CARLsim++ is an integrated toolbox that enables fast and easy creation of neuromorphic applications. It encapsulates the mathematical intrinsics and low-level C++ programming by providing a graphical user interface to create neuromorphic models and Developers can easily configure inputs and outputs to devices and robots. These can be accurately simulated before deploying on physical devices. CARLsim++ can lead to rapid development of neuromorphic applications for simulation or edge processing.
CARLsim++ is a complex system by design with a modular architecture. Neuromophic applications incorporate a huge amount of requirements such as realtime processing of sensory input, providing visual feedback of neural activity, monitoring operational and scientific data, just to name a few. For managing the open-source repositories and to accomplish automatic builds, we utilizes the YCM superbuild. YCM was orignally developed by IIT for iCub with the principle, to upstream its generic functions to CMake.
CARLsim++ was published at NICE 2024. Please refer to our paper for more information and how to cite.
The complete CARLsim++ system will be encapsulated in one directory called CARLSIMPP_ROOT.
CARLsim++ for Windows is built with the following tool chain:
- Microsoft Visual Studio 2019 and 2022
- NVIDIA CUDA 11.8
- CMake GUI (>= 3.20)
- Python (>= 3.9)
- Swig 4.0.2
CARLsim++ uses the following libraries as prerequisites:
- YCM 16.2
- Boost 1.76
- ACE 6.5.20
- Qt 5.15.13
Hint: These libraries are matured and a de-facto standard for open source development. For convenience, we provide a quick install instructions as supplemental information.
Required for EPuck simulations and YARP devices:
- Webots R2023b
Clone the CARLsim++ repository to your local disk.
cd /d C:\
git clone https://github.com/UCI-CARL/CARLsimPP.git carlsimpp-t01
The directory of the local CARLsim++ superbuild repository will be referred as CARLSIMPP_ROOT.
Hint: The directory will contain the full package. You can use any root directory as long the path is short. Set access rights to full control (File Exporer > Properties > Security).
Hint: To build a specific version of CARLsim++, pass the release tag to git clone. You also can use an dedicated directory that can used as CARLSIMPP_ROOT.
git clone -b TAG https://github.com/UCI-CARL/CARLsimPP.git carlsim-001
The easiest way to configure and build CARLsim++ is on a single computer such as a workstation with a NVIDA GPU. This is called a single-tier environment. See below how to build a multi-tier system that functionally seperates components and scales horizontal.
Preparation
mkdir c:\carlsimpp-t01\build
Bootstrap the superbuild.
In a Window Command Prompt execute the following commands.
cd /d c:\carlsimpp-t01\build
cmake -A x64 -B . -S .. -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX="C:/carlsimpp-t01/build/install"
Build and install all components.
cd /d c:\carlsimpp-t01\build
cmake --build . --config Debug
Hint: The progress can be monitored with in a Powershell.
Get-ChildItem -Path C:\carlsimpp-t01\build -Recurse | Measure-Object -Property Length -Sum
Hint: If the error LNK2038 occurs during building CARLsim6, check in CMakeCache.txt that YCM had set the /W3 and /MDd options.
CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS:STRING=/DWIN32 /D_WINDOWS /W3 /GR /EHsc /MP
CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_DEBUG:STRING=/MDd /Zi /Ob0 /Od /RTC1
To activate the CARLsim++ Superbuild and set its environment variables for the current user, open a new Microsoft Powershell and execute
cd c:\carlsimpp-t01\build\install\config
.\activate-superbuild.ps1
Open a new Powershell as Administrator and execute
cd c:\carlsimpp-t01\build\install\config
.\configure-node.ps1 win-t01-yarp
Open a new Powershell for the current your and execute
cd c:\carlsimpp-t01\build\install\config
.\setenv-superbuild.ps1 User
.\set-debug.ps1 USER
Hint: On Windows, YARP reports checkpoints to the path C:\Users\user\Documents\yarprun_log. Create the directory structure with access rights for the current user.
