# InputModeling+Solver+ParaView: A task for Catalyst or for a custom ParaView app?

**URL:** https://discourse.paraview.org/t/inputmodeling-solver-paraview-a-task-for-catalyst-or-for-a-custom-paraview-app/2910
**Category:** Development
**Created:** [November 5, 2019, 2:10pm UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/inputmodeling-solver-paraview-a-task-for-catalyst-or-for-a-custom-paraview-app/2910 "2019-11-05T14:10:35Z")
**Posts on this page:** 2
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![cesss](https://discourse.paraview.org/user_avatar/discourse.paraview.org/cesss/32/3061_2.png) [@cesss](https://discourse.paraview.org/u/cesss)
#### Post date: [November 5, 2019, 2:10pm UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/inputmodeling-solver-paraview-a-task-for-catalyst-or-for-a-custom-paraview-app/2910/1 "2019-11-05T14:10:35Z")

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I’m writing a simulation whose input can be created with a simple GUI (a minimal GUI for importing 3D meshes, tweaking about 5 meshing parameters, and setting a few scalar properties for each mesh --ie: think something you could use AntTweakBar for).

I’d like to have all the process (input modeling + simulation + view/output) integrated in ParaView.

Looking at Catalyst, it seems it would be fine for the simulation+view part, but not for creating a GUI for the input. Would you recommend to work with Catalyst, or to write a brand new ParaView app, or any other alternative?

Is there any demo sample code similar to my use case (modeling+simulation+view) that I can use as a skeleton from which to build my app?

Thanks!!

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### Author: ![mwestphal](https://discourse.paraview.org/user_avatar/discourse.paraview.org/mwestphal/32/17_2.png) [@mwestphal](https://discourse.paraview.org/u/mwestphal)
#### Post date: [November 7, 2019, 9:45am UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/inputmodeling-solver-paraview-a-task-for-catalyst-or-for-a-custom-paraview-app/2910/2 "2019-11-07T09:45:23Z")

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The idea of catalyst is that it allows to connect ParaView (or a ParaView-like client) to a simulation usually running on a distant cluster.

If you plan to run small scale simulation on your local computer, Catalyst is not needed and you basically just need to implement a link between your simulation code and ParaView locally.

There is no demo for your usecase though. You may want to take a look in Examples/CustomApplcations to see what is possible but you will need to write the part between ParaView and your simulation, which depends on the language used in your simulation.