From: MERC::"uunet!ARISIA.dnet.ge.com!AITGW::marketing@cosmic.cosmic.uga.edu" 1-DEC-1992 10:09:51.67 To: everhart CC: Subj: COSMIC Info, December 1992 Received: by AITGW.DECnet (utk-mail11 v1.5) ; Tue, 1 Dec 92 09:08:49 EST Received: from cossack.cosmic.uga.edu by aitgw.ge.com (5.65/GE Gateway 1.7) id AA19334; Mon, 30 Nov 92 14:57:35 -0500 Received: from cossack.cosmic.uga.edu by cossack.cosmic.uga.edu id aa13346; 30 Nov 92 14:35 EST Received: from cos1.cosmic.uga.edu by cossack.cosmic.uga.edu id aa13342; 30 Nov 92 14:05 EST Received: by cosmic.cosmic.uga.edu (MX V3.1) id 21683; Mon, 30 Nov 1992 14:03:37 EST Sender: marketing@cosmic.cosmic.uga.edu Mmdf-Warning: Parse error in original version of preceding line at cossack.cosmic.uga.edu Date: Mon, 30 Nov 1992 14:03:35 EST From: marketing@cosmic.cosmic.uga.edu To: dcosmic-list@cossack.cosmic.uga.edu Message-Id: <00964640.B03AE760.21683@cosmic.cosmic.uga.edu> Subject: COSMIC Info, December 1992 Questions? Send them to service@cossack.cosmic.uga.edu ***COSMIC E-MAIL UPDATE*** The following notes briefly describe new and updated programs that have been added to the COSMIC inventory in December, 1992. Full abstracts of the programs are included. For additional information about any of our other services, please contact the COSMIC Customer Support staff. These programs are made available for re-use by domestic industries, government agencies, and universities under NASA's Technology Utilization Program. Source code is included and programs and documents may be copied without restriction for use by the acquiring institution unless otherwise noted. Educational discounts may apply. You may download the DOS version of the 1992 COSMIC catalog via anonymous ftp or via internet mailings. Online access via modem or telnet is also available. For more information, contact COSMIC customer support. ************************************************************** PLOT3D/AMES, Using PHIGS PLOT3D is an interactive graphics program designed to help scientists visualize computational fluid dynamics (CFD) grids and solutions. Today, supercomputers and CFD algorithms can provide scientists with simulations of such highly complex phenomena that obtaining an understanding of the simulations has become a major problem. Tools which help the scientist visualize the simulations can be of tremendous aid. PLOT3D/AMES offers more functions and features, and has been adapted for more types of computers than any other CFD graphics program. Using PLOT3D, CFD physicists can view their computational models from any angle, observing the physics of problems and the quality of solutions. As an aid in designing aircraft, for example, PLOT3D's interactive computer graphics can show vortices, temperature, reverse flow, pressure, and dozens of other characteristics of air flow during flight. As critical areas become obvious, they can easily be studied more closely using a finer grid. PLOT3D is part of a computational fluid dynamics software cycle. First, a program such as 3DGRAPE (ARC-12620) helps the scientist generate computational grids to model an object and its surrounding space. Once the grids have been designed and parameters such as the angle of attack, Mach number, and Reynolds number have been specified, a "flow-solver" program such as INS3D (ARC-11794 or COS-10019) solves the system of equations governing fluid flow, usually on a supercomputer. Grids sometimes have as many as two million points, and the "flow-solver" produces a solution file which contains density, x- y- and z-momentum, and stagnation energy for each grid point. With such a solution file and a grid file containing up to 50 grids as input, PLOT3D can calculate and graphically display any one of 74 functions, including shock waves, surface pressure, velocity vectors, and particle traces. PLOT3D's 74 functions are organized into five groups: 1) Grid Functions for grids, grid-checking, etc.; 2) Scalar Functions for contour or carpet plots of density, pressure, temperature, Mach number, vorticity magnitude, helicity, etc.; 3) Vector Functions for vector plots of velocity, vorticity, momentum, and density gradient, etc.; 4) Particle Trace Functions for rake-like plots of particle flow or vortex lines; and 5) Shock locations based on pressure gradient. For most of the platforms supported by version 3.6 of PLOT3D, an alternate package, called PLOT3D/TURB3D, is available. TURB3D is a modification