[version 5.5.2] Short explanation how to create/install the 4nec2(X) environment (Windows-95/98/ME/NT/2000/XP) IMPORTANT: The 5.3 and later versions consist of two supplementary packages. 1) The default 4nec2 package for 'normal' usage on standard and older computer systems. 2) An extended 4nec2X supplement which adds real-time 3D viewing usable on the modern computer systems --> For real-time 3D usage and in case of problems be sure you red the sections next to the below installation steps. To install the 4nec2 or 4nec2X program, follow the below steps. --------------------------------------------------------------- 1) Extract the setup_4nec2.exe program from the 4nec2v53.zip file and copy or move it into a temporary folder. 2) Double click the setup_4nec2.exe program. This wil automatically install 4nec2.exe and other required files used by the 4nec2 default package. 3) If real-time 3D rendering is required, extract the setup_4nec2X.exe program from the 4nec2X53.zip file and move or copy it into a temporary folder. 4) Double click the setupX.exe program. This wil automatically add the 4nec2X.exe program and other extensions to the your ../4nec2/exe folder. 5) BE SURE YOU SPECIFIED THE SAME FOLDER WITH THE 4nec2X INSTALL (e.g. C:\4nec2) AS SPECIFIED WITH THE DEFAULT INSTALL. 6) Double click any *.nec file, select 'Other' in the 'Open with' window and browse for your ..\4nec2\exe\4nec2.exe program to automatically start 4nec2 when double-clicking any *.nec file. 7) When using 4nec2 together with a licensed Nec-4 engine instead of the default public-domain Nec-2 engines, read below item C) first. 8) When using 4nec2X together with Multinec, please rename the file 4nec2X.exe to 4nec2.exe 9) In case of difficulties running the 4nec2(X) program, please read the below notes. ***************************************************************************************** !! ==> With version 5.3 and later one can use hardware-acceleration provided by your graphics-card to speed-up the 3D visualization and view the geometry structure in real-time 3D. To use this provision you must run the 4nec2X extended version executable. This 4nec2X executable is available through the 4nec2X***.zip file. Although this real-time rendering is available for all systems ranging from win- dows-95 to the latest -XP systems it is recommended to use it only on systems which incorporate one of the more modern graphics-cards. This because the older cards might not be compatible with the graphics-software used by 4nec2X. If this is the fact you probably have to stick on the 4nec2 standard version, but before deciding to do so, please check if your desktop color-setting is set to 256 colors. If so, please change to 16 bit colors and try again. To be able to run the 4nec2X eXtended version, the microsoft DirectX software installed on your system (used for 3D rendering) must be Version 8.0 or later. The check your current version, use 'DirectX-version' on the 4nec2 'Help' menu or run the GetDxVersion.exe program, located in the ..\4nec2\EXE folder. If DirectX version 7.x or before is installed, please download the latest DirectX version from www.microsoft.com and install this on your system. Most modern computer-systems (2001 and up) should have an 8.0 or later version already available. Note that, according the microsoft website, after installation of DirectX8.1 or later this version can not be removed anymore, so read carefully what is written about this on the microsoft DirectX download-page If you are still experiencing problems, be sure you are using the latest drivers belonging to you graphics-card. Consult the manufacturers website to check for this. The DirectX based 4nec2 version does not run on windows-NT, because windows- NT does not allow the installation of the DirectX package. You can get additional DirectX diagnostic information by running/opening the DXDIAG tool from 'Start->Run' on the windows task-bar. FURTHER IMPORTANT GENERAL NOTES: a) If the 4nec2 help file can not be found after pressing the key, browse to the ...\4nec2\exe folder and select the 4nec2.hlp file. b) When key's F6 (Edit input-file), F8 (View output file) and/or 'Help->Nec2 user- manual' won't work you probably have a different path to the Notepad, Wordpad or Word text editor's. You may customize these by changing the folder settings in the 'Settings->Folders->xxx editor' menu on the 'Main (F2)' window. To locate your Notepad, Wordpad or Word text editor executables: NOTEPAD.EXE, WORDPAD.EXE or WINWORD.EXE use: 'Start->find->files or folders' on your windows task-bar. c) When using 4nec2 with a Nec-4 engine it is required to copy a number of Nec4 engine-files from your NEC4 CD into the ..