1.8.1 Release

[SergioRAgostinho]

Task list:

• Go through all PRs for the milestone
• Update Changelog Update changes for 1.8.1 #1682
• Start a release branch
• Revert PLYReader: thread safe colors #1587
• Bump version to 1.8.1 in CMakeLists.txt
• Try to build and test on all relevant platforms
• Finalize changelog and fix the release date
• Tag
• Remove the release branch
• Add Windows installers to GitHub release page
• Add OSX installers to GitHub release page
• Add link doc link to tutorials page
• Bump version to 1.8.1-dev in CMakeLists.txt
• Send announcements to the mailing lists
• Throw a party!

Future people: Don't forget to revise all new tutorials to modify the minimum required version from 1.x.x.99 to whatever the new version is.

[taketwo]

Also update PCL version in CMakeLists.txt.

[UnaNancyOwen]

I would like to add support Visual C++ 2017 in PCL 1.8.1.
Could you consider to merge these Pull Request (#1823, #1830) for it?

[taketwo]

Sorry for the unnecessary delay, merged now.

[UnaNancyOwen]

@taketwo Thank you!

[UnaNancyOwen]

Is official web in updatable?
It seems that it has not been updated for a long long time.
I think we should update it to the latest information.

BTW :
I'm ready to generate all-in-one installer of next version.
I would like to distribute the next version installer from official web.
Who manages accounts of sourceforge.net?

[UnaNancyOwen]

We should be confirm that able to build PCL 1.8.1 on Visual Studio before release PCL 1.8.1. Because, It has not been tested with CI.

• Build Test on Windows

[SergioRAgostinho]

It was thinking it would be nice this time to include some binaries on the github release page for the three platforms. I know we are using cpack for the packaging. I was just wondering which compile options does one normally pass when you want to compile pcl for deployment on an external environment?

[taketwo]

I think this is something @jspricke will know.

So, once #1917 is merged, we can start with the release procedure? I updated the list in the root post.

[UnaNancyOwen]

Could you discuss this proposal (#1918) before release procedure?
I would like to merge this proposal to support PCL in Vcpkg. (Currently, It is under implementation.)

[SergioRAgostinho]

We should be confirm that able to build PCL 1.8.1 on Visual Studio before release PCL 1.8.1. Because, It has not been tested with CI. Build Test on Windows

IIRC the tests should be failing with some precision issues on Windows, similar to the ones in OSX. It's something on the backlog but not something we'll address on this release.

[jspricke]

Regarding adding binaries, adding Windows binaries makes sense, @UnaNancyOwen could you help with that? That would be awesome! For the other platforms (I assume you mean MacOS and Ubuntu/Debian) it doesn't make sense as it's the job of the distribution maintainer. So once we release a new version, they have to integrate into their system. Also we don't use cpack for that.

[SergioRAgostinho]

I understand that comment regarding ubuntu/debian. Regarding MacOS, there's not exactly an official distribution maintainer. Are you referring to Homebrew?

[jspricke]

I don't use Apple, but Homebrew should be ok.

[UnaNancyOwen]

@jspricke I can provide the PCL 1.8.1 All-in-one Installer.
I have a plan to create four installer of MSVC 2017 x64/x86, MSVC2015 x64/x86.
I would like to distribute it on stable server like a github releae page or sourceforge.net. (My current distribution server is unstable...)

[SergioRAgostinho]

My idea was to try to add them to the GitHub release page. They support placing binaries, although I'm not sure if there's a maximum file size it supports.

[taketwo]

The release branch is online with the ABI breaking PR reverted and version bumped to 1.8.1. Anyone cares to tag 1.8.1rc1 on it and send an announcement?

[jspricke]

Awesome work, thank you all!
@taketwo can you send a mail to the pcl-dev@ list?

[taketwo]

Ok, I've tagged 1.8.1rc1 and sent an announcement to both pcl-dev and pcl-users.

