I would only use an ASCII-based format if the data are small, but I usually use the VTK legacy format as a quick-and-dirty approach. I find it a bit easier to generate and read than the XML formats. If you get to the point of creating larger or parallel meshes, you probably want to move to a binary HDF5 format as Armin suggests.
At any rate, you can get documentation for both the VTK legacy and VTK XML formats in this document: http://www.paraview.org/Wiki/images/5/51/VTK-File-Formats.pdf Hope that helps. -Ken On 3/25/14 7:47 AM, "Armin Wehrfritz" <[email protected]> wrote: >Hi, > >ParaView offers you a lot of visualisation and data handling options, so >yes definitely the right choice. :) > >Concerning the file format: >The VTK data-structures are well suited for such kind of data, however I >personally find the learning curve of VTK rather steep. Meaning, it >might be quite difficult to get started with this task. > >An alternative is to used a HDF5/XDMF file format. I got a simple HDF5 >writer rather quickly implemented, there are good tutorials on the web, >and I generate the XDMF file in a post-processing step with a python >script. (ParaView supports XDMF files very well.) >Oh and yes, you can read HDF5 files conveniently with Matlab and Python >too. > >In any case both options, HDF5/XDMF or VTK, are better than plain >ascii-files. ;) > >Regards, >Armin > >P.S.: Which language do you write the FEM program in? > > > >On 03/25/2014 11:33 AM, Marco Nawijn wrote: >> Hello Florian, >> >> Yes! Paraview is definitely a good choice. I would also recommend to use >> VTK for managing some of the FEM related datastructures. In particular, >> I would recommend to use one or more of the grid/cell classes. This also >> provides >> you automatically with different export formats (see for example the >> vtkXMLUnstructuredGridWriter). >> >> Regards, >> >> Marco >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> On Tue, Mar 25, 2014 at 12:42 AM, Florian Schmidt <[email protected] >> <mailto:[email protected]>> wrote: >> >> Hello, >> >> I want to write my own FEM program. And now I am looking for a >> visualization and post-processing tool. >> >> What do you think: is paraview a good choice? >> >> >> Is there an ascii-fileformat you would recommend to use as output >> from the FEM program and as input for paraview? >> >> Thanks, >> Florian >> _________________________________________________ >> Powered by www.kitware.com <http://www.kitware.com> >> >> Visit other Kitware open-source projects at >> http://www.kitware.com/__opensource/opensource.html >> <http://www.kitware.com/opensource/opensource.html> >> >> Please keep messages on-topic and check the ParaView Wiki at: >> http://paraview.org/Wiki/__ParaView >><http://paraview.org/Wiki/ParaView> >> >> Follow this link to subscribe/unsubscribe: >> http://www.paraview.org/__mailman/listinfo/paraview >> <http://www.paraview.org/mailman/listinfo/paraview> >> >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Powered by www.kitware.com >> >> Visit other Kitware open-source projects at >>http://www.kitware.com/opensource/opensource.html >> >> Please keep messages on-topic and check the ParaView Wiki at: >>http://paraview.org/Wiki/ParaView >> >> Follow this link to subscribe/unsubscribe: >> http://www.paraview.org/mailman/listinfo/paraview >> > >_______________________________________________ >Powered by www.kitware.com > >Visit other Kitware open-source projects at >http://www.kitware.com/opensource/opensource.html > >Please keep messages on-topic and check the ParaView Wiki at: >http://paraview.org/Wiki/ParaView > >Follow this link to subscribe/unsubscribe: >http://www.paraview.org/mailman/listinfo/paraview _______________________________________________ Powered by www.kitware.com Visit other Kitware open-source projects at http://www.kitware.com/opensource/opensource.html Please keep messages on-topic and check the ParaView Wiki at: http://paraview.org/Wiki/ParaView Follow this link to subscribe/unsubscribe: http://www.paraview.org/mailman/listinfo/paraview
