Difference between revisions of "Downloading & Installing"

Latest revision as of 03:19, 9 February 2023

Overview[edit]

Now available for download. . . OpenRocket 2022.02 has been released.

OpenRocket 2022.02 is now available for Windows, macOS and Linux. The easiest way to get OpenRocket up and running is to download and install one of the packaged installers. The Packaged Installers come with everything needed, including the correct version of Java; you will not need to install, update or downgrade Java on your device to run them.

For security reasons, download files for all available versions and releases of OpenRocket are now on, and should only be downloaded from the official OpenRocket website here:

https://openrocket.info/

OpenRocket 2022 Pre-Installation Procedures[edit]

A few users have reported difficulties with installing new versions of OpenRocket, and some of these relate to pre-installation procedures. Before beginning the installation of OpenRocket, the following actions should be undertaken.

Close All Instances of OpenRocket[edit]

By default, all 2022 releases of OpenRocket install to the same location on your device; these releases even share preference and use files with version 15.03. Because of this, if OpenRocket is open when you attempt to install an updated release, the installation may not update all of the files needed for OpenRocket to function correctly.

Before installing an update, you MUST close all open instances of OpenRocket.

Uninstall Prior OpenRocket Releases[edit]

As described above, by default, all 2022 releases of OpenRocket install to the same location on your device. Although not expressly required, it is suggested that all previously installed 2022 OpenRocket releases be uninstalled before installing the updated release. This is not required, but is suggested to ensure the proper function of OpenRocket.

OpenRocket 2022 After-Installation Checks[edit]

Verify the Installed Release Number[edit]

A few users have reported that new installations of OpenRocket are not functioning correctly, only to find out that the wrong beta release was installed. After your installation is complete, and before doing anything else, verify that you actually installed the current release of OpenRocket by undertaking the following steps:

Step	What You Should See
1	If the release number shown in both images below is not OpenRocket Version 2022.02, then you have installed the wrong release of the OpenRocket. Uninstall that release, download the new release, and try again.
Splash Screen
Help → About
2	If the circled icons shown in the image below are different that yours, then you have installed the wrong beta release of OpenRocket. Uninstall that release, download the new beta release, and try again.
Component Icons
File Menu Icons

Check Settings[edit]

If everything looks good there, let's check settings.

Setting	What You Should Do
Off-screen Rendering	Some users have reported that the rocket shown in the design window is not full-size. This can occur if the off-screen rendering setting is not correct for your device. Using the Three-stage rocket example packaged with OpenRocket, this is what the problem looks like:
Too small
Correct size

Solution	In most instances, the solution is changing a setting in your preferences. You can find that setting here: Edit → Preferences → Graphics. And, you toggle the Use Off-screen Rendering setting. If it's off, then you turn it on. If it's on, then you turn it off. After changing this setting, you must exit and restart OpenRocket for the change to take effect.

	Experience has shown that those who use Apple Silicon Macs should uncheck this box, and those who use Windows should check this box. But, your OS platform may differ. If this does not correct the issue, contact development.

