Skip to main content

topoSet

Overview​

The topoSet utility is used to manipulate cell, face and point sets and zones, to define regions for, e.g. post-processing or sub-models including porous media, multiple reference frame (MRF) models etc.

Utilities such as blockMesh and snappyHexMesh can generate sets and zones directly.

Usage​

The utility is executed by:

topoSet [OPTIONS]

The full set of options are:

Usage: topoSet [OPTIONS]
Options:
  -case <dir>       Case directory (instead of current directory)
  -constant         Include 'constant/' dir in the times list
  -decomposeParDict <file>
                    Alternative decomposePar dictionary file
  -dict <file>      Alternative topoSetDict
  -latestTime       Select the latest time
  -noSync           Do not synchronise selection across coupled patches
  -noZero           Exclude '0/' dir from the times list
  -parallel         Run in parallel
  -region <name>    Specify mesh region (default: region0)
  -time <ranges>    List of ranges. Eg, ':10,20 40:70 1000:', 'none', etc
  -doc              Display documentation in browser
  -help             Display short help and exit
  -help-full        Display full help and exit

Operates on cellSets/faceSets/pointSets through a dictionary, normally
system/topoSetDict

Using: OpenFOAM-v2606 (2606) - visit www.openfoam.com
Build: _481094fdf3-20260618
Arch:  LSB;label=32;scalar=64

By default, the utility is controlled using a <case>/system/topoSetDict dictionary, where manipulations are specified as a list of operations that are applied in order.

actions
(
    {
        name    <name-1>;
        type    <set-type>;
        action  <action>;
        source  <source-type>;

        // Additional <source-type> information
    }

    {
        name    <name-2>;
        type    <set-type>;
        action  <action-type>;
        source  <source-type>;

        // Additional <source-type> information
    }

    ...
);

The <set-type> value defines the set type to operate on, i.e.:

  • points: pointSet, pointZoneSet
  • faces: faceSet, faceZoneSet
  • cells: cellSet, cellZoneSet

The <action-type> value defines the how the set is to be manipulated by the set defined the <source-type>, i.e.:

  • add
  • subtract
  • new
  • subset
  • invert
  • clear
  • remove
  • list
  • ignore
  • delete

The <source-type> is specific to the <set-type>, where options include

pointSet

  • boxToPoint : select points inside bound box(es)
  • cellToPoint : select points from cell set(s)
  • clipPlaneToPoint : select points above a plane
  • cylinderToPoint : select points in a cylinder or annulus
  • faceToPoint : select points in face set(s)
  • labelToPoint : select points from a list of point indices
  • nearestToPoint : select points closest to a set of points
  • pointToPoint : select points in point set(s)
  • searchableSurfaceToPoint : select points enclosed by a searchableSurface
  • setToPointZone : convert a pointSet to a pointZone
  • sphereToPoint : select points within a bounding sphere
  • surfaceToPoint : select points based on relation (distance, inside/outside) to a surface
  • zoneToPoint : convert a pointZone to a pointSet

faceSet

  • boxToFace : select faces inside bound box(es)
  • cellToFace : select faces from cell set(s)
  • clipPlaneToFace : select faces above a plane
  • cylinderAnnulusToFace : select faces in a cylinder annulus
  • cylinderToFace : select faces in a cylinder
  • faceToFace : select faces in face set(s)
  • holeToFace : select a set of faces that closes a hole
  • labelToFace : select faces from a list of face indices
  • normalToFace : select faces with normal aligned to a specified direction
  • patchToFace : select faces associated with given patch(es)
  • pointToFace : select faces connected to any points in point set(s)
  • regionToFace : select faces in a mesh region
  • searchableSurfaceToFace : select faces enclosed by a searchableSurface
  • sphereToFace : select faces within a bounding sphere
  • zoneToFace : convert a faceZone to a faceSet

faceZoneSet

  • cellToFaceZone : select faces with only 1 neighbour in cell set(s)
  • faceZoneToFaceZone : select faces in a faceZone
  • planeToFaceZone : select faces based on the adjacent cell centres spanning a given plane
  • searchableSurfaceToFaceZone : select faces whose cell-cell centre vector intersects a given searchableSurface
  • setAndNormalToFaceZone : select faces from a faceSet where the face normal is aligned to a specified direction
  • setToFaceZone : convert a faceSet to a faceZone
  • setsToFaceZone : convert a list of faceSets to a faceZone

cellSet

  • boxToCell : select cells inside bound box(es)
  • cellToCell : select cells from in cell set(s)
  • clipPlaneToCell : select cells with centres above a given plane
  • cylinderAnnulusToCell : select cells in a cylinder annulus
  • cylinderToCell : select cells in a cylinder
  • faceToCell : select cells with a face in the given face set(s)
  • faceZoneToCell : select cells with a face in the given face zone(s)
  • fieldToCell : select cells based on field values
  • haloToCell : select cells connected to the outside a cellSet
  • labelToCell : select cells from a list of cell indices
  • nbrToCell : select cells based on each cell's number of neighbour cells
  • nearestToCell : select cells with centres nearest to a set of points
  • patchToCell : select cells adjacent to a lost of patches
  • pointToCell : select cells with with any points in the given point set(s)
  • regionToCell : select cells in a mesh region
  • rotatedBoxToCell : select sells in a rotated box
  • searchableSurfaceToCell : select cells enclosed by a searchableSurface
  • shapeToCell : select cells based on their shape
  • sphereToCell : select cells within a bounding sphere
  • surfaceToCell : select cells based on relation (distance, inside/outside) to a surface
  • targetVolumeToCell : selects cells based on a target volume obtained by sweeping a surface through the mesh
  • zoneToCell : converts a cellZone to a cellSet

cellZoneSet

  • setToCellZone : converts a cellSet to a cellZone

Examples​

Cells​

Select all cells in the bounding box defined by the points (0 0 0) and (1 1 1):

{
    name    box1;
    type    cellSet;
    action  new;
    source  boxToCell;
    min     (0 0 0);
    max     (1 1 1);
}

Select all cells defined by p field in the range 0 and 10:

{
    name    field1;
    type    cellSet;
    action  new;
    source  fieldToCell;
    field   p;
    min     0;
    max     10;
}

Remove the set of cells given by cellZone zone1 from cell set zone2

{
    name    zone2;
    type    cellSet;
    action  subtract;
    source  zoneToCell;
    zone    zone1;
}

Further information​

Example usage:

Source code