Workbench External Connection Add-In

Workbench External Connection Add-In
ANSYS, Inc. Release 18.0

Southpointe January 2017
2600 ANSYS Drive
Canonsburg, PA 15317 ANSYS, Inc. and
ansysinfo@ansys.com ANSYS Europe,
Ltd. are UL
http://www.ansys.com registered ISO
(T) 724-746-3304 9001: 2008
(F) 724-514-9494 companies.
Copyright and Trademark Information
2016 SAS IP, Inc. Unauthorized use, distribution or duplication is prohibited.
ANSYS, ANSYS Workbench, Ansoft, AUTODYN, EKM, Engineering Knowledge Manager, CFX, FLUENT, HFSS, AIM
and any and all ANSYS, Inc. brand, product, service and feature names, logos and slogans are registered trademarks
or trademarks of ANSYS, Inc. or its subsidiaries in the United States or other countries. ICEM CFD is a trademark
used by ANSYS, Inc. under license. CFX is a trademark of Sony Corporation in Japan. All other brand, product,
service and feature names or trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Disclaimer Notice
THIS ANSYS SOFTWARE PRODUCT AND PROGRAM DOCUMENTATION INCLUDE TRADE SECRETS AND ARE CONFID-
ENTIAL AND PROPRIETARY PRODUCTS OF ANSYS, INC., ITS SUBSIDIARIES, OR LICENSORS. The software products
and documentation are furnished by ANSYS, Inc., its subsidiaries, or affiliates under a software license agreement
that contains provisions concerning non-disclosure, copying, length and nature of use, compliance with exporting
laws, warranties, disclaimers, limitations of liability, and remedies, and other provisions. The software products
and documentation may be used, disclosed, transferred, or copied only in accordance with the terms and conditions
of that software license agreement.
ANSYS, Inc. and ANSYS Europe, Ltd. are UL registered ISO 9001: 2008 companies.
U.S. Government Rights
For U.S. Government users, except as specifically granted by the ANSYS, Inc. software license agreement, the use,
duplication, or disclosure by the United States Government is subject to restrictions stated in the ANSYS, Inc.
software license agreement and FAR 12.212 (for non-DOD licenses).
Third-Party Software
See the legal information in the product help files for the complete Legal Notice for ANSYS proprietary software
and third-party software. If you are unable to access the Legal Notice, Contact ANSYS, Inc.
Published in the U.S.A.

Table of Contents
Introduction to the External Connection Add-In ....................................................................................... 1
Integrating an External Application ......................................................................................................... 4
External Process Responsibilities ....................................................................................................... 5
Customizing the Workbench User Interface ............................................................................................. 5
Creating Custom External Connection Systems and Components ............................................................ 7
General Workflow ................................................................................................................................... 7
Creating an External Connection Directory .............................................................................................. 7
Creating System Definition Files .............................................................................................................. 8
Creating Component Configuration Files ................................................................................................ 8
Defining Inputs and Outputs ............................................................................................................ 9
Creating Update Instructions for Producing or Consuming Data ...................................................... 10
Upstream Data Consumption (Input) ......................................................................................... 10
Data Generation (Output) ......................................................................................................... 10
Convenience Queries ................................................................................................................ 10
Configuration XML File Details ................................................................................................................. 11
Configuration Node .............................................................................................................................. 11
Instructions Node ................................................................................................................................. 11
Format ........................................................................................................................................... 12
Attributes ....................................................................................................................................... 12
GuiOperations Node ............................................................................................................................. 14
Format ........................................................................................................................................... 14
Attributes ....................................................................................................................................... 14
Properties Node ................................................................................................................................... 16
Format ........................................................................................................................................... 17
Attributes ....................................................................................................................................... 17
External Connection Examples ................................................................................................................. 21
Custom, Lightweight, External Application Integration ........................................................................... 21
File Structure .................................................................................................................................. 22
Component Configuration XML File ................................................................................................ 22
User Interface Button Definition ............................................................................................................ 23
File Structure .................................................................................................................................. 23
User Interface Configuration XML File .............................................................................................. 24
Instruction File ................................................................................................................................ 24
Mesh Transfer System ........................................................................................................................... 24
File Structure .................................................................................................................................. 25
System Definition XML File .............................................................................................................. 25
Component Configuration File ........................................................................................................ 25
Update Instruction .......................................................................................................................... 26
Material Transfer ................................................................................................................................... 26
File Structure .................................................................................................................................. 27
System Definition XML File .............................................................................................................. 27
Component Configuration File ........................................................................................................ 28
Update Instruction .......................................................................................................................... 28
Material File .................................................................................................................................... 28
Custom Transfer System ........................................................................................................................ 29
File Structure .................................................................................................................................. 29
Producer System Definition XML File ............................................................................................... 30
Producer Component Configuration File ......................................................................................... 30
Producer Update Instruction ........................................................................................................... 31
Consumer System Definition XML File ............................................................................................. 31
Release 18.0 - SAS IP, Inc. All rights reserved. - Contains proprietary and confidential information
of ANSYS, Inc. and its subsidiaries and affiliates. iii
External Connection Guide
Consumer Component Configuration File ....................................................................................... 31

