Abaqus/CAE execution

Abaqus/CAE, an interactive environment for creating, submitting, monitoring, and evaluating results from Abaqus simulations, is executed by running the Abaqus execution procedure and specifying the cae parameter.

The following topics are discussed:

Related Topics
About Execution Procedures

ProductsAbaqus/CAE

Command summary

abaqus cae databasedatabase-file replayreplay-file recoverjournal-file startupstartup-file scriptscript-file noGUInoGUI-file noenvstartup noSavedOptions noSavedGuiPrefs noStartupDialog customscript-file guiTesterGUI-script guiRecord guiNoRecord

Command line options

database

This option specifies the name of the model database file or output database file to open. To specify a model database file, include either the .cae file extension or no file extension in the file name. To specify an output database file, include the .odb file extension in the file name.

replay

This option specifies the name of the file from which Abaqus/CAE commands are to be replayed. The commands in replay-file will execute immediately upon startup of Abaqus/CAE. If no file extension is given, the default extension is .rpy. You cannot use the replay option to execute a script with control flow statements.

recover

This option specifies the name of the file from which a model database is to be rebuilt. The commands in journal-file will execute immediately upon startup of Abaqus/CAE. If no file extension is given, the default extension is .jnl.

startup

This option specifies the name of the file containing Python configuration commands to be run at application startup. Commands in this file are run after any configuration commands that have been set in the environment file. Abaqus/CAE does not echo the commands to the replay file when they are executed.

script

This option specifies the name of the file containing Python configuration commands to be run at application startup. Commands in this file are run after any configuration commands that have been set in the environment file.

Arguments can be passed into the file by entering -- on the command line, followed by the arguments separated by one or more spaces. These arguments will be ignored by the Abaqus/CAE execution procedure, but they will be accessible within the script.

noGUI

This option specifies that Abaqus/CAE is to be run without the graphical user interface (GUI). If no file name is specified, an Abaqus/CAE license is checked out and the Python interpreter is initialized to allow interactive entry of Python or Abaqus Scripting Interface commands.

If a file name is specified, Abaqus/CAE runs the commands in the file and exits upon their completion. If no file extension is given, the default extension is .py. This option is useful for automating pre- or post-analysis processing tasks without the added expense of running a display. Since no interface is provided, the scripts cannot include any user interaction. If you use the noGUI option, Abaqus/CAE ignores any other command line options that you provide.

Arguments can be passed into the file by entering -- on the command line, followed by the arguments separated by one or more spaces. These arguments will be ignored by the Abaqus/CAE execution procedure, but they will be accessible within the Python script. If you are using the noGUI option, you can use an argument to pass in a variable that would otherwise be provided by a command line option. For example, you can pass in the name of a file that would otherwise be specified by the script option.

noenvstartup

This option specifies that all configuration commands in the environment files should not be run at application startup. This option can be used in conjunction with the script command to suppress all configuration commands except those in the script file.

noSavedOptions

This option specifies that Abaqus/CAE should not apply the display options settings stored in abaqus_2017.gpr (for example, the render style and the display of datum planes). For more information, see Saving your display options settings.

noSavedGuiPrefs

This option specifies that Abaqus/CAE should not apply the GUI settings stored in abaqus_2017.gpr (for example, the size and location of the Abaqus/CAE main window or its dialog boxes).

noStartupDialog

This option specifies that the Start Session dialog box for Abaqus/CAE should not be displayed.

custom

This option specifies the name of the file containing Abaqus GUI Toolkit commands. This option executes an application that is a customized version of Abaqus/CAE. For more information, see Introduction.

guiTester

This option starts a separate user interface containing the Abaqus Python development environment along with Abaqus/CAE. The Abaqus Python development environment allows you to create, edit, step through, and debug Python scripts. For more information, see The Abaqus Python Development Environment.

You can specify a script as the argument for this option, which prompts Abaqus/CAE to run a GUI script. Abaqus/CAE closes when the end of the script is reached.

guiRecord

This option enables you to record your actions in the Abaqus/CAE user interface in a file named abaqus.guiLog. You can also set this option at startup by using the environment variable ABQ_CAE_GUIRECORD. The guiRecord option cannot be used with the guiTester option.

guiNoRecord

This option enables you to disable user interface recording when the environment variable ABQ_CAE_GUIRECORD is set.

Examples

The following examples illustrate the command line options of the cae execution procedure and how arguments are passed to Abaqus/CAE.

Opening a model database

The following command will execute Abaqus/CAE and load the model database file called “beam”: 

abaqus cae database=beam

Passing arguments to a script

The following command will run the Python script in a file named “try.py” at application startup and pass “argument1” to the script: 

abaqus cae script=try.py -- argument1

The above command will print argument1 if “try.py” is defined as 

import sys
print sys.argv[-1]

Running Abaqus/CAE without the graphical user interface

The following command will run the Python script in a file named “checkPartValidity.py” and pass arguments to the script specifying the model database, the model, and the part. The script is executed by Abaqus/CAE; however, the graphical user interface is never displayed. 

abaqus cae noGui=checkPartValidity.py -- test.cae Model-1 Part-1

The above command will print Part-1 is valid if “checkPartValidity.py” is defined as 

import sys
import os

myMdb= sys.argv[-3]
myModel = sys.argv[-2]
myPart = sys.argv[-1]

mdb = openMdb(myMdb)
model = mdb.models[myModel]
part = model.parts[myPart]

if part.geometryValidity:
    sys.__stderr__.write('%s is valid\n' % myPart)
else:
    sys.__stderr__.write('%s is invalid\n' % myPart)