Exodus 8.24
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1/* clang-format off */
2
3/*! \mainpage Exodus API Documentation
4
5\section intro Introduction
6
7EXODUS is the successor of the widely used finite element (FE) data file format EXODUS
8(henceforth referred to as EXODUS I) developed by Mills-Curran and Flanagan. It
9continues the concept of a common database for multiple application codes (mesh generators,
10analysis codes, visualization software, etc.) rather than code-specific utilities, affording
11flexibility and robustness for both the application code developer and application code user.
12By using the EXODUS data model, a user inherits the flexibility of using a large array of
13application codes (including vendor-supplied codes) which access this common data file
14directly or via translators.
15
16The uses of the EXODUS data model include the following:
17 - Problem definition -- mesh generation, specification of locations of boundary conditions and
18load application, specification of material types.
19 - Simulation -- model input and results output.
20 - Visualization -- model verification, results postprocessing, data interrogation, and analysis
21tracking.
22
23\section avail Availability
24
25The Exodus library source code is available on Github at
26https://github.com/sandialabs/seacas
27
28For bug reports, documentation errors, and enhancement suggestions, contact:
29- WEB: https://github.com/sandialabs/seacas/issues
30- EMAIL: sierra-help@sandia.gov
31
32\section license License
33The EXODUS library is licensed under the BSD open source license.
34
35 Copyright(C) 1999-2022, 2025 National Technology & Engineering Solutions
36 of Sandia, LLC (NTESS). Under the terms of Contract DE-NA0003525 with
37 NTESS, the U.S. Government retains certain rights in this software.
38
39 See packages/seacas/LICENSE for details
40
41 Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
42 modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are
43 met:
44
45 * Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
46 notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
47
48 * Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above
49 copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following
50 disclaimer in the documentation and/or other materials provided
51 with the distribution.
52
53 * Neither the name of NTESS nor the names of its
54 contributors may be used to endorse or promote products derived
55 from this software without specific prior written permission.
56
57 THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS
58 "AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT
59 LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR
60 A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT
61 OWNER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL,
62 SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT
63 LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE,
64 DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY
65 THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT
66 (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE
67 OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
68
69\section devel Development of EXODUS
70
71The evolution of the EXODUS data model has been steered by FE application code developers
72who desire the advantages of a common data format. The EXODUS model has been
73designed to overcome deficiencies in the EXODUS I file format and meet the following
74functional requirements as specified by these developers:
75 - Random read/write access.
76 - Application programming interface (API) -- provide routines callable from FORTRAN, C, and C++
77application codes.
78 - Extensible -- allow new data objects to be added without modifying the application programs
79that use the file format.
80 - Machine independent -- data should be independent of the machine which generated it.
81 - Real-time access during analysis -- allow access to the data in a file while the file is
82being created.
83
84To address these requirements, the open source database library
85NetCDF (http://www.unidata.ucar.edu/software/netcdf/) was selected to handle the low-level data
86storage. The EXODUS
87II library functions provide the mapping between FE data objects and
88NetCDF dimensions, attributes, and variables. Thus, the code developer
89interacts with the data model using the vocabulary of an FE analyst
90(element connectivity, nodal coordinates, etc.) and is relieved of the
91details of the data access mechanism.
92
93Because an EXODUS file is a NetCDF file, an application program can
94access data via the EXODUS API or the NetCDF API directly. Although
95accessing the data directly via the NetCDF API requires more in-depth
96understanding of NetCDF, this capability is a powerful feature that
97allows the development of auxiliary libraries of special purpose
98functions not offered in the standard EXODUS library. For example,
99if an application required access to the coordinates of a single node
100(the standard library function returns the coordinates for all of the
101nodes in the model), a simple function could be written that calls
102NetCDF routines directly to read the data of interest.
103
104\section descrip Description of Data Objects
105
106The data in EXODUS files can be divided into three primary
107categories: initialization data, model, and results.
108
109Initialization data includes sizing parameters (number of nodes,
110number of elements, etc.), optional quality assurance information
111(names of codes that have operated on the data), and optional
112informational text.
113
114The model is described by data which are static (do not change through
115time). These data include nodal coordinates, element connectivity
116(node lists for each element), element attributes, and node sets and
117side sets (used to aid in applying loading conditions and boundary
118constraints).
119
120The results are optional and include five types of variables -- nodal,
121element, nodeset, sideset, and global -- each of which is stored
122through time. Nodal results are output (at each time step) for all the
123nodes in the model. An example of a nodal variable is displacement in
124the X direction. Element, nodeset, and sideset results are output (at
125each time step) for all entities (elements, nodes, sides) in one or
126more entity block. For example, stress may be an element
127variable. Another use of element variables is to record element status
128(a binary flag indicating whether each element is "alive" or "dead")
129through time. Global results are output (at each time step) for a
130single element or node, or for a single property. Linear momentum of a
131structure and the acceleration at a particular point are both examples
132of global variables. Although these examples correspond to typical FE
133applications, the data format is flexible enough to accommodate a
134spectrum of uses.
