1.2. Installing SDF

1.2.1. Overview

If SDF is not yet installed, you will need to fetch it and install it. The latest version of SDF can be fetched from the SDF download page, http://www.mincom.com/mtr/sdf/download.html.

If Perl is not installed, you will also need to fetch and install it. Various ports of Perl can be obtained from the Perl Home Page (http://www.perl.com/index/).

SDF installation details are provided below for:

Some general Installation Notes are also provided.

1.2.2. Unix

Use the tar and gunzip programs to unpack the distribution like this:

   gunzip sdf-2.000.tar.gz
   tar xvf sdf-2.000.tar

Build, test and install the software like this:

   perl Makefile.PL
   make
   make test
   make install

1.2.3. Windows NT

Unpack the distribution using a program which understands long file names (e.g. WinZip).

Within the Control Panel, go to the System properties, select the Environment tab and edit the variables as follows:

Update the PATH to include the bin\dos directory where SDF is installed.
For example, if SDF is installed in c:\sdf, then you need to edit the PATH system variable to include c:\sdf\bin\dos.
Edit (or add) the PERL5LIB variable to include the Perl libraries used by SDF.
For example, if SDF is installed in c:\sdf, then you need to edit the PERL5LIB variable to include c:\sdf\perllib.
Set the SDFBIN variable to point to the directory containing SDF's scripts, including the trailing \.
For example, if SDF is installed in c:\sdf, then you need to set the SDFBIN variable to c:\sdf\bin\.

Test the software. To do this:

Start an MS-DOS window.
Change directory to the t directory within the SDF distribution.
Run sdf without any arguments to confirm that SDF was successfully installed.
Run sdftest.

If anything fails, sdftest will leave the failed .out and .log files in the relevant directories.

1.2.4. Windows 95

Unpack the distribution using a program which understands long file names (e.g. WinZip).

Update the PATH to include the bin\dos directory where SDF is installed. For example, if SDF is installed in c:\sdf, then the command is:

   set PATH=%PATH%;c:\sdf\bin\dos

Edit (or add) the PERL5LIB system variable to include the Perl libraries used by SDF. For example, if SDF is installed in c:\sdf, then the command is:

   set PERL5LIB=%PERL5LIB%;c:\sdf\perllib

Set the SDFBIN variable to point to the directory containing SDF's scripts, including the trailing \. For example, if SDF is installed in c:\sdf, then the command is:

   set SDFBIN=c:\sdf\bin\

Test the software. To do this:

Change directory to the t directory within the SDF distribution.
Run sdf without any arguments to confirm that SDF was successfully installed.
Run sdftest.

If anything fails, sdftest will leave the failed .out and .log files in the relevant directories.

Note: PATH, PERL5LIB and SDFBIN should be set within your autoexec.bat file.

1.2.5. MS-DOS/Windows 3.x

Use pkunzip to unpack the distribution. The command is:

   pkunzip -d sdf.zip

Update the PATH to include the bin\dos directory where SDF is installed. For example, if SDF is installed in c:\sdf, then the command is:

   set PATH=%PATH%;c:\sdf\bin\dos

Edit (or add) the PERL5LIB system variable to include the Perl libraries used by SDF. For example, if SDF is installed in c:\sdf, then the command is:

   set PERL5LIB=%PERL5LIB%;c:\sdf\perllib

Set the SDFBIN variable to point to the directory containing SDF's scripts, including the trailing \. For example, if SDF is installed in c:\sdf, then the command is:

   set SDFBIN=c:\sdf\bin\

Test the software. To do this:

Change directory to the t directory within the SDF distribution.
Run sdf without any arguments to confirm that SDF was successfully installed.
Run sdftest.

If anything fails, sdftest will leave the failed .out and .log files in the relevant directories.

Note: PATH, PERL5LIB and SDFBIN should be set within your autoexec.bat file.

1.2.6. Installation Notes

1.2.6.1. Distribution Formats

The tar.gz and zip distributions should both contain the same set of files. Therefore, it shouldn't matter which distribution you obtain provided you have the necessary software to unpack it.

The sdf.ini configuration file (in the sdf/home directory on Perl's library path) contains several sets of configuration parameters which you may want to edit after SDF is installed. Refer to the comments in the file for further details.

1.2.6.3. Win32 Support

SDF has been briefly tested with:

Gurusamy Sarathy's 5.004_02 Perl port (August 97), and
ActiveState's Perl port build 315 (based on 5.003_07).

Both seem to work ok, although running sdftest with the 5.004_02 port leaves zero length .out and .log files for the tests which work (when they should be deleted).

1.2.6.4. The SDFBIN Environment Variable

This environment variable is only used by the Windows/DOS wrapper batch files within bin/dos to find the real scripts. Therefore, if you wish to wrap the scripts in some other way, then there is no need to set this variable.

1.2.6.5. Macintosh support

Unlike earlier versions, the 2.000 release includes support for Macintosh filename handling. Installation instructions for the Macintosh will be made available soon.

1.2.6.6. Testing Notes

When the sdf command is run without arguments, the output should be something like:

usage  : sdf [+alias] [-h[help]] [-o[out_ext]] [-l[log_ext]] [-2 format] [-D var
iable,..] [-n split_level] [-f flag,..] [-I include_path,..] [-p prefilter] [-a
parameters] [-P[plang]] [-N[line_numbers]] [-r report] [-L locale] [-k look] [-s
 style] [-S page_size] [-c config] [-u uses,..] [-H head_level] [-d driver] [-y
post_filter] [-z post_process,..] [-t target] [-v[verbose]] [-w width] sdf_file
...
purpose: convert an sdf file to another format
version: 2.000    (SDF 2.000)

If this fails, check the following:

perl 5.003 or later is installed (type perl -v to test)
the sdf script is on your path and under Unix, is executable.

SDF is supplied with a regression testing system. To run the tests, change to the t directory within the SDF distribution and execute sdftest like this:

   sdftest

This command can be used at anytime to verify your installation of SDF.

The SDF Sample Showcase contains SDF source code and matching outputs. If you wish to conduct further tests, these samples can be used.