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

[urtza.uriarte at upc.edu]

Hi everybody,

Thanks for your suggestions. I have a doubt for a month when I have started
using Radiance. Is Linux advisable to use for Radiance? Perhaps, it may in
the long run be better.

Kind regards!
Urtza.

"Guglielmetti, Robert" <Robert.Guglielmetti at nrel.gov> escribió:

> 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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