135
136A few conventions and limitations must be cited:
137
138 - There are no restrictions on the frequency of results output except
139 that the time value associated with each successive time step must
140 increase monotonically.
141 - To output results at different frequencies (i.e., variable A at
142 every simulation time step, variable B at every other time step)
143 multiple EXODUS files must be used.
144 - There are no limits to the number of each type of results, but once
145 declared, the number cannot change.
146 - If the mesh geometry or topology changes in time (i.e., number of
147 nodes increases, connectivity changes), then the new geometry must be
148 output to a new EXODUS file.
149
150\section int64 Integer Bulkdata Storage Details (32-bit and 64-bit integers)
151
152The EXODUS database can store integer bulk data, entity map data, and
153mesh entity (block/set) ids in either 32-bit or 64-bit integer format. The data
154considered "bulk data" are:
155
156 - element, face, and edge connectivity lists,
157 - element, face, edge, and node set entity lists,
158
159The entity map data is any data stored in one of the 'map' objects on
160the exodus file. This includes:
161 - id maps
162 - number maps
163 - order maps
164 - processor node maps
165 - processor element maps.
166
167A mesh entity id is the id of any block (element block, edge block,
168...); set (node set, face set, ...), coordinate frame, and
169communication map.
170
171When an EXODUS file is created via the ex_create() function, the
172'mode' argument provides the mechanism for specifying how integer data
173will be passed as arguments to the API functions and also how the
174integer data will be stored on the database. The ex_open() function
175also provides a mechanism for specifying how integer data will be
176passed as arguments.
177
178The method uses the 'mode' argument to the ex_open() and
179ex_create() functions. The mode is a 32-bit integer in which certain
180bits are turned on by or'ing certain predefined constants.
181
182 exoid = ex_create( "test.exo",
183 EX_CLOBBER|EX_MAPS_INT64_DB|EX_MAPS_INT64_API,
184 &appWordSize, &diskWordSize );
185
186The constants related to the integer size (32-bit or 64-bit)
187specification are:
188
189| Constant Name | Which data are 64-bit
190---------------------|----------------------
191| #EX_MAPS_INT64_DB | entity map data
192| #EX_IDS_INT64_DB | mesh entity ids
193| #EX_BULK_INT64_DB | bulk data
194| #EX_ALL_INT64_DB | (the above 3 or'd together)
195| #EX_MAPS_INT64_API | entity map data
196| #EX_IDS_INT64_API | mesh entity ids
197| #EX_BULK_INT64_API | bulk data
198| #EX_INQ_INT64_API | integers passed to/from ex_inquire()
199| #EX_ALL_INT64_API | (the above 4 or'd together)
200
201The constants that end with `_DB` specify that that particular integer
202data is stored on the database as 64-bit integers; the constants that
203end with `_API` specify that that particular integer data is passed
204to/from API functions as 64-bit integers.
205
206If the range of the data being transmitted is larger than the
207permitted integer range (for example, if the data is stored on the
208database as 64-bit ints and the application specifies passing data as
20932-bit ints), the API function will return an error.
210
211The three types of integer data whose storage can be specified are
212- maps (`EX_MAPS_INT64_`),
213- "bulk data" including connectivity lists and entity lists (`EX_BULK_INT64_`), and
214- entity ids which are the ids of element, face, edge, and node sets
215 and blocks; and map ids (`EX_IDS_INT64_`)
216
217The function ex_int64_status()(exoid) is used to determine the integer
218storage types being used for the EXODUS database `exoid`. It returns
219an integer which can be and'ed with the above flags to determine
220either the storage type or function parameter type.
221
222For example, if
223`(EX_MAPS_INT64_DB & ex_int64_status()(exoid))` is true, then map data is
224being stored as 64-bit integers for that database.
225
226It is not possible to determine the integer data size on a database
227without opening the database via an ex_open() call. However, the
228integer size specification for API functions can be changed at any
229time via the ex_set_int64_status()(exoid, mode) function. The mode is
230one or more of `EX_MAPS_INT64_API`, `EX_IDS_INT64_API`, or
231`EX_BULK_INT64_API`, or'd together. Any exodus function calls after
232that point will use the specified integer size. Note that a call to
233ex_set_int64_status()(exoid, mode) overrides any previous setting for
234the integer sizes used in the API. The ex_create() function is the
235only way to specify the integer sizes specification for database
236integers.
