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A Tour of NTL: Obtaining and Installing NTL for UNIX </title>
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<h1>
<p align=center>
A Tour of NTL: Obtaining and Installing NTL for UNIX
</p>
</h1>
<p> <hr> <p>
This procedure should work on most Unix or Unix-like platorms
(including MAC OSX, and Windows with Cygwin tools).
<p>
To obtain the source code and documentation for NTL,
<a href="http://www.shoup.net/ntl/download.html">
download <tt>ntl-xxx.tar.gz</tt></a>,
placing it a directory, and then, working in this directory,
do the following.
Here, "<tt>xxx</tt>" denotes the current version number.
<p>
<pre>
% gunzip ntl-xxx.tar.gz
% tar xf ntl-xxx.tar
% cd ntl-xxx/src
% ./configure PREFIX=$HOME/sw
% make
% make check
% make install
</pre>
This will build, test, and install NTL in <tt>$HOME/sw</tt>.
Of course, change <tt>$HOME/sw</tt> to whatever you want (the default is
<tt>/usr/local</tt>).
You will find the NTL header files in <tt>$HOME/sw/include/NTL</tt>
and the compiled binary
in <tt>$HOME/sw/lib/libntl.a</tt>.
<p>
If you really are interested in high-performace, you will
<i>definitely</i> want to build NTL
using GMP (the GNU Multi-Precision package).
If GMP has already been installed in a standard
system library, like <tt>/usr/local</tt>, then invoke <tt>configure</tt>
above as
<pre>
% ./configure PREFIX=$HOME/sw NTL_GMP_LIP=on
</pre>
and if GMP is installed somewhere else, say <tt>$HOME/sw</tt>, then
<pre>
% ./configure PREFIX=$HOME/sw NTL_GMP_LIP=on GMP_PREFIX=$HOME/sw
</pre>
does the job.
<a href="tour-gmp.html">This page</a> provides more
details.
<p>
Now suppose you want to compile a program that uses NTL.
Suppose you are working in some directory and <tt>foo.c</tt>
is your program.
Assume that you have installed NTL in <tt>$HOME/sw</tt> as above.
The following should work:
<pre>
% g++ -I$HOME/sw/include -L$HOME/sw/lib foo.c -o foo -lntl -lm
</pre>
If you are using GMP, then:
<pre>
% g++ -I$HOME/sw/include -L$HOME/sw/lib foo.c -o foo -lntl -lgmp -lm
</pre>
<p>
<h2>
More Details
</h2>
<p>
What follows is a more detailed description of the installation process.
<p>
<b>Step 1.</b>
Extract the source files by executing:
<pre>
% gunzip ntl-xxx.tar.gz
% tar xvf ntl-xxx.tar
</pre>
<p>
Note that this will unpack everything into a sub-directory <tt>ntl-xxx</tt>,
creating this directory if necessary.
Next:
<pre>
% cd ntl-xxx
% ls
</pre>
You should see a file "<tt>README</tt>", and directories
"<tt>include</tt>", "<tt>doc</tt>", and "<tt>src</tt>".
The directory "<tt>doc</tt>" contains all the documentation.
The file "<tt>doc/tour.html</tt>" contains a copy of the on-line documentation.
The directory "<tt>include</tt>"
contains all the header files within a subdirectory
"<tt>include/NTL</tt>".
The directory "<tt>src</tt>" contains everything else.
Go there now:
<pre>
% cd src
</pre>
<p>
<b>Step 2.</b>
Run the configuration script.
<p>
Execute the command
<pre>
% ./configure [ variable=value ]...
</pre>
This configure script generates the file "<tt>makefile</tt>" and the file
"<tt>../include/NTL/config.h</tt>", based upon the values assigned to the
variables on the command line.
<p>
Here are the most important variables, and their default values.
<p>
<pre>
CC=gcc # The C compiler
CXX=g++ # The C++ compiler
CFLAGS=-O2 # C complilation flags
CXXFLAGS=$(CFLAGS) # C++ compilation flags (by default, same as CFLAGS)
PREFIX=/usr/local # Directory in which to install NTL library components
NTL_STD_CXX=on # ISO Mode switch
NTL_GMP_LIP=off # Switch 'on' to enable the use of GMP as the primary
# long integer package
GMP_PREFIX=none # Directory in which GMP components have been installed
</pre>
<p>
<i>Examples.</i>
<p>
<ul>
<li>
If you are happy with all the default values, run:
<pre>
% ./configure
</pre>
Actually, the initially installed <tt>makefile</tt> and <tt>config.h</tt> files
already reflect the default values, and you do not have to even run
the configure script.
<p>
<li>
If your C/C++ compilers are called cc/CC, run:
<pre>
% ./configure CC=cc CXX=CC
</pre>
<p>
<li>
If you want to use, say, the options <tt>-g</tt> and <tt>-O</tt> for
compiling <tt>C</tt> and <tt>C++</tt>, run:
<pre>
% ./configure "CFLAGS=-g -O"
</pre>
Note the use of quotes to keep the argument in one piece.
<p>
<li>
If <a href="tour-gmp.html">GMP (the GNU Multi-Precision package)</a>
is installed in a standard system directory, and you want to use it
to obtain better performance for long integer arithemtic, run:
<pre>
% ./configure NTL_GMP_LIP=on
</pre>
If GMP was installed in
<tt>$HOME/sw</tt>,
run:
<pre>
% ./configure NTL_GMP_LIP=on GMP_PREFIX=$HOME/sw
</pre>
Go <a href="tour-gmp.html">here</a> for complete details.
<p>
<li>
If you want to use
<a href="tour-stdcxx.html">traditional rather than ISO mode</a>, run:
<pre>
% ./configure NTL_STD_CXX=off
</pre>
<p>
<li>
If you want to install NTL in the directory <tt>$HOME/sw</tt>,
run:
<pre>
% ./configure PREFIX=$HOME/sw
</pre>
</ul>
<p>
There are a number of more esoteric configuration variables that can be set.
See <a href="config.txt"><tt>config.txt</tt></a> for a complete
description.
<p>
Note that all of these configuration options can also be set
by editing the two files <tt>makefile</tt>
and <tt>../include/NTL/def_config.h</tt> by hand.
These files are fairly simple and well documented, and so this is not
too hard to do.
<p>
Note that the file "<tt>../include/NTL/def_config.h</tt>"
contains a backup copy of the original <tt>config.h</tt> file,
and that the file "<tt>def_makefile</tt>"
contains a backup copy of the original <tt>makefile</tt> file.
<p>
This command is intended only as a convenience
and -- more importantly -- to allow the configuration process
to be script driven.
This script does not perform any "magic", like finding out what
the local C compiler is called, etc.
If the defaults are not
correct for your platform, you have to set an appropriate variable.
<p>
<b>Step 3.</b>
Execute <tt>make</tt>.
<p>
Just type:
<pre>
% make
</pre>
<p>
The build process after this point is fully automatic.
But here is a description of what happens.
<p>
<ol>
<li>
The makefile
builds the file "<tt>../include/NTL/mach_desc.h</tt>", which defines some machine characteristics
such as word size and machine precision.
This is done by compiling and running a <tt>C</tt> program
called <tt>MakeDesc</tt>
that figures out these characteristics on its
own, and prints some diagnostics to the terminal.
<p>
<li>
A script is run that "automagically"
determines the best way to write a timing function
on your platform.
It tries different routines in the files <tt>GetTime1.c</tt>,
<tt>GetTime2.c</tt>, etc., and when it finds a good one,
it copies the file into <tt>GetTime.c</tt>.
<p>
<li>
The files "<tt>lip_gmp_aux_impl.h</tt>" and "<tt>../include/NTL/gmp_aux.h</tt>"
are generated for use with GMP.
If not using GMP, these files are still created, but they are empty.
<p>
<li>
The configuration wizard script is run.
This script works in a sub-directory,
compiling several programs,
and performing a number of timing experiments,
in order to determine the optimal setting for a number of flags
in the file <tt>../include/NTL/config.h</tt>.
When the script finishes (it may take several minutes),
you will be told what the wizard thinks are the best settings,
and your <tt>config.h</tt> file will be automatically updated.
Note that any flags you set in Step 2
will be in
effect while the wizard runs, and will be retained in the updated
<tt>config.h</tt> file, with the exception of the flags
<pre>
NTL_LONG_LONG NTL_AVOID_FLOAT NTL_TBL_REM NTL_AVOID_BRANCHING
NTL_SPMM_UL NTL_SPMM_ULL NTL_SPMM_ASM NTL_GF2X_NOINLINE NTL_GF2X_ALTCODE
</pre>
which are set by the wizard.
Also note that if you <i>do not</i> want the wizard to run,
you should pass <tt>WIZARD=off</tt> to the configure script;
however, this is not recommended.
<p>
<li>
The makefile will compile all the source files,
and then creates the library "<tt>ntl.a</tt>" in the current directory.
</ol>
<p>
Note that for finer control you can optionally break up this process
into the five
component steps:
<pre>
% make setup1
% make setup2
% make setup3
% make setup4
% make ntl.a
</pre>
<p>
<p>
<b>After NTL is built.</b>
<p>
Executing <tt>make check</tt> runs a series of timing and test programs.
It is a good idea to run this to see if everything really
went well.
<p>
Executing <tt>make install</tt>
copies a number of files to a directory <tt><prefix></tt> that you
specify by passing <tt>PREFIX=<prefix></tt>
as an argument to <tt>configure</tt> at configuration time,
or as an argument to <tt>make install</tt> at installation time.
The default is <tt>/usr/local</tt>, so either you need root
permissions, or you choose a <tt><prefix></tt> for which
you have write permission.
The files <tt>../include/NTL/*</tt> are copied into
<tt><prefix>/include/NTL</tt>.
The file <tt>ntl.a</tt> is copied to <tt><prefix>/lib/libntl.a</tt>.
The files <tt>../doc/*</tt> are copied into
<tt><prefix>/doc/NTL</tt>.
<p>
You can also "fine tune" the installation procedure further.
See the <a href="config.txt">configure documentation</a> for details.
<p>
Executing <tt>make uninstall</tt> undoes <tt>make install</tt>.
<p>
Executing <tt>make clobber</tt> essentially
undoes <tt>make</tt>.
<i>Make sure you do this if you re-build NTL for a different architecture!</i>
<p>
Executing <tt>make clean</tt> will remove object files, but not
<tt>ntl.a</tt>.
To rebuild after executing <tt>make clean</tt>, execute <tt>make ntl.a</tt>.
<p>
Assuming you have installed NTL as above,
to compile a program <tt>foo.c</tt> that uses NTL,
execute
<pre>
g++ -I<prefix>/include -L<prefix>/lib foo.c -o foo -lntl -lm
</pre>
This compiles <tt>foo.c</tt> as a <tt>C++</tt> program
and creates the binary <tt>foo</tt>.
<p>
If you built NTL using <a href="tour-gmp.html">GMP</a>, execute:
<pre>
g++ -I<prefix>/include -L<prefix>/lib -L<gmp_prefix>/lib foo.c -lntl -lgmp -lm
</pre>
<p>
Of course, if <tt><prefix></tt> and <tt><gmp_prefix></tt>
are the same, you do not need to duplicate the <tt>-L</tt>
flags, and if either are standard directories, like <tt>/usr/local</tt>,
you can leave out the corresponding <tt>-I</tt> and <tt>-L</tt>
flags altogether.
<p>
This works even if you are not working in the directory
in which you built NTL.
If you <i>are</i> working in that directory, you can just execute
<pre>
make foo
</pre>
<p> <p>
<p> <p>
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