Walkthrough Guide for Running newSPACKDevArea.sh

Walkthrough Guide for Running newSPACKDevArea.sh

This guide will walk you through the automated process of setting up the SBNDAQ development environment in the ${HOME}/DAQ_SPACK_DevAreas directory using the newSPACKDevArea.sh script, located in the ${SPACK_HOME_DIR}/sbndaq-spack-tools directory.

Important: Ensure the newSPACKDevArea.sh script is accessible via the ${PATH}. Use the which newSPACKDevArea.sh command to verify. If it returns not found, add ${SPACK_HOME_DIR}/sbndaq-spack-tools to your ${PATH} by using: SPACK_HOME_DIR=/daq/software/spack_packages/spack/v1.0.1.sbnd; export PATH=${SPACK_HOME_DIR}/sbndaq-spack-tools:${PATH}.

The newSPACKDevArea.sh script uses a combination of command line options and the configuration file newSPACKDevArea.env. It’s crucial to review these options periodically, as they may change.

The location of the configuration file newSPACKDevArea.env can vary depending on the user’s needs, and the newSPACKDevArea.sh script uses the following logic to locate it. It tries the current directory first ./, then it looks in ${HOME}/DAQ_SPACK_DevAreas, followed by the user’s home directory ~/, and finally in the same directory where the newSPACKDevArea.sh script is located. If the configuration file is not found, a default file will be created in the current directory (./newSPACKDevArea.env). Users can specify a different configuration file using the command line option --config ~/myconfig.env. If the specified file does not exist, the script will create a default file and then exit. Alternatively, users can set the export MY_CONFIG_FILE=~/myconfig.env environment variable; the --config option takes precedence over this environment variable.

It is generally recommended to share the ${HOME}/DAQ_SPACK_DevAreas directory among all developers. Users should leverage the DEVNAME variable to identify ownership of the development area. The configuration file newSPACKDevArea.env contains the DEVNAME variable, representing the developer’s initials or a short name (4-5 characters, in UPPER case) for identifying the owner of the development environment. Users can override this in the configuration file by providing a command line option --dev-name ALICE. Keeping the configuration file updated is advisable for practical reasons.

Another important command line option is --default-version migration_artdaqv3_13_02, indicating the version of the sbndaq-suite package for the development area setup. This version must be correctly declared in ${SPACK_HOME_DIR}/spack-repos/sbn-spack/packages/sbndaq-suite/package.py before use. If the --default-version option is omitted, the script prompts for Enter version (default: migration_artdaqv3_13_02):, allowing the user to accept the default or specify a different version, like v1_11_00, provided that it is declared in the mentioned path. The script accepts the default version automatically after a 10-second timeout, or immediately if the --non-interactive option is used.

During execution, the newSPACKDevArea.sh script may ask the user the following questions:

Note If the --non-interactive option is used, the script will automatically accept the default answers as described below.

1. Build already succeeded - skip build? (Y/n): — This appears if the *.build_lock.txt file is found from a previous successful build. The default is Y, but users can choose to build and install the software again.

2. Directory DAQ_2025-06-03_ALICE_migration_artdaqv3_13_02 exists. Delete it? [y/N]: — This appears if a development area already exists, possibly created on another OS variant or re-run after a code change. The default answer is N, so the script will continue and create only the missing configuration files for the current OS variant or proceed directly to building and installation.

3. Do you want to set up the development environment? [Y/n]: — This arises when the previous question was answered N, and the Spack environment is missing, possibly due to running on a different OS variant, an interrupted build, or another issue. It is generally advisable to proceed here.

Finally, run the newSPACKDevArea.sh script and observe the output; it should provide sufficient information if something breaks or goes wrong.

# Adds newSPACKDevArea.sh to the ${PATH}
command -v newSPACKDevArea.sh > /dev/null 2>&1 || \
{ SPACK_HOME_DIR=/daq/software/spack_packages/spack/v1.0.1.sbnd; export PATH=${SPACK_HOME_DIR}/sbndaq-spack-tools:${PATH}; }

# Points to your configuration file
export MY_CONFIG_FILE=${HOME}/DAQ_SPACK_DevAreas/myconfig-ALICE.env

#newSPACKDevArea.sh --non-interactive
newSPACKDevArea.sh

Operating the SBNDAQ from the Spack Development Environment

Operating the SBNDAQ from the Spack development environment is similar to how it’s currently done, and setup_daqinterface_spackenv.sh and setup_sbn_artdaq_spackenv.sh should be used instead.

Troubleshooting Build Errors

If the build fails, review the build log files to identify any errors and make the necessary code changes to resolve the issues. Once the issues have been addressed, rerun the newSPACKDevArea.sh script as shown below.

Please note that you will need to export the MY_SPACK_PROJECT variable with the following command: export MY_SPACK_PROJECT=DAQ_2025-06-03_ALICE_migration_artdaqv3_13_02. This ensures the script does not prompt you to delete the existing directory.

# Adds newSPACKDevArea.sh to the ${PATH}
command -v newSPACKDevArea.sh > /dev/null 2>&1 || \
{ SPACK_HOME_DIR=/daq/software/spack_packages/spack/v1.0.1.sbnd; export PATH=${SPACK_HOME_DIR}/sbndaq-spack-tools:${PATH}; }

# Points to your configuration file
export MY_CONFIG_FILE=${HOME}/DAQ_SPACK_DevAreas/myconfig-ALICE.env
# Points to your project directory
export MY_SPACK_PROJECT=DAQ_2025-06-03_ALICE_migration_artdaqv3_13_02
#newSPACKDevArea.sh --non-interactive
newSPACKDevArea.sh

Interactive Mode

If the build process fails, the script enters interactive mode, allowing you to quickly iterate over compilation errors.

[WARN] Build failed - entering interactive build mode
Available packages:
1. sbndaq@upgrade_gcc13.1.0
2. sbndaq-artdaq@upgrade_gcc13.1.0
3. sbndaq-artdaq-core@upgrade_gcc13.1.0
4. wibtools@upgrade_gcc13.1.0
0. Exit interactive build mode
Select package to build (0-4):

The process is straightforward: select the package that failed, e.g., 2, and the script will start an interactive build environment for the selected package.

Select package to build (0-4): 2
[INFO] Entering build environment for sbndaq-artdaq
[INFO] Available commands in build environment:
[INFO]   make    # Build the package
[INFO]   exit 0  # Exit build environment
[CMD] spack cd --build-dir sbndaq-artdaq
[CMD] spack build-env sbndaq-artdaq -- bash

Once in the interactive shell, run the make command and examine the output for errors. Modify the problematic file and rerun make until all issues are resolved and the build completes successfully. Then, type exit to leave the shell.

Respond with n to the Did the build succeed? (y/N): question to continue rebuilding the remaining package that were not built. Afterwards, respond with y to exit the interactive session and proceed with the rest of the script.

If everything appears fully built, answer y to the Continue with buildcache creation? (Y/n): question; otherwise, answer n.

The script will exit, allowing you to restart it at a later time.

Heads Up

The integration of MPD functionality into the build process is currently underway. This enhancement is expected to expedite rebuilding during active development.