======Installation====== Installation is as simple as extracting the files from a zip file to a folder on your hard-disk. The zip file is available on our main website https://gitwinch.com or if you are using a private installation, ask the owner/manager of the office to supply you the zip file. Do NOT install //Git Winch// on a network drive, or a drive that has less than 200 Mb free space. This folder is called the //application folder// in this documentation and elsewhere. **CRITICAL**: The folder that it is installed into should be //writable//! ====Pre-requisites==== //Git Winch// works ONLY on Windows. So the entire office that uses //Git Winch// must be using Windows. (We may release Linux and Mac versions later, if there is serious demand) **//1. Chrome (or a browser similar to Chrome) is needed!//**\\ Your computer MUST have //Chrome// browser installed at its default location in the computer. You can also use browser such as //Brave, Edge and Chromium// too. But those would need the //gitwinch.ini// file to be changed ...//explained later as you read below//. The first time you start //Git Winch// it will start Chrome browser in //app// mode. That startup will result in over 100Mb (approx) of files needed by Chrome in a sub-folder inside the application folder. That is a normal activity and so you don't have to get worried. **//2. Git is needed!//**\\ You also need to install //Git// To check if you have that utility installed, please open a command-line window (console window or "cmd" window) and just give this command: //git --version// If you see the version number in the output, that means Git has been installed. If not, you should download Git installer and install it https://git-scm.com/downloads/win and do the above check again. **//3. Curl is needed!//**\\ You should also check if the //curl// command is working globally on your computer. Again, you should open a cmd window and give this command: //curl --version// If you do not get any output or if it says "not recognized as an internal or external command" that means your Windows installation is probably not compatible. You should upgrade Windows. But you can also try installing Curl globally from the installer available from https://curl.se/windows/ **//4. Translation file is needed//**\\ By default the language set for //Git Winch// is English ('en') and you would see the setting in the default gitwinch.ini file in the [System] section the following setting: //trLanguage=en// For //Git Winch// to work, it should be able access the translations file whose filename is based on the above //trLanguage// setting. And such files must be present in the //translations// folder within the application folder. In the above example, //Git Winch// will try to load the file //translations\**en**.translations.txt// If that file is NOT present, //Git Winch// will complain and quit! **//5.Anti-virus and other blockers//**\\ When you run any application (not just //Git Winch//) that you have downloaded from the Internet, Windows would usually block it. In many cases, Windows would pop-up a dialog of this nature. You will have to click on //**More info...**// link in the dialog. On clicking that, you will see the button to run the downloaded application. In case of //Git Winch// we are very sure it does not cause any harm. But you must take ample caution before running any application downloaded from the Internet. {{ :firsttimerun.jpeg?400 |}} We have thoroughly checked the application for any virus that may have crept in accidentally. But there can still be some anti-virus program that may still block it. So make sure you request your anti-virus to allow the running of //Git Winch.// ====Registration===== To use //Git Winch// you not only need to install the software, but you should //also register.// And even the rest of your office who uses //Git Winch// should ALSO individually register. This is explained in detail [[regform?do=export_xhtml|here.]] ====First steps==== You MUST set a suitable organization/division code for yourself. This is a simple text written in a text file named //"orgname.txt"// which must be kept in the same folder where you installed //Git Winch.// This special file is usually generated by the owner of the office and distributed to all those who work in that office. Read more about this [[org?do=export_xhtml|here.]] There is a special file named //gitwinch.ini// in the application folder. It is used to finely configure your own //Git Winch// as per your own office requirements. Use a text editor such as Notepad, Notepad++, VSCode, etc to edit it. How to set various configuration values in this ini file is explained [[inifile?do=export_xhtml|here]]. There are several files after installation that you should definitely NOT delete or touch. However there are a few that can be configured specifically for your office. This is explained [[configuration?do=export_xhtml|here]] which you can read later if you are in a hurry now. ====Setting up a Git Host==== One important external service that //Git Winch// needs to work properly, is a //Git Host// i.e. the place where your office would setup all the files. You would need to plan out which //Git Host// you need to use. There are several options we provide: You can connect to a Gitlab or Github or Gitea account. All three of these companies allow you to create any number of repositories with them. A //repository// is like a "folder" into which your office files are saved. You can even get free accounts at Gitlab and Github. Also, both Gitea and Gitlab provide free installable versions of their services which you can use to create your own private Git hosting system. Fortunately, //Git Winch// does a lot of heavy lifting for your office. Usually learning to use those Git Hosting services can be quite intricate and can take time. But with us, it is quite easy to set them up. BTW: Why is it called a "Git Host" ? Because these systems are like obedient servants, waiting to receive and send back files for you. They behave like a nice "host" at a party; waiting to serve your needs. And they use the excellent "Git" software for doing that work. We have a separate topic explaining [[git?do=export_xhtml|Git and Git hosting]] and how to configure them for your use. ====Redistribution==== Once you configure //Git Winch// specifically for your office, and the file "orgname.txt" is also written for your office; zip up the application folder and distribute that to your own office workers. The rest of your office then would have an easier time setting it up: They would mostly need to just extract the zip file into a new folder. And of course; everyone in the office, including you, should register. Explained next. ====Payments==== You can register at our website https://gitwinch.com free of cost. We load some amount of credits with every new account. You can then //pay-as-you-go// as you and your office continue to use. The advantage of such a system is that you can always pause the usage of //Git Winch// For example; Say you are on a holiday, and nothing is happening at your office, so obviously no credits would get consumed. None of the registrations expire. //(Of course, you can always exercise your right to be forgotten, and we'll delete all your data if you email us at admin@gitwinch.com)// ====Lifetime purchase==== In some seminars/webinars/private-demos we sell lifetime, private //Git Winch// instances. In such a case, your account would be loaded with 5 billion credits ... which is plenty for you and your people to use. Though the system will continue to have the capability to accept payments //(if you really want to give us a gift, for example hehehe )// but normally in such private installations, you need not make any payments as the preloaded credits would be sufficient. The person who purchased the private installation can also transfer some of his/her billions of credits to those who work at his/her office. ----- [[/concepts?do=export_xhtml | Learn the concepts]] | [[/topics?do=export_xhtml | Table of Contents]]