Jump to main content.

How to Install NMIM on a Windows Machine

IMPORTANT! Please read all of the material in this file prior to beginning the installation and print this file to guide you in installation.

For assistance with the installation and installation instructions, please Contact Us.

Minimum System Requirements

If you are installing NMIM on a stand-alone PC, you'll need Windows 2000, NT, or XP or later, at least 5 gigabytes of free hard drive space, and at least 256 megabytes of RAM.

top of page

Contents of the NMIM Installation Zip File or CD-Rom

The NMIM installation program installs NMIM2005 (version NMIM20060310), including MOBILE6.2.03 and NONROAD2005 (February 2006 version), and the NMIM County Database (version NCD20060201).

The NMIM installation disk contains these instructions (readme.doc) and the following five folders:

  1. InstallerData - needed by the installation program
  2. NMIMDocumentation - supplemental documents of interest for running and understanding NMIM
    • 420r05024.pdf - How NMIM works.
    • nmim_technical_memorandum_1104.pdf - How state and local organizations should submit changes to the NMIM County Database (NCD) as part of the NEI process.
    • VMT_Fractions.pdf - How to go from the 8 MOBILE5 vehicle classes to the 28 MOBILE6 vehicle classes
  3. MySQL4021 - for installing MySQL
  4. Windows - for installing NMIM
  5. MySQLTools
    • MySQL-query-browser-1.1.15-win.msi - for installing MySQL Query Browser,an optional graphical interface for working with MySQL databases.
    • MySQL Control Center - for installing MySQL Control Center, an optional graphical interface for working with MySQL databases.
    • MySQL from an Access mdb.doc - How to use Microsoft Access as a front end for working with MySQL databases.

top of page

Installation Procedure

The installation process is the same regardless of whether you are installing NMIM to run on a single PC or to use it on multiple PCs on a network. If you plan to use a network, however, you must install the software separately on each PC.

The full NMIM product installation consists of two distinct software installations:

  1. MySQL*, which must be installed first, and
  2. The rest of NMIM, which includes the NMIM program and source code, the NMIM Un-installer, the Java virtual machine and compiler, the NMIM County Database, and the software programs Ant, JUunit and JFCUnit.

Two optional programs, MySQL Query Browser and MySQL Control Center, are included and provide two different graphical ways to view and work with MySQL databases. Their installation is also detailed below.

If you have a CD-Rom, work from that. If you downloaded NMIMInstall20060328.zip, unzip it (preserving the file structure), which will create a folder called NMIMInstall20060328. That folder will contain the same subfolders and files as the CD.

top of page

1. Install MySQL First

This step can be skipped if the computer already has MySQL installed. The version of MySQL we are using is 4.0.21. (We are pretty sure, but not positive, that newer versions will also work with NMIM.)

If you have an earlier version of MySQL installed, we recommend replacing it with the newer version that is distributed with this installation, which can be accomplished by proceeding with the installation described below. However, you must first stop MySQL as a service. Stop the service by clicking Start, Settings, Control Panel, Administrative Tools, Services. Find MySQL in the list of services. Right click on MySQL, and then click on Stop.

Open the MySQL4021 folder (using Windows Explorer or equivalent) and double click SETUP.EXE. This will start the MySQL installation program. Follow the instructions carefully. The screens are as follows:

Complete MySQL documentation is installed with the program and may be found in C:\mysql\docs.

Proper configuration of MySQL and installing and starting the MySQL server are handled by the NMIM installation program below.

top of page

2. Install NMIM

Open the Windows folder (using Windows Explorer or equivalent) and double click instnmim.exe. Follow the directions carefully. We recommend that you respond to each installation screen as follows:

2.1. Introduction

Click Next.

2.2. Choose Install File

The default choice of C:\NMIM\NMIM20060310 is recommended. However, you may choose an alternate path. Click Next.

2.3. Choose Shortcut Folder

Choose where to put the NMIM icons. The recommended choice is the "Desktop". Click Next.

2.4. Choose Program Type

Install both the Master and Worker. Click Next.

2.5. Choose Optional Features

Install ALL of the Optional Features and click Next. If these are not present on the Target computer, NMIM will not function. If they are already present, the installation program will alert you to that fact, and their installation can be skipped, or they can be over-written. Go ahead and install Java even if your computer already has it. NMIM requires a specific version of Java. Different versions of Java already on your computer will not be overwritten.

