Install and update manual

Note

Are you running into problems when downloading or updating the software? Please consult the problem solving section. If the error and/or solution is not mentioned, please contact our Service desk

Installing the Rana Desktop Client

To install the Rana Desktop Client, download and execute the Rana Desktop Client Installer 3.40.7 installer

Rana Desktop Client (first use)

When you start the Rana Desktop Client for the first time, you might want to change the default locations where Rana stores its local data. You can find these under plugins –> Rana –> settings

Settings in the Rana Desktop Client

  • Simulation Working directory to store schematisations and simulation results. It is strongly recommended to use a directory on your local drive, not a shared drive.

  • File storage cache directory to store files that are downloaded from Rana. It is strongly recommended to use a directory on your local drive, not a shared drive.

Note

If you have never used the QGIS Password Manager before, you will be asked to set a master password for the QGIS Password Manager. Fill in a password and make sure you remember it. Check the box ‘Store/update the master password in your Password Manager’ so that you do not have to fill in the master password every time you start up QGIS.

You can now use all online Rana functionalities of the Rana Desktop Client. When logging in is required an internet browser will pop up in which you will be asked to enter your username and password. After succesfull authentication you can close this browser tab.

Note

You can install the Rana Desktop Client for all users if you run the installer as administrator.

Updating the Rana Desktop Client

The Rana Desktop Client consists of two parts: QGIS and Rana plugins. Each of these components has to be updated in a different way. The Rana Desktop Client is based on the long-term release (LTR) version of QGIS. The LTR is updated annually, in March. It is recommended to re-install the Rana Desktop Client every year at the end of March.

The Rana plugins can be updated in the following way:

  1. Start the Rana Desktop Client

  2. If any schematisation is loaded, remove them before proceeding

  3. In the main menu click Plugins > Manage and Install plugins

  4. At the left side, click Installed

  5. Plugins that can be updated are shown in bold

    Note

    If you update, always update all Rana plugins that have updates available at the same time.

  6. Click the plugin name. At the bottom right, click Upgrade plugin

  7. If you are asked to install or update the Nelen & Schuurmans Dependency Loader, please do so.

  8. Updating the Nelen & Schuurmans Dependency Loader requires a restart of the Rana Desktop Client. Do this when prompted, and also when you get a Python error during installation.

Advanced: separate installation of QGIS and Rana plugins

You can also install QGIS separately with the appropriate plugins. This is not recommended. Do this only if you have specific reasons for it, and you know what you are doing. Do the following:

  • QGIS Standalone Installer (Long term release). Get QGIS .

    After the installation of QGIS, set the interface language and locale to American English. This makes it easier to understand the instructions in this documentation. Some locales do not support scientific notations of numbers, these are required for very small numbers (e.g. 1e-09).

    • Go to Settings > Options > General

    • Tick the box ‘Override System Locale’

    • For User Interface Translation, choose ‘American English’

    • For Locale, choose ‘English United Kingdom (en_GB)’

    • Restart QGIS

  • Add the Rana plugin repository

  • Install the Rana plugins: in the tab All, install the Rana plugins. Restart QGIS when prompted.

  • Enable project’s embedded Python code: Make sure that this is set to Always in Settings > Options > General > Project files.

Information for system administrators

General information

All applications make use of https traffic over port 443 with public signed SSL/TLS certificates. If certificate errors show, please check any security software. One way of testing this is by visiting https://api.3di.live/v3.0/ in a browser and check the certificate. If it is issued by R3, this is the certificate configured by us. Any other name will point towards the security software in use.

Rana Desktop Client

The Rana Desktop Client is a customized version of QGIS, shipped with several pre-installed plugins and settings, see Technical setup. Its Rana plugins are maintained by Nelen & Schuurmans. QGIS itself and the other pre-installed plugins are not made / maintained by Nelen & Schuurmans.

Install instructions for the Rana Desktop Client can be found in Installing the Rana Desktop Client.

Because the Rana Desktop Client is a customized QGIS, we refer to the QGIS documentation when you run into any issues that are not specifically related to the Rana plugins:

URLs accessed by Rana Desktop Client

Make sure the Rana Desktop Client is allowed to communicate with following URLs: