Cannot build with dynamic runtime support (using ifx.exe)

[sykde]

Hello,

I understand that the library can only be compiled with dynamic runtime support using the Intel Fortran compiler. However, compilation fails when using ifx.exe (which is currently the only available Intel Fortran compiler) under Windows 11 (23H2, Version 10.0.22631 Build 22631).
The command used is:

cmake .. -DREFPROP_DYNAMIC_RUNTIME=ON -G "Visual Studio 17 2022" -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release -DREFPROP_X8664=ON -DCMAKE_Fortran_COMPILER="C:/Program Files (x86)/Intel/oneAPI/compiler/latest/bin/ifx.exe"

The output of cmake is:

-- The Fortran compiler identification is unknown
Intel(R) Fortran Compiler for applications running on Intel(R) 64, Version 2025.0.4 Build 20241205
Copyright (C) 1985-2024 Intel Corporation. All rights reserved.

-- Detecting Fortran compiler ABI info
-- Detecting Fortran compiler ABI info - failed
-- Check for working Fortran compiler: C:/Program Files (x86)/Intel/oneAPI/compiler/latest/bin/ifx.exe
-- Check for working Fortran compiler: C:/Program Files (x86)/Intel/oneAPI/compiler/latest/bin/ifx.exe - broken
CMake Error at C:/Program Files/CMake/share/cmake-3.31/Modules/CMakeTestFortranCompiler.cmake:59 (message):
  The Fortran compiler

    "C:/Program Files (x86)/Intel/oneAPI/compiler/latest/bin/ifx.exe"

  is not able to compile a simple test program.

  It fails with the following output:

    Change Dir: 'C:/Users/desyk/source/repos/REFPROP-cmake/build/CMakeFiles/CMakeScratch/TryCompile-haf7ru'

    Run Build Command(s): "C:/Program Files/Microsoft Visual Studio/2022/Enterprise/Common7/IDE/devenv.com" CMAKE_TRY_COMPILE.sln /build Debug /project cmTC_19338

    Microsoft Visual Studio 2022 Version 17.13.2.
    Copyright (C) Microsoft Corp. All rights reserved.
    Build started at 19:01...
    1>Error: Error HRESULT E_FAIL has been returned from a call to a COM component.
    ========== Build: 0 succeeded, 1 failed, 0 up-to-date, 0 skipped ==========
    ========== Build completed at 19:01 and took 01.025 seconds ==========





  CMake will not be able to correctly generate this project.
Call Stack (most recent call first):
  CMakeLists.txt:3 (enable_language)


-- Configuring incomplete, errors occurred!

Building with MinGW under Windows (by setting the cmake target to -G "MinGW Makefiles") succeeds. Interestingly, compiling with a cmake target of -G "MinGW Makefiles" using MinGW C/C++ compilers and the Intel Fortran compiler produces an error different than the one above.
Command:

cmake .. -DREFPROP_DYNAMIC_RUNTIME=ON -G "MinGW Makefiles" -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release -DREFPROP_X8664=ON -DCMAKE_Fortran_COMPILER="C:/Program Files (x86)/Intel/oneAPI/compiler/latest/bin/ifx.exe"

Output:

[...] // C/C++ related stuff
-- The Fortran compiler identification is unknown
Intel(R) Fortran Compiler for applications running on Intel(R) 64, Version 2025.0.4 Build 20241205
Copyright (C) 1985-2024 Intel Corporation. All rights reserved.

-- Detecting Fortran compiler ABI info
-- Detecting Fortran compiler ABI info - failed
-- Check for working Fortran compiler: C:/Program Files (x86)/Intel/oneAPI/compiler/latest/bin/ifx.exe
-- Check for working Fortran compiler: C:/Program Files (x86)/Intel/oneAPI/compiler/latest/bin/ifx.exe - broken
CMake Error at C:/Program Files/CMake/share/cmake-3.31/Modules/CMakeTestFortranCompiler.cmake:59 (message):
  The Fortran compiler

    "C:/Program Files (x86)/Intel/oneAPI/compiler/latest/bin/ifx.exe"

  is not able to compile a simple test program.