237
238\subsection int64_fortran_api Fortran API
239The fortran API is uses the same mechanism as was described above for
240the C API. If using the "8-byte real and 8-byte int" fortran mode
241typically used by the SEACAS applications (the compiler automatically
242promotes all integers and reals to 8-byte quantities), then the
243fortran exodus library will automatically enable the `EX_*_INT64_API`
244options; the client still needs to specify the `EX_*_INT64_DB` options.
245
246\subsection int64_fortran_imp Fortran Implementation
247
248The new capability to pass 64-bit integer data through the fortran and
249C API functions simplifies the implementation of the "8-byte real
2508-byte int" usage of the exodus library. Previously, the wrapper
251routines in addrwrap.F were required to convert the 8-byte integer
252data on the client side to/from 4-byte integers on the library
253side. This required extra memory allocation and complications that are
254now handled at the lowest level in the NetCDF library. The
255functions in the fortran API have all been converted to
256pass 64-bit integers down to the C API which has removed some code and
257simplified those functions.
258
259
260\section db_options Database Options (Compression, Name Length, File Type)
261
262The ex_set_option() function call is used to set various options on the
263database. Valid values for 'option' are:
264
265| Option Name | Option Values |
266-------------------------|---------------|
267| #EX_OPT_MAX_NAME_LENGTH | Maximum length of names that will be returned/passed via API call. |
268| #EX_OPT_COMPRESSION_TYPE | Not currently used; default is gzip |
269| #EX_OPT_COMPRESSION_LEVEL | In the range [0..9]. A value of 0 indicates no compression |
270| #EX_OPT_COMPRESSION_SHUFFLE | 1 if enabled, 0 if disabled |
271| #EX_OPT_INTEGER_SIZE_API | 4 or 8 indicating byte size of integers used in API functions. |
272| #EX_OPT_INTEGER_SIZE_DB | Query only, returns 4 or 8 indicating byte size of integers stored on the database. |
273
274The compression-related options are only available on NetCDF-4 files
275since the underlying hdf5 compression functionality is used for the
276implementation. The compression level indicates how much effort should
277be expended in the compression and the computational expense increases
278with higher levels; in many cases, a compression level of 1 is
279sufficient.
280
281\section names Variable, Attribute, and Entity Block/Set Names
282The length of the Variables, Attributes, and Entity Block/Set names is
283variable. The default length is 32 characters to provide backward
284compatibility. This is the default on both read and write, so if
285there is a database with longer names and the reader does not change
286the length of names to be returned, any API call that returns a name
287will truncate the name at 32 characters.
288
289To avoid this, the reading application can all
290~~~{.c}
291 // Determine maximum length of names stored on database
292 int max_name_length = ex_inquire_int(exoid, EX_INQ_DB_MAX_USED_NAME_LENGTH);
293
294 // Tell the library to return names this length
295 ex_set_max_name_length(exodusFilePtr, max_name_length);
296~~~
297
298On write, you can call:
299
300~~~{.c}
301 ex_set_option(exoid, EX_OPT_MAX_NAME_LENGTH, {max_name_length});
302
303 // or equivalently
304 ex_set_max_name_length(exoid, {max_name_length});
305~~~
306
307which tells the database that you will be using names of that length or shorter.
308
309Following this call, you can define (i.e., read/write) names of any
310size; if the names are longer than `{max_name_length}`, then they will be truncated otherwise they will pass through unchanged.
311
312There are three queries that can be made to ex_inquire() or
313ex_inquire_int():
314
315 - #EX_INQ_DB_MAX_ALLOWED_NAME_LENGTH -- returns the value of the
316 maximum size that can be specified for `max_name_length`
317 (netcdf/hdf5 limitation)
318 - #EX_INQ_DB_MAX_USED_NAME_LENGTH -- returns the size of the longest
319 name on the database.
320 - #EX_INQ_MAX_READ_NAME_LENGTH -- returns the maximum name length
321 size that will be passed back to the client. 32 by default,
322 set by the previously mentioned ex_set_option() or
323 ex_set_max_name_length() call.
324
325\note
326 - The length of the QA records (ex_get_qa(), ex_put_qa()) is not affected by this setting and each entry in the QA record is still limited to 32 characters.
327 - The length of the `entity_descrip` type passed and returnen in the
328 ex_get_block() and ex_put_block() calls is still limited to 32 characters.
329 - The length of the title is limited to 80 characters
330 (ex_get_init(), ex_get_init_ext(), ex_put_init(), ex_put_init_ext()).
331 - The length of the info records is limited to 80 characters
332 (ex_put_info(), ex_get_info()).
333
334\defgroup ResultsData Results Data
335@{
336This section describes data file utility functions for creating
337opening a file, initializing a file with global parameters, reading
338writing information text, inquiring on parameters stored in the data
339file, and error reporting.