Consumer Update Instruction ......................................................................................................... 31
A. Component Input and Output Tables ....................................................................................................... 33
B. ANSYS Workbench Internally Defined System Template and Component Names ....................................... 87
C. Data Transfer Types ................................................................................................................................ 105
D. Addin Data Types and Data Transfer Formats .......................................................................................... 109
Index ........................................................................................................................................................ 113
iv of ANSYS, Inc. and its subsidiaries and affiliates.
Introduction to the External Connection Add-In
The External Connection add-in enables you to integrate custom, lightweight, external applications and
processes into the ANSYS Workbench Project Schematic workflow. Features exposed by the External
Connection also enable you to perform automation and customization activities:
Define user interface elements (such as buttons in the Workbench Toolbar or entries in custom menus) and
create the scripts that they run.
Create new systems to facilitate interaction with the Workbench Project Schematic.
The External Connection add-in provides an External Connection system in the External Connection
Systems toolbox. The system contains a single External Connection component that acts as a proxy
for the external application.
Figure 1: External Connection System Cell in Toolbox
After you drag an External Connection system into the Workbench Project Schematic window, the Ex-
ternal Connection component appears in an Edit Required state, indicated by a question mark, until
you update it with a Component Configuration file.
of ANSYS, Inc. and its subsidiaries and affiliates. 1
Figure 2: Read Configuration Menu
In the figure that follows, the External Connection reads the Configuration file SquaresConfig.xml,
which provides integration details for an external application that calculates square values that are then
displayed in the System Parameters. See Custom, Lightweight, External Application Integration (p. 21)
for more details.
Figure 3: Squares Example Schematic View
The following figure shows an External Connection that adds a button to the toolbar. See User Interface
Button Definition (p. 23) for more details.
2 of ANSYS, Inc. and its subsidiaries and affiliates.
Figure 4: Button Definition Example
The figure that follows shows a Mesh Transfer system that takes an upstream mesh and passes it to a
downstream Fluent system. See Mesh Transfer System (p. 24) for more details.
Figure 5: End-to-End Mesh Transfer Between Mesh, Mesher, and Fluent Setup
The following sections describe how you can use the ANSYS Workbench External Connection add-in
within an ANSYS Workbench workflow.
Integrating an External Application
Customizing the Workbench User Interface
Integrating an External Application

