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Update/Add build for Ubuntu WSL2 #233

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183e1fd
Update gcam-build.md
juan1190 Feb 27, 2026
4350368
Update gcam-build.md
juan1190 Feb 27, 2026
fbba0ce
Update gcam-build.md
juan1190 Feb 27, 2026
69716fe
Update gcam-build.md
juan1190 Feb 27, 2026
8a1b964
Update gcam-build.md
juan1190 Feb 27, 2026
fd51271
Fix for minor mistake in path for eigen.
juan1190 Feb 27, 2026
b0a70fc
Update gcam-build.md
juan1190 Feb 27, 2026
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81 changes: 81 additions & 0 deletions gcam-build.md
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Expand Up @@ -201,6 +201,87 @@ BOOSTROOT=${BOOST_INCLUDE}
JAVA_INCLUDE=/usr/lib/jvm/default-java/include
JAVA_LIB=/usr/lib/jvm/default-java/jre/lib/amd64/server
```
#### 4.1.2 Recommended configuration using Ubuntu 24.04.1 LTS on WSL2
```
sudo apt update <- This fetches all the the latest package versions
sudo apt full-upgrade -y <- This updates all installed packages and removes older packages if neccesary
sudo apt install build-essential -y <- This installs the GNU GCC Compiler and Development environment
- libc6-dev C Standard Library
- gcc C Compiler
- g++ C++ Compiler
- make GNU make utility
- dpkg-dev Debian package development tools


sudo apt install locate -y
sudo apt install tree -y

** For program debugging **
sudo apt install valgrind -y <- Powerful memory debugging tool, memory leak detection, and profiling
- For more information visit: https://valgrind.org/docs/manual/manual.html
sudo apt install gdb -y <- GNU Project Debugger or GDB is a great debugging tool for C and C++ projects.
- Also supports:
D
Go
Objective C
OpenCL C
Fortran
Pascal
Rust
Modula-2
Ada
- For more information visit: https://sourceware.org/gdb/documentation/

** Other neccesary packages **
sudo apt install default-jdk -y
sudo apt install libboost-dev -y
sudo apt install libtbb-dev -y
sudo apt install r-cran-devtools -y

@pralitp pralitp Jul 20, 2026

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Note: needed to run gcamdata only.

sudo apt install libxerces-c3.2 -y

@pralitp pralitp Jul 20, 2026

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Not required in recent versions of GCAM. I'd suggest just removing it.


** To open model interface from WSL2**
sudo apt install gnome-text-editor -y
sudo apt install gimp -y
sudo apt install nautilus -y
sudo apt install x11-apps -y
sudo apt install vlc -y

install.packages(c("drake", "assertthat")) <- Necessary R packages

readlink -f `which javac` | sed "s:/bin/javac::" <- Will give you the neccesary path for JAVA_HOME

@pralitp pralitp Jul 20, 2026

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I think the idea here is you can use this command to figure out what JAVA_HOME should be set to and then a user would manually use this information to set it on the next line?

If so perhaps we could just reccommend a programatic solution something like the following (haven't tested this at all):

export JAVA_HOME=$(readlink -f `which javac` | sed "s:/bin/javac::")

@juan1190 juan1190 Jul 20, 2026

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Alright, this seems like a better alternative.

export JAVA_HOME=/usr/lib/jvm/java-11-openjdk-amd64/bin/java <- Replace with whatever path you obtained from the line above
cp ~/.bashrc ~/.bashrc.bak <- Creates a backup of your bashrc
echo "export JAVA_HOME=/usr/lib/jvm/java-11-openjdk-amd64" >> ~/.bashrc <- Sets the enviroment variable permanently through bashrc

@pralitp pralitp Jul 20, 2026

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It wasn't immediately clear: why was updating your .bashrc required here?

@juan1190 juan1190 Jul 20, 2026

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When I was setting up GCAM, I noticed that JAVA_HOME did not exist for some odd reason on Ubuntu 24.04.1 LTS after installing Java. So here I'm creating the environment variable and saving it to .bashrc so the user won't have to repeat the process every new session.

tail -3 ~/.bashrc <- The environment variable and its path should be outputted

cd ${HOME}/gcam-core
mkdir libs
wget https://github.com/JGCRI/modelinterface/releases/download/v5.4/jars.zip
wget https://gitlab.com/libeigen/eigen/-/archive/3.4.0/eigen-3.4.0.tar.gz

** Extract the new dependencies **
unzip jars.zip
tar -xvf eigen-3.4.0.tar.gz

rm eigen-3.4.0.tar.gz
rm jars.zip

cd ${HOME}/gcam-core/output/modelinterface
ln -s ${HOME}/gcam-core/libs/jars <- Creates a symbolic link to the jars file. Necessary to utilize GUI

You can use these environment variables:

@pralitp pralitp Jul 20, 2026

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Note these are needed to compile gcam.exe


export USRLIB="/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu"
export BOOST_INCLUDE="/usr/include"
export TBB_INCLUDE="/usr/include"
export TBB_LIB="${USRLIB}"
export BOOSTROOT="${BOOST_INCLUDE}"
export JAVA_INCLUDE="${JAVA_HOME}/include"
export JAVA_LIB="${JAVA_HOME}/lib/server"
export JARS_LIB="${HOME}/gcam-core/libs/jars/*"
export EIGEN_INCLUDE="${HOME}/gcam-core/libs/eigen-3.4.0"
```
Note: You may need to rename BaseX jar. Model interface expects version 9.5.2, if it's not already named BaseX-9.5.2.jar then make the change.

@pralitp pralitp Jul 20, 2026

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This shouldn't be required. Did you run into issues running GCAM (writing the XMLDB) or on running the Model Interface GUI side of things?

@juan1190 juan1190 Jul 20, 2026

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Yep, I encountered a few issues, and this was my remedy.


### 4.2 Building with Xcode
Mac users who would like to use the Xcode integrated development environment must have it installed (available from the Apple App Store), however a recent version with C++ 14 support is required. Xcode version 8.1+ have been known to work. Users can find the project file under `<GCAM Workspace>/cvs/objects/build/xcode3/objects.xcodeproj`. Once open you should change the `Scheme` to build the `Release` target. You can find the scheme settings here:
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