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Controls System

The control system in MOOSE has one primary purpose: +to modify input parameters during runtime of a MOOSE-based simulation+.

Creating a Controllable Parameter id=sec:control-param

The input parameters of objects you which to be controlled must:

  • Store parameter as a const reference; in your *.h files, declare storage for the parameters as follows.

    !listing framework/include/bcs/DirichletBC.h line=_value

  • Initialize the reference in the *.C file as follows.

    !listing framework/src/bcs/DirichletBC.C line=_value(getParam

In order to "control" a parameter it must be communicated that the parameter is allowed to be controlled, this is done in the validParams function as in [declare_controllable]. The input can be a single value or a space separated list of parameters.

!listing framework/src/bcs/DirichletBC.C start=InputParameters end=DirichletBC::DirichletBC id=declare_controllable caption=Example validParams method that declares a parameter as controllable.

!alert tip The documentation for a given parameter will indicate whether it is controllable. For example, see the DirichletBC page.

Create a Control object

Control objects are similar to other systems in MOOSE. You create a control in your application by inheriting from the Control C++ class in MOOSE. It is required to override the execute method in your custom object. Within this method the following methods are generally used to get or set controllable parameters:

  • getControllableValue
    This method returns the current controllable parameter, in the case that multiple parameters are being controlled, only the first value will be returned and a warning will be produced if the values are differ (this warning may be disabled).

  • setControllableValue
    This method allows for a controllable parameter to be changed, in the case that multiple parameters are being controlled, all of the values will be set.

These methods operator in a similar fashion as other systems in MOOSE (e.g., getPostprocessorValue in the [Postprocessors] system), each expects an input parameter name (std::string) that is prescribed in the validParams method.

There are additional overloaded methods that allow for the setting and getting of controllable values with various inputs for prescribing the parameter name, but the the two listed above are generally what is needed. Please refer to the source code for a complete list.

Controls Block

Control objects are defined in the input file in the Controls block, similar to other systems in MOOSE. For example, the following input file snippet shows the use of the RealFunctionControl object.

!listing test/tests/controls/real_function_control/real_function_control.i block=Controls id=controls_example caption=Example of a Control object used in a MOOSE input file.

Object and Parameter Names id=object-and-parameter-names

Notice that in [controls_example] the syntax for specifying a parameter is shown. In general, the syntax for a parameter name is specified as: block/object/name.

  • +block+: specifies the input file block name (e.g., "[Kernels]", "[BCs]").
  • +object+: specifies the input file sub-block name (e.g., "diff" in [controls_example2]).
  • +name+: specifies the parameter name (e.g., "coef" in [controls_example2]).

!listing test/tests/controls/real_function_control/real_function_control.i block=Kernels id=controls_example2 caption=Example of a "Kernel" block that contains a parameter that is controlled via a MOOSE Control object.

As shown in [controls_example] an asterisk ("*") can be substituted for any one of these three "names", doing so allows multiple parameters to match and be controlled simultaneously.

In similar fashion, object names can be requested by controls (e.g., as in the TimePeriod). In this case, the general name scheme is the same as above but the parameter name is not included.

In both cases there is an alternative form for defining an object and parameter names: base::object/name. In this case "base" is the MOOSE base system that the object is derived from. For example, Kernel::diff/coef. All MOOSE "bases" are listed bellow:

  • ArrayAuxKernel,
  • ArrayKernel,
  • AuxKernel,
  • AuxScalarKernel,
  • BoundaryCondition,
  • Constraint,
  • Damper,
  • DGKernel,
  • DiracKernel,
  • Distribution,
  • EigenKernel,
  • Executioner,
  • Executor,
  • Function,
  • FVBoundaryCondition,
  • FVInterfaceKernel,
  • FVKernel,
  • Indicator,
  • InitialCondition,
  • InterfaceKernel,
  • Kernel,
  • LineSearch,
  • Marker,
  • MaterialBase,
  • MeshGenerator,
  • MooseMesh,
  • MoosePartitioner,
  • MoosePreconditioner,
  • MooseVariableBase,
  • MultiApp,
  • NodalKernel,
  • Output,
  • Postprocessor,
  • Predictor,
  • Problem,
  • RelationshipManager.,
  • Reporter,
  • Sampler,
  • ScalarInitialCondition,
  • ScalarKernel,
  • Split,
  • TimeIntegrator,
  • TimeStepper,
  • Transfer,
  • UserObject,
  • VectorAuxKernel,
  • VectorInterfaceKernel,
  • VectorKernel,
  • VectorPostprocessor,

MOOSE allows objects to define a tag name to access its controllable parameters with their control_tags parameter.

!listing test/tests/controls/tag_based_naming_access/param.i block=Postprocessors id=controls_tags caption=Example of the parameter control_tags.

The two postprocessors in [controls_tags] declare the same control tag tag. Thus their controllable parameter point can be set by controls simultaneously with tag/*/point as in [controls_tags_use].

!listing test/tests/controls/tag_based_naming_access/param.i block=Controls id=controls_tags_use caption=Example of usinging the tagged controllable parameters.

!alert note The tag name does not include the object name although the tag name is added by an object. To access a controllable parameter, the sytax is tag/object/name. Internally, MOOSE adds the input block name as a special tag name.

Controllable Parameters Added by Actions

MOOSE also allows parameters in Actions to be controllable. The procedure for making a parameter in an Action controllable is the same as documented in [syntax/Controls/index.md#sec:control-param]. It is important that this controllable parameter must be directly connected with the parameters of MOOSE objects, such as kernels, materials, etc., using this parameter.

!listing test/src/actions/AddLotsOfDiffusion.C start=GenericConstantArray end=connectControllableParams id=connect_controllable caption=Example of connecting controllable parameters in an action and the objects added by the action.

The action controllable parameter can be referred as usual in an input file. For example,

!listing test/tests/controls/action_control/action_control_test.i block=Controls id=controls_example3 caption=Example of a "Action" block that contains a parameter that is controlled via a MOOSE Control object.

Child Objects

!syntax list /Controls objects=True actions=False subsystems=False

Associated Actions

!syntax list /Controls objects=False actions=True subsystems=False