Installing TaxiDraw
On Windows, either run the installer if you downloaded that, or simply unzip the zip archive to a suitable location if you downloaded that.
On Linux, the source will need compiling - the only dependencies are on libcurl and wxWidgets,
version wxGTK-2.4.x is known to work. If using packages make sure you install
the -dev package if required to get the headers.
Downloading the raw data
TaxiDraw needs to be able to find the default airport data file in order to load the default airport layout prior to modification. Both X-Plane and FlightGear now use the same data format. TaxiDraw still retains some support for the older FlightGear format, although this should be considered depreciated. You must fetch the data yourself. Only one format is required, although TaxiDraw can be configured to use both. The master database maintained by Robin Peel is in X-Plane format. If you wish your work to be included in the master database, it is best to download this format. The latest file is available from Robin's web site: www.x-plane.org/users/robinp This comes as a zip file containing several data files. The one we want is apt.dat, which contains the airport data. Place the apt.dat file somewhere on your system, and remember where it is, since it is necessary to tell TaxiDraw where to find it. Alternatively, Robin's latest dataset with submissions from TaxiDraw users merged into it can be downloaded from the airportdata page of the TaxiDraw website.
Alternatively, the FlightGear airport data may be used. This data is also generated from Robin's master database, and since late December 2004 is in X-Plane format. Copy the apt.dat.gz file from the FlightGear base package to a suitable location and unzip it. Once again, TaxiDraw must to told where to find it.
Configuring TaxiDraw to use the raw data
Once at least one set of raw data has been downloaded, it is necessary to configure TaxiDraw to find and use the data. If this is the first time you have run this version of TaxiDraw you will be reminded to do this at startup. Go to the Airport->Raw Data Options menu entry. This brings up a dialog that allows you to enter the location of the X-Plane and/or FlightGear data, and to specify which is the default data to use. You can browse for the data using the 'choose...' button. Just remember that the data must be unzipped for TaxiDraw to be able to use it. Any time that you wish to change the default data location or type, you can simply re-visit this dialog.
Testing that TaxiDraw works OK
To check that TaxiDraw works OK with the data you have configured as above, press Ctrl+N (or file->New) and enter "KSFO" (without the quotes) in the airport-selector dialog box that comes up. You should see the wait cursor for a few moments as it reads the file, and then the KSFO runways and taxiways should be displayed.
If you don't see this, then you need to make sure that TaxiDraw is properly configured to find some valid, unzipped, data before proceeding.
And finally, better instructions can be found at the TaxiDraw web site.