paraFoam error on dual version install
 

Hi my name is Clint. I took an OpenFOAM course a year or two ago, where we were given the bootable Linux flash drives. I actually still run on the drive sometimes. It has OF 1.6-ext installed on it. And I decided I wanted 2.1.1 to get some of the lagrangian examples. So I downloaded and installed it according to the directions for the Deb pack. It seemed like everything went fine. I edited my bashrc file so I had an alias for of16x and one for of211. I restarted everything and tried my of16x alias and it worked fine. I could run everything and paraFoam worked.

Then I restarted the terminal and ran my of211 alias. Seemed like it worked. I went into my 2.1.1 directory and was able to use blockMesh to mesh an example geometry and was able to run the solver (rhoSimplecFoam was the one I started with).

Then I went to look at the results with paraFoam and go this:

FATAL ERROR: ParaView reader module libraries do not exist

Please build the reader module before continuing:
cd $FOAM_UTILITIES/postProcessing/graphics/PV3Readers
./Allwclean
./Allwmake

I read some threads troubleshooting this. One suggested to add "PV_PLUGIN_PATH" to the bashrc file, which I tried. That didn't fix it. Actually I did notice that right when I start a terminal, I can echo PV_PLUGIN_PATH and get the correct path, but then once I run openfoam 2.1.1, it returns nothing if I echo it.

Anyway, just looking for some help with this. I can currently visualize results from my 2.1.1 install in a round about way by restarting the terminal and loading openfoam 1.6ext for running paraFoam, but I shouldn't have to.

Thanks!

-Clint

Greetings Clint and welcome to the forum!

Did you install the ParaView deb package as well, the one provided with OpenFOAM 2.1.1?

Or better yet, what does this command output: Best regards,
Bruno

I did install the new Paraview version that came with OF 2.1.1. I followed the installation directions on the OF download page:

sudo apt-get install paraviewopenfoam3120

It appears to have installed the correct version. I get Paraview 3.12 when I type which. Is there something else I needed to do?

Hi Clint,

I've seen this error occur for other people several times, but I can't seem to understand what's necessary for replicating this issue :(

I re-read your first post:
What do you mean exactly with the sentence I underlined :confused:.

By the way, do you know which Linux distribution, version and architecture you're using? You should be able to get that information by running:
The second one shows the architecture.

Best regards,
Bruno

Sorry, I was out of town without internet over the weekend.

I meant once I type the alias I created for openfoam 2.1.1 (I created a second one for openfoam 1.6-ext), that PV_PLUGIN_PATH seems to disappear.

I am running kubuntu. I'll check the version and post it in a few mins.

Hi Clint,

I've installed Kubuntu 12.04 x86_64 in a virtual machine and followed the instructions from http://www.openfoam.org/download/ubuntu.php - I had to reboot the machine after installing ParaView, in order for the graphics drivers to adjust or something like that. But after that, I've had no problems.

So, let's do some more diagnosing:

1. Does this command output anything:
   Code:

   ---

   which paraview

   ---

   If it does, is it:
   Code:

   ---

   /opt/paraviewopenfoam3120/bin/paraview

   ---

2. Try running this command before paraFoam:
   Code:

   ---

   export PV_PLUGIN_PATH="/opt/openfoam211/platforms/linux64GccDPOpt/lib/paraview-3.12"

   ---

   1. If this works, then let's go hardcore on this thing and edit as root the script "/opt/openfoam211/bin/paraFoam".
   2. Search for theses lines:
      
      Code:

      ---

      # reader extension
extension=OpenFOAM

      ---

   3. Add the hack:
      
      Code:

      ---

      # reader extension
extension=OpenFOAM

export PV_PLUGIN_PATH="/opt/openfoam211/platforms/linux64GccDPOpt/lib/paraview-3.12"

      ---

   4. Save, close and try it as normal user!

Best regards,
Bruno

Thanks again for the help with this!

