Ribbons Platform-Specific Release Notes


The popular molecular graphics software is copyrighted by
M.Carson (1985-2006) and licensed by the UAB / CBSE.

Last update: Jul 14, 2006

All ribbons versions are not created equal.
See platform-specific release notes below:


The ribbons-data GUI utility requires you to install Python2.4 (www.python.org) for all platforms.


If you are getting source code...


Mac OSX

Fink:

If ribbons doesn't work, get/install missing libraries from
Fink - Home.
... The Fink project wants to bring the full world of Unix Open Source software to Darwin and Mac OS X. We modify Unix software so that it compiles and runs on Mac ...
Guess you Mac folk probably already know about this.

Recipes for Unix novices

If you aren't used to this unix command line stuff, here's a very nice 'Word' document courtesy of Ed Rosloniec.
Feedback welcome.

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Linux

Needed components are usually standard or easy to get/install.

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Windows

Needed components are usually standard or easy to get/install.

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SGI Irix 6.5

Have currently quit building new versions on these box.
Let me know if interested...

Ray tracing with POVray

The main POV site is
Persistence Of Vision
I currently run version 3.6 under linux or windows.
You will need to get their distribution and "/include" subdirectories if you plan to do anything fancy. Got their Unix version and built for my SGI machine to run under X. (a little painful without the linux-based tools.) Pretty sure I'm allowed to redistribute this by their license.

Pre 3.3 versions: Tcl/Tk on SGI

You must get/install Tcl/Tk version 8.0 or higher. (it's an old one by default on your sgi). This is the one I got (that worked on sgi,dec,mac - was already on linux): www.scriptics.com/software/tcltk/8.0.html

Then, after the simple:

  configure; make; make install
you have to make sure that the new one is in your path (type 'which wish'). 'ribbons-data' expects the executable to be in '/usr/bin', so as root:
 cd /usr/bin;  ln -s /wherever/it/is/wish wish

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HP / Compaq / "DEC" Alpha Workstation

Have currently quit building new versions on this box.
Let me know if interested...

Ray tracing with POVray

The main POV site is
Persistence Of Vision
I currently run version 3.6 under linux or windows.
You will need to get their distribution and "/include" subdirectories if you plan to do anything fancy. Got their Unix version and built on my Alpha machine to run under X. (a little painful without the linux-based tools.) Pretty sure I'm allowed to redistribute this by their license.

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Contact: carson@uab.edu