How to install and use Cygwin

Installation process

1. Install from here:

   •  Link to download

   • note to use the latest version and if your PC supports the 64-bit version.

2. Run the setup file and continue to the page titled "Choose Download Sites(s)". Then select any of the available links shown there.

3. On the page titled "Select Packages", change the 'View' to 'Full' and search for the following packages and add them to be installed. You should manually search for them and then in 'New' column, change from 'Skip' to the latest available version and check the corresponding tick under the corresponding "Src?" column. Having all selected, press 'Next' and wait to finish the installation process. (The following figure shows the page "Select Packages")

   • For Verilator:

     • git, perl, python3, make, autoconf, g++, flex, bison, ccache, python3-devel, libargp-devel

   • For Octave:

     • octave, octave-devel, octave-doc

   • If you didn't select any package and noticed it after installation or if you need to install a new package, just re-run the setup file to reach the page "Select Packages" and then select the desired package(s). to do this close all open Cygwin sessions. Once done, it is added to your Cygwin.

4. Select to have a Cygwin Terminal icon on the desktop.

Some additional points after installation

• In order to set up the environment, use ".bashrc" to add Variables, Aliases, and so on. 

  • Spending some time getting familiar with this file.

• This link has useful FAQs: [Link]

• Useful points/Commands:

  • variable PATH: where to find the commands 

  • variable SHELL: default shell is BASH

  • variable HOME: the default directory when a shell is invoked

  • command printenv: to see the current value of a variable