So, the response for "which paraview" is:

/usr/bin/paraview

Also, just for reference, these are my aliases for OpenFOAM version 1.6-ext and 2.1.1 that I created in my bashrc:

alias of16x = 'source /usr/lib/OpenFOAM-1.6-ext/etc/bashrc
alias of211 = 'source /opt/openfoam211/etc/bashrc

Just to be clear, I didn't install the original OpenFOAM 1.6-ext. I was given a bootable Linux USB drive during the OpenFOAM training course I took that had it pre-installed, so I don't know details of that installation procedure.

So it looks like my paraview path is different from yours. I noticed that I do not have the "paraviewopenfoam3120" folder at all in my /opt directory.

Next, I tried your suggestions of defining PV_PLUGIN_PATH manually right before running paraFOAM.

When I did this, it started to run paraview, but then aborted and gave the following error:

Read float past end of buffer
paraview: /build/buildd/paraview-3.6.2/vtk/utilities/vtknetcfd/posixio.c: 433: px-get: Assertion 'extent!=0' failed

I didn't copy and paste that into here, so if a dot or a slash isn't right, it's my fault, but that's what it came back with.

After that error I closed out my terminal and opened a new one, typed my of16x alias to load the old openfoam version, went back to the same tutorial directory I tried above, and paraFoam loaded right up and I could see the geometry.

It seems like paraview is currently linked to my old version of openfoam only (same directory when I type "which paraview"). Is the paraview/paraFoam path independent of which version of openfoam I'm using? What I mean is, should that path change depending on which openfoam alias I type?

:eek: this isn't a good sign...

Mmm... if it works for you, I guess I shouldn't complain, but I usually like to play it safe and not have spaces on each side of the equal sign:
I forgot about that :(. If it's the the Kubuntu installation I'm expecting, then it would probably be 10.04 and not 12.04.

I'll have to check with a Kubuntu 10.04 installation to be sure, but either the name is different or this specific deb package is damaged for Ubuntu 10.04...

I guess this won't fly since the plugin is for 3.12.0 and the system's version is 3.6.2. You better undo the changes, if necessary.

In OpenFOAM 1.6-ext they either have a different way of starting with another ParaView version ("menu -> help -> about" to confirm the version) or their build has the plugins built for 3.6.2.

If you confirm that ParaView 3.6.2 is the version being used by OpenFOAM 1.6-ext, then what file extension is it using for opening the file? ".foam" or ".OpenFOAM"?

OK, so I think it's an issue with the paraview 3.12 install. Apparently the old paraview is still running rather than the new one. I thought I was running the newer version this whole time. I followed the install instructions and it did create some folders, but the old one is still running. Do I need to uninstall it completely? I thought it might just update my version. I am a bit nervous about screwing up my 1.6-ext version.

Also, my aliases don't have those spaces after the '=' signs, I just typed it like that in my response for some reason.

I'll wait to hear from you before I try to install paraview 3.12 again from the instructions on the openfoam download page.

FYI, my version of Ubuntu is 10.04.1 LTS and I have KDE 4.4.2 according to the help menu.

Thanks for your help!

Hi Clint,

Something is off in your system :( I've finished testing in a clean installation and the ParaView package installed without problems. Running the following command gives the shown output:
Let's try doing this hardcore - install the package manually. This depends on the architecture you got:
The commands are:

• For x86_64:
  
  Code:

  ---

  wget "http://www.openfoam.com/download/ubuntu/dists/lucid/main/binary-amd64/paraviewopenfoam3120_0-1_amd64.deb"
sudo dpkg -i paraviewopenfoam3120_0-1_amd64.deb

  ---

• For i686:
  
  Code:

  ---

  wget "http://www.openfoam.com/download/ubuntu/dists/lucid/main/binary-i386/paraviewopenfoam3120_0-1_i386.deb"
sudo dpkg -i paraviewopenfoam3120_0-1_i386.deb

  ---

In case it doesn't want to install, for example:
Best regards,
Bruno

Thanks for all the help here. But I think the whole problem is this bootable USB. I think I'm running out of space and things are acting funny. I'm going to scrap the install here and do a proper install on a spare PC. I imagine it will fix all my issues. Thanks again, and I'll let you know if I have trouble with that.

-Clint