#                            -*- mode: org; -*-
#
#+TITLE:          *OpenFOAM release notes for version 1.6-ext*
#+AUTHOR:                      Hrvoje Jasak.
#+DATE:                       12 November 2010
#+LINK:                  http://www.extend-project.de
#+OPTIONS: author:nil

* Overview
  OpenFOAM-1.6-ext is a formal release of the community developments in the
  OpenFOAM software library, following the establishment of the -Extend Project
  and  web portal.

  This release includes many improvements, including an automatic test harness
  which provides basic quality control by running OpenFOAM over a growing
  suite of tutorials and test cases.

* Compatibility
  OpenFOAM-1.6-ext is compatible with the OpenFOAM-1.6.x and 1.7.1 versions
  of the code and incorporate most developments and changes from above versions
  and ensure top-level compatibility.  In some cases, the differences are
  caused by bug fixes and algorithmic improvements, considered more important
  than inter-operability.

  The list of developments is a result of the work of numerous contributors.
  The Extend Project Admins would formally like to thank all contributors;
  the list will be updated with further code development

* Fundamental developments
  Improvements in accuracy and stability on tetrahedral and tet-dominant meshes
  Implicit coupled multi-domain solver
  Block-implicit multi-equation matrix support
  Proper Orthogonal Decomposition (POD) data analyss tools
  Rewrite of Ordinary Differential Equation (ODE) and ODE solver classes
  Dynamic remeshing classes, based on tetrahedral edge swapping
  Radial Basis Function interpolation and mesh motion classes
  Turbomachinery features: GGI interface, cyclic GGI, partial overlap GGI
  Parallelisation of topological change engine
  Support for parallelisation and topological changes in the Finite Area Method
  Library preparation for Python/Swig interface for OpenFOAM: VulaSHAKA project
  (http://sourceforge.net/projects/vulashaka/)
  Basic implementation of OpenMP wrapping for multi-core support

* Ongoing developments
  This section lists the applications that existed in versions of OpenFOAM
  but were abandoned by OpenCFD due to lack of expertise.  In some cases, code
  may still be present but it is buggy or unusable.  The -Extend project line
  maintains, validates and develops the features in contact with original
  authors and contributes new features and bug fixes.

  Working parallel point mesh and field tools, shared between interpolation
  and FEM discretisation solvers
  FEM-based automatic mesh motion solver, with working parallelisation
  Dynamic mesh features and topological mesh changes
  The Finite Area Method: parallelisation, volume-to-surface mapping
  New generation of linear equation solvers, including accelerated AMG

* Developments to solvers (applications)
  Basic 6-degree-of-freedom (6-DOF) solver
  POD solver tools: prototype
  Demonstration solver for fully implicit block-matrix coupling

* Developments to utilities
  New parallel decomposition and reconstruction formulation, with support
  for topologically changing meshes
  Level-set support tools

* Model development
  Transport models and top-level solver for visco-elasto-plastic flows
  Updates to internal combustion engine simulation tools
  Updated version of free surface tracking tools for free surface flows
  Updated fluid-structure interaction solver with parallelisation support
  Updated stress analysis tools, new large deformation solver formulation

* Quality Control
  Integrated automatic and publicly available test harness with ~150 cases
  http://openfoam-extend.sourceforge.net/CDash/index.php
  Community-driven test-case base to enhance code quality and integrity.
  Contributions under  
  http://www.extend-project.de/project-final/openfoam-extend-test-harness

* Other
  The number of cumulative bug fixes compared to OpenFOAM-1.6.x is over
  5000; we will stop counting.