\page about_meshes_page About meshes
-\n \b MESH represents a discretization of a geometrical CAD model into
-a set of entities with a simple topology.
+\n \b MESH represents a discrete approximation of a subset of the
+three-dimensional space by \ref mesh_entities "elementary geometrical elements".
-It is possible to \subpage constructing_meshes_page "construct meshes"
-on the basis of geometrical shapes produced in the GEOM module.
-Construction of \subpage constructing_submeshes_page "sub-meshes"
-allows to mesh parts of the geometrical object, for example a face,
-with different meshing parameters or using another meshing algorithm
-than other parts.
-
-3D mesh can be generated basing on a 2D closed mesh.
-
-Several created meshes can be \subpage building_compounds_page "combined into another mesh".
-
-The whole mesh or its part can be \subpage copy_mesh_page "copied" into another mesh.
+Mesh module provides several ways to create the mesh:
+<ul>
+ <li>The main way is to \subpage constructing_meshes_page "construct the mesh"
+ on the basis of the geometrical shape produced in the Geometry
+ module. This way implies selection of
+ - a geometrical object (<em> main shape</em>) and
+ - <em>meshing parameters</em> (\ref
+ basic_meshing_algos_page "meshing algorithms" and
+ characteristics (e.g. element size) of a
+ required mesh encapsulated in \ref about_hypo_page "hypothesis"
+ objects).
-Meshing parameters of meshes and sub-meshes can be
-\subpage editing_meshes_page "edited", then only the mesh part
-depending on the changed parameters will be re-computed.
+ Construction of \subpage constructing_submeshes_page "sub-meshes"
+ allows to mesh some sub-shapes of the main shape, for example a face,
+ using different meshing parameters than other sub-shapes.<br>
+ Meshing parameters of meshes and sub-meshes can be
+ \subpage editing_meshes_page "edited". (Upon edition only mesh entities
+ generated using changed meshing parameters are removed and will be
+ re-computed).<br>
+ \note Algorithms and hypotheses used at mesh level are referred as
+ \a global ones and those used at sub-mesh level are referred as \a
+ local ones.
+ </li>
+ <li>Bottom-up way, using \ref modifying_meshes_page "mesh modification"
+ operations, especially \ref extrusion_page "extrusion" and \ref
+ revolution_page "revolution". To create an empty mesh not based on
+ geometry, use the same dialog as to \ref constructing_meshes_page
+ "construct the mesh on geometry" but do not specify any geometry
+ nor meshing algorithm.
+ </li>
+ <li>The mesh can be \ref importing_exporting_meshes_page "imported" from
+ (and exported to) the file in MED, UNV, STL, CGNS, DAT, GMF and
+ SAUVE formats.
+ </li>
+ <li>The 3D mesh can be generated from the 2D mesh, \ref
+ importing_exporting_meshes_page "imported" or manually created. To
+ setup the meshing parameters of a mesh not based on geometry, just
+ invoke \ref editing_meshes_page "Edit mesh / sub-mesh" command on
+ your 3D mesh.
+ </li>
+ <li>Several meshes can be \subpage building_compounds_page "combined"
+ into a new mesh.
+ </li>
+ <li>The whole mesh or its part (sub-mesh or group) can be
+ \subpage copy_mesh_page "copied" into a new mesh.
+ </li>
+</ul>
Meshes can be edited using the MESH functions destined for
-\ref modifying_meshes_page "modification" of generated meshes.
+\ref modifying_meshes_page "modification" of meshes.
-Meshes are stored in DAT, MED, UNV, STL, CGNS, GMF and SAUVE formats and can be
-\subpage importing_exporting_meshes_page "imported from and exported to"
- the file in these formats.
-The \b topology of a mesh is described by the relationships between its
-entities including:
+The \b structure of a SALOME mesh is described by nodes and elements based on
+these nodes. Geometry of the element is defined by the sequence of
+nodes constituting it and
+the <a href="http://www.code-aster.org/outils/med/html/connectivites.html">
+ connectivity convention </a> (adopted from MED library). Definition of
+the element basing on elements of lower dimension is NOT supported.
+\anchor mesh_entities
+The mesh can include the following entities:
<ul>
-<li>\b Node — 0D object of a mesh presented by a point with coordinates (x, y, z).</li>
+<li>\b Node — an entity of a mesh defining a position in 3D
+ space with coordinates (x, y, z).</li>
+<li>\b Edge (or segment) — 1D element of a mesh linking two nodes.</li>
+<li>\b Face — 2D element of a mesh representing a part of
+ surface bound by links between face nodes. A face can be a
+ triangle, quadrangle or polygon.</li>
+<li>\b Volume — 3D element of a mesh representing a part of 3D
+ space bound by volume facets. Nodes of a volume describing each
+ facet are defined by
+ the <a href="http://www.code-aster.org/outils/med/html/connectivites.html">
+ MED connectivity convention.</a> A volume can be a tetrahedron, hexahedron,
+ pentahedron, pyramid, hexagonal prism or polyhedron.</li>
<li>\b 0D element — element of a mesh defined by one node.</li>
-<li>\b Edge — 1D element of a mesh defined by two nodes.</li>
-<li>\b Face — 2D element of a mesh defined by three or four edges (closed contour).</li>
-<li>\b Volume — 3D element of a mesh defined by several faces.</li>
-<li>\b Ball element — discrete element of a mesh defined by a node and a diameter.</li>
+<li>\b Ball element — discrete element of a mesh defined by a
+ node and a diameter.</li>
</ul>
- These entities are
-considered as topological entities and they don't
-imply any geometric representation. Only \b Nodes reference geometric
-representations of points with definite coordinates. The node entity
-contains additional information about its position in the space
-and its relations with the meshed CAD model. Its position could be
-described in the following way:
+Every mesh entity has an attribute associating it to a sub-shape it is
+generated on (if any). The node generated on the geometrical edge or
+surface in addition stores its position in parametric space of the
+associated geometrical entity.
-<ul>
-<li><b>3D position</b>. It characterizes the position of a node in a
- solid geometry and is defined by three coordinates x,y and z and a
- reference to the solid geometrical entity. </li>
-<li><b>Surface position</b>. It characterizes the position of a node on a
- geometric surface and is defined by the u,v position in the parametric
- space of the corresponding surface.</li>
-<li><b>Line position</b>. It characterizes the position of a node on a
- geometric curve and is defined by the u parameter and the
- corresponding curve.</li>
-<li><b>Vertex position</b>. It characterizes the position of a node on a
- geometric point of the meshed CAD model and is defined by the x,y,z
- coordinates of the corresponding vertex.</li>
-</ul>
+SALOME supports elements of second order, without central node
+(quadratic triangle, quadrangle, tetrahedron, hexahedron, pentahedron
+and pyramid) and with central nodes (bi-quadratic triangle and
+quadrangle and tri-quadratic hexahedron).<br>
+Quadratic mesh can be obtained in two ways:
+- Using a global \ref quadratic_mesh_anchor "Quadratic Mesh"
+hypothesis. (Elements with the central node are not generated in this way).
+- Using \ref convert_to_from_quadratic_mesh_page operation.
*/