\4nec2\exe folder, these are: nec4d600.exe, nec4d1200.exe, nec4d2000.exe, nec4d3600.exe and nec4d7500.exe After this, click 'Settings->NEC-engine->Nec4d*.exe' on the 'Main' window to let 4nec2 know it must use the Nec4d*.exe executable instead of the default nec2d(XS)*.exe files to calculate results. Place your Nec4UsersMan.pdf file in the ..\4nec2 folder for easy access through the 4nec2 Help function. Note however that Nec-4 is a licensed product, so no Nec4 engines are included in the 4nec2 package. A Nec-4 license and corresponding executable files can be purchased at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. (LLN) Due to the fact that the Nec4d*.exe files as delivered on the LLN-CD are not built with command-line argument and/or input(file) redirection support the starting and file-name interfacing between 4nec2 and the Nec4d*.exe engines is somewhat cumber- some. You could contact Jerry Burke at LLN to see if he is willing to create a special Nec4d*.exe file including command-line support for you or you could compile your own Nec4d*.exe file using the freeware G77 fortran-compiler. If so, let me know and I will include the command-line support for the Nec-4 engine into 4nec2. Because ot the above it's possible that after a system (re)boot, the first time the Nec4d engine is called an exception is generated due to a time-out when loading the Nec4d program file. You can avoid thsi by doing a single manual start of the Nec4d*.exe executable, so it's loaded in your system cache. Note also that the author of 4nec2 did not have the possibility to test all differences between Nec2 and Nec4 himself because of above license issues, so if you are using Nec4 and you think you found a Nec4 related problem, please let me know. d) The Nec-2 calculations for the 4nec2 program are handled by so called Nec-2 engines. In this package two different types of engines are available: 1) the original nec2d engine by Jos Bergevoet, and 2) the nec2dXS engines. Both engines have their (dis)advantages. Both nec-2 engine uses different nec2d(XS)***.exe's for increasing number of segments. With version 5.0 or later the required executable is automatically selected by 4nec2 according the total number of segments specified in your *.nec input-file. The largest number of segments you can run on your system depends on the 'big- gest' executable that can be run on your system. For the original nec2d engine this depends on the amount of physical/RAM memory available on your computer. If RAM is not enough a "not enough memory-error" is generated, and you will have to lower the number of segmetns in your modell. Note however, that when a certain executable should just run (see 4nec2 help for more info), but there is too much memory in use by Windows or other programms, more obscure errors like "Error opening input file" could be generated. For the original nec2d engine, the 'smallest' exe that can be used also seems related to the amount of RAM. When using a 'simple' nec input file with few segments in combination with a 'small' exe, but with a big amount of RAM, a message "Program requires MS-DOS mode,...." might be displayed. If this is the case, increase the number of segments in the 'nr of segments' setting, till the message no longer appears. On the other hand, don't specify a far too big setting, because this will decrease calculating performance. The largest number of segments that can be run on your system with the more recent Nec2dXS engine depends on the amount of time you have. When the amount of RAM is not enough to do the calculations additional disk storage (virtual- memory) is used by the nec2dXS engine. However this is much, much slower than when using physical/RAM memory Nec2d (dis)advantages: + Faster when using the Optimizer/Evaluator. + For 'small' exe's faster than for 'big' ones (same nr-seg) + Especially suited for the 'older' windows-95/98/NT systems. - Reduced precision when using SomNec ground inside frequency loop. - Does not run on Windows-XP - Can not use temporary disk-storage to increase max number of segments. Nec2dXS (dis)advantages: + Runs on all Windows systems + Max nr of EX and TL cards increased from 30 to 99 (Version 5.0) + Maximum precision when using SomNec ground with frequency loop. + No separate executable required for SomNec ground calculations. - Due to start-up time, slower when using Optimizer/Evaluator. (+ Uses additional disk storage if on-board RAM memory is insufficient.) Nec2d executables for 256 and 512 and Nec2dXS exe's for 500 and 1500 segments are included in the 4nec2 package. Free executables for more segments can be found at the "Unofficial Nec ar- chives" at "www.si-list.org/swindex2.html". After download place these exe- cutables in your ..