Unix (Linux, Mac OS X)

Knitro is supported on Linux (64-bit), and Mac OS X (64-bit x86_64 on Mac OS X 10.15 or higher and ARMv8 on Mac OS X 11 or higher).

The Knitro software package for Unix is delivered as a gzipped tar file, or as a zip file on Mac OS X. Save this file in a fresh subdirectory on your system. To unpack a gzipped tar file, type the commands:

> gunzip knitro-|release|-platformname.tar.gz
> tar -xvf knitro-|release|-platformname.tar

Unpacking will create a directory named knitro-14.0.0-z. Contents of the full product distribution are the following:

  • INSTALL: A file containing installation instructions.

  • LICENSE_KNITRO: A file containing the Knitro license agreement.

  • README: A file with instructions on how to get started using Knitro.

  • Knitro_14_0_ReleaseNotes: A file containing release notes.

  • get_machine_ID: An executable that identifies the machine ID, required for obtaining a Artelys license file.

  • doc: A directory containing Knitro documentation, including this manual.

  • include: A directory containing the Knitro header file knitro.h.

  • lib: A directory containing the Knitro library files: libknitro.a and libknitro.so (libknitro.dylib on Mac OS X), as well as any other libraries that can be used with Knitro.

  • examples: A directory containing examples of how to use the Knitro API in different programming languages (C, C++, Fortran, Java, Julia, Python, R). The examples/C directory contains the most extensive set (see examples/C/README.txt for details).

  • knitroampl: A directory containing knitroampl (the Knitro solver for AMPL), instructions, and an example model for testing Knitro with AMPL.

  • knitromatlab: A folder containing the files needed to use the Knitro solver for MATLAB, example models, and the instructions and explanation file README.

To activate Knitro for your computer you will need a valid Artelys license file. If you purchased a floating network license, then refer to the Artelys License Manager User’s Manual. For a stand-alone license, execute get_machine_ID, a program supplied with the distribution. This will generate a machine ID (five pairs of hexadecimal digits).

If purchased through Artelys, you may request your license key from your Artelys customer area at https://www.artelys.com/en/home using your machine ID (please contact info-knitro@artelys.com if you have any issue with your customer area). If Knitro was purchased through a distributor, then email the machine ID to your local distributor. Artelys (or your local distributor) will then send a license file containing the encrypted license text string. The Artelys license manager supports a variety of ways to install licenses. The simplest procedure is to copy each license into your HOME directory. The license file name may be changed, but must begin with the characters artelys_lic (use lower-case letters). If this does not work, try creating a new environment variable called ARTELYS_LICENSE and set it to the folder holding your license file(s). See information on setting environment variables below and refer to the Artelys License Manager User’s Manual for more installation details.

Setting environment variables

In order to run Knitro binary or executable files from anywhere on your Unix computer, as well as load dynamic, shared libraries (i.e. “.so” or “.dylib” files) used by Knitro at runtime, it is necessary to make sure that several environment variables are set properly on your machine.

In particular, you must update the PATH environment variable so that it indicates the location of the knitroampl directory (or whichever directory contains the knitroampl executable file). You must also update the LD_LIBRARY_PATH (DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH on Mac OS X) environment variable so that it indicates the location of the Knitro lib directory (containing the Knitro provided “.so” or “.dylib” shared libraries).

Setting the PATH and LD_LIBRARY_PATH (DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH on Mac OS X) environment variables on Unix systems can be done as follows. In the instructions below, replace <file_absolute_path> with the full path to the directory containing the Knitro binary file (e.g. the knitroampl directory), and replace <file_absolute_library_path> with the full path to the directory containing the Knitro shared object library (e.g. the Knitro lib directory).

Linux

If you run a Unix bash shell, then type:

> export PATH= <file_absolute_path>:$PATH
> export LD_LIBRARY_PATH= <file_absolute_library_path>:$LD_LIBRARY_PATH

If you run a Unix csh or tcsh shell, then type:

> setenv PATH  <file_absolute_path>:$PATH
> setenv LD_LIBRARY_PATH  <file_absolute_library_path>:$LD_LIBRARY_PATH

Mac OS X

Determine the shell being used:

> echo $SHELL

If you run a Unix bash shell, then type:

> export PATH= <file_absolute_path>:$PATH
> export DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH=<file_absolute_library_path>:$DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH

If you run a Unix csh or tcsh shell, then type:

> setenv PATH  <file_absolute_path>:$PATH
> setenv DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH <file_absolute_library_path>:$DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH

Note that the value of the environment variable is only valid in the shell in which it was defined. Moreover, if a particular environment variable points to more than one directory that contains a binary or dynamic library of the same name, the one that will be chosen is the one whose directory appears first in the environment variable definition.

If you are using Knitro with AMPL, you should also make sure the directory containing the AMPL executable file ampl is added to the PATH environment variable (as well as the directory containing the knitroampl executable file as described above). Additionally, if you are using an external third party runtime library with Knitro such as your own Basic Linear Algebra Subroutine (BLAS) libraries (see user options blasoption and blasoptionlib), or a Linear Programming (LP) solver library (see user option act_lpsolver), then you will also need to add the directories containing these libraries to the LD_LIBRARY_PATH (DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH on Mac OS X) environment variable.

If you are setting the ARTELYS_LICENSE environment variable to activate your license, then follow the instructions above to create a new environment variable called ARTELYS_LICENSE and give it the value of the directory containing your Artelys license file (specify the whole path to this directory). For more installation options and general troubleshooting, read the Artelys License Manager User’s Manual.

Knitro for MATLAB

To use Knitro with MATLAB, you may need to add the Knitro/MATLAB interface files to your MATLAB path. Assuming the default installation folders were used and the KNITRODIR environment variable contains the path to the Knitro installation directory, the MATLAB path can be updated with the following commands in MATLAB:

> addpath(strcat(getenv('KNITRODIR’),’/knitromatlab'));
> savepath();

Alternatively, if the environment variable is not set properly, you can update the MATLAB path by calling addpath() with the full path to the Knitro/MATLAB interface files, such as:

> addpath('/home/user/knitro-|release|/knitromatlab');
> savepath();