Installation - Computational-Mechanics-Material-Models/chrono-preprocessor GitHub Wiki
Follow the below instructions to get set up with the Chrono Preprocessor. These instructions were written with Windows users in mind. It is also possible to install on Mac or Linux.
Please note the versions of each piece of software. Newer or alternate versions may work, but have not been tested and verified for compatibility.
Step 1: Install FreeCAD
Install the latest version of FreeCAD (use at least version 0.20.2). The download is available for free:
Step 2: Install Git Client
Any Git client can be used to push and pull from the GitHub. We recommend using SourceTree and these instructions will assume you are using that installation. You can download SourceTree for free here:
Step 3: Pull GitHub
We recommend pulling the GitHub directly into the FreeCAD workbench directory. Otherwise if you pull to another location then you will need to copy the pulled files to the appropriate directory.
- Open Sourcetree
- Select File > Clone / New...
- Select "Remote" and "Add an account..."
- For "Hosting Service" select "GitHub". For "Authentication" select "OAuth"
- Click on "Refresh OAuth Token" and login to GitHub and allow Sourcetree in the browser window that opens
- Click Ok in Sourcetree. Then "chrono-preprocessor" should populate on the right side of the window. If it doesn't, you may need to click refresh.
- Select "chrono-preprocessor" and click "Clone"
- When filling out the clone window, it should look like the image below (be sure you are naming it chronoConcrete), and with the appropriate username filled out instead of "<usr>"
- Click "Clone"
Step 4: Test Installation
Verify that everything is installed properly by opening FreeCAD and check if the Chrono Workbench is available in the list of installed workbenches.
Follow the below instructions to get set up with the Chrono Preprocessor. These instructions were written with Linux users in mind.
Please note the versions of each piece of software. Newer or alternate versions may work, but have not been tested and verified for compatibility.
Step 1: Install FreeCAD
Install the latest version of FreeCAD. The download is available for free. Open a terminal. Run the following commands step by step.
- apt-get -y update
- apt-get -y install software-properties-common
- add-apt-repository ppa:freecad-maintainers/freecad-stable
- apt-get -y update
- apt-get -y install mesa-utils libglew-dev freeglut3-dev libgl1-mesa-dri freeca
Step 2: Find FreeCad User Workbench directory
- Open FreeCAD.
- To find FreeCad User Workbench directory, run following command in FreeCad python panel:
“App.getUserAppDataDir()”
Step 3: Clone ChronoConcrete Workbench from GitHub to `Mod' in the FreeCad user application data directory.
- Open a terminal.
- Navigate to the user application data directory
- Cd into the Mod folder (mkdir a Mod folder if there is not one)
- Clone > "git clone https://github.com/Concrete-Chrono-Development/chrono-preprocessor chronoConcrete".
- Check if the Chrono Workbench is available in the list of installed workbenches.
Step 4: Check "tetgen" Installation
Verify that tetgen is installed properly in FreeCAD.
-
Go to " ~/.local/share/FreeCAD/Mod/chronoConcrete/freecad/chronoWorkbench/tetgen"
-
Run on a terminal > ./tetgen
-
Check if there is a warning such as > bash: ./tetgen: Permission denied
-
Run the following command -> "chmod -R 777 *" to give all permission.
-
Run again on a terminal > ./tetgen
-
Add tetgen path in the bash script. Open the file bashrc and put the following line and save.
export PATH=$PATH:~/.local/share/FreeCAD/Mod/chronoConcrete/freecad/chronoWorkbench/tetgen
Run the command on a terminal > "source ~/.bashrc"
Step 5: "gmsh" Installation
- Download gmsh from the website
[https://gmsh.info/bin/Linux/ ]
You can select version 4.4.1.
-
Open a terminal and go > ~/gmsh-4.4.1-Linux64/bin
-
Check by runnung on terminal > ./gmsh
-
Add gmsh path in the bash script. Open the file bashrc and put the following line and save.
export PATH=$PATH:~/gmsh-4.4.1-Linux64/bin
Run the command on a terminal > "source ~/.bashrc"
- Run FreeCAD using following command:
singularity exec -B /projects:/projects -B /software:/software -B /home:/home /hpc/software/freecad/0.21.2/freecad_23.10.sif freecad $@.
- After opening FreeCAD, from tools menu find Addon Manager and install Plot Workbench.
- Open python panel inside FreeCAD and run following command:
"App.getUserAppDataDir()"
This command gives you the path where you need to clone Chrono preprocessor. in my case, the path for new module is: "/home/netID/.local/share/FreeCAD/Mod/
- After cloning, get and install gmsh software into your home folder:
you can directly download exe file from https://gmsh.info/bin/Linux/ and copy it into your home folder.
- Check tetgen path inside your freecad folder:
in my case i found it in "/home/netID/.local/share/FreeCAD/Mod/chronoConcrete/freecad/chronoWorkbench/tetgen"
- You need to add tetgen and gmsh path into singularity conatiner. I used --env option and modify command for running singularity as follows:
"singularity exec --env PATH=/usr/local/bin:/usr/bin:/bin:/home/NetID/.local/share/gmsh/bin:/home/NetID/.local/share/FreeCAD/Mod/chronoConcrete/freecad/chronoWorkbench/tetgen -B /projects:/projects -B /software:/software -B /home/NetID:/home/NetID /hpc/software/freecad/0.21.2/freecad_23.10.sif gmsh $@"
- If you experiences any problem, you may need to change the file accesibility for tetgen and gmsh exe:
If it is the case, go to folder that executable is inside and run following code from command prompt
"chmod -R 777 *"
- You can run the freecad using following command:
"module load singularity"
"singularity exec --env PATH=/usr/local/bin:/usr/bin:/bin:/home/NetID/.local/share/gmsh/bin:/home/NetID/.local/share/FreeCAD/Mod/chronoConcrete/freecad/chronoWorkbench/tetgen -B /projects:/projects -B /software:/software -B /home/NetID:/home/NetID /hpc/software/freecad/0.21.2/freecad_23.10.sif freecad $@"