[Radiance-general] Alternative shells for Windows (WAS: Re: rcontrib for rendering - missing required modifier argument)

[Guglielmetti, Robert]

Hi Chris,

The main advantages I see in using Git's Bash shell for Windows are
smaller footprint, easier installation, and tighter integration. I haven't
done extensive testing, but it seems like the Git Bash shell gives Windows
users a more similar and compatible experience to that of the Unix user,
potentially allowing folks to use things like Andy McNeil's tutorials,
as-written. 

The installer is 17MB and just *works*, adding a shortcut to a "Git Bash"
command prompt. Once fired up, you have access to your existing file
system, and all the basic CLI tools a Unix user us used to (e.g. ls) are
there and just work, along with things like wildcards. =) There's no other
system tuning to do. I haven't used or set up Cygwin in a long time but
this Git shell is a lot easier than the Cygwin I've used. I still haven't
tested any of the more esoteric Radiance command pipelines (such as what's
used to get view parameters passed to rcontrib), but ASSuming they work,
coupled with a Windows Python or Ruby interpreter I'd bet you can get
pretty close to the Unix experience on Windows with little brain damage
now. 

Having said all that, there are still things that the Windows user gives
up in RadianceLand. The built-in multithreading (in rcontrib, rtrace,
rpict, et al.) doesn't work; there are a few remaining Radiance commands
that are written in csh so those (probably (might?)) won't work; native
manpage support is lacking; and Roland had to use some sub-optimal
functions to get all the photon map stuff to build on Windows. Still, I
think we've come a long wayŠ

- Rob


On 5/15/15, 11:40 AM, "Christopher Rush" <Christopher.Rush at arup.com> wrote:

>Rob,
>Getting off-topic, but not sure if it warrants a separate thread... you
>imply that we can run Radiance commands in the Git for Windows bash
>shell. Is there an advantage to doing so, in comparison to Cygwin (which
>I have used in the past)? Both would have the clear advantages of being
>able to use more powerful scripted commands when compared to the Windows
>cmd prompt, but Git-bash is more lightweight while Cygwin would be more
>powerful (for things unrelated to Radiance?)? In both cases install
>according to normal Windows Radiance installation and adjust paths as
>necessary in each environment?
>
>-Chris
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Guglielmetti, Robert [mailto:Robert.Guglielmetti at nrel.gov]
>Sent: Friday, May 15, 2015 11:55 AM
>
>Welp, it appears that the '*' wildcard expansion does not work with
>Windows in the standard shell, even though the wildcard does work with
>other internal commands, such as 'type' (Windows-speak for 'cat'). As
>they say: WTF?
>
>- Rob
>
>P.S. The wildcard does expand correctly with pcompos in a Cygwin shell,
>so there's that.
>
>P.P.S. You can install a lightweight Cygwin shell by simply installing
>Git for Windows (https://msysgit.github.io/). You get a proper BASH shell
>in Windows with minimal effort. Highly recommended.
>
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