Open the CARLsim++ shortcut in c:\carlsimpp-t01\build\install\config
Alternatively, open a new Powershell on the path.
cd c:\carlsimpp-t01\build\install\config
To display the configured CARLsim++ system:
.\show-system.ps1
To start CARLsim++ system:
.\start-system.ps1
To stop the CARLsim++ system:
.\stop-system.ps1
Hint: Use the TAB key to autocomplete a Powershell command.
Start the CARLsim++ system
.\start-system.ps1
Check if the YARP devices for EPuck are available:
C:\Users\MyUser>yarpdev --list
[INFO] |yarp.dev.Drivers| Device "CarlEpuck2", available on request (found in C:/carlsimpp-t01/build/install/lib/yarp/yarp_CarlEpuck2.dll library).
[INFO] |yarp.dev.Drivers| Device "CarlWbEPuck", available on request (found in C:/carlsimpp-t01/build/install/lib/yarp/yarp_CarlWbEPuck.dll library).
cd C:\carlsimpp-001
mkdir build-edge
mkdir build-yarp
mkdir build-gpu
cd build-epuck
cmake -A x64 -B . -S .. -D<profiles options for edge tier>
cd buid-yarp
cmake -A x64 -B . -S .. -D<profiles options for yarp tier>
cd build-gpu
cmake -A x64 -B . -S .. -D<profile options for gpu tier>
cd c:\carlsimpp-t01\build
cmake --build . --config Release
Open a new Powershell for the current your and execute
cd c:\carlsimpp-t01\build\install\config
.\unset-debug.ps1 USER
-
Download and follow the install instructions from: https://visualstudio.microsoft.com/thank-you-downloading-visual-studio/?sku=Community&channel=Release&version=VS2022&source=VSLandingPage&cid=2030&passive=false
-
Open the "Visual Studio Installer" and choose "Modify". Select the following workloads:
- "Desktop Development for C++" with "C++/CLI support", "MSVC v142 - VS2019 C+++ x64/x86 build"
- "Universal Windows Platform development" with "C++ (V143)/(V142)", "GPU profiler"
- "Linux and embedded development with C++" with "Remote File Explorer for Linux"
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Type "Visual Studio 2022" in Windows Search and start it. In the "Help" menu the item "About" should report version 17.9.4 or later.
- Download and follow the install instructions from: https://visualstudio.microsoft.com/vs/older-downloads/#visual-studio-2019-and-other-products
Run the installer vs_community__452194921.1608369874.exe
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/cpp/overview/what-s-new-for-cpp-2019?view=msvc-170
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Download and follow the install instructions from: https://developer.nvidia.com/cuda-11-8-0-download-archive
-
Select the target platform for a GPU workstation as following: Operating System: Windows Architecture: x86_64 Version: 11 Installer Type: exe (local)
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Download (3.0GB) https://developer.download.nvidia.com/compute/cuda/11.8.0/local_installers/cuda_11.8.0_522.06_windows.exe
For further information, see the "Installation Guide for Microsoft Windows" https://docs.nvidia.com/cuda/cuda-installation-guide-microsoft-windows/index.html and the "CUDA Quick Start Guide" https://docs.nvidia.com/cuda/cuda-quick-start-guide/index.html.
Note: NVIDIA CUDA Toolkit no longer supports development or running applications on macOS.
-
Download the binary distribution from https://cmake.org/download/
-
Run the the Windows installer cmake-3.29.0-windows-x86_64.msi
-
Choose the following install options:
- Add CMake to the system PATH
- Create CMake Desktop Icon
- Download and follow the install instructions from: https://github.com/git-for-windows/git/releases/download/v2.44.0.windows.1/Git-2.44.0-64-bit.exe
A Bash shelll for Git on Windows https://gitforwindows.org/
Download and install ActivePerl 5.28 from https://docs.activestate.com/activeperl/5.28/get/windows/
Run ActivePerl-5.28.msi to install Per to C:\Perl64\
Further reading: https://www.activestate.com/products/perl/
Download and install Python 3.7.9 or later from https://www.python.org/downloads/release/python-379/
PYTHON_INCLUDE=C:\Python37\include
PYTHON_LIB=C:\Python37\libs
https://devguide.python.org/versions/
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Download the sources of YCM 0.16.2 from:
https://github.com/robotology/ycm/archive/refs/tags/v0.16.2.zip -
Unpack the .zip to C:\Users\MyUser\Documents\YCM-0.16.2
-
Generate the Visual Studio with CMake GUI:
Source: C:\Users\MyUser\Documents\YCM-0.16.2
Build: C:\Users\MyUser\Documents\YCM-0.16.2\build
CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX: C:\YCM\YCM-0.16.2 -
Build and Install the Releaes in Visual Studio
-
Define the environment variable YCM_DIR=C:\YCM\YCM-0.16.2
http://robotology.github.io/ycm/gh-pages/latest/manual/ycm-installing.7.html
Get ACE and prepare the build:
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Download ACE-6.5.20.zip from Github.
