README.Windows

Introduction
============

The current port of PyFoam for Windows is still incomplete. The main reason for
this is because PyFoam was designed to work on POSIX systems, such as Linux and
Mac OS X; unfortunately, Windows is not a fully compliant POSIX system, which
means that some of the POSIX-only features used in PyFoam through Python, will
not work as intended on Windows.

Issue tracking on problems related to this port are tracked at the dedicated
project for this port of PyFoam for Windows:
   https://github.com/blueCFD/PyFoam/issues

In addition, using OpenFOAM(R) on Windows isn't straight forward either, as it
is not officially supported by the OpenFOAM Foundation. This means that a
unofficial working OpenFOAM installation for Windows must be previously
installed; a reference list is provided here:
   http://openfoamwiki.net/index.php/Windows


Note: The instructions below have only been tested with blueCFD-Core 2.3,
blueCFD-Core 2.1-2 and blueCFD-SingleCore 2.1-2.


Requirements
============

These are the minimum requirements:

 * Python for Windows
 * OpenFOAM for Windows
 * A working MSys shell or Windows Command Line environment for using OpenFOAM
   and Python.

Keep in mind that if you want to use VTK with PyFoam, you can use the one that
comes with ParaView, but in such a case, it's advisable to use the same version
of Python as the one provided with ParaView.


Installation
============

  1. Start an MSys shell/terminal or a Windows Command Line, with your working
     OpenFOAM installation.
  
  2. Download and unpack PyFoam, preferably in the user folder at your OpenFOAM
     installation. For example, in an MSys terminal, by running:

        mkdir -p $WM_USER_PROJECT_DIR
        cd $WM_USER_PROJECT_DIR
        tar -xf PyFoam-Windows-0.6.3.tar.gz
  
  3. Go into the unpacked PyFoam folder:

        cd PyFoam
  
  4. Depending on the shell/command interface you're using, follow the
     associated steps:
     
     * MSys terminal/shell:
     
        mkdir -p $WM_PROJECT_DIR/etc/config.d
        cp contrib/Windows/PyFoam.* $WM_PROJECT_DIR/etc/config.d/
        source $WM_PROJECT_DIR/etc/config.d/PyFoam.sh
        ./msyssetup.sh
        
     * Windows Command Line:
     
        mkdir %WM_PROJECT_DIR%\etc\config.d\
        xcopy contrib\Windows\PyFoam.* %WM_PROJECT_DIR%\etc\config.d\
        call %WM_PROJECT_DIR%\etc\config.d\PyFoam.bat
        .\winsetup.bat

  5. Now, in order to see what commands you have available to use, run:
  
        PyFoam