# Issue with HDF5 Support in Aspect: Seeking Assistance

**URL:** <https://community.geodynamics.org/t/issue-with-hdf5-support-in-aspect-seeking-assistance/3475>\
**Category:** General\
**Created:** [May 24, 2024, 2:49am UTC](https://community.geodynamics.org/t/issue-with-hdf5-support-in-aspect-seeking-assistance/3475 "2024-05-24T02:49:40Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![HeTing23](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/community.geodynamics.org/heting23/32/1932_2.png) [@HeTing23](https://community.geodynamics.org/u/HeTing23)\
**Post date:** [May 24, 2024, 2:49am UTC](https://community.geodynamics.org/t/issue-with-hdf5-support-in-aspect-seeking-assistance/3475/1 "2024-05-24T02:49:40Z")

</div>

Dear Aspect Community,

I hope this email finds you well. I am reaching out to seek assistance regarding an issue I encountered while attempting to output HDF5 format files using Aspect.

Here’s a brief overview of the problem: Despite modifying the output command to “set Output format = hdf5” in my .prm, I encountered a persistent error message stating “HDF5 support is disabled” in the terminal.

 ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/uploads/geodynamics/original/2X/d/d84507b0a309e70083b62078ef04c46757a03dde.png)

To address this issue, I took the following steps:

1. Recompiled Aspect and linked it to the relevant libraries using the command:

```auto
cmake -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=/home/the/opt/aspect-2.3.0-release -DDEAL_II_WITH_MPI=ON -DDEAL_II_WITH_HDF5=/home/the/opt/hdf5-1.14.1 -DDEAL_II_DIR=/home/the/opt/dealii-9.2.0 -DP4EST_DIR=/home/the/opt/p4est-2.3.5 ..

make -j 8
make install

```

1. After recompilation and updating the environment variables, including the updated paths, HDF5 support still could not be achieved.

I also conducted the following checks:

Verified the path “/home/the/opt/hdf5-1.14.1” in the CMakeCache.txt file under “DEAL\_II\_WITH\_HDF5:UNINITIALIZED,” ensuring no issues with the path.  
Observed no HDF5-related information in the Aspect output after a successful installation.  
\*I also checked under CMakelist.txt file and there is no question about HDF5. So I would like to ask: how does the source code compilation and installation of aspect link to HDF5?

Despite these efforts, the issue persists, and I am unable to enable HDF5 support in Aspect. I would greatly appreciate any insights, suggestions, or guidance from the community to resolve this matter.

Thank you for your time and assistance.

Best regards,  
Ting He

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**Author:** ![bobmyhill](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/community.geodynamics.org/bobmyhill/32/38_2.png) [@bobmyhill](https://community.geodynamics.org/u/bobmyhill)\
**Post date:** [May 24, 2024, 2:48pm UTC](https://community.geodynamics.org/t/issue-with-hdf5-support-in-aspect-seeking-assistance/3475/2 "2024-05-24T14:48:59Z")

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Dear Ting He,

For ASPECT to be able to output hdf5, deal.II should be compiled with HDF5 enabled. The CMakeCache.txt for deal.II should read `DEAL_II_WITH_HDF5:BOOL=ON`. If you are using candi to install deal.II ([GitHub - dealii/candi: candi - (Compile & Install) - Downloads, configures, builds and installs deal.II](https://github.com/dealii/candi/)), the following should be sufficient:  
`./candi.sh -j 8 --packages="hdf5 p4est trilinos sundials dealii"`

Best wishes,  
Bob