Installing Scientific WorkPlace 3.5 (SWP)

Note that SWP expires every year, and requires users to request another license file from the vendor using the procedure described in steps 8-12 , below.

Windows Vista users, please note the special instruction in step 7 below.

  1. Insert the CD-ROM. Run "setup.exe" if installation does not start automatically.

  2. When prompted, enter the Serial Number - see sticker on CD-ROM case.

  3. When prompted, select "Complete" install.

  4. When prompted, select "Multilingual LaTeX" (default).

  5. After the files are copied you may get the message: 
         Windows Multilanguage support is not installed.
     Characters may not display properly.
     Please look up the topic FONTS in the online help.
    This help page may be found later by clicking on [Help] [Search] "Fonts", and then: 
         Correcting font installation problems

  6. Click [Finish] when Setup displays: 
         (*) Yes, I want to restart my computer now
  7. After your system restarts, launch "Scientific WorkPlace".
    SWP will run in DEMO mode until you register it.
    Note to Vista users: By default, Vista prevents SWP from running with sufficient privileges to update the system registry when first run. The first time you run it, do so with administrator privileges, by right-clicking on its shortcut, then clicking the Advanced button on the Shortcut page to get to the Advanced Properties dialogue; then choose "Run as Administrator". Once the registry has been updated, SWP will run properly with standard user privileges.

  8. Click on: [Help] [Register]. Select the (default) method: 
         (*) By the web.  I am connected to the internet.

  9. Click [Next] to bring up a registration form.

    You must use a UW email address, e.g.: example@uwaterloo.ca.

  10. Click [OK] and your Web Browser will be launched and a similar form displayed.

  11. Click [SUBMIT]. A page will appear that says: 
                        Scientific WorkPlace Registration

     Your license file has been sent to your site license administrator
     who will forward it to you once he
     or she has verified you are a member of the site.

  12. When you receive the email, follow the instructions inside it to complete the registration of Scientific WorkPlace: 
         1.  Stop Scientific WorkPlace if it is currently running.

     2.  Copy all of this [email] message to the clipboard.
         You can usually do this by clicking on Edit and then
         Select All, and then clicking on Edit and then Copy.

     3.  Start Scientific WorkPlace.  It should say that your
         license file has been installed.

  13. You must repeat steps 1-12 on each computer that you install SWP on.

    In particular, you can not use the same email message that you received for your first install.

    That is because each email message is tied to the unique serial number of the computer's hard disk.

  14. One especially neat feature of Scientific WorkPlace 3.5 is [Edit] [Copy Picture] which allows you to copy-and-paste equations and tables into other programs (like PowerPoint) as scalable (metafile) graphic images!

  15. To learn more about Scientific WorkPlace, e.g. to view on-line training videos and an unsupported UW thesis template, please visit:

Last updated: March 11, 2008