petsc-3.3-p7 2013-05-11

MatGetFactor

Returns a matrix suitable to calls to MatXXFactorSymbolic()

#include "petscmat.h" 
PetscErrorCode  MatGetFactor(Mat mat, const MatSolverPackage type,MatFactorType ftype,Mat *f)

Collective on Mat

	mat	- the matrix
	type	- name of solver type, for example, spooles, superlu, plapack, petsc (to use PETSc's default)
	ftype	- factor type, MAT_FACTOR_LU, MAT_FACTOR_CHOLESKY, MAT_FACTOR_ICC, MAT_FACTOR_ILU,

f -the factor matrix used with MatXXFactorSymbolic() calls

Some PETSc matrix formats have alternative solvers available that are contained in alternative packages such as pastix, superlu, mumps, spooles etc.

PETSc must have been ./configure to use the external solver, using the option --download-package