10. Modifying & extending LAMMPS

This section describes how to customize LAMMPS by modifying and extending its source code.

LAMMPS is designed in a modular fashion so as to be easy to modify and extend with new functionality. In fact, about 75% of its source code is files added in this fashion.

In this section, changes and additions users can make are listed along with minimal instructions. If you add a new feature to LAMMPS and think it will be of interest to general users, we encourage you to submit it to the developers for inclusion in the released version of LAMMPS. Information about how to do this is provided below.

The best way to add a new feature is to find a similar feature in LAMMPS and look at the corresponding source and header files to figure out what it does. You will need some knowledge of C++ to be able to understand the hi-level structure of LAMMPS and its class organization, but functions (class methods) that do actual computations are written in vanilla C-style code and operate on simple C-style data structures (vectors and arrays).

Most of the new features described in this section require you to write a new C++ derived class (except for exceptions described below, where you can make small edits to existing files). Creating a new class requires 2 files, a source code file (*.cpp) and a header file (*.h). The derived class must provide certain methods to work as a new option. Depending on how different your new feature is compared to existing features, you can either derive from the base class itself, or from a derived class that already exists. Enabling LAMMPS to invoke the new class is as simple as putting the two source files in the src dir and re-building LAMMPS.

The advantage of C++ and its object-orientation is that all the code and variables needed to define the new feature are in the 2 files you write, and thus shouldn't make the rest of LAMMPS more complex or cause side-effect bugs.

Here is a concrete example. Suppose you write 2 files pair_foo.cpp and pair_foo.h that define a new class PairFoo that computes pairwise potentials described in the classic 1997 paper by Foo, et al. If you wish to invoke those potentials in a LAMMPS input script with a command like

pair_style foo 0.1 3.5 

then your pair_foo.h file should be structured as follows:

#ifdef PAIR_CLASS
PairStyle(foo,PairFoo)
#else
...
(class definition for PairFoo)
...
#endif 

where "foo" is the style keyword in the pair_style command, and PairFoo is the class name defined in your pair_foo.cpp and pair_foo.h files.

When you re-build LAMMPS, your new pairwise potential becomes part of the executable and can be invoked with a pair_style command like the example above. Arguments like 0.1 and 3.5 can be defined and processed by your new class.

As illustrated by this pairwise example, many kinds of options are referred to in the LAMMPS documentation as the "style" of a particular command.

The instructions below give the header file for the base class that these styles are derived from. Public variables in that file are ones used and set by the derived classes which are also used by the base class. Sometimes they are also used by the rest of LAMMPS. Virtual functions in the base class header file which are set = 0 are ones you must define in your new derived class to give it the functionality LAMMPS expects. Virtual functions that are not set to 0 are functions you can optionally define.

Additionally, new output options can be added directly to the thermo.cpp, dump_custom.cpp, and variable.cpp files as explained below.

Here are additional guidelines for modifying LAMMPS and adding new functionality:

• Think about whether what you want to do would be better as a pre- or post-processing step. Many computations are more easily and more quickly done that way.
• Don't do anything within the timestepping of a run that isn't parallel. E.g. don't accumulate a bunch of data on a single processor and analyze it. You run the risk of seriously degrading the parallel efficiency.
• If your new feature reads arguments or writes output, make sure you follow the unit conventions discussed by the units command.
• If you add something you think is truly useful and doesn't impact LAMMPS performance when it isn't used, send an email to the developers. We might be interested in adding it to the LAMMPS distribution. See further details on this at the bottom of this page.

10.1 Atom styles

Classes that define an atom style are derived from the AtomVec class and managed by the Atom class. The atom style determines what quantities are associated with an atom. A new atom style can be created if one of the existing atom styles does not define all the arrays you need to store and communicate with atoms.

Atom_vec_atomic.cpp is a simple example of an atom style.

Here is a brief description of methods you define in your new derived class. See atom_vec.h for details.

