Installation and Requirements
To install and use VOAProp you will require:
- A fast and reasonably modern computer running Microsoft Windows
- To be running in administrator mode if you are using Windows 2000, XP or Vista
- An internet connection
The first time you run VOAProp you will be asked to download and install VOACAP. VOACAP is an entirely separate software package, not created by me, which implements the actual propagation model. The file you download is an installer, so you need to run it to install the VOACAP software. You are advised to install VOACAP in the default location suggested by its installer, even though it is a nonstandard location (i.e. not in C:\Program Files.) VOACAP does not work properly in folders that have spaces in the name. VOACAP also requires write access to folders above its own location, which is why you need administrator access.
After you have installed VOACAP (or if it already was installed) you will have to tell VOAProp where you installed it, so that it can find it and use it. After that, VOAProp will be set up and ready to use.
As far as I know, VOAProp should run under Windows 98 / Me, however I have not tested it under those obsolete operating systems.
VOAProp was developed under Windows XP and has been run under a release candidate version of Windows Vista. However, some users have reported issues with Windows Vista such as program settings (for example, home QTH) not being stored when the program is closed. I am unable to do anything about these issues (in fact, it was my extreme dislike of Vista that caused me to finally dump Microsoft operating systems and switch to Linux.) I suggest that use of the compatibility modes provided by Vista may help to resolve the issue. Unfortunately no Vista user has confirmed to me whether this helps or not.
VOAProp may also be run under Linux, using wine.
VOAProp runs VOACAP as a shell. Because VOACAP is not a well behaved program (it does not like folders with spaces in the path name and insists on creating files in places other than the user's personal folders) it is unlikely to work properly unless run from a user that has full access rights to the hard drive, such as an administrative level user.