BaseOps User's Guide, Chapter 2: Getting Started

Minimum System Requirements

To take full advantage of BaseOps, your computer should meet the following minimum requirements.

• Operating System - Microsoft Windows XP or Vista

• Processor - 1.0 GHz Pentium

• Memory - 512 MB

  Tip:

  If BaseOps runs very slowly, and your hard drive is continuously accessed (i.e., your hard drive light stays on), it is likely that your computer does not have enough memory.

• Monitor - 64,000 colors (i.e., 16-bit color), resolution of 1024 x 768

  For best results, you should set your monitor to display the maximum number of colors possible. True color (i.e., 24- or 32-bit color) is desirable. To change the color and monitor resolution, go to the Microsoft Windows control panel and select Display.

• Hard Drive Space - 50 MB

Obtaining BaseOps

Visit the BaseOps web page, http://wasmerconsulting.com/baseops.htm, and download Noisemap, which will contain the latest version of BaseOps.

If desired, you can subscribe to the mailing list, and be notified by e-mail when new versions of BaseOps are released. See the BaseOps web page for additional information.

Installing Noisemap

BaseOps is distributed as part of Noisemap. The Noisemap installation routine will install the latest versions of BaseOps, NMap, Noisefile, Omega10, Omega11, and NMPlot.

Noisemap is distributed as a self-extracting WinZip file. Installation consists of nothing more than uncompressing the Noisemap files and copying them onto your hard drive. To install Noisemap, follow these steps.

1. Go the the BaseOps web site, http://wasmerconsulting.com/baseops.htm, and click on the Download Noisemap link. A file named install_noisemap.exe will be transferred to your computer.

2. From Windows Explorer or My Computer, find the file install_noisemap.exe and double-click on it. The Installing Noisemap dialog box appears.

   

3. In the Unzip To Folder text box, type the name of the directory where you wish to install Noisemap. Press the Browse button to display the Browse for Folder dialog box, which allows you to select an existing directory.

   The various components of Noisemap (BaseOps, NMap, NMPlot, etc.) will be installed in subdirectories of the Noisemap directory.

4. Press the Unzip button. The Noisemap files are copied to your hard disk. Noisemap is now installed.

5. The file install_noisemap.exe is no longer needed. Delete it if you wish.

Installing the Optional RNM Module

The Rotorcraft Noise Model (RNM) is very large, and is not required by all users. Therefore, it is not included with the standard Noisemap installation package. If you wish to perform a noise analysis using RNM aircraft, you must first install RNM. Simply follow the installation instructions included with the RNM distribution package, noting these points:

• To work with BaseOps, RNM must be installed in the RNM subdirectory of the Noisemap directory. All RNM files --- including the .exe files, the .dll files, and the .nc files --- should be present in the Noisemap\RNM directory.

  If you have already installed RNM in another location, move the RNM files to this directory and update your computer's PATH and ROTOR_NOISE environmental variables to reflect RNM's new location (see RNM documentation).

• The file "Noisemap\RNM\RNM Aircraft.txt" must contain a list of all RNM aircraft. If you add hemisphere (*.nc) files to RNM, you must edit this file. See the comments at the top of "RNM Aircraft.txt" for more details.

As of August 2003, the point of contact for obtaining RNM was:

David A. Conner
NASA Langley Research Center
e-mail: d.a.conner@larc.nasa.gov

Upgrading to a Later Version of Noisemap

To upgrade to a later version of Noisemap, simply perform a normal installation, noting these points.

• If any Noisemap programs (BaseOps, NMap, or NMPlot) are running, close them before performing the upgrade.

• Install Noisemap in the same directory that it was previously installed in.

• On the Installing Noisemap dialog box, make sure the Overwrite Files Without Prompting box is checked.

All BaseOps configuration information is stored in the file BaseOps.cfg. This file will not be overwritten when you install later versions of Noisemap. Therefore, your configuration will be preserved.

Uninstalling Noisemap

The Noisemap installer does not make any hidden changes to your computer. In particular, it does not install any files in the Windows or System directories, and does not modify the registry. To uninstall Noisemap, simply use Windows Explorer or My Computer to delete the directory where Noisemap is installed.

Starting BaseOps

To start BaseOps, follow these steps.

1. Using Windows Explorer or My Computer, navigate to the folder where BaseOps is installed.

2. Double-click on the BaseOps icon, , labeled BaseOps.exe.

Getting Help

Press the F1 key at any time to access BaseOps's extensive online help system. Press Ctrl + F1 to display the BaseOps User's Guide table of contents. Accessing Help discusses the help system in detail.