Failure building from source with bootstrap.py

[takluyver]

The CONTRIBUTING.md file has instructions to get a bootstrap.py file from the cctbx_project repo and use it to set up a development environment. Running it with precisely the suggested options, I see conda spending a long time 'Solving environment', and then it hits a package conflict. I've saved the error message where conda tries to explain the conflict, but it lists a whole lot of packages over 1700 lines, so it's not exactly a smoking gun.

I tried several different sets of options for the same script, but every way seemed to run into a different error. I can expand on what I tried and the errors I got if it's helpful. I didn't manage to successfully run it to completion.

Then a colleague pointed me to a similar bootstrap.py script in the DIALS repo. This clearly has a similar model: cloning git repositories into modules and creating a conda environment, and it includes building dxtbx from source, but it succeeded for me on the first try. And again on the second try with an option to build more pieces from source.

Is it possible that the dials bootstrap script is what people are generally using now, and the contributor guide is outdated? Or have I just had spectacularly bad luck with the cctbx script?

[ndevenish]

Hi,

Yes - the dials bootstrap is what you should use. I don't think anyone realised the CONTRIBUTING.md was so out of date.... we should look to update it...