In principle redistributable libraries are no longer needed as the Windows ruby and python extensions, and the COM component are now statically linked to GNU compiler libraries (“libm.a”, “libstdc++.a”,...). However, you might need the redistributable libraries if you used the C++ shared libraries to compile your own executables with FeResPost.
GNU C++ compiler the C++ developer’s library, the ruby extensions or the COM component. (See below.) With recent versions of the compiler, some of the C++ built-in libraries are not included in FeResPost “dll” or “so” library file. Then these libraries are provided in “REDISTR” directory. Then, the user must give access to these libraries to each script or application that uses FeResPost library. For example:
The simplest way to access the redistributable libraries is to add the complete directory name to your PATH environment variable.
You can also copy the redistributable dll files in a directory already point to by your PATH environment variable.
Possibly, the libraries are already installed on your computer and properly referenced by your PATH variable. It might be the case if you have an installation of the appropriate version of GNU compiler, or of a program that has been compiled with this compiler.
On Windows OS, your PATH environment variable can be modified in “Control Panel” –> “System and Security” –> “System” –> “Advanced system settings” –> “Environment variables”.
On your computer, you may run FeResPost from different environments (excel with VBA, ruby, python...) that can require sometimes a 32-bit version, or a 64-bit version of the library and associated redistributables. Or you may compare results obtained with different versions of FeResPost. Then, it may be useful to define the environment associated with each separate script. This can be done by providing the execution environment in a script (BAT file on windows, and bash or csh file on UNIX for example).
For example, on Windows, assuming you are using a 64-bit version of excel, and that the 64-bit version of the COM component has been properly registered, excel could be run by the following batch file:
setlocal set PATH=D:/SHARED/FERESPOST/SRC/OUTPUTS/REDISTR;C:/NewProgs/RUBY/Ruby200_x64/bin; C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office12 excel LaminateAnalysis.xlsm endlocal
(This is just an example, you have to adapt the PATH variable to your installation.)