The default External Connection add-in provides a single-component External Connection system in
the External Connection Systems toolbox. This system acts as a proxy for the external application,
enabling the external application to define and expose input and output parameters within the Work-
bench Schematic window. You can manipulate these External Connection-defined parameters in the
same way as standard Workbench parametersfor example, in terms of design point creation, update,
and state. Specifically, the External Connection add-in enables you to use the Design Exploration applic-
ations capabilities with any external application.
Every External Connection system exposes a Read Configuration user interface operation as a component
context menu. This user interface operations underlying command reads a Component Configuration
XML file that contains all the information that the external process wants to provide to Workbench (see
Configuration XML File Details (p. 11) for more information). At a minimum, the configuration file contains
the following elements:
The definition of input and output parameters, including the parsing rules for reading the values from a file.
An operating system executable or a Python script to be executed during the component Update command.
Python scripts execute within the Workbench Python interpreter; as a result, scripts have full access to the
scriptable Workbench API (Using Journals and Scripts in the Workbench User's Guide).
External Connection reads and stores all the information defined within the Component Configuration
file. You can access the stored configuration information through the Edit Configuration user interface
operation on the external connection components context menu. Only infrastructure/integration changes
within the external application should result in configuration file changes; otherwise, users should not
modify loaded configuration settings.
When you invoke an Update on the External Connection component, the add-in:
1. Writes the current input parameter values to the file specified in the Component Configuration file.
2. Launches the external application.
Upon the completion of the external application, the add-in:
1. Verifies successful execution (and sends an error message if it was not successful).
2. Reads the current output parameter values provided by the external application in the file location specified
in the Component Configuration file.
After you read a Component Configuration file into an External Connection component, Workbench
disables the Read Configuration user interface operation. The Reset user interface operation, also a
context menu operation on an External Connection component, discards the imported configuration
information. Workbench re-enables the Read Configuration user interface operation upon Reset as
you must load a new Component Configuration file to proceed.
External Process Responsibilities

An external process must, at minimum:
1. Provide a configuration file that contains two elements:
The input/output parameter processing definitions
The update script or the name of an operating system executable file.
2. Read the input parameters from the input file.
3. Execute a solve/update of the external process.
4. Write the computed output parameter values to the output file.

You can enrich the external connection functionality by defining custom toolbar and menu entries
within the Workbench user interface. At add-in load time, Workbench reads in a user-interface config-
uration file, independent of any defined Component Configuration files, from either an installation-
specific or user-specific location. A user interface-based configuration file located in the installation area
results in Workbench exposing additional custom entries for every user who accesses the installed ANSYS
Workbench application. On the other hand, a file located in the user-specific area will result in additional
custom entries only appearing for that specific user. In either case, the content of the user-specific custom
files takes precedence over the custom installation files. If user interface configuration files exist in both
locations, workbench first examines and loads the user-specific entries and then processes installation
entries (ignoring duplicates).
The custom User Interface configuration file format shares the same syntax as the Component Config-
uration files used with External Connection components. However, only the user interface operation
section and elements remain relevant. If you provide content from other sections, Workbench will ignore
it (see Configuration XML File Details (p. 11) for element descriptions and examples).
1. You must place custom installation files in the ExternalConnection directory under v180/Addins
(for example C:\Program Files\Ansys Inc\v180\Addins\ExternalConnection). The user-
specific custom file location depends upon the operating system:
For Windows machines, create a directory named ExternalConnection under %APPDATA%\An-

sys\v180.
For Linux machines, create a directory named ExternalConnection under $HOME/.config/An-

sys/v180.
2. You must create a directory named Customization under ExternalConnection folder to use the custom
user interface functionality within the External Connection add-in.
3. You must name your custom user interface configuration file (which contains the information about the
custom user interface entries) CustomToolBarConfiguration.xml and place it under the new Customiz-
ation folder.
4. If your custom user interface entries use images or scripts (as defined in your user interface configuration
file), you require folders named Images and Scripts under the Customization directory.
The custom entries defined within the user interface configuration file invoke either in-line C# code
snippets or python script files. Typically, External Connection users define python script files as they
have full access to the Workbench Scripting APIs. You can use a combination of custom user interface
entries and scripts to support process automation, wizard-like dialog boxes, and custom lightweight
vertical applications.
Note
Toolbar buttons may not appear in Workbench by default. If your External Connection-defined
user interface entry does not appear, select the corresponding Toolbar group menu entry
from the View>Toolbars menu.
Creating Custom External Connection Systems and Components
You can define custom External Connection-based systems and components. This functionality helps
deliver features previously available only through the ANSYS Workbench SDK in a more user-friendly,
less technical fashion.
This chapter discusses how you can create the various files required to expose custom External Connec-
tion systems and components. The following topics are covered:
General Workflow
Creating an External Connection Directory
Creating System Definition Files
Creating Component Configuration Files
General Workflow
The general workflow for creating a custom External Connection System includes:
1. Create a directory for the External Connection files.
2. Create a System Definition file.
3. Create any necessary Component Configuration XML files. The files optionally can contain:
Python scripts
Operating system executables
System and component images.
4. Add the files to the appropriate installation directories.
5. Manipulate External Connection system cells within Workbench to add them to your workflow.
Creating an External Connection Directory

