Reply To: Is there any easier way to compile OpenLB in Windows?
The project structure is quite simple at its core: We have the src/ folder containing all the headers and implementations to be included into the application. The “build system” mainly precompiles some embedded dependencies (optional, you can also link system provided tinyxml and zlib) and applies the flags defined in config.mk (relating to parallelization mode and so on). Many of my colleagues work with basic bindings to compile and debug cases in Visual Studio Code and some also use full IDEs such as CLion in the same fashion.
To compile and debug a simulation case in an IDE you roughly need to open the corresponding cpp file (e.g. examples/laminar/cylinder2d/cylinder2d.cpp) and define the compiler and compilation flags to use. Altough it probably will be the easiest to just use an (possibly IDE-embedded) terminal to run the make command. For debugging you should be able to select the created executable (compiled with debug flags set in config.mk). I just want to reiterate the the build structure really is not that complex (OpenLB is basically a header only library).
As for OS details (assuming you mean the focus on Linux / Unit-likes): I understand that all of this can seem overhelming at first. However it quickly pays of as basic knowledge of this will likely become important to you when wanting to run the simulation with realistic resolutions and parameters on a HPC cluster – basically all of them use some form of Linux.
You definitely do not need to know all OS’s details to work with OpenLB, most difficulties are probably with modifying the C++ code making up the entire software (which you will need to do when modifying any existing case or creating your own).
I hope that this can alleviate some of your concerns. In any case, please feel free to ask further questions. We are also happy about concrete suggestions on how to make it easier get started.