SILKin requires the JAVA RUNTIME

Your computer may already have Java. If not, the Java run-time environment (JRE) is available free
from Oracle.

After downloading and installing Java Runtime, you are ready to download and launch SILKin.

To Install SILKin for the First Time

Windows

Download and run the Windows Installer.

Mac

Download the .ZIP file, then double-click this file to expand it into a “SILKin Release” folder. Place the entire folder wherever you like; it does not need to be in Applications, but it may be if you like. Inside that folder is a “dist” folder containing the file “SILKin.jar” Double-clicking on this file will launch SILKin.

The first time you launch SILKin, you may get a Security warning that this is an unknown program downloaded from the Internet (which is true). If that happens, go to System Preferences and choose Security and Privacy. Under the General tab it will display your current setting to “Allow apps downloaded from:” Below that it will say “SILKin.jar was blocked from opening because it is not from an identified developer.” Click the Open Anyway button. Thereafter, you can launch SILKin normally.

If you make an alias for SILKin.jar (right-click or command-click on the file and choose “make alias”) you can then move that alias to your desktop, the Dock, or anywhere else. If you place the alias in the Dock, it must go in the section for files and folders (near the trash can), not the section for apps. Thereafter you can use the alias to launch the program.

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Linux

Download the .ZIP file from the Download page. Double-clicking on this file will expand it into a “SILKin Release” folder. Place the entire folder wherever you like.
//–>

To Upgrade a Prior Version of SILKin to the Latest Release

If you have done some work in a prior version of SILKin, you will want to transfer that work into the latest version. It is pretty easy. Here is the procedure:

  1. Open a directory window on your computer and navigate to the folder holding your old version of SILKin. In that folder open the Library folder, and inside the Library folder open the Context Under Construction folder. Call this the Old window.
  2. Open another directory window and navigate to the folder holding the latest SILKin Release. Open the Library > Context Under Construction folder here also. This is the New window.
  3. In the Old window find the file(s) with extensions “.silk” and names that you created. Drag the file(s) to the New folder, placing them inside the New Context Under Construction folder. Do not drag the “Silk-status.xsl” file from Old to New; the older version is not compatible with the latest software.

That’s it. You may now launch the latest release of SILKin and continue working. Please note that the menu choice “Open Recent” will have no contents at first. This is because your SILK file(s) are in a new location (folder). But as you open SILK files in the new version, the “Open Recent” feature will rebuild itself.