v2506: New and improved usability

Users of macOS now have the possibility to use more homebrew components for OpenFOAM, including using a homebrew installation of gcc. To select the homebrew gcc, it will normally be necessary to also specify the appropriate WM_COMPILE_CONTROL. For example,

export WM_COMPILE_CONTROL="version=15"

to select gcc-15, g++-15 from the homebrew installation. For other homebrew components, the bin/tools/foamConfigurePaths helper script is useful. For example,

bin/tools/foamConfigurePaths -scotch-brew

This edits the respective config file, setting the version as system with an installation path take from brew --prefix PACKAGE. If you wish to use all known homebrew components, there is also a simple shortcut:

bin/tools/foamConfigurePaths -with-homebrew

We hope that these changes will make life somewhat easier for our macOS users.

Patch groups

The selection and exclusion of patches and zones has been refined, simplifying the handling of patch groups and zone groups. This behaviour is included in utilities such as foamToEnsight and foamToVTK, and the function objects ensightWrite and vtkWrite.

Minor usability tweaks

• Can use rpm instead of n (rev/s) in a few input dictionaries.
• For example, in the propeller function object.