cfcnvt

cfcnvt may be used to convert a variety of file formats, including PLOT3D files, to/from common file format, and to do some limited manipulation of common files.

The following menu choices are available when version 1.54 of cfcnvt is invoked:

    0: Exit program
    2: Import   a Common File
    3: Compress a Common File
    4: Break Common File into multiple transfer files
    5: Combine multiple transfer files into Common File
    6: Append one Common File to another
    7: Convert Common File binary to a text file
    8: Convert Common File text to a binary file
   11: Convert PLOT3D/Pegsus file to Common File
   12: Convert GASP     file to Common File
   13: Convert OVERFLOW file to Common File
   14: Convert Common File to OVERFLOW file
   15: Convert CFPOST GPU file to Common File GPC
   16: Convert ascii rake to Common File rake CGF
   17: Convert Pegsus 4.0 files to Common File
   18: Convert Common File CFL to Plot3d Q

For Wind-US users, cfcnvt is probably used most often when a grid has been created using software that can create a PLOT3D xyz file format, but not a common grid (.cgd) file. In this case, cfcnvt is used to convert the PLOT3D xyz file to a .cgd file, for input into GMAN. It could also be used to convert a PLOT3D q file to a common flow (.cfl) file, for use as initial conditions when running Wind-US.

When converting to a common file from another format (menu choices 11, 12, 13, and 17), for most data the scaling information written into the common file assumes that the FSS system of units (i.e., foot, slug, second, degrees Rankine, pound force, foot-pound force) is being used. There are two exceptions - the coordinates x, y, and z are assumed to be in inches, and the pressure p is assumed to be in lb_f/in². If the data in the original file is actually in some other units, the UNITS command in GMAN (for .cgd files) and option 11 in the fpro utility (for .cfl files) may be used to change the scaling information for the correct units.

For more information about supported systems of units, see the description of CFUNIT in the Common File User's Guide, and the units command in the CFPOST User's Guide. For details about the use of reference and scaling data in common files, see the section Reference and Scaling Data in the Common File User's Guide.

A detailed example illustrating the use of cfcnvt to convert from a PLOT3D xyz file to a .cgd file is included in the Tutorial section of the Wind-US User's Guide.