[MOAB-dev] iMesh vs. MOAB format for string options

[Jason Kraftcheck]

Both MOAB and iMesh have functions that are passed an optional string
containing options (e.g. iMesh_loadMesh, iMesh_newMesh, and
MBInterface::load_file).  The format used by the two interfaces is slightly
different.  The MOAB format uses a ';' to separate multiple options, with a
mechanism to request an alternate separator if necessary.  For example:
  BINARY
 or
  PARALLEL=BCAST;MPI_ROOT=1
 or
  ;+PARALLEL=BCAST+MPI_ROOT=1
The iMesh format requires that the desired separator always be the first
character in the options string.  For example:
  ;BINARY
 or
  ;PARALLEL=BCAST;MPI_ROOT=1
 or
  +PARALLEL=BCAST+MPI_ROOT=1

In the MOAB implementation of the iMesh API, the functions that accept
option strings convert the string from iMesh to MOAB format before passing
it to an MBInterface function.

Does anyone feel strongly that we should change the MOAB format to be
consistent with the iMesh one?

- jason