Double click the Reprap.jar file, or run the reprap-host.sh from the command line.

Art of Illusion

• Download Art of Illusion from their site.
• Copy the Art of Illusion folder to your Applications directory.
• Double click the Art of Illusion program to run it.