README_1.0_to_2.0 ================= This document exists to help those who already have a working user defined reader (using the 1.0 API) to change it into the 2.0 API format - if desired. Note that you do not have to update your (1.0 API) user defined reader if it is already working fine for you. You should consider it if: - efficieny gains are needed or - you need access to complex variables or - you need access to tensor variables or - you need multiple timeset capability or - you want to provide your own "border" elements (as opposed to EnSight's computation of them) As an indication of the differences that might be realized in efficency, consider the following comparison on an unstructured model consisting of: 1,639,058 nodes 7,079,211 elements 240530 tria3 3984 quad4 5927663 tetra4 653 pyramid5 906381 penta6 12 parts The same model was represented in EnSight6 and EnSight Gold format. EnSight6 format into: EnSight Gold format into: ------------------------------------ ------------------------- EnSight7.1 |Ensight7.2 |Ensight 7.1 |EnSight7.2 |Ensight7.2 internal |internal |userd reader |internal |userd reader reader |reader |(API 1.0) |reader |(API 2.0) | | | | Time | Mem |Time | Mem |Time | Mem |Time | Mem |Time | Mem (sec)| (Mb) |(sec)| (Mb) |(sec)| (Mb) |(sec)| (Mb) |(sec)| (Mb) ----------- |----------- |----------- |----------- |----------- @ part 4.3 27.6 | 3.5 28.4 | 4.0 27.6 | 3.3 8.8 | 3.3 8.9 loader | | | | | | | | after 14.0 243.4 |12.8 244.3 |49.8 475.8 | 6.0 211.5 | 6.2 211.6 loading all | | | | 12 parts | | | | (non-visual) | | | | | | | | after 16.8 263.2 |16.0 264.2 |52.8 490.7 | 9.1 236.2 | 9.5 236.2 activate of | | | | a vector. | | | | ^ ^ /|\ /|\ | | | | | | Compare these two! Significant is the inefficiency of the 1.0 API, and the fact that the 2.0 API has the same improved efficiency (both in speed and memory) as the gold internal reader! Note: Structured data will not show much difference between the two API's, but it was more efficient initially. ========================================================= A note on philosophical differences between the two API's: ========================================================= API 1.0 deals with: ------------------- -> global coordinate array & corresponding -> global node id array -> global nodal variables -> for each part: -> local element connectivities (grouped by type) & corresponding -> local element ids -> local elemental variables The element connectivities, within parts, reference the global coordinate array. If node ids are provided, the element connectivities have to be in terms of the node ids. If node ids are not provided, the connectivities are in terms of the (one-based) index number of each node in the global coordinate array. Thus, node ids are more than labels - they are a part of the connectivity referencing scheme. Element ids are purely labels. This API was originally setup to try to make the interface to other codes as straightforward as possible. Efficiency was not the major consideration. EnSight must do a fair amount of work to get data provided in the manner described above into the form that it uses internally. There is mapping that has to be setup and maintained between the global arrays and the local part arrays so that updating over time can be accomplished efficiently. There is hashing that is required in order to deal efficently with node ids. All of this leads to a considerable amount of temporary memory and processing, in order to get a model read into EnSight. API 2.0 deals with: ------------------- -> for each part: -> part coordinates & corresponding -> part node ids -> part nodal variables -> part element connectivities (grouped by type) & corresponding -> part element ids -> part elemental variables API 2.0 requires that the coordinates and corresponding nodal variables be provided per part. This eliminates the global to local mapping with all its associated temporary memory and processing time. The connectivity of the elements in each part reference the node indicies of its own (one-based) part coordinate array. The connectivity of the elements do not reference the nodes according to node ids. Node ids (and element ids for that matter) are purely labels for screen display and for query operations within EnSight. This eliminates the need for node id hashing as a model is read. The 2.0 API has been created for those needing more efficiency - both in terms of memory use and speed. The increased efficiency is possible because data is requested in a manner which more closely represents the way that EnSight stores and manipulates information internally. The new API requests size information and allocates the actual internal structures and arrays accordingly. Pointers to these arrays are passed directly to you in the routines which gather data, thus eliminating a considerable amount of temporary memory (and allocation time) that is needed in the old API. Depending on what you must do to get your data into the form required, the memory savings and the speed improvement when loading models can be quite significant!! Additionally, the ability to handle tensor and complex variables has been added to the new API, and support for multiple timesets is provided. ------------------------------------------------ So, with that said, if you determine that you want to convert your existing reader to the new API format, The following may be helpful. ==================== First the Good News! The following routines are identical in both API's!! ==================== ---------------------------------------------------- USERD_bkup USERD_get_block_coords_by_component USERD_get_block_iblanking USERD_get_changing_geometry_status USERD_get_dataset_query_file_info USERD_get_element_label_status USERD_get_name_of_reader USERD_get_node_label_status USERD_get_number_of_files_in_dataset USERD_get_number_of_model_parts USERD_get_number_of_variables USERD_set_filenames USERD_stop_part_building ======================== Second, pretty Good News! The following routines have minor changes, ======================== namely a slight name change and the addition of arguments related to complex data, constant (Note, the name changes type, or self contained parts vs global coords. are needed so both API's can exist together) The arguments must be added, but depending on your situation, many might simply be place holders. