Windows builds with VS2017

[acasta69]

Hi,

time ago there was a short discussion about switching to VS2017 for Windows builds, then... I disappeared for a while.
I could work on that in the last days and now I think we could switch.
Here is a v2.0RC1 build done with VS2017, if you want to test it:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/9h9edf54tet1e ... s.zip?dl=0

My first impression is that binaries are slightly faster (2% - 5% maybe, no exact timing).
Building is also much faster than with VS2013, taking about 25% shorter time (14 min instead of 19 on my PC).

I don't know if it can be a good idea to switch now, so close to the 2.0 release, but in case I can send pull requests to do the change.
Let me know your thoughts...

Ale

[Dade]

Thanks Acasta69, we are going to switch soon after the release of v2.0 so it is matter of few days, max. a couple of weeks.

I assume you had to modify WindowsCompile and WindowsDeps repositories, can you prepare a GitHub pull request ? With no hurry, like I said, we can merge the VS2017 soon after v2.0 release.

[kintuX]

Thank you.

OS W7sp1.
Passed the 1st test, Path OCL @ 5000 samples:
vs2013 (16:55.51) VS vs2017 (16:56.87) / 1.36s slower (by 0.1289 %)

[acasta69]

OS W7sp1.
Passed the 1st test, Path OCL @ 5000 samples:
vs2013 (16:55.51) VS vs2017 (16:56.87) / 1.36s slower (by 0.1289 %)

Thanks for testing it!
Probably using Path OCL can mask most differences on the CPU part.
I retested with luxcoreui and the Cornell Box scenes that comes with LuxCore standalone archive and Path CPU, stop at 600 s:
vs2013 608 samples vs. vs2017 660 samples: 8.55% faster.

Maybe other scenes other features could have different results... I didn't notice so much speed increase initially.

I assume you had to modify WindowsCompile and WindowsDeps repositories, can you prepare a GitHub pull request ? With no hurry, like I said, we can merge the VS2017 soon after v2.0 release.

I'll prepare pull requests in next days. I would remove some now unused deps from WindowsCompileDeps, for example Qt, unless you're planning future use.

[Dade]

I assume you had to modify WindowsCompile and WindowsDeps repositories, can you prepare a GitHub pull request ? With no hurry, like I said, we can merge the VS2017 soon after v2.0 release.

I'll prepare pull requests in next days. I would remove some now unused deps from WindowsCompileDeps, for example Qt, unless you're planning future use.

Qt is required to compile LuxMark, it would be better still have Qt inside WindowsCompileDeps if it is not too much work.

Otherwise we can remove Qt v4.8 and add later Qt v5.x when the work for LuxMark v4.0 will start.

[kintuX]

OS W7sp1.
Passed the 1st test, Path OCL @ 5000 samples:
vs2013 (16:55.51) VS vs2017 (16:56.87) / 1.36s slower (by 0.1289 %)

Thanks for testing it!
Probably using Path OCL can mask most differences on the CPU part.
I retested with luxcoreui and the Cornell Box scenes that comes with LuxCore standalone archive and Path CPU, stop at 600 s:
vs2013 608 samples vs. vs2017 660 samples: 8.55% faster.

Maybe other scenes other features could have different results... I didn't notice so much speed increase initially.

Yes, with Path CPU the difference is noticeable Thanks again.

Here are results @ 1000 samples

VS2013 = 14:03.97 (100%)

VS2017 = 13:37.81 (96.9%)

In this case, version built with VS 2017 takes 3.1% less time - renders faster!

[Dade]

"Habemus Papam" ... ahah, I mean, finally, thanks to Acasta69 work we switched from VS2013 to VS2017

The VS2017 is no part of the official repositories and available for everyone.

[B.Y.O.B.]

is no part

I think you meant "now"

Thanks Acasta!

[kintuX]

Thank you all!

[acasta69]

Thank you all for the great work on this software!