Files
openfoam/etc/caseDicts/postProcessing
Henry Weller e4dc50dcb0 postProcessing: Replaced 'foamCalc' and the 'postCalc' utilities
with the more general and flexible 'postProcess' utility and '-postProcess' solver option

Rationale
---------

Both the 'postProcess' utility and '-postProcess' solver option use the
same extensive set of functionObjects available for data-processing
during the run avoiding the substantial code duplication necessary for
the 'foamCalc' and 'postCalc' utilities and simplifying maintenance.
Additionally consistency is guaranteed between solver data processing
and post-processing.

The functionObjects have been substantially re-written and generalized
to simplify development and encourage contribution.

Configuration
-------------

An extensive set of simple functionObject configuration files are
provided in

OpenFOAM-dev/etc/caseDicts/postProcessing

and more will be added in the future.  These can either be copied into
'<case>/system' directory and included into the 'controlDict.functions'
sub-dictionary or included directly from 'etc/caseDicts/postProcessing'
using the '#includeEtc' directive or the new and more convenient
'#includeFunc' directive which searches the
'<etc>/caseDicts/postProcessing' directories for the selected
functionObject, e.g.

functions
{
    #includeFunc Q
    #includeFunc Lambda2
}

'#includeFunc' first searches the '<case>/system' directory in case
there is a local configuration.

Description of #includeFunc
---------------------------

    Specify a functionObject dictionary file to include, expects the
    functionObject name to follow (without quotes).

    Search for functionObject dictionary file in
    user/group/shipped directories.
    The search scheme allows for version-specific and
    version-independent files using the following hierarchy:
    - \b user settings:
      - ~/.OpenFOAM/\<VERSION\>/caseDicts/postProcessing
      - ~/.OpenFOAM/caseDicts/postProcessing
    - \b group (site) settings (when $WM_PROJECT_SITE is set):
      - $WM_PROJECT_SITE/\<VERSION\>/caseDicts/postProcessing
      - $WM_PROJECT_SITE/caseDicts/postProcessing
    - \b group (site) settings (when $WM_PROJECT_SITE is not set):
      - $WM_PROJECT_INST_DIR/site/\<VERSION\>/caseDicts/postProcessing
      - $WM_PROJECT_INST_DIR/site/caseDicts/postProcessing
    - \b other (shipped) settings:
      - $WM_PROJECT_DIR/etc/caseDicts/postProcessing

    An example of the \c \#includeFunc directive:
    \verbatim
        #includeFunc <funcName>
    \endverbatim

postProcess
-----------

The 'postProcess' utility and '-postProcess' solver option provide the
same set of controls to execute functionObjects after the run either by
reading a specified set of fields to process in the case of
'postProcess' or by reading all fields and models required to start the
run in the case of '-postProcess' for each selected time:

postProcess -help

Usage: postProcess [OPTIONS]
options:
  -case <dir>       specify alternate case directory, default is the cwd
  -constant         include the 'constant/' dir in the times list
  -dict <file>      read control dictionary from specified location
  -field <name>     specify the name of the field to be processed, e.g. U
  -fields <list>    specify a list of fields to be processed, e.g. '(U T p)' -
                    regular expressions not currently supported
  -func <name>      specify the name of the functionObject to execute, e.g. Q
  -funcs <list>     specify the names of the functionObjects to execute, e.g.
                    '(Q div(U))'
  -latestTime       select the latest time
  -newTimes         select the new times
  -noFunctionObjects
                    do not execute functionObjects
  -noZero           exclude the '0/' dir from the times list, has precedence
                    over the -withZero option
  -parallel         run in parallel
  -region <name>    specify alternative mesh region
  -roots <(dir1 .. dirN)>
                    slave root directories for distributed running
  -time <ranges>    comma-separated time ranges - eg, ':10,20,40:70,1000:'
  -srcDoc           display source code in browser
  -doc              display application documentation in browser
  -help             print the usage

