Installation instructions on 'main' points to environment.yaml in the 'develop' branch.

[mayankchetan]

Description

Installation instructions on main points to environment.yaml in the develop branch.

Steps to reproduce issue

I have not come across an issue, but could lead to potential incopatabilties when locking library version in Develop

1. Install WEIS following instructions on README.
2. Do not change branch from main.

eg: these updates in develop (https://github.com/WISDEM/WEIS/blob/394d9223dea784bac68eca7fc9be9f846516f841/environment.yml#L40) could possibly break the WEIS install using main.

Current behavior

Installs libraries from the develop branch, when using main.

https://github.com/WISDEM/WEIS/blob/394d9223dea784bac68eca7fc9be9f846516f841/README.md?plain=1#L50

Expected behavior

The instructions to install WEIS points to the environment.yaml within the same branch.

Instructions could be re-arranged to clone the git repo, and change branch before creating the conda env using the locally available environment.yaml file

Code versions

• Not applicable

[yonghoonlee]

I think if we change orders of some installation procedures, we can use the local copy of environment.yaml file to create conda venv. What do you think @dzalkind ?

E.g.,

git clone https://github.com/WISDEM/WEIS.git
cd WEIS
git checkout branch_name
conda create --name weis-env -f ./environment.yaml
conda activate weis-env
conda install -y petsc4py mpi4py
pip install --no-deps -e . -v

One potential problem can be those who do not have git, though.

[mayankchetan]

@yonghoonlee, This is a great idea! @dzalkind and I briefly spoke about something similar. Going with the assumption that everyone has GIT isnt that bad. The BASH warning when the user doesn't have GIT should point them in the right direction.

[gbarter]

Small comment that you shouldn't assume git is present already, especially on windows. That is one reason to start with the conda environment.

[dzalkind]

Fixed in latest release.