\4nec2\EXE folder. Note: from verion 5.3.4 and later two different Nec2dXS packages are available One capable of using virtual(disk) memory and another which is generally faster (especially for lower segment counts), but not capable or running virtual memory. For users running large models, the first package is recomended. For users using one or both optimizers the second package is recomended. e) On Windows-XP and -2000 systems with recent (service pack 2) updates installed it is possible following error is generated when the Nec-2 engine is started: "The system file is not suitable for running MS-DOS and Microsoft Windows applications. Choose 'Close' to terminate the application." To solve this problem, please consult the '_Run_DOS_Problem.txt' file included in the package This problem seems only related to the Nec2dXS.exe files from the Nec2dXS_FB.zip package, so as an alternative you could use the Nec2dXS.exe files from the Nec2dXS_VM.zip package. (available at "www.si-list.org/swindex2.html") f) Some windows-2000 and -XP users reported problems related to the Nec-2 engine when the package is installed under C:\program files. If this is the case, it could be wise to select a folder-name and/or nec-file names without embedded spaces. g) When using none-default desktop (color) settings, it is possible that one or more text-boxes and/or windows are not visible or correctly painted. When using a none-default setting, please temporary switch back to the default desktop (color) settings to check if, for both settings, the same information is visible. On windows-XP, with its large defaulT Font-size it is possible lower part of the window is cut-off. If required you can resize or re-position any 4nec2 window. These settings are automatically save and re-used the next time 4nec2 is started. h) See 4nec2.hlp for more information about 4nec2 functionality. 4nec2 help in printable form is included in the 4nec2.rtf file. You can print this file for comfortable reading. Also the file _GetStarted.txt might help you find your way through the 4nec2 package. i) The Nec-2 user manual can be found at "www.nec2.org". Select the word document and place this file as 'NEC2.DOC' in your '..\4nec2' folder for viewing with 'Help -> nec-2 manual'. j) When you try to read-in an incomplete *.out output file (caused by nec2d errors or because calculation was not yet finished), it is possible that a 4NEC2 program error is generated because of the incomplete data. To solve the problem, Remove the '*.out' file from the '\OUT' folder and try again. k) A suggestion from a user having difficulties: (see also item [m] below) > Just an advice to all who are having problems with the 4NEC2 program. > If, when you try to generate the output, the only thing you see is a > flashing DOS window, then nothing else happens, this is the cure : > > - locate in the EXE folder of the program a DOS shortcut named 4NEC2 > without extensions > - open its properties (by clicking on it with right mouse-button) > - select the "Memory" tab > - in the "Initial Environment" combo box, make the choice "4096" instead of > the default "Auto" > - click Apply, then Ok > > Try to execute the program again, now it should work ok. l) Due to the DOS based nature of the original nec2 engine, filenames are internally truncated to 8 characters. Normally this should work fine, however if white-spaces are embedded in your file-name the truncation might fail, so don't use white-spaces in your file-names. Furthermore the maximum file-name length for *.gnd files is restricted to 8 characters. When you run a lot of different (high)freq/cond/diel settings, it is occasionally possible you get an "Error on groundfile" message. It this is the case, remove all *.gnd files and try again. m) When no *.out output is generated by your Nec-2 engine (check the \OUT folder), please set the "Wait for DOS-box option" in 'Settings->General settings' on the "Main" form, to see what error message is logged. Furthermore you could temporary remove the "@echo off" line in the 4nec2.bat file in the \EXE folder, by adding the characters "rem" before it. This should deliver even more logging. n) If an "out of environment space" error is generated, please re-read item k) or consult the '_Out_of_env_space.txt' file included in the package o) If you enjoy this software, you could send me a note and tell me how you did hear about 4nec2. This way I can also inform you