Code_Aster Compile Failure

Well, this is probably not the best place to ask this, but, I don't speak french, translators are a pain, and the code_aster site is hard to navigate. Currently, I'm testing ASTER on a few platforms, but I'm struggling with building it on Mandriva 2006. I came here because I first tested aster using CAELinux and it is based on PCLinuxOS which is effectively a Mandrake/Mandriva port. As such... I'm sure it can be built on a relatively \"new\" version of Mandriva. (SuSe testing is next).

Everything seems to build fine until it gets to building the aster component itself... then it goes to hell on libblas/liblapack during the link phase.

The following is terminal output -

Build Code_Aster executable

extracting 'python.o' from libaster.a... [ OK ]
creating .../STA8.2/asterd... [FAILED]
Exit code : 256


***Then a lot of output *** a snip

lamch.f:(.text+0x280): undefined reference to `_gfortran_pow_r8_i4'
/usr/lib/liblapack.a(dlamch.o): In function `dlamc2_':
dlamch.f:(.text+0xc01): undefined reference to `_gfortran_pow_r8_i4'
dlamch.f:(.text+0x115b): undefined reference to `_gfortran_pow_r8_i4'
dlamch.f:(.text+0x12b5): undefined reference to `_gfortran_line'


Looking through the output, it all seems to be related to liblapack.a Now, I'm not a heavy fortran user or LAPACK/BLAS user.

A quick search on google reveals one hit, on Code_Aster forums, so I read it with the translator and it seems it's a problem with the lib themselves. Hard to say, the translator seems to break things up pretty bad.

Any thoughts or help out there?

Hi,
this is my guess:
Blas and Lapack are libraries for solving systems.
They are external libraries. Either you have them installed in your distribution or you must download them from their site and compile them.
Check www.netlib.org/lapack/ for a clue

Massimo

Thanks for the reply Massimo. I know what the Blas/LaPack are, have used them before, but not alot though. Also, they are installed on the system.

Starting to get irritated now....

I opened up setup.cfg, and changed the MATH_LIST variable to read



This now gives a wonderful new set of errors, I've also tried it with liblapack.a/libblas.a/g2c, I'll try another configuration later on, but its well after 3am and it is about time for some sleep.

Here's the kicker though, with the above MATH_LIST configuration, the new errors, are all relating to internal ASTER (And its components).

A snip----

/opt/aster/STA8.2/lib_dbg/libaster.a(hdfcld.o): In function `hdfcld_':
/opt/aster/STA8.2/bibc/hdf/hdfcld.c:40: undefined reference to `H5Dclose'

Please note though, it does all this after stating that ...

extracting 'python.o' from libaster.a [OK]
creating .../STA8.2/asterd... [FAILED]
Exit Code : 256


So Yay! New problems. I've NEVER had strangeness like this before or this much difficulty in all my days with one piece of software (though Salome gave it a run for it's money). Perhaps I've overlooked something or missed something critical when using the translator... but... what the hell is it? At the moment though, what it could be isn't standing out to me.

Will go through all the documentation I can find again.
Thanks!

Hi,
I don't know if it applies, but some libaries require the header files *.h containing informations for the linker.
When I compiled CalculiX I had to provide the compiled library .a and the .h files in a case... and if I remember correctly the errors were misleading in this case too..

Please try to find where libblas.a and liblapack.a are stored and if they are part of ATLAS.

ATLAS provides an optimized replacement for BLAS and only a subset of LAPACK. ATLAS is very often included in recent distro instead of the original BLAS and LAPACK, but Aster need s the full LAPACK library to run and not only the subset provided by Atlas.

So what I would recommend is to look for precompiled libblas.a and liblapack.a.

One possibility for Mandriva is to add repositories for the online package management that points to the public \"contrib\" download mirrors. To do so, just follow the instructions given at easyurpmi.zarb.org/ and then try to find BLAS and LAPACK packages.

the second option is to look for BLAS and LAPACK in www.rpmfind.net and then to install a RPM containing the correct binaries.

the third option, if other fails, is to send me an email through the \"contact us\" page and i will try to send a copy of the binaries that I am using (for gcc version 3.3).

Good luck.

Thanks for the reply. I've already installed, LAPACK/BLAS provided by the Mandriva group, AND tested Atlas. The one I'm currently working against are provided by Mandriva.

As most know, Mandriva 2006 ships with GCC 4+. I've installed GCC 3.3.6 and setup the envrionment for Code_Aster to use it. I've also tried this against GCC 4.

From using the translator and browsing Code_Aster forums, it seems most are using Gfortran. I followed the posts and compiled against Gfortran. This removes the LAPACK/BLAS errors, but then introduces the wonderous \"libaster.a\" errors. A few posters to the Code_Aster forums had similar problems, currently I'm trying to weed my way through the posts and resolve it.
Trying to build the previous major release 8.1 fails while trying to build med. It complains about wanting HDF5HOME variable set.... yet no amount of setting this envrionment variable seems to work, curious.

Mandriva / SuSe / Solaris are being investigated for use in this startup. Currently I'm testing Mandriva and SuSe. I'm a big time Solaris fan, but hardware support for non Sun equipment outright sucks. Further, I don't know (honestly didn't bother to look) if Code_Aster will run on Solaris.

I'm currently testing/using, Salome/Paraview/OpenFOAM. I've verified my CAD software of choice support, and now it is down to Code_Aster and Comsol Multiphyiscs.

By the Gods!!!, as I was writing this post, my latest build attempt completed succesfully. The quick test passes, and I'm currently running the full assault of tests.
I'm pretty sure where the problem was, but it is highly mis-leading. Will research this some more.

Also, about internationalization... I'm obviously not familiar with the code base, but how is the language in the GUI handled? I'm interested in moving it over to English and working on providing a portal for support in English. Is there anyone that can read/write French/English that would be interested in helping?

Thanks all! Shall post more info here or in a new thread as it arises.