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For the latest version of GNU Octave there are currently '''no''' installer files (e.g. DMG installer) available.
GNU Octave is primarily developed on GNU/Linux and other POSIX conformant systems.  On macOS systems GNU Octave can be installed
* from a single [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Disk_Image dmg-file], a macOS App Bundle called "Octave.app" in recent versions, or
* by using a macOS [[#Package Managers|package manager]].


However, using the [https://brew.sh/ Homebrew package manager], one can simply install and update Octave on macOS for all latest Apple Silicon architectures (M1 and newer).
== macOS App Bundles ==


{{Note|'''GNU Octave {{Release}}''' is the current stable release.}}
The [https://octave-app.org/ Octave.app project] ([https://github.com/octave-app GitHub page]) provides an unofficial ready-to-use macOS App Bundle installer based on [[#Homebrew|Homebrew]] (see blow).
* [https://octave-app.org/Developer-Downloads.html macOS App Bundle of Octave 5.1.0 Beta (with GUI)]
* [https://octave-app.org/Download.html macOS App Bundle of Octave 4.4.x (with GUI)]


== Homebrew ==
An older installer is hosted on SourceForge.
→ ''Link to [https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/octave Octave package] there.''
* [https://sourceforge.net/projects/octave/files/Octave%20MacOSX%20Binary/2016-07-11-binary-octave-4.0.3/octave_gui_403_appleblas.dmg/download macOS App Bundle of Octave 4.0.3 (with GUI)] (OS X 10.9+)


'''Install GNU Octave using Homebrew:'''
== Package Managers ==


Follow the [https://brew.sh/ Homebrew installation instructions].
A package manager is a software tool to automate the process of installing, upgrading, configuring, and removing software packages for a computer's operating system in a consistent manner. It typically maintains a database of software dependencies and version information to prevent software mismatches and missing prerequisites.


It is advised to install the '''Command Line Tools''' type in the [https://support.apple.com/guide/terminal/welcome/mac Terminal App] before Homebrew:
Packages are distributions of software, applications and data. Packages also contain metadata, such as the software's name, description of its purpose, version number, vendor, checksums, and a list of dependencies necessary for the software to run properly. Upon installation, metadata is stored in a local package database.


  sudo xcode-select --install
All package managers below are given in alphabetical order.  The Octave developers do not recommend a certain package manager.


A window will pop out to guide the installation.
=== Fink ===


Then, come back to the [https://support.apple.com/guide/terminal/welcome/mac Terminal App] type:
[http://www.finkproject.org/ The Fink project] is an effort to port and package open-source Unix programs to macOS. Fink uses [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dpkg dpkg] and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advanced_Packaging_Tool APT] ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debian Debian's] package management system), as well as its own frontend program, fink (which is implemented as a set of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perl_module Perl modules]).


  brew update
'''Install GNU Octave using Fink:'''
  brew upgrade
  brew install octave
 
  octave --gui


In case of trouble try <code>brew doctor</code>, see the [https://docs.brew.sh/Troubleshooting Homebrew Troubleshooting Guide].
*Install Xcode via the Mac App Store.
** Once installed, install the Command Line Tools from Xcode's Apple Menu > Preferences > Downloads on 10.7 or 10.8, and use {{Codeline|<nowiki>sudo xcode-select --install</nowiki>}} on 10.9 or 10.10 .
*Follow [http://www.finkproject.org/download/srcdist.php Fink's installation instructions]. For OS X 10.8-10.10, enabling the binary distribution during the initial setup will save you a lot of build time.  For those who prefer it, there is a GUI available for Fink, [http://finkcommander.sourceforge.net Fink Commander].
*Fink has excellent support for Octave and includes recent as well as dated versions. A list of what Fink has available for Octave is [http://pdb.finkproject.org/pdb/browse.php?summary=octave here]. To install the latest Octave with GUI support, type {{Codeline|<nowiki>fink install octave-qtmac</nowiki>}} or {{Codeline|<nowiki>fink install octave-qtx11</nowiki>}} at the Terminal's command line.  For those running the 64 bit version of Fink, it is recommended that {{Codeline|octave-atlas-qtmac}} or {{Codeline|octave-atlas-qtx11}} be installed instead as there are some bugs/features with Apple's vecLib for the X86_64 architecture.  Octave has many dependencies which will be downloaded and installed prior to Octave. The entire installation process can take many hours.
* Fink should also be used to install [[http://octave.sourceforge.net/packages.php packages] for Octave.  For example, the control systems package  may be installed by typing {{Codeline|fink install control-atlas-oct382}} at a terminals command line.


