MemoryUsage

Memory usage statistics for the running simulation.

This postprocessor collects various memory usage metrics:

  • physical memory (most relevant, tied to hardware RAM limitation)

  • virtual memory

  • major page faults (how often disk swap is accessed)

The units for memory default to MegaBytes, but users can report usage in other units through the mem_units parameter: (bytes, kilobytes, megabytes, gigabytes).

The data can be reduced in parallel as

  • maximum out of all MPI ranks

  • minimum out of all MPI ranks

  • average over all MPI ranks

  • total sum over all MPI ranks (default)

Physical memory statistics are available on Mac and Linux, virtual memory and page fault data is Linux only.

This postprocessor can be executed multiple times per timestep and by default aggregates the per-process peak value of the chosen metric, which then can be output on TIMESTEP_END.

commentnote

Until October 2018 this Postprocessor defaulted to reporting virtual memory. This was changed to the more relevant physical memory to avoid misleading benchmark results to be generated.

For a VectorPostprocessor that provides detailed per MPI rank memory statistics see VectorMemoryUsage.

Implementation

The /proc/self/status files is checked first. This file only exists on Linux systems and contains several columns with process specific statistics. On mac systems a conditionally compiled code (#ifdef __APPLE__) block uses a mach kernel API function task_info to obtain the memory sizes of the current process.

Input Parameters

  • execute_onTIMESTEP_ENDThe list of flag(s) indicating when this object should be executed, the available options include NONE, INITIAL, LINEAR, NONLINEAR, POSTCHECK, TIMESTEP_END, TIMESTEP_BEGIN, MULTIAPP_FIXED_POINT_END, MULTIAPP_FIXED_POINT_BEGIN, FINAL, CUSTOM.

    Default:TIMESTEP_END

    C++ Type:ExecFlagEnum

    Options:NONE, INITIAL, LINEAR, NONLINEAR, POSTCHECK, TIMESTEP_END, TIMESTEP_BEGIN, MULTIAPP_FIXED_POINT_END, MULTIAPP_FIXED_POINT_BEGIN, FINAL, CUSTOM, TRANSFER

    Controllable:No

    Description:The list of flag(s) indicating when this object should be executed, the available options include NONE, INITIAL, LINEAR, NONLINEAR, POSTCHECK, TIMESTEP_END, TIMESTEP_BEGIN, MULTIAPP_FIXED_POINT_END, MULTIAPP_FIXED_POINT_BEGIN, FINAL, CUSTOM.

  • mem_typephysical_memoryMemory metric to report.

    Default:physical_memory

    C++ Type:MooseEnum

    Options:physical_memory, virtual_memory, page_faults

    Controllable:No

    Description:Memory metric to report.

  • mem_unitsmebibytesThe unit prefix used to report memory usage, default: Mebibytes

    Default:mebibytes

    C++ Type:MooseEnum

    Options:bytes, kibibytes, mebibytes, gibibytes, kilobytes, megabytes, gigabytes

    Controllable:No

    Description:The unit prefix used to report memory usage, default: Mebibytes

  • prop_getter_suffixAn optional suffix parameter that can be appended to any attempt to retrieve/get material properties. The suffix will be prepended with a '_' character.

    C++ Type:MaterialPropertyName

    Controllable:No

    Description:An optional suffix parameter that can be appended to any attempt to retrieve/get material properties. The suffix will be prepended with a '_' character.

  • report_peak_valueTrueIf the postprocessor is executed more than once during a time step, report the aggregated peak value.

    Default:True

    C++ Type:bool

    Controllable:No

    Description:If the postprocessor is executed more than once during a time step, report the aggregated peak value.

  • use_interpolated_stateFalseFor the old and older state use projected material properties interpolated at the quadrature points. To set up projection use the ProjectedStatefulMaterialStorageAction.

    Default:False

    C++ Type:bool

    Controllable:No

    Description:For the old and older state use projected material properties interpolated at the quadrature points. To set up projection use the ProjectedStatefulMaterialStorageAction.

  • value_typetotalAggregation method to apply to the requested memory metric.

    Default:total

    C++ Type:MooseEnum

    Options:total, average, max_process, min_process

    Controllable:No

    Description:Aggregation method to apply to the requested memory metric.

Optional Parameters

  • allow_duplicate_execution_on_initialFalseIn the case where this UserObject is depended upon by an initial condition, allow it to be executed twice during the initial setup (once before the IC and again after mesh adaptivity (if applicable).

    Default:False

    C++ Type:bool

    Controllable:No

    Description:In the case where this UserObject is depended upon by an initial condition, allow it to be executed twice during the initial setup (once before the IC and again after mesh adaptivity (if applicable).

  • control_tagsAdds user-defined labels for accessing object parameters via control logic.

    C++ Type:std::vector<std::string>

    Controllable:No

    Description:Adds user-defined labels for accessing object parameters via control logic.

  • enableTrueSet the enabled status of the MooseObject.

    Default:True

    C++ Type:bool

    Controllable:Yes

    Description:Set the enabled status of the MooseObject.

  • execution_order_group0Execution order groups are executed in increasing order (e.g., the lowest number is executed first). Note that negative group numbers may be used to execute groups before the default (0) group. Please refer to the user object documentation for ordering of user object execution within a group.

    Default:0

    C++ Type:int

    Controllable:No

    Description:Execution order groups are executed in increasing order (e.g., the lowest number is executed first). Note that negative group numbers may be used to execute groups before the default (0) group. Please refer to the user object documentation for ordering of user object execution within a group.

  • force_postauxFalseForces the UserObject to be executed in POSTAUX

    Default:False

    C++ Type:bool

    Controllable:No

    Description:Forces the UserObject to be executed in POSTAUX

  • force_preauxFalseForces the UserObject to be executed in PREAUX

    Default:False

    C++ Type:bool

    Controllable:No

    Description:Forces the UserObject to be executed in PREAUX

  • force_preicFalseForces the UserObject to be executed in PREIC during initial setup

    Default:False

    C++ Type:bool

    Controllable:No

    Description:Forces the UserObject to be executed in PREIC during initial setup

  • outputsVector of output names where you would like to restrict the output of variables(s) associated with this object

    C++ Type:std::vector<OutputName>

    Controllable:No

    Description:Vector of output names where you would like to restrict the output of variables(s) associated with this object

  • use_displaced_meshFalseWhether or not this object should use the displaced mesh for computation. Note that in the case this is true but no displacements are provided in the Mesh block the undisplaced mesh will still be used.

    Default:False

    C++ Type:bool

    Controllable:No

    Description:Whether or not this object should use the displaced mesh for computation. Note that in the case this is true but no displacements are provided in the Mesh block the undisplaced mesh will still be used.

Advanced Parameters