1. How to Build

This page outlines steps to preparing the workflow applications, or “Backend Applications”, on your local desktop.

1.1. Install Dependencies

First, ensure the following dependencies are installed:

  • C++11 compliant compiler: many of the workflow applications included use C++11 features, consequently they may need a newer C++11 compliant compiler. In these instructions, MSVC in Visual Studio (Community edition) is used.

  • OpenSees: The workflow applications require an installation of OpenSees to carry out structural analysis using the finite element method.

  • DAKOTA: The workflow applications require an installation of DAKOTA to handle and propagate the uncertainties defined in the input files for the workflow applications.

  • Python: The workflow requires Python 3.6.

  • Conan: This repository uses Conan for dependency management. Conan is a python library and can be installed using the following instructions. Version 1.25 or later is recommended.

  • CMake: This repository uses CMake for managing the build process. Version 3.15 or later is recommended.

  • Qt Creator: The Qt framework is only necessary if you choose to build the user interface for the EE-UQ software. Qt Creator is free for open source developers. Version 5.10 or later is required, and version 5.12 or later is recommended.

1.2. Build the Workflow Application Files

Instructions to build the workflow applications on your local desktop depend on your operating system.

1.2.1. Build on Windows

For Windows systems, the steps to building the workflow application are as follows:

  1. Obtain the source code: Clone the SimCenterBackendApplications repository from Github. You can do that by using your preferred Git client/GUI or by using the git clone command in the terminal:

    git clone https://github.com/NHERI-SimCenter/SimCenterBackendApplications

  2. Set up the development environment: Add Conan SimCenter and BinCrafters repositories to the Conan remotes. You can add these remotes using the following commands in the terminal:

    conan remote add simcenter https://api.bintray.com/conan/nheri-simcenter/simcenter

    conan remote add bincrafters https://api.bintray.com/conan/bincrafters/public-conan

  3. Configure your compiler: Check the default profile of your build environment using conan profile show default. If the compiler name and compiler version are not listed, then you will need to select a specific compiler. For instance, on Windows using Visual Studio 2019, you can specify the compiler as follows:

    conan profile update settings.compiler="Visual Studio" default

    conan profile update settings.compiler.version="16" default

  4. Create the build output directory: In the terminal, navigate into the “SimCenterBackendApplications” repository on your desktop. Create a new folder called “build” using the command mkdir build, then navigate into that folder using cd build.

  5. Install backend dependencies: You can install backend dependencies using Conan by running the command in the build output directory:

    conan install .. --build missing

  6. Run CMake configuration: Run the command cmake ... If it is necessary to specify a compiler for CMake, you may alternatively run cmake .. -G "Visual Studio 16 2019".

  7. Build the release version of the backend: When using an IDE like Visual Studio on Windows, the generated project can opened in the IDE and used to build the code. This function can also be done from the same terminal window using CMake by the command:

    cmake --build . --config release

  8. Install the workflow applications folder: Run the command cmake --install .. If the installation and build are successful, then you should find a folder called “applications” in the “SimCenterBackendApplications” repository which contains all the workflow application files.

1.2.2. Build on MacOS

For Mac systems, the steps to building the workflow application are as follows:

  1. Obtain the source code: Clone the EE-UQ repository from EE-UQ Github page. You can do that by using your preferred Git client/GUI or by using the git clone command in the terminal.

  2. Set up the development environment: Add Conan SimCenter and BinCrafters repositories to the Conan remotes. You can add these remotes using the following commands in the terminal:

    conan remote add simcenter https://api.bintray.com/conan/nheri-simcenter/simcenter

    conan remote add bincrafters https://api.bintray.com/conan/bincrafters/public-conan

  3. Configure your compiler: Check the default profile of your build environment using conan profile show default. If the compiler name and compiler version are not listed, then you will need to select a specific compiler. For instance, on Windows using Visual Studio 2019, you can specify the compiler as follows:

    conan profile update settings.compiler="Visual Studio" default

    conan profile update settings.compiler.version="16" default

  4. Create the build output directory: In the terminal, navigate into the “SimCenterBackendApplications” repository on your desktop. Create a new folder called “build” using the command mkdir build, then navigate into that folder using cd build.

  5. Install backend dependencies: You can install backend dependencies using Conan by running the command in the build output directory:

    conan install ..

  6. Run CMake configuration: Run the command cmake ... If it is necessary to specify a compiler for CMake, you may alternatively run cmake .. -G "Visual Studio 16 2019".

  7. Build the release version of the backend: When using an IDE like XCode on Mac, the generated project can opened in the IDE and used to build the code. This function can also be done from the same terminal window using CMake by the command:

    cmake --build . --config release

  8. Install the workflow applications folder: Run the command cmake --install .. If the installation and build are successful, then you should find a folder called “applications” in the “SimCenterBackendApplications” repository which contains all the workflow application files.

1.2.3. Build on Unix

For Unix systems, the steps to building the workflow application are as follows:

  1. Obtain the source code: Clone the EE-UQ repository from EE-UQ Github page. You can do that by using your preferred Git client/GUI or by using the git clone command in the terminal.

  2. Set up the development environment: Add Conan SimCenter and BinCrafters repositories to the Conan remotes. You can add these remotes using the following commands in the terminal:

    conan remote add simcenter https://api.bintray.com/conan/nheri-simcenter/simcenter

    conan remote add bincrafters https://api.bintray.com/conan/bincrafters/public-conan

  3. Configure your compiler: Check the default profile of your build environment using conan profile show default. If the compiler name and compiler version are not listed, then you will need to select a specific compiler. For instance, on Windows using Visual Studio 2019, you can specify the compiler as follows:

    conan profile update settings.compiler="Visual Studio" default

    conan profile update settings.compiler.version="16" default

  4. Create the build output directory: In the terminal, navigate into the “SimCenterBackendApplications” repository on your desktop. Create a new folder called “build” using the command mkdir build, then navigate into that folder using cd build.

  5. Install backend dependencies: You can install backend dependencies using Conan by running the command in the build output directory:

    conan install ..

  6. Run CMake configuration: Run the command cmake ... If it is necessary to specify a compiler for CMake, you may alternatively run cmake .. -G "Visual Studio 16 2019".

  7. Build the release version of the backend: On Unix-based systems, building the backend can be achieved using the command make or make release.

  8. Install the workflow applications folder: Run the command cmake --install .. If the installation and build are successful, then you should find a folder called “applications” in the “SimCenterBackendApplications” repository which contains all the workflow application files.

1.3. Build the User Interface

1.3.2. Build using the terminal

  1. First, create a build output directory. This can be done in the terminal using the command mkdir build.

  2. Go into the build output directory and run QMake to Configure the project and create make files. This can be done by using the command:

    qmake ../EE-UQ.pro

  3. Build the project by using the command make on Unix like systems. On Windows, you can either use nmake or jom to build in parallel. Once built, you can now run the tool executable.

1.4. Set the User Interface Preferences

Once built, Open the EE-UQ tool, then click on file -> preferences and set the applications directory entry to point to the applications folder that the build process created for BackendApplications.