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

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" <[email protected]> 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:[email protected]]
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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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" <[email protected]> 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

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

From: Guglielmetti, Robert [mailto:[email protected]]
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.

____________________________________________________________
Electronic mail messages entering and leaving Arup business
systems are scanned for acceptability of content and viruses

_______________________________________________
Radiance-general mailing list
[email protected]
http://www.radiance-online.org/mailman/listinfo/radiance-general

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···

On 5/15/15, 11:40 AM, "Christopher Rush" <[email protected]> > wrote:

-----Original Message-----

If you can get ahold of a Unix-based system, be it a Mac running OSX or a Linux system, your experience will likely be better, yes. But I do think that with the latest installer we provide here (https://github.com/NREL/Radiance/releases/tag/5.0.a.3) and the "Git Bash shell" from here (https://msysgit.github.io/), you could get pretty darn close to the same experience as you would on *nix.

Good luck!

- Rob

···

On 5/18/15, 1:44 AM, "[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>" <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>> wrote:

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" <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>> 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" <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>> 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:[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>]
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.

____________________________________________________________
Electronic mail messages entering and leaving Arup business
systems are scanned for acceptability of content and viruses

_______________________________________________
Radiance-general mailing list
[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>
http://www.radiance-online.org/mailman/listinfo/radiance-general

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Thanks Rob!
I hope I will get.
Kind regards,
Urtza.

"Guglielmetti, Robert" <[email protected]> escribió:

If you can get ahold of a Unix-based system, be it a Mac running OSX or
a Linux system, your experience will likely be better, yes. But I do
think that with the latest installer we provide here
(https://github.com/NREL/Radiance/releases/tag/5.0.a.3) and the "Git
Bash shell" from here (https://msysgit.github.io/), you could get pretty
darn close to the same experience as you would on *nix.

Good luck!

- Rob

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"
<[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>>
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

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

From: Guglielmetti, Robert

[mailto:[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>][1]

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.

____________________________________________________________
Electronic mail messages entering and leaving Arup business
systems are scanned for acceptability of content and viruses

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Radiance-general mailing list

[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>

http://www.radiance-online.org/mailman/listinfo/radiance-general

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Radiance-general@radiance-online<mailto:Radiance-general@radiance-online>.PGEgaHJlZj0ib3JnaHR0cDovL3d3dy5yYWRpYW5jZS1vbmxpbmUub3JnL21haWxtYW4vbGlzdGluZm8vcmFkaWFuY2UtZ2VuZXJhbCIgdGFyZ2V0PSJfYmxhbmsiPm9yZ2h0dHA6Ly93d3cucmFkaWFuY2Utb25saW5lLm9yZy9tYWlsbWFuL2xpc3RpbmZvL3JhZGlhbmNlLWdlbmVyYWw8L2E+[2]

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Vínculos:

···

On 5/18/15, 1:44 AM, > "[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>" > <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>> wrote:
On 5/15/15, 11:40 AM, "Christopher Rush" > <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>> wrote:
-----Original Message-----

---------
[1] mailto:[email protected]>%5D
[2] mailto:Radiance-general@radiance-online>.%EF%BF%BD%EF%BF%BD%EF%BF%BDPGEgaHJlZj0ib3JnaHR0cDovL3d3dy5yYWRpYW5jZS1vbmxpbmUub3JnL21haWxtYW4vbGlzdGluZm8vcmFkaWFuY2UtZ2VuZXJhbCIgdGFyZ2V0PSJfYmxhbmsiPm9yZ2h0dHA6Ly93d3cucmFkaWFuY2Utb25saW5lLm9yZy9tYWlsbWFuL2xpc3RpbmZvL3JhZGlhbmNlLWdlbmVyYWw8L2E+%EF%BF%BD%EF%BF%BD%EF%BF%BD