[cctbxbb] WSL2 (was: Windows icc builds)

[Viktor Bengtsson]

Hi Graeme and Kay,

I'll add my 2 cents to this as well. I have been using WSL with VcXsrv since February 2018 for all Linux-primary software needs and DIALS in particular. Before that I tried using DIALS both on Ubuntu through Virtualbox and compiled for Windows directly on my computer.

Based on my experience, I would suggest reconsidering if native Windows support is still relevant. At the same time I do know that there are some parts that still don't really translate well into WSL2, so maybe a Windows native application still is worth the time. Otherwise a link to the xdswiki should be enough support, in particular once WSL2 can be installed on all Windows 10 computers with a simple "wsl --install" in PowerShell or CMD with admin privileges. The fact that the original github issue is based on the WSL2 version being faster than native Windows version also supports that WSL2 might be a better version of "Windows support".

If the point of a Windows version is to make it simple to install for Windows users, then maybe it might be possible to write a installation script that performs all relevant steps, including installation of WSL2 if needed?

tl;dr: I agree that WSL2 is a good enough solution, and would add vcxsrv as an additional option if you only want the Xserver and not the full MobaXterm.

Kind regards,
Viktor

-----Original Message-----
From: cctbxbb-bounces at phenix-online.org <cctbxbb-bounces at phenix-online.org> On Behalf Of Kay Diederichs
Sent: den 26 maj 2021 21:33
To: cctbxbb at phenix-online.org
Subject: [cctbxbb] WSL2 (was: Windows icc builds)

Hi Graeme,

I have no solution for this problem but I want to bring up the fact that WSL2 is very easy to install on current Windows10, and lets one run the Linux binaries (including graphics if you install MobaXterm which has an Xserver) quite efficiently.

I have not run into a single problem when trying WSL2 with XDS and XDSGUI; my writeup is at
https://strucbio.biologie.uni-konstanz.de/xdswiki/index.php/Installation#WSL2 .

I think those who struggle with developing for Windows, including you, the Phenix team and the CCP4 team, might be able to save a lot of time/effort (and those who just use Windows would benefit in the long run by getting used to a Linux environment).

Microsoft announced WSLg (the g stands for graphics) which provides an Xserver, but this currently requires Windows-Build 21362+ (Windows Insider Program).

Give it a try!

Just my 2 cents,
Kay


> Date: Wed, 26 May 2021 18:57:27 +0000
> From: "Winter, Graeme (DLSLtd,RAL,LSCI)" <Graeme.Winter at diamond.ac.uk>
> To: cctbx mailing list <cctbxbb at phenix-online.org>
> Subject: [cctbxbb] Windows icc builds
> Message-ID: <6210D39B-96F7-493F-98D4-D1EDFCBE09A5 at diamond.ac.uk>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"
> 
> HI Folks
> 
> Following from a DIALS issue about it being slow on Windows
> 
> https://github.com/dials/dials/issues/1666
> 
> I have fallen into a rabbit hole and I am trying to build DIALS (and 
> hence cctbx) on Windows with the intel compilers from oneAPI - however 
> I keep stumbling over linking errors with e.g. undefined symbol 
> __floor
> 
> Should I abandon hope or has someone done this?
> 
> I know this is not a new path to tread as windows_icc was a defined 
> combination on the SConscripts
> 
> I had had to hack some bits around a little presumably to accommodate
> 2021 versions of icc compilers, but this felt like I was going down a 
> bad path
> 
> Would welcome input from anyone who can help - currently windows DIALS 
> is a pretty poor relation
> 
> It is noteworthy however that parallel operation does now appear to 
> work on Windows with easy mp :-)
> 
> In other news - has anyone considered adding clang support with clang coming from conda? Could make for more consistency in the builds? I had a look at how one may go about doing this but rapidly found myself in SCons hell.
> 
> Thanks in advance for any help & all the best Graeme
> 

-- 
Kay Diederichs                http://strucbio.biologie.uni-konstanz.de
email: Kay.Diederichs at uni-konstanz.de             Tel +49 7531 88 4049
Fachbereich Biologie, Universität Konstanz, Box M647, D-78457 Konstanz

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