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Unpack the archive to C:\ACE\ACE-6.5.20.
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Assign the path C:\ACE\ACE-6.5.20\ACE_wrappers to the enviroment variable ACE_ROOT.
To build ACE, follow the install instructions in ACE-INSTALL.hmtl for MS Visual Studio 2019:
-
Create the file config.h in ACE_ROOT\ace containing following line:
#include "ace/config-win32.h" -
Open Visual Studio 2019 on ACE_ROOT\ACE.sln.
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Build the debug and release version for x64.
Validate that the lib directory contains files with the naming described in 8.: Library/DLL name" + (Is static library ? "s" : "") + (Is Debugging enable ? "d" : "") + {".dll"|".lib"} -
Add C:\ACE\ACE-6.5.20\ACE_wrappers\bin to the path environment variable.
https://www.dre.vanderbilt.edu/~schmidt/ACE.html
We provide a quick install for Qt5 following https://doc.qt.io/qt-5/build-sources.html
- Get the sources with a Git Bash
git clone git://code.qt.io/qt/qt5.git /C/Qt/Qt-5
cd /C/Qt/Qt-5
git checkout 5.15
./init-repository
- Search for "x64 Native Tools Command Prompt for VS 2019" and open it
**********************************************************************
** Visual Studio 2019 Developer Command Prompt v16.11.34
** Copyright (c) 2021 Microsoft Corporation
**********************************************************************
[vcvarsall.bat] Environment initialized for: 'x64'
C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2019\Community>
- Set the environment variables for configuration and build in the Native Tools Command Prompt:
SET _ROOT=C:\Qt\Qt-5
SET PATH=%_ROOT%\qtbase\bin;%_ROOT%\gnuwin32\bin;%PATH%
REM Uncomment the below line when using a git checkout of the source repository
REM SET PATH=%_ROOT%\qtrepotools\bin;%PATH%
SET _ROOT=
- Configure the Qt to build the release version in the Native Tools Command Propmt:
cd C:\Qt\Qt-5
configure -release -nomake examples -nomake tests -skip qtwebengine -opensource
Validate that the configuration concludes with the following lines:
Qt is now configured for building. Just run 'nmake'.
Once everything is built, you must run 'nmake install'.
Qt will be installed into 'C:\Qt\Qt-5.15.13'.
- Build and install Qt in the Native Tools Command Prompt:
cd C:\Qt\Qt-5
REM set CL=/MP
nmake
nmake install
- Configure and build the debug version of Qt:
cd C:\Qt\Qt-5
configure -debug -skip qtwebengine -opensource
Repeat the build step.
- Add Qt environment variables
PATH=%PATH%;C:\Qt\Qt-5.15.13\bin
QT5_ROOT=C:\Qt\Qt-5.15.13
See https://wiki.qt.io/Building_Qt_5_from_Git for more information.
https://github.com/qt/qt5
https://doc.qt.io/qt-5/windows-requirements.html
https://doc.qt.io/qt-5/cmake-manual.html
https://doc.qt.io/qt-5/build-sources.html
https://doc.qt.io/qt-5/windows-building.html
https://github.com/qt/qt5/tree/5.15.2
Hint: Building Qt5 from git See http://wiki.qt.io/Building_Qt_5_from_Git and README.git for more information. See http://wiki.qt.io/Qt_5 for the reference platforms.
