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Using the CMake build-generator software in any Linux, macOS, or Windows terminal.

The ParMonte library ships with an extensive set of CMake scripts that build the library. While it is possible to build the library via CMake, the build process involves several steps that must be carried out manually by the user, in addition to what is normally required for builds via the install.bat and install.sh installation scripts.

For more information on automated build mechanisms, see the contents of install.md.

The ParaMonte library build instructions via CMake

Windows CMD shell

On Windows platforms using Visual Studio NMake within a Windows CMD terminal (with Intel version >2021 or GNU Fortran version >10 compilers),

  • Ensure you have a recent (>19) Microsoft Visual Studio installed on your system (the free Community Edition is enough).

  • Open a Windows command prompt that recognizes the Microsoft NMake application along with the compiler you intend to use (e.g., Intel or GNU compilers).

    • If you have the Intel compilers installed and you intend to use it, we strongly recommend you open the Intel OneAPI Command Prompt that automatically ships with Intel products. The Intel CMD is automatically preloaded with compiler/library definitions and paths.

    • If you intend to configure with GNU or other compilers, you can open any CMD terminal that minimally recognizes the Microsoft NMake application and your compiler of interest. We recommend using the CMD terminal that ships automatically with Microsoft Visual Studio.

  • Navigate to the root directory of the ParaMonte library (where the library LICENSE file exists).

  • Create a build directory within the project root and change the current directory to it via,
    mkdir build && cd build
    
  • Call the CMake executable via the following command,
    cmake .. -G "NMake Makefiles" <options>
    

    where <options> must be removed or replaced with any of the configuration options described later below.

  • Once successfully configured, build the library by calling Microsoft nmake,
    nmake
    
  • Install the built library in the lib subdirectory within the build directory via,
    nmake install
    

In sum, you can use the following all-in-one minimal command to build the library,

mkdir build & cd build && cmake -G "NMake Makefiles" .. && nmake && nmake install

Once the library is built, you can also further take additional optional steps:

  • Deploy the library to the prespecified deployment folder via,
    nmake deploy
    
  • Test the library (if enabled at CMake configuration time) via,
    nmake test
    
  • Build and run the library examples (if enabled at CMake configuration time) via,
    nmake example
    
  • Build and run the library benchmarks (if enabled at CMake configuration time) via,
    nmake benchmark
    

Unix Bash shell

On Windows, WSL, or Unix (Linux/Darwin/..) platforms using a POSIX-style terminal (e.g., Bash, MSYS2, Windows Git Bash, …) along with GNU (MinGW) Make application,

  • Open a POSIX-compatible terminal that minimally recognizes,

    • A recent version of CMake (>3.16),
    • The GNU Make application (Unix Makefiles or MinGW Makefiles),
    • A Fortran 2008-compliant compiler (e.g., gfortran >10, ifort >2021, ifx >2024)
  • Navigate to the root directory of the ParaMonte library (where the library LICENSE file exists).

  • Create a build directory within the project root and change the current directory to it via,
    mkdir build && cd build
    
  • Call CMake to build the application,

    • On Windows MinGW terminals (e.g., Git Bash), try,
      cmake -G "MinGW Makefiles" .. -Dfc="$(command -v gfortran.exe)"
      
    • On Windows MSYS2 terminals, try,
      cmake -G "MSYS2 Makefiles" .. -Dfc="$(command -v gfortran.exe)"
      
    • On all other POSIX-compatible terminals (including WSL), try,
      cmake -G "Unix Makefiles" .. -Dfc="$(command -v gfortran)"
      

    where you can change gfortran or gfortran.exe with any other Fortran compiler that you intend to use. Feel free to supply any other build configuration flags described later below.

  • Once successfully configured, build the library by calling the GNU make,
    make
    
    • If using a Windows MSYS2 terminal, install the GNU make software.
    • If using a Windows MinGW terminal, install the GNU mingw32-make software. If the make software name is mingw32-make within the MinGW terminal, either use this name or change the binary name mingw32-make to make before calling make.
  • Install the built library in the lib subdirectory within the build directory via,
    make install
    

In sum, you can use the following all-in-one command within MinGW environments,

mkdir build; cd build && cmake -G "MinGW Makefiles" .. -Dfc="$(command -v gfortran.exe)" && make && make install

In sum, you can use the following all-in-one command within MSYS2 environments,

mkdir build; cd build && cmake -G "MSYS2 Makefiles" .. -Dfc="$(command -v gfortran.exe)" && make && make install

In sum, you can use the following sequence of commands within all other Unix-compatible environments,

mkdir build; cd build && cmake -G "Unix Makefiles" .. -Dfc="$(command -v gfortran)" && make && make install

Once the library is built, you can also further take additional optional steps:

  • Deploy the library to the prespecified deployment folder via,
    make deploy
    
  • Test the library (if enabled at CMake configuration time) via,
    make test
    
  • Build and run the library examples (if enabled at CMake configuration time) via,
    make example
    
  • Build and run the library benchmarks (if enabled at CMake configuration time) via,
    make benchmark
    


If you have any questions about the topics discussed on this page, feel free to ask in the comment section below, or raise an issue on the GitHub page of the library, or reach out to the ParaMonte library authors.