The Basic Model Interface

The functions that comprise the Basic Model Interface can be grouped into categories:

• Metadata
• Control
• Info
• Variables
• Time
• Getters and setters
• Grid

Table 3 lists the individual BMI functions along with a brief description. Following the table is a detailed description of each function, including the function prototype in SIDL, grouped by functional category.

Table 3: Summary of BMI functions.

Function	Description
get_bmi_version	Version of the BMI implemented.
initialize	Perform startup tasks for the model.
update	Advance model state by one time step.
update_until	Advance model state until the given time.
finalize	Perform tear-down tasks for the model.
get_component_name	Name of the model.
get_input_item_count	Count of a model’s input variables.
get_output_item_count	Count of a model’s output variables.
get_input_var_names	List of a model’s input variables.
get_output_var_names	List of a model’s output variables.
get_var_grid	Get the grid identifier for a variable.
get_var_type	Get the data type of a variable.
get_var_units	Get the units of a variable.
get_var_itemsize	Get the size (in bytes) of one element of a variable.
get_var_nbytes	Get the total size (in bytes) of a variable.
get_var_location	Get the grid element type of a variable.
get_current_time	Current time of the model.
get_start_time	Start time of the model.
get_end_time	End time of the model.
get_time_units	Time units used in the model.
get_time_step	Time step used in the model.
get_value	Get a copy of values of a given variable.
get_value_ptr	Get a reference to the values of a given variable.
get_value_at_indices	Get variable values at specific locations.
set_value	Set the values of a given variable.
set_value_at_indices	Set the values of a variable at specific locations.
get_grid_rank	Get the number of dimensions of a computational grid.
get_grid_size	Get the total number of elements of a computational grid.
get_grid_type	Get the grid type as a string.
get_grid_shape	Get the dimensions of a computational grid.
get_grid_spacing	Get the spacing between grid nodes.
get_grid_origin	Get the origin of a grid.
get_grid_x	Get the locations of a grid’s nodes in dimension 1.
get_grid_y	Get the locations of a grid’s nodes in dimension 2.
get_grid_z	Get the locations of a grid’s nodes in dimension 3.
get_grid_node_count	Get the number of nodes in the grid.
get_grid_edge_count	Get the number of edges in the grid.
get_grid_face_count	Get the number of faces in the grid.
get_grid_edge_nodes	Get the edge-node connectivity.
get_grid_face_edges	Get the face-edge connectivity.
get_grid_face_nodes	Get the face-node connectivity.
get_grid_nodes_per_face	Get the number of nodes for each face.