:orphan:
# DMSetType
Builds a `DM`, for a particular `DM` implementation. 
## Synopsis
```
#include "petscdm.h"          
#include "petscdmlabel.h"     
#include "petscds.h"     
PetscErrorCode DMSetType(DM dm, DMType method)
```
Collective


## Input Parameters

- ***dm     -*** The `DM` object
- ***method -*** The name of the `DMType`, for example `DMDA`, `DMPLEX`



## Options Database Key

- ***-dm_type <type> -*** Sets the `DM` type; use -help for a list of available types





## Note
Of the `DM` is constructed by directly calling a function to construct a particular `DM`, for example, `DMDACreate2d()` or `DMPlexCreateBoxMesh()`


## See Also
 [](ch_dmbase), `DM`, `DMType`, `DMDA`, `DMPLEX`, `DMGetType()`, `DMCreate()`, `DMDACreate2d()`

## Level
intermediate

## Location
<A HREF="PETSC_DOC_OUT_ROOT_PLACEHOLDER/src/dm/interface/dm.c.html#DMSetType">src/dm/interface/dm.c</A>

## Examples
<A HREF="PETSC_DOC_OUT_ROOT_PLACEHOLDER/src/dm/field/tutorials/ex1.c.html">src/dm/field/tutorials/ex1.c</A><BR>
<A HREF="PETSC_DOC_OUT_ROOT_PLACEHOLDER/src/dm/impls/forest/tutorials/ex1.c.html">src/dm/impls/forest/tutorials/ex1.c</A><BR>
<A HREF="PETSC_DOC_OUT_ROOT_PLACEHOLDER/src/dm/impls/plex/tutorials/ex1.c.html">src/dm/impls/plex/tutorials/ex1.c</A><BR>
<A HREF="PETSC_DOC_OUT_ROOT_PLACEHOLDER/src/dm/impls/plex/tutorials/ex10.c.html">src/dm/impls/plex/tutorials/ex10.c</A><BR>
<A HREF="PETSC_DOC_OUT_ROOT_PLACEHOLDER/src/dm/impls/plex/tutorials/ex11.c.html">src/dm/impls/plex/tutorials/ex11.c</A><BR>
<A HREF="PETSC_DOC_OUT_ROOT_PLACEHOLDER/src/dm/impls/plex/tutorials/ex14.c.html">src/dm/impls/plex/tutorials/ex14.c</A><BR>
<A HREF="PETSC_DOC_OUT_ROOT_PLACEHOLDER/src/dm/impls/plex/tutorials/ex1f90.F90.html">src/dm/impls/plex/tutorials/ex1f90.F90</A><BR>
<A HREF="PETSC_DOC_OUT_ROOT_PLACEHOLDER/src/dm/impls/plex/tutorials/ex5.c.html">src/dm/impls/plex/tutorials/ex5.c</A><BR>
<A HREF="PETSC_DOC_OUT_ROOT_PLACEHOLDER/src/dm/impls/plex/tutorials/ex6.c.html">src/dm/impls/plex/tutorials/ex6.c</A><BR>
<A HREF="PETSC_DOC_OUT_ROOT_PLACEHOLDER/src/dm/impls/plex/tutorials/ex7.c.html">src/dm/impls/plex/tutorials/ex7.c</A><BR>
<A HREF="PETSC_DOC_OUT_ROOT_PLACEHOLDER/src/dm/impls/plex/tutorials/ex8.c.html">src/dm/impls/plex/tutorials/ex8.c</A><BR>


---
[Edit on GitLab](https://gitlab.com/petsc/petsc/-/edit/release/src/dm/interface/dm.c)


[Index of all DM routines](index.md)  
[Table of Contents for all manual pages](/manualpages/index.md)  
[Index of all manual pages](/manualpages/singleindex.md)