gmsh.1

.\" $Id: gmsh.1,v 1.51 2004-02-05 17:16:04 geuzaine Exp $
.TH Gmsh 1 "14 June 2003" "Gmsh 1.45" "Gmsh Manual Pages"
.UC 4
.\" ********************************************************************
.SH NAME
Gmsh \- an automatic three-dimensional finite element mesh generator
with built-in pre- and post-processing facilities
.\" ********************************************************************
.SH SYNOPSIS
.B gmsh [file(s)] [option(s)]
.\" ********************************************************************
.SH DESCRIPTION
\fIGmsh\fR is an automatic three-dimensional finite element mesh
generator (primarily Delaunay) with build-in CAD and post-processing
facilities. Its design goal is to provide a simple meshing tool for
academic test cases with parametric input and up to date visualization
capabilities. One of its strengths is the ability to respect a
characteristic length field for the generation of adapted meshes on
lines, surfaces and volumes, and to mix these meshes with simple
structured grids.
.PP
\fIGmsh\fR is built around four modules: geometry, mesh, solver and
post-processing. The specification of any input to these modules is
done either interactively using the graphical user interface or in
ASCII text files using \fIGmsh\fR's own scripting language.
.\" ********************************************************************
.SH GEOMETRY OPTIONS
.TP 4
.B \-0
parse all input files, output unrolled geometry, and exit. 
.\" ********************************************************************
.SH MESH OPTIONS
.TP 4
.B \-1
perform the one-dimensional mesh, i.e. discretize all the curves in
the geometry.
.TP 4
.B \-2
perform the two-dimensional mesh, i.e. discretize all the surfaces in
the geometry.
.TP 4
.B \-3
perform the three-dimensional mesh, i.e. discretize all the volumes in
the geometry.
.TP 4
.B \-saveall
save all elements (and discard all physical group definitions).
.TP 4
.B \-o file
specify mesh output file name.
.TP 4
.B \-format msh|unv|gref
set output mesh format (default: msh).
.TP 4
.B \-algo iso|tri|aniso
select the two-dimensional mesh algorithm (default: iso).
.TP 4
.B \-smooth int
set the number of smoothing steps (default value is 0).
.TP 4
.B \-order int
set the order of the generated elements (default value is 1).
.TP 4
.B \-scale float
apply a global scaling factor to the model (default value is 1.0).
.TP 4
.B \-meshscale float
apply a global scaling factor to the mesh output (default value is 1.0).
.TP 4
.B \-clscale float
apply a global scaling factor to the mesh characteristic lengths in the
model (default value is 1.0).
.TP 4
.B \-rand float
set random perturbation factor (default: 1.e-4).
.TP 4
.B \-bgm file
load the post-processing view in file as the current background mesh.
.TP 4
.B \-constrain
constrain the background mesh with the characteristic lengths of the
model.
.TP 4
.B \-histogram
print mesh quality histogram.
.TP 4
.B \-extrude
use the old extrusion mesh generator.
.TP 4
.B \-recombine
recombine meshes from the old extrusion mesh generator.
.TP 4
.B \-interactive
display the 2D mesh construction interactively if the anisotropic mesh
algorithm is selected.
.\" ********************************************************************
.SH POST-PROCESSING OPTIONS
.TP 4
.B \-dl
enable OpenGL display lists.
.TP 4
.B \-noview
hide all views at startup.
.TP 4
.B \-link int
choose link mode between post-processing views (default: 0).
.TP 4
.B \-smoothview
smooth views at startup.
.TP 4
.B \-combine
combine input views into multi time step ones.
.TP 4
.B \-convert file file
convert all views in a file into binary views.
.\" ********************************************************************
.SH DISPLAY OPTIONS
.TP 4
.B \-nodb
suppress the double buffer. Use this options if you use \fIGmsh\fR on
a remote host without GLX.
.TP 4
.B \-fontsize int
specify the font size for the GUI (default: 12)
.TP 4
.B \-scheme string
specify FLTK scheme
.TP 4
.B \-alpha
enable alpha blending.
.TP 4
.B \-notrack
don't use trackball mode for rotations.
.TP 4
.B \-display string
specify display.
.TP 4
.B \-perspective
use perspective instead of orthographic projection.
.\" ********************************************************************
.SH OTHER OPTIONS
.TP 4
.B \-a, \-g, \-m, \-s, \-p
start in automatic, geometry, mesh, solver or post-processing mode
(default: automatic).
.TP 4
.B \-v int
set verbosity level (default: 2).
.TP 4
.B \-string "string"
parse string before project file.
.TP 4
.B \-option file
parse option file before GUI creation.
.TP 4
.B \-version
show version number.
.TP 4
.B \-info
show detailed version information.
.TP 4
.B \-help
show help message.
.\" ********************************************************************
.SH AUTHORS
Christophe Geuzaine (geuzaine@acm.caltech.edu) and Jean-Francois
Remacle (Remacle@scorec.rpi.edu). 
.\" ********************************************************************
.SH SEE ALSO
.BR getdp (1),
.br
Gmsh examples (\fI/usr/share/doc/gmsh-*/\fR),
.br
Gmsh homepage (\fIhttp://www.geuz.org/gmsh/\fR).
.PP
The full documentation for Gmsh is maintained as a Texinfo manual.  If
the
.B info
and
.B gmsh
programs are properly installed at your site, the command
.IP
.B info gmsh
.PP
should give you access to the complete manual.