How to download the program NordicPopulation to the computer

The program NordicPopulation is made using the general mathematical programming language Matlab (https://www.mathworks.com). Matlab is available as a low-cost program under 'home license' and ‘student license’. Matlab’s free ‘clone’ GNU Octave is available at gnu.org/software/octave/ (select tab ‘Download’).

The Page ‘Computer program/Matlab program NordicPopulation’ displays the program version NordicPopulation2022 as a Word document. However, this program script can’t be copied directly to the computer from this page (some extra markings will be included). Therefore, first load (using the down arrow) the program from the mentioned page to the computer and open it, whereby you get a Word document. This Word document can then be copied to Matlab or GNU Octave in the following way.

· In Matlab, select ‘HOME/New Script’ and copy the Word document to the empty space on the right. To save the program, select ‘Editor/Save/Save As’, give the name ‘NordicPopulation2022’ and select the folder where you want to store the program.

· In GNU Octave, select ‘File/New/New Script’ and copy the Word document to the empty space on the right. To save the program, select ‘Editor/File/Save File As’, give the name ‘NordicPopulation2022’ and select the folder where you want to store the program.

The free program GNU Octave does not have as convenient an interface for adding text to figures as Matlab; in GNU Octave, use help for figures: >> help plot.

If you modify the NordicPopulation2022 program and, thus, have a new version with a new name, it is appropriate (even if not necessary) to also change the program’s calling instruction on the line (about) 88.

How to run the program NordicPopulation

· In Matlab, start the Matlab program and select, for the ‘Current directory’, the folder where the program NordicPopulation2022 is located. Double-click the program name ‘NordicPopulation2022’. On the screen, you see the Matlab prompt ‘>>’. Copy your instructions (examples on Page ‘Updating forecasts’) after the prompt and press the return key.

· In GNU Octave, start the GNU Octave program and select, for the ‘Current directory’, the folder where the program NordicPopulation2022 is located. Double-click the program name ‘NordicPopulation2022’. Click ‘Command Window’ at the bottom of the screen to get the prompt ‘>>’. Copy the instructions (examples on the Page ‘Updating forecasts’) after the prompt and press the return key.

Since Matlab instructions in the computer program NordicPopulation2022 are explained in detail, it is easy to write the program also in another programming language. There also is a systematic tutorial for Matlab on Page ‘Computer program/Matlab tutorial’.