of PLOT3D which is used for viewing CFD simulations of incompressible turbulent flow. PLOT3D/TURB3D includes both TURB3D and PLOT3D because the operation of TURB3D is identical to PLOT3D, and there is no additional sample data or printed documentation for TURB3D. TURB3D has not been ported for use on DEC VAX/VMS computers running PHIGS or DEC RISC ULTRIX computers running PHIGS. Graphical capabilities of PLOT3D version 3.6 vary among the implementations available through COSMIC. With all implementations, the visual representation of the object and flow field created by PLOT3D consists of points, lines, and polygons. Points can be represented with dots or symbols, color can be used to denote data values, and perspective is used to show depth. Other graphical capabilities will vary depending on the graphics library, device drivers, and PLOT3D implementation being used. There is only one manual for use with all implementations of PLOT3D. This manual generally assumes that the Silicon Graphics Iris implementation is being used, and although informative comments concerning certain other implementations appear throughout the text, capabilities of the PHIGS implementation are not covered by such comments. Differences among implementations impact the program's ability to use graphical features that are based on 3D polygons, the user's ability to manipulate the graphical displays, and the user's ability to obtain alternate forms of output. The VAX/VMS/PHIGS and DEC RISC ULTRIX/PHIGS implementations of PLOT3D can use any graphics device supported by PHIGS. Site-specific graphics capabilities will be dependent upon the graphics device being used. On a PEX workstation, for example, Gourard shading, hidden lines, and hidden surfaces are supported. On less capable workstations, however, such 3-D graphics features may not work, or may work differently. With the PHIGS implementations of PLOT3D, views can be manipulated using keyboard commands or a three-button mouse, and users are potentially able to produce files for a variety of output devices. Again, site-specific output capabilities will vary depending on the device drivers installed with the user's PHIGS library. The VAX/VMS/PHIGS and DEC RISC ULTRIX/PHIGS implementations of PLOT3D are ports of version 3.6 of PLOT3D/AMES for VAX/VMS/DISSPLA. These ports were created by Digital Equipment Corporation. The version 3.6 VMS implementation of PLOT3D/PHIGS (COS-10037) includes an executable that was linked on a VAX computer running VMS Version 5.5 and DEC PHIGS Version 2.3A; for previous versions of VAX/VMS you must re-compile and re-link. The version 3.6 DEC RISC ULTRIX implementation of PLOT3D/PHIGS (COS-10038) includes an executable that requires ULTRIX 4.2A and DEC PHIGS version 2.3A; for previous versions of RISC/ULTRIX you must re-compile and re-link. For both the VAX/VMS/PHIGS and DEC RISC ULTRIX/PHIGS implementations of PLOT3D, the correct version of DEC PHIGS must also be installed; a run-time-only kit will suffice if you can use the provided PLOT3D executable. The standard distribution medium for the VAX/VMS/PHIGS implementation of PLOT3D (COS-10037) is a 9-track 1600 BPI magnetic tape in DEC VAX BACKUP format. This version is also available on a TK50 tape cartridge in DEC VAX BACKUP format. The standard distribution medium for the DEC RISC ULTRIX/PHIGS implementation (COS-10038) is a TK50 tape cartridge in UNIX tar format. PLOT3D/AMES was released to COSMIC in 1990. The DEC PHIGS ports were completed in 1992. Customers purchasing one implementation version of PLOT3D or PLOT3D/TURB3D will be given a $200 discount on each additional implementation version ordered at the same time. Version 3.6 of PLOT3D and PLOT3D/TURB3D are also supported for the following computers and graphics libraries: (1) generic UNIX and DISSPLA Version 11.0 (ARC-12788, ARC-12778); and (2) Apollo computers running UNIX and GMR3D Version 2.0 (ARC-12789, ARC-12785 which have no capabilities to put text on plots). Version 3.6b+ of PLOT3D and PLOT3D/TURB3D are supported for the following computers and graphics libraries: (1) generic UNIX Supercomputer and IRIS, suitable for CRAY 2/UNICOS, CONVEX, and Alliant with remote IRIS 2xxx/3xxx or IRIS 4D (ARC-12779, ARC-12784); (2) Silicon Graphics IRIS 2xxx/3xxx or IRIS 4D (ARC-12783, ARC12782); and (3) VAX computers running VMS Version 5.0 and DISSPLA Version 11.0 (ARC-12777, ARC-12781). The documentation for