To start the Octave GUI without typing commands in Terminal every time, please create a launcher app with the Script Editor as described below.
For the {{Codeline|doc()}} function to be supported by Octave, either the unversioned {{Codeline|octave}}, {{Codeline|octave-atlas}}, or {{Codeline|octave-ref}} package must be installed. Essentially, those features used at run-time which don't have a version somewhere in the file path are included in these packages.


== Create a launcher app with the Script Editor ==
=== Homebrew ===


For example Homebrew installs Octave to {{Path|/usr/local/bin/octave}} (or {{Path|/opt/homebrew/bin/octave}} on Apple Silicon) by default.  From the [https://support.apple.com/guide/terminal/open-or-quit-terminal-apd5265185d-f365-44cb-8b09-71a064a42125/mac Terminal] application you can enter the command <code>which octave</code> to find out the exact location.
[https://brew.sh/ Homebrew] is a package management system that simplifies the installation of software on macOS. It is a free/open source software project to simplify installation of other free/open source software. It is similar in aim and function to MacPorts and Fink. It was written by Max Howell and has gained popularity in the Ruby on Rails community and earned praise for its extensibility.


If you know the installation location, open the [https://support.apple.com/guide/script-editor Script Editor] application and write the following text in the editor window if you wish to start the Octave GUI by default:
Install GNU Octave using Homebrew:


do shell script "/usr/local/bin/octave --gui"
First, install Homebrew:
*Install Xcode via the Mac App Store.
** Install the command line tools by {{Codeline|xcode-select --install}}.
*Follow [https://brew.sh/ Homebrew's installation instructions].


For Apple Silicon based systems, use the following script:
To install Octave, update to the latest package definitions with {{Codeline|brew update}}, and then install Octave.


do shell script "/opt/homebrew/bin/octave --gui"
First we ensure brew itself has the latest definitions:
<pre>brew update</pre>


Then, in Script Editor, select File>Export. Export As: Octave (or whatever the non-conflicted name you want); File Format: Application (so that it can be run by Finder); Options: Run only; Code sign: Sign to run locally (to avoid annoying asking for permission to access folder each time). Then, you can find and run the GUI application in the Finder.
Then, we install Octave
<ref>Homebrew has updated some of its scripts. To install Octave as of May 14, 2020, provide the migrated full path by running <code>brew install homebrew/core/octave</code> instead. [Citation needed!]</ref>:
<pre>brew install octave</pre>


If you want to start the Octave command-line interface (CLI), enter instead:
The default charting package in Octave is straight qt. However, on the Mac gnuplot often works better. To switch to gnuplot, place the following text in your ~/.octaverc file:
<pre>setenv('GNUTERM','qt')
graphics_toolkit("gnuplot")</pre>


tell application "Terminal"
Note: If brew complains about:
  do script "/usr/local/bin/octave; exit"
<pre>
end tell
Linking /usr/local/Cellar/ghostscript/9.14...
Error: Could not symlink share/ghostscript/Resource
/usr/local/share/ghostscript is not writable.
</pre>
This is telling you the user permissions for ghostscript are not setup in a way that your user profile can use. You need to change those permissions to your user profile.
The following command will repair the issue:
<pre>
sudo chown -R `whoami` /usr/local/share/ghostscript
brew link --overwrite ghostscript
</pre>
Then run the brew install command again for octave.
 
Note: If brew complains about not having a formula for octave, the following command should fix it:
<pre>brew tap --repair</pre>
 
The command below upgrades Octave and its dependencies to the latest Homebrew-supported versions:
<pre>brew update && brew upgrade octave</pre>
 
Octave has many dependencies which will be downloaded and installed prior to Octave. The entire installation process can take a few hours, but precompiled binary packages called 'bottles' are available with default options for Octave and many of its dependencies.
 
Octave has a built-in GUI (developed using Qt lib) installed by default so that gnuplot and other tools can use it directly. This GUI is always installed when installing Octave using Homebrew.
 
In case of trouble, see the [https://docs.brew.sh/Troubleshooting Homebrew Troubleshooting Guide], which assists in diagnosing problems and craft useful bug reports. Bugs may be reported at [https://github.com/Homebrew/homebrew-core/issues Homebrew-core's issue tracker].
 
=== MacPorts ===
 
[http://www.macports.org/ MacPorts], formerly called DarwinPorts, was started in 2002 as part of the OpenDarwin project, with the involvement of a number of Apple Inc. employees including Landon Fuller, Kevin Van Vechten, and Jordan Hubbard.
 
