# MatCreate

Creates a matrix where the type is determined from either a call to MatSetType() or from the options database with a call to MatSetFromOptions(). The default matrix type is AIJ, using the routines MatCreateSeqAIJ() or MatCreateMPIAIJ() if you do not set a type in the options database. If you never call MatSetType() or MatSetFromOptions() it will generate an error when you try to use the matrix.

### Synopsis

    #include "petscmat.h"
    PetscErrorCode PETSCMAT_DLLEXPORT MatCreate(MPI_Comm comm,Mat *A)

Collective on MPI_Comm

### Input Parameter

comm -MPI communicator

### Output Parameter

A -the matrix

### Options Database Keys

| -mat_type seqaij | - AIJ type, uses MatCreateSeqAIJ()
| -mat_type mpiaij | - AIJ type, uses MatCreateMPIAIJ()
| -mat_type seqbdiag | - block diagonal type, uses MatCreateSeqBDiag()
| -mat_type mpibdiag | - block diagonal type, uses MatCreateMPIBDiag()
| -mat_type mpirowbs | - rowbs type, uses MatCreateMPIRowbs()
| -mat_type seqdense | - dense type, uses MatCreateSeqDense()
| -mat_type mpidense | - dense type, uses MatCreateMPIDense()
| -mat_type seqbaij | - block AIJ type, uses MatCreateSeqBAIJ()
| -mat_type mpibaij | - block AIJ type, uses MatCreateMPIBAIJ()

### Even More Options Database Keys

See the manpages for particular formats (e.g., MatCreateSeqAIJ()) for additional format-specific options.

### C++ variants

| Mat MatCreate(void *ctx) |  | -> |  | MatCreate(PETSC_COMM_WORLD,&A); return A;
| Mat MatCreate(MPI_Comm comm,void *ctx) |  | -> |  | MatCreate(comm,&A); return A;

### Notes

### User manual sections

| Section 3.1 Creating and Assembling Matrices | - - Chapter 3 Matrices

### Keywords

matrix, create

### See Also

MatCreateSeqAIJ((), MatCreateMPIAIJ(),
MatCreateSeqBDiag(),MatCreateMPIBDiag(), MatCreateSeqDense(), MatCreateMPIDense(), MatCreateMPIRowbs(), MatCreateSeqBAIJ(), MatCreateMPIBAIJ(), MatCreateSeqSBAIJ(), MatCreateMPISBAIJ(), MatConvert()

Level:beginner
Location:src/mat/utils/gcreate.c
Index of all Mat routines
Table of Contents for all manual pages
Index of all manual pages

### Examples

src/mat/examples/tutorials/ex2.c.html
src/mat/examples/tutorials/ex5.c.html
src/ksp/examples/tutorials/ex1.c.html
src/ksp/examples/tutorials/ex2.c.html
src/ksp/examples/tutorials/ex3.c.html
src/ksp/examples/tutorials/ex4.c.html
src/ksp/examples/tutorials/ex5.c.html
src/ksp/examples/tutorials/ex7.c.html
src/ksp/examples/tutorials/ex8.c.html
src/ksp/examples/tutorials/ex9.c.html
src/ksp/examples/tutorials/ex11.c.html