12 replies to this topic

[OfficeLinebacker]

Hey guys, I have been getting more and more into high performance computing and aero. I have downloaded and installed OpenFOAM on to my Ubuntu box. I can solve the tutorials, but I am interested in visualizing the results and whatnot. However I can't get some of the stuff to work.

I created this thread because there is a thread in the archive about OpenFOAM, but I can't reply to that one.

I think it has some promise--my blue sky idea is to model my daily driver (2000 Camry) and test various aero mods for drag (like air dams, side skirts, etc).

Anyway just wanted to bring this product to the forefront again since it's SO cool. And there's a free model of a generic F1 car that one can play with once you get it set up.

OpenFOAM users, check in, please!

BTW this definitely doesn't belong in the simulations forum, right?

[tahadar]

that sounds really cool. im at university studying aeronautics, so CFD sounds like my kinda thing. we've been focusing on CAD this year and havent touched any CFD software. where can i get openFOAM?

[OfficeLinebacker]

Just google it. You can get precompiled binaries for most *IXes. I have been able to solve some of the tutorials, but the visualizations are a bit tricky.

I've heard that Salome and Blender are often used as adjuncts/replacements for FoamX and paraview.
j

[madad2005]

What exactly are you unable to visualise using what tool? Using Paraview? What do you want to do? Glad to see an enthusiast getting into CFD. It is the future of all engineering research! :-)

[OfficeLinebacker]

When I open a solution in paraView, it just shows an XY coordinate cross, not an actual grid. I think there are some error messages at the command prompt when this happens, let me go check.

[OfficeLinebacker]

Hi guys, I did the first tutorial, the cavity, and the commandline solver worked. However this is what happens when I try to open a visualization:

jonathan@HOMESTAR:~/OpenFOAM/jonathan-1.4.1/run/tutorials/icoFoam$ paraFoam . cavity
ErrorMessage
# Error or warning: There was a VTK Error in file: /home/dm2/henry/OpenFOAM/linuxSrc/paraview-2.4.4/GUI/Client/vtkPVWindow.cxx (2366)
vtkPVWindow (0x876bf0): Cannot read file information when no reader is specified. This probably means that the reader for the file with name: /home/jonathan/OpenFOAM/jonathan-1.4.1/run/tutorials/icoFoam/cavity/cavity.foam cannot be found
ErrorMessage end
ErrorMessage
# Error or warning: There was a VTK Error in file: /home/dm2/henry/OpenFOAM/linuxSrc/paraview-2.4.4/GUI/Widgets/vtkKWApplication.cxx (1335)
vtkPVApplication (0x626120):
Script:
paraFoam.pvs
Returned Error on line 11:
invalid command name ""
ErrorMessage end

[madad2005]

How are you opening the cavity.foam? File->open in the paraview GUI or are you using the command line? Are you sure all the output from the cavity calculation is located in the same directory as the file you are trying to open? I don't personally use openFOAM (downloading it now to give it a try - i normally use STAR-CCM+), but I have used Paraview in the past for post-pro.

[OfficeLinebacker]

I am using the command line. The first line of the output I posted is the prompt with the command after it.

Most of the examples/instructions work in shell and I am comfortable either way. For example, Blender and Wings3D put items in my GUI menu; none of the OpenFOAM stuff did that.

Thanks,
j

[madad2005]

Hey,

I finally got OpenFoam installed on Ubuntu and I have FoamView and Paraview working and reading in the cavity case. I execute ParaFoam from the directory where I have run the cavity tutorial (~/OpenFoam/run/icoFoam/) using the following command:

ParaFoam . ./cavity

It reads in fine with all the data. There is then the option to create slices or rotate the mesh/geometry around.

do you receive any specific error messages?

EDIT: I just remembered you posted your error messages... I haven't seen those at all although I've had a lot of problems. What operating system are you using?

[OfficeLinebacker]

Originally posted by madad2005
Hey,

I finally got OpenFoam installed on Ubuntu and I have FoamView and Paraview working and reading in the cavity case. I execute ParaFoam from the directory where I have run the cavity tutorial (~/OpenFoam/run/icoFoam/) using the following command:

ParaFoam . ./cavity

It reads in fine with all the data. There is then the option to create slices or rotate the mesh/geometry around.

do you receive any specific error messages?

EDIT: I just remembered you posted your error messages... I haven't seen those at all although I've had a lot of problems. What operating system are you using?

I am on Ubuntu as well! 7.10 IIRC

Originally installed as server then installed GDM on top, in case that makes a difference.

I'll have to go back and try again. Not tonight though.

Could you give some info as to how you installed it?

[ben38]

I am on Ubuntu as well! 7.10 IIRC

Originally installed as server then installed GDM on top, in case that makes a difference.

I'll have to go back and try again. Not tonight though.

Could you give some info as to how you installed it?

I tried in every way to make that work but you definitly need to run a lynux machine. That geek stuff where you need program commands to just unzip a file is pure madness
Software might be cool but it seems to me that only geeks who already have all the cracked versions of commercial available CFD software are gona use that one just to say: hex dude I got rid of all microsoft compatible program!
I don't give a **** about that although I was forced into it, I am a user of informatic, not a maker!
Way too tired to debug stuff and go through endless trouble to make the basic things work. My computer works, can connect to cars and have way to much softwares on it to be trashed to throw a lynux on it!
Too bad that CFD stuff seemed nice.

If anybody knows of another software that can run without the geek part as preliminary please let me know!

Ben

[OfficeLinebacker]

There's plenty to use that's exorbidant; there's a thread out there that says which teams use what software. But we're talking $000s per seat. The point of this thread is FREE software.

I have lots of computers and parts for more.

[ben38]

Yep OfficeLinebacker, true and that is also what i meant.
But free software doesn't mean make it impossible to use!
It is far easier to make the interface work under windows than generate and program a complete cfd algorithm btw so the fact that it is not usable makes it pointless