Configuring
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## Configuring

Once you have either unpacked a binary distribution, or built Csound from sources, you will need to configure Csound so that it will run properly on your system. Installers usually perform these steps for you autmoatically.

On all platforms, make sure the directory or directories containing Csound's plugin libraries are in an `OPCODEDIR` or `OPCODEDIR64` environment variable depending on the precision of the compiled binary.

The Python opcodes, currently require Python 2.4 which can be downloaded from www.python.org if it is not already on your system. You can check if it is available by typing 'python' on a command prompt or DOS window.

## Windows

On Windows, make sure the directory or directories (normally the `csound5` directory) containing the Csound executables directory are in your `PATH` variable, or else copy all the executable files to your Windows `system32` directory. Depending on your installation method, you might also need to set the `OPCODEDIR` and `OPCODEDIR64` environment variables. Assuming that the binaries archive is unpacked in C:\ you can use (otherwise set the paths accordingly):

    set OPCODEDIR=C:\csound5\plugins
    set OPCODEDIR64=C:\csound5\plugins64
    set PATH=%PATH%;C:\csound5

| Missing python24.dll
If you get a pop-up about the missing Python library (python24.dll) and don't need the python opcodes, just delete csound5\plugins\py.dll and csound5\plugins64\py.dll, and the pop-up about the missing Python library should be gone.

## Unix and Linux

On Unix and Linux, either install the Csound program in one of the system `bin` directories, typically `/usr/local/bin`, and the Csound and plugin shared libraries in places like `/usr/local/lib/csound/plugins` or `/usr/local/lib/csound/plugins64` and make sure that `OPCODEDIR` and `OPCODEDIR64` environment variable are set correctly.

## CsoundVST

CsoundVST requires some additional configuration. On all platforms, CsoundVST requires that you have Python installed on your computer. The directory containing the `_CsoundVST` shared library and the `CsoundVST.py` file must be in your `PYTHONPATH` environment variable, so that the Python runtime knows how to load these files.

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