xref: /petsc/include/petscsectiontypes.h (revision b59054469e8e75e7f1217f4456448261033ebd2d)
1 #pragma once
2 
3 /* MANSEC = Vec */
4 /* SUBMANSEC = PetscSection */
5 
6 /*S
7   PetscSection - Provides a mapping from integers in a designated domain (defined by bounds `startp` to `endp`) to integers which can then be used
8   for accessing entries in arrays, other `PetscSection`s, `IS`s, `Vec`s, and `Mat`s.
9 
10   One can think of `PetscSection` as a library-based tool for indexing into multi-dimensional jagged arrays which is needed
11   since programming languages do not provide jagged array functionality baked into their syntax.
12 
13   The domain, `startp` to `endp`, is called the chart of the `PetscSection()` and is set with `PetscSectionSetChart()` and accessed
14   `PetscSectionGetChart()`. `startp` does not need to  be 0, `endp` must be greater than or equal to `startp` and the bounds
15   may be positive or negative.
16 
17   The range of a `PetscSection` is in the space of
18   contiguous sets of integers. These ranges are frequently interpreted as domains (charts, meaning lower and upper bounds) of other array-like objects,
19   especially other `PetscSection`s, `IS`s, and `Vec`s.
20 
21   For each point in the chart (from `startp` to `endp`) of a `PetscSection`, the output set is represented through an `offset` and a
22   `count`, which can be obtained using `PetscSectionGetOffset()` and `PetscSectionGetDof()` respectively and can be set via
23   `PetscSectionSetOffset()` and `PetscSectionSetDof()`. Lookup is typically using
24   accessors or routines like `VecGetValuesSection()`
25 
26   The indices returned by the `PetscSection`
27   are appropriate for the kind of `Vec` it is associated with. For example, if the vector being indexed is a local vector, we call the section a
28   local section. If the section indexes a global vector, we call it a global section. For parallel vectors, like global vectors, we use negative
29   indices to indicate dofs owned by other processes.
30 
31   Typically `PetscSections` are first constructed via a series of calls to `PetscSectionSetOffset()` and `PetscSectionSetDof()`, finalized via
32   a call to `PetscSectionSetup()` and then used to index into arrays and other PETSc objects. The construction (setup) phase corresponds to providing all
33   the information needed to define the multi-dimensional jagged array structure.
34 
35   `PetscSection` is used heavily by `DMPLEX`. Simplier `DM`, such as `DMDA`, generally do not need `PetscSection` since their array access patterns
36   are simplier and can be fully expressed using standard programming language array syntax, see [DM commonality](ch_dmcommonality).
37 
38   Level: beginner
39 
40 .seealso: [PetscSection](ch_petscsection), `PetscSectionCreate()`, `PetscSectionGetOffset()`, `PetscSectionGetOffset()`, `PetscSectionSetChart()`,
41           `PetscSectionGetChart()`, `PetscSectionDestroy()`, `PetscSectionSym`, `PetscSectionSetup()`, `DM`, `DMDA`, `DMPLEX`
42 S*/
43 typedef struct _p_PetscSection *PetscSection;
44 
45 /*S
46   PetscSectionSym - Symmetries of the data referenced by a `PetscSection`.
47 
48   Often the order of data index by a `PetscSection` is meaningful, and describes additional structure, such as points on a
49   line, grid, or lattice.  If the data is accessed from a different "orientation", then the image of the data under
50   access then undergoes a symmetry transformation.  A `PetscSectionSym` specifies these symmetries.  The types of
51   symmetries that can be specified are of the form R * P, where R is a diagonal matrix of scalars, and P is a permutation.
52 
53   Level: developer
54 
55 .seealso: [PetscSection](ch_petscsection), `PetscSection`, `PetscSectionSymCreate()`, `PetscSectionSymDestroy()`, `PetscSectionSetSym()`, `PetscSectionGetSym()`, `PetscSectionSetFieldSym()`,
56           `PetscSectionGetFieldSym()`, `PetscSectionGetSymPoints()`, `PetscSectionSymType`, `PetscSectionSymSetType()`, `PetscSectionSymGetType()`
57 S*/
58 typedef struct _p_PetscSectionSym *PetscSectionSym;
59 
60 /*J
61   PetscSectionSymType - String with the name of a `PetscSectionSym` type.
62 
63   Level: developer
64 
65   Note:
66   `PetscSectionSym` has no default implementation, but is used by `DM` in `PetscSectionSymCreateLabel()`.
67 
68 .seealso: [PetscSection](ch_petscsection), `PetscSectionSymSetType()`, `PetscSectionSymGetType()`, `PetscSectionSym`, `PetscSectionSymCreate()`, `PetscSectionSymRegister()`
69 J*/
70 typedef const char *PetscSectionSymType;
71