Issue while installing eSim 2.4 on Ubuntu

[rudrakshpeps]

Description

Steps to Reproduce

In eSim 2.4 folder
Opened the terminal
executed the following command
$ chmod +x install-eSim.sh
$ ./install-eSim.sh --install

Expected Behavior

Installation complete without any issue

Screenshots

Version and OS

• eSim version : eSim-2.4
• OS: [e.g. Windows 10, 64 bit] Ubuntu Lts 24.04

Additional Context

[Eyantra698Sumanto]

@rudrakshpeps eSim-2.4 is not supported on Ubuntu 24.04. It is supported on Ubuntu20.04 and Ubuntu 18.04. Would you like to help us in this regard?

[avinashlalotra]

@Eyantra698Sumanto I attempted to resolve the installation issue on Ubuntu 24.04. Since python3-distutils is deprecated in Python 3.12 (the version used by Ubuntu 24.04), we can use setuptools as a replacement.

After installing other required packages manually - there’s another issue: esim relies on an older version of KiCad that is no longer available from any host. We will need to manually build this version of KiCad and, most likely, host the package ourselves.

I tried to build the kicad but got few errors.

[Eyantra698Sumanto]

@avinashlalotra Thanks for your comment. It would be great if you can contribute. Can you create a PR on whatever fixes you have done?

Did you try installing KiCad-6 using the following command:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:kicad/kicad-6.0-releases
sudo apt update -y
sudo apt -y install kicad

Please feel free to reply here.

[avinashlalotra]

@Eyantra698Sumanto You are Welcome .
The method you provided for installing KiCad 6.0 isn't functioning on Ubuntu 24.04, although it works on 20.04 and 22.04. Currently, I’ve encountered three issues with Ubuntu 24.04:

1. KiCad Installation: The installation process for KiCad is problematic on this version.
2. System-Wide Package Installation: It's not possible to install system-wide packages using pip in Ubuntu 24.04. 
 Packages should be installed via apt or another appropriate method. Alternatively, this can be managed within a Python virtual environment.
3. LLVM-9 Installation: Installation of LLVM-9 fails during the nghdl sh script. 

[Eyantra698Sumanto]

@avinashlalotra Yes, the problem exists and the dependencies get deprecated for every new version of Ubuntu.

We were trying to get everything on Flatpak. There was some progress done at #244. It will be great if you could help us in completing it.

[avinashlalotra]

@Eyantra698Sumanto I'll do my best to help with this issue.
I'm new to Flatpak, but I'll familiarize myself with it and aim to make a meaningful contribution.

[avinashlalotra]

@Eyantra698Sumanto
I have successfully managed to get esim running on Ubuntu 23.04. During the process, I encountered several issues and resolved them as follows:

Issues Encountered & Resolutions:

LLVM 9 Compatibility:

Ubuntu 23.04 does not have LLVM version 9 available in its repositories. To work around this, I built LLVM 9 locally. While this works for local setups, it's not ideal for production environments.

Verilator and GHDL Issues:

There were minor issues with both Verilator and GHDL. These have been addressed and resolved, ensuring that esim now runs successfully on my system.

Next Steps:

I plan to submit a clean-up PR by the end of next week, which will include a script for automating the build process.
Note: Building LLVM 9 manually is required for the current solution, but this is time-consuming and not suitable for end user

Exploring LLVM 18:

In the meantime, I am investigating the possibility of compiling GHDL with LLVM 18 as a more modern and potentially compatible solution. However, I cannot confirm yet whether this will work, as further testing is required.

[Eyantra698Sumanto]

Thanks a lot @avinashlalotra for the updates!!! It's a great progress.

@Jayanth-4547 is also looking into the issue. Maybe you both can collaborate.

If required, it is better to explore higher versions of GHDL and LLVM. Building from source is not a feasible solution as it would take a lot of time and consume a lot of resource, build issues.

If anything, please feel free to reply in this thread.

Thanks!!!

[Jayanth-4547]

@avinashlalotra
Hi, this is Jayanth.

I’m currently working on the same issue and have managed to successfully run eSim as well.
For my setup, I have used llvm_version="15" and ghdl="ghdl-gha-ubuntu-22.04-llvm", and everything seems to be working fine.

Currently, I’m addressing an issue with the centering of the dialog boxes and the eSim application itself, as they are positioned at the top-right corner.
Here’s an example:

Have you experienced the same issue? If so, I’d appreciate any insights you might have on resolving it.

Additionally, I’m curious to know how you’ve handled the Hdlparse, Makerchip, and SandPiper SaaS modules.

Looking forward to your response!

[avinashlalotra]

@Jayanth-4547
Hi Jayanth,

Regarding the issue with centering the dialog boxes, I am not familiar with the solution. I suggest reviewing the codebase, as I believe you will be able to identify the approach.

You can install hdlparse and other required packages within a virtual environment. It is also recommended to run eSim in that environment for consistency.

I am currently working on a installation script of eSim . Focusing our efforts on Ubuntu 23 should allow eSim to be released for Ubuntu 23 by the end of this year.

[avinashlalotra]

@Eyantra698Sumanto
Hi Sumanto,

Could you please test the following repository for installing eSim 2.4 on Ubuntu 23?
https://github.com/avinashlalotra/esim_ubuntu_installation

This should work without any issue with llvm version.
And I used GHDL 4.1.0 in it along with minor changes in verilator source . It will succesfully build with the modified script.

I've already tested it on Ubuntu 22 and 23. If you encounter any issues, kindly share your feedback so I can address them and push the necessary fixes.

Thank you!

[Eyantra698Sumanto]

Thanks a lot Avinash! We will check this in sometime and get back to you. Thanks again.