Directions to download and install a copy of Linux MLAB

This downloadable version of MLAB is for either 64-bit Linux or 32-bit Linux, based on your subsequent selection. The file to be downloaded will be either lmlabtar64.gz or lmlabtar32.gz and its size is 1100000+- bytes. This should take a few seconds to download under normal conditions.

(You may want to print this web-page now.)

The version of MLAB you will obtain is the complete program with an expiration date. On-line help is available (by typing "help" in MLAB), and you may order the three MLAB manuals and have them shipped to you by mail (see the offer in the readme.linux file in /usr/local/lib/mlab directory, or on the Order Form page. You may also download the manuals in PDF format from the Manuals page at www.civilized.com.

You will want to read (and print) the short MLAB manual for installing and running MLAB. Click here to obtain the short MLAB Manual for Linux (intel).

When you click below to download the desired version of Linux MLAB, a GNU-zipped tarred file called either lmlabtar64.gz or lmlabtar32.gz, depending on your subsequent selection, will be downloaded to your computer via the HTTP protocol. The name and location of this file on your computer may vary according to the behavior of your browser and options you select. Note carefully where the downloaded lmlabtar64.gz (or lmlabtar32.gz) file is placed.

You must follow the directions below to install MLAB. These directions, plus other information will be found in the readme.linux file within the /usr/local/lib/mlab directory.

Step 1. Start a "command-line" terminal window. Then create if necessary and cd to the directory which is to contain the MLAB system subdirectories. Usually this is /usr/local/ [It is highly recommended that you cd to /usr/local/ for this installation!]. (Use the command 'mkdir mlabdir' in the desired containing directory to create the directory for MLAB, if you do not use /usr/local/, and use the command 'cd mlabdir' (i.e., 'cd /usr/local' in the default case,) to "enter" the directory where the MLAB files will be placed.)

You must have "root-privileges" to install MLAB in /usr/local/. Thus you must either login as root before you begin the installation process, or you must use the command 'sudo' with the tar command below that unpacks the MLAB files in lmlabtar64.gz (or lmlabtar32.gz) and places them in /usr/local/lib/mlab.

Step 2. Type [tar -xvzpof ~~/lmlabtar64.gz] or [tar -xvzpof ~~/lmlabtar32.gz] while logged-in as root, or type [sudo tar -xvzpof ~~/lmlabtar64.gz] or [sudo tar -xvzpof ~~/lmlabtar32.gz] for Debian/Ubuntu-based systems where you do not need to be logged-in as root. You MUST be in the directory where you want the MLAB files and subdirectories to be placed. (On older linux systems, you may need to use the command [tar -xvzpof ~~/lmlabtar64.gz .] or [tar -xvzpof ~~/lmlabtar32.gz .] The "." refers to the current directory into which you are installing MLAB.) Of course, in all cases, you must have cd'ed into that directory before you run this command.)

Be sure to replace ~~/lmlabtar64.gz or ~~/lmlabtar32.gz with the FULL CORRECT PATH and file-name to the distribution package file you downloaded, (i.e., (PATH)/lmlabtar64.gz or (PATH)/lmlabtar32.gz) in the tar command. (You must be root, or you must prefix 'sudo' for this tar command to work when you are installing in the /usr/local directory.)

This extracts all the MLAB files and places them in the appropriate subdirectories. This step will take a few seconds.

After "un-tarring", all the MLAB files (except the bash-scripts, mlab and MLAB) will be in the directory tree lib/mlab/ in the directory you have chosen to unpack lmlabtar64.gz (or lmlabtar32.gz) in. (Usually /usr/local). If the lib subdirectory already exists, the mlab subdirectory will be placed within it, otherwise the lib directory will be created by tar first.

Step 3. Put the MLAB shell script directory (usually /usr/local/bin) on your 'path' environment variable if it is not already there.

Your 'path environment variable' consists of a list of directories separated by ':'s that will be searched whenever you specify an incomplete path for a program that you wish to run. With your path set to include /usr/local/bin, you can run MLAB by typing 'mlab'; otherwise you would have to type '/usr/local/bin/mlab' to run MLAB from a command-line terminal window.

You may add /usr/local/bin to your path as follows: (you may print-out the contents of your path with the command [echo $PATH]). If you need to add a directory to your path, (such as /usr/local/bin), use a text-editor to place the following command in your .bashrc file in your home directory.

export PATH=$PATH:/usr/local/bin

Your .bashrc file (in your home directory) is your "startup" file of bash commands that are executed whenever you run bash. Your .bashrc file is writable by you, thus all you need to do to change it is to run an editor of your choice on that file. Then add the specified command above (with a comment of the form: [# add /usr/local/bin to the path environment string.] and save that changed file back in your home directory.

In brief, you install MLAB with the commands:

cd /usr/local

sudo tar -xvzpof ~~/lmlabtar64.gz

(or: sudo tar -xvzpof ~~/lmlabtar32.gz)

[add "export PATH=$PATH:/usr/local/bin" to ~/.bashrc with an editor.]

(You must replace ~~ with the full path to the file lmlabtar64.gz or lmlabtar32.gz).

You are now ready to use and enjoy MLAB. You run MLAB by typing: 'mlab' in a terminal window. (Typing 'MLAB' (in upper-case) will also work.) Note, however, if you did not use /usr/local/ as the root directory for installing MLAB, the execution scripts, mlab and MLAB in the bin directory, will need to be modified! [Go look at them!]

(You will also probably want to create a "desktop launching icon" for MLAB that allows you to run MLAB by just clicking or double-clicking on that icon. Doing this requires deciphering how to use your Linux desktop program -- Gnome, Unity, Cinnamon, KDE, LXDE (my favorite, but with annoying pop-up scroll-bars,) xfde, etc.)

Now, click HERE to download 64-bit MLAB for a 64-bit Linux OS.

Now, click HERE to download 32-bit MLAB for a 32-bit Linux OS.