path: root/INSTALL_Windows.txt

HDF5 Install Instructions for Windows NT/95/98.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

The instructions which follow assume that you will be using the the source
code release 'zip' file (hdf5-1_2_0.zip).

The following sections discuss in detail installation procedures. 

  Section 1: Building from Source Code Release
  Section 2: Building an application using the HDF5 library or DLL
  Section 3: Some more helpful pointers
  Section 4: ZLIB library - removing or changing the path

Section 1:
Building from Source Code Release (hdf5-1_2_0.zip)
===============================================

STEP I:  Preconditions

To build the HDF5 and tests, it is assumed that you have done the following:

      1. Installed MicroSoft Developer Studio, and Visual C++ 5.0 or 6.0.         

      2. Set up a directory structure to unpack the library. For 
      example: 
	    c:\					(any drive)
           MyHDFstuff\				(any folder name)

      3. Copied the source distribution archive to that directory 
      and unpacked it using the appropriate archiver options to
      create a directory hierarchy.
        
      Run WinZip on hdf5-1_2_0.zip (the entire source tree).
      This creates a directory called 'hdf5' which 
      contains several files and directories.

	4. You do not have a version of the zlib library and you would like to 
	use it.  If you do not want to use the zlib library or have your own
	version read the section about the zlib library.


STEP II: Building the Libraries and tests.
        1. Rename the directory under C:\myHDFstuff\ from hdf5xxx to hdf5.  

        2. Unpack all.zip in 'hdf5' and move the zlib.dll from 
	     c:\myHDFstuff\hdf5\src\zlib\dll to the Windows system directory.

           NOTE TO ALPHA USERS- the version of zlib that is packaged in all.zip 
           is for Intel platforms.  The Alpha versions of the libraries can be
           obtained from ftp://hdf.ncsa.uiuc.edu/HDF5/.  The file to download
           is Alphazlib.zip.  After the file is downloaded replace the src\zlib
           directory with the files from Alphazlib.zip.

        3. Invoke Microsoft Visual C++, go to "File" and select
           the "Open Workspace" option. 

           Then open the c:\myHDFstuff\hdf5\proj\all\all.dsw workspace. 

        4. Select "Build", then Select "Set Active Configuration".

           On Windows platform select as the active configuration

           "all -- Win32 Debug" to build debug versions of single-threaded
                                static libraries, and tests. 
            or

           "all -- Win32 Release" to build release versions of single-threaded
                                static libraries, and tests.

           On the Alpha platform select as the active configuration

           "all -- Win32 AlphaDbg" to build debug versions of single-threaded
                                static libraries, and tests. 
            or

           "all -- Win32 AlphaRel" to build release versions of single-threaded
                                static libraries, and tests.

           Select "Build" and "Build all.exe" to
           build the corresponding version of the HDF5 library.

           NOTE: "all" is a dummy target. You will get a link error when   
           "all.exe." is built : 
                 LINK: error LNK2001: unresolved external symbol
			_mainCRTStartup.....
                 all.exe - 2 error(s), ....

           Warning messages can be ignored. The "all.exe" is never created, 
           so it is OK.

           When the debug or release build is done the directories listed 
           below will contain the following files :

            c:\MyHDFstuff\hdf5\proj\hdf5\debug - 
            c:\MyHDFstuff\hdf5\proj\hdf5\release - 

			hdf5.lib- the hdf5 library

            c:\MyHDFstuff\hdf5\proj\hdf5dll\debug - 
            c:\MyHDFstuff\hdf5\proj\hdf5dll\release - 

			hdf5.dll- the hdf5 library
                  hdf5.lib- the dll export library

           	c:\MyHDFstuff\hdf5\test\"test directory"-
            where test directory is one of the following:


			big

			bittests

			chunk

			cmpd_dset

			dsets

			dtypes
			
			enum

			extend

			external

			fillval

			flush1

			flush2

			gheap

			hyperslab

			iopipe

			istore

			links

			mount 

			mtime

			ohdr

			overhead

			ragged 

			stab

			testhdf5 

			unlink 

Each test directory contains debug and release subdirectories with the 
corresponding tests.
		

STEP III:   TESTING THE BUILD

In a command prompt window run the test batch file which 
resides in the hdf5\test directory to make sure that the library
was built correctly.

To test, cd into the hdf5\test directory.  Then type:
"hdf5test [debug or release] [dll]" depending on which version you would 
like to test.

To use the timing tests use the hdf5timingtest.bat file found in the hdf5\test 
directory.  Type: "hdf5timingtest [debug or release] [dll]" depending on which
version you would like to test.

To test the h5dump utility, cd into hdf5\tools.  Then type:
"dumptest [debug or release] [dll]" depending on which version you would like
to test. Some differences are expected in the output of these 4 tests (the 
errors are in the dimensions of the dataspace).


NOTE: the appropriate dll should be placed in the Windows\system directory
before using the dlls.

NOTE: The debug dll tests on the Alpha platform currently are not completely
      working.  The release dll is fine though.

        
STEP IV: BUILDING THE EXAMPLES

     1. Invoke Microsoft Visual C++, go to "File" and select
        the "Open Workspace" option. 
        Then open the c:\myHDFstuff\hdf5\examples\allexamples\allexamples.dsw
        workspace. 

      2. Select "Build", then Select "Set Active Configuration".

         On Windows platform select as the active configuration
           "allexamples -- Win32 Debug" to build debug versions of the         					examples. 
            
		or
	
           "allexamples -- Win32 Release" to build release versions the            		examples.

