Starting a Virtual Machine Application

 

For assistance with downloading or distributing the IDL Virtual Machine, please see Help Article 12395

 Note: These instructions are based on the latest release of IDL. For previous releases, please see "Starting a Virtual Machine Application" in the corresponding version of IDL Help.

This information is also available in the "building.pdf" (Application Programming) file located in the \help\pdf directory of your IDL installation on page 592 (only for IDL 8.0).

Jump to operating system type:
Windows
UNIX
Macintosh


Windows

Windows users can double-click on the .sav file, launch the IDL Virtual Machine and open the .sav file, or launch the.sav file in the IDL Virtual Machine from the command line.

Double-Click a .sav File

To run an application stored in a .sav file, simply double-click on the .sav file icon in the Windows Explorer. If a development license is present, the application will run in a licensed copy of IDL. If no license is present, the IDL Virtual Machine window will open; click anywhere in the window to run the application in the IDL Virtual Machine.

Launch the IDL Virtual Machine

To open a .sav file from within the IDL Virtual Machine:

1. Launch the IDL Virtual Machine and display the IDL Virtual Machine window by selecting Start>Programs>IDL 8.1>Tools>IDL Virtual Machine.
2. Click anywhere in the IDL Virtual Machine window to close the window and display the file selection menu.
3. Locate and select the .sav file, and double-click or click Open to run it.

Running from the Windows Command Line

To run a .sav file from the command line prompt:

1. Open a command line prompt. Select Run from the Start menu, and enter cmd.
2. Change directory (cd) to the IDL_DIR\bin\bin.platform directory where platform is the platform-specific bin directory.
3. Enter the following at the command line prompt:
   idlrt -vm=<path><filename>
   where <path>  is the path to the .sav file, and <filename> is the name of the .sav file.

UNIX

UNIX users must launch the IDL Virtual Machine from the UNIX command line.

To run a .sav file in the IDL Virtual Machine:

1. Enter the following at the UNIX command line:
   idl -vm=<path><filename>
   where <path> is the complete path to the .sav file and <filename> is the name of the .sav file. The IDL Virtual Machine window is displayed.
2. Click anywhere in the IDL Virtual Machine window to close the window and run the .sav file.

To launch the IDL Virtual Machine and use the file selection menu to locate the .sav file to run:

1. Enter the following at the UNIX command line:
   idl -vm
   The IDL Virtual Machine window is displayed.
2. Click anywhere in the IDL Virtual Machine window to close the window and display the file selection menu.
3. Locate and select the .sav file and click OK.

Mac OS X

Macintosh users can launch the IDL Virtual Machine and open the .sav file, or launch the.sav file in the IDL Virtual Machine from the command line.

Using the IDL Virtual Machine Icon

To open a .sav file from the IDL Virtual Machine:

1. Double-click the IDL 8.1 Virtual Machine icon to display the IDL Virtual Machine window.
2. Click anywhere in the IDL Virtual Machine window to close the window and display the file selection menu.
3. Locate and select the .sav file and click OK.

Running from the Command Line

To run the IDL Virtual Machine from the UNIX command line:

1. Enter the following at the UNIX command line:
   idl -vm=<path><filename>
   where <path>  is the complete path to the .sav file and <filename> is the name of the .sav file. The IDL Virtual Machine window is displayed.
2. Click anywhere in the IDL Virtual Machine window to close the window and run the .sav file.

To launch the IDL Virtual Machine and use the file selection menu to locate the .sav file to run:

1. Enter the following at the UNIX command line:
   idl -vm
   The IDL Virtual Machine window is displayed.
   Click anywhere in the IDL Virtual Machine window to close the window and display the file selection menu.
2. Locate and select the .sav file and click OK.