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Intel oneAPI and Toolkits The fast path to performant, production-ready AI

With the release of the 2024.2 Intel® Software Development Tools, developers can more easily deliver high-performance AI applications (and HPC, too) with faster time-to-solution, increased hardware choice, and improved reliability.

Powered by oneAPI, the tools are based on open standards and broad coverage for C++, OpenMP, SYCL, Fortran, and Python.

Intel Parallel Universe Magazine Issue #57

In this issue:

  • AI PC Brings Larger LLM Development to Your Desk
  • Low-Bit Quantized Open LLM Leaderboard
  • Enterprise AI Art Exhibition at Intel Vision 2024
  • Accelerating GGUF Models with Transformers
  • Run LLMs on Intel® GPUs Using llama.cpp
  • Accelerate Simulations and Backpropagation with Python* and C++ Analytics
  • Accelerate Memory-Bandwidth-Bound Kernels Using the Intel® Data Streaming Accelerator (Intel® DSA)

Intel Parallel Universe Magazine Issue #56

In this issue:

plusFORT V8.04B is released

19 April 2024.

  • GXCHK false positives with module variables renamed in USE statement fixed.
  • Relocation of FORMAT statement using item 49 of SPAG configuration did not happen as expected when FMT= keyword was used in I/O statement.
  • Isolated FORMAT statements between RETURN and END statements could interfere with dispatch loop generation.
  • Combination of INTERFACE blocks and internal subprograms could cause SPAG to insert incorrect subprogram name in END statement.
  • SPAG could incorrectly attach implicit type to an EXTERNAL subprogram received as a dummy argument, and not used except as an actual argument.

Winteracter – New Version 16.0




13.03.2024: Winteracter version 16.0 is now available.

This release delivers a cross section of new features and improvements to both the library and the supplied tools. New feature highlights include:

  • 3D modelling : Support for Wavefront Object (OBJ) files, isosurface creation via the marching cubes algorithm, facet/part picking …
  • Presentation graphics : Column plots, data set limits dynamically selectable, style selection expanded …
  • Grids : Radio button columns, additional bookmark and sorting options …
  • Dialogs : Runtime control over field position/size
  • WiDE : Selective optimisation and improved compiler configuration on Linux/Mac
  • Resource editor : New “clone fields” and “resize image” options
  • Documentation : Much faster searching on Linux/Mac

For further details, see the v16.0 announcement on ISS’ web site. As always, upgrades are available from any previous version, see our Winteracter product page. Upgrades can be ordered in our webshop or via our email.

plusFORT Version 8.04a released

Feb 2024:

  • Windows and MacOS executable files are now digitally signed by a  globally recognised signing authority. This ensures that programs are not altered or corrupted, and should reduce the incidence of warnings from security programs like Microsoft’s Smartscreen, making installation much more straightforward.
  • SPAG did not recognise the use of array constructors using square brackets in assignment statements.
  • Added support for Fortran 2003 ASSOCIATE construct.
  • Added support for named ASSOCIATE, FORALL and WHERE constructs.
  • GXCHK could get confused by COMMON variables inherited by a CONTAINed subprogram.
  • New Samples folder in the installation directory contains sample codes and instructions for exercising plusFORT functions, including static analysis, dynamic anslysis and coverage analysis.

A log of other recent changes can be viewed here. 

4th of December 2023:

plusFORT Version 8 – Gets rid of ALL GOTOs

Version 8 is the biggest ever update, and it’s now free for personal, educational and academic users working on non-commercial projects.  Just head to this page and enter your details to receive a free licence.  Commercial users can go here to download a fully functional free trial version.  Existing users with current maintenance can get their update here.
With the release of version 8, we are going to have the first price increase for commercial licences in almost a decade.  The bad news is that it will be quite a big increase, but the good news is that it will not take effect until January 6th 2024.  This provides an opportunity for commercial and  government agency users to buy the new version at old prices. You may also buy maintenance (for multiple years in advance if required). To take advantage, please be sure to send your PO, or visit our online shop, and complete your purchase before the end of the year 2023.

Version 8 Changes

SPAG uses structure templates to unscramble spaghetti code.  In earlier versions, there were three major templates:

  • Block IF statements
  • DO loops with EXIT and CYCLE
  • Single statement code replication

Version 8 adds two new templates which allow it to remove all GOTOs in even the most convoluted code. These are:

  • Dispatch loops. SPAG identifies separately addressable code blocks (block 1, block 2 etc.), and relocates them into a SELECT CASE construct for execution in the correct sequence, under control of a dispatch loop.
  • Internal Subroutines. SPAG identifies separately addressable code blocks, and relocates them into internal subroutines. Blocks are invoked in the correct order using CALL statements, and the calls may be recursive.