The constructor of the derived class sets values for several variables that you must set when defining a new atom style, which are documented in atom_vec.h. New atom arrays are defined in atom.cpp. Search for the word "customize" and you will find locations you will need to modify.

10.2 Bond, angle, dihedral, improper potentials

Classes that compute molecular interactions are derived from the Bond, Angle, Dihedral, and Improper classes. New styles can be created to add new potentials to LAMMPS.

Bond_harmonic.cpp is the simplest example of a bond style. Ditto for the harmonic forms of the angle, dihedral, and improper style commands.

Here is a brief description of common methods you define in your new derived class. See bond.h, angle.h, dihedral.h, and improper.h for details and specific additional methods.

10.3 Compute styles

Classes that compute scalar and vector quantities like temperature and the pressure tensor, as well as classes that compute per-atom quantities like kinetic energy and the centro-symmetry parameter are derived from the Compute class. New styles can be created to add new calculations to LAMMPS.

Compute_temp.cpp is a simple example of computing a scalar temperature. Compute_ke_atom.cpp is a simple example of computing per-atom kinetic energy.

Here is a brief description of methods you define in your new derived class. See compute.h for details.

10.4 Dump styles

10.5 Dump custom output options

Classes that dump per-atom info to files are derived from the Dump class. To dump new quantities or in a new format, a new derived dump class can be added, but it is typically simpler to modify the DumpCustom class contained in the dump_custom.cpp file.

Dump_atom.cpp is a simple example of a derived dump class.

Here is a brief description of methods you define in your new derived class. See dump.h for details.

See the dump command and its custom style for a list of keywords for atom information that can already be dumped by DumpCustom. It includes options to dump per-atom info from Compute classes, so adding a new derived Compute class is one way to calculate new quantities to dump.

Alternatively, you can add new keywords to the dump custom command. Search for the word "customize" in dump_custom.cpp to see the half-dozen or so locations where code will need to be added.

10.6 Fix styles

In LAMMPS, a "fix" is any operation that is computed during timestepping that alters some property of the system. Essentially everything that happens during a simulation besides force computation, neighbor list construction, and output, is a "fix". This includes time integration (update of coordinates and velocities), force constraints or boundary conditions (SHAKE or walls), and diagnostics (compute a diffusion coefficient). New styles can be created to add new options to LAMMPS.

Fix_setforce.cpp is a simple example of setting forces on atoms to prescribed values. There are dozens of fix options already in LAMMPS; choose one as a template that is similar to what you want to implement.

Here is a brief description of methods you can define in your new derived class. See fix.h for details.

Typically, only a small fraction of these methods are defined for a particular fix. Setmask is mandatory, as it determines when the fix will be invoked during the timestep. Fixes that perform time integration (nve, nvt, npt) implement initial_integrate() and final_integrate() to perform velocity Verlet updates. Fixes that constrain forces implement post_force().

Fixes that perform diagnostics typically implement end_of_step(). For an end_of_step fix, one of your fix arguments must be the variable "nevery" which is used to determine when to call the fix and you must set this variable in the constructor of your fix. By convention, this is the first argument the fix defines (after the ID, group-ID, style).

If the fix needs to store information for each atom that persists from timestep to timestep, it can manage that memory and migrate the info with the atoms as they move from processors to processor by implementing the grow_arrays, copy_arrays, pack_exchange, and unpack_exchange methods. Similarly, the pack_restart and unpack_restart methods can be implemented to store information about the fix in restart files. If you wish an integrator or force constraint fix to work with rRESPA (see the run_style command), the initial_integrate, post_force_integrate, and final_integrate_respa methods can be implemented. The thermo method enables a fix to contribute values to thermodynamic output, as printed quantities and/or to be summed to the potential energy of the system.

