- Default format is now XML binary (base64) instead of legacy format.
The old -xml option is redundant and ignored.
The new -legacy option can be used to force legacy output instead.
- Polyhedral decomposition is now off by default (old -poly is ignored).
The option -poly-decomp forces decomposition of polyhedrals into
primitive shapes.
- reduced memory footprint by reading and converting fields
successively.
- Creation of symlinks to processor files is no longer required or
desired. The old -noLinks option is ignored.
- Ignore -useTimeName option. Always number according to timeIndex.
- parallel list output for foamVtkOutput
- simplified '.series' file output
- beginDataArray() method instead of openDataArray() + closeTag()
since this seems to be the most common use anyhow.
With an optional argument for leaving the tag open, this works the
same as openDataArray() which may be deprecated in the future.
- begin/end methods for CellData, PointData, FieldData (commonly used)
- templating parameters for file headers, content version,
legacy fields. This improves coding robustness and convenience of use.
- use formatter and higher-level methods for legacy output
- attribute quoting character now part of the formatter itself
instead of as an argument for xmlAttr().
Toggle with quoting() method.
- pair-wise processing of xml attributes, which also allows them to be
passed as optional entries when creating an xml tag.
- xmlComment with multiple arguments
- naming similar to objectRegistry, with unambiguous resolution.
The lookup() methods have different return types depending on the
calling parameter.
STYLE: use IOobjectListTemplates.C for implementations
- previously included as local definition within IOobjectList.C,
but will be adding more templated methods soon.
- adjust parameters (eg, matchName instead of matcher) to show their
function
ENH: handle objectRegistry::names<void>(...)
- this is equivalent to no Type restriction, and can be used when
filtering names. Eg,
obr.names<void>(wordRe..);
- handle tmp fields in interpolate methods
- special method interpolateInternal() for creating a volume field
with zero-gradient treatment for patches from an internal field.
This method was previously also called interpolate(), but that
masked the ability to subset the internal field only.
Ensight output needs the volume field:
uses interpolateInternal().
VTK output has separate handling of internal and patch fields:
uses interpolate().
ENH: added fvMeshSubset mesh() method for baseMesh or subMesh.
- simplies coding when the fvMeshSubset may or may not be in active use.
ENH: update foamToEnsight to use newer methods in wrapped form
- static interpolate functions with renaming for manual use with
fvMeshSubset (when fvMeshSubsetProxy may be too limiting in
functionality)
- instead of dict.lookup(name) >> val;
can use dict.readEntry(name, val);
for checking of input token sizes.
This helps catch certain types of input errors:
{
key1 ; // <- Missing value
key2 1234 // <- Missing ';' terminator
key3 val;
}
STYLE: readIfPresent() instead of 'if found ...' in a few more places.
General:
* -roots, -hostRoots, -fileHandler
Specific:
* -to <coordinateSystem> -from <coordinateSystem>
- Display -help-compat when compatibility or ignored options are available
STYLE: capitalization of options text
- simplifies usage.
Support syncPar check on names() to detect inconsistencies.
- simplify readFields, ReadFields and other routines by using these
new methods.
- the API-versioned calls (eg, tecini142, teczne142, tecpoly142, tecend142),
the limited availability of the SDK and lack of adequate testing make
proper maintenance very difficult.
- when constructing dimensioned fields that are to be zero-initialized,
it is preferrable to use a form such as
dimensionedScalar(dims, Zero)
dimensionedVector(dims, Zero)
rather than
dimensionedScalar("0", dims, 0)
dimensionedVector("zero", dims, vector::zero)
This reduces clutter and also avoids any suggestion that the name of
the dimensioned quantity has any influence on the field's name.
An even shorter version is possible. Eg,
dimensionedScalar(dims)
but reduces the clarity of meaning.
- NB: UniformDimensionedField is an exception to these style changes
since it does use the name of the dimensioned type (instead of the
regIOobject).
Improve alignment of its behaviour with std::unique_ptr
- element_type typedef
- release() method - identical to ptr() method
- get() method to get the pointer without checking and without releasing it.
- operator*() for dereferencing
Method name changes
- renamed rawPtr() to get()
- renamed rawRef() to ref(), removed unused const version.
Removed methods/operators
- assignment from a raw pointer was deleted (was rarely used).
Can be convenient, but uncontrolled and potentially unsafe.
Do allow assignment from a literal nullptr though, since this
can never leak (and also corresponds to the unique_ptr API).
Additional methods
- clone() method: forwards to the clone() method of the underlying
data object with argument forwarding.
