Installing FEAP Windows 10: (beta) Ubuntu bash shell

[Prof. S. Govindjee]

For those interested in using FEAP on a Windows 10 machine without having to purchase the Intel compiler, there is the option to use the built-in Ubuntu shell that comes (deactivated) with Windows 10.  If you activate it, then you will have an Ubuntu Linux sub-system where you can build FEAP and run with X11 graphics.  The basic steps to getting this to work are as follows:

1. First activate the Ubuntu bash shell.  See http://www.windowscentral.com/how-install-bash-shell-command-line-windows-10 for some decently detailed instructions.

2. Open the Ubuntu Bash shell and install the following packages:
        sudo apt-get install gcc gfortran libx11-dev libjpeg-dev make
this the minimal set needed to get FEAP installed.

3. Install the Xming Xserver: https://sourceforge.net/projects/xming/

4. Install Xming-fonts-xxxxxx-setup.exe: https://sourceforge.net/projects/xming/files/Xming-fonts/

5. It is useful to copy the Xming shortcut to your start up folder so that the Xserver is always available.  To do so (1) type "Win+r" to get the run window, enter "shell:startup" to open the startup folder.  Open up the location of Xming by right-clicking Xming in the start panel, click More, then Open file location.  Right-click and copy Xming, Paste into the start up folder.  On relogin, Xming will always launch.  If you want to always start Xming manually that is fine too.

6. Edit your .bashrc (vi /home/<your_user_name>/.bashrc) to export the FEAPHOMEX_Y environment variable.  For example export FEAPHOME8_4=/home/<your_user_name>/ver84.  Also add export DISPLAY="0:0".

7. Open the Ubuntu bash shell you can now install FEAP using the standard FEAP installation instructions for Linux/MAC.  Note that at present the gfortran that auto installs with apt-get is a version before gfortran-5 and thus does not have the ieee_arithmetic modules built-in; so you at present you will need to comment out the ieee stuff in program/nanifchk.f.

Note the standard Windows C: file system can be accessed at /mnt/c/ so your user folder is located at /mnt/c/Users/<your_user_name> which
is different from the default user folder for the Ubuntu bash shell which is at /home/<your_user_name>.  You can keep your files in either location.

[K.Li]

Thank you for the information, Prof Govindjee! It is nice that FEAP works in the Ubuntu Linux sub-system.

By the way, my students are able to use the Intel Compilers for free: 
https://software.intel.com/en-us/qualify-for-free-software

[Prof. S. Govindjee]

Yes it is nice that they give students free access.  Unfortunately they restrict free use for professors with the clause "Intel® Software Development Products can only be used in a classroom setting to assist in teaching." So no research use. Notwithstanding, the educator price is only $399 right now.  So not too bad for a very good compiler.

[Prof. S. Govindjee]

Small update.  To get the more up to date compilers in Ubuntu you can do the following:

Code: [Select]

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ubuntu-toolchain-r/test
sudo apt update
sudo apt intstall gfortran-6 gcc-6 g++-6