All the files for a single system should reside in the same directory; this directory should contain at least
the System Definition XML file and the Component Configuration XML files. Optionally, the directory
can contain:
Python scripts
Operating system executables
System and component images.
For example, a directory C:\Program Files\Ansys Inc\v180\Addins\ExternalConnec-

tion\SystemDefinitions might contain the following files:
\MySystem
\MySystem\MySystem.xml
\MySystem\MyComponent.xml
\MySystem\update.py
\MySystem\Images\system.png
\MySystem\Images\component.png
Creating System Definition Files

The System Definition file contains information to create an ANSYS Workbench system designed for a
particular simulation objective. All analyses performed within Workbench begin by referencing a system
template. This XML file describes the system and declares all components contained by the system.
System Definition files must specify, at a minimum:
The system name

The component name and Input Type for a component. The Input Type can be empty.
At the System level, you can optionally specify:
Display text
Abbreviation
Image name
Toolbox group
At the Component level, you can optionally specify:
Display text
Image name
At the Input/Output level, you can optionally specify a Data Type.
The following is an example of the basic structure of a System Definition file:

<System name="system_name">
<Components>
<Component name="component_name">
<Inputs>
<Input/>
</Inputs>
<Component>
</Components>
</System>

Component Configuration files contain both parameter and instructional information, including key
commands associated with a specific component. A Component Configuration file follows the same
format and delivers the same functionality as the Configuration files discussed in Integrating an External
Application (p. 4).
Components within Workbench stay in an Edit Required state (displaying the question mark icon) until
the user selects a Component Configuration file using the Read Configuration components context
menu.
Figure 6: Component File with Read Configuration Menu Exposed
Defining Inputs and Outputs

Workbench Schematic connections serve as visual representations of data flow between components.
These connections depend on input and output coordination. Workbench can establish connections
only if an upstream (providing) component exposes outputs whose types also match the inputs for a
downstream (consuming) component. These input and output specifications must be made within the
Component nodes of the System Definition file. At a minimum, a component should always specify an
empty input (<Input/>).
Certain Workbench types require the use of the dataType attribute. For example, the Mesh component
uses dataType to determine which mesh file format to output (for example, Fluent).
In the following example, the FluentMesh data type value instructs an upstream mesh component
to output the Fluent mesh file format (.msh).
This example defines the inputs and outputs for a component within a Fluent meshing workflow:
<Component name="Mesher" displayText="Mesher" imageName="GenericMesh_cell">
<Inputs>
<Input/>
<Input dataType="FluentMesh">MeshingMesh</Input>
</Inputs>
<Outputs>
<Output dataType="FluentMesh">SimulationGeneratedMesh</Output>
</Outputs>
<component/>
For a list of supported transfer types and their corresponding transfer properties, see Table 178: Data
Transfer Types and Properties (p. 105).
For a list of supported datatype strings, see Appendix D: Addin Data Types and Data Transfer
Formats (p. 109).
Creating Update Instructions for Producing or Consuming Data

If any component produces or consumes data, you must supply an Update routine that processes input
and output types as declared by the system definition file. For a table of supported component inputs
and outputs, see the Component Input and Outputs Table (p. 33) in Appendix B.
Upstream Data Consumption (Input)

