# Exodus file does not contain sidesets
**URL:** https://discourse.paraview.org/t/exodus-file-does-not-contain-sidesets/14959
**Category:** ParaView Support
**Tags:** exodus
**Created:** [June 29, 2024, 7:52am UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/exodus-file-does-not-contain-sidesets/14959 "2024-06-29T07:52:41Z")
**Posts on this page:** 7
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Mhamad\_Mahdi\_Alloush](https://discourse.paraview.org/u/Mhamad_Mahdi_Alloush)
#### Post date: [June 29, 2024, 7:52am UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/exodus-file-does-not-contain-sidesets/14959/1 "2024-06-29T07:52:41Z")
Hi,
I loaded a mesh (specifically an openfoam mesh) into paraview, and I need to export it to as an exodus file with sidesets. However, as I tried to do that, I cant see the sidesets in the exodus file. Should I do any specific thing in paraview so as to ensure the sidesets appear in the exodus file?
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### Author:  [@utkarsh.ayachit](https://discourse.paraview.org/u/utkarsh.ayachit)
#### Post date: [July 1, 2024, 4:35pm UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/exodus-file-does-not-contain-sidesets/14959/2 "2024-07-01T16:35:55Z")
The sidesets should be shown in “Sets” on the Properties panel. Ensure that you check the ones that you want loaded.
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### Author:  [@wascott](https://discourse.paraview.org/u/wascott)
#### Post date: [July 1, 2024, 4:38pm UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/exodus-file-does-not-contain-sidesets/14959/3 "2024-07-01T16:38:36Z")
What version of ParaView are you using? How many files do you have?
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### Author:  [@Mhamad\_Mahdi\_Alloush](https://discourse.paraview.org/u/Mhamad_Mahdi_Alloush)
#### Post date: [July 2, 2024, 4:45am UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/exodus-file-does-not-contain-sidesets/14959/4 "2024-07-02T04:45:05Z")
Thanks. Actually there is nothing in the sets panel at all. If I load my openfoam mesh, select interior and boundaries, and export as exodusII, the boundaries are appearing as element blocks rather than sidesets (or element side sets) in the exodusII file when you load it back in paraview or load in some other post-process tools.
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### Author:  [@Mhamad\_Mahdi\_Alloush](https://discourse.paraview.org/u/Mhamad_Mahdi_Alloush)
#### Post date: [July 2, 2024, 4:47am UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/exodus-file-does-not-contain-sidesets/14959/5 "2024-07-02T04:47:02Z")
Thanks, I loaded my openfoam mesh, selected all of interior and boundaries then exported as exodusII file. If I open this exodusII in paraview I see the boundaries as element blocks rather than sidesets. I use Paraview 5.10.0-RC1
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### Author:  [@wascott](https://discourse.paraview.org/u/wascott)
#### Post date: [July 2, 2024, 5:50pm UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/exodus-file-does-not-contain-sidesets/14959/6 "2024-07-02T17:50:50Z")
We replaced the Exodus reader with the IOSS reader in 5.10.0. RC1 would be significantly worse again. We subsequently found lots of issues and improvments that we subsequently made. Please update to ParaView 5.12.1. Does that help?
Alternatively, the original Exodus reader still exists. Try using that. Tools/ Manage Plugins/ LegacyExodusReader.
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### Author:  [@utkarsh.ayachit](https://discourse.paraview.org/u/utkarsh.ayachit)
#### Post date: [July 3, 2024, 9:41am UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/exodus-file-does-not-contain-sidesets/14959/7 "2024-07-03T09:41:26Z")
This is happening because the Exodus writer only supports preserving sideset information if the original dataset was Exodus II. The VTK/ParaView data model doesn’t have any explicit notion of side-sets. So if you load an OpenFOAM file and save it out as Exodus you’ll indeed see everything written out as Element Blocks.