[SergioRAgostinho]

@taketwo Thanks for all the help in this final stretch 👊

[SergioRAgostinho]

So I've just built everything for Mac. It built, but no news there. I didn't run the tests because I know they're failing ^^

I've decided to create a binary package and experimentally release the binaries on the release page. I'll ask people to give it a try.

[UnaNancyOwen]

I'm building PCL 1.8.1 RC1 to create the All-in-one Installer for Windows developers. Please wait a few days.

[SergioRAgostinho]

I'm building PCL 1.8.1 RC1 to create an All-in-one Installer. Please wait a few days.

Can you also package an archive with simply headers, libs, binaries and shareables, aka contents of the install folder only.

[UnaNancyOwen]

@SergioRAgostinho Is that mean that to packaging in zip archive instead of create installer?
I think that our support costs will increase, because many newcomer developers are unfamiliar to install using zip archive.
Do you have any reasons?

[SergioRAgostinho]

Not instead. Additional to the All-In-One. I want to include both.

[UnaNancyOwen]

@SergioRAgostinho OK, I understood your plan. I will create both an installer and a zip archive.

[UnaNancyOwen]

@SergioRAgostinho I created PCL 1.8.1 RC1 binaries (installer and archive) for Visual Studio 2017.
It ready to upload. How can I upload it to GitHub release page?

[UnaNancyOwen]

I uploaded Windows binaries to the release page.

[SergioRAgostinho]

The difference in size between the windows and mac archives is crazy 😮 What did you include on the windows zip @UnaNancyOwen ?

I disabled every optional dependency except VTK, and built with the default modules included, no simulation, app and examples. I also built with -O3 and without SSE flags.

[UnaNancyOwen]

@SergioRAgostinho It includes files excluding pre-built 3rdParty libraries and debug configuration exe files (such as pcl_viewer_debug.exe) from PCL built with the following configuration. It static linked all dependent files except OpenNI2, because It is the default settings of PCL on Windows.
https://gist.github.com/UnaNancyOwen/59319050d53c137ca8f3#file-pcl1-8-1-md

Shall I change the build configuration to reduce the size of zip archive?

[UnaNancyOwen]

@SergioRAgostinho Sorry, I forgot to exclude local documents. It is unnecessary. (196MB->108MB)
BTW, May I replace to the ZIP archive that exclude local documents? I can prepare it at once.

From there, if exclude the release configuration exe files (such as pcl_viewer_release.exe), archive size will be 59.2MB. It means that archive contains only library files (*.dll, *.lib and headers).

It is necessary change build configuration to further reduce size.
(Or, We should consider that to excluding Windows ZIP archives from the release page.)

What do you think?

[SergioRAgostinho]

Sorry, I forgot to exclude local documents. It is unnecessary.

Yeah, I would not bundle the docs with the binaries.

From there, if exclude the release configuration exe files (such as pcl_viewer_release.exe), archive size will be 59.2MB. It means that archive contains only library files (*.dll, *.lib and headers).

I kept all executables which are being built, basically tools.

In true honesty, there's no limit whatsoever imposed by GitHub on the size of the binary package. I just noticed the sizes between ours was very different and was curious about the reason.

I also noticed that in your archive you've included both Debug and Release configurations from MSVC. I would say for this is better to make two separate archives. Although, I only uploaded my Release build. 😅

[UnaNancyOwen]

@SergioRAgostinho OK, I replaced the archives that excluded local documents.

[xufangda]

Can anyone provide a PDB package for PCL1.8.1?

[jspricke]

what is a PDB package? Can you provide a link?

[SergioRAgostinho]

Aren't those debug symbols from MSVC?

[UnaNancyOwen]

@xufangda Thank you for trying to debug on Windows!
I uploaded pdb archives to the release page.
Give it a try and please report any problems.

