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Frequently Asked Questions
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Installation
------------
**How do I install Cantera on Windows?**
Download the MSI installer for Cantera and the corresponding Python module
from `SourceForge `_.
Choose between x86 and x64 based on the versions of Python and/or Matlab
you want to work with. See :ref:`Windows Installation `
for details.
**How do I install Cantera on Linux?**
<<<<<<< HEAD
For Ubuntu, packages for the current stable version of Cantera are available
in a PPA. See :ref:`Ubuntu Installation ` for details.
For other Linux distributions, download the source code (e.g.
``cantera-2.1.2.tar.gz``) from `SourceForge
`_ and follow the
instructions in the :ref:`sec-compiling`.
**How do I install Cantera on Mac OS X?**
Cantera can be installed using Homebrew. See :ref:`Mac OS X Installation
` for details.
General
-------
**Which Cantera interface should I use?**
If you're new to Cantera, the best interface to get started with is
probably the "new" Python interface. It offers most of the features of the
C++ core in a much more flexible environment. Since all of the
calculations are still done in C++, there is very little performance
penalty to using the high-level language interfaces.
**Where can I find examples of how to use Cantera?**
Cantera is distributed with many examples for the Python and Matlab
interfaces, and a smaller number of examples for the C++ and Fortran
interfaces. The Matlab, C++, and legacy Python examples should be
installed in the ``samples`` subdirectory of the Cantera installation
directory, or they can be found in the ``samples`` subdirectory of the
Cantera source directory.
Examples for the new Python interface can be found in the ``examples``
subdirectory of the Cantera Python module installation directory, or in
the ``interfaces/cython/cantera/examples`` subdirectory of the Cantera
source directory.
**How should I cite Cantera?**
The recommended citation for Cantera is as follows:
David G. Goodwin, Harry K. Moffat, and Raymond L. Speth. *Cantera: An object-
oriented software toolkit for chemical kinetics, thermodynamics, and
transport processes*. http://www.cantera.org, 2014. Version 2.1.2.
The following BibTeX entry may also be used::
@Misc{Cantera,
author = "David G. Goodwin and Harry K. Moffat and Raymond L. Speth",
title = "Cantera: An Object-oriented Software Toolkit for Chemical
Kinetics, Thermodynamics, and Transport Processes",
year = 2014,
note = "Version 2.1.2",
howpublished = "\url{http://www.cantera.org}"
}
If you are using a different version of Cantera, update the ``version`` and
``year`` fields accordingly.
Support and Bug Reporting
-------------------------
**What should I do if I think I've found a bug in Cantera?**
- Check to see if you're using the most recent version of Cantera, and
upgrade if not.
- Check the `Issue Tracker
`_ to see if the issue
has already been reported.
- Try to generate a complete, minimal example that demonstrates the
observed bug.
- Create a new issue on the tracker. Include as much information as
possible about your system configuration (operating system, compiler
versions, Python versions, installation method, etc.)
**What information should I include in my bug report?**
- The version of Cantera are you using, and how you installed it
- The operating system you are using
- If you compiled Cantera, what compiler you used, and what compilation
options you specified
- The version of Python or Matlab are you using, if applicable
- The necessary *input* to generate the reported behavior
- The full text of any error message you receive
**What should I do if I need help using Cantera?**
You can join the `Cantera Users' Group
`_ on Google
Groups and ask a question there. Please use the search feature before
posting to see if your question has been answered before. This group is
moderated, so it may take some time for your posts to appear if you are a
new member.