pyFoamPlotWatcher Graphics do not work
 

Dear OpenFOAMers,

I am trying to use pyFoamPlotWatcher on a case that was created by Thorsten Grahs. This is an external aerodynamics example of the Ahmed Body using the pisoFoam solver.

When I start pyFoam withe the command pyFoamPlotWatcher piso.log, no windows appear showing a live update of the solution residuals. instead I get the text from the .log file in the window.

I am running this case in OpenFoam V 2.1.1 on a 64 bit Ubuntu 12.10 virtual machine using the Parallels 8 on my Apple MAcBook Pro.

It seems that i might have aprobem with gnuplot but no error messages appear and I have not yet discovered the problem,hence my post.

Any help would be appreciated.

whats the duty of plot watcher?why don't you use plotrunner command instead?

I am new to pyFoam. I thought plotWatcher allowed you to view the residuals. I wasn't aware that plotRunner incorporated any features that allowed you to monitor a solution that was underway. Does it? If so then I will try but I suspect that I have an issue of gnuplot and the graphics drivers in Ubuntu 12.10.

PlotWatcher is if you already have a log (for instance from a run on the cluster) and want to analyze that log.

PlotRunner is only of use for small runs were you plan to have the terminal open all the time

Gnuplot works on its own?

Some other things that could be the case:
- the Watcher needs at least two timesteps before he starts plotting. You've had that many yet?
- To find out that a new timestep ist "there" the Watcher scans the output for the "typical" output "Time = 3.4". Some solvers say it different and the Watcher then has a hard time finding the next time (but this can be configured). Anyway. If this is an unmodified pisoFoam then this probably isn't a problem

Some things you could try to make it clearer where the problem is:

- does the pyFoamPlotRunner.py not plot too?
- does this problem occur with tutorial cases too (Plotter and Watcher)
- in gnuplot does for instance "plot sin(x)" work?

then after ending the run we can plot residuals by pyFoamPlotRunner.did i grasp it correctly?

No. you run the case with pyFoamPlotRunner.py, pyFoamRunner.py or any other command that generates a logfile.

Then you can plot the stuff from the logfile with the watcher. Even while the case is still running on another machine (that's why its called Watcher)