Chapter I.1
Generic “DataBase” class

Basically, a “DataBase” class is a container used to store a finite element model, Groups, Results, and other less important entities. The DataBase class also allow to retrieve, manipulate or modify these objects. The DataBase class is a generic class that cannot be instantiated. The specialized classes that inherit the generic DataBase class are described in Part III. Other solvers might be supported in the future. The class hierarchy is schematically represented in Figure I.1.1.

Figure I.1.1: Finite element DataBase classes hierarchy.

As three classes are represented in Figure I.1.1, the methods described in this Chapter may belong to the generic DataBase class or to the derived classes. A few basic principles should help the user to “guess” in which class some of the methods are defined:

• All methods related to the definition of the model stored in the DataBase are defined in the specialized classes.
• All methods related to the reading of Results from solvers output files are defined in the specialized classes.
• Most methods for the manipulation of Groups and of Results are defined in the generic “DataBase” class.

Throughout the Chapter one specifies for the different methods, in which class they are defined. This Chapter is divided in several sections:

• One presents in section I.1.1 the methods devoted to the initialization of the finite element model in the DataBase.
• Section I.1.2 is devoted to the DataBase’s methods devoted to the manipulation of Groups.
• Section I.1.3 is devoted to the DataBase’s methods devoted to the manipulation of Results.
• In section I.1.4, the manipulation of abbreviations stored in the DataBase is described.
• The interaction of CLA classes with DataBase classes is discussed in section I.1.5.
• The iterators of Class DataBase are described in section I.1.6.
• Finally, general purpose methods are presented in section I.1.7.

A list of the methods defined in “DataBase” class is given in Table I.1.1.