Using conda

SyncroSim allows you to use conda environments to manage all of the software dependencies associated with a SyncroSim Package. You can also use conda environments with custom packages (see the Adding conda environments tutorial). Conda environments are useful for managing dependencies and ensuring that SyncroSim libraries run consistently across different systems.

Installing a SyncroSim package with conda support

If you attempt to install a SyncroSim package that supports conda, and SyncroSim detects that you have not yet installed conda or created the conda environments required by the package, you can follow these steps to install the package and activate conda support.

  1. From File, select Local Packages to open the packages window.
  2. Click Install from Server…, Install from Folder... or Install from File… in the bottom-left corner to install your SyncroSim package.
  3. Once you select the package you wish to install, SyncroSim displays the following pop-up window:

Conda Install window with options to install packages with Miniforge, Miniconda, or packages only

  1. If you select Install Package(s) and Miniconda, then Miniconda will be installed into a folder within your SyncroSim installation. If you select Install Package(s) only, the package will still be installed, but you will not be able to activate conda environments until you install Miniconda. Selecting Cancel will result in cancellation of the package installation altogether.
  2. If you selected Install Package(s) and Miniconda in the previous step, once the Miniconda Installer finishes, the following pop-up will be displayed in SyncroSim Studio:

Conda Environment window asking whether to create conda environments, with Yes and No buttons

  1. If you select Yes, then the conda environment(s) required to run the package will be created. Note that this will take a few minutes. If you select No, the package will still be installed, but you will not be able to activate conda until you create the necessary conda environments. Selecting Cancel will result in cancellation of the package installation altogether.
  2. Once you have installed Miniconda and created the conda environments for a package, SyncroSim will not ask you to go through these set-up steps again.

Adding conda support to an installed package

If the package is already installed, follow these steps to turn conda environments on in SyncroSim Studio:

  1. Navigate to File > Local Packages to open the packages window.
  2. Enable the Conda checkbox for the SyncroSim package.

Local Packages window with the Conda checkbox for a package highlighted

  1. If you have not previously installed Miniconda or created the necessary conda environments for the given SyncroSim package (e.g., during installation of the SyncroSim package), then you will be prompted to do so now.

Using a custom conda installation

If you have a conda installation that you would like to use with SyncroSim (i.e., Miniconda or Anaconda) rather than installing conda through SyncroSim, you can use the following steps to point SyncroSim to your existing conda installation:

  1. When installing a SyncroSim package that uses conda environments, select No when prompted to install Miniconda. The package will still be installed and usable without conda environments.
  2. From File, select Settings to open the Settings window.
  3. Under Conda installation folder, change the text to the proper system location or select Browse… to browse through your system files for the conda installation folder.
  4. Once you have set the custom conda installation folder, when you enable Conda for a SyncroSim package from File > Local Packages, you will be prompted to create the necessary conda environments for the package.

Settings window with the Conda installation folder field and Browse button

  1. Select Yes to create the new environment(s) using your configured conda installation. If you select No or Cancel, then Conda will remain disabled.

Turning conda on and off for a library

Even if you have the conda environment set up for a package, you can still turn conda on or off for a library. This can be useful if you want to run a library in the base environment. To turn conda on or off for a library:

  1. Open the library settings by right-clicking the library in the Explorer and selecting Open (or choose File > Library Datafeeds).
  2. Navigate to the System > Options > General tab.
  3. In the Model run section, select the Use conda checkbox to turn conda on, or deselect the checkbox to turn conda off.

Library System Options General tab with the Use conda checkbox selected under Model run