For experienced users:

1. conda create -n DAVE DAVE -c conda-forge
2. Optional: install Blender from blender.org
3. python -m DAVE.run_gui

Index

Prefer a video together with these written instructions? Then see: youtube.

Install python

DAVE runs on python. So the first step is to install python. The easiest way of doing this is by downloading and installing the Miniconda distribution. Miniconda can be downloaded from https://docs.conda.io/en/latest/miniconda.html. Pick python version 3.7 or higher.

During the installation you can select the “just for me” option. This means that admin-rights are not needed.

It is not needed to register or add anaconda to the path, although registering doesn’t hurt if this is the only python installation on your machine.

The installation should create a menu entry called “Anaconda Prompt (miniconda3). This can be used to start a command prompt with the just installed python registered as default.

Install required packages

DAVE needs a number of common python packages to work. All of these are available in the conda and conda-forge channels and will be installed automatically together with DAVE.

Start the command prompt via the “Anaconda Prompt (miniconda3)” as above.

First thing to do is to make everything up-to-date. This is done by running the following command:

conda update conda

press y [enter] to proceed

this will now display a list of packages that will be downloaded and installed. Press y [enter] to continue.

Then install DAVE:

Miniconda supports the creation of multiple “environments” which can exist next to each-other. A benefit of this is that it avoids conflicting packages (info: <link>).

Own environment

To create an environment “DAVE” and install DAVE in it (recommended):

conda create -n DAVE DAVE -c conda-forge
activate DAVE

Next to other python packages

To install DAVE in the active python environment:

conda install -c conda-forge DAVE

This takes enough time to go for a cup of coffee. Enjoy.

Note: many of these packages can also be installed using pip, however the pip version of vtk (8.1.2) is not compatible with pyside2 and will not work. So USE CONDA

Start the GUI

The GUI is not the main part of DAVE. But it is the easiest place to start. To start the gui directly from the anaconda prompt use:

activate DAVE   (<-- only needed if you installed DAVE in its own environment)
python -m DAVE.run_gui

Alternatively the gui can be started from python as well. In that case use:

from DAVE.run_gui import run
run()

You may also want to create a batch-file to start DAVE. In that case the contents of that file should be:

CALL "C:\Users\DAVE\Miniconda3\Scripts\activate.bat" DAVE
python -m DAVE.run_gui
pause

where “C:\Users\DAVE\Miniconda3\Scripts\activate.bat” should be modified to reflect the location where you installed miniconda.

Use DAVE via Jupyter Lab

JupyerLab is a great way to document your model and results. See https://www.open-ocean.org/reporting-and-jupyter-lab/ for motivation. To make jupyter ready for DAVE we need to introduce DAVE to jupyter.

Register kernel for Jupyter

If you wish to use DAVE through Jupyter Lab then the DAVE environment needs to be registered with ipykernel. 

activate DAVE
conda install ipykernel
ipykernel install --user --name DAVE --display-name "Python (DAVE)"

Optional: Install Blender

Blender is an excellent and free tool for 3d modeling, the artist way. It can be used for creating visuals checking meshes and for rendering DAVE scenes.

Blender can be obtained from https://www.blender.org/

After installing blender, make sure that windows is configured to open .blend files using blender. For example by downloading this blender file, double-clicking it, and, if it doesn’t automatically open with blender, select blender and program to open .blend files with.

Configuration

See this section in the documentation

Troubleshooting

If you are having troubles installing DAVE then let us know, either by leaving a comment on this page or by opening an issue on the github page.