URI schemes

The inputs and outputs in a manifest reference data through URIs. SimDB understands two schemes: file for ordinary files and imas for IMAS data entries.

file scheme

For ordinary files on the machine where you run the CLI:

file:///<absolute-path>

Notes:

  • The path must be absolute (note the three slashes: file:// + /path).

  • Glob patterns are expanded, so file:///data/run42/*.nc references every matching file.

  • $MANIFEST_DIR (the directory containing the manifest) and ~ are expanded before the path is resolved.

Examples:

file:///work/sims/run42/input/parameters.txt
file:///work/sims/run42/results/*.nc

imas scheme

An IMAS URI locates an IMAS data entry accessible from the machine running the CLI:

imas:<backend>?path=<path>

Part

Description

backend

Backend used to open the data, for example hdf5 or mdsplus.

path

Path to the folder containing the IMAS data files.

Alternatively, an entry can be addressed by shot, run, and database instead of a path: imas:<backend>?shot=<shot>&run=<run>&database=<database>.

Examples:

imas:mdsplus?path=/work/imas/shared/imasdb/iter/3/135011/2
imas:hdf5?path=/work/imas/shared/imasdb/ITER_SCENARIOS/3/131002/60

When a local IMAS URI is pushed to a server, SimDB rewrites it as a remote data URI (imas://<host>:<port>/uda?path=<path>&backend=<backend>) so the data can be reached from machines other than yours. The server’s imas_remote_host/imas_remote_port settings control this rewrite (see Server configuration). This remote form is only produced by the server; you cannot use it in a manifest.

Note

SimDB uses imas-python to read IMAS data. MDSplus data must have been written with Access Layer 5 (AL5) or later; Access Layer 4 (AL4) data must be migrated first. See Migrate AL4 MDSplus data.