Then choose the Optional Feature Folder location. We recommend that you choose the default root folder C:\ to install all of the Optional Features and click Next.

At the Pre-Installation Summary screen, click Install.

2.6. Install NMIM

The installer will first copy the "jarred" (similar to zipped) county database. This can take a while depending on the speed of your computer.

Next, the Java SDK installer will start. The screens and our recommendations are as follows:

This will install Sun Java version j2sdk1.4.2_03 on your computer. NMIM requires that this exact version of Java be available. Other versions of Java may not work with NMIM. However, other versions of Java can exist on your computer, and installing Java version j2sdk1.4.2_03 will not overwrite or prevent other previously installed versions of Java from operating.

2.7 Setup Complete

The Java installer may ask if you want to restart your computer. Choose "No, I will restart my computer later." (If you choose "restart," the installation will be interrupted and you will have to begin again.)

2.8. Choose MySQL Folder

Leave as default (C:\mysql), unless you installed MySQL somewhere else. The installer will complain if it cannot find the folder. When you click Next, the installer will "unjar" the county database into the C:\MySQL\data folder. The name of the County Database included in this installation package is NCD20060201. Upon completion of the NMIM installation, you should verify that the folder C:\MySQL\Data\NCD20060201 exists. It should contain two folders, ExternalFiles and Readme, and numerous files with the extensions frm, myd, and myi.

2.9. Choose Java SDK Folder

Leave as default (C:\j2sdk1.4.2_03), unless you put it somewhere else. Click Next.

2.10. Choose Shared Work Folder

Default location (C:\NMIM\NMIM20060310\sharedwork) is recommended, but you can put it anywhere you want. Click Next.

Then click Done to quit the installer.

top of page

3. Graphical MySQL Tools

These are not necessary to run NMIM, but are convenient for looking at MySQL databases, including the NMIM County Database and the NMIM output databases that are generated by running NMIM. We supply both tools because each has its advantages. Control Center lets you easily see how many records are in each table and the variable types of each field. Query Browser is better for browsing through tables and generating simple queries. Both are easy to install.

3.1 Install MySQL Query Browser

Open the "MySQL Tools" folder and click mysql-query-browser-1.1.15-win.msi. The screens are as follows:

When you start MySQL Query Browser for the first time from the desktop icon, a screen will open with boxes to specify a number of parameters. All you have to fill in is localhost in the Server Host box. When you click OK, a message box will appear saying "No Default Schema Specified." Check the box which says "Do not show this message anymore" and Click "Ignore." Use the Help menu to learn how to use the software.

top of page

3.2 Install MySQL Control Center

Open the "MySQL Tools" folder and then the "MySQL Control Center" folder and click setup.exe. The screens are as follows:

When you start MySQL Control Center for the first time, it will ask for a User Name, which can be anything you want, and a Host Name, which must be "localhost". The basic screen of the program is a window called Console Manager. There will be a sub-panel called MySQL Servers. Double click on localhost and then on Databases. Use the Help menu to learn how to use the software.

top of page

Running NMIM from a Desktop Windows Computer

You must start TWO programs, a Master and a Worker. The Master is started by the icon labeled "NMIMGUI." The Worker is started by the icon labeled "WORKERGUI." You make your selections and click execute using NMIMGUI, but it is the Worker that runs NONROAD and MOBILE. Unfortunately, the Master (NMIMGUI) won't give you any warning if there is no Worker available. It will just sit there forever waiting for a Worker. The Master-Worker arrangement may seem peculiar, but it is the basis for NMIM's distributed processing capability.

After starting the NMIMGUI, consult the HELP menu for further instructions.

top of page

Known Bugs and Problems

top of page

If you have trouble with the installation or operation of NMIM, please email us at mobile@epa.gov.

*Disclaimer: EPA's use of MySQL does not represent an endorsement of the product or any commercial enterprise.

This page is maintained by EPA's Office of Transportation and Air Quality (OTAQ).
For more: About Us | Get E-mail Updates | Browse the A to Z Subject Index.

Local Navigation

Jump to main content.