- in many cases can just use lookupOrDefault("key", bool) instead of
lookupOrDefault<bool> or lookupOrDefault<Switch> since reading a
bool from an Istream uses the Switch(Istream&) anyhow
STYLE: relocated Switch string names into file-local scope
- 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
- expose the names of write and stopAt controls for reuse elsewhere and
provide a stopAtControls enum for 'unknown'
- track the requested number of sub-cycles (was previously a bool)
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.
Time: call functionObject 'execute()' and 'end()' for last time-step
Now the operation of functionObject 'end()' call is consistent between running and post-processing
- this option overrides any controlDict settings as a convenient means
to selecting profiling without messing with the controlDict.
- provide Profiling::writeNow() to emit profiling for utilities that
don't have any natural time increment mechanism to trigger it.
- basic cpuInfo (model identification, MHz, etc)
- process memInfo
- profiling is activated via the case system/controlDict by
adding a "profiling" sub-dictionary.
Simply add the following (everything enabled):
profiling
{}
Which corresponds to the longer form:
profiling
{
active true; // default: true
cpuInfo true; // default: true
memInfo true; // default: true
sysInfo true; // default: true
}
This can be used to selectively disable any extra information
(eg, you don't want anyone else to know what hardware was used).
the equivalent functionality is provided by the writeRegisteredObject
functionObject in a MUCH simpler, easier and extensible manner.
functionObject: Removed the now redundant 'timeSet' function.
to have the prefix 'write' rather than 'output'
So outputTime() -> writeTime()
but 'outputTime()' is still supported for backward-compatibility.
Also removed the redundant secondary-writing functionality from Time
which has been superseded by the 'writeRegisteredObject' functionObject.
Simplified and generalized the handling of functionObjects which fail to
construct by removing them from the list rather than maintaining an
"enabled" switch in each functionObject.
Moved file path handling to regIOobject and made it type specific so
now every object can have its own rules. Examples:
- faceZones are now processor local (and don't search up anymore)
- timeStampMaster is now no longer hardcoded inside IOdictionary
(e.g. uniformDimensionedFields support it as well)
- the distributedTriSurfaceMesh is properly processor-local; no need
for fileModificationChecking manipulation.
- old convention was that on last time step it would only call end()
and not execute()
- however this meant that e.g. the functionObjectProperties file
did not get written
- and almost all functionObjects were doing an execute() inside of end()
- new convention: call execute() on last time step, just before doing end()
Avoids unnecessary increases in precision during intermediate steps for
cases with adjustable time-step which may require very high precision to
represent the time name.
