opencpn:opencpn_user_manual:getting_started:opencpn_installation
Keywords: opencpn,opencpn_user_manual,getting_started,opencpn_installation

# OpenCPN Installation

## OS Installation pages

- Windows
- Ubuntu PPA
- Linux
- Fedora
- Mac OS X
- Dedicated Marine OS
- Orange Pi
- RaspberryPI RPI2
- Release History

## Software

Download your version of OpenCPN here

- Use a “stable”, official release for actual navigation. The latest stable release is always available at the top of the download page or from Source Forge.
- Beta releases are snapshots of the development process, and may contain errors or temporarily be unstable. Show stoppers are normally fixed very quickly however. This is where the latest features first are seen. Most of the time the beta releases are quite stable and the OpenCPN team appreciate it if more experienced users test the releases and report back.
- The place to report bugs and suggest features is the Tracker. To reach from the OpenCPN.org pages click on the “Tracker” on the top menu. The sticky thread “Tracker/Flyspray - How and When to use it” (tab Forum) gives some hints.
- To see what version you are using either look in (Help) ? ? About or at the top of your display. A lot of information is also available in the Log file. See below.

(#log-config)

### Location of Important Files. Log and config files.

- It is important to know the location of the log file and the configuration file, opencpn.conf (Linux) or opencpn.ini (Windows), on your computer. If you ask questions on the forum, there is a fair chance that you will be asked about the content in these files. Once you get familiar with OpenCPN, have a look at the files!
- Through out this documentation there will be many references to the configuration file, as it often is possible to change the default settings. This is an advanced subject once you are familiar with OpenCPN. All editing in the config files must be done with a text-editor, such as “notepad” in Windows, or notepad++.
- The configuration file is where all data, that needs to be persistent between sessions, are stored. The logfile keeps tab of what's going on in the current session.
- To find the locations of the files go to the ToolBar click on “About OpenCPN”, the button looks like a blue book with a “?” on the cover. Look at the bottom of the “About” Tab, highlighted below. The illustration below is from a Win XP. A quick way to view the logfile is to copy the full file path and then paste this into the address field in a web browser.
- For quick copying of the opencpn.ini and Log files use the two “Copy” buttons. This is useful for publishing on the forum if asked to do so. Please use the Forum “Code” button before pasting, as this guarantees an exact copy.
- On Linux the “opencpn.log” is in your home directory.
  The “opencpn.conf” is in a hidden directory, called “opencpn”, also in your home directory.
  For a quick way to view the files you can try these commands.

       $gedit `echo $HOME/opencpn.log`

      $gedit `echo $HOME/.opencpn/opencpn.conf`

  Of course you can swap “gedit” for your favorite editor.

- On Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows 2000, XP and Vista the two files are more difficult to find, so use the “About” dialog as described above. On many windows installs the folder containing the logfile will also be hidden, so you need to change your systems “Folder Options” to show it.

For example, the C:\ProgramData folder is by default hidden in Windows 7. Here's how to get to it. To access it you need to un-hide it by doing the following:

1. Go to Control Panel > Folder Options
2. Switch to View tab
3. Select “Show hidden files, folders and drives”.
4. Unselect “Hide extensions for know file types” to get this state:

Now you will be able to find your logfile.

On Mac OS X , the logfile, “opencpn.log” , is in / Users/ “user name” /Library/Logs/ and the “opencpn.ini ” is in the / Users/ “user name” /Library/Preferences/opencpn/ directory.