← Go to Frequently Asked Questions

Go to Tips and Tricks →

↑ Go to Component Details

@@ Line 2: / Line 2: @@
 <div style="float: left;">[[Introduction|&larr; Introduction]]</div>
 <div style="float: right;">[[Getting Started|Getting Started &rarr;]]</div>
-[[Main Page|&uarr; Back to Contents]]
+[[Main Page|&uarr; Back to Main Page]]
 </div>
-{{UserGuideHelp}}
 __TOC__
-== General ==
+== Overview ==
-OpenRocket is available for Windows, macOS and Linux. The easiest way to get OpenRocket is to download and install one of the packaged installers. The Packaged Installers for OpenRocket come with everything they need. You <em>don't</em> need to install, update or downgrade Java on your machine to run them.
+<font size="5"; color="red">''Now available for download. . .''  </font> <font size=5>OpenRocket '''''2022.02''''' has been released.</font>
-=== <u>Windows</u> ===
+OpenRocket ''2022.02'' is now available for Windows, macOS and Linux. <u>The easiest way to get OpenRocket up and running is to download and install one of the packaged installers</u>. The Packaged Installers come with everything needed, including the <b>''correct''</b> version of Java; '''you ''will not'' need to install, update or downgrade Java on your device to run them.'''
-Download and run the installer for the version of OpenRocket that you want, much like other Windows installers.
+For security reasons, ''download files for <font color="red">'''all available versions and releases'''</font color> of OpenRocket '''are now on, and should only be downloaded from the official OpenRocket website'' here:'''
-==== 2022 Beta Release ====
+:[https://openrocket.info/ <span style="color:blue"><b>https://openrocket.info/</b>]
-[https://github.com/openrocket/openrocket/releases/download/release-22.00.beta.01/OpenRocket-22.00.beta.01-installer.exe OpenRocket 22.00.beta.01 Installer for Windows (INACTIVE UNTIL RELEASE DATE)]
-<u>''Special notice''</u>: At the present time, this installer does not create a shortcut on the desktop or the start menu. After installing, the executable file for the application (OpenRocket.exe) is located in the "C:\ProgramFiles\OpenRocket” folder. For easy access to OpenRocket in the future, you can open that folder in Windows Explorer, right click the "OpenRocket.exe" file (NOT “OpenRocket.jar”), and create a shortcut, pin it to the taskbar, and/or pin it to the start menu, as you wish.
+== OpenRocket 2022 Pre-Installation Procedures ==
-==== Version 15.03 ====
+A few users have reported difficulties with installing new versions of OpenRocket, and some of these relate to pre-installation procedures. Before beginning the installation of OpenRocket, the following actions should be undertaken.
-[https://github.com/openrocket/openrocket/releases/download/release-15.03/OpenRocket-15.03-installer.exe OpenRocket 15.03 Installer for Windows]
+=== Close All Instances of OpenRocket ===
-<U>''Please note''</U>: This installer does not provide a shortcut on the desktop or the Start menu. After installing, the actual executable file for the application is installed into your user/AppData/Local/OpenRocket folder. Open that folder in Windows Explorer, right click the "OpenRocket.exe" file, and create a shortcut, pin it to the taskbar and/or pin it in the start menu, as you desire, for easy access to it in the future.
+By default, all 2022 releases of OpenRocket install to the same location on your device; these releases even share preference and use files with version 15.03. Because of this, if OpenRocket is open when you attempt to install an updated release, the installation may not update all of the files needed for OpenRocket to function correctly.
-=== <u>macOS</u> ===
+''Before installing an update'', you '''MUST''' close all open instances of OpenRocket.
-[https://github.com/openrocket/openrocket/releases/download/release-15.03/OpenRocket-15.03.dmg OpenRocket 15.03 Application DiskImage for macOS]
+=== Uninstall Prior OpenRocket Releases ===
-Download the DiskImage, open it, and you'll see a big icon for OpenRocket, and a shortcut to your Application folder. Drag OpenRocket to the Application Folder, let it finish copying, and you're done.
+As described above, by default, all 2022 releases of OpenRocket install to the same location on your device. Although not expressly required, it is suggested that all previously installed 2022 OpenRocket releases be uninstalled before installing the updated release. This is not required, but is suggested to ensure the proper function of OpenRocket.
-=== <u>Linux</u> ===
+== OpenRocket 2022 After-Installation Checks ==
-[https://github.com/openrocket/openrocket/releases/download/release-15.03/OpenRocket-15.03.AppImage OpenRocket 15.03 AppImage for Linux]
