HDF5 Build and Install Instructions for Windows XP with MSVS .NET 2003

(Short Version)


Notes:

1. This short instruction is written for users who want to quickly build HDF5 library and tools from the HDF5 source code package with Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003 but do not want to know HDF5 building and installation details on Windows XP.

2. For detailed HDF5 build and install information, or if you have trouble following any steps in the instructions, please refer to INSTALL_Windows.html for further information.

3. For users who would like to build and test HDF5 package from the command line, please refer to INSATLL_Windows_From_Command_Line.txt.

Warnings: Please read CAREFULLY about HDF5 build and install preconditions and notes before starting below procedures.


Preconditions:


a. Setup path Visual Studio .Net 2003 Compiler.

Open "System" in Control Panel.

On the "Advanced" tab, click "Environment Variables", click "Path" in the "System variables" box, then click "Edit" and add your Visual C++ .Net path (For example, C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Common7\IDE) into "Variable Value" and click "OK".

b. Set up path for external libraries and headers

Skip this part if you don't want to use ANY compression features provided by HDF5. Read Section V in INSTALL_WINDOWS.html.

You have to read this part even if you want to only use Zlib or Szip. You also need to read Section V in INSTALL_WINDOWS.html .

Invoke Microsoft Visual C++ .Net and go to "Tools" and select "Options". In the left pane of "Option" window poped up, choose and extend "Projects", Click on "VC++ Directories". In the right pane, Find the box "Show directories for", choose "Include files", if you can not find your Zlib and Szip header path (for example, c:\zlib122\include, c:\szip\include) from the directory list, add the header path (c:\zlib122\include, c:\szip\include) to the included directories.

Find the box "Show directories for", choose "Library files", If you cannot find your Zlib and Szip library path (for example, c:\zlib122\lib, c:\szip\dll) from the directory list, add the library path (c:\zlib122\lib, c:\szip\dll) to the library directories.


STEP 1: Building HDF5 Libraries and Tools


1. Open all.dsw workspace

Notes:

Notes: all.sln is for command use only. Please open all.dsw not all.sln.

Invoke Microsoft Visual C++ .Net 2003. From the main menu, go to "File" and select "Open Solution". In the "Open Solution" window, Change "Files of type" to "All Project Files". Choose "all.dsw" under the directory c:\MyHDFstuff\hdf5\windows\proj\all. In the pop up window, chooise "Yes To All" to convert all project files to Visual C++ .Net project format.

2. Building HDF5 C and C++ Libraries

Users can choose the desirable libraries to be built according to the following describtion.


STEP 2: Testing HDF5 Libraries and Tools


HDF5 libraries and tools should be tested to make sure that they were built correctly.

HDF5 libraries and tools can be tested with hdf5check.bat batch file in c:\MyHDFstuff\hdf5 directory.

hdf5check.bat has four options:

Options Illustration

hdf5check

test HDF5 C library and tools only

hdf5check enablecpp

test HDF5 C/C++ libraries and tools.

hdf5check enablefortran

test HDF5 C/FORTRAN libraries and tools

hdf5check enableall

test HDF5 C/C++/FORTRAN libraries and tools

Invoke a command prompt window and run hdf5check with appropriate options.

Test results are saved into file:

Check check_results.txt and there should be no failures at all.

If you want to test HDF5 libraries and tools one by one, please refer to Section II, step 2 in INSTALL_Windows.html.


Check check_results.txt and there should be no failures at all.

If you want to test HDF5 libraries and tools one by one, please refer to Section II, step 2 in INSTALL_Windows.html.


STEP 3: Installing HDF5 Libraries


Run the batch file c:\MyHDFstuff\hdf5\installhdf5lib.bat to install all HDF5 libraries and tools into c:\MyHDFstuff\hdf5\hdf5lib directory.


STEP 4: Building HDF5 Examples (Optional)


Please read section II, step 4 in INSTALL_Windows.html.

Thank you for using Hierarchical Data Format (HDF). For users who need further assistance, please send email to hdfhelp@ncsa.uiuc.edu