To successfully download and install the DESL software please follow the steps on the lines below in the order they have been prescribed :
Downloading the DESL Software : General DESL Requirements DESL Modes of Operation Demonstration Mode Unrestricted Mode Subscription Rates DESL Legal Issues The Actual Download The Password Form Environmental Variables The ABC's of Installing the DESL System
| Please take a look at the collection of frequently asked questions. Hopefully most of your questions regarding how to obtain, configure, and use DESL are addressed. |
DLgen)
Downloading the DESL System : General
The DESL system consists of a single executable file and local and/or remote web pages and associated images.
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The downloadable DESL executable version will change as
a function of time.
Thus, when these web pages refer to a demonstration version of DESL and an unrestricted version of DESL, they are referring to the use of the same single downloadable DESL executable and not the code's functionality. The supplied password is what governs which of these two modes DESL will be running in at any given time. The functionality of both versions is identical. Most often, the only reason for a "version" change is to have the executable tagged with a different set of two passwords - one for its demonstration use and the other for its unrestricted use. Of course there will also be times that a new DESL version will also contain updates and expanded capabilities from those of a previous version. If a new version of DESL contains any significant modifications and/or enhancements, they will be described in the update page. |
A (32-bit) Windows PC version of DESL is available.
On 6/1/00 Unix versions of DESL for Sun and SGI platforms became available.
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(Begin modifications on 052102) On 5/21/02 A Unix version of DESL for the HP platform became available. As of 1/21/07 DESL versions for SGI, Sun and HP were no longer updated and are no longer available.
On 5/21/02 A Mac OS-X pre 10.15 Catalina (64-bit) version of DESL became available.
(End modifications on 052102) |
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(Begin modifications on 020221)
On 2/2/21 A Mac OS-X 10.15 Catalina (64-bit) version of DESL became available.
(End modifications on 020221) |
The latest production DESL system is always available for downloading. Downloading alone is not sufficient, however, to be able to use DESL. A password is also required.
Each change to the downloadable version of the DESL system will have associated with it a different password. The frequency with which the downloadable DESL system can change could be as often as daily.
DLreq)
DESL Requirements
DESL for the PC requires a Windows XP/7/10 computer.
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(Begin modifications on 052102)
On 5/21/02 A Mac OS-X (pre-Catalina, 10.15) 32-bit version of DESL became available.
As of about 1/1/2019 NO NEW pre-Catalina Mac DESL changes have been made.
Therefore, the newer GOTO and LABEL commands are NOT in this Mac version.
(End modifications on 052102) |
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(Begin modifications on 020221)
On 2/2/21 A Mac OS-X (Catalina, 10.15) 64-bit version of DESL became available.
(End modifications on 020221) |
If the DESL documentation is also retained locally there is an additional disk space requirement of approximately 2MB. If it is desired that DESL documentation be viewable at all - remotely or locally - the requirement is also present for a web browser capable of rendering HTML 3.0.
The DESL functions which produce display output - i.e., the "print" (tabular) and "pubplot" (graphical plotting) commands - can produce this output in PostScript format.
Therefore, to view the plot output and, depending on how it is produced,
also the tabular output, you need to have access to either or both
a PostScript-capable printer or a PostScript screen previewer. Many higher
quality laser printers can accept PostScript files. Also, there are PostScript
previewers available for all platforms. One of the most capable and one which
is available to be downloaded for free is the
Aladdin Ghostscript/Ghostview
Postscript previewer package. Please use Ghostview version 2.7
or later which support the /e and /x options.
At the page pointed to above, follow the link from Obtaining Aladdin Ghostscript 5.50 or later to the page from which, for the Windows platform, you can download the self-extracting archive gsv27550.exe which, when executed, will install GSViev 2.7 or later and Aladdin Ghostscript 5.50 or later on your local computer.
Unix platforms may have their own PostScript previewing software.
DLmodes)
Versions of DESL
Each downloaded edition of DESL is either a demonstration or unrestricted version. Associated with the process of downloading DESL, a form is presented to the user which, when successfully filled out, will cause a password valid for that demonstration or unrestricted edition of DESL to be emailed.
DLdemo)
The Demonstration VersionIf the demonstration version of DESL is what was downloaded an appropriate password is supplied without charge via your email address. See the form link below. Email addresses, by the way, are the primary way we will inform you (should you indicate you desire such) of any pertinent changes which are made to the DESL system. The web-based news information will also reflect changes in DESL which may warrant later system downloads.
| The demonstration version of DESL will normally only be downloadable once per person per platform and will only function for approximately one month from the time of downloading. Each use of this DESL version will not only require the standard use of the demonstration password but, in the case of NOT having set the password via the DESLPW environment variable, also the current date. |
DLun)
The Unrestricted Subscription VersionA paid annual subscription to DESL allows the subscriber to download DESL as often as desired for a period of one year to the platform for which the subscription had been originally designated and be as often supplied via email with the corresponding system password for running an unrestricted version of DESL.
