## Installation and getting started:

First check whether you are on the right platform, and whether you have all pre-requisites.

For some platforms, you can obtain an executable from our download page. You will probably first need to make the file you downloaded executable on your system by using the command 'chmod a+x <filename>' before you can run it.

If our executables don't help you, you will need to compile the source code, which is also available from our download page. See instructions below.

Brief instructions how to get started once you got an executable, are at the bottom of this page.

### Compiling the source code:

1. Edit configuration file: Architecture/machine dependent configuration parameters are in a file called 'Config.site'. Config files for Solaris, Linux, SGI and a number of other platforms are provided as an example. Copy one of the example Config.xxx files to 'Config.site' and edit to set library and include file paths, compilation flags and installation directories, ...

[Optional] architecture/platform independent configuration parameters are in Config.common. It contains what global illumination algorithms shall be compiled in. It also contains default values for platform dependent parameters that have not
been set in Config.site. Normally, you will not need to change anything to this file.

The Makefiles do not need editing if you are not changing the source code.

2. [optional] type 'make depend'

3. type 'make'. The result should be an executable called 'rpk'.

4. [Optional] type 'make install'.

### Getting started:

Type 'rpk'. Short help on how to use the program is available in the 'Help' menu. The help menu also contains buttons for browsing the online documentation.

There are a few test scenes in the SCENES directory of the source distribution. Many more scene files are available via our download page.

RenderPark can be used for batch rendering and is even able to render into an external canvas window, allowing tight integration of RenderPark in your applications. RenderPark has plenty of command line options and can be controlled through Inter Process Communication (thanks to Koen Deforche of the 3dom modeller team). Type 'rpk -help' to see what options are available.