# Gmsh: a three-dimensional finite element mesh generator with built-in pre- and post-processing facilities

#### Christophe Geuzaine and Jean-François Remacle

#### Version 2.8.2, July 16 2013

Description | Download | Authors and credits | Documentation | Licensing | Screenshots | Links | References

## Description

Gmsh is a 3D finite element grid generator with a build-in CAD engine and post-processor. Its design goal is to provide a fast, light and user-friendly meshing tool with parametric input and advanced visualization capabilities. Gmsh is built around four modules: geometry, mesh, solver and post-processing. The specification of any input to these modules is done either interactively using the graphical user interface or in ASCII text files using Gmsh's own scripting language.

See the screencasts for a quick tour of Gmsh's graphical user interface, or the reference manual for a more thorough overview of Gmsh's capabilities and some frequently asked questions.

## Download

Gmsh is distributed under the terms of the GNU General Public License (GPL):

- Current stable release: Windows 32 bit / 64 bit, Linux 32 bit / 64 bit, Mac OS X and source code

  A tutorial introducing all key features and concepts is included in all the versions in the `tutorial` directory.
  Make sure to read these examples before sending questions or bug reports!

- Development version:
  - automated nightly builds (dashboard): Windows 32 bit / 64 bit, Linux 32 bit / 64 bit and Mac OS X
  - nightly source snapshot
  - read-only svn access: '`svn co https://geuz.org/svn/gmsh/trunk gmsh`' (username: gmsh, password: gmsh)
- Browse all versions: binaries and sources

If you use Gmsh please cite the following reference in your work (books, articles, reports, etc.): C. Geuzaine and J.-F. Remacle. Gmsh: a three-dimensional finite element mesh generator with built-in pre- and post-processing facilities. International Journal for Numerical Methods in Engineering 79(11), pp. 1309-1331, 2009''. You can also cite additional references for specific features and algorithms.

## Authors and credits

Gmsh is developed by Christophe Geuzaine and Jean-François Remacle. The CREDITS file has more information.

Please use the public mailing list gmsh@geuz.org to send questions or ask for help. If you think you have found a bug in the program, you can file a report directly here (username: gmsh, password: gmsh).

## Documentation

- Reference manual (also available in PDF or in plain text)
- Screencasts showing how to use the graphical user interface
- Wiki with examples, a time line of changes and the bug tracking database (username: gmsh, password: gmsh)
- Version history
- Mailing lists:
  - gmsh (archived here) is the public mailing list for Gmsh discussions, and is the best place to ask questions (and get answers!)
  - gmsh-announce (archived here) is a moderated ("read-only") list for announcements about new releases and other Gmsh news

## Licensing

Gmsh is copyright (C) 1997-2013 by C. Geuzaine and J.-F. Remacle and is distributed under the terms of the GNU General Public License (GPL) (Version 2 or later, with an exception to allow for easier linking with external libraries).

In short, this means that everyone is free to use Gmsh and to redistribute it on a free basis. Gmsh is not in the public domain; it is copyrighted and there are restrictions on its distribution (see the license and the related frequently asked questions). For example, you cannot integrate this version of Gmsh (in full or in parts) in any closed-source software you plan to distribute (commercially or not). If you want to integrate parts of Gmsh into a closed-source software, or want to sell a modified closed-source version of Gmsh, you will need to obtain a different license. Please contact us directly for more information.

## Screenshots

- Sample STEP/BREP models: bike, zylkopf, tap, linkrods, block, hammer, propeller, piston, pump (EDF R&D).
- Native models: ocean, violin (S. Hardesty) magnetron 1, magnetron 2 (P. Lefèvre), circuit breaker (S. K. Choi), electrical machine (J. Gyselinck), braid 1, braid 2 (D. Colignon).
- Mesh around an airplane: A319 1, A319 2.
- Structured vs. unstructured grids: spirale, unstructured, structured tet, structured hex/pri.
- Post-processing: Isosurfaces and vector fields, Streamlines (S. Lehmann), F16 streamlines, F18 streamlines, pressure ring, Boing (P. Geuzaine), post-pro, post-pro 2, colormaps.
- Miscellaneous features: Lenna as background mesh, animated cutting spiral, selection, clipping.
- Various screen captures: magnetron, F16, electrical machine, neutron scattering.

## Links

- Gmsh imports STEP, IGES and BREP files thanks to OpenCascade.
- Gmsh interfaces the following additional external mesh generators: Netgen from Joachim Schöberl and TetGen from Hang Si.
- Gmsh's high quality vector PostScript, PDF and SVG output is produced by GL2PS.
- Gmsh's cross-platform graphical user interface is based on FLTK and OpenGL.
- Make sure to also check out GetDP, a rather general finite element code that can be used right from Gmsh's graphical user interface.

## References

Gmsh

- C. Geuzaine and J.-F. Remacle. Gmsh: a three-dimensional finite element mesh generator with built-in pre- and post-processing facilities. International Journal for Numerical Methods in Engineering 79(11), pp. 1309-1331, 2009. (PDF)

Cross-patch and STL meshing (Compounds)

- J.-F. Remacle, C. Geuzaine, G. Compère and E. Marchandise. High-Quality Surface Remeshing Using Harmonic Maps. International Journal for Numerical Methods in Engineering 83(4), pp. 403-425, 2010. (PDF)
- E. Marchandise, C. Carton de Wiart, W. G. Vos, C. Geuzaine and J.-F. Remacle. High Quality Surface Remeshing Using Harmonic Maps. Part II: Surfaces with High Genus and of Large Aspect Ratio. International Journal for Numerical Methods in Engineering 86(11), pp. 1303-1321, 2011. (PDF)
- E. Marchandise, J.-F. Remacle and C. Geuzaine. Optimal parametrizations for surface remeshing. Engineering with Computers, in press, 2012. (PDF)

Quad meshing (Blossom and DelQuad)

- J.-F. Remacle, J. Lambrechts, B. Seny, E. Marchandise, A. Johnen and C. Geuzaine. Blossom-Quad: a non-uniform quadrilateral mesh generator using a minimum cost perfect matching algorithm. International Journal for Numerical Methods in Engineering 89, pp. 1102-1119, 2012. (PDF)
- J.-F. Remacle, F. Henrotte, T. Carrier-Baudouin, E. Béchet, E. Marchandise, C. Geuzaine and T. Mouton. A frontal Delaunay Quad Mesh Generator Using the L∞ Norm. International Journal for Numerical Methods in Engineering, in press, 2012. (PDF)

High-order meshing

- A. Johnen, J.-F. Remacle and C. Geuzaine. Geometric validity of High-Order Triangular Finite Elements. Engineering with Computers, in press, 2012. (PDF)
- A. Johnen, J.-F. Remacle and C. Geuzaine. Geometric validity of Curvilinear Finite elements. Journal of Computational Physics, in press, 2012. (PDF)

High-order visualization

- J.-F. Remacle, N. Chevaugeon, E. Marchandise and C. Geuzaine. Efficient Visualization of High-Order Finite Elements. International Journal for Numerical Methods in Engineering 69(4), pp. 750-771, 2007. (PDF)

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