Build Guide

This document explains how you can build this library from source, including some examples of build environment. In this repository there are two builds:

A power-grid-model pip Python package with C++ extension as the calculation core.
A CMake project consisting the C++ header-only calculation core, and the following build targets:
- A dynamic library (.dll or .so) with stable pure C API/ABI which can be used by any application
- Native C++ unit tests
- A performance benchmark program
- An example C program to call the dynamic library

Build Requirements

To build the library from source, you need to first prepare the compiler toolchains and the build dependencies. In this section a list of general requirements are given. After this section there are examples of setup in Linux (Ubuntu 22.04) , Windows 10, and macOS (Big Sur).

Architecture Support

This library is written and tested on x86_64 and arm64 architecture. Building the library in IA-32 might be working, but is not tested.

The source code is written with the mindset of ISO standard C++ only, i.e. avoid compiler-extension or platform-specific features as much as possible. In this way the effort to port the library to other platform/architecture might be minimum.

Compiler Support

You need a C++ compiler with C++17 support. Below is a list of tested compilers:

Linux

gcc >= 10.0
clang >= 13.0

You can define the environment variable CXX to for example clang++ to specify the C++ compiler.

Windows

MSVC >= 14.2 (Visual Studio 2019, IDE or build tools)

macOS

clang >= 13.0

Build System for CMake Project

This repository uses CMake and Ninja as C++ build system.

Build Dependencies

C++

The table below shows the C++ build dependencies

Library name	Requirements to build Python package	Requirements to build CMake project	Remark	License
boost	Will be installed automatically	CMake needs to be able find `boost`	header-only	Boost Software License - Version 1.0
eigen3	Will be installed automatically	CMake needs to be able find `eigen3`	header-only	Mozilla Public License, version 2.0
doctest	None	CMake needs to be able find `doctest`	header-only	MIT
nlohmann-json	None	CMake needs to be able find `nlohmann_json`	header-only	MIT

Python

The table below shows the Python dependencies

Library name	Remark	License
pybuild-header-dependency	build dependency	BSD-3
numpy	build/runtime dependency	BSD-3
wheel	build dependency	MIT
pytest	Development dependency	MIT
pytest-cov	Development dependency	MIT

Build Python Package

Once you have prepared the build dependencies, you can install the library from source in develop mode with the development dependency. Go to the root folder of the repository.

pip install -e .[dev]

Then you can run the tests.

pytest

Build CMake Project

There is a root cmake file in the root folder of the repo CMakeLists.txt. It specifies dependencies and the build options for the project. The core algorithm is implemented in the header-only library power_grid_model. There are four sub-projects defined in the root cmake file:

power_grid_model_c: a dynamic library (.dll or .so) with stable pure C API/ABI which can be used by any application
tests/cpp_unit_tests: the unit test project using doctest framework.
tests/benchmark_cpp: the C++ benchmark project for performance measure.
power_grid_model_c_example: an example C program to call the dynamic library

In principle, you can use any C++ IDE with cmake and ninja support to develop the C++ project. When you use cmake build for the root cmake file, the following additional options are available besides the standard cmake option.

Option	Description
`POWER_GRID_MODEL_COVERAGE`	When set to `1`, build with test coverage. This is only applicable for Linux.
`POWER_GRID_MODEL_SANITIZER`	When set to `1`, build with address sanitizer. This is only applicable for Linux.

Visual Studio Code Support

You can use any IDE to develop this project. As a popular cross-platform IDE, the settings for Visual Studio Code is preconfigured in the folder .vscode. You can open the repository folder with VSCode and the configuration will be loaded automatically.

Build Script for Linux/macOS

There is a convenient shell script to build the cmake project in Linux or macOS: build.sh. You can study the file and write your own build script. The following options are supported in the build script.

Usage: build.sh -b <Debug|Release> [-c] [-s]
  -c option enables coverage
  -s option enables sanitizer
  -e option to run C API example

Example Setup for Ubuntu 22.04 (in WSL or physical/virtual machine)

In this section an example is given for setup in Ubuntu 22.04. You can use this example in Windows Subsystem for Linux ( WSL), or in a physical/virtual machine.

