Cygwin/X provides a UNIX/Linux-like environment, allowing X based programs to run on Microsoft Windows operating systems. You can obtain Cygwin/X free from:

The installation takes a while but it is quite simple and straightforward. Note that in the setup Step 15-16, by default all X11 items might not be selected, so you need click the word "Default" next to "X11" (usually the last item in the installation window), wait for a few seconds till it changes to "Install". If the "X11" cagetory is not expanded, click the "+" sign to expand it. Check everything under the X11 cagetory (a "X" sign in the "Bin?" column. "Bin?" stands for binary, that is, executable. If you wish to install source code for a program, put a check to its "Src?" column too).

Click here to download WCEN for Windows. The zip archive contains 5 files. Copy "wcen.dll", "wcen.bat", and "wcen.ico" to "C:\cygwin\usr\X11R6\bin", and put "wcen" on your desktop or your favorite toolbar, and this is what you click to run WCEN.

1. wcen.dll: the actual WCEN executable. You don't really need touch it unless you wish to run WCEN in an XTERM.
2. wcen.bat: a batch script that calls wcen, and launches Cygwin/X if it is not running.
3. wcen.ico: the WCEN icon file.
4. wcen.lnk: a shortcut to wcen.bat.
5. wcen.app-defaults: the WCEN app-defaults file that allows you to customize various WCEN parameters, e.g., default colormap. Copy this file to the folder "C:\cygwin\etc\X11\app-defaults" and rename it "wcen".

Attention: if your Windows' "hide extensions for known file types" feature is on, you won't be able tell apart the wcen files. To disable it, open Windows Explorer, in the "Tools" menu, click "Folder Options", click the "View" tab, in the advanced settings, uncheck "hide extensions for known file types. You can also find "Folder Options" under Control Panel -> Appearance and Personalization.

Click the "wcen" shortcut to launch Cygwin/X and WCEN. If Cygwin/X is already running, it simply launches WCEN. Of course, you can always run WCEN in an XTERM window if you are familiar with UNIX/LINUX. To close Cygwin/X, right-click the X icon in the Windows system tray and select Exit.

To make WCEN the default opener for certain types of images, say, ".smv" files, right-click such a file, in "Open With", select "Choose Program...", click "Browse", go to "C:\cygwin\usr\X11R6\bin" and select "wcen.bat", click "Open" to return to the previous window, check "Always use the selected program to open this kind of file" and click "Ok". The next time you double-click a ".smv" file, WCEN will be automatically invoked.