Open Data Explorer is an excellent tool for post-processing finite element and finite difference codes (among other things); but does anyone know of any efforts to produce a general purpose (and perhaps open source) pre-processor? That is, a mesh generator or grid stuffer.
I've been looking into this topic as a low priority effort for several months, all I've found are a couple of commercial codes. There's nothing wrong with them being commercial, unfortunately they are also somewhat lacking in capability. The biggest weakness happens to be DX's greatest strength; the data model and the ability to add user code modules. At least one of the mesh generators I've looked at seems to consider putting in data values associated with the nodal points and element volumes a kind of insignificant after thought. To make maters worse the output module for each supported code must be written and linked in by the software vendor. Along the same lines, does anyone know of available source code (or algorithm) to do either of the following: 1. Read a CAD part description from an IGES or DXF file and create a data structure of the triangular surface elements. 2. Given a closed region described by triangular surface elements, test whether any given point is inside, outside or on the surface of the region. Thanks, Ned Piburn