These two new templates provide alternative ways to express the same control flow. SPAG allows you to select either one, but the default is to use internal subroutines in simpler cases, where there is no recursion, and dispatch loops otherwise. In practice, internal subroutines are a natural way to express many simple cases, for example where a code fragment is used to tidy up before exiting a subprogram. Conversely, dispatch loops keep a strict cap on the complexity of more complex codes.

Examples may be found in section 2.7.1 of the plusFORT manual.

  • Version 8 benefits from a major internal upgrade which removes a long-standing limitation to SPAG’s symbolic analysis, allowing it to “look ahead”, and reliably identify the characteristics of subprograms with and without explicit interfaces. This change has knock-on effects throughout SPAG and GXCHK, for example in improved reporting and error detection. It also enables new functionality both in this release and in the future.
  • SPAG’s prescan, which allows it re-order input files so that MODULES are processed before code that uses them without the use of makefiles or external props, has been extended and improved.
  • SPAG now uses the standard ISO_FORTRAN_ENV module to allow it to translate legacy non-standard types, such as INTEGER*1 and REAL*8, to standard Fortran. This supersedes and improves upon the previous treatment using the proprietary F77KINDS module.
  • By default, SPAG now inserts a PROGRAM statement at the beginning of code with no subprogram statement, and adds an invented name to un-named BLOCK DATA subprograms.
  • SPAG switches to “module-maker” mode when an INCLUDE file (no subprogram or END statement) is encountered.
  • Numerous bug fixes.
  • Manual updated to revision P.

plusFORT Version 7.60 (released Feb 23) – Fortran 2003 and More

  • Initial support for Fortran 2003. SPAG now supports input and output of Fortran 2003 syntax, including the object oriented programming features.  There are some known limitations (documented in the READ.ME file).
  • Revised code indentation scheme for free format source form output. Outdenting for subprograms, CONTAINS and END statements, and optional indenting for executable code relative to declarations.
  • SPAG can now distinguish automatically between the traditional fixed form (72 characters, sequence numbers in columns 73-80), from the VAX source form (with TABs and longer records).
  • The default values for several SPAG configuration options have been changed.
  • Various bug fixes and minor cosmetic improvements to restructured code.
  • Manual updated to revision M.

Intel Parallel Universe Magazine #53

Released (July ’23)

Intel’s quarterly magazine helps you take your software development into the future with the latest tools, tips, and training to expand your expertise.
Articles in this issue (#53):

You’ll find the magazine here (it’s free).

New version 8.95 released (Jan 2nd 2023)

For details see Silverfrosts’ FTN95 revision history.

Updates can be purchased from us. Click here.
Please specify your S/N when ordering.

Intel® Fortran 2023

Dec 16th 2022

oneAPI 2023 has been released with plug-in support for NVIDIA* and AMD*.

https://developer.codeplay.com/products/oneapi/nvidia/home

https://developer.codeplay.com/products/oneapi/amd/home/

Follow the link below to see where Fortran is heading…

https://community.intel.com/t5/Blogs/Tech-Innovation/Tools/The-Next-Chapter-for-the-Intel-Fortran-Compiler/post/1439297

https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/newsroom/news/oneapi-2023-tools-maximize-value-intel-hardware.html

Lahey ceased trading Dec 31st 2022

LF licenses and support for LF Fortran will no longer be available in 2023.
For those customers who have re-installed their LF licence and who need a product activation, Lahey has provided a webpage with instructions:

http://www.lahey.com/Activations.htm

Absoft ceased trading August 2022

September 2022 – they are in support mode only. Support will be online only but will include downloadable service packs and access to electronic packages as needed so existing customers can get any service packs they desire.

Winteracter – New Version 15.0

22.4.2022: Winteracter, the Fortran GUI toolset, turns 25 this year. To coincide with this landmark, version 15.0 is now available.

As always, the latest release adds a broad cross section of new features and improvements to both the library and the supplied tools. New features include:

  • Windows 11 tested and supported
  • Intel’s “ifx” added to the officially supported Fortran compilers
  • Presentation graphics enhancements, including combined 2D/3D contour/surface plots
  • Shaded fills faster in Xlib output and supported for the first time in PostScript
  • Two new graphical input routines for use with OpenGL
  • Directory selector upgraded on Linux/Mac
  • Updated Application Wizard
  • Clean up old Winteracter-based code with the new obsolete feature checker
  • Send email via system mail client on Linux or Mac
  • and more …

For further details, see the v15.0 announcement on ISS’ web site.

