The FAUST compiler embedded in a Pd external
The faustgen~ object is an external with the FAUST just-in-time (JIT) compiler embedded that allows to load, compile and play FAUST files within the audio programming environment Pure Data. FAUST (Functional Audio Stream) is a functional programming language specifically designed for real-time signal processing and synthesis developed by the GRAME. The FAUST JIT compiler - built with LLVM - brings together the convenience of a standalone interpreted language with the efficiency of a compiled language. The faustgen~ object is a very first version with elementary features, any help and any contribution are welcome.
Dependencies:
The FAUST compiler requires LLVM 9.0.0 backend (or higher). Once LLVM is installed on your machine, you can use CMake to generate a project that will compile both the FAUST library and the Pure Data external. Then you can use Deken to release the external.
The fastest solution to install LLVM is to download the precompiled binaries from the LLVM website. For example, on the Travis CI for MacOS, we assume that the binaries are installed in the llvm folder at the root of the project:
curl -o ./llvm.tar.xz -L https://releases.llvm.org/9.0.0/clang+llvm-9.0.0-x86_64-darwin-apple.tar.xz
tar xzf ./llvm.tar.xz && mv clang+llvm-9.0.0-x86_64-darwin-apple llvm
or a for a linux system
curl -o ./llvm.tar.gz https://releases.llvm.org/9.0.0/clang+llvm-9.0.0-x86_64-linux-gnu-ubuntu-14.04.tar.xz
tar xvf ./llvm.tar.gz && mv clang+llvm-9.0.0-x86_64-linux-gnu-ubuntu-14.04 llvm
You can also use HomeBrew or MacPorts on macOS or APT on Linux the compilation of the sources last around 50 minutes and in this case, you change the LLVM_DIR with the proper location.
On Windows, you must compile from sources using the static runtime library. Compiling LLVM with the Microsoft Visual Compiler requires to use the static runtime library, for example:
cd llvm-9.0.0.src && mkdir build && cd build
cmake .. -G "Visual Studio 16 2019" -DLLVM_USE_CRT_DEBUG=MTd -DLLVM_USE_CRT_RELEASE=MT -DLLVM_BUILD_TESTS=Off -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX="./llvm" -Thost=x64
cmake --build . --target ALL_BUILD (--config Debug/Release)
cmake --build . --target INSTALL (optional)
You can also use the pre-compiled libraries used on the Appveyor CI.
git submodule update --init --recursive
mkdir build && cd build
cmake ..
cmake --build .
Useful CMake options:
USE_LLVM_CONFIGto disable default LLVM location for FAUST (for example:-DUSE_LLVM_CONFIG=off).LLVM_DIRto define LLVM location for FAUST and the Pd external (for example:-DLLVM_DIR=./llvm/lib/cmake/llvm).
see also the files .travis.yml and appveyor.yml.
Once the binaries are compiled or uploaded with Travis and Appveyor to the releases section of GitHub, the external can be published using Deken. First of all, you must have an account on the website https://puredata.info and the Deken plugin for developers installed. On Windows run the script FaustDeken.bat located in the deken subdirectory with the version of the external, for example: FaustDeken 0.0.1. On Unix systems, run the script FaustDeken.sh the deken subdirectory with the version of the external, for example: FaustDeken.sh 0.0.1. Once the deken files are prepared, you can upload the files to puredata.info using FaustDeken.sh upload 0.0.1.
FAUST institution: GRAME
FAUST website: faust.grame.fr
FAUST developers: Yann Orlarey, Stéphane Letz, Dominique Fober and others
faustgen~ institutions: CICM - ANR MUSICOLL
faustgen~ website: github.com/CICM/pd-faustgen
faustgen~ developer: Pierre Guillot
This faustgen~ object for Pd is inspired by the faustgen~ object for Max developed by Martin Di Rollo and Stéphane Letz.
Another faust~ object has been developed by Albert Graef using the programming language Pure.