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version 1.1, 2004/06/17 17:36:38 version 1.4, 2015/09/02 12:30:50
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 Interpolated Marlov Chain (IMaCh program)  Interpolated Marlov Chain (IMaCh program)
   
 This program is GPL licensed for the part the code that we wrote at  This program will be licensed under the GNU GNU GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE.
 INED. But currently (version 0.97b may 2004) maximization routines use  
 a modified version of the patented routines from "Numerical Recipes in  
 C". If you have the right to use the sources of their software you can  
 get access to the source code and to the CVS tree of IMaCh.  
   
 The program estimates Health Expectancies from Cross-longitudinal  The program estimates Health Expectancies from Cross-longitudinal
 studies.  studies.
 The main publication is Lievre, A. Brouard. N, Heathcote  The main publication is Lievre, A. Brouard. N, Heathcote
 Ch. Estimating Health Expectancies from Corss-longitudinal surveys,  Ch. Estimating Health Expectancies from Cross-longitudinal surveys,
 Mathematical Population Studies, 10(1), 2003, pp. 1-52.  Mathematical Population Studies, 10(1), 2003, pp. 1-52.
   
 To be brief, for each people interviewed we have the age and health  To be brief, for each people interviewed we need the age and health
 states at each interview. Also the month of death is known. We model  status at each interview. Also the month and year of death should be
 the probability to be observed in any state at any age via a  known as for birth.  We model the probability to be observed in any
 parametric model and estimate the parameters and their confidence interval  state at any age via a parametric model and estimate the parameters
 by maximum likelihood, many tables and graphs are output in  and their confidence interval by maximum likelihood. Many tables and
 HTML. Graphs are built using gnuplot.  graphs are output in HTML. Graphs are built using gnuplot.
   
 In the Windows version, gnuplot is also distributed. Version 4 is out  First versions appeared around year 2000. Currently (September 2015)
 since early 2004 and is used by latest version of Imach (at least  version 0.98q5 can run on any Unix, including OS/X and on Windows 10
 version 0.38i is required).  (64bit) as well as Windows XP (32bit).
 IMaCh is supposed to work on Linux, MacIntosh and Windows (9X or  
 NT/XP).  Binaries are usually provided for OS/X (DMG for 64bit), Linux (rpm)
   and Windows installer (32 and 64bit).
 WINDOWS  
 On Windows it is distributed via a setup file (no more a zip file). As  
 usual you can put the 'imach' directory in Program Files or  STRUCTURE of the binary
 wherever. The directory contains at least 2 directories, 'bin' for the  
 binaries which are imach.exe and gnuplot.exe, doc for some of the  IMaCh is a command line program (no time for a GUI) which means that
   it can be run on a shell by $ imach foo.imach where foo.imach is your
   'parameter' file which is a simple text file with a few lines that
   your must edit in order to describe your data as well as your model
   line. In this parameter file you give the name and path of your data
   file which is also a text file.
   
   Even if it is command line program, most operating systems offer
   simplifications of use:
   
   - On Windows, you can click on the imach.exe
   icon (which opens a DOS window) and drag your parameter file into the
   DOS windows and enter return. But with the newly installable version
   (>0.97) you can use the right click (once your mouse cursor is on an
   foo.imach file) to either edit the parameter file (with wordpad) or
   execute this parameter file via imach. At the end of the run, your are
   asked to enter a character and the terminal will not disappear.
   
   - On OSX, you can click on the IMaCh application and terminal will be
     open: either type in the name and path of your parameter file or
     drag it from the finder.
   
   The output of you run is a lot of text files which are grouped into a
   sub-directory having the name of your parameter file as well as an
   other text file foo.gp which is a gnuplot file. This gnuplot is run by
   imach and creates a lot of graphs from the various results text files.
   An other important file named foo.htm can be opened by your browser
   and it will display various hyperlinks to most of your results as well
   as your graphs.
   
   You can edit this file, customize it at your will and run it to get
   additional figures or modified figures to be published. Just click on
   gnuplot.exe and type "load foo.gp" for example.
   
   Gnuplot is a well known grapher under the GPL license too. As it is
   changing often, the OS/X and Windows installers are providing binaries
   for gnuplot 2.6.5.
   
   Since the era of 64bit processors and their wide use on OS/X and
   Windows 7, 8 or 10, we discovered that our usual GNU compiler were not
   efficient on Windows 64 and current binaries are compiled with the
   Intel C compiler.  On OS/X the native LLVM C compiler from Apple is
   very efficient too.
   
   Usually IMaCh binaries are distributed under two subdirectories, 'bin' for the
   binaries which are imach.exe and gnuplot.exe and 'html' for some of the
 documentation, and 'mytry' in order to test the program on a parameter  documentation, and 'mytry' in order to test the program on a parameter
 file name 'mypar.imach'.  file named 'mypar.imach'.
   
 You still can click on the imach.exe icon (which opens a DOS window)  By default the file 'gnuplot.exe' is located on the same directory as
 and drag your parameter file into the DOS windows and enter  imach and is used by imach with its absolute path. Thus, if you have
 return. But with the newly installable version (>0.97) you can use the right  another gnuplot program which is already in your path it will not be used by
 click (once your mouse cursor is on an foo.imach file) to either edit the  
 parameter file (with wordpad) or execute this parameter file via  
 imach.  
 If the program runs well you get a main foo.htm file which can be viewed  
 with your browser and which includes all the results.  
   
 As the program output a file named foo.gp which is executed by gnuplot  
 in order to draw all the graphs, you can edit it and customize it at  
 your will.  
   
 By default the file gnuplot.exe is located on the same directory as  
 imach and is used by imach with its absolute path. Thus if you have  
 another gnuplot program which is in your path it will not be used by  
 imach (we tried to simplify the installation process).  imach (we tried to simplify the installation process).
   
 If you download a newer version of IMaCh you are supposed to Uninstall the  If you download a newer version of IMaCh, you are supposed to Uninstall the
 former version with the standard Install/Uninstall process of Windows.  former version with the standard Install/Uninstall process of Windows.
   
 The Windows version is compiled via cygwin (gcc -mno-cygwin -o imach  
 imach.c). It can be used on a command line with the command "imach  
 foo.imach". But then imach.exe must be in your path.  
 The program can be used (with more comfort?) on Linux or on a  
 MacIntosh.  
   
 Enjoy (?) using IMaCh.  Enjoy (?) using IMaCh.
   
 You may subscribe to imach-users@listes.ined.fr by sending a mail at  You may subscribe to imach-users@listes.ined.fr by sending a mail at
 imach-users-subscribe@listes.ined.fr and you can unsubscribe with a  imach-users-subscribe@listes.ined.fr and you can unsubscribe with a
 mail to imach-users-unsubscribe@listes.ined.fr .  mail to imach-users-unsubscribe@listes.ined.fr .
   
   Other comments are included on the Wiki server
   http://euroreves.ined.fr/imach/wiki, please use it ask questions too.
   
 Nicolas Brouard (brouard at ined point fr)  Nicolas Brouard (brouard at ined point fr)
 Agnès Lièvre (lievre chez ined dot fr)  Institut national d'études démographiques
 Christopher Heathcote  133 Boulevard Davout
   75014 Paris
   
   Earlier versions were also written by
   Agnès Lièvre (former PHD student at INED)
   Christopher Heathcote (ANU)
   
     
   
Removed from v.1.1  
changed lines
  Added in v.1.4

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