when new versions are available. p) If you should experience any problems installing and/or running the 4nec2 program, or for suggestions, questions or remarks, please contact me at: 4nec2@gmx.net TO AVOID DELETING YOUR MAIL AS SPAM, PLEASE INCLUDE "4NEC2 MODELLER" AS THE SUBJECT !! ***************************************************************************************** Changes for 5.5.2 (june 2005) - Import/conversion of EZnec type input-files added. - EZnec style 'Mininec' ground-type (GN 3) added. - Selection between multiple V/I sources for line-chart display - Display of dB value to correct with for Average Gain Test. - Geometry builder (build.exe) now supports autosegmentation. - Tracing/logging of SY(mbol) conversions added. - Major bugfix related to GM card and european regional settings. - Bugfix when using current sources with step-radius correction. - Bugfix when changing colors for Geometry and 3D display. - Bugfix for display of initial Theta/Phi angle in Optimize. - Bugfix for not showing far-field pattern after edit session. - Bugfix when selecting more than 32 var's to optimize. - Minor changes related to LD/EX display for whole structure Changes for 5.5.1 (apr 2005) - Far-field plot, theta angles > 360 degrees are now displayed as minus values. - Settings are now saved again when close button is used. - Initial azim/elev angles in optimizer are now okay. - Gnuplot 2D/3D display for azim/elavation angles and labeling corrected. - Some Nec-4 specific height- and radius tests corrected. - Print function did behave strange sometimes, now should be OK. - Some other small corrections and additions. Changes for 5.5.0 (jan 2005) - Now possible to use with both Nec-2 and Nec-4 (Nec4d*.exe) - Problems resulting from XP service pack 2 discussed in this file. - Segmentation-bug introduced with previous version 5.4.1 removed again. - Same for bug related to GM cards in conjunction with surface patches. - Same for zero segment/wire length bug. Changes on 5.4.1 (nov 2004) - Batch processing for automatic testing and calculation of multiple (4)Nec2 files. - Extensive geometry checking added: Overlaid wires, Crossing/unconnected wires, Intersecting volumes, Short/thick wires at sharp angle, Unequal segmentation for parallel wires, Too low hight, etc. - Automatic convergence-testing function with line-chart result display. - Enhanced variable-sweeper function for more easy use. - User selectable traditional- or Eznec-style current/phase display. (also in 3D viewer) - Screen grabber added for easy cut/paste or print parts of the screen/window/form. - New Geometry builder (build.exe) to avoid unconnected and/or overlapping wires - BugFix related to regional setting when generating gnuplot data-files. - BugFix related to diplays using large resolutions. - Few minor bugs introduced with 5.4.0 removed. Changes on 5.4.0 (sep 2004) - Automatic generation of L, Pi and T matching-networks (low- and high-pass) - Plot 2D and 3D graphs/charts using gnuplot freeware package - Show Circular Polarization components E(left) and E(right) for far-field. - Use of Symbols when creating file with geometry editor to be able to optimize design. - Autosegmentation/Stepradius bug on Windows-XP removed. - At one place, feet was .3058 instead of .3048 meters. Changes version 5.3.x - Usage of average/minimum or maximum value when optimizing on freq-sweep. - Radius/Diameter bug removed for wire-radius combo-box in Geometry-edit. - Pattern direction bug removed when using multiple Current sources. - 'Save file' did crash some now and then. The problem should be fixed by now. - 'Overflow' bug removed when doing geometry-validation on input-file. - Possibility to specify insulated wires. - Bugfix on saving a file without extension - Some minor user requests implemented - Geometry-edit functions extended. - Help-/GettingStarted files updated. - 'LC-trap' loading-type (LD 6) added. - Auto-conversion of GN, LD cards for Average-Gain-Test - 8000 and 11000 segment nec2dXS exe's added at "www.si-list.org/swindex2.html" Changes version 5.0-5.2 - CAD style 3D wire-,source-,load- and Transmission-line editor added. - Automatic install using setup.exe added. - Some additional user requests added. - Display of (arbritrary shape) patches added. - Additional checking on nec-2 output-file error's. - Sensivity problem on window-switching solved. - freq-loop, XP-related and other minor bugs removed. - Pre 4.3 version support for raw nec-2 input re-enabled. - More general and consistent data-entry when generating nec-2 output. - Optimization for a range of frequencies now possible. - Genetic Optimization Algorithms added. - Real-Time DirectX based 3D-graphics viewer added. - Limitation on the use of LD 0 (load all) removed. - Max-number of far/near field points increased from 32767 to 200000. - Max number of LD cards for Nec2dXS core increased from 30 to MaxSeg - Max number of EX and NT/TL for Nec2dXS core increased from 30 to 64 Version 4.x - Switchable Theta/Phi or Azim/Elev display. - Improved accuracy when using SOMNEC ground with freq-loop - Automatic evaluation of SWR, Gain, F/R, etc. trends. - 'Real-life' Current-Sources (EX 6) added. - Auto-segmentation functionality added. - Curve smoothing, Lin- or Log-scaling for graphs. - Front-to-rear data included in optimizer/evaluator - Support for windows-XP (max [for now] 5000 segments) - Real-time geometry updating when using the 4nec2 editor - Additional Power and SWR information for selected wire/segment - Highlight selected 2D far-field trace in 3D view. - Geometry builder added - Optimizer added to optimize geometry-, loading or phase configuration - Use variables and constants to configure the nec-2 input data. - Forms lay-out updated and executable changed to 32-bit. - ItsHF plot-file viewer added. Version 3.x - New and comprehensive help added. - Near field 3D, 2D and 1D (linear graph) patterns added - Smith-chart plot added for feed-line lenght determination - Automatic generation of far/near field, frequency loop and ItsHF files added. Version 2.x - Structure validation added - Reflection coefficient and SWR graphs added - Display 2D far field patterns for frequency-sweep. - Menu command structure added. - Comment possibilities for 4nec2 input-files. - Auto start 4nec2.exe for *.nec files. Some of the 4nec2 (1.0) basic functionality: - Read nec-2 input- and output-files and display geometry structure. - Rotate, shift, zoom-in and zoom-out geometry structure - Show, zoom in/out RF-currents/3D-far-field on geometry structure - Select segment and show segment current amplitude and phase - Automatic generation of nec-2 output file and SOMNEC ground files, - Polar or linear plot for far-field or ground wave radiation pattern. - Show geometry inside polar plot. - Load and compare other radiation patterns. - Show impedance graphs for frequency range. - Generate type 13 and 14 antenna files for HFWIN32 propagation software Required files: ReadMeFirst.txt This file. GettingStarted.txt Text/help file for first usage. Out_of_env_space.txt Description how to solve environment space error. \exe\4nec2.exe 4nec2 executable. \exe\4nec2X.exe 4nec2 DirectX based eXtended executable. \exe\4nec2.ini Initialization file. \exe\constant.ini General constants file. \exe\4nec2.hlp Help file. \exe\4nec2.rtf Printable help-file. \exe\4nec2.bat Batch file to start nec2d executables. \exe\4nec2.pif Shortcut to 4nec2.bat (required for close on exit). \exe\default.pov Default settings for povray file generation. \exe\gnd.bmp Bitmap for 3D ground(plane) display. \exe\edit.dat Containing data for 4nec2 editor . \exe\color0.dat Containing color data for 3D viewer \exe\smith.dat Containing display data for smith chart (fine). \exe\smith1.dat Containing display data for smith chart (course). \exe\4nec2a.ice Default ICEPAC area-coverage file \exe\4nec2p.ice Default ICEPAC point-to-point file \exe\4nec2a.rec REC533 files \exe\4nec2p.rec \exe\4nec2a.voa VOACAP files \exe\4nec2p.voa \exe\view.exe ItsHF picture viewer. \exe\view.ini Initialization file. \exe\view.hlp Help file. \exe\view.rtf Printable help-file. \exe\build.exe 4nec2 geometry builder \exe\xxx.gif picture files used by build.exe \exe\F77L3.eer Used by nec2d.exe for error reporting \exe\nec2d.exe Nec-2 calculation core for 256 segments \exe\somnec2d.exe Nec2d extension for generating somnec ground files \exe\nec2d***.exe Nec2d extensions for other number of segments \exe\nec2dXS***.exe Nec-2 extended (somnec)calculation cores, see above \exe\cop_run.bat Batch file for copying required run-time files. C:\Windows\System\msvbvm60.dll Visual basic run-time library C:\Windows\System\msflxgrd.ocx Microsoft flexgrid control (optimizer) In/output files: *.nec Main 4nec2 input file. build.nec Input nec2-file created by geometry builder autoseg.log Log file created with auto segmentation optimizer.log Log file created when optimizer is running \out\*.inp Pre-processed *.nec file used by nec2d.exe \out\*.out Nec-2 output files generated by nec2d.exe \out\*.gnd Saved Somnec2d ground file used as input by nec2d. \pov\*.pov Generated povray input files. \exe\nec2.tmp Input file for nec2dxxx.exe \exe\som2d.tmp Input file for somnec2d.exe \out\som2d.nec Last generated somnec2d output grond file