Environment variables

Append the following lines into the file ${HOME}/.bashrc.

export CXX=clang++-14  # or g++-11
export CC=clang-14  # gcc-11
export CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH=/home/linuxbrew/.linuxbrew
export LLVM_COV=llvm-cov-14

Ubuntu Software Packages

Install the following packages from Ubuntu.

sudo apt update && sudo apt -y upgrade
sudo apt install -y wget curl zip unzip tar git build-essential gcovr lcov gcc g++ clang make cmake gdb ninja-build pkg-config python3.10 python3.10-dev python3.10-venv python3-pip

C++ packages

The recommended way to get C++ package is via Homebrew. Go to its website to follow the installation instruction.

Install the C++ dependencies

brew install boost eigen nlohmann-json doctest

Build Python Library from Source

It is recommended to create a virtual environment. Clone repository, create and activate virtual environment. Go to a root folder you prefer to save the repositories.

git clone https://github.com/alliander-opensource/power-grid-model.git
cd power-grid-model
python3.10 -m venv .venv
source ./.venv/bin/activate

Install from source in develop mode, and run pytest.

pip install -e .[dev]
pytest

Build CMake Project

There is a convenient shell script to build the cmake project: build.sh.

As an example, go to the root folder of repo. Use the following command to build the project in release mode:

./build.sh -b Release

One can run the unit tests and C API example by:

./cpp_build_script_Release/bin/power_grid_model_unit_tests

./cpp_build_script_Release/bin/power_grid_model_c_example

Example Setup for Windows 10

Environment variables

Define the following environment variables in user wide.

Name	Value
PreferredToolArchitecture	x64
CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH	C:\conda_envs\cpp_pkgs\Library

Software Toolchains

You need to install the MSVC compiler. You can either install the whole Visual Studio IDE or just the build tools.

Visual Studio Build Tools (free)
- Select C++ build tools
Full Visual Studio (All three versions are suitable. Check the license!)
- Select Desktop Development with C++

Other toolchains:

Miniconda, install Python 3 64-bit under user wide.
Git

C++ packages

The recommended way to get C++ package is via conda. Open a miniconda console.

conda create --yes -p C:\conda_envs\cpp_pkgs -c conda-forge boost-cpp eigen nlohmann_json doctest

Build Python Library from Source

It is recommended to create a conda environment. Clone repository, create and activate conda environment. Go to a root folder you prefer to save the repositories, open a Git Bash Console.

git clone https://github.com/alliander-opensource/power-grid-model.git

Then open a Miniconda PowerShell Prompt, go to the repository folder.

conda create -n power-grid-env python=3.10
conda activate power-grid-env

Install from source in develop mode, and run pytest.

pip install -e .[dev]
pytest

Build CMake Project

If you have installed Visual Studio 2019/2022 (not the build tools), you can open the repo folder as a cmake project. The IDE should be able to automatically detect the Visual Studio cmake configuration file CMakeSettings.json. Two configurations are pre-defined. It includes debug or release build.

x64-Debug
x64-Release

Example Setup for macOS (Big Sur)

In this section an example is given for setup in macOS Big Sur and Python 3.10.

Environment variables

Append the following lines into the file ${HOME}/.bashrc.

export CXX=clang++
export CC=clang
export CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH=/usr/local

macOS Software Packages and C++ libraries

Install the following packages with Homebrew.

brew install ninja cmake boost eigen nlohmann-json doctest

Build Python Library from Source

It is recommended to create a virtual environment. Clone repository, create and activate virtual environment, and install the build dependency. go to a root folder you prefer to save the repositories.

git clone https://github.com/alliander-opensource/power-grid-model.git 
cd power-grid-model
python3.10 -m venv .venv
source ./.venv/bin/activate

Install from source in develop mode, and run pytest.

pip install -e .[dev]
pytest

Build CMake Project

There is a convenient shell script to build the cmake project: build.sh.

Note: the test coverage option is not supported in macOS.

As an example, go to the root folder of repo. Use the following command to build the project in release mode:

./build.sh -b Release

One can run the unit tests and C API example by:

./cpp_build_script_Release/bin/power_grid_model_unit_tests

./cpp_build_script_Release/bin/power_grid_model_c_example