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Merged
Ruochun merged 1 commit into from
Oct 17, 2026
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Disable visualizer by default in native builds #85

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2 changes: 1 addition & 1 deletion CMakeLists.txt
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Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ endif()
option(DEME_BUILD_PYTHON "Build Python bindings for DEME" OFF)
option(DEME_BUILD_DEMOS "Build DEME demos and modular tests" ON)
option(DEME_BUILD_DOCS "Add the Doxygen and Sphinx documentation target" OFF)
option(DEME_BUILD_VISUALIZER "Build the native OpenGL/ImGui visualizer" ON)
option(DEME_BUILD_VISUALIZER "Build the native OpenGL/ImGui visualizer" OFF)

# Find Python and pybind11 if building Python bindings
if(DEME_BUILD_PYTHON)
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9 changes: 5 additions & 4 deletions docs/installation.rst
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Expand Up @@ -14,10 +14,11 @@ DEME requires:
* CMake 3.18 or newer and a CUDA-compatible C++ compiler when building from
source.

The default source build also includes the interactive visualizer. On Linux,
install the X11 and OpenGL development headers listed in
`Interactive visualization <visualization.rst>`__. Set ``DEME_BUILD_VISUALIZER=OFF`` only for an explicitly
headless build; published Python wheels build the visualizer by default.
Ordinary CMake source builds omit the interactive visualizer by default. Enable
it with ``-DDEME_BUILD_VISUALIZER=ON`` and, on Linux, install the X11 and OpenGL
development headers listed in `Interactive visualization <visualization.rst>`__.
Python package builds explicitly enable the visualizer, so Python wheels still
include it by default.

The exact Python, CUDA, compiler, driver, and GPU architecture matrix is being
validated for DEM-Engine 3. A wheel should not be assumed portable across
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15 changes: 10 additions & 5 deletions docs/visualization.rst
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Expand Up @@ -2,8 +2,9 @@ Interactive visualization
=========================

``DEMVisualizer`` is a native OpenGL 3.3 simulation inspector with a Dear ImGui
sidebar and raylib window/input support. It is enabled in ordinary C++ builds
and Python wheels by default. Existing visualizer calls remain supported.
sidebar and raylib window/input support. It is optional in ordinary C++ builds
and included in Python wheels by default. Enable it in a CMake source build with
``-DDEME_BUILD_VISUALIZER=ON``. Existing visualizer calls remain supported.
The viewer does not advance simulation time: each call to ``Render``
synchronously captures and displays the solver state at that moment.

Expand Down Expand Up @@ -249,7 +250,7 @@ Linux build requirements
------------------------

Dear ImGui v1.91.9b is vendored with its MIT license; builds require no additional
download for the UI. The source build uses raylib's bundled GLFW backend and requires
download for the UI. When enabled, the source build uses raylib's bundled GLFW backend and requires
the standard X11 and OpenGL development headers. On Debian or Ubuntu:

.. code-block:: console
Expand All @@ -262,11 +263,15 @@ container. At runtime, a graphical display and OpenGL implementation must be
available. WSL users should run under WSLg or configure ``DISPLAY`` to an X
server.

The visualizer can be omitted for a headless source build with:
The visualizer is off by default for ordinary CMake source builds. To enable it:

.. code-block:: console

cmake -S . -B build -DDEME_BUILD_VISUALIZER=OFF
cmake -S . -B build -DDEME_BUILD_VISUALIZER=ON

Existing build directories retain their cached setting. To disable the visualizer
in a previously configured build, pass ``-DDEME_BUILD_VISUALIZER=OFF`` explicitly.
Python package builds enable it explicitly through ``pyproject.toml``.

Postprocessing with ParaView
----------------------------
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