[decapitor]

Hello all,
I took my first dive into Linux today specifically to use OpenFOAM. I have some familiarity with the Terminal in OSX so I can navigate, unpack and get the general idea of compiling open source software, but I am finding that OpenFOAM is a very tricky install for a first timer. I tried to get it to work on Ubuntu 9.10, both the 32 and 64 bit versions. I had to change the compiler in the .sh file to System and I think I followed all the other instructions but got lots and lots of errors once I ran the Allwmake file. I also checked and don't think I have the latest version of qt that i need, but when I go to Synaptic and search qt there are tons of things that I could install and I really don't know which ones i need. I tried sudo apt-get install qt but that doesn't work. I am really not tied to any particular distro, so I am just wondering if anyone has a step by step install guide for 1.6 for a particular (current) distro. I know this isn't really in the spirit of linux to ask this type of all-encompassing question, but I think I need a success story right off the bat in order to hook me on linux and not scare me away forever BTW I have looked through all the Ubuntu 9.10 posts and seen that people are having similar issues to me, but some things don't seem to be resolved or somebody will post a resolution that I don't quite understand. Thanks all for your consideration!

[linnemann]

Hi decapitor

Not to dismiss Ubuntu, but I've always found it more difficult to get source-code stuff to work on Ubuntu style OS's. I think its because I'm an rpm kind of guy. The packages in Ubuntu are to divided for my taste. I like a binary package and a development package only.

well any ways, I've made it very easy to get up and running with OpenFOAM on CentOS/RHEL/SL 5.x 64bit just see here https://sourceforge.net/apps/mediawi...itle=Main_Page

Use the scripted install and you should be flying. If you decide to use Ubuntu there are install scripts for both 9.04 and 9.10 on the forum.

[decapitor]

Thanks so much for your assistance. I am going to try SL5.4 tonight when I get home and see if I can get everything running. I am looking forward to seeing if OpenFOAM can handle modeling the upper mantle where viscosities get to be ~1E21Pa*s with very slow (~5cm/year) laminar flow and very high Ra# (1e7).