Winteracter – New Version 14.1

9.2.2021: Version 14.10 adds some minor functionality to 14.0 and offers updated compiler support:

  • NVIDIA Fortran supported for the first time, on Linux.
  • Intel Fortran Compiler Classic (part of Intel’s oneAPI HPC Toolkit) now supported, as of 14.0b.
  • GNU gfortran 10 tested on all of Windows, Linux and Mac.
  • Control over tooltip durations.
  • Grid column/row label button press reporting.
  • Information from the X/Winteracter Getting Started Guide merged into the main documentation.
  • Configuration advice re Visual Studio 2019 with Intel Fortran Compiler Classic.
  • A version of the OpenGL ‘dino’ demo added, illustrating use of tesselators.

Registered users who hold a 14.0 licence will receive 14.10 licence emails shortly. As always, upgrades are available from earlier versions. Please check our Winteracter product page or email us .

Intel® oneAPI – New Toolkits for Multi-Platform Developers

Intel plans to release the Intel® oneAPI Toolkits on 8th of December 2020. oneAPI is an open, unified programming model built on standards to simplify development and deployment of data-centric workloads across CPUs, GPUs, FPGAs and other accelerators.
Extract the most application performance on multiple types of Intel® architecture by using advanced, cross-architecture software development tools from Intel.

Add the Toolkit of your choice to the Intel oneAPI Base Toolkit.

Intel® oneAPI HPC Toolkit
Intel® oneAPI IoT Toolkit
Intel® oneAPI Rendering Toolkit

Polyhedron is an Intel Software Elite Reseller

The Intel® oneAPI product family includes:

  • Industry-leading compilers
  • Performance libraries
  • Analyzer and debugger tools
  • Domain-specific toolkits, including libraries and accelerated workload tools

Intel® oneAPI is the successor of Intel Parallel Studio XE (IPSXE) and contains all the tools that are part of IPSXE. IPSXE will still be available until the end of the year. Owners of IPSXE with active support will have the opportunity to upgrade to Intel® oneAPI. See our webpage “Upgrade Intel® Parallel Studio XE To Intel® oneAPI” to get the details.

Download the Intel Parallel Universe Magazine # 45 to learn more on Intel® oneAPI.

Download earlier versions of Intel Parallel Universe magazine

Winteracter V14.0, a GUI Toolset for Fortran programmers for 32/64-bit Windows, 64-bit Linux and 64-bit MacOS, has just been released. Many new features, for example:

  • Grid controls upgraded
  • Check boxes in treeviews
  • Undo in editor windows and WED on X
  • Shape/fill routines overhauled
  • Multi-resolution and PNG-compressed ICO/CUR file support
  • Improved CGM metafile support
  • and much more …

Please email for more information/prices.

Absoft Pro Fortran – New Version 2021

Nov. 2020: Absoft Pro Fortran 2021 provides a complete 64 and 32 bit Windows & Linux Fortran compiler solution and supports mixed language development by interfacing with the Microsoft Visual Studio and Windows SDK C/C++ compilers.

New in Pro Fortran 2021 for Windows and Linux

  • Parallel LAPACK and BLAS
  • Lapack 3.9.0
  • GINO Lite 9.0
  • AbsoftTools enhancements
  • Performance Enhancementsor

OS X Pro Fortran for 2021

Absoft Pro Fortran 2021 provides a complete 64-bit macOS & OS X Fortran compiler solution and supports mixed language development by interfacing with Apple’s Xcode C/C++ compiler.

New in Pro Fortran 2021

  • Full  compatibility with macOS Big Sur (11.0)
  • Parallel LAPACK and BLAS libraries
  • AbsoftTools enhancements
  • Performance improvements
  • LAPACK 3.9 libraries

New V8.61 released

13th February 2020: With Silverfrost FTN95: Fortran for Windows you can create console based, conventional Windows® and Microsoft .NET applications. Silverfrost FTN95 is the only compiler that can produce Microsoft .NET applications that can use the full Fortran 95 language. Silverfrost FTN95 also boasts its world leading CHECKMATE run-time checking technology that finds bugs fast!

