FDS 5 Beta Release

["Kevin McGrattan" <kevin.mcgrattan@nist.gov>]

All

I sent out an email about a month ago to inform you of an impending beta test, sometime during the NCAA basketball tourney here in 
the US.  We just barely made it.  As always, there are just so many things that need to be put in order before a release, even a 
test release.  Some of you have already figured out for yourselves where we are uploading new materials on SourceForge.  Good 
hacking.

Those of you who are interested in beta testing the new FDS 5 should go to http://fds-sv.sourceforge.net/   This is our new web page 
(the old one for FDS 4 is still there, so that current users can still find materials).  At the new site, follow the link under "How 
to aquire the latest versions ..."   You're on your own from there.  Everything is being tested -- FDS, Smokeview, the manuals, the 
web page, the support procedures, everything.  We're still just a handful of people developing and supporting FDS/Smokeview, and in 
order to make progress, we have to better automate just about everything we do.  So please let us know if something is easy or 
hard -- is it easy to update your version of FDS/SV?  Are you able to post questions, or get information?

Windows users will notice that FDS 5 is being installed under "c:\Program Files\" like most other software.  Mac users will notice 
that there is now a similar self-extracting set up program like the one for Windows.  Linux users are still pretty much left to 
their own devices as to where to put things.  We assume that typical Linux users would quibble with our set-up anyway.

Each installation comes with manuals in the Documentation folder.  Under Windows, these manuals now appear on the main program menu. 
FDS is still a command line application, in the absence of any third party Graphical User Interface, but check the User's Guide for 
a slightly different command line procedure.  Smokeview can be invoked from the main menu.  We've also included a set of 
"Verification" cases in a folder off the main installation directory.  These cases are very important -- in FDS 5, we're emphasizing 
V&V more than ever before.  For the beta test, we want you to first run a sampling of these Verification cases.  Many are discussed 
in the FDS Verification Guide.  These cases test basic features of FDS, and will provide a means of demonstrating which features are 
working, and which are not.  Too often, FDS users report problems with enormous input files, so large that we cannot figure out the 
problem.  Also, we find that many first time users are now "skipping" the somewhat tedious process of running little test cases to 
make sure the code is working right.  Just because FDS/SV is now widely used does not mean that it is bug-free.  In fact, in FDS 5, 
we have had to make major changes to many parts of the code, and we expect lots of minor problems to pop up.  This is the whole 
point of the beta test.  We want to fix the simple bugs now, so that when we go to a full release we do not have to change the 
version on a daily basis.  This is time-consuming for us, and disruptive for you.  So let's all pitch in now so that we can issue a 
very stable 5.0, the sooner the better.

Beta testers should report problems or ask questions via the "Support Requests" button under "Tracker" on the SourceForge FDS/SV 
page.  DO NOT SEND BUG REPORTS DIRECTLY TO US.  Use the SourceForge utilities.  It's all part of the test.   We all have to get used 
to this new way of working.  Calling Kevin or Glenn or Bryan is not going to work any more.  Sorry, it's not that we don't want to 
talk to you.  It's just that we can't get anything done if we're on the phone all day. Or responding to email.  SourceForge has many 
powerful features that allow you to check if someone has had the same problem as you, or if you've stumbled across a "Confirmed 
Bug".  By the way, do not use Tracker--> Confirmed Bugs to report a bug.  That list is for our use.

When you report a bug to "Support Requests," include your name, organization, and a URL if you want to be added to the list of beta 
testers.  You are an essential part of making FDS/SV a reliable tool, and we want you to be recognized.  We appreciate the time and 
effort (and ultimately, money) that users contribute to the program.  This is the only way that we can continue to develop and 
maintain it with very limited resources.

There are still a number of issues that we have not resolved in FDS.  Smokeview is in fairly decent shape.  The "restart" feature in 
FDS is not working properly yet.  Various other features like fan curves, leaks, and so on, have been implemented, but not 
rigorously tested.  We are going to continually add Verification cases to the repository on SourceForge, many of which we assume 
will come from the beta testers.

OK, enough for now.  Test everything.  If you are having serious problems with something (like SourceForge itself), email 
bryan.klein@nist.gov .  But try as much as possible to exercise the support features.  Also, there are procedures on SourceForge to 
keep you apprised of news and tidbits.  Keep up with this.  I'll use the "fdsusers" email list only for important announcements. 
You get enough spam already without me adding to it.

Kevin


Kevin McGrattan
National Institute of Standards and Technology
100 Bureau Drive, Mail Stop 8663
Gaithersburg MD 20899
Phone: 301 975 2712
Fax:       301 975 4052