Subject: [FEniCS-dev] New projects?

From: Anders Logg <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 16 Nov 2006 09:46:49 +0100

I'm suggesting two new projects to be added to the web page as FEniCS
projects:

 1. SyFi by Kent-Andre Mardal

 2. UFC by Alnæs, Langtangen, Logg, Mardal, Skavhaug

SyFi is described in detail here:

    http://folk.uio.no/kent-and/software/SyFi/doc/SyFi.html

SyFi can be seen as a combination of FIAT and FFC using symbolic
manipulation through GiNaC in C++ and Python.

UFC (Unified Form-assembly Code) is a specification of a common
format for the code generated by FFC, SyFi and other form compilers.

Are there any objections to adding these two new projects?

We also plan to add another new project UFL (Unified Form Language)
that specifies (and implements) a common input language for SyFi and
FFC. At that point, SyFi and FFC will function similarly - the same
input gives the same output (but with different optimizations) - and
we may then consider a merge in one form or the other. The methodology
for the code generation can then be controlled by a simple flag to the
compiler: tensor representation, symbolics or quadrature.

/Anders

PS: As we discussed in Delft, there are more projects in the pipeline
but we can discuss these projects separately when they are ready for
inclusion.

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From: "Garth N. Wells" <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 16 Nov 2006 09:56:12 +0100

> Are there any objections to adding these two new projects?

Sounds good to me. UFC will provide a nice link between different projects.

Will both projects be hosted on www.fenics.org? For the coherence of
FEniCS, I think that this is preferable.

Garth

> _______________________________________________
> FEniCS-dev mailing list
> [email-masked]
> http://www.fenics.org/mailman/listinfo/fenics-dev
>

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From: Anders Logg <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 16 Nov 2006 10:00:15 +0100

> FEniCS, I think that this is preferable.

Yes, that's the plan.

Kent has made effort to FEniCSize SyFi: using fenicsmanual.cls for the
manual, conversion from Subversion to hg. There will be a web page,
mailing list [email-masked] etc.

/Anders

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From: Anders Logg <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 16 Nov 2006 10:09:14 +0100

> mailing list [email-masked] etc.

Another point is that as we get more and more packages, the
distribution of these packages becomes important. If someone needs to
download and compile 10 different packages (possibly using different
build systems) they may give up before getting to the third or fourth
package. In addition, many of the packages will undergo rapid changes
so it's difficult to stay in sync.

The "project" fenics (http://www.fenics.org/hg/fenics/) is one attempt
to solve this problem: a script that downloads, configures, compiles
and installs all packages from fenics.org. The script also builds a
binary package that may (ideally) be used directly if you don't want
to build all packages yourself.

We may also consider other approaches, like building Debian packages,
but then someone needs to maintain these packages.

/Anders

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From: "Johan Hoffman" <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 16 Nov 2006 11:18:32 +0100 (MET)

> mailing list [email-masked] etc.

Sounds good to me.

/Johan

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From: [email-masked]
Date: Thu, 16 Nov 2006 11:31:08 +0100 (MET)

>  2. UFC by Alnæs, Langtangen, Logg, Mardal, Skavhaug

Great, absolutely no objections.

  Johan

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From: "Garth N. Wells" <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 16 Nov 2006 12:40:50 +0100

> mailing list [email-masked] etc.

Great. It's important that all the sub-projects have some common
"FEniCS" elements to present a unified face, otherwise it will become a
loose collection of unrelated projects (a mini sourceforge).

Garth

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From: Anders Logg <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 16 Nov 2006 13:34:14 +0100

> loose collection of unrelated projects (a mini sourceforge).

I agree.

We don't have any written policies for which projects might be
considered for inclusion, but this is something we should discuss.

/Anders

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From: Kent-Andre Mardal <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 16 Nov 2006 10:00:09 +0100

> FEniCS, I think that this is preferable.

Yes

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From: [email-masked] (Ridgway Scott)
Date: Thu, 16 Nov 2006 11:02:21 -0600 (CST)

>Are there any objections to adding these two new projects?

I think these are great ideas. 

			Ridg

PS Andy Terrel has offered to help with Mac related developments.
He is getting a new Mac laptop and will be able to help with the
build systems for Macs.