MiSaSiM: Linux Installation

Installing MiSaSiM under Linux

This is the procedure for installing MiSaSiM under Linux. Ubuntu is featured. But the technique operates under any Linux distribution.

MiSaSiM runs under Python 3.11. Most Linux distributions have python preinstalled. You can check which version is installed by typing:

python3 --version

If you do not already have Python 3.11 installed, follow the instructions for your distribution at python.org.
Misasim uses Tkinter (python's interface to the TK GUI package). Install python-tk if you do not already have it installed. To see if it is installed, type

python3

in the terminal command line and at the Python prompt type:

>>> import tkinter

If you get an error message saying there is no module named tkinter, you have to install it. At the command line type:

sudo apt-get install python3-tk
Now download the MiSaSiM manager by right clicking on this link. Save the file where you want to install your MiSaSiM directory (e.g., /home/scotty/). To run the program, open a terminal, change to the directory where you saved Misasim.py, and run the command "python3 Misasim.py". This will create a MiSaSiM working directory in this location (e.g., "/home/scotty/Misasim"). You'll see messages similar to the following during installation:

This is where both the MiSaSiM executable files and assembly files will be stored. The working directory will contain an ./asm directory where MIPS assembly programs can be stored and a ./bin directory containing the MiSaSiM python executable (compiled bytecode) files.
Launching Misasim from terminal or from Windows10 Bash shell: set up an X server to support the GUI. You need to set the DISPLAY variable in the terminal command line and then launch Misasim:

export DISPLAY=:0
python3 Misasim.py

(You can also add the export command to your .bashrc file.)
Launching Misasim from a file manager GUI in Linux: Launching Misasim.py using mouse clicks fails because the default directory is not correct. This can be fixed easily with a shell script. In the Misasim bin directory, click right and choose New Document>Empty Document. Name the file "Misasim.sh". Then edit the file (open with gedit) and add the lines listed below. Replace "scotty" with your home directory name.

cd /home/scotty/Misasim/bin
python3 Misasim.py

Then select the file and click right Properties>Permissions. Check "Allow executing as a program".
Now you can add a shortcut launcher to your desktop by doing one of the following. In Ubuntu 11.04 and older, click right over the desktop and select "Create Launcher".

In newer Ubuntu versions, you can pull up the Create Launcher dialog box by:
Method 1:
- First installing gnome-panel package (if not already installed) by typing into a terminal window:
  
  sudo apt-get install --no-install-recommends gnome-panel
- Then type the command to create a new launcher:
  
  gnome-desktop-item-edit ~/Desktop/ --create-new
- Fill in the dialog box as is shown above (replacing "scotty" with your username).
Method 2:
- First, create a MiSaSiM.desktop file and place it in your ~/Desktop folder. The contents of the file should be:
  
  [Desktop Entry]
  Name=Misasim
  GenericName=Misasim
  Comment=Misasim
  Keywords=Misasim
  Exec=/home/scotty/Misasim/bin/Misasim.sh
  Terminal=false
  Type=Application
  StartupNotify=true
- Second, change the permissions on this file so that it is executable (e.g., in a terminal window, "chmod +x MiSaSiM.desktop").
These methods will place an icon on your desktop that will allow you to click on it to launch MiSaSiM.