'''Install GNU Octave using MacPorts:'''
 
* Follow the instruction given at the [https://www.macports.org/install.php MacPorts website].
* Update your installation by running {{Codeline|sudo port selfupdate}} and {{Codeline|sudo port upgrade outdated}} in the terminal.
* Run {{Codeline|sudo port install octave}}.
 
===Spack===
 
[https://spack.io/ Spack] is a package management tool that supports the installation of multiple versions of software on macOS and other operating systems. It was created 2013 by Todd Gamblin and is currently being updated and developed by a large list of contributors (mainly via [https://github.com/spack/spack GitHub]).


or if Octave is in your default path:
'''Install GNU Octave using Spack:'''


tell application "Terminal"
First, install Spack:
  do script "`which octave`; exit"
*Install Xcode via the Mac App Store.
end tell
** Install the command line tools by {{Codeline|xcode-select --install}}.
* Follow [https://spack-tutorial.readthedocs.io/en/latest/ Spack tutorial].


Finally:
To install Octave, first we ensure that Spack itself has the latest definitions, by going to the local Spack repository (develop branch) folder and running the command:
* With the script open in the Script Editor app on your Mac, choose "File > Export".
<pre>git pull</pre>
* In the menu that appears, select "Application" from the "File format" menu, then navigate to the "Applications" folder and save your script there as "Octave.app"


To change the application icon:
Then, we install the latest version of Octave:
* Open [[:File:Icon.png|this link]] in a web browser, right-click and select "copy image".
<pre>spack install octave</pre>
* Select "Octave.app" in the Finder, then press {{Key|command-i}} to bring up the file info dialog.
* In the file info dialog, select the icon (in the top left) and press {{Key|command-v}} to paste the Octave icon over it.


== Alternative Package Managers ==
To use Octave we need to first load the package:
<pre>spack load octave</pre>


''Instead of Homebrew, the following package managers can be used to install Octave on macOS:
Octave has many dependencies which will be downloaded and installed prior to Octave. The entire installation process can take up to a few hours.


=== Anaconda ===
In case of trouble, please visit the [https://github.com/spack/spack/issues Spack repo issues list], and browse through Octave related issues by writing in the filters box:
<pre>is:issue octave</pre>


→ ''Link to [https://anaconda.org/conda-forge/octave Octave package] there.''
==Create a launcher app with AppleScript==


Follow the [https://docs.anaconda.com/anaconda/install/mac-os/ Anaconda installation instructions].
* Open the "AppleScript Editor" application
* write the following text in the editor window:


In the [https://support.apple.com/guide/terminal/welcome/mac Terminal App] type:
tell application "Terminal"
  do script "/path/to/octave; exit"
end tell


  conda create --name octave
or if Octave is in your default path:
  conda activate octave
  conda install -c conda-forge octave
 
  octave --gui


'''Note that the use of the option <code>--gui</code> shown above is actually unsupported in the context shown''' (as of 2023 March 31). Expect failure:
tell application "Terminal"
  do script "`which octave`; exit"
end tell


  octave: GUI features missing or disabled in this build
or if you wish to start the GUI by default, without a terminal:


Please refer to Octave contributor [https://github.com/conda-forge/octave-feedstock/issues/102#issuecomment-1598020613 ngam's response] to [https://github.com/conda-forge/octave-feedstock/issues/102 issue #102 at conda-forge/octave-feedstock]. This note is put here to prevent further user frustration. The original author of this wiki page seems to be unaware of this problem and cannot be located to address this discrepant instruction.
do shell script "/path/to/octave --force-gui"


=== MacPorts ===
(e.g. Homebrew installs Octave to '/usr/local/bin/octave' by default)
→ ''Link to [https://github.com/macports/macports-ports/blob/master/math/octave/Portfile Octave package] there.''


Follow the [https://www.macports.org/install.php MacPorts installation instructions].
* Select "Save as ..." from the "File" menu
* In the menu that appears, select "Application" from the "File format" menu, then navigate to the "Applications" folder and save your script there as "Octave.app"


In the [https://support.apple.com/guide/terminal/welcome/mac Terminal App] type:
To change the application icon


  sudo port selfupdate
* Open [http://wiki.octave.org/File:Icon.png this link] in a web browser, right-click and select "copy image".
  sudo port upgrade outdated
* Select "Octave.app" in the Finder, then press command-i to bring up the file info dialog.
  sudo port install octave
* In the file info dialog, select the icon (in the top left) and press command-v to paste the Octave icon over it.
 
  octave --gui


== See also ==
== See also ==
Please note that all contributions to Octave may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. If you do not want your writing to be edited mercilessly, then do not submit it here.
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