+=== Verify the Installed Release Number ===
-You will need to have the FUSE filesystem installed; most distributions have it installed by default. Download the AppImage file, [https://appimage.org/ make it executable] and you can run it by double-clicking, or from the command line.
+A few users have reported that new installations of OpenRocket are not functioning correctly, only to find out that the wrong beta release was installed. After your installation is complete, and before doing anything else, verify that you actually installed the current release of OpenRocket by undertaking the following steps:
-=== <u>Java "jar" file</u> ===
+<table class="left">
+  <tr>
+    <th>Step</th>
+    <th>What You Should See</th>
+  </tr>
+    <th>1</th>
+    <td><p>If the release number shown in <i><b>both</b></i> images below is not <b>OpenRocket <font color="red">Version 2022.02</font color></b>, <i>then you have installed the wrong release of the OpenRocket</i>. Uninstall that release, download the new release, and try again.</p></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td>Splash Screen</td>
+    <td>'''[[File:2022.03.Splash_Screen.png|left|frameless|640 px|center]]'''</td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td>Help &rarr; About</td>
+    <td>'''[[File:2022.02.Help_Screen.png|left|frameless|384 px|center]]'''</td>
+   </tr>
+    <th>2</th>
+    <td><p>If the circled <i><b>icons</b></i> shown in the image below <b>are different that yours</b>, <i>then you have installed the wrong beta release of OpenRocket</i>. Uninstall that release, download the new beta release, and try again.</p></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td>Component Icons</td>
+    <td>'''[[File:03.03.01.Components.png|left|frameless|720 px|center]]'''</td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td>File Menu Icons</td>
+    <td>'''[[File:03.04.02.File_Menu.png|left|frameless|512 px|center]]'''</td>
+  </tr>
+</table>
-Java is a programming language and computing platform that powers a large share of today’s digital world by providing a reliable platform upon which services and applications can be built. OpenRocket is one of these, and it will not function unless you have Java installed.
+=== Check Settings ===
-Java is enhanced to improve performance, stability and security of the Java applications that run on your machine, and a new feature-release is issued every six months. And, every three years, an issued release is designated as Long-Term Support (LTS) and receives quarterly security, stability, and performance updates only, meaning the version does not changed when updated. To ensure the broadest possible compatibility and stability of the application, OpenRocket is intended to be used with Java LTS versions.
+<p>If everything looks good there, let's check settings.
-The OpenRocket installers package the correct version of Java for the OpenRocket version being installed so that everything that OpenRocket needs to function is provided at the time of installation; <em>the Java version installed on your device <b>is ignored</b></em>.
+<table class="left">
+  <tr>
+    <th>Setting</th>
+    <th>What You Should Do</th>
+  </tr>
+    <th>Off-screen Rendering</th>
+    <td><p>Some users have reported that the rocket shown in the design window is not full-size. This can occur if the off-screen rendering setting is not correct for your device. Using the <i>Three-stage rocket</i> example packaged with OpenRocket, this is what the problem looks like:</p></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td>Too small</td>
+    <td>'''[[File:2022.02.Off_Screen.png|left|frameless|512 px|center]]'''</td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td>Correct size</td>
+    <td>'''[[File:2022.01.Off_Screen.png|left|frameless|512 px|center]]'''</td>
+   </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td></td>
+    <td><br></td>
+   </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td>Solution</td>
+    <td>In most instances, the solution is changing a setting in your preferences. You can find that setting here: Edit &rarr; Preferences &rarr; Graphics. And, you toggle the ''Use Off-screen Rendering'' setting.  '''If it's off, then you turn it on'''. '''If it's on, then you turn it off'''. After changing this setting, you ''<b>must</b> exit and restart OpenRocket for the change to take effect''.</td>
+   </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td></td>
+    <td>'''[[File:OR.Download-Install.Check_Settings.Rendering.03.Box_Check.04.png|left|frameless|720 px|center]]'''</td>
+   </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td></td>
