Windows: add Cygwin Toolchain, add VMWare Steps, Split up Different Methods #522

MaEtUgR · 2018-05-10T08:25:28Z

Adding the promised Cygwin toolchain with MSI installer I'm working on for quite some time now to the guide such that everyone can start using it and finds proper documentation.
See PX4/PX4-Autopilot#8357

The whole Windows instuctions section seemed quite outdated and cramped onto one page to me. I can imagine it's confusing to read like that. Linux instructions are already split up to multiple pages and more regularly updated.

I started a take on improving the Windows section, sorry that this the first commit got too big. I added review comments to clarify my changes in the this commit and allow for faster review. I'll not amend it but rather add smaller commits on top such that further review gets simpler.

FYI @hamishwillee @LorenzMeier

MaEtUgR

Comments for the first commit to clarify changes.

MaEtUgR · 2018-05-10T08:29:29Z

en/setup/dev_env_windows.md

@@ -1,122 +1,56 @@
 # Windows Installation Instructions

-There are a number of ways you can set up a Windows development toolchain for PX4. These allow you to build for NuttX/Pixhawk and jMAVSim simulator targets.
+There are a number of ways you can set up a Windows development toolchain for PX4. Depending on what option you choose these allow you to build for NuttX/Pixhawk and jMAVSim simulator targets.


Adopted some of these general introduction comments because they seem to be outdated/only apply to the old msys based toolchain.

MaEtUgR · 2018-05-10T08:31:45Z

en/setup/dev_env_windows.md

-> **Tip** Before starting to develop on Windows, consider installing a dual-boot environment with [Ubuntu](http://ubuntu.com).
-
-
-## Native Toolchain


I split up/copied all the existing instructions for the different options/methods without changing them to separate pages and hence new files. Only renaming the title of the method.

I think the way you have done this split is excellent.

MaEtUgR · 2018-05-10T08:37:28Z

en/setup/dev_env_windows.md

+
+[Cygwin Toolchain Download & Instructions](../setup/dev_env_windows_msys.md)
+
+**\+**


Added a short advantage/disadvantage list for all the methods with the idea in mind to keep the general windows page short and give useful information that helps to decide where to read on the details.

Any help completing them appreciated. I'm biased for my particular daily PX4 usage and tested quite a lot but not everything e.g. bash on windows.

MaEtUgR · 2018-05-10T08:38:04Z

en/setup/dev_env_windows_bash_on_win.md

@@ -0,0 +1,93 @@
+# Bash on Windows Toolchain
+
+Windows users can alternatively install a *slightly modified* Ubuntu Linux PX4 development environment within [Bash on Windows](https://github.com/Microsoft/BashOnWindows), and use it to:


unchanged, just copied over

MaEtUgR · 2018-05-10T08:38:37Z

en/setup/dev_env_windows_cygwin.md

@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+# Windows Cygwin Toolchain
+
+## Ready to use MSI Installer Download


New instructions for the Cygwin toolchain work in progress.

MaEtUgR · 2018-05-10T08:40:30Z

en/setup/dev_env_windows_msys.md

@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+# Windows Msys Toolchain
+
+## Instructions


unchanged, just copied over

MaEtUgR · 2018-05-10T08:42:35Z

en/setup/dev_env_windows_vm.md

+
+## Instructions
+
+There are multiple ways to setup a VM which is capable of executing the PX4 environment on your system. This guide walks you through a VMWare setup which showed usable performance for basic usage not including ROS usage and high resolution heavy graphics applications.


New step by step guide for VMWare Player (which has to my knowledge best performance and is free).
Still rough, more details and screenshots to come...

LorenzMeier · 2018-05-10T14:06:36Z

On a high level, this looks good to go. Please finish it to the point where you feel its usable and remove the WIP flag.

hamishwillee · 2018-05-11T00:12:05Z

en/setup/dev_env_windows.md

-   ```
-   export PATH=$HOME/gcc-arm-none-eabi-5_4-2017q2/bin:\$PATH
-   ```
+> **Tip** To work on an unrestriced linux environment you can install [Ubuntu](http://ubuntu.com) in a dual-boot setup next to your existing Windows installation and choose the operating system on every bootup.


This changes the nature of the tip from a recommendation to an observation - which I am not sure is a good thing. Unrestricted is miss-spelled. How about:

> **Tip** We recommend using [Ubuntu](http://ubuntu.com) for development. Consider setting up a dual-boot setup next to your existing Windows installation.

