A Tutorial about using ns3 library in a cmake project

1. Introduction to ns3 library

1.1 Introduction

offical website
ns-3 is a discrete-event network simulator for Internet systems, targeted primarily for research and educational use. ns-3 is free, open-source software, licensed under the GNU GPLv2 license, and maintained by a worldwide community.

1.2 Install

ns3 can be directly installed on ubuntu platform. For windows platform, please see 1.5 for installing Linux subsystem
ubuntu 20.04

Make sure that you are on the Home Directory

cd ~

Update the Ubuntu Repo and Existing Applications

sudo apt update
sudo apt -y upgrade

Install Core Dependencies for Build and Compilation

sudo apt install build-essential libsqlite3-dev libboost-all-dev libssl-dev git python3-setuptools castxml

Install Dependencies for NS-3 Python bindings

sudo apt install gir1.2-goocanvas-2.0 gir1.2-gtk-3.0 libgirepository1.0-dev python3-dev python3-gi python3-gi-cairo python3-pip python3-pygraphviz python3-pygccxml

Install Dependencies for NS-3

sudo apt install g++ pkg-config sqlite3 qt5-default mercurial ipython3 openmpi-bin openmpi-common openmpi-doc libopenmpi-dev autoconf cvs bzr unrar gdb valgrind uncrustify doxygen graphviz imagemagick python3-sphinx dia tcpdump libxml2 libxml2-dev cmake libc6-dev libc6-dev-i386 libclang-6.0-dev llvm-6.0-dev automake

Install Additional Python Packages

sudo su 
cd
pip3 install kiwi
exit
cd

Download and Install NS-3 and NetAnim

# download from ns-3 server
wget -c https://www.nsnam.org/releases/ns-allinone-3.33.tar.bz2
# extract tar.bz2
tar -xvjf ns-allinone-3.33.tar.bz2
# go back to home folder
cd
# navigate to ns-3 directory (not the NS-3 all in one)
cd ns-allinone-3.33/ns-3.33/
# Configure the installation
./waf configure --enable-examples 
# Build ns-3 installation
./waf
# to check whether installation was a success
./waf --run hello-simulator

the following steps are optional if you need a visualization tool

# navigate to netanim dir.
cd
cd ns-allinone-3.33/netanim-3.108/
# configure the build
(skip when build for the first time) make clean
# compile the build
# if qmake is not installed, run
sudo apt install qtchooser
# if qt is not installed run
sudo apt-get install qt5-default
# make the animation tool
qmake NetAnim.pro
# build netanim installation
make
# to execute NetAnim 
./NetAnim

ubuntu 16.04

1.3 Library and header file directory

find the build directory

example: /home/${your_user_name}/ns-allinone-3.33/ns-3.33/build/

find the directory containing the dynamic linked libraries

example: /home/${your_user_name}/ns-allinone-3.33/ns-3.33/build/libs/

find the directory containing the header files

example: /home/${your_user_name}/ns-allinone-3.33/ns-3.33/build/ns3/

1.4 Add shared ns3 library directory to .bashrc

cd 
vi .bashrc
i
(scroll down to the bottom of the file and add the following)
export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=${the directory containing the dynamic linked libraries}:$LD_LIBRARY_PATH
(example: export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/home/longhao/ns-allinone-3.33/ns-3.33/build/lib:$LD_LIBRARY_PATH)
:wq
source .bashrc

1.5 Linux subsystem on Windows

how to enable wsl
First check the version of the windows
Search “Turn Windows features on and off” . Check “Windows Subsystem for Linux” and “Virtual Machine Platform”. After applying the change, you need to restart the computer.

Open Microsoft store, search and install a ubuntu distribution

Now you should be able to run the virtural machine by double clicking the icon

You need to set the user name and password upon first login

trouble shooting:

update wsl to wsl 2

2. Eigen library

2.1 Introduction

offical website
Eigen is a C++ template library for linear algebra: matrices, vectors, numerical solvers, and related algorithms.

2.2 Install Eigen library

Step 1: Clone the Eigen source code

cd ${your_source_dir}
git clone https://github.com/LonghaoQian/ns3-cmake-tutorial

Step 2: Build and install Eigen

cd eigen-git-mirror
mkdir build
cd build
cmake ../
sudo make install

if you see the following, the Eigen lib is correctly installed

3. Build project

3.1 Enable vscode remote development

3.2 Clone and open the project

cd 
mkdir source
cd source
git clone https://github.com/LonghaoQian/ns3-cmake-tutorial/edit/master/README.md
cd source/ns3-cmake-tutorial
code .

3.3 Set library path and header file path

open NSlibs.cmake
edit the command: set(NS3_PATH ${directory containing the dynamic linked libraries RELATIVE TO THE PROJECT SOURCE DIRECTORY })
edit the command: set(NS3_HEADER_PATH ${ build directory RELATIVE TO THE PROJECT SOURCE DIRECTORY })
example: set(NS3_PATH ../../ns-allinone-3.33/ns-3.33/build/lib/) and set(NS3_HEADER_PATH ../../ns-allinone-3.33/ns-3.33/build/)
close the save the file

3.4 Resolve include directory error

ns3 header files are not stored in the project directory so we need to add the header folder to vscode project configuration

in vscode, press F1 to call the command line and type: C/C++: Edit Configurations (UI)
add the ns3 build path to the include path

the errors of the header files should go off

3.5 Build the project

cmake -S . -B build -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Debug

cmake --build build

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