+    <td>Experience has shown that those who use Apple Silicon Macs should uncheck this box, and those who use Windows should check this box. But, your OS platform may differ. If this does not correct the issue, contact development.</td>
+   </tr>
+</table>
-The <u>easiest and most reliable approach</u> to using OpenRocket is to <strong>skip the .jar installation </strong>, and instead <u>use the packaged installers</u> for your device. <i>The use of a .jar version is not recommended</i>.
+<br>
-==== 2022 Beta Release ====
+----
-Although Java 17 (LTS) was released in September of 2021, beta development had progressed too far to provide for its compatibility. <u>The 2022 beta release of OpenRocket <b>requires the Java 11 (LTS) platform</b></u>; OpenRocket 2022 beta releases are not intended to run with any other version of Java <em>at this time</em>.
-# Download the [https://github.com/openrocket/openrocket/releases/download/release-22.00.beta.01/OpenRocket-22.00.beta.01.jar OpenRocket 22.00.beta.01 (INACTIVE UNTIL RELEASE DATE)] application.
-# Copy it to a convenient folder.
-# Make the .jar file executable (right-click on .jar file, select "Properties", go to the Permissions tab and check the "Allow executing file as program" box).
-# Start OpenRocket by either double-clicking the .jar file, or right-clicking the .jar file, and selecting "Open with Sun Java6 Runtime".
-If the default is set to open with the Archive Manager, then right-click, select "Open with other application", then select "Open with Sun Java6 Runtime", and check the box to make that the default. In future, it should be possible to just double-click to start OpenRocket.
-Alternatively you may start OpenRocket from the command line:
-<pre>java -jar OpenRocket-22.00.beta.01.jar</pre>
-Or, if you are not currently in the same directory as the .jar file, replace '/path_to/' by the appropriate path on your system:
-<pre>java -jar /path_to/OpenRocket-22.00.beta.01.jar</pre>
-==== Version 15.03 ====
-<u>OpenRocket 15.03 <b>requires the Java 8 (LTS) platform</b></u>; OpenRocket 15.03 may not function correctly using any other version of Java.
-# Download the [https://github.com/openrocket/openrocket/releases/download/release-15.03/OpenRocket-15.03.jar OpenRocket-15.03.jar] application.
-# Copy it to a convenient folder.
-# Make the .jar file executable (right-click on .jar file, select "Properties", go to the Permissions tab and check the "Allow executing file as program" box).
-# Start OpenRocket by either double-clicking the .jar file, or right-clicking the .jar file, and selecting "Open with Sun Java6 Runtime".
-If the default is set to open with the Archive Manager, then right-click, select "Open with other application", then select "Open with Sun Java6 Runtime", and check the box to make that the default. In future, it should be possible to just double-click to start OpenRocket.
-Alternatively you may start OpenRocket from the command line:
-<pre>java -jar OpenRocket-15.03.jar</pre>
-Or, if you are not currently in the same directory as the .jar file, replace '/path_to/' by the appropriate path on your system:
-<pre>java -jar /path_to/OpenRocket-15.03.jar</pre>
-== Linux Users ==
-=== AppImage ===
-The AppImage is the preferred way to obtain OpenRocket for Linux at this time, as OpenRocket 15.03 requires an old version of Java (Java 8) which is not installed by default in most distributions.
-=== Ubuntu/Debian Repository ===
-''Note that if you install OpenRocket from a repository as in the following instructions, it will likely not work since it requires an older version of Java than is commonly distributed today.  Our next release is targeting newer versions of Java, and hopefully this will become a useful approach to installing again at that time.''
-If you are running a recent version of Ubuntu or Debian, then OpenRocket can be easily installed using the Ubuntu Software Center or Synaptic (etc.). Please note that the version in the distribution repository ''may not be the latest version''. Alternatively you may install OpenRocket from the command line:
-<pre>sudo apt-get install openrocket</pre>
-or
-<pre>sudo apt install openrocket</pre>
-To start OpenRocket, simply select it from the Applications menu.
-----
 <div style="text-align: center;">
-<div style="float: left;">[[Introduction|&larr; Introduction]]</div>
+<div style="float: left;">&larr; [[FAQ|Go to Frequently Asked Questions]]</div>
-<div style="float: right;">[[Getting Started|Getting Started &rarr;]]</div>
+<div style="float: right;">[[Tips|Go to Tips and Tricks &rarr;]]</div>
-[[Main Page|&uarr; Back to Contents]]
+[[Component Details|&uarr; Go to Component Details]]
 </div>