The downloaded DESL subscription executable will not expire after the 1-year period. Most likely, however, a downloaded version will become more and more outdated as new DESL development is done and more capabilities are added.
DLsub)
The Unrestricted version subscription rates are the following :
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(Begin modifications on 060504)
Windows XP/7/10 PC : The following is the applicable DESL pricing schedule :
(End modifications on 060504) |
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(Begin modifications on 052102)
Mac pre-Catalina (10.15) :
(End modifications on 052102) |
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(Begin modifications on 020221)
Mac Catalina 10.15 :
(End modifications on 020221) |
| Before downloading DESL please review the following legal issues associated with the purchase and use of software and/or files downloaded or obtained otherwise from ViGYAN, Inc. |
DLlegal)
DESL Legal Issues.
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COPYRIGHT NOTICES Copyright 1999, 2000, ViGYAN, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Unless otherwise specified, the DESL website at vigyan.com and its contents are owned by ViGYAN, Inc. and is protected by the United States Copyright Act of 1976, as amended, and the copyright laws of other countries. The DESL web pages themselves, whether on the ViGYAN server or on a local computer, are also copyrighted by ViGYAN, Inc. under the same United States Copyright Act of 1976.
TRADEMARKS
DISCLAIMERS AND LIMITATIONS No judgment or warranty is made with respect to the accuracy, timeliness, or suitability of the content of other services or sites to which these pages link, and ViGYAN, Inc. takes no responsibility therefore. A link to a service or site outside of ViGYAN, Inc. is not an endorsement of the service or site, its content, or its sponsoring organization. In the case of DESL being used on a PC platform, the DESL software is limited to use on only a single personal computer or workstation which is not used as a server. However, if the unrestricted, subscription version of DESL has been downloaded, an additional payment is required for each use of that software version on another personal computer or workstation. In the case of DESL being hosted on a Unix platform, the DESL software can be available from that platform (only) to an unlimited number of users simultaneously. In all cases, only a single copy may be made of this software solely for backup or archival purposes. The software may also only be transferred to a single permanent storage device. |
| As part of the password form which will need to be filled in and submitted (see password form) you must indicate whether you agree or disagree with the above legal issues. |
DLdl)
Actual Download of DESL to Target PlatformPlease select the target platform for which to ftp the DESL two files
The "deslsys.exe" or "deslsys.tar" file downloaded should be saved in a directory/folder where DESL is to ultimately reside or should be moved to its ultimate residence before the system is made. Sublevel directories may be later created by the install process under this level.
The "deslpw.exe" file downloaded can be saved anywhere. It is only used to execute to reveal the 4-character code needed as part of the information to be supplied to ViGYAN for a return DESL password.
After the downloads, the password form MUST be used to supply information necessary for an appropriate DESL password to be emailed to you. The target platform for which you download DESL MUST match the platform you indicate on the form below. Failure to do this will cause a password to be emailed to you which will NOT be valid for the version of DESL you are downloading.
Pricing information is also specified on the password form.
PC platform :
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(Begin modifications on 012107) Pre-Catalina 32-bit Mac platform :
(End modifications on 012107) |
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(Begin modifications on 020221) Catalina 10.15 64-bit Mac platform :
(End modifications on 020221) |
DLpass)
The Password Form
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Fill out the password
form to initiate your being emailed a valid DESL password.
DESL must be supplied a valid password each time it is
invoked. A password is determined based on the
version of DESL :
The downloadable DESL executable version will change as
a function of time.
Thus, when these web pages refer to a demonstration version of
DESL and an unrestricted version of DESL, they are referring
to the use of the same single downloadable DESL
executable and not the code's functionality. The supplied password
is what governs which of these two modes DESL
will be running in at any given time. The functionality of both
versions is identical.
Most often, the only reason for a "version" change
is to have the executable tagged with a different set of two
passwords - one for its demonstration use and the other for
its unrestricted use. Of course there will also be times that
a new DESL version will also contain updates and expanded capabilities
from those of a previous version. If a new version of DESL
contains any significant modifications and/or enhancements, they will
be described in the update page.
The utility "deslpw.exe" which is part of the group of files produced from the downloaded self-extracting archive can be executed at any time to reveal a 4-character code. This code is a vital piece of information which is required on the form to be faxed/emailed to ViGYAN in order to receive via email a password for the version of DESL which was downloaded. Other ways to be shown the 4-character code are
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DLenv)
Environmental Variables
Before a smooth operation of DESL can be achieved several environmental variables must be set. In fact the setting of one particular environment variable, DESLH, is mandatory for DESL to run successfully.
