Viewing OpenFOAM Files from WSL Bash Environment Only

Austin

6/11/23, 9:44 PM

I am running OpenFOAM v2012 on WSL2. Previously, I ran OpenFOAM on Linux OS and was able to navigate the tutorial files through the operating system pretty easily. Now, using the bash environment on Windows, I am running into some obstacles.

More specifically:

I am trying to follow an OpenFOAM tutorial located here. When I try to access the elbow_quad.msh file that is provided in the video link, I am not sure how to copy this set of data (while only using the bash environment through WSL2) into the appropriate OpenFOAM folder library and ensure OpenFOAM treats it as a .msh file. I am also wondering how I can view the pressure and velocity files within each OpenFOAM tutorial folder while only using the bash environment (for example in incompressible/icoFoam/elbow/0 there are two files - P and U - how do I view these in the bash environment?). Right now, I only know how to access these folders using the WSL bash environment, and I am not sure how to physically open the data inside the folder from here.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

0 + 0

20.04

steeldriver

6/11/23, 10:07 PM

It would be helpful if you described how you viewed the files in "Linux OS". Are they just text files?

Austin

6/12/23, 2:19 PM

I would view the files in Linux OS through the standard Linux file/folder structure. I would click on a folder, and then click on the files. When I opened a .msh file this way, gedit would open the file and I could view the contents. It looked identical to how the guy in the video I linked accessed the files. Now, I do not have access to that OS because I am using Ubuntu through WSL, so the only way I know currently is through the bash environment (Command prompt).

steeldriver

6/12/23, 2:24 PM

OK so it sounds like they are text files - you should be able to navigate to the containing directory in the terminal using `cd` (with `ls` and `pwd` to help you find your way around) and then view them with a pager such as `less` (or view AND edit with `nano` or `vi`).

Austin

6/12/23, 2:38 PM

Thanks @steeldriver ! The nano command seems to be what I was looking for. My last remaining question (for now) is how I am able to convert a text file into a .msh file. Specifically, I am trying to use the content in this file: https://github.com/jnmlujnmlu/OpenFOAMTeaching/blob/master/JozsefNagy/elbow_quad.msh, but first I save it to a text file.

steeldriver

6/12/23, 2:46 PM

As far as I can see, a .msh file *is* a text file. Remember that file extensions don't really have any significance in *nix. Just save it and rename it if necessary (ex. `mv somefile somefile.msh`).

Elon Musk

I sit in a Tesla and translated this thread with Ai:

EN: Viewing OpenFOAM Files from WSL Bash Environment Only

TH: การดูไฟล์ OpenFOAM จาก WSL Bash Environment เท่านั้น

RO: Vizualizarea fișierelor OpenFOAM numai din mediul WSL Bash

RU: Просмотр файлов OpenFOAM только из среды WSL Bash

VI: Chỉ xem các tệp OpenFOAM từ môi trường WSL Bash

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