openVDB missing from Export options in Paraview 5.10.1

ParaView Support
1

I downloaded Paraview 5.10.1 for MacOS.
In the release notes, it says that it has a new OpenVDB writer.
https://www.kitware.com/paraview-5-10-0-release-notes/#readers-writers-and-filters-changes

I have VTK volume files I want to export to OpenVDB format, but that file format appears to be missing from the supported export files list.
https://www.openvdb.org/

What am I overlooking?
Thanks

2

Use File menu → Save Data. The .vdb writer is available via that menu.

3

Hi Cory.
I’m not seeing a .vdb writer after selecting File menu → Save Data.

The “Files of Type” options I’m seeing are:

  • CGNS Files
  • Comma or Tabe Delimited Files
  • EnSight File
  • Exodus II File
  • Legacy VTK
  • Paraview Data File
  • PVTK UnstructuredGrid Files
  • VTK UnstructuredGrid Files
  • Xdmf Data File
  • Xdmf3 Data File

But not OpenVDB (*.vdb)

What OS are you seeing this on?

Does it matter what the source data is?
I have loaded a VTK file that’s an unstructured grid with 3 data arrays of type float.
Could you share a screen grab where you as seeing a .vdb writer available via that menu?

Thanks

Screen Shot 2022-06-22 at 9.37.08 PM
Screen Shot 2022-06-22 at 9.37.08 PM1066×1282 105 KB

Screen Shot 2022-06-22 at 9.38.24 PM
Screen Shot 2022-06-22 at 9.38.24 PM1940×950 163 KB

4

Ah, the OpenVDB writer is available only for image data (uniform rectilinear grids) and point sets, not unstructured grids.

5

Darn.

Thanks for letting me know.

Would anyone in the Paraview community be interested in adding unstructured grid->OpenVDB?

6

Hi @synthetic_penguin

You can just use the ResampleToImage filter.

Best,

7

Hi Mathieu,
I’ll give that a try.
Thanks

8

Hi Mathieu,
I selected the node to filter in the Pipeline Browser, then brought up the filter menu.
Unfortunately, all the filters, including ResampleToImage, are ghosted out.
What am I missing?
Thanks

Screen Shot 2022-06-23 at 8.26.34 AM
Screen Shot 2022-06-23 at 8.26.34 AM1920×1568 186 KB

9

Press Apply, in the PropertiesPanel

10

Thanks, Mathieu.
I created the ResampleToImage.
However, when I select the new 3D image node, OpenVDB (*.vdb) still does not show up in the Files of Type in the Save File dialog.

Screen Shot 2022-06-23 at 8.33.34 AM
Screen Shot 2022-06-23 at 8.33.34 AM1920×1178 150 KB

11

Something else is wrong here. I’m not sure what it is. With ParaView 5.10.1 you should be able to write out OpenVDB files for both vtkImageData and vtkUnstructuredGrids (which are vtkPointSets). I’m able to do this from the downloaded versions from https://www.paraview.org/download/ for Linux.

Beyond that though, you probably want to convert to vtkImageData since that uses OpenVDB voxels. vtkPointSets are output as point clouds which are likely not what most people want.

1 Like
12

Maybe it is missing on MacOS ?

13

Hi Andy,
thanks for letting me know that you should be able to write out OpenVDB files for both vtkImageData and vtkUnstructuredGrids.
I’ll try the Linux version.
Which filter will convert unstructured grid to vtkImageData?
Thanks

14

ResampleToImage

15

I tried that, but OpenVDB (*.vdb) is not showing up in the File->Save Data…->Save To File Types list.
I’m assuming that because I’m using the MacOS version of Paraview.
I’ll try the Linux version.
Thanks

Screen Shot 2022-06-23 at 8.51.24 AM
Screen Shot 2022-06-23 at 8.51.24 AM1920×1151 146 KB

16

hi, what you want to do with the .vdb file? I want to render it with one variable to view in 3D scene.