  It fails with the following output:

    Change Dir: 'C:/Users/desyk/source/repos/REFPROP-cmake/build/CMakeFiles/CMakeScratch/TryCompile-ezbq56'

    Run Build Command(s): "C:/Program Files/CMake/bin/cmake.exe" -E env VERBOSE=1 C:/MinGW/bin/mingw32-make.exe -f Makefile cmTC_45051/fast
    C:/MinGW/bin/mingw32-make.exe  -f CMakeFiles\cmTC_45051.dir\build.make CMakeFiles/cmTC_45051.dir/build
    mingw32-make.exe[1]: Entering directory 'C:/Users/desyk/source/repos/REFPROP-cmake/build/CMakeFiles/CMakeScratch/TryCompile-ezbq56'
    Building Fortran object CMakeFiles/cmTC_45051.dir/testFortranCompiler.f.obj
    C:\PROGRA~2\Intel\oneAPI\compiler\latest\bin\ifx.exe    -c C:\Users\desyk\source\repos\REFPROP-cmake\build\CMakeFiles\CMakeScratch\TryCompile-ezbq56\testFortranCompiler.f -o CMakeFiles\cmTC_45051.dir\testFortranCompiler.f.obj
    Intel(R) Fortran Compiler for applications running on Intel(R) 64, Version 2025.0.4 Build 20241205
    Copyright (C) 1985-2024 Intel Corporation. All rights reserved.

    Linking Fortran executable cmTC_45051.exe
    "C:\Program Files\CMake\bin\cmake.exe" -E cmake_link_script CMakeFiles\cmTC_45051.dir\link.txt --verbose=1
    C:\PROGRA~2\Intel\oneAPI\compiler\latest\bin\ifx.exe CMakeFiles/cmTC_45051.dir/testFortranCompiler.f.obj -o cmTC_45051.exe
    Intel(R) Fortran Compiler for applications running on Intel(R) 64, Version 2025.0.4 Build 20241205
    Copyright (C) 1985-2024 Intel Corporation. All rights reserved.

    ifx: error #10037: could not find 'link'
    CMakeFiles\cmTC_45051.dir\build.make:100: recipe for target 'cmTC_45051.exe' failed
    mingw32-make.exe[1]: *** [cmTC_45051.exe] Error -1
    mingw32-make.exe[1]: Leaving directory 'C:/Users/desyk/source/repos/REFPROP-cmake/build/CMakeFiles/CMakeScratch/TryCompile-ezbq56'
    Makefile:133: recipe for target 'cmTC_45051/fast' failed
    mingw32-make.exe: *** [cmTC_45051/fast] Error 2

Am I doing something wrong? Please let me know if more details are necessary.

[ibell]

On windows, the recommended approach, and the only one tested, is to use Visual Studio and Intel Fortran integration

[sykde]

Hello Mr. Bell,

I expected that to be the case, but thought the different error message that is thrown when using a mix of MinGW and Intel Fortran might offer some insight as to why the cmake build fails. I still haven't had any success creating the Visual Studio solution using the Intel Fortran compiler (ifx.exe).
Please note that the classic Intel Fortran compiler (ifort.exe) is deprecated and can no longer be downloaded (https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/docs/fortran-compiler/developer-guide-reference/2025-0/overview.html), so I can't test it.

[pkeutelian]

In case it's helpful, I found that doing the recommended path required a very specific install sequence of the tools. I don't understand why, but when installed in a handful of different orders I ran into the same issue as @sykde. Here was the sequence that worked for me (on Windows 11 x64 24H2 26100.4946, REFPROP 10.0, VS 2022, Python 3.13, Intel Fortran 2025.2.0.535):

0. Uninstall everything
1. Install Python, then six, then numpy
2. Install CMake
3. Install VS Build Tools or Visual Studio 2022
4. Install the Intel Fortran compiler, this one is the only one whose order is obvious to me because it alerts you during installation that it needs to be installed basically last in order to integrate with VS.
5. In the cloned repo: Modify the CMakeLists.txt in the root folder on line 6 to say "find_package (Python COMPONENTS Interpreter Development) instead of find_package (PythonInterp) (source: https://cmake.org/cmake/help/latest/module/FindPython.html#module:FindPython)
6. Modify every instance of PYTHON_EXECUTABLE to Python_EXECUTABLE
7. Open the Intel oneAPI command prompt for Intel 64 and Visual Studio 2022 terminal as admin
8. Go to build folder, then run: cmake .. -DREFPROP_DYNAMIC_RUNTIME=ON -G "Visual Studio 17 2022" -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release -DCMAKE_Fortran_COMPILER="C:/Program Files (x86)/Intel/oneAPI/compiler/latest/bin/ifx.exe"
9. Then run: cmake --build . --config Release

I hope this helps!