         On Alpha platform select as the active configuration
           "allexamples -- Win32 AlphaDbg" to build debug versions of the         					examples. 
            
		or
	
           "allexamples -- Win32 AlphaRel" to build release versions the           
                              examples.

           Select "Build" and "Build allexamples.exe" to
           build the corresponding version of the examples.

           When the debug build or release build is done there should be the 
           following subdirectories in C:\myHDFstuff\hdf5\examples\

			attributetest
 
			chunkread

			compoundtest 

			extendwritetest 

			grouptest 

			readtest 

			selecttest 

			writetest 



	3. Run the batch file "InstallExamples.bat" which resides in the top
 	   level directory.  This file creates 2 new directories, examplesREL and
	   examplesDBG, in the examples directory and places all the executables 
	   in it.  Both the release and debug versions of the examples should be
	   built before this step is done.  The examples should be tested in these
	   2 new directories due to some dependencies between the examples.

			

Section 2:  
BUILDING AN APPLICATION USING THE HDF5 LIBRARY OR DLL- SOME HELPFUL POINTERS
============================================================================

If you are building an application that uses the HDF5 library 
the following locations will need to be specified for locating
header files and linking in the HDF libraries:

            <top-level HDF5 directory>\src

where <top-level HDF5 directory> may be 
    C:\MyHDFstuff\hdf5\


To specify this location in the settings for your VC++ project:

      1. Open your VC project in Microsoft Visual C++ and make sure it is the 
         active project.
      2. Go to the Project menu and chose the 'Settings' option.
      3. Chose the build configuration you would like to modify in the drop down
         menu labeled with 'Settings For:'
      4. Chose the C/C++ tab
      5. At the bottom of the window, there should be a text-area labeled with
         'Project Options:'.  In this text-area, scroll until you reach the end
         and type /I "<top-level HDF5 directory>\src" and then click OK.

To link the HDF5 library with your application:

      1. Open your VC project in Microsoft Visual C++ and make sure it is the 
         active project.
      2. Go to the Project menu and chose the 'Add to Project' option and then
         'Files' option.
      3. Change the 'Files of type:' to 'Library Files (.lib)'
      4. Navigate through the directories until you find the location of the
         hdf5.lib.  
	5. Select hdf5.lib and click OK.


To use the DLL:

      1. Follow the steps for specifing the location of the header files as shown
         above.
	2. Follow the steps for linking the HDF5 library as shown above except now
         link the export library that is created with the DLL.  The export library
         is called hdf5dll.lib.
      3. Place the DLL in a location that Windows will be able to locate it.
         The search path and order for DLL's is
         a) The directory where the executable module for the current process is
            located.
         b) The current directory. 
         c} The Windows system directory. The GetSystemDirectory function 
            retrieves the path of this directory. 
         d) The Windows directory. The GetWindowsDirectory function retrieves the
            path of this directory.
         e) The directories listed in the PATH environment variable. 


Section 3:
MORE HELPFUL POINTERS
=====================


Here are some notes that may be of help if you are not familiar
with using the Visual C++ Development Environment.

Project name and location issues: 
       
    The files in all.zip must end up in the hdf5\ directory
    installed by hdf5-1_2_0.zip

    If you must install all.dsw and all.dsp in another directory, relative 
    to hdf5\ , you will be asked to locate the sub-project files, 
    when you open the project all.dsw.

    If you want to rename all (the entire project), you will need to modify 
    two files all.dsw and all.dsp as text (contrary to the explicit warnings 
    in the files).

    You can also modify all.dsw and all.dsp as text, to allow these 2 files 
    to be installed in another directory.

  
Settings... details:

  	If you create your own project, the necessary settings can be
	read from the all.dsp file(as text), or from the Project Settings in 
	the Developer Studio project settings dialog.

    Project
	  Settings
	      C/C++
		  Category
		     PreProcessor
			 Code Generation
			    Use run-time Library
				   These are all set to use 
                                      Single-Threaded


Section 4:
ZLIB LIBRARY- REMOVING OR CHANGING THE PATH
============================================

If you would like to remove the zlib library from the hdf5 library or
use your own version of the zlib library then follow the steps below.

Removing the zlib library completely:

	Open the all.dsw workspace file in Microsoft Visual C++.  Go to the hdf5 
	project.  Select the zlib.lib file from this project and delete(press the
	'delete' key) it.  Next open the H5config.h file from the src directory.
	Remove the the following two lines:
		#define HAVE_LIBZ 1
		#define HAVE_COMPRESS2
	then save the file.
	
	Next go to the hdf5dll project. Remove the zlib.lib from this project too.
	Open the project settings for the hdf5dll project.  Go to the C/C++
	settings tab and under the preprocessor definitions remove the ZLIB_DLL
	in both the debug and the release settings. Recompile the all project and
	then save the workspace.  


Replacing the zlib library:

	Open the all.dsw workspace and go to the hdf5 project.  Delete the 
	zlib.lib file from the file listing.  Then select the hdf5 project and 
	richt click to get a menu.  Pick the "add files to project..." option
	and find the version of the zlib that you would like to use.  Then click OK
	in the file chooser dialog.  Repeat the steps for the hdf5dll project.
	You may also want to replace the zlib.h and zconf.h files which are in
	the src directory with your own versions of these files.  Then recompile
	the all project.