version 3.6 is identical to the documentation for version 3.6b+; the difference between the two codes is that version 3.6b+ includes some code to fix version 3.6 bugs and some changes which allow the code to be installed readily on a CRAY-YMP. Program $400; documentation $65. ************************************************************** FAST - FLOW ANALYSIS SOFTWARE TOOLKIT The Flow Analysis Software Toolkit, FAST, is a software environment for visualizing data. FAST is a collection of separate programs (modules) that run simultaneously and allow the user to examine the results of numerical and experimental simulations. The user can load data files, perform calculations on the data, visualize the results of these calculations, construct scenes of 3D graphical objects, and plot, animate and record the scenes. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) visualization is the primary intended use of FAST, but FAST can also assist in the analysis of other types of data. FAST combines the capabilities of such programs as PLOT3D, RIP, SURF, and GAS into one environment with modules that share data. Sharing data between modules eliminates the drudgery of transferring data between programs. All the modules in the FAST environment have a consistent, highly interactive graphical user interface. Most commands are entered by pointing and clicking. The modular construction of FAST makes it flexible and extensible. The environment can be custom configured and new modules can be developed and added as needed. The following modules have been developed for FAST: VIEWER, FILE IO, CALCULATOR, SURFER, TOPOLOGY, PLOTTER, TITLER, TRACER, ARCGRAPH, GQ, SURFERU, SHOTET, and ISOLEVU. A utility is also included to make the inclusion of user defined modules in the FAST environment easy. The VIEWER module is the central control for the FAST environment. From VIEWER, the user can change object attributes, interactively position objects in three- dimensional space, define and save scenes, create animations, spawn new FAST modules, add additional view windows, and save and execute command scripts. The FILE IO module loads PLOT3D-type grid, solution, Jacobian solution, and function files into the FAST environment. It consists of several windows for loading files, displaying attributes and deleting data from shared memory. ARCGRAPH loads and renders ARCGraph metafiles in the FAST environment. This module allows the user to load, view and set the attributes of an ARCGraph object. The CALCULATOR module attaches to loaded grid and solution data and allows the user to calculate a variety of scalar and vector functions using this data. SURFER operates on the grid data read in by the FILE IO module and the scalar and vector fields generated by the CALCULATOR module. From this data, SURFER can generate a wide variety of grid surfaces. These surfaces may be rendered as points, lines, vectors, and polygons. Additionally, each surface can be colored either by some user-specified constant color, or by scalar field values. Surfaces may also be shaded. GQ is used to compute grid quality measures on 1D, 2D, and 3D structured grids. Sixteen base functions are intended to give users a flexible means of testing any grid's quality. These functions include grid cell volume, 2D and 3D measure of skewness, orthogonality, aspect ratio, and stretching. TOPOLOGY takes a grid and a vector field as input and displays the topology of the vector field. Vector field features displayed by TOPOLOGY include critical points and eigenvector traces. PLOTTER attaches to grid and scalar field data and generates graph objects, each of which contains a series of 2D line plots. TRACER is the module used to calculate and display particle paths once the data has been loaded or calculated. Traces may be computed individually, or a range of traces may be predefined and computed all at once. The SURFERU, SHOTET, and ISOLEVU modules are intended for use with unstructured grids. These are grids with tetrahedral grid cells. SURFERU is similar to the SURFER module. The SHOTET module is used for looking at particular cells in a tetrahedral mesh. ISOLEVU is used for displaying data off the surface such as isosurfaces, cutting planes, cylinders, and spheres. Finally, the TITLER allows for creation of titles for inclusion in scenes and animations with FAST. Strings may be handled separately, possessing their own font, font size, color, and