Distance for Windows
The latest version of Distance is 7.5 Release 2. Distance has been downloaded by over 50,000 users from around 135 countries.
What does Distance look like? Here are some screenshots.
Distance 7.5 is available for download while previous versions (detailed below) are available by e-mail request. All versions of Distance are available at no cost. The suggested citation is given on the citation page.
Information on the history of Distance is available on the Distance History page.
Download latest version
Distance 7.5 is the latest software, and is the recommended version for most users. The second release was made to reinstate the option to run a global simulation with a stratified design. Distance 7.5 release 2 includes all of the features of Distance 7.5 release 1 and also uses the latest version of R 4.2.2 and the lastest available R packages. In the past, Distance has used the 32 bit version of R but with the release of R 4.2 there is no longer a 32 bit R program installed and so we have updated Distance to use 64 bit R. Distance 7.5 also upgraded the distance sampling simulations R package to dsims to improve efficiency and reliability.
Distance is a Windows program, featuring a graphical user interface and has a built-in GIS, which can be used for automated survey design. Distance 7.5 also has updated versions of the analysis and spatial modelling engines. Using the DSM, MRDS and MA analyses and the simulation engine requires installation of the free statistical software R.
Go to download page for Distance 7.5.
Previous versions of Distance
Five previous versions of Distance are available by e-mail request, we no longer provide downloads on the website (links to programme descriptions in the table below).
- Version 7.4 was the previous Distance 7 release. It included the features of Distance 7.3, with the addition of functionality to support the analysis of camera trap data.
- Version 7.3 included the features of Distance 7.2, with the addition of the shape import wizard.
- Version 7.2 included the features of Distance 7.1, but expanded MRDS and DSM to include point transect analyses.
- Version 7.1 included the features of Distance 7.0, with updated R packages and additional simulation options.
- Version 7.0 was the first full Distance 7 release. It included the features of Distance 6.2, with two new engines: simulation and multi-analysis.
- Version 6.2 was the last 6.x release of Distance. It was very similar to 6.0, but 6.2 includes more features and bug fixes. See release notes for information on the differences.
- Version 6.0 was the previous 6.x release of Distance. It is very similar to 6.2, but 6.2 includes more features and bug fixes. See release notes for information on the differences.
- Versions 5.0 and 4.1 are the previous major releases of the software - they are still available for download but we do not recommend their use. They lack the DSM and MRDS engines and other recent bug fixes.
- Version 3.5 also has a graphical user interface, but lacks many of the features of later versions. Nevertheless, it has lower computer hardware requirements and so may be the only option for people with very ancient machines.
- Version 2.2 is an older, DOS-based program that is driven using a simple command language. It is still available mainly for historical reasons.
Further information on main features in each version is available on the new in Distance page.
The following table summarizes the hardware and software requirements of the three versions. Click on the software titles to proceed to the registration and download pages, and for information about obtaining the software on CD.
| Software | Distance 7.4 Release 2 | Distance 7.3 Release 2 | Distance 7.2 Release 1 | Distance 7.1 Release 1 | Distance 7.0 Release 1 | Distance 6.2 Release 1 | Distance 6.0 Release 1 | Distance 5.0 Release 2 | Distance 4.1 Release 2 | Distance 3.5 Release 6 | Distance 2.2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operating system | Windows 10, 8 and 7 (likely works in legacy versions too) | Windows 10, 8 and 7 (likely works in legacy versions too) | Windows 10, 8 and 7 (likely works in legacy versions too) | Windows 10, 8 and 7 (likely works in legacy versions too) | Windows 10, 8 and 7 (likely works in legacy versions too) | Windows 8 and 7 (likely works in legacy versions too) | Windows XP, Vista (likely works in legacy versions too) | Windows 98, Me, NT4, 2000, XP | Windows 9x, Me, NT4, 2000, XP | Windows 9x, Me, NT 4, 2000 | DOS |
| Download size1 | ~147MB | ~88MB | ~79MB | ~75MB | ~52MB | ~32MB | ~20MB | ~20MB | ~16MB | ~7MB | ~0.5MB |
| Installed program size1 | ~160MB | ~83MB | ~80MB | ~115MB | ~71MB | ~45MB | ~45MB | ~40MB | ~10MB | ~1MB | |
| Minimum hardware requirements | If your hardware is good enough to run Windows 7 or 8, you can run Distance! | If your hardware is good enough to run Windows 7 or 8, you can run Distance! | If your hardware is good enough to run Windows 7 or 8, you can run Distance! | If your hardware is good enough to run Windows 7 or 8, you can run Distance! | If your hardware is good enough to run Windows 7 or 8, you can run Distance! | If your hardware is good enough to run Windows 7 or 8, you can run Distance! | Same as Distance 4.1 | Same as Distance 4.1 | Realistic minimum: Pentium II processor, 48MB RAM, 800x600 SVGA monitor with >256 colors Recommended: 64-128MB RAM, 1024x768 monitor | Absolute minimum: 486DX processor, 16MB RAM, 800x600 SVGA monitor with 256 colors Recommended minimum: Pentium processor, 32MB RAM, 800x600 SVGA monitor with >256 colors | 8086 Processor, 640K memory. Maths co-processor recommended |
1These figures do not include the statistical software R, which must be installed before the density surface modelling and mark-recapture distance sampling analysis engines can be used.