340
341The results are optional and include an optional variable type for
342each block and set type (node, edge, face, and element) in addition
343there are global variables and sideset variables -- each of which is
344stored through time. Nodal results are output (at each time step) for
345all the nodes in the model. An example of a nodal variable is
346displacement in the X direction. Global results are output (at each
347time step) for a single element or node, or for a single
348property. Linear momentum of a structure and the acceleration at a
349particular point are both examples of global variables. The other
350results are output (at each time step) for all entities (elements,
351faces, edges, nodes, or sides) in one or more entity blocks. For
352example, stress may be an element variable. Another use of element
353variables is to record element status (a binary flag indicating
354whether each element is "alive" or "dead") through time. Although
355these examples correspond to typical FE applications, the data format
356is flexible enough to accommodate a spectrum of uses.
357
358A few conventions and limitations must be cited:
359
360+ There are no restrictions on the frequency of results output except
361that the time value associated with each successive time step should
362increase monotonically.
363
364+ All variables are output at the same time frequency. To output
365results at different frequencies (i.e., variable A at every simulation
366time step, variable B at every other time step) multiple files must be
367used.
368
369+ There are no limits to the number of each type of results, but once
370declared, the number cannot change.
371
372+ If the mesh geometry changes in time (i.e., number of nodes
373increases, connectivity changes), the new geometry must be output to a
374new file.
375@}
376
377\defgroup Utilities Data File Utilities
378 @{
379This section describes data file utility functions for creating
380opening a file, initializing a file with global parameters, reading
381writing information text, inquiring on parameters stored in the data
382file, and error reporting.
383 @}
384
385\defgroup ModelDescription Model Description
386 @{
387The routines in this section read and write information which
388describe an exodus finite element model. This includes nodal
389coordinates, element order map, element connectivity arrays,
390element attributes, node sets, side sets, and object properties.
391 @}
392
393@example ../test/CreateEdgeFace.c
394@example ../test/ReadEdgeFace.c
395@example ../test/create_mesh.c
396@example ../test/rd_wt_mesh.c
397@example ../test/test-empty.c
398@example ../test/test_nemesis.c
399@example ../test/test_ts_errval.c
400@example ../test/test_ts_files.c
401@example ../test/test_ts_nvar.c
402@example ../test/test_ts_nvar_rd.c
403@example ../test/test_ts_partial_nvar.c
404@example ../test/test_ts_partial_nvar_rd.c
405@example ../test/testcp.c
406@example ../test/testcp_nl.c
407@example ../test/testcp_tran.c
408@example ../test/testcpd.c
409@example ../test/testrd-long-name.c
410@example ../test/testrd-nfaced.c
411@example ../test/testrd-nsided.c
412@example ../test/testrd.c
413@example ../test/testrd1.c
414@example ../test/testrd_nc.c
415@example ../test/testrd_par.c
416@example ../test/testrd_ss.c
417@example ../test/testrdd.c
418@example ../test/testrdwt.c
419@example ../test/testwt-compress.c
420@example ../test/testwt-groups.c
421@example ../test/testwt-long-name.c
422@example ../test/testwt-nface-nside.c
423@example ../test/testwt-nfaced.c
424@example ../test/testwt-nsided.c
425@example ../test/testwt-one-attrib.c
426@example ../test/testwt-oned.c
427@example ../test/testwt-partial.c
428@example ../test/testwt-results.c
429@example ../test/testwt-zeroe.c
430@example ../test/testwt-zeron.c
431@example ../test/testwt.c
432@example ../test/testwt1.c
433@example ../test/testwt2.c
434@example ../test/testwt_clb.c
435@example ../test/testwt_nc.c
436@example ../test/testwt_nossnsdf.c
437@example ../test/testwt_ss.c
438@example ../test/testwtd.c
439@example ../test/testwtm.c
440@example ../test/twod.c
441
442@example ../exodus_for/test/test_nem.f
443@example ../exodus_for/test/testcp.f
444@example ../exodus_for/test/testcpd.f
445@example ../exodus_for/test/testcpnl.f
446@example ../exodus_for/test/testrd.f
447@example ../exodus_for/test/testrd1.f
448@example ../exodus_for/test/testrd_nsid.f
449@example ../exodus_for/test/testrdd.f
450@example ../exodus_for/test/testwt.f
451@example ../exodus_for/test/testwt1.f
452@example ../exodus_for/test/testwt2.f
453@example ../exodus_for/test/testwt3.f
454@example ../exodus_for/test/testwt_nsid.f
455@example ../exodus_for/test/testwtd.f
456@example ../exodus_for/test/testwtm.f
457*/
458
459/* clang-format on */