Tecplot, Inc.
Bellevue, WA
2018
Data Format Guide
Tecplot 360 EX 2018 Release 2
Tecplot 360 EX
Data Format Guide is for use with Tecplot 360 EX 2018 R2.
Copyright © 1988-2018 Tecplot, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide. Except for personal use, this manual may not be reproduced, transmitted, transcribed,
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Bellevue, WA 98006 U.S.A.
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should not be interpreted as a commitment by Tecplot, Inc. Tecplot, Inc. assumes no liability or responsibility for documentation errors or inaccuracies.
Tecplot, Inc.
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Part Number: 18-360-05-2 Build Revision: 3823 Released: 10/2018
For third-party trademark and copyright information, see the Tecplot 360 EX User’s Manual.
3
Table of Contents
1 Introduction ............................................................................ 7
Subzone Loading ..........................................................................7
Creating Data Files for Tecplot 360 EX and Focus...................8
Best Practices .................................................................................8
2 Data Structure .................................................................... 11
Ordered Data...............................................................................12
Finite Element Data....................................................................13
Line Data .................................................................................14
Surface Data .............................................................................15
Volume Data .............................................................................15
Finite Element Data Limitations.................................................15
Variable Location ........................................................................16
Face Neighbors............................................................................16
Working with Unorganized Data Sets.....................................16
Example - Unorganized Three-Dimensional Volume.....................17
Time and Date Representation .................................................18
3 Binary Data ............................................................................ 19
Getting Started ............................................................................20
Viewing Your Output.................................................................21
Partitioned Data ..........................................................................21
Binary File Compatibility ..........................................................22
Deprecated Binary Functions .....................................................22
Character Strings in FORTRAN ................................................23
Boolean Flags............................................................................23
Binary Data File Function Calling Sequence ..........................23
Table of Contents
4
Additional Requirement for Parallel Output
................................23
Non-partitioned Zones...............................................................24
Partitioned Zones......................................................................24
Writing to Multiple Binary Data Files ..................................... 25
Linking with the TecIO Library................................................25
Linux/Macintosh.......................................................................25
Windows ..................................................................................26
Notes for Windows Programmers using Fortran ..........................26
Binary Data File Function Reference ....................................... 26
Defining Polyhedral and Polygonal Data ...............................59
Boundary Faces and Boundary Connections ................................60
FaceNodeCounts and FaceNodes.................................................61
FaceRightElems and FaceLeftElems ............................................62
FaceBoundaryConnectionElements and Zones ............................. 63
Partially Obscured Boundary Faces ............................................63
Examples......................................................................................64
Face Neighbors..........................................................................64
Polygonal Example.................................................................... 71
Multiple Polyhedral Zones......................................................... 76
Multiple Polygonal Zones.......................................................... 88
Polyhedral Example.................................................................101
IJ-ordered zone ........................................................................104
Switching Between Two Files ...................................................107
Text Example ..........................................................................110
Partitioned Data Examples ......................................................112
4 ASCII Data ........................................................................... 113
Converting ASCII to Binary.................................................... 113
Syntax Rules & Limits..............................................................113
ASCII File Structure ................................................................. 114
File Header .............................................................................114
Zone Record ........................................................................... 115
Text Record ............................................................................. 125
Geometry Record.....................................................................127
Custom Labels Record.............................................................. 130
Data Set Auxiliary Data Record...............................................130
Variable Auxiliary Data Record ................................................131
ASCII Data File Parameter Assignment Values .........................131
Ordered Data.............................................................................132
I-Ordered Data .......................................................................132
IJ-Ordered Data ...................................................................... 132
IJK-Ordered Data....................................................................133
Ordered Data Examples...........................................................133
Finite Element Data..................................................................138
Variable and Connectivity List Sharing ..................................... 140
Finite Element Data Set Examples............................................142
ASCII Data File Conversion to Binary...................................153
Preplot Options.......................................................................153
5
Preplot Examples
....................................................................153
5 Reading SZL Data Files .............................................. 155
Getting Started with the API...................................................155
Passing Arguments and Receiving Values .................................156
Indexing and Zero Values.........................................................156
Errors.....................................................................................156
API Overview............................................................................157
Files and Data Sets..................................................................157
Geometries..............................................................................157
Text ........................................................................................159
Custom Label Sets ...................................................................160
Strings ...................................................................................160
Auxiliary Data........................................................................160
Varia bles .................................................................................161
Zones .....................................................................................161
Connectivity ...........................................................................162
Data Values ............................................................................163
Opening and Closing Files ......................................................163
Dealing with Strings.................................................................164
Reading Data.............................................................................165
Reading Connectivity Data ......................................................166
Accessing Data Values .............................................................166
Reading Auxiliary Data ...........................................................167
Reading Geometry and Text ...................................................167
Reading Custom Labels...........................................................168
Example Code ...........................................................................168
6 Writing SZL Data Files (New API) ...................... 169
Getting Started with the API...................................................169
Passing Arguments and Receiving Values .................................170
Indexing and Zero Values.........................................................170
Return Values and Errors.........................................................170
API Overview............................................................................170
Initialization and File Handling ...............................................171
Auxiliary Data........................................................................171
Zones, Variables, and Data .......................................................171
Partitioning and MPI..............................................................172
Connectivity ...........................................................................173
Opening and Closing Files ......................................................173
Working With Partitions..........................................................173
Overlap and Ghosts .................................................................174
Partitioning Zones ..................................................................174
Writing Data ..............................................................................174
Passive and Shared Variables ....................................................175
Writing IJK-Ordered Data .......................................................175
Writing Finite Element Data....................................................175
