You are here

End of Summer Release

It's the end of the summer and we've got a great big old release for y'all. It includes a slew of bug fixes, some API changes (sorry), new features, and some new IDE fun. This new release does require Eclipse 3.6 (the core doesn't, but the IDE does), but that brings with it an easier installation (see below)

IDE

  1. New jACT-R Runtime perspective which seems to be more natural for most use cases
  2. Log-linked buffer and conflict views (select a time in the log view and see what the buffers and productions were like)
  3. Auto-switch to runtime perspective (preferences jACT-R-Run/Debug-Adjust layout for runs)
  4. Support for 3.6 (this will be important for a future update)
  5. Improved memory usage
  6. Synchronization support for models that pump out a lot of data
  7. Easier installation!

Core

  1. API changes
  2. Support for matches without a chunktype.
  3. Variable slot name support
  4. Pluggable scripting support
  5. Inclusion of production instantiation optimizer.
  6. Improved logging messages
  7. Plenty of performance improvements (less garbage generation mostly)
  8. Bug fixes
  9. And a reminder, yes you can use Lisp (mostly)

Installation

Unfortunately, you cannot just update if you've already got Eclipse installed. You will need a clean install of Eclipse 3.6. Once that is done, go up to Help->Eciipse Marketplace. Select the Eclipse marketplace (if you haven't). Then search for "act-r". Click the install for the core, then back and select the ide. You can then install them both at the same time.  

Once that is done, you are good to go. If you want to stay on the bleeding edge (but even more poorly documented), edit your update sites (Preferences-Install/Update) and change 'updates/release' to 'updates/dev'.