Generic Model Data Import/Export

GMS v5.0 supports a new suite of data import/export tools called XMDF (generic model data format).  The XMDF protocol was developed for the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) but can be used by anyone.  The objective of the XMDF project is to promote a common data format for model developers.  XMDF is a binary file format for storing multi-dimensional finite difference grids and finite element meshes and associated data sets.  In order to make XMDF easy to implement, it has been developed as an API rather than as a file format specification.  XMDF will be distributed in the form of a FORTRAN or C/C++ DLL.  By calling pre-defined subroutines in the DLL's, model developers can gain access to the XMDF benefits with very little effort.  For GMS users, this means that if you have model codes not supported by the GMS interface, you can add an option to your code to import/export your model geometry and solution data sets in XMDF format using the XMDF DLL.  You can then use GMS to build your grids and meshes and to perform your post-processing.

XMDF has other benefits as well.  The XMDF file i/o is extremely compact and efficient.  It is built on the HDF5 library developed by the NCSA at the University of Illinois.  HDF5 is a library for saving and reading binary data in a hierarchical format.  It includes compression algorithms.  Using XMDF to save model geometry and data sets results in file i/o that is orders of magnitude faster than ASCII-based file i/o and more compact that typical binary i/o.

Data saved in XMDF format can be imported to GMS by using the "*.h5" filter in the File/Open command.  GMS objects can also be saved to XMDF format using the same filter with the File/Save command.

The XMDF DLL's are undergoing the final stages of testing and debugging and will be posted soon on an ERDC website.