Configuring DeveloperZone Projects for compilation

DeveloperZone is a source tree for additional C++ plugins, steppables, and Python bindings that extend CompuCell3D. Because DeveloperZone builds compiled C++ code, the safest workflow is to compile CompuCell3D first and then build DeveloperZone with the same compiler, Python, CMake, VTK, SWIG, and conda environment. This keeps the C++ ABI, Python version, library paths, and Visual Studio or Unix compiler setup consistent between the core CompuCell3D build and your extension modules.

Prerequisite: compile CompuCell3D first

Before configuring DeveloperZone, complete the full CompuCell3D compilation workflow for your platform:

Those pages also describe how to clone the repositories. In this section we assume the source code is under the same location used by the compilation instructions:

  • Linux and macOS: $HOME/src-cc3d

  • Windows: %USERPROFILE%\src-cc3d

Launch Twedit++ from the compile environment

For all platforms, start Twedit++ from a command line where the same conda environment used to compile CompuCell3D is active. Do not start Twedit++ from a different Python environment or from an unrelated desktop shortcut.

If your compile environment is named cc3d-compile, use:

conda activate cc3d-compile
python -m cc3d.twedit5

Some older Linux and macOS instructions use the environment name cc3d_compile instead. If that is the environment you used to compile CompuCell3D, activate that exact environment:

conda activate cc3d_compile
python -m cc3d.twedit5

Windows Visual Studio tools

On Windows, Visual Studio compiler tools must be active in the same console session before launching Twedit++. Start from a regular cmd.exe console, activate the x64 Visual Studio tools for the version you used to compile CompuCell3D, then activate the conda environment and run Twedit++.

For Visual Studio 2015 x64:

call "%ProgramFiles(x86)%\Microsoft Visual Studio 14.0\VC\vcvarsall.bat" x64
conda activate cc3d-compile
python -m cc3d.twedit5

For Visual Studio 2019 x64:

call "%ProgramFiles(x86)%\Microsoft Visual Studio\2019\Community\VC\Auxiliary\Build\vcvars64.bat"
conda activate cc3d-compile
python -m cc3d.twedit5

For Visual Studio 2026 x64:

call "%ProgramFiles%\Microsoft Visual Studio\2026\Community\VC\Auxiliary\Build\vcvars64.bat"
conda activate cc3d-compile
python -m cc3d.twedit5

If you installed a different Visual Studio edition, such as Professional, Enterprise, or BuildTools, adjust the edition folder in the path.

Configure DeveloperZone in Twedit++

In Twedit++ choose CC3D C++ -> DeveloperZone .... This opens the DeveloperZone configuration dialog:

dz_001

Set the fields as follows:

  • CC3D GIT Repository Dir: the CompuCell3D repository root.

  • Build Dir.: a new empty directory where CMake will generate build files - this will be prepopulated automatically but you can override it

  • Windows CMake generator: on Windows, select the Visual Studio generator matching the Visual Studio version used to compile CompuCell3D.

Example paths:

# Linux and macOS
CC3D GIT Repository Dir: $HOME/src-cc3d/CompuCell3D
Build Dir.:              $HOME/src-cc3d/CompuCell3D_dev_zone_build

rem Windows
CC3D GIT Repository Dir: %USERPROFILE%\src-cc3d\CompuCell3D
Build Dir.:              %USERPROFILE%\src-cc3d\CompuCell3D_dev_zone_build

The build directory must be empty when DeveloperZone is configured. If you need to reconfigure from scratch, remove the old build directory or choose a new one.

After filling in the dialog, click Configure. Twedit++ runs CMake using the active conda environment and writes the generated project files to the build directory.

Build DeveloperZone on Linux and macOS

After configuration completes, build and install from the same conda environment:

conda activate cc3d-compile
cd $HOME/src-cc3d/CompuCell3D_dev_zone_build
make
make install

If your compile environment is named cc3d_compile, activate cc3d_compile instead.

Build DeveloperZone on Windows

On Windows, use Visual Studio in Release mode.

Open the generated solution from the DeveloperZone build directory, for example:

%USERPROFILE%\src-cc3d\CompuCell3D_dev_zone_build\DeveloperZone.sln or ``ALL_BUILD``

In Visual Studio:

  • Select the Release configuration.

  • Select the x64 platform.

  • Build ALL_BUILD.

  • Build INSTALL.

You can also build from the same Visual Studio-enabled command prompt:

cd %USERPROFILE%\src-cc3d\CompuCell3D_dev_zone_build
cmake --build . --config Release --target ALL_BUILD
cmake --build . --config Release --target INSTALL

The installed DeveloperZone modules are copied into the same conda environment used for the core CompuCell3D build. This is the intended result: the extension modules are compiled and installed against the same CompuCell3D libraries and Python package that were produced by the main build.