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Welcome to ORION

ORION (Ordinary Repository for Input-Output Necessities) is a modular I/O toolkit for reading and writing structured, multi-block scientific data across multiple file formats. It provides both Fortran and Python interfaces designed for seamless integration into high-performance and scientific computing workflows.

Why ORION?

Scientific computing often requires handling data in various formats depending on how the input and output fields are processed and visualized. ORION bridges several formats with a unified interface, eliminating the need for manual conversions and format-specific code.

Key Features

  • Multi-format Support: Read and write Tecplot, VTK, and PLOT3D files
  • Dual Language APIs: Native Fortran for performance, Python for convenience
  • Standalone Converter: Command-line tool for quick format conversions
  • Type Safety: Structured data types ensure consistency across formats
  • Production Ready: Tested across multiple platforms and compilers

Supported Formats

Format Fortran Read Fortran Write Python Read Python Write
Tecplot ASCII ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅
Tecplot Binary (PLT/SZPLT) ✅ ✅ ❌ ❌
VTK ✅ ✅ ❌ ❌
PLOT3D ✅ ✅ ❌ ❌

Quick Example

Convert a Tecplot file to VTK format:

ORION --input-format tecplot --input-file simulation.dat \
      --output-format vtk --output-file visualization.vtk

Read the same data in Fortran:

use Lib_ORION_data
use Lib_Tecplot

type(ORION_data) :: IOfield
integer :: E_IO

E_IO = tec_read_structured_multiblock(filename='simulation.dat', orion=IOfield)
if (E_IO == 0) print *, 'Variables:', IOfield%varnames

Or in Python:

from ORION import read_TEC

x, y, z, var, varnames = read_TEC('simulation.dat')
print(f"Loaded {len(varnames)} variables: {varnames}")

Getting Started

New to ORION? Follow these steps:

  1. Install ORION - Build from source or install via pip
  2. Quick Start Tutorial - Learn the basics with a hands-on example

Documentation Structure

This documentation is organized into several sections:

Use Cases

ORION is designed for:

  • CFD Workflows: Convert between solver formats and visualization tools
  • Data Analysis: Read simulation results in Python for post-processing

Platform Support

ORION is tested and supported on:

  • Linux (Ubuntu, OpenSUSE) with GNU and Intel compilers
  • macOS (Intel and Apple Silicon) with GNU compilers
  • Windows via WSL2 or MSYS2/MinGW

Get Help

License

ORION is free and open-source software licensed under the GNU General Public License v3.0.