DFOS installation: 1. Getting started

Find here a description of how to setup a new operational dfos installation. We assume that you have already somewhere else an operational dfos system and that you either want to adapt this on a new platform, or copy and adapt it to a new account. Therefore, we focus on the aspect of how to adapt the .dfosrc file and assume that anything else is then simply copied from the old ("reference") site to the new installation.

Throughout this documentation, we assume that you already have an operational account, that it is properly set up and that you are familiar with the DFO workflows. This means: this guide will not explain how to configure isql, what a cronjob is or how to pack data.

1. Prepare your account and install the initialization file: .dfosrc

• Create $HOME/install. This will become your $DFO_INSTALL_DIR.
• open a browser session; set up your browser properly (dfos uses it for many tasks, including as active GUI)

• go to

  dfos

  and download dfosrc.tar into your $DFO_INSTALL_DIR; untar (tar -xvf dfosrc.tar)

• or: copy your existing .dfosrc into your new installation
• read the documentation
• move the file as '.dfosrc' to your $HOME directory; fill/edit as appropriate
• create the directory structure defined in .dfosrc
• make sure .dfosrc is sourced properly whenever you log in. The standard procedure is to have a line '. $HOME/.dfosrc' included in the .qcrc file.

Now you have finished the first and most important step towards your successful dfos installation.

2. Install dfosExplorer, the tool to manage your dfos installation

If you want to use dfosExplorer for the new installation:

• mkdir $DFO_INSTALL_DIR/dfosExplorer
• go to the 'details' link under 'Tool kit'
• click on 'download dfosExplorer' ; click on 'Save link target as' ; download dfosLog.tar into your $DFO_INSTALL_DIR; untar it (tar -xvf dfosExplorer.tar).
• click on 'description: dfosExplorer' and read the documentation
• read the README file and follow its suggestions. You don't need to edit config.dfosExplorer for the time being.
• type 'dfosExplorer' on the command line. You will get lots of messages "... is not installed".
• Your browser will display $DFO_MON_DIR/dfosExplorer.html. This page now is the reference page for your dfos installation. It's a good idea to make it, for the time being, your home page, or at least bookmark it.

If you want to copy dfosExplorer to your new account, that's fine. Saves you reading the above.

Special case: phoenix installation. Check out here how to proceed. Most of the installation can be done with updating the .dfosrc file and calling 'dfosExplorer'. This tool is PHOENIX aware and downloads a specific reference installation file.

3. Tune your browser, to become an active and useful part of the dfos package:

If not yet done, tune your browser properly. Read here how to proceed.

4. Read documentation

Click on 'help', read the short help. To read the extended help, click on 'dfos', and select 'dfosExplorer' on the horizontal navigation bar.