Installation
To Install Jampal on your system proceed as follows.
Microsoft Windows
Download jampal-windows setup. Run the setup program and follow the instructions. If you do not have a suitable version of java installed the setup will prompt you do to download it from the Internet.
If you want to use the command line utilities, such as creating playlists, printing envelopes, you must use the cygwin install instead. You will have to install Cygwin and the prerequisites mentioned below, then use the "Other Linux/Unix Environments including Cygwin" instructions below.
Debian or Ubuntu Linux
Run the package maneger to see if jampal is available as a download. If so, install from there. If you are installing on Ubuntu version 11.04 (Natty), see instructions at the top of this page for setting up the private package archive Otherwise download the correct jampal_*.deb and tagbkup_*.deb files. There are one of each for 32 bit systems and one for 64 bit systems. First install the tagbkup file and then the jampal file. Double click on the file, and then select Install Package. Alternatively, you can also install a .deb file by opening a terminal and typing:
sudo dpkg -i package_file.deb
Required elements, including java, will automatically be installed.
Other Linux/Unix Environments including Cygwin
Download the apppropriate jampal-build file for your setup. Untar it into a suitable location, then as root run "make install". You can uninstall it by running "make uninstall". You will need to make sure that you have a suitable version of java installed, also other prerequisites listed below.
If there is no package built for your version, you can download the source package and run "make install". You will need a java development kit and gcc compiler.
Prerequisites
The Debian / Ubuntu install package automatically takes care of prerequisites. Other environments will need you to ensure that they are installed.
For Jampal you need java version 1.6 or higher. To determine if you have this on your machine open a command prompt and type "java -version". If this fails you probably do not have java. If it displays a lower version than 1.6 you will need to get a new version of java. To get the latest version go to www.java.com and follow the instructions. This is a free download and is available for Windows, Linux, Macintosh and Solaris. There are other vendors that supply java for other systems. If you would like to do java development get a free development kit from java.sun.com.
To run the utilities in the jampal command, such as generating playlists, printing envelopes, and cleaning up your library, you need other components. You must have either a unix environment or cygwin under windows. You need sox, gawk and lame. gawk will be available with your unix or cygwin system, but sox and lame may need to be separately downloaded, compiled and installed. You also need openoffice.org writer and calc.
Other environments
Once you have java installed, download the latest version of the generic setup zip file from the download site. Unzip the file into a suitable directory.
SUN Java MP3 plugin
Jampal has the "Tritonus" mp3 plugin included, and will play any mp3 file. If you prefer you can download the free SUN Java MP3 plugin. If you have the SUN Java MP3 plugin installed, jampal will play using that plugin instead of the "tritonus" mp3 decoder included in jampal. Jampal writes a trace message in the .jampal/jampal_err.txt file in your home directory to indicate which plugin is being used.
Follow the install instructions on the web page. You do not have to install jmf or run the command which registers the plugin for jmf. Jampal is not a jmf application.
Running the Jampal GUI
With Windows, Debian or Ubuntu click the Icon in the Start menu.
On linux or solaris you can run the jampal open command.
On other environments run the command
java -Xincgc -Xmx256M -jar jampal.jar
The first time you run Jampal it will create a default library. You can create new libraries by using the "Open Library" menu item. By default it creates the library in subdirectory ".jampal" of your home directory but you can select another directory in the open dialog.
To find out where your home directory is, select the "Help, About Jampal" menu item and scroll down to the last line.
Once it has created the first library you can use "File, Open" to create additional libraries.
Library Files
Jampal will create the following files on your hard drive:
| xxxxxxx.jampal | Properties file that contains a description of the library columns |
| xxxxxxxx.jmp | Text file with tab delimited fields, contains one line for each track in the library |
| playlist.jampal | Properties file that contains a description of the playlist columns |
| playlist.jmp | Text file with tab delimited fields, contains one line for each track in the playlist |
| jampal_initial.properties | Startup values for jampal such as which library to load. This file must always be in subdirectory ".jampal" of your home directory |
You can move these to any directory of your choice, except jampal_initial.properties, which must remain in your ".jampal" directory. If you move them, the next time you run Jampal it will prompt you with an open dialog to locate the library and open it.
Please let me know if you find Jampal useful or if you find any bugs or shortcomings in it. Also I would like to hear from anybody who runs it on linux, macintosh or Solaris. The best way to do this is by posting a message at the product information page or else send me email at pgbennett at users.sourceforge.net.