= ChimeraX Developer Meeting =

Attendance: Eric, Zach, Tom, Greg, Tristan

July 26, 2022

= Agenda =

* Updating Linux compilers from CentOS7 for ISOLDE
* Github Actions continuous integration
* Mac M1 port
* QtPy shim
* Make installing on the Mac more obvious
  * More download Notes?
  * README in .dmg?

== General ==

== ChimeraX ==
=== General ===

=== Build System ===
1) Supporting IDEs
  - may only need editable installs (will require workaround as namespace packages cannot be installed in this mode automatically)
  - editable installs should also let us call ChimeraX with Python for rapid iteration and the C launcher for detailed crash info
  - Zach mentioned PyCharm, LSP (Language Server Protocol), XCode
  - Greg mentioned Visual Studio 

2) API for getting C headers: get_include (see: numpy.get_include)
  - {{{native-packaging}}} moves bundle header and source files to {{{bundle/src/include/module}}} \
  - maybe just use header files?

3) API for getting library directories: get_libdir

4) macOS compiler call in Makefiles

=== Infrastructure ===
1) Beta releases on Toolshed

2) Decoupling core bundle version number from the ChimeraX release number

3) Prereq audit after 27 June 

4) arm64 port

== Chimera ==
1) Back up the build machine to a solid state drive

--------------------------
= Discussion =

* Updating base linux system
  - Tristan needs to compile ISOLDE using the Linux compiler for our distribution which has been devtoolset-9 from CentOS 7.
  - We no longer distribute for CentOS 7.
  - Tristan was building against our distribution (not compiling ChimeraX himself).
  - Greg proposes we update our Linux base compiler to Debian 10 or a RHEL 8 equivalent, whichever is older.
  - Greg also suggest providing a Singularity image with the compiler environment we use.
  - Currently Tristan uses a CentOS 7 virtual machine to compile and a ChimeraX 1.4 daily that was still using Qt 5.
  - Tristan uses Ubuntu 20 natively for development.
  - Tristan plans to have ISOLDE for ChimeraX 1.4 out by beginning of August before starting at Altos.

--------------------------
= Action Items =
  - Update Linux base system from CentOS 7 to Debian 10 or equivalent. Greg
  - Provide Singularity image of compiler environment.  Greg
  - Present github continuous integration tutorial.  Zach