Hint: The Qt VS Tools for Visual Studio 2022 allow developers to use the standard development environment. https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/_apis/public/gallery/publishers/TheQtCompany/vsextensions/QtVisualStudioTools2022/3.0.2/vspackage
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Download and install "MySQL Community Server 5.7": https://dev.mysql.com/downloads/installer/ https://dev.mysql.com/downloads/file/?id=523570 Choose Setup Type "Full"
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Download and install "MySQL Connector/C 6.1" https://downloads.mysql.com/archives/get/p/19/file/mysql-connector-c-6.1.11-winx64.msi Validate it was installed the default directory "C:\Program Files\MySQL\MySQL Connector C 6.1"
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Compile Qt with the MySQL driver:
cd C:\Qt\Qt-5\qtbase\src\plugins\sqldrivers
qmake -- MYSQL_INCDIR="C:/Program Files/MySQL/MySQL Connector C 6.1/include" MYSQL_LIBDIR="C:/Program Files/MySQL/MySQL Connector C 6.1/lib"
nmake nmake
nmake install
Hint: To enforce the search for MySQL, delete the config.cache and run qmake at the top level.
https://doc.qt.io/qt-5/sql-driver.html
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Download boost_1_76_0.zip from https://www.boost.org/users/history/version_1_76_0.html
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Extract the .zip to C:\Boost\boost_1_76_0-src
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Create Build directory C:\Boost\boost_1_76_0-build
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Build Boost in the "x64 Native Tools Command Prompt for VS 2019":
set VERSION=1_76_0
set PREFIX=c:/Boost/boost_%VERSION%
cd c:\Boost\boost_%VERSION%-src
REM call bootstrap once
bootstrap
REM Build Boost Build Engine
b2 --clean
REM Build and Install Boost to the default directory for Windows (C:\Boost)
b2 --build-dir=../boost_%version%-build architecture=x86 address-model=64 runtime-debugging=on link=shared,static variant=debug threading=multi runtime-link=shared install
b2 --build-dir=../boost_%version%-build architecture=x86 address-model=64 runtime-debugging=off link=shared,static variant=release threading=multi runtime-link=shared install
- Add Boost to the Path user environment variable
SET PATH=%PATH%;C:\Boost\lib
https://www.boost.org/doc/libs/1_76_0/
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Download SWIG 4.0.2: https://sourceforge.net/projects/swig/files/swigwin/swigwin-4.0.2/ .
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Extract the .zip to C:\Program Files\swigwin-4.0.2 .
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Add C:\Program Files\swigwin-4.0.2 to the path environment variable.
swigwin-4.0.2/Doc/Manual/Windows.html
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Download the OpenSource version of Webots R2023b from Cyberbotics webots-R2023b_setup.exe (250MB) from https://cyberbotics.com/#download
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Run the installer for all users with the provided defaults.
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Add the following environment variable
WEBOTS_HOME=C:\Program Files\Webots -
Extend the path environment variable
SET PATH=%PATH%;C:\Program Files\Webots\msys64\mingw64\bin
SET PATH=%PATH%;C:\Program Files\Webots\lib\controller
https://cyberbotics.com/doc/blog/Webots-2023-b-release
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Download source qwt-6.2.0.zi from https://sourceforge.net/projects/qwt/files/qwt/6.2.0/qwt-6.2.0.zip/download
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Extract .zip to C:\Users%USERNAME%\Documents\Qwt-6.2.0
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Configure and Build in the "x64 Native Tools Command Prompt for VS 2019"
cd C:\Users\%USERNAME%\Documents\Qwt-6.2.0
qmake qwt.pro
- Build and install
nmake
nmake install
- Extrend the path environment variable set PATH=%PATH%;C:\Qwt-6.2.0\lib set QWT_ROOT=C:\Qwt-6.2.0
https://qwt.sourceforge.io/qwtinstall.html
https://www.yarp.it/latest/install_yarp_windows.html#getting_the_sources_windows
An open source text editor also available as binary download: https://notepad-plus-plus.org/