hamishwillee · 2018-05-11T00:14:56Z

en/setup/dev_env_windows.md

-   ```
+> **Tip** To work on an unrestriced linux environment you can install [Ubuntu](http://ubuntu.com) in a dual-boot setup next to your existing Windows installation and choose the operating system on every bootup.
+
+## Cygwin based Toolchain


to Cygwin-based or Cygwin Based (we use first letter capitalisation on all words in headings except the short connecting ones)

hamishwillee · 2018-05-11T00:16:59Z

en/setup/dev_env_windows.md


 <span></span>
-> **Tip** Before starting to develop on Windows, consider installing a dual-boot environment with [Ubuntu](http://ubuntu.com).


I like the individual pro/con lists, but I wonder if it might also be worth having an overview of all of them in a table. Headings/fields like Gazebo, Jmavsim, NuttX, Native, Memory/Resources etc? Just an idea.

Sounds super useful, it could even be colored red, green, yellow... I'll have a look at how to do that.

Try avoid using colour. It is very rarely necessary or done well. The key to great doc is minimal use of highlighting and smart use of structure/headings :-)

ok, thanks for the hint, I can learn a lot from you. I'll kill the "coloring project" and make a non-highlighted table.

hamishwillee · 2018-05-11T00:28:24Z

en/setup/dev_env_windows.md

+
+**\-**
+- Does not support all features of the PX4 environment
+- Known issues see link to issue tracking on the instructions page


I quite like tables as they are more compact.

Pros Cons

Supports NuttX and JMAVSim builds Does not support all build options

Fast and simple setup via MSI installer Known issues see link to issue tracking on the instructions page

No virtual machine and additional operating system overhead

Native Windows binary execution

Portable (folder could be on a pen drive)

As discussed above, it might be better to have just one list of "supported", so more like

Feature Cygwin Bash VM

NuttX builds Yes

JMavSim builds Yes

Gazebo Builds

upload supported Yes

Portable Yes

Virtual Machine

Native builds

...

Just throwing the option out there.

I think your suggestion with one table will make it a lot more readable. Let me add it.

hamishwillee · 2018-05-11T00:29:26Z

en/setup/dev_env_windows.md

+
+**\+**
+ Fast and simple setup via MSI installer
+ Supports all basic functionality (see instructions)


This will need to be a link to instructions, what defines "basic functionality" OR even better (e.g. NuttX, JMAVSim)

I omitted this statement, table now shows what it supports.

hamishwillee · 2018-05-11T00:29:43Z

en/setup/dev_env_windows.md

+
+**\-**
+- Does not support all features of the PX4 environment
+- Known issues see link to issue tracking on the instructions page


This will need to be a link

Not very useful statement, every option has its issues which can be added to the instructions...

The whole Windows instuctions section seemed quite outdated and cramped onto one page to me. I can imagine it's confusing to read like that and while linux instructions are already split up to multiple pages and regularly updated. I started a take on improving the Windows section, sorry that this the first commit got that big.

MaEtUgR · 2018-06-08T17:18:34Z

@hamishwillee What do you think of the Windows page with the table now? I realized that it's possible to get a raw markdown preview when opening the file after the commit: https://github.com/MaEtUgR/Devguide/blob/pr-revise-windows-add-cygwin/en/setup/dev_env_windows.md

I continue with the Cygwin instructions now.

btw I think the inclusion of the same page on all options with {% include "_addition_dev_tools.txt" %} and hence generating virtually duplicate information on the guide page is not a good idea. I would rather make it a page and have a link to it where it's useful.

MaEtUgR · 2018-06-08T18:51:11Z

Sooo, finally. I hope this is now a reviewable state. I would say it contains all the necessary information now and could apart from possible errors be published.

LorenzMeier · 2018-06-09T11:22:56Z

Awesome, thanks!

MaEtUgR commented May 10, 2018

View reviewed changes

MaEtUgR mentioned this pull request May 10, 2018

Windows support PX4/PX4-Autopilot#8357

Closed

hamishwillee reviewed May 11, 2018

View reviewed changes

MaEtUgR added 5 commits June 4, 2018 18:33

Windows: continue reproduction steps for cygwin

0284d8e

Windows: add more Cygwin instructions and screenshots

e2f09db

Windows: add hints windows git special cases

cd5bc4f

Windows: switch main page to one clean table

2cf2141

Windows: complete the cygwin toolchain manual reproduction guide

98cca96

MaEtUgR changed the title ~~[WIP] Windows: add Cygwin Toolchain, add VMWare Steps, Split up Different Methods~~ Windows: add Cygwin Toolchain, add VMWare Steps, Split up Different Methods Jun 8, 2018

Windows: switch cygwin clone command to https

a91632a

LorenzMeier merged commit 6c39327 into PX4:master Jun 9, 2018

MaEtUgR deleted the pr-revise-windows-add-cygwin branch June 11, 2018 09:03

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Windows: add Cygwin Toolchain, add VMWare Steps, Split up Different Methods #522

Windows: add Cygwin Toolchain, add VMWare Steps, Split up Different Methods #522

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MaEtUgR commented Jun 8, 2018

LorenzMeier commented Jun 9, 2018

		> Tip Before starting to develop on Windows, consider installing a dual-boot environment with [Ubuntu](http://ubuntu.com).


		## Native Toolchain


		[Cygwin Toolchain Download & Instructions](../setup/dev_env_windows_msys.md)

		\+

		@@ -0,0 +1,93 @@
		# Bash on Windows Toolchain

		Windows users can alternatively install a slightly modified Ubuntu Linux PX4 development environment within [Bash on Windows](https://github.com/Microsoft/BashOnWindows), and use it to:

		@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
		# Windows Cygwin Toolchain

		## Ready to use MSI Installer Download


		## Instructions

		There are multiple ways to setup a VM which is capable of executing the PX4 environment on your system. This guide walks you through a VMWare setup which showed usable performance for basic usage not including ROS usage and high resolution heavy graphics applications.


		<span></span>
		> Tip Before starting to develop on Windows, consider installing a dual-boot environment with [Ubuntu](http://ubuntu.com).

Pros	Cons
Supports NuttX and JMAVSim builds	Does not support all build options
Fast and simple setup via MSI installer	Known issues see link to issue tracking on the instructions page
No virtual machine and additional operating system overhead
Native Windows binary execution
Portable (folder could be on a pen drive)

Feature	Cygwin	Bash	VM
NuttX builds	Yes
JMavSim builds	Yes
Gazebo Builds
upload supported	Yes
Portable	Yes
Virtual Machine
Native builds
...

Windows: add Cygwin Toolchain, add VMWare Steps, Split up Different Methods #522

Windows: add Cygwin Toolchain, add VMWare Steps, Split up Different Methods #522

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MaEtUgR commented May 10, 2018 • edited Loading

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