Typically, components need to implement complex source handling logic, connection tracking routines,
and a refresh procedure in order to consume data. However, the External Connection Add-in handles
all of these actions. It obtains upstream data and stores it in a dictionary accessible during the component
Update. The component can obtain this data by calling External Connection-exposed convenience
queries (p. 10).
Data Generation (Output)

Components that produce output data (for example, declare output types in the system definition file)
must ensure that their custom Update routine assigns output data. The External Connection Add-in
prepares empty data objects representing component outputs; the user must only set the correct
transfer properties that downstream consumers will interrogate. Refer to Table 178: Data Transfer Types
and Properties (p. 105) to determine which properties you must set. For example, a material transfer to
a downstream Engineering Data component must set the DataReference TransferFile property
on a MatML31 data object to the file reference of a registered matml-formatted XML fileall completed
during the Update routine.
Convenience Queries
Convenience queries are Python queries that provide simple access to component-stored input and
output data. The three types of convenience queries are:
GetInputData
Returns a Dictionary containing input-type keys and data-containing property-based values. For
example:
Dictionary<string, Dictionary<string, object>>> upstreamData = GetInputData(container);
Dictionary<string, object> meshData = upstreamData[MeshingMesh];
DataReference meshFile = (DataReference)meshData[TransferFile];
GetInputDataByType
Returns a Dictionary<string,object> containing upstream data for a given type. For

example:
Dictionary<string, object> geometryData = GetInputDataByType(container, Geometry);
DataReference geomFile = (DataReference)geometryData[GeometryFileReferene];
DataReferenceSet auxFiles = (DataReferenceSet)geometryData[AuxiliaryFiles];
GetOutputData
Returns a Dictionary<string, DataReference> holding the components output types.

