README_mac

Instructions for installing DASP (the Durham AO Simulation Platform) onto Mac OS X using MacPorts

THESE INSTRUCTIONS MAY BE OUT OF DATE - SEE THE OS-X SECTION OF THE
INSTALL.txt FILE.


Date: 2013/11/05 (NAB), 2013/12/09 (NAB,ZG,DH)

Tested: 10.5.8 and 10.7.5 and 10.9.??

Authors: Angela Cortés, Nazim Bharmal, and Alastair Basden


There are three options for using DASP on a computer that runs the Mac OS X OS.


    The easiest approach is to run DASP from a virtual machine using VirtualBox---see NAB for a copy of the VDI.
    It is possible (and has been done) to install all packages by hand into an existing Python installation. In some ways this can be better, but it took ~12 hours and required editing packages to ensure correct installation.
    Install all the pre-requisites that DASP requires for installation using MacPorts as a package manager. Note that this will install a version of DASP that isn't MPI-compatible as well as potentially another copy of Python and all its associated packages.

All commands to be entered at the command line are indented. Their output is also indented but only if it is important. Below are the commands for using MacPorts. First install that piece of software and ensure it can compile. Then update the packages and install Python, Numpy, and Scipy:


sudo port selfupdate

  sudo port install py27-numpy py27-scipy


Check that the Python interpreter,


python -c 'import sys ; print(sys.executable)'

/opt/local/bin/python


is installed in a different directory from the system Python interpreter. This does mean you are installing another copy of Python onto your computer but the package dependencies are handled by MacPorts.


If the line above doesn't begin with '/opt/local' then it is probable you have called the system Python interpreter. Try using 'python2.7' instead for all commands below. This would also imply changing the Makefiles in DASP.


Now continue by installing ATLAS (optional)


sudo port install atlas


which if it fails is OK. Then install FFTW,


sudo port install fftw-3-long fftw-3-single


and then PyScientific and GNU Scientific Library plus the Python bindings,


        sudo port install py-scientific py27-gsl


Finally we add GTK2, and the Python bindings together with the correct back-end for Matplotlib,

        sudo port install gtk2 py-pygtk

        sudo port install py27-matplotlib +gtk2


Note that most installs were using the 'py' prefix but for GSL and matplotlib, it was necessary to use 'py27'.

(The software installed can also be summarized as: Python, ATLAS (LAPACK and BLAS), complete FFTW3, GTK and PyGTK, scipy, Scientific Python, GNU Scientific Library and the Python binding, matplotlib with the GTK backend.)



git clone git@github.com:agb32/dasp.git
or
git clone https://github.com/agb32/dasp.git

cd dasp

Now you will attempt a compilation which will succeed iff the include directories in the makefiles include,


/opt/local/include


so if the following command fails,


make -s


then I would suggest checking the include directories first. A key file that could need adjusting is,


dasp/cmod/src/Makefile.Darwin
or
dasp/cmos/src/setup.py

Once compilation is complete, follow the final instruction which will be similar to


Remember to export PYTHONPATH=$PYTHONPATH:/Users/nab/sauce/aosim/working and add gui/bin to your path (export PATH=$PATH:/Users/nab/sauce/aosim/working/gui/bin ).


where '/Users/nab/sauce/aosim/working' is replaced by the directory where aosim is installed. To test correct installation, type:

daspbuilder.py

and follow the instructions to create,run, and connect to, a
simulation.


To bring up a DASP control GUI (which you can use to connect to a
running simuilation), use:

daspctrl.py

For further instructions and simulation examples, contact anyone using DASP. Obvious contacts are,


Ali Bharmal	for Mac OS X/Darwin questions

n.a.bharmal@dur.ac.uk

Alastair Basden	for DASP questions

a.g.basden@dur.ac.uk