MPI_REGISTER_DATAREP(3)

📦
version 5.0.10 · 7 versions
, in ubuntu stonking

🦋 NAME 🦋

MPI_Register_datarep — bestie, this one defines data representation. That's it, that's the whole job. 💅

(it lives in Open MPI's manual, section 3 — you found it, you're in the right place 🫶)

✨ SYNTAX ✨

🌸 C Syntax

#include <mpi.h>

int MPI_Register_datarep(const char *datarep,
     MPI_Datarep_conversion_function *read_conversion_fn,
     MPI_Datarep_conversion_function *write_conversion_fn,
     MPI_Datarep_extent_function *dtype_file_extent_fn,
     void *extra_state)

💜 Fortran Syntax

USE MPI
! or the older form: INCLUDE 'mpif.h'
MPI_REGISTER_DATAREP(DATAREP, READ_CONVERSION_FN,
     WRITE_CONVERSION_FN, DTYPE_FILE_EXTENT_FN,
     EXTRA_STATE, IERROR)
     CHARACTER*(*)   DATAREP
     EXTERNAL        READ_CONVERSION_FN, WRITE_CONVERSION_FN, DTYPE_FILE_EXTENT_FN
     INTEGER IERROR
     INTEGER(KIND=MPI_ADDRESS_KIND)  EXTRA_STATE

🎀 Fortran 2008 Syntax

USE mpi_f08
MPI_Register_datarep(datarep, read_conversion_fn, write_conversion_fn,
             dtype_file_extent_fn, extra_state, ierror)
     CHARACTER(LEN=*), INTENT(IN) :: datarep
     PROCEDURE(MPI_Datarep_conversion_function) :: read_conversion_fn
     PROCEDURE(MPI_Datarep_conversion_function) :: write_conversion_fn
     PROCEDURE(MPI_Datarep_extent_function) :: dtype_file_extent_fn
     INTEGER(KIND=MPI_ADDRESS_KIND), INTENT(IN) :: extra_state
     INTEGER, OPTIONAL, INTENT(OUT) :: ierror

🌈 INPUT PARAMETERS 🌈

  • datarep — the data representation identifier, and yes it's a string. your lil name tag for the whole vibe ✨
  • read_conversion_fn — the function that gets called to convert from file representation ➡️ native representation (it's a function, bestie, you're passing a whole function).
  • write_conversion_fn — the function that gets called to convert from native representation ➡️ file representation (function again 👑).
  • dtype_file_extent_fn — the function that gets invoked to get the extent of a data type as represented in the file (function, third one, no cap).
  • extra_state — extra state. it's there. it's extra. 🙈

💖 OUTPUT PARAMETER 💖

  • ierror — Fortran only, bestie: error status, and it's an integer.

🌟 DESCRIPTION 🌟

okay so MPI_Register_datarep defines a data representation. It associates the data representation's identifier (a string, remember) with the functions that convert from file representation to the native representation and vice versa, with the function that gets the extent of a data type as represented in the file, as well as with "extra state," which is used for passing arguments. Once a data representation has been registered using this routine, you may specify its identifier as an argument to MPI_File_set_view, causing subsequent data-access operations to call the specified conversion functions. it's giving pipeline. it's giving conversion automation. 💅

The call associates read_conversion_fn, write_conversion_fn, and dtype_file_extent_fn with the data representation identifier datarep. datarep can then be used as an argument to MPI_File_set_view, causing subsequent data access operations to call the conversion functions to convert all data items accessed between file data representation and native representation. MPI_Register_datarep is a local operation and only registers the data representation for the calling MPI process. If datarep is already defined, an error in the error class MPI_ERR_DUP_DATAREP is raised using the default file error handler. The length of a data representation string is limited to the value of MPI_MAX_DATAREP_STRING. MPI_MAX_DATAREP_STRING must have a value of at least 64. No routines are provided to delete data representations and free the associated resources; it is not expected that an application will generate them in significant numbers.

🚨 lowkey important: no delete routine exists. once you register it, it's registered. forever. main character energy, honestly. but also — the docs say apps aren't expected to make them in significant numbers, so breathe. 😮💨

📝 NOTES 📝

The Fortran version of each MPI I/O routine includes a final argument, IERROR, which is not defined in the PARAMETERS sections. This argument is used to return the error status of the routine in the manner typical for Fortran library routines.

The C version of each routine returns an error status as an integer return value.

Error classes are found in mpi.h (for C) and mpif.h (for Fortran).

💀 ERRORS 💀

Almost all MPI routines return an error value; C routines as the return result of the function and Fortran routines in the last argument. fr fr.

Before the error value is returned, the current MPI error handler associated with the communication object (e.g., communicator, window, file) is called. If no communication object is associated with the MPI call, then the call is considered attached to MPI_COMM_SELF and will call the associated MPI error handler. When MPI_COMM_SELF is not initialized (i.e., before MPI_Init/MPI_Init_thread, after MPI_Finalize, or when using the Sessions Model exclusively) the error raises the initial error handler. The initial error handler can be changed by calling MPI_Comm_set_errhandler on MPI_COMM_SELF when using the World model, or the mpi_initial_errhandler CLI argument to mpiexec or info key to MPI_Comm_spawn/MPI_Comm_spawn_multiple. If no other appropriate error handler has been set, then the MPI_ERRORS_RETURN error handler is called for MPI I/O functions and the MPI_ERRORS_ABORT error handler is called for all other MPI functions. 😭 it's a whole chain of custody for your errors.

Open MPI includes three predefined error handlers that can be used:

  • MPI_ERRORS_ARE_FATAL — Causes the program to abort all connected MPI processes. 💀 very much the nuclear option, no survivors.
  • MPI_ERRORS_ABORT — An error handler that can be invoked on a communicator, window, file, or session. When called on a communicator, it acts as if MPI_Abort was called on that communicator. If called on a window or file, acts as if MPI_Abort was called on a communicator containing the group of processes in the corresponding window or file. If called on a session, aborts only the local process. the way it adapts to whatever it's called on... versatile queen 🎀
  • MPI_ERRORS_RETURN — Returns an error code to the application. the polite one. the "here's your error code, bestie, you deal with it" one. 🫶

MPI applications can also implement their own error handlers by calling:

  • MPI_Comm_create_errhandler then MPI_Comm_set_errhandler
  • MPI_File_create_errhandler then MPI_File_set_errhandler
  • MPI_Session_create_errhandler then MPI_Session_set_errhandler or at MPI_Session_init
  • MPI_Win_create_errhandler then MPI_Win_set_errhandler

Note that MPI does not guarantee that an MPI program can continue past an error. ✨ so like... don't count on it.

See the MPI man page for a full list of MPI error codes.

See the Error Handling section of the MPI-3.1 standard for more information.

2003-2026, The Open MPI Community

okay that's the whole page, you ate it, you're literally fluent in data representations now, go register something iconic 🌈💖

signing off from the Sep 10, 2026 edition of MPI_REGISTER_DATAREP(3), brought to you by Open MPI — mwah, no notes, periodt. 💅🦋

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