Fortran compiler optional?

[Ralf Grosse-Kunstleve]

In Simmatrix.pdf I found:

> The basic types, and general behavior, are modeled
> after the very successful Matlab system with the
> expectation (but not requirement) of LAPACK and BLAS
> style implementation.runtime.

Does it mean SimTK can be built without LAPACK sources?
Or more to the point: can SimTK be built without a Fortran
compiler?

Ralf

[Jack Middleton]

You do not need a Fortran compiler to compile any of
the SimTK libraries except for SimTKlapack. We do
not recommend users try to recompile SimTKlapack
because it uses ATLAS for code generation and often
requires manual intervention to get the build to
succeed. People normally use our precompiled
SimTKlapack then build the other libraries themselves.

[Ralf Grosse-Kunstleve]

Thanks!
We have an automated multi-platform build+test system that builds everything from sources. Handling external binaries in this system will be a major contortion.
In our context, MD isn't the rate-limiting step. I'd be happy to "pay" with a runtime penalty for the ability to build everything from sources. How difficult would it be to replace the full-blown LAPACK+ATLAS implementations with more generic C or C++ code that can easily be built from sources?
Ralf

[Jack Middleton]

Basically your options are to get a Fortran compiler
and compile your own LAPACK or use a precompiled LAPACK compatible library. You could get the source
for LAPACK from netlib and compile your own library
and link the other libraries to it.