converting zones without reading mesh

applications/utilities/miscellaneous/foamFormatConvert/foamFormatConvert.C

@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ Description
 #include "pointFields.H"
 #include "cellIOList.H"
 #include "IOobjectList.H"
+#include "IOPtrList.H"
 
 #include "writeMeshObject.H"
 #include "fieldDictionary.H"
@@ -49,6 +50,14 @@ using namespace Foam;
 
 // * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * //
 
+namespace Foam
+{
+    defineTemplateTypeNameAndDebug(IOPtrList<entry>, 0);
+}
+
+
+// Main program:
+
 int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
     timeSelector::addOptions();
@@ -67,6 +76,9 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
         writeMeshObject<labelIOList>("neighbour", runTime);
         writeMeshObject<faceIOList>("faces", runTime);
         writeMeshObject<pointIOField>("points", runTime);
+        writeMeshObject<IOPtrList<entry> >("cellZones", runTime);
+        writeMeshObject<IOPtrList<entry> >("faceZones", runTime);
+        writeMeshObject<IOPtrList<entry> >("pointZones", runTime);
 
         // Get list of objects from the database
         IOobjectList objects(runTime, runTime.timeName());

applications/utilities/miscellaneous/foamFormatConvert/writeMeshObject.H

@@ -61,8 +61,17 @@ inline bool writeMeshObject(const word& name, Time& runTime)
         Info<< "        Reading " << io.headerClassName()
             << " : " << name << endl;
 
+        // Switch off type checking (for reading e.g. faceZones as
+        // generic list of dictionaries).
+        const word oldTypeName = T::typeName;
+        const_cast<word&>(T::typeName) = word::null;
+
         T meshObject(io);
 
+        const_cast<word&>(T::typeName) = oldTypeName;
+        // Fake type back to what was in field
+        const_cast<word&>(meshObject.type()) = io.headerClassName();
+
         Info<< "        Writing " << name << endl;
         writeOk = meshObject.regIOobject::write();
     }