diff --git a/docs/index.rst b/docs/index.rst index 9d644e0..4e89336 100644 --- a/docs/index.rst +++ b/docs/index.rst @@ -111,6 +111,9 @@ our `Github Homepage`_. packages and don't want to have to compile anything yourself**, head to the :doc:`installing` page. +**Running Windows and not familiar with the command line?** Head to the +:doc:`windowsguide` page. + **If you would like to build the Overviewer from source yourself (it's not that bad)**, head to the :doc:`Building ` page. @@ -145,6 +148,7 @@ Documentation Contents building running options + windowsguide faq design/designdoc diff --git a/docs/overviewer_win_1.png b/docs/overviewer_win_1.png new file mode 100644 index 0000000..44fa1c1 Binary files /dev/null and b/docs/overviewer_win_1.png differ diff --git a/docs/overviewer_win_2.png b/docs/overviewer_win_2.png new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d83b4a9 Binary files /dev/null and b/docs/overviewer_win_2.png differ diff --git a/docs/windowsguide.rst b/docs/windowsguide.rst new file mode 100644 index 0000000..01fd743 --- /dev/null +++ b/docs/windowsguide.rst @@ -0,0 +1,85 @@ +==================== +Windows Newbie Guide +==================== +If you're running Windows and aren't as familiar with the Windows command +prompt as the rest of the documentation assumes you are, this page is for you! + +The Overviewer is a *command line* tool, which means you will need to use the command line to run it. + +**First step:** Open the command line. + Open your Start menu and type in the box 'cmd' and press enter. If you're + running XP you'll go to the "run" option instead and then type 'cmd' and + press enter. This should bring up the *command prompt*, a black window with + a prompt where you can type *commands*. + +Now that you know how to open a command line, and haven't been scared off yet, +the next step is to download the latest Overviewer. + +**Step 2:** Download Overviewer + Go to the `Downloads Page + `_ and + download the *latest* version for your architecture, either 32 bit or 64 + bit. + + *This is important. If you don't know which to choose, 32 or 64,* then you + can find out by clicking on the start menu, *right clicking* on the + "Computer" icon or "My Computer" icon (depending on your version of + Windows, and then selecting "Properties." Somewhere among the information + about your computer it should tell you if you're running a *32 bit + architecture* or *64 bit architecture*. I forget exactly the wording, but + look for a *32* or *64*. + + You'll want to download the latest version. We make small changes all the + time, and a new version is uploadeded to that page for every change we + make. It's usually best to just get the latest. + +Okay, you've got a command prompt open. You've got The Overviewer downloaded. +We're half way there! + +**Step 3:** Extract the Overviewer zip you downloaded. + This is easy. I assume you know how to unzip things. Unzip the contents to + somewhere you can find easily. You'll need to find it in the command + prompt. It may help to leave the window with the unzipped contents open so + you can remind yourself where it is. + + *Keep all those files together!* They're all needed to run The Overviewer + (well except w9xpopen.exe. Unless you're running windows 95 lol!) + +**Step 4:** Navigate in the command prompt to the location of overviewer.exe + You remember that file you just extracted? Cool. We're going to *change + directory* to that directory with the command prompt. Bring the command + prompot window back up. The command we're going to use is called ``cd``, it + stands for ... *change directory*! + + I'm going to illustrate this with an example. Let's say you extracted + Overviewer to the directory + ``c:\users\imauser\Downloads\overviewer-0.4.22-win64``. Here is exactly + what you'll type into the command prompt and then press enter:: + + cd c:\users\imauser\Downloads\overviewer-0.4.22-win64 + + Okay, did it work? Your command *prompt* should now have the *current + working directory* in it. If your prompt changed to the directory that you + just cd'd to, then your current directory changed successfully! You're ready + for the next step! + +Okay before we actually run Overviewer for real, let's do a checkpoint. You +should have *cd*'d to the directory where overviewer.exe is. To test, type this +in and you should see the help text print out:: + + overviewer.exe --help + +note the two hyphens before "help". You should see something like this: + +.. image:: overviewer_win_1.png + +The help text displays the *usage* of overviewer.exe, or the parameters it takes +to run it. + +:: + + Usage: + overviewer.exe [OPTIONS] + +Command line tool usage convention says that items in [square brackets] are +*optional*, while items in are *required*.