An Easy Session:
Load a sample problem, solve it, and visualize the solution.
The WebPDELab server can be used to solve very complicated PDE problems, and sometimes it's hard for first time users to know where to begin. This very easy WebPDELab session will introduce you to PDELab and help you understand how the environment works.

This WebPDELab session


Step 1. As soon as you connect to the WebPDELab server you see this, the top level PDELab window.
The 2-D and FEM selections mean that the session you start has 2-dimensional, Finite Element Method Editors.

Step 2. To load a sample PDE problem definition (.e file), click on LOAD. You see this.

Step 3. Click on the first .e file in the list, efield.e. You see this. Click OK.

Step 4. efield.e is loaded and you see this.
The listing (.e file) in the session window defines a PDE problem.
At the top of the session window are the Editors.

Step 5. To solve (execute) this problem click on the ExecuteTool icon. You see this.
The ExecuteTool environment starts up.

Step 6. After clicking on the icon, you see this. The problem definition is loaded into the execution environment.

Step 7. Click on Run (preprocesses the .e file to a fortran driver, links in the PDELAb libraries and runs the executable.) you see this.
The ExecuteTool tells you when the execution is complete. The solution file, efield.out, is now available.
Click on Quit to exit the ExecuteTool.

Step 8. To view the solution, click on the Visualization icon. You see this.
The OutputTool environment starts up.

Step 9. There are four steps to viewing a solution. When the OutputTool comes up, select File/Load from the OutputTool menu bar. You see this.

Step 10. The default file type is //ELLPACK Solution, so click on OK. You see this.

Step 11. Next, choose the output file, efield.out by clicking on it You see this. Now click on OK.

Step 12. Next, choose the function to view. Select u. You see this. Now click on OK.

Step 14. Finally, choose the visualization tool. by clicking on Visual2D. You see this. Now click on Run Tool.

Step 15. The plot appears. You see this.
Use the buttons (No Panels, Color Wireframe, Wireframe) and the scroll bars (Phi, Theta) to change the view of the solution u.

Step 16. To exit the OutputTool, click on Quit in the plot window and select File/Quit in the OutputTool menu bar.
To exit this PDELab session, click on Quit in the session window. You can now