Setting up the MUMPS (M) programming environment is the first step to start coding in MUMPS. This module will guide you through the process of installing and configuring the necessary tools to get started.

Before we dive into the setup process, let's understand what we need:

• MUMPS Interpreter: The software that will execute MUMPS code.
• Text Editor: A tool to write and edit MUMPS code.
• Environment Configuration: Setting up the environment variables and paths.

There are several MUMPS interpreters available. For this course, we will use GT.M, which is a popular open-source MUMPS implementation.

1. Visit the GT.M website: Go to GT.M Download Page.
2. Select the appropriate version: Choose the version compatible with your operating system (Linux, Windows, etc.).

1. Download the package:

   wget https://sourceforge.net/projects/fis-gtm/files/GT.M-x.y.z.tar.gz
   

   Replace x.y.z with the actual version number.

2. Extract the package:

   tar -xvzf GT.M-x.y.z.tar.gz
   

3. Install GT.M:

   cd GT.M-x.y.z
   sudo ./configure
   sudo make
   sudo make install
   

1. Download the installer: From the GT.M download page, download the Windows installer.
2. Run the installer: Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation.

1. Edit the .bashrc file:

   nano ~/.bashrc
   

2. Add the following lines:

   export gtm_dist=/usr/local/gtm
   export PATH=$PATH:$gtm_dist
   

3. Source the .bashrc file:

   source ~/.bashrc
   

1. Open System Properties: Right-click on 'This PC' and select 'Properties'.
2. Advanced System Settings: Click on 'Advanced system settings'.
3. Environment Variables: Click on 'Environment Variables'.
4. Add New Variables:
   • Variable name: gtm_dist
   • Variable value: C:\path\to\gtm
   • Add C:\path\to\gtm to the PATH variable.

You can use any text editor to write MUMPS code. Here are a few recommendations:

• Visual Studio Code: A powerful, open-source editor with extensions for various languages.
• Sublime Text: A lightweight and fast editor.
• Vim/Emacs: For those who prefer terminal-based editors.

1. Install Visual Studio Code: Download and install from Visual Studio Code.
2. Install MUMPS Extension:
   • Open Visual Studio Code.
   • Go to Extensions (Ctrl+Shift+X).
   • Search for "MUMPS" and install the extension.

To ensure everything is set up correctly, let's run a simple MUMPS program.

1. Open your text editor and create a new file named hello.m.
2. Write the following code:

   WRITE "Hello, World!", !
   QUIT
   

1. Open a terminal (or command prompt on Windows).
2. Navigate to the directory where hello.m is saved.
3. Run the program:

   mumps -run ^hello
   

You should see the output:

In this section, we covered the steps to set up the MUMPS programming environment, including installing the GT.M interpreter, configuring environment variables, choosing a text editor, and verifying the installation with a simple "Hello, World!" program. With your environment set up, you're now ready to dive into MUMPS programming. In the next module, we will explore the basic syntax and structure of MUMPS.