Create a diagram about ASPECT's architecture

[bangerth]

@ljhwang asked whether there is a diagram that explains the structure of the ASPECT. There isn't, but it should not actually be very difficult to generate one.

In essence, we have the following structure:

• There is a "core", which consists of the Simulator class
• There is class that allows querying some information from the Simulator class, called SimulatorAccess. So there would be an arrow from Simulator to SimulatorAccess.
• There are a number of "Interfaces" for plugins (e.g., for mesh refinement, material model, boundary temperature, etc). They provide information to the Simulator, so there should be an arrow from each of these interfaces to the Simulator.
• There are a number of implementations of each of these interfaces in the various classes. So there should be arrows from each implementation to their corresponding interface.
• Some of these implementations need information from SimulatorAccess, so there may be an arrow from the latter to the former.

@ljhwang -- I guess this is too abstract to draw a graph? Or is it good enough?

[ljhwang]

@bangerth I think @jdannberg has done something like this in her tutorial slides "Modularity". Can someone review and modify as per above?

[bangerth]

This is not a bad graph, but there are about a dozen plugin systems that are responsible for the "Model setup" part. Some of them also require feedback from the simulator.

[ljhwang]

Julianne does have a more complicated version of this but I think there is a middle ground of something that gives the user a general overview as well as enough detail about the “parts”

Best, -Lorraine

---

Lorraine Hwang, Ph.D. Associate Director, CIG 530.752.3656

On May 16, 2017, at 6:58 AM, Wolfgang Bangerth notifications@github.com wrote:

This is not a bad graph, but there are about a dozen plugin systems that are responsible for the "Model setup" part. Some of them also require feedback from the simulator.

— You are receiving this because you were mentioned. Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub https://github.com/geodynamics/aspect/issues/1667#issuecomment-301790917, or mute the thread https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AESQX22rLhH72KIpPPYIqSbRKdieeGW4ks5r6auLgaJpZM4Nak_U.

[bangerth]

If I have a fifteen minute break today, I may just come up with a way to create the graph from ASPECT internals. Each plugin system should be able to tell about itself what we need for this graph.

[ljhwang]

This is a screen shot from @jdannberg tutorial presentation 'aspect_tutorial_slides.pdf'.

[bangerth]

@jdannberg -- how did you make this graph? Do you still have the sources? I'd like to put something like this into the manual.

[bangerth]

This can now be closed.