The DESLH environment variable
is defined on the PC Windows 9X platform in the
autoexec.bat file
and at the appropriate
For Mac systems the equivalent setenv command in the .login or .cshrc file is appropriate.
In the PC case the line in the autoexec.bat file could look like the following if the system was to be located in the recommended directory called "DESL" under the root directory on the C: drive :
This example will inform the Windows system that
the
appropriate files
can be found
at
The setting of the DESLH environmental variable does not, in itself, cause the desl executable (DESL.EXE on the PC) to be found when entering simply desl. As with other executables or batch files, a path to the DESL executable (in this example, at C:\DESL), must be defined in the appropriate location.
In the Mac cases the line in the .cshrc or .login files could look like the following if the system was to be located in the recommended directory called "desl" under the root directory :
This example will inform the Mac (Unix) system that
the appropriate files
can be found
at
The setting of the DESLH environmental variable does not,
in itself, cause the DESL executable (desl on Mac (Unix) platforms)
to be found when entering simply desl. As with other executables
or script files,
a path to the DESL executable
(in this example, at ~/desl), must be defined in the appropriate
location.
The total length of the DESLH path string should be no longer than
64 characters.
The DESLPW environmental variable
is the best place to define the DESL password.
Although it is not the only way for it to be defined,
this method of definition is the cleanest way to
define the DESL password.
There is an additional means by which the DESL password may be set.
If a file called DESLPW exists in, first, the path defined by the
DESLH Environmental variable or, second, the current directory
and the content of the first line of this file is
the 16-character DESL password, then the DESL password will be set.
A caveat : If a newer version of DESL is downloaded
a new password will be effective and the DESLPW variable will have to
be also updated.
There are two other environment variables which can be optionally set.
There are two specially-named DESL input files - DESLINIT
and DESLEXIT - which can exist either in the directory where
DESL is being executed or can be pointed to by the environment
variables DESLI and DESLX, respectively.
If either of these two files does exist in the current directory AND
the respective environment variable is NOT set, then the version(s) of
DESLINIT and/or DESLEXIT in the
current directory will be used unless otherwise specifically prohibited.
These two files,
if in existence, will be used at the very beginning and very end of
a DESL session, respectively. These input files can contain
anything a normal input file can contain.
In the PC case, the lines in the autoexec.bat file needed to
set specific full path strings for these two files could look like :
SET DESLX=C:\DESL\DESLEXIT
In the Unix case, the lines in the .cshrc or .login
file needed to set specific full path strings for these two files could
look like :
setenv DESLX ~/desl/complete
Typical contents of a DESL initialization file might be :
whereas the typical contents of a DESL exit file might be :
Assuming the DESLH environment variable has been defined
properly, DESL can be executed from any location by entering
desl on the DOS/Unix command line or, in the PC case,
by selecting desl.exe from the start|run menu or by clicking
on a previously-produced shortcut icon. In these latter two cases
a MSDOS window is opened automatically.
As was stated earlier, both the
demonstration or unrestricted (subscription) versions
of DESL require an appropriate password and this
password must be used when DESL is executed.
The DESLPW environmental variable
is the best place to define the DESL password.
Although it is not the only way for it to be defined,
this method of definition is the cleanest way to
define the DESL password.
There is an additional means by which the DESL password may be set.
If a file called DESLPW exists in, first, the path defined by the
DESLH Environmental variable or, second, the current directory
and the content of the first line of this file is
the 16-character DESL password, then the DESL password will be set.
A caveat : If a newer version of DESL is downloaded
a new password will be effective and the DESLPW variable will have to
be also updated.
If either or both files are found at one of these locations
(DESLI- and DESLX-specified paths have precedence over the
current directory) then
it/they will be automatically used when DESL begins and/or
when DESL ends, respectively. These two files are nothing more than
DESL input files. They can be utilized to provide routine user-determined
session-beginning setup and session-ending house-cleaning functions.
Thank you for trying and/or buying DESL. We hope you find it a
useful tool. We always welcome your comments and questions.
You can contact the DESL Manager at
ViGYAN, Inc.
SET DESLI=C:\DESL\DESLINIT
setenv DESLI ~/desl/start
*
* Define the DESL password (ALWAYS the FIRST command)
* IF it is NOT defined in an environmental variable.
*
* Turn ON overstoring and set the editor to the "vi" editor
*
os on
editor vi
*
* Clean up the files "to be deleted" ...
*
cl
go
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