10.7 Input script commands

New commands can be added to LAMMPS input scripts by adding new classes that have a "command" method. For example, the create_atoms, read_data, velocity, and run commands are all implemented in this fashion. When such a command is encountered in the LAMMPS input script, LAMMPS simply creates a class with the corresponding name, invokes the "command" method of the class, and passes it the arguments from the input script. The command method can perform whatever operations it wishes on LAMMPS data structures.

The single method your new class must define is as follows:

Of course, the new class can define other methods and variables as needed.

10.8 Kspace computations

Classes that compute long-range Coulombic interactions via K-space representations (Ewald, PPPM) are derived from the KSpace class. New styles can be created to add new K-space options to LAMMPS.

Ewald.cpp is an example of computing K-space interactions.

Here is a brief description of methods you define in your new derived class. See kspace.h for details.

10.9 Minimization styles

Classes that perform energy minimization derived from the Min class. New styles can be created to add new minimization algorithms to LAMMPS.

Min_cg.cpp is an example of conjugate gradient minimization.

Here is a brief description of methods you define in your new derived class. See min.h for details.

10.10 Pairwise potentials

Classes that compute pairwise interactions are derived from the Pair class. In LAMMPS, pairwise calculation include manybody potentials such as EAM or Tersoff where particles interact without a static bond topology. New styles can be created to add new pair potentials to LAMMPS.

Pair_lj_cut.cpp is a simple example of a Pair class, though it includes some optional methods to enable its use with rRESPA.

Here is a brief description of the class methods in pair.h:

The inner/middle/outer routines are optional.

10.11 Region styles

Classes that define geometric regions are derived from the Region class. Regions are used elsewhere in LAMMPS to group atoms, delete atoms to create a void, insert atoms in a specified region, etc. New styles can be created to add new region shapes to LAMMPS.

Region_sphere.cpp is an example of a spherical region.

Here is a brief description of methods you define in your new derived class. See region.h for details.

10.11 Body styles

Classes that define body particles are derived from the Body class. Body particles can represent complex entities, such as surface meshes of discrete points, collections of sub-particles, deformable objects, etc.

See Section_howto 14 of the manual for an overview of using body particles and the body doc page for details on the various body styles LAMMPS supports. New styles can be created to add new kinds of body particles to LAMMPS.

Body_nparticle.cpp is an example of a body particle that is treated as a rigid body containing N sub-particles.

Here is a brief description of methods you define in your new derived class. See body.h for details.

10.13 Thermodynamic output options

There is one class that computes and prints thermodynamic information to the screen and log file; see the file thermo.cpp.

There are two styles defined in thermo.cpp: "one" and "multi". There is also a flexible "custom" style which allows the user to explicitly list keywords for quantities to print when thermodynamic info is output. See the thermo_style command for a list of defined quantities.

The thermo styles (one, multi, etc) are simply lists of keywords. Adding a new style thus only requires defining a new list of keywords. Search for the word "customize" with references to "thermo style" in thermo.cpp to see the two locations where code will need to be added.

New keywords can also be added to thermo.cpp to compute new quantities for output. Search for the word "customize" with references to "keyword" in thermo.cpp to see the several locations where code will need to be added.

Note that the thermo_style custom command already allows for thermo output of quantities calculated by fixes, computes, and variables. Thus, it may be simpler to compute what you wish via one of those constructs, than by adding a new keyword to the thermo command.

10.14 Variable options

There is one class that computes and stores variable information in LAMMPS; see the file variable.cpp. The value associated with a variable can be periodically printed to the screen via the print, fix print, or thermo_style custom commands. Variables of style "equal" can compute complex equations that involve the following types of arguments:

thermo keywords = ke, vol, atoms, ... other variables = v_a, v_myvar, ... math functions = div(x,y), mult(x,y), add(x,y), ... group functions = mass(group), xcm(group,x), ... atom values = x123, y3, vx34, ... compute values = c_mytemp0, c_thermo_press3, ...

Adding keywords for the thermo_style custom command (which can then be accessed by variables) was discussed here on this page.