style. FAST is written in ANSI compliant FORTRAN 77 and C-language for use on SGI IRIS series workstations running IRIX 3.3 or later. It requires a minimum of 16Mb of RAM for execution, although 32Mb is preferred. A minimum of 75Mb of hard disk space is required. System privileges are required during the installation. The standard distribution medium for FAST is a .25 inch streaming magnetic IRIS tape cartridge in UNIX tar format. Program $2,000; documentation 72. Special educational program price (use and redistribution restrictions apply) $200. ************************************************************** Ordering COSMIC Software: The COSMIC Order Department accepts checks, official pre-printed purchase order forms, MasterCard, and VISA. To speed delivery, COSMIC will process purchase orders that are FAXed to (706) 542- 4807 and followed up with a mailed copy. Credit card orders may be called in to the Order Department at (706) 542-3265. Thank you for your continued interest: COSMIC The University of Georgia 382 East Broad Street Athens, GA 30602 Phone: (706) 542-3265 FAX: (706) 542-4807 Internet: service@cossack.cosmic.uga.edu *************************************************************** SOFTWARE REUSE SESSION AT AIAA AEROSPACE DESIGN Conference: 1993 AIAA Aerospace Design Contact: AIAA, (202) 646-7400 Place: Hyatt Regency Hotel, Irvine, California Date: Thursday, February 19, 1993 Time: 8:00 A.M. Session: ADC-34 The session on Software Reuse at the AIAA Aerospace Design 93 Conference should be lively. A diverse group of speakers will look at the reuse of software from different angles. 1. Jim Moore, IBM Federal Sector Div. The Reuse Library Interoperability Group (RIG) Activities in the Software Reuse Arena. 2. Guy M. Miller, NASA Headquarters. Intellectual Property and Liability Issues with Software Reuse. 3. Dr. Virginia Kobler. Software Reuse in the Strategic Defense Command. 4. Barry E. Jacobs, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. Activities of the eight agency High Performance Computing and Communications Software Exchange (HPCC- SE) in facilitating the exchange and reuse of software. 5. Kimberly Copeland, NASA Ames Research Center. An Incentive Program for contractors who reuse software. 6. John A. Gibson, COSMIC. The reuse of application software by NASA and industry. PARALLEL COMPUTATION NASA Langley Research Center will host the 2nd Symposium on Parallel Computational Methods for Large Scale Structural Analysis and Design, February 24-25, 1993 in Norfolk, VA. For more information contact: Olaf Storaasli NASA Langley Research Center Mail Stop 240 Hampton, VA 23665-5225 olaf_storaasli@sdmail.larc.nasa.gov NATIONAL DESIGN ENGINEERING SHOW AND CONFERENCE At the 1993 National Design to be held March 8-11, 1993 at McCormick Place Chicago, state of the art hardware, software systems, components, computers and peripherals will be displayed by nation-leading companies such as Autodesk, Cadkey, Computervision, IBM, Hewlett Packard, EDS, and Intergraph. Document Management systems, scanners, optical digital systems, output devices, workstations and systems integration services will be displayed by such industry leaders as 3M, Apple, OCE, Summagraphics, and Xerox. Along with the latest display of technology, National Design offers a full conference program with the second program dedicated to CAD/CAM that targets upper level management. Each conference has a keynote speaker and offers the latest and greatest in CAD/CAM technologies. As the anchor event for National Manufacturing Week, National Design will receive cross traffic from the International Control Engineering Show as well as the National Plant Engineering Show which will feature CAD/CAM applications for operations and facilities management. For more information contact David Bonaparte at (203) 352-8281. NASTRAN COLLOQUIUM The 21st NASTRAN User's Colloquium will be held April 26-30, 1993, in Tampa, Florida. For more information: Shirley Sanders COSMIC (706) 542-3265 ICAT/VET 93 NASA Johnson Space Center hosts a conference and exposition on Intelligent Computer-Aided Training (ICAT) and Virtual Environment Technology (VET) May 5 - 7, 1993. For exhibitor information, contact Mr. Don Meyers at phone (713) 283-3821 or fax (713) 283-3810. To submit a paper contact Mr. R. Bowen Loftin at phone (713) 483-8070 or fax (713) 224-5698. **************************************************************** end