[Paraview] Input file format

[David E DeMarle]

On Wed, Dec 19, 2012 at 9:20 PM, Pradeep Jha <pradeep.kumar.jha at gmail.com>wrote:

> Hello,
>
> I am confused about what should be the input format of the data file that
> I want Paraview to read?
>
> I have attached a simple data file as example below that I want to plot in
> 3D on Paraview.  I have a few
> questions:
>
> 1) When I input this data in a CSV format or a txt format, Paraview just
> shows me a spreadsheet
> and does not give any options for converting it into a plot. The
> properties section does not even
> show the list of variables.
>

Use csv reader and then the properties panel lets you state if the first
row is a header with variable names.

Apply the TableToPoints filter or the TableToStructuredGrid filter to let
ParaView know that the table the the reader produces holds scientific (3D
spatial) data. Since a text file can contain anything, we need this to know
what this particular text file holds.


> 2) If I have a uniform grid like this, do I need to enter the coordinates?
> What will be a more efficient format?
>
>
Yes, raw binary data, read in via the raw (binary) reader. Use the
properties panel of that reader to state the number of dimensions, the
extent in those dimensions, the word size, endianess and number of
variables.


> 3) If I write the data (in a binary format) using Fortran90, what should
> be the order of my data?
>
>
Not sure, I think it is kjiv, but you'll have to confirm that.


> 4) Out of curiosity, is there any data format more compressed than a
> binary format? I hear that many people
> use the HDF5 format for huge scientific data. What is the significant
> advantage of this format over normal binary
> data produced by fortran?
>

Interoperability with many programs over any custom format, better
performance and higher level access primitives (striding etc).
As John said in another email hdf5 just like text and raw files can hold
anything, so ParaView needs some context to interpret the contents of the
hdf5 file. xdmf and netcdf4 readers add a layer than can provide that
context.


Thank you,
> Pradeep
>
> Data:
>
> x          y           z         u         v          w
> 0         0.0      0.0      0.5       0.6      0.4
> 0.5      0.0      0.0      0.5       0.6      0.4
> 1.0      0.0      0.0      0.5       0.6      0.4
> 0         0.5      0.0      0.5       0.6      0.4
> 0.5      0.5      0.0      0.5       0.6      0.4
> 1.0      0.5      0.0      0.5       0.6      0.4
> 0         1.0      0.0      0.5       0.6      0.4
> 0.5      1.0      0.0      0.5       0.6      0.4
> 1.0      1.0      0.0      0.5       0.6      0.4
> 0         0.0      0.5      0.5       0.6      0.4
> 0.5      0.0      0.5      0.5       0.6      0.4
> 1.0      0.0      0.5      0.5       0.6      0.4
> 0         0.5      0.5      0.5       0.6      0.4
> 0.5      0.5      0.5      0.5       0.6      0.4
> 1.0      0.5      0.5      0.5       0.6      0.4
> 0         1.0      0.5      0.5       0.6      0.4
> 0.5      1.0      0.5      0.5       0.6      0.4
> 1.0      1.0      0.5      0.5       0.6      0.4
> 0         0.0      1.0      0.5       0.6      0.4
> 0.5      0.0      1.0      0.5       0.6      0.4
> 1.0      0.0      1.0      0.5       0.6      0.4
> 0         0.5      1.0      0.5       0.6      0.4
> 0.5      0.5      1.0      0.5       0.6      0.4
> 1.0      0.5      1.0      0.5       0.6      0.4
> 0         1.0      1.0      0.5       0.6      0.4
> 0.5      1.0      1.0      0.5       0.6      0.4
> 1.0      1.0      1.0      0.5       0.6      0.4
>
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