- reset(autoPtr&&) as an alternative to operator=(autoPtr&&)
STYLE: avoid implicit conversion from autoPtr to object type in many places
- existing implementation has the following:
operator const T&() const { return operator*(); }
which means that the following code works:
autoPtr<mapPolyMesh> map = ...;
updateMesh(*map); // OK: explicit dereferencing
updateMesh(map()); // OK: explicit dereferencing
updateMesh(map); // OK: implicit dereferencing
for clarity it may preferable to avoid the implicit dereferencing
- prefer operator* to operator() when deferenced a return value
so it is clearer that a pointer is involve and not a function call
etc Eg, return *meshPtr_; vs. return meshPtr_();
- relocated HashSetPlusEqOp and HashTablePlusEqOp to
HashSetOps::plusEqOp and HashTableOps::plusEqOp, respectively
- additional functions for converting between a labelHashSet
and a PackedBoolList or List<bool>:
From lists selections to labelHashSet indices:
HashSetOps::used(const PackedBoolList&);
HashSetOps::used(const UList<bool>&);
From labelHashSet to list forms:
PackedBoolList bitset(const labelHashSet&);
List<bool> bools(const labelHashSet&);
- this currently just strips off the leading parent directory name
"/this/path/and/subdirs/name"
relative("/this/path") -> "and/subdirs/name"
relative("/this") -> "path/and/subdirs/name"
- problems when the cloud was not available on all processors.
- NB: ensight measured data only allows a single cloud, but
foamToEnsight writes all clouds.
- use succincter method names that more closely resemble dictionary
and HashTable method names. This improves method name consistency
between classes and also requires less typing effort:
args.found(optName) vs. args.optionFound(optName)
args.readIfPresent(..) vs. args.optionReadIfPresent(..)
...
args.opt<scalar>(optName) vs. args.optionRead<scalar>(optName)
args.read<scalar>(index) vs. args.argRead<scalar>(index)
- the older method names forms have been retained for code compatibility,
but are now deprecated
old "positions" file form
The change to barycentric-based tracking changed the contents of the
cloud "positions" file to a new format comprising the barycentric
co-ordinates and other cell position-based info. This broke
backwards compatibility, providing no option to restart old cases
(v1706 and earlier), and caused difficulties for dependent code, e.g.
for post-processing utilities that could only infer the contents only
after reading.
The barycentric position info is now written to a file called
"coordinates" with provision to restart old cases for which only the
"positions" file is available. Related utilities, e.g. for parallel
running and data conversion have been updated to be able to support both
file types.
To write the "positions" file by default, use set the following option
in the InfoSwitches section of the controlDict:
writeLagrangianPositions 1;
Original commit message:
------------------------
Parallel IO: New collated file format
When an OpenFOAM simulation runs in parallel, the data for decomposed fields and
mesh(es) has historically been stored in multiple files within separate
directories for each processor. Processor directories are named 'processorN',
where N is the processor number.
This commit introduces an alternative "collated" file format where the data for
each decomposed field (and mesh) is collated into a single file, which is
written and read on the master processor. The files are stored in a single
directory named 'processors'.
The new format produces significantly fewer files - one per field, instead of N
per field. For large parallel cases, this avoids the restriction on the number
of open files imposed by the operating system limits.
The file writing can be threaded allowing the simulation to continue running
while the data is being written to file. NFS (Network File System) is not
needed when using the the collated format and additionally, there is an option
to run without NFS with the original uncollated approach, known as
"masterUncollated".
The controls for the file handling are in the OptimisationSwitches of
etc/controlDict:
OptimisationSwitches
{
...
//- Parallel IO file handler
// uncollated (default), collated or masterUncollated
fileHandler uncollated;
//- collated: thread buffer size for queued file writes.
// If set to 0 or not sufficient for the file size threading is not used.
// Default: 2e9
maxThreadFileBufferSize 2e9;
//- masterUncollated: non-blocking buffer size.
// If the file exceeds this buffer size scheduled transfer is used.
// Default: 2e9
maxMasterFileBufferSize 2e9;
}
When using the collated file handling, memory is allocated for the data in the
thread. maxThreadFileBufferSize sets the maximum size of memory in bytes that
is allocated. If the data exceeds this size, the write does not use threading.
When using the masterUncollated file handling, non-blocking MPI communication
requires a sufficiently large memory buffer on the master node.
maxMasterFileBufferSize sets the maximum size in bytes of the buffer. If the
data exceeds this size, the system uses scheduled communication.
The installation defaults for the fileHandler choice, maxThreadFileBufferSize
and maxMasterFileBufferSize (set in etc/controlDict) can be over-ridden within
the case controlDict file, like other parameters. Additionally the fileHandler
can be set by:
- the "-fileHandler" command line argument;
- a FOAM_FILEHANDLER environment variable.
A foamFormatConvert utility allows users to convert files between the collated
and uncollated formats, e.g.
mpirun -np 2 foamFormatConvert -parallel -fileHandler uncollated
An example case demonstrating the file handling methods is provided in:
$FOAM_TUTORIALS/IO/fileHandling
The work was undertaken by Mattijs Janssens, in collaboration with Henry Weller.
- erroneous double logic for subset meshes.
The underlying vtk::vtuCells uses a cellMap to map into a global
field, which also allows handling of decomposed polyhedral cells.
If a mesh subset is involved (eg, cellSet, cellZone), then the
set/zone cellMap can be used to ensure that the original number is
properly adjusted. For foamToVTK, the meshSubsetHelper already
does the subsetting and is used when loading fields.
Does not affect ParaView reader module since there we work on the
full field and do the subsetting manually (using the cellMap).
