Re: [netcdfgroup] NetCDF 4.0 on Windows?

• To: Kolberg Sjur A <Sjur.A.Kolberg@xxxxxxxxx>
• Subject: Re: [netcdfgroup] NetCDF 4.0 on Windows?
• From: Ed Hartnett <ed@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
• Date: Mon, 03 Nov 2008 04:29:13 -0700

Kolberg Sjur A <Sjur.A.Kolberg@xxxxxxxxx> writes:

> Thanks, Roy
>
> I also learnt this during the weekend, and yes, the newest project files
> are from VS2008. I tried to compile the 4.0.1b source by copying the
> solution and project files from the 4.0 distribution (where they are from
> VS2003), but I got into an endless stream of multiple/missing #defines and
> double-defined/unresolved externals. I also got confused in all the
> versions appearing at the same time, with at least two netcdf.h files and
> one netcdf_base.h being almost equal.

If you get the netCDF daily snapshot, you can build with VS 2008, out
of the box.

You can also get the snapshot DLLs that John described, and use
those. There will be an update of those for the 4.0.1 release, coming
before the end of the year. The 4.0.1 DLLs will target the VS 2008
environment as well.

>
> No, I don't need the Fortran interface, but I need C++. I got this working
> pretty easily in a former version (recipe posted to netcdflist Dec1-2006),
> but so far I've just messed things up trying to get this working for
> 4.0.1b. At some point (before including the C++ files) I actually had the
> netcdf library built, but stumbled in some of the other projects.
>
> What I also have learnt (thanks to John Caron, and also in the FAQ) is
> that there is actually a pre-built binary distribution for Windows
> available. So maybe my best bet is to use this and the old 2006 hack to
> get the C++ interface.

I don't know what old 2006 hack you refer to, but I would think that
the best way would be to start with the snapshot and add the cxx
directory to build the C++ API in visual studio.

> Unidata people: I aknowledge the reluctancy to maintain support on several
> Windows compilers, but apart from the format of solution and project
> files, is there much difference between VS2003, 2005 and 2008? If not,
> importing older sln/vcproj files in newer compilers is a peace of cake,
> opposite using VS2008 sln/vcproj files in older compilers. Alternatively,
> if the project settings you used in VS2008 (and which files to include for
> the different interfaces) could be reported in some human-readable format,
> it would be a good guide.
>
> Best regards,
>
> Sjur K :-)
>

Sorry, I really cannot support multiple versions of the MS compiler
set. It's far too much work to even support one, due to the way MS
insists on being different from everyone else.

Not only that, but the routinely break everyone's build systems each
time they upgrade.

My suggestion would be to migrate to a more reliable and better
compiler - there are plenty out there. But if you insist on sticking
with MS, then I'm afraid you will have to do as we do, and upgrade
compilers to the latest version. (I will not be so cynical as to
suggest that this is microsoft's intention when they break everyone's
build with each new VS release...)

The "human-readable" build system already exists, it's the
automake/autoconf/libtool configuration files, called "Makefile.am" in
each directory. 

But when I port to Windows, I run a side-by-side build in cygwin to
see how it's really supposed to work, rather than looking at the
configuration files.

Thanks, and good luck!

Ed
-- 
Ed Hartnett  -- ed@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

• References:
  • [netcdfgroup] NetCDF 4.0 on Windows?
    • From: Kolberg Sjur A
  • Re: [netcdfgroup] NetCDF 4.0 on Windows?
    • From: Kolberg Sjur A