For example:
Dictionary<string, DataReference> outputs = GetOutputData(container);
DataReference meshOutput = outputs[SimulationGeneratedMesh];
Configuration XML File Details
The Configuration XML file contains an <Instructions> XML node where you define the information
needed for parameter initialization and component update. In addition to the instructions, you can
define the following elements in the configuration file:
User interface operations that execute from a components context menu or from a custom toolbar or menu
entry. Each user interface operation can either define inline C# code or specify a Python script.
One or more set of data entities with properties. You can access these properties from the Python scripts
invoked for update or custom user interface operations.
Configuration XML files are used for both the External Connection component and user interface con-
figuration files. Details on the configuration file are provided in the following sections.
Configuration Node
The <Configuration> node contains the <Instructions>, <GUIOperations>, and <Proper-
ties> nodes.
<Configuration>
</Configuration>
The <Configuration> node enables you to specify the following optional attributes:
SystemName - The user-visible string that is assigned to the system.
CellName - The user-visible string that is assigned to the cell.
Version - The version associated with the configuration file.
ShowEditConfiguration - Specifies whether the user can view and modify the entries provided
in the configuration file.
Instructions Node
The global <Instructions> XML node contains all the information related to initialization (including
parameters definition) and update. A Working Directory is defined inside the<Instructions> node
as follows:
<Instructions WorkingDirectory="[Directory Name]">
</Instructions>
The <Instructions> node enables you to specify the following optional attribute:
[WorkingDirectory] The path of the Working Directory, with or without the trailing slash. This
attribute is optional. If the Working Directory is not specified, the default Working Directory determined
by Workbench will be used (typically, project_files/dpx/Ex/Ext, where dpx is the active design
point). The Working Directory is also used to search for files defined in other sections of the configuration
file if a full path to those files is not provided.
Note
To ensure project portability, the External Connection add-in does not use the working dir-
ectory after you save the Workbench project. When the project is saved, External Connection
copies the Configuration file and all external files (scripts, parameter files, and so on) to which
the Configuration file refers into a unique directory inside the project directory. The unique
directory corresponds to the system from where you invoked the Read Configuration action
(for example, project_files/dpx/Ex/Ext, where dpx is the active design point). This
directory becomes the working directory for the saved project. Because the project directory
now contains all the Configuration-related files, you can archive the project and then re-open
it even when the external files are not accessible.
Format
The <Instructions> node has the following format:
<Instruction Type="[Instruction Type]">
<Name>[Plug-In Name]</Name>
<ExePath>[Executable Path]</ExePath>
<ErrorFile>[Error File]</ErrorFile>
<CheckOnError>[Error String]</CheckOnError>
<Args>[Args]</Args>
<Script>[Script]</Script>
<InterruptScript>[Interrupt Script]</InterruptScript>
<StopScript>[Stop Script]</StopScript>
<ParameterParsingRules>
<[Node Name] Name="[Parameter Name]" Type="[Type]">
<[Rule Name]Type="[Rule Type]">[Value]</[Rule Name]>
</[Node Name]>
</ParameterParsingRules>
</Instruction>
Attributes
The <Instructions> node has the following attributes:
[Instruction Type] - The type that determines where the instruction will be executed.
Init - The parameter will be executed when the configuration is read.
Update - The parameter will be executed when the project is updated.
[Plug-In Name] - The user-defined name of the generic plug-in. This name must be unique throughout
the instruction file. It defines a way for the Workbench environment to identify this instance of the generic
plug-in, because it is possible to have several instances (several third party applications or codes) of the
third party plug-in in the process sequence.
[Executable Path] - The location of the executable file with which the third-party plug-in will interact.
This can be either the full path or the relative path of the executable with respect to the Working Directory
for the instruction file.
[Error File] - A file used to communicate that the execution of the external application was not suc-
cessful. The error file must be removed by the external application upon completion. If it is still present,
Workbench sends an error message and stops the update. The content of the error message can be specified
Instructions Node
through the attribute CheckOnError (see below). A generic message is displayed if CheckOnError is
not specified.
[Error String] - If an error file is specified, its content will be scanned for lines that contain the specified
error string. All lines that contain the string will be displayed as error messages (with the error string stripped
from the message). An error string named file will cause the whole content of the file to be displayed.
[Args] - The command line arguments passed to the executable when run.
[Script] - The Python script to be interpreted within the Workbench framework on execution of this in-
struction if the ExePath is not defined. The Python script has access to the following variables:
container - A string that can be passed to any command or query that requires a data container reference
parameter.
configurationObject - The configuration object can be used to access some of the information
specified in the configuration file (for example, Working Directory or error file). The query GetEnti-
tyProperties(Entity=configurationObject) returns a dictionary that contains all the available
configuration information.
[Interrupt Script] - An optional Python script that is invoked when the computation is interrupted.
In Workbench terminology, the Interrupt operation closes the external application cleanly, allowing access
to data. The Interrupt operation is visible only if the Interrupt script is provided.
[Stop Script] - An optional Python script that is invoked when the computation is stopped. In Workbench
