itaps-parallel Proposal for handling queries with parts, sets, and partitions

[Onkar Sahni]

> But the language and constructs used to answer the questions (and to ask
> the questions) is what we call the data model.  For example, the data
> model says we pass references to entities back and forth using handles.
>   As proposed by you, the data model for parts refers to them using
> integer ids.  I think those ids could just as easily be handles, and
> your implementation could implement those handles as integers.

We never proposed that "the data model for parts refers to them using
integer ids". We don't do that in our existing functional implementation.
There was a requirement that we need unique identifiers for parts (which
is unrelated to part-handle or how it is implemented). There was a
specific question during ITAPS bootcamp at RPI, that how do we take care
of identifiers for parts and answer was we currently use integers and plan
to use pair or combination of integers (for cases with multiple parts per 
process/task of parallel application).

> So, to go back to my original question, and back to what we had agreed
> going out of the last bootcamp: why can't we pass part/partition handles
> into existing functions in place of set handles, and have them
> interpreted specially if they happen to be part/partition handles?
> Mark, that wouldn't force you to actually represent parts/partitions as
> sets; you could interpret set handles in a specific range as
> part/partition ids.

We have iterated that in mesh-specific functions under iMesh like ones
Carl discussed in his proposal, getNumOfType, getNumOfTopo,
getAllVtxCoords, getVtxCoordIndex, getEntities  (and not entity-set
specific functions like booleans on sets) we would allow to pass in part-
and partition-handles (in place of entity-set handle).

> This would make the question of efficient booleans on the results
> completely separable from the parallel interface discussion, as well as
> allowing us to use our current function set dealing with entity sets to
> also apply to parts/partitions.

Question under discussion is not on efficient booleans (for entity-sets).
Our current function set (for parallel interface) doesn't allow for what
we were trying to address.

- Onkar