Introduction

GMAN (Grid MANager) is an interactive, menu-driven program which provides capability to generate and manipulate 3-D volume grids, and specify boundary conditions and connectivity between zones in multi-zone grids. It also provides important quality checking, display, and reporting functions. GMAN is one module of the McDonnell Aircraft Computational Grid System (MACGS). MACGS is an integrated three-dimensional grid system which includes two other modules, ZONI3G and gpro. ZONI3G is used for boundary grid generation, and gpro is used to manipulate grids and perform format conversions.

GMAN has two user interface modes; a command line mode, and a graphical menu-driven mode. In the command line mode, the user types commands in a text window or runs a script file containing the commands to be performed. The commands are processed as they are entered. In the menu-driven mode, the user operates in a graphical environment, and controls operations and display functions using menu picks. This mode provides interactive display of a computational grid. This allows the user to see the grid that is being generated. Modifications made to the grid are displayed immediately. This also greatly enhances boundary condition specification by allowing the user to see the boudaries being specified. The user can switch between command line and graphic menu modes at any time. All operations except display control are saved to a journal file in a readable format which can be easily edited and played back to repeat a set of operations.

GMAN is compatible with a wide range of operating systems and terminals. Binaries for GMAN are distributed with the Wind-US application release for Hewlett Packard (9000-7xx) and SGI (IRIX 5.3 and 6.2) workstations. Non-graphics mode can be run from virtually any terminal, while graphics menu mode requires an appropriate terminal type, or an X-terminal connection.