Replacement for Sparse Solvers in CXML

[rdodds]

The sparse direct solver in CXML has proven to be a very reliable,

fast product over the past 5 years in CVF. Our (public domain)

3D finite element code makes extensive use of this code. DEC

engineers spent much effort optimizing the ordering algorithms,

etc. in those routines.

Now that CXML is gone in IVF 8, is there an equivalent (source or

library) that is as easy to use and as reliable?

Thanks much to Steve L. and any others who respond.

[edmund_dunlop]

I have had very good experience of Metis (http://www-users.cs.umn.edu/~karypis/metis/metis/) for ordering and of YSMP (ftp://ftp.ucar.edu/dsl/lib/oldsrc/) for direct solution of sparse equations. If you have an Intel or Microsoft C/C++ compiler you can compile the downloadable source of Metis; alternatively, a ready-compiled library for MS-Windows is available at the same site. You will need to rename the downloaded library from libmetis.a to libmetis.lib and include "Your_Lib_Pathlibmetis.lib" as a linker directive.Then, e.g.

NUMFLAG = 1

OPTIONS(0) = 0

CALL METIS_NodeND(N, NODE, LINK, NUMFLAG, OPTIONS, PERM, IPERM)

(See Metis documentation for an explanation of the above)

A Fortran alternative to Metis is Tim Davis'sApproximate Minimum Degree Algorithm (http://www.cise.ufl.edu/~davis/amd/). This is also implemented as MC47 in the Harwell Subroutine Library.

Best wishes,

Edmund Dunlop

[ArturGuzik]

Naturally, Steve will provide far more in-depth and better response but asCXML is replaced in IVFby MKL (optimized for the latest Intel platforms)in the meantime you can evaluate it- you can get free evaluation copy from here

http://www.intel.com/software/products/mkl/eval.htm.

What about Netlib and sources there?

A.

[durisinm]

Other possibilities are IMSL and NAG. These two and MKL are not free like CXML was, though.

Mike D.

[Steven_L_Intel1]

I don't think I can provide much more detail. There is overlap between MKL and CXML, and also IMSL and CXML. You will need to look for an appropriate solution outside of CXML.