|
<< Click to Display Table of Contents >> TRANSFER File format |
  
|
|
<< Click to Display Table of Contents >> TRANSFER File format |
|
The format of a TRANSFER file is dictated by the TRANSFER output format, and contains the following data.
(Note that the file format for Version 7 is different than that for previous versions. The new keyword TRANSFER6 can be used to write files in the old format. The TRANSFER import facility will automatically recognize the file type and import correctly for either.)
The Header Section
1) A identifying section enclosed in comment brackets, { ... } and containing the following:
a) the exporting FlexPDE version and date
b) the generating problem name and run time
c) the problem title
d) the list of quantities reported in the file.
2) A file identifier "FlexPDE v800 transfer file". The version number listed here will determine which file format is to be read on import.
3) DIMENSIONS: The number of geometric dimensions and their names.
4) BASIS: The finite element basis identifier from 4 to 10, meaning:
•4 = linear triangle (3 coefficients per cell)
•5 = quadratic triangle (6 coefficients per cell)
•6 = cubic triangle (9 coefficients per cell)
•7 = cubic triangle (10 coefficients per cell)
•8 = linear tetrahedron (4 coefficients per cell)
•9 = quadratic tetrahedron (10 coefficients per cell)
•10 = cubic tetrahedron (20 coefficients per cell)
5) CELLDOF: The number of degrees of freedom (coefficients per cell as above).
6) XBASIS: The geometric basis (which may be different than the solution basis)
7) MATERIALS: The number of material regions in the domain.
8) NGRID: The selector used in generating the mesh.
9) FLAGS: A specification, showing the number of flags and their values. This row may change in later versions, but will not alter the readability of the file. Currently defined flags are:
a) Curvegrid, which allows curved cell sides where required by boundary definitions
b) Curveall, which forces curved cell sides for all cells in the mesh
c) Grow2d, the 2D mesh growth factor
d) Grow3d, the 3D mesh growth factor
10) MESHDOF: The total number of degrees of freedom in the mesh (number of interpolation coefficients per variable).
11) TIME: Current problem time and timestep (time-dependent problems only).
12) VARIABLES: The number of output quantities and their names, one per line. Global quantities also define the value.
13) MESHCONTROLS: The number mesh control definitions that follow, one line each.
14) JOINTS: The number of domain joints (boundary break points) and their descriptions, one per line, defining:
•Joint number
•Periodic image joint (or 0)
•Associated mesh node number
•Extrusion surface (or 0)
•Active flag
•Mesh density control indices (parenthesized)
15) EDGES: The number of domain edges and their descriptions, one per line, defining:
•Edge number
•Associated base plane edge number
•Beginning joint number
•Ending joint number
•Periodic image edge (or 0)
•Extrusion surface (or 0)
•Extrusion layer (or 0)
•Active, Feature and Contact flags
•Edge name(s) that include this edge
•Mesh density control indices (parenthesized)
16) FACES: The number of 3D domain faces (3D only) and their descriptions, including
•Face number
•Associated base plane face number
•Left adjoining Region number
•Right adjoining Region number
•Periodic image face (or 0)
•Shape selector (face extrusion, edge extrusion, CAD face or 0)
•Layer or surface number
•Active and Contact flags
•Face name
•Mesh density control indices (parenthesized)
17) REGIONS: The number of domain regions and their descriptions, including
•Region number
•Associated base plane region number
•Layer (or 0)
•Material number
•Active flag
•Region name
•Mesh density control indices (parenthesized)
The Mesh Section
Unlike previous versions, version 7 ascribes nodes only to the mesh vertices. There are no midside or midface nodes. The nodal coefficients define a linear (order=1) approximation to the described quantity. This is then supplemented by quadratic and cubic coefficients which are ascribed to Sides (2D), Legs (3D), or Cells (cubic models). Interpolation coefficients for the entire mesh are numbered sequentially, and each may be associated with a Node, a Side, a Leg, or a Cell. Exported mesh data are then as follows.
1) NODES: The number of Nodes. Nodes are numbered sequentially as they are created by the mesh generator.
2) The nodal descriptions, containing one line for each mesh node with the following format:
•the node number
•one, two or three spatial coordinates
•the node type (0=interior; 1=joint; 2=edge; 3=face; 4=exterior)
•the boundary identifier (region number, joint number, edge number or face number)
•the coefficient index associated with this node (in future versions, there may be more than one).
3) SIDES: The number of Sides, a referencing flag and an imaging flag. Sides are numbered sequentially as they are created by the mesh generator. In 2D a Side is the leg of a triangle. In 3D a Side is a tetrahedral face.
4) The side descriptions, one line per side, listing the following:
•the side number
•a packed flag word (1=warped; 2=periodic; 4=contact; 16=joint; 32=edge; 48=face; 64=exterior)
•the boundary identifier
•the geometric bulge (2D only)
•the reference node (if referencing)
•the image side (if imaging)
•the coefficient indices associated with this side (varying numbers, depending on dimension and order).
5) LEGS: The number of Legs (3D only) and a referencing flag. Legs are numbered sequentially as they are created by the mesh generator.
6) The leg descriptions, one line per side, listing the following:
•the leg number
•a packed flag word (1=warped; 32=edge; 48=face; 64=exterior)
•the face identifier
•the geometric bulge (3D only)
•the reference node (if referencing)
•the coefficient indices associated with this side (varying numbers, depending on dimension and order).
7) CELLS: The number of cells. Cells are numbered sequentially as they are created by the mesh generator.
8) The cell connectivity data, one line per cell, listing the following:
•the cell number
•a packed flag word (1=bounding; 2=warped)
•the node numbers of the vertices (2 in 1D, 3 in 2D, 4 in 3D)
•the side numbers of the sides (none in 1D, 3 in 2D, 4 in 3D)
•the leg numbers (3D only)
•the neighboring cell numbers (corresponding to listed sides)
•the region number and material number of the containing region
•the coefficient indices associated with this cell (varying numbers, depending on dimension and order).
The Data Section
Each distinct material type in the exported problem is represented by a separate section in the TRANSFER file. Material types are defined by matching parameter definitions. Each coefficient has one value for each of the field quantities exported (global quantities do not appear). Coefficients shared between adjoining materials will appear once in each material group. The values reported may be different, if the coefficient lies on a contact boundary.
Each data section consists of:
1) COEFFICIENTS: The number of coefficients in the material and the material number.
2) The coefficient data, containing one line for each coefficient with the following format:
•the coefficient number.
•one value for each of the exported quantities.
The History Section
If the exporting problem has assembled data for the creation of HISTORY plots, that data will be recorded in the TRANSFER file, so that an importing problem can present the full history. This segment of the file contains the following data:
1) HISTORIES: The number of Histories and the number of times recorded.
2) The list of times at which data have been recorded.
3) The History blocks, one for each History, containing the following data:
oThe History number, together with number of functions, the number of "at" points, the start time, the time window, the window start, the window end, the instance count and the axis length (if plot was "vs" a quantity other than time)
oIf the History was "Versus" some axis other than time, the list of axis values
oThe evaluation expressions for the requested "at" points, one line per function.
oThe history data, one block for each output function. Each block contains:
i.The evaluation expression for the requested output function.
ii.The history values for the output function.