 pimpleFoam -postProcess -help

Usage: pimpleFoam [OPTIONS]
options:
  -case <dir>       specify alternate case directory, default is the cwd
  -constant         include the 'constant/' dir in the times list
  -dict <file>      read control dictionary from specified location
  -field <name>     specify the name of the field to be processed, e.g. U
  -fields <list>    specify a list of fields to be processed, e.g. '(U T p)' -
                    regular expressions not currently supported
  -func <name>      specify the name of the functionObject to execute, e.g. Q
  -funcs <list>     specify the names of the functionObjects to execute, e.g.
                    '(Q div(U))'
  -latestTime       select the latest time
  -newTimes         select the new times
  -noFunctionObjects
                    do not execute functionObjects
  -noZero           exclude the '0/' dir from the times list, has precedence
                    over the -withZero option
  -parallel         run in parallel
  -postProcess      Execute functionObjects only
  -region <name>    specify alternative mesh region
  -roots <(dir1 .. dirN)>
                    slave root directories for distributed running
  -time <ranges>    comma-separated time ranges - eg, ':10,20,40:70,1000:'
  -srcDoc           display source code in browser
  -doc              display application documentation in browser
  -help             print the usage

The functionObjects to execute may be specified on the command-line
using the '-func' option for a single functionObject or '-funcs' for a
list, e.g.

postProcess -func Q
postProcess -funcs '(div(U) div(phi))'

In the case of 'Q' the default field to process is 'U' which is
specified in and read from the configuration file but this may be
overridden thus:

postProcess -func 'Q(Ua)'

as is done in the example above to calculate the two forms of the divergence of
the velocity field.  Additional fields which the functionObjects may depend on
can be specified using the '-field' or '-fields' options.

The 'postProcess' utility can only be used to execute functionObjects which
process fields present in the time directories.  However, functionObjects which
depend on fields obtained from models, e.g. properties derived from turbulence
models can be executed using the '-postProcess' of the appropriate solver, e.g.

pisoFoam -postProcess -func PecletNo

or

sonicFoam -postProcess -func MachNo

In this case all required fields will have already been read so the '-field' or
'-fields' options are not be needed.

Henry G. Weller
CFD Direct Ltd.
2016-05-28 18:58:48 +01:00
..

Overview
========
- This directory contains files to help post-processing of OpenFOAM cases
- It primariy "packages" functionObject functionality in a convenient form for
  users to plug into their OpenFOAM cases
- While some tools are quite generic, e.g. minMax, others are more application-
  oriented, e.g. flowRate.

How the tools work
==================
- The configuration of functionObjects includes both required input data and
  control parameters for the functionObject
- This creates a lot of input that can be confusing to users
- The tools here are packaged so that the user input is separated from control
  parameters
- Control parameters are pre-configured in .cfg files - users can ignore these
  files
- For each tool, required user input is all in one file, for the users to copy
  into their case and set accordingly

Example of how to use the tools
===============================
Task: monitor flow rate at an outlet patch named "outlet" for a case
Solution:
- locate the flowRatePatch tool in the flowRate directory
- copy the flowRatePatch file into the case system directory (not
  flowRatePatch.cfg)
- edit system/flowRatePatch to set the patch name
  replace "patch <patchName>;"
  with    "patch outlet;"
- activate the function object by including the flowRatePatch file in functions
  sub-dictionary in the case controlDict file, e.g.
  functions
  {
      #includeFunc flowRatePatch
      ... other function objects here ...
  }

Current tools
=============
- fields          calculate specific fields, e.g. Q
- flowRate        tools to calculate flow rate
- forces          forces and forceCoeffs for incompressible/compressible flows
- graphs          simple sampling for graph plotting, e.g. singleGraph
- minMax          range of minimum and maximum field monitoring, e.g. cellMax
- numerical       outputs information relating to numerics, e.g. residuals
- pressure        calculates different forms of pressure, pressure drop, etc
- probes          options for probing data
- scalarTransport for plugin scalar transport calculations
- visualization   post-processing VTK files for cutting planes, streamlines,...

- faceSource      configuration for some of the tools above