= Getting Started with Rappture =

You've already seen the [wiki:whatIsRappture simple tutorial] on Rappture and you're anxious to get started using it.  Here's how:

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'''1.''' [wiki:Downloads Install Rappture] on your local machine.

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'''2.''' Try out a few of the examples included in your installation:
{{{
% cd rappture/examples/app-fermi/python
% ../../../bin/rappture
}}}
[[rpimage(app-fermi.gif)]]

{{{
% cd rappture/examples/graph
% ../../bin/rappture
}}}
[[rpimage(graph.gif)]]

Browse through the [wiki:rappture_xml_elements zoo of inputs and outputs].  You'll find the complete code for each example in the Rappture distribution:
{{{
% cd rappture/examples/zoo
}}}

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'''3.''' Look at other examples available in the nanoHUB development area:
 * [http://nanohub.org/tools/molctoy/wiki MolCToy] - Toy model for molecular conduction
 * [http://nanohub.org/tools/pntoy/wiki PNtoy] - PN junction lab
 * [http://nanohub.org/tools/cntbands-ext/wiki CNTbands] - carbon nanotube band structure

In particular, look at the example 
[https://nanohub.org/tools/cntbands-ext/browser/trunk/rappture/tool.xml cntbands tool.xml].
See how the various inputs and outputs are described for that tool.  Then, look at the ''wrapper script''
[https://nanohub.org/tools/cntbands-ext/browser/trunk/rappture/cntbandswr cntbandswr])
and see how it used the Rappture library to access inputs, run the tool, and store outputs.

''NOTE:''
You don't have to use a wrapper script.  If possible, you should integrate the Rappture library directly
into the source code for your tool.  But wrapper scripts are convenient for legacy applications, where
you don't want to change the source code of the original application, but rather, add a Rappture
interface on top of it.

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'''4.''' Browse the [wiki:Documentation reference documentation] as you develop your own tool.