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------- A) Changes related to imaginary flag for complex data ===================================================== If you don't deal with complex variables, simply add this flag to your argument list and ignore its value. ----------------------------------------------------- API 1.0 API 2.0 ------- ------- USERD_get_constant_value USERD_get_constant_val ( ( int which var int which_var, int imag_data ) ) USERD_get_description_lines USERD_get_descrip_lines ( ( int which_type, int which_type, int which_var, int which_var, int imag_data, char line1[Z_BUFL], char line1[Z_BUFL], char line2[Z_BUFL] char line2[Z_BUFL] ) ) USERD_get_variable_value_at_specific USERD_get_var_value_at_specific ( ( int which_var, int which_var, int which_node_or_elem, int which_node_or_elem, int which_part, int which_part, int which_elem_type, int which_elem_type, int time_step, int time_step, float values[3] float values[3], int imag_data ) ) --------------------------------------------------------- B) Changes related to complex data info, and constant type (and some of the multiple timeset support) ========================================================= If you don't deal with complex variables, simply add the arguments for var_complex, var_ifilename, and var_freq and assign var_complex to be FALSE. The argument var_contran needs to be added, and set appropriately if you have constant variables, to indicate if the constant variable is fixed for all time or varies over time. The argument var_timeset needs to be added, and set appropriately. --------------------------------------------------------- API 1.0 API 2.0 ------- ------- USERD_get_variable_info USERD_get_gold_variable_info ( ( char **var_description, char **var_description, char **var_filename, char **var_filename, int *var_type, int *var_type, int *var_classify int *var_classify, int *var_complex, char **var_ifilename, float *var_freq, int *var_contran, int *var_timeset ) ) ------------------------------------------------------ C) Changes related to self contained part coordinates ====================================================== The number_of_nodes argument needs to be added and set for each part. This one is critical for you to do. ------------------------------------------------------ API 1.0 API 2.0 ------- ------- USERD_get_part_build_info USERD_get_gold_part_build_info ( ( int *part_numbers, int *part_types, int *part_types, int *part_types, char *part_description[Z_BUFL], char *part_description[Z_BUFL], int *number_of_nodes, int *number_of_elements[Z_MAXTYPE], int *number_of_elements[Z_MAXTYPE], int *ijk_dimensions[3], int *ijk_dimensions[3], int *iblanking_options[6] int *iblanking_options[6] ) ) ------------------------------------------------------ D) Changes related to multiple timeset support ====================================================== The timeset_number argument needs to be added for the following three routines. The multiple timeset support also includes the change in B) above for USERD_get_gold_variable_info and the last three new routines in the third section of this readme file. ------------------------------------------------------ API 1.0 API 2.0 ------- ------- USERD_get_number_of_time_steps USERD_get_num_of_time_steps ( ( void int timeset_number ) ) USERD_get_solution_times USERD_get_sol_times ( ( int timeset_number, float *solution_times float *solution_times ) ) USERD_set_time_step USERD_set_time_set_and_step ( ( int timeset_number, int time_step int time_step ) ) ------------------------------------------------------ E) Changes related to global_extern.h ====================================================== Be sure to include the updated global_extern.h file that comes with the EnSight 7.2 release (not the one from previous releases). ================================================================= Third, deleted and new routines. (Here is where the work lies) Several old routines are gone. You will have to create the new routines that replace them. I think you will find in most cases that your old routines will form the basis of the new routines, and that it isn't too difficult to provide the information in the new way. The detailed specifications for these new routines can be found in README_USERD_2.0 (or the headers in libuserd.c of the dummy_gold or ensight_gold readers). ================================================================= API 1.0 API 2.0 ------- ------- These routines: replaced by the single routine: --------------------------- ------------------------------- USERD_get_block_scalar_values USERD_get_var_by_component USERD_get_block_vector_values_by_component USERD_get_scalar_values USERD_get_vector_values These global coordinate routines: replaced by part coord routines: --------------------------------- -------------------------------- USERD_get_global_coords USERD_get_part_coords USERD_get_global_node_ids USERD_get_part_node_ids USERD_get_number_of_global_nodes These part connectivity routines: replaced by part by type routines: --------------------------------- ---------------------------------- USERD_get_element_connectivities_for_part USERD_get_part_elements_by_type USERD_get_element_ids_for_part USERD_get_part_element_ids_by_type These are New Routines ---------------------- (Can be a dummy) -> USERD_exit_routine (Can be a dummy) -> USERD_get_model_extents (Required) -> USERD_get_reader_version multiple timeset releated: (Required) -> USERD_get_number_timesets (Required) -> USERD_get_timeset_description (Required) -> USERD_get_geom_timeset_number border provided by the reader option: (Required) -> USERD_get_border_availability (Can be a dummy) -> USERD_get_border_elements_by_type transient model allocation efficency: (Can be a dummy) -> USERD_get_maxsize_info Possible use with Server-of-Servers: (Can be a dummy) -> USERD_set_server_number