Adding a new math function of one or two arguments can be done by editing one section of the Variable::evaulate() method. Search for the word "customize" to find the appropriate location.

Adding a new group function can be done by editing one section of the Variable::evaulate() method. Search for the word "customize" to find the appropriate location. You may need to add a new method to the Group class as well (see the group.cpp file).

Accessing a new atom-based vector can be done by editing one section of the Variable::evaulate() method. Search for the word "customize" to find the appropriate location.

Adding new compute styles (whose calculated values can then be accessed by variables) was discussed here on this page.

10.15 Submitting new features for inclusion in LAMMPS

We encourage users to submit new features that they add to LAMMPS to the developers, especially if you think the features will be of interest to other users. If they are broadly useful we may add them as core files to LAMMPS or as part of a standard package. Else we will add them as a user-contributed package or file. Examples of user packages are in src sub-directories that start with USER. The USER-MISC package is simply a collection of (mostly) unrelated single files, which is the simplest way to have your contribution quickly added to the LAMMPS distribution. You can see a list of the both standard and user packages by typing "make package" in the LAMMPS src directory.

With user packages and files, all we are really providing (aside from the fame and fortune that accompanies having your name in the source code and on the Authors page of the LAMMPS WWW site), is a means for you to distribute your work to the LAMMPS user community and a mechanism for others to easily try out your new feature. This may help you find bugs or make contact with new collaborators. Note that you're also implicitly agreeing to support your code which means answer questions, fix bugs, and maintain it if LAMMPS changes.

The previous sections of this doc page describe how to add new features of various kinds to LAMMPS. Packages are simply collections of one or more new class files which are invoked as a new "style" within a LAMMPS input script. If designed correctly, these additions do not require changes to the main core of LAMMPS; they are simply add-on files. If you think your new feature requires non-trivial changes in core LAMMPS files, you'll need to communicate with the developers, since we may or may not want to make those changes. An example of a trivial change is making a parent-class method "virtual" when you derive a new child class from it.

Here is what you need to do to submit a user package or single file for our consideration. Following these steps will save time for both you and us. See existing package files for examples.

• All source files you provide must compile with the most current version of LAMMPS.
• If your contribution is a single file (actually a *.cpp and *.h file) it can most rapidly be added to the USER-MISC directory. Send us the one-line entry to add to the USER-MISC/README file in that dir, along with the 2 source files. You can do this multiple times if you wish to contribute several individual features.
• If your contribution is several related featues, it is probably best to make it a user package directory with a name like USER-FOO. In addition to your new files, the directory should contain a README, and Install.csh file. The README text file should contain your name and contact information and a brief description of what your new package does. The Install.csh file enables LAMMPS to include and exclude your package. See other README and Install.sh files in other USER directories as examples. Send us a tarball of this USER-FOO directory.
• Your new source files need to have the LAMMPS copyright, GPL notice, and your name at the top, like other LAMMPS source files. They need to create a class that is inside the LAMMPS namespace. Other than that, your files can do whatever is necessary to implement the new features. They don't have to be written in the same stylistic format and syntax as other LAMMPS files, though that would be nice.
• Finally, you must also send a documentation file for each new command or style you are adding to LAMMPS. This will be one file for a single-file feature. For a package, it might be several files. These are simple text files which we will convert to HTML. They must be in the same format as other *.txt files in the lammps/doc directory for similar commands and styles. The "Restrictions" section of the doc page should indicate that your command is only available if LAMMPS is built with the appropriate USER-MISC or USER-FOO package. See other user package doc files for an example of how to do this. The txt2html tool we use to do the conversion can be downloaded from this site, so you can perform the HTML conversion yourself to proofread your doc page.

Note that the more clear and self-explanatory you make your doc and README files, the more likely it is that users will try out your new feature.

(Foo) Foo, Morefoo, and Maxfoo, J of Classic Potentials, 75, 345 (1997).