
Installation instructions for WINDOWS

If you have an Academic license, and it has expired, then:

1.1. Download a new executable from: http://openmopac.net/Download_MOPAC_Executable_Step2.html

1.2. Replace the old executable with the new one.



If you are a first-time user of MOPAC2016, then:

2.1.  Check that the ZIP file contains the following files:
    * This file, i.e., "Installation instructions.txt"
    * The MOPAC program "MOPAC2016.exe"
    * A library file "libiomp5md.dll"
    * An example data set, "Example_data_set.mop"

    Then make sure your emailed password is available. This will have the form "12345678a12345678"

2.2.  Create a folder called "MOPAC" under "C:\Program Files" (i.e. create "C:\Program Files\MOPAC") If you don't want to use this location, then set the location using an Environmental Variable, see below.
      Do NOT use "C:\Program Files (x86)"

2.3. Set permissions to allow MOPAC to write its own license file:

    * Using Windows Explorer (Windows-7) or File Explorer (Windows-10), navigate to "C:\Program Files"

    * Right-click on the folder "MOPAC" then left-click on "Properties" (this is at the bottom of the pop-up window)

    * In the box "MOPAC Properties," click on "Security," then click on the button marked "Edit" - this allows you to change permissions.

    * In the new window, "Permissions for MOPAC," go to "Group or user names" and select "Users" 

    * In the "Permissions for Users" box, put a tick in the "Allow" box for "Full control" This will automatically put ticks in the "Modify" and "Write" boxes.

    * Click on "OK" to close the "Permissions for MOPAC" window.

    * In the "MOPAC Properties" window, click on "Users" in the box "Group or user names" - now the "Permissions for Users" should have ticks under the heading "Allow"

    Click on "OK" at the bottom of the "MOPAC Properties" window.


2.4.  Put "MOPAC2016.exe" and libiomp5md.dll in the new folder "C:\Program Files\MOPAC"  

2.5.  Using a text-editor, e.g., Notepad, Wordpad or Microsoft Word, create a new ".txt" file

2.6.  Name the file the same as your password (sent to you by email), i.e. if the password is 12345678a12345678 then name the file "12345678a12345678.txt", then save it in a folder that you own, e.g., in a folder of the type "C:\Users\<your name>\MOPAC_working"

2.7.  Change the suffix of this file from "txt" to "mop"  If you can't see the suffix, then:

    Windows-7: Open a Windows Explorer window => "Tools" => "Folder options" => "View". In the small pane "Advanced settings:" un-check "Hide extensions for known file types". Click on "OK"

    Windows 10: Open "File explorer" => View => check "File name extension:"



Do one of the following:

                Using a desktop icon to run MOPAC

3.1.  Copy "C:\Program Files\MOPAC\MOPAC2016.exe" and paste a shortcut onto the desktop.

3.2.  "drag and drop" the MOPAC data-set onto the MOPAC icon. This will start MOPAC.  Follow the instructions on the screen.

                Use the "open with" option in Windows or File Explorer.

3.1.  Right-button click on the MOPAC data-set

3.2.  Select "Open with | Choose a program"

3.3.  Then click "Browse..." and navigate to 
      "C:\Program Files\MOPAC\MOPAC2016.exe"

3.4. Select "MOPAC2016.exe" then click "Open" This will start MOPAC.  Follow the instructions on the screen.


       Use the "open with" option 

Windows-7:

3.1.  Right-button click on the MOPAC data-set

3.2.  Select "Open with | Choose a program"

3.3.  Then click "Browse..." and navigate to 
      "C:\Program Files\MOPAC\MOPAC2016.exe"

3.4. Select "MOPAC2016.exe" then click "Open". This will start MOPAC.  Follow the instructions on the screen.

Windows-10:

3.1.  Right-button click on the MOPAC data-set

3.2.  Select "Open with". Un-check "Always use this app to open .mop files"

3.4.  Click on "More apps". Again, un-check "Always use this app to open .mop files"

3.5.  Scroll down until you see "Look for another app in this PC". Click on that

3.5.  Navigate to "C:/Program Files/MOPAC", click on MOPAC2016.exe.  The text "MOPAC2016.exe" should appear in the small box "File name:".  Click on "Open". This will start MOPAC.  Follow the instructions on the screen.



All systems:

Check that MOPAC will run the job Example_data_set.mop.  This job should take about 0.05 seconds to run.  After the job runs successfully, as a safety precaution, change permissions on the MOPAC folder to prevent writing to it.  This is a security step intended to stop any accidental or deliberate attempts to mess with the contents of the MOPAC folder.



To run MOPAC jobs:

4.1.  Right-click on a MOPAC data-set. Click on "Open with" In Windows-7, chose MOPAC2016.  In Windows-10, click on "Choose another app", then click on MOPAC2016

There are many other ways to run MOPAC, but these two, "drag and drop" on the icon, and "Open with" are the simplest.  Other ways to run MOPAC include:

5.1.  Write a <file>.cmd to run MOPAC as a batch queue.

5.2.  From the Command Prompt.

5.3.  Have "Always use this app to open .mop files", then double-clicking on a MOPAC data-set would run it immediately. Single-click would allow you to choose an editor, e.g. notepad.




 You are now ready to run MOPAC2016.  If you are new to mopac, please see:

http://openmopac.net/manual/running_mopac.html




 Using Environmental Variables to define location of the License Key

By default, the MOPAC executable should be put in the Windows folder "C:/Program Files/MOPAC"   If necessary, the executable can be put somewhere else. If that is done, then the location of the folder that contains the MOPAC2016 license key must be defined using the environmental variable MOPAC_LICENSE.  

If MOPAC_LICENSE is not defined, then MOPAC behaves as if it was defined as "C:\Program Files\MOPAC\" 
  (Note that the terminal slash is necessary for the environmental variable to work.)

 (start) => Settings => Control Panel => System => Advanced => Environmental Variables => User variables for <user> => New => Variable name = MOPAC_LICENSE Variable value = C:\Program Files\MOPAC\ => OK => OK => OK 

A re-boot might be necessary in order for the environmental variable to be recognized.

Problems?  Please see: http://openmopac.net/Discussions/Problems installing MOPAC.html