[SergioRAgostinho]

@UnaNancyOwen have a look at this http://www.pcl-users.org/LNK2038-error-when-trying-to-compile-PCL-debug-and-release-mixup-pcl-1-8-0-td4044738.html#a4044755

You're bundling Qt and VTK right? Is QT-VTK not installed by default?

[UnaNancyOwen]

@SergioRAgostinho The pre-built PCL (and VTK) that included in the all-in-one installer has been disabled Qt option. If users want to use it, They need build PCL (and QVTK) from source code.

[SergioRAgostinho]

Is there a technical limitation or something? Aren't you bundling both dependencies in that installer?

[UnaNancyOwen]

@SergioRAgostinho The prebuilt Qt that distributing on the Qt official web doesn't include binaries for some target. (e.g. Qt 5.9.1 package include binaries for msvc2015 x86, x64, and msvc2017 x64. But, It doesn't include msvc2017 x86. I don't know this reason.)
We need to distribute the pre-built PCL with same options for some targets, but Qt makes it difficult.

Also, Qt had not been default supported in PCL 1.6.0 All-in-one Installer.
At that time, Qt (and QVTK) was distributed separately from the all-in-one installer, and users had need build PCL with these libraries from source code yourself.

I think the all-in-one installer does not support to include Qt.
And, That users should be build yourself, if users want to use PCL with Qt.

[SergioRAgostinho]

But, It doesn't include msvc2017 x86. I don't know this reason.
We need to distribute the pre-built PCL with same options for some targets, but Qt makes it difficult.

Providing Qt binaries compiled by yourself is not an option?

[UnaNancyOwen]

@SergioRAgostinho I think it is difficult...
I propose to use Vcpkg instead of All-in-one Installer.
I think that PCL port (under development) of Vcpkg can support the Qt option.
If users want to use PCL with Qt, They can easily install it by executing a simple command with Vcpkg.

vcpkg install pcl:x86-windows

[taketwo]

It's been about two weeks now. Should we cherry-pick some commits from master, tag "rc2" and release in a week or so?

[taketwo]

OK, we have merged 7 PRs since the first RC, here is my proposal:

• Add new gtest path #1920 already cherry-picked
• Fix issue with finding pcl deployed out of path #1923 cherry-pick
• Fix issue #1674 #1926 cherry-pick
• Added CUDA compute capability 5.3 #1929 cherry-pick
• instantiate: remove duplicate macro definition. Fixes #1924. #1925 minor
• Added option to specify translation and rotation convergence deltas in ICP and NDT algorithms. #1724 we may want to revise
• Update Ensenso tutorial for Ensenso X devices #1933 tutorial text

[SergioRAgostinho]

Agree with everything. If it's not too cumbersome I would do the last one, regarding the tutorial update, but it's really optional.

[taketwo]

I've cherry-picked the commits (including tutorial update) and tagged a new RC. Will send a message to the lists.

[SergioRAgostinho]

I just recalled that the changelog is not updated with these last cherry picks. We should do it before the final release.

[taketwo]

Yes. Also the release date.

[UnaNancyOwen]

I just uploaded rc2 binaries.

[taketwo]

There was a question regarding msvc2015 binaries on the mail list. Is it planned?

[UnaNancyOwen]

@taketwo Yes, I have a plan to create PCL All-in-one Installer for msvc2015 when PCL 1.8.1 will be released.

[taketwo]

What about releasing finally? Or are we blocked for an indefinite period by #1949?

[jspricke]

Fine with me. We can still do a new release once it's fixed. Thanks for pushing this!

[UnaNancyOwen]

It is waiting for a reply.
Please wait a little.

[taketwo]

OK, I'll release later today.

[UnaNancyOwen]

@taketwo I changed the milestone of this issue (#1949) to pcl-1.9.0 from pcl-1.8.1, because it seems to take more time to resolve. Ready to release!

[UnaNancyOwen]

I just uploaded PCL 1.8.1 binaries for Windows.