FTN95 Features
Silverfrost FTN95 is a full Fortran 95 standards compliant compiler, capable of producing fast executables for Win32, Win64, and for Microsoft .NET. FTN95 ships with the world’s best runtime checking and a great range of supporting software. All standard and many vendor-specific legacy language features are supported, so that Fortran projects may be any combination of Fortran 77, Fortran 90 and Fortran 95.

Intel Parallel Studio XE 2020

Released Dec 2019 What’s New in 2020

Modernize Code for Performance, Scalability, and Portability

  • Write applications that scale with improved parallel performance on the latest Intel® Xeon® and Intel® Core™ processors using Intel® Advanced Vector Extensions 512 (Intel® AVX-512) instructions.
  • Vectorize and thread your code using OpenMP* to take advantage of the latest SIMD-enabled hardware, including Intel AVX-512.
  • Speed up AI inferencing with compilers from Intel, Intel® Performance Libraries, and analysis tools that support Intel® Deep Learning Boost with Vector Neural Network Instructions (VNNI) in 2nd generation Intel® Xeon® Scalable processors.
  • Develop for large memories of up to 512 GB DIMMs with persistence. Identify, optimize, and tune Intel platforms for Intel® Optane™ DC persistent memory using Intel® VTune™ Profiler.
  • Use extended coarse-grain profiling with platform-level collection and analysis in Intel VTune Profiler to understand and optimize platform configuration for applications.
  • Perform cache simulation insights for vectorization with roofline analysis for L1, L2, L3, and DRAM in Intel® Advisor.
  • Support for the HPC cloud helps you take advantage of the AWS* Parallel Cluster* and AWS Elastic Fabric Adapter for low-latency, high-bandwidth communications for MPI applications with the Intel® MPI Library.
  • Stay up to date with the latest standards and integrated development environments (IDE):
    • Full C++ 2017 support with initial C++20 support
    • Full Fortran 2008 and expanded Fortran 2018
    • Python 3.7 support
    • Full OpenMP 4.5 and initial OpenMP 5.0 draft
    • Microsoft Visual Studio* 2019 integration
  • Supports an additional operating system: Amazon Linux 2*.

Winteracter – New Version 13


Winteracter

Interactive Software Services (ISS) have released V13 of their GUI Toolset for Fortran programming with compilers that support Fortran 90 or above.

  • Create GUI based applications using Fortran 9x/200x
  • GUI controls based on native Windows/Motif components
  • Totally Fortran based, no mixed language programming
  • No low level API access required
  • Visual tools simplify GUI design
  • Meaningful names make code easier to read/maintain
  • Mature platform-independent graphics
  • Substantial operating system interface
  • Numerous graphics hardcopy/export formats supported
  • Royalty-free distribution of Winteracter-based programs
  • Free technical support by email

New: plusFORT V7.25 now with 64-bit support.
A multi-purpose set of tools for analyzing and improving Fortran programs. Version 7.25 is the first fully 64 bit version of plusFORT, and in consequence, only 64 bit versions of Windows, Linux and MacOS are supported. In addition, PFFE, the plusFORT graphical user interface has been substantially upgraded, and now supports context sensitive help for all configuration options.

Winteracter V12

New – Winteracter V12.0 – a GUI toolset for the Fortran programming language including various visual development tools and a substantial subroutine library. Available for Windows, Linux and Mac. Each licence now includes libraries for all currently supported compilers on the corresponding platform. Both 32 and 64-bit support included.

New! Absoft Pro Fortran 2019

Build Faster Code Faster

Pro Fortran 2019 combines performance and features not available from any other Fortran vendor.

  • Industry-leading performance
  • Robust, parallel, scalable code
  • Easy-to-use, Fortran/C IDE or command prompt, speeds development
  • AWE Fortran application framework, HPC, Data Access and Math Libraries
  • 2D/3D Graphics
  • Windows, OS X, and Linux have the same look, feel and functionality
  • Dynamic, mixed floating licenses available
  • Industry’s best tech support includes live phone technicians
  • Optional IMSL Numerical Libraries bundles available (please inquire)

Windows Bonus – GINO GUI Lite a $395 value – Included FREE!

Intel Parallel Studio XE 2019

Code New Breakthroughs in Software Performance

  • Create faster code: Boost application performance that scales on current and future Intel platforms.
  • Build code faster: Simplify the process of creating parallel code.

This comprehensive suite of development tools makes it simpler to build and modernize code with the latest techniques in vectorization, multithreading, multinode parallelization, and memory optimization. It enables C, C++, Fortran, and Python* software developers to: