oep-installation

This repository houses scripts for easy installation of Open Ephys and useful plugins.

Prerequisites

• Git must be installed.

  • If on Windows, you can find the installer here. When installing, you must select "Git from the command line and also from 3rd-party software" on the "Adjusting your PATH environment" page.

• CMake must be installed.

• On Windows, you must have Visual Studio 2013, 2017, 2019, or 2022 (or just the Build Tools for Visual Studio) installed from here.

• If you are on Windows and want to use ASIO for lower-latency processing, you must install ASIO4ALL here.

Installation

• Either download as a ZIP file and unzip, or clone using git clone https://github.com/tne-lab/oep-installation at a terminal.

• Run the install script for your platform:

  • Linux: source install_linux.sh

  • Windows: Script must be run from a Command Prompt shortcut that came with your Visual Studio installation which sets environment variables for the compiler. In the Start menu, find and open Visual Studio 20XX/x64 Native Tools Command Prompt for VS 20XX (where 20XX is 2013, 2017, 2019, or 2022), navigate to the oep-installation directory, and run install_windows.bat.

• The scripts will build the Release GUI by default, but to use a different configuration (such as Debug), you can pass it as an argument, i.e. run install_windows.bat Debug.

• You can re-run the install script at any time to update to the latest version.

Post-installation

• If this is the first time you are using the Open Ephys hardware on a Windows computer, you must run plugin-GUI/Resources/DLLs/FrontPanelUSB-DriverOnly-4.4.0.exe to install the Opal Kelly driver.

• If you are using the Python Plugin in Windows be sure to follow the instructions at https://github.com/tne-lab/PythonPlugin/tree/cmake_build to build and configure your installation after running the .bat script. Then see NeuroNetMem/PythonPlugin#23 if you have issues loading python modules in.

Additional note: Visual Studio installation

Installing Visual Studio Community Edition for C++ Development:

• Download & Run Installer: Get the Visual Studio Community Installer from the official website, then run it.
• Edition & Workloads: Choose "Community" edition. Select "Desktop development with C++" workload.
• Components: Optionally, customize components under "Individual components."
• Location, Options & Install: Pick installation directory, set preferences, and click "Install."
• Wait & Finish: Allow installation to complete, then launch Visual Studio.
• Sign In (Optional): Log in with Microsoft account.
• Start Using: Open Visual Studio for C++ development.

Installing Visual Studio Build Tools for C++:

• Download & Run Installer: Download the Visual Studio Build Tools Installer, then run it.
• Workloads & Components: Select "Desktop development with C++" workload. Optionally customize "Individual components."
• Installation Options & Install: Choose location and other preferences, then click "Install."
• Wait & Finish: Allow installation to complete.

Note on Network event and Event Broadcaster plugin

Install the "ASP.NET and web development" with visual studio installer in order for plugin to show up on the open ephys screen (i.e. for the dll to be read correctly)