terminology, the Stop operation abruptly closes the external application, possibly resulting in the loss of
data. The Stop operation is visible only if the Stop script is provided. The same script can be used for Stop
and Interrupt. Both scripts have access to the same information (strings container and configura-
tionObject) that is passed to the update script.
[Node Name] - A name given to the XML node that defines the parsing information for a single parameter.
This name does not have to be unique but must adhere to the naming rules for XML nodes (for example,
no spaces or special characters).
[Parameter Name] - A unique name that represents a single parameter in the Workbench environment.
This is the name that will be used to identify the parameter throughout the user interface.
[Type] - The general type of the parameter. It must be one of two possible values:
Input - The parameter will be treated as an input parameter, exactly as input parameters are handled
in the Workbench environment.
Output - The parameter will be treated as an output or response parameter in the Workbench environ-
ment. When chaining generic plug-ins together, each instance of the generic plug-in can contain input
and output parameters.
[Rule Name] - A name given to the XML node that represents a single parsing rule for the parameter
defined by the rule's parent node. This name does not have to be unique, but must adhere to the naming
rules for XML nodes (for example, no spaces or special characters). Multiple rules can (and in most cases
must) be defined for each parameter. The only restriction is that only one rule of each type (detailed below)
can exist for each parameter.
[Rule Type] - The type of the defined rule. This can be one of the following values:
File - The file rule defines the text file that contains the parameter value. This file can be the full path
to the file, or the relative path to the file with respect to the Working Directory. Files containing Input
type parameters must exist when reading the configuration file.
StartLine - The line number in the text file that the code will begin parsing. For example, if the first
500 lines of a file contain only comments, begin parsing the file at line 501 to avoid wasting system re-
sources. The start line is 1 based; therefore, a value of 0 or 1 will be treated in the same way.
PreString - The text that immediately precedes the actual parameter value in the file. For example, if
the file defines a parameter as "Cf = 12.555" the PreString for the parameter would be "Cf =".
This text does not need to include any white space immediately preceding the parameter value.
DataType - The type of data that represents the parameter. The DataType must be one of the following
values.
1. float - The value of the parameter is a floating point (decimal) number. This is used for continuous
variables.
2. double - The value of the parameter is a double.
3. quantity - The value of the parameter is a quantity containing a numeric value with units in the
form value [unit] (for example,20 [m s^-1]).
SkipOccurrences - The number of PreString occurrences to skip before parsing begins.
[Value] - The value of the rule. No quotes are needed to delimit this value, as per the XML parsing rules.
For example, a SkipOccurrences node would look like
<Rule Type="SkipOccurrences">3
</Rule>
where "3" is the [Value] for the rule, signifying that 3 lines should be skipped in the file before
searching for the parameter.
GuiOperations Node
You can add custom user interface operations to the context menu of an External Connection component.
You can also add custom toolbar buttons or entries in a custom menu. These custom operations support
script or C# code definition to execute upon operation invocation.
<GuiOperations>
</GuiOperations>
Format
The <GuiOperations> node has the following format:
<GuiOperation Name="[Operation Name]" Priority="[Priority]" SourceType="[SourceType]"
Type="[Type]" Entry="[Entry]" ScriptFile="[Script]" Image="[Image]" Tooltip="[Tooltip]">
<Code>[Code]</Code>
</GuiOperation>
Attributes
The <GuiOperations> node has the following attributes:
[Operation Name] - The name shown in the context menu.
GuiOperations Node
[Priority] - The weighted value determining the location within the context menu, the toolbar or the
menu where the user interface operation is defined.
[SourceType] - The type of code being used to define the response behavior for operation execution.
CSharp - The code will be written in C#.
Python - The code will be written in Python.
[Type] - The type specifies where the user interface operation should be placed in the user interface. The
allowed types are:
ContextMenuEntry - This is the default type and should be specified in order to define user interface
operations that are shown upon Right Mouse Button selection of a component in an External Connection
system. ContextMenu should NOT be specified for operations defined in configuration files located in
the installation area or in the user-specific area since it is not possible to associate them with a specific
cell.
ToolbarButton - The type ToolbarButton should be used for creating custom entries in the toolbar.
You can define a toolbar group using the attribute Entry defined below. This type should NOT be specified
for user interface operations defined on the component configuration file. It is reserved for user interface-
specific configuration files that are processed at add-in load from the installation or user specific areas.
MenuEntry - The type MenuEntry should be used for creating custom entries in Menu. The newly
created Menu Entry is specified via the attribute Entry defined below. This type should NOT be specified
for user interface operations defined on the component configuration file. It is reserved for user interface-
specific configuration files that are processed at add-in load from the installation or user specific areas.
[Entry] - The Entry attribute is relevant only in conjunction with a specified Type=MenuEntry or
Type=ToolbarButton. It defines the name of a new menu entry or Toolbar group where the user interface
operation is shown. For menu entries, it is also possible to define sub-menus of a given menu as comma
separated values. For example, specifying Entry as "NewMenu, SubMenu1" will result in the user interface
operation appearing from a sub-menu "SubMenu1" of a Menu Entry "NewMenu"
[Code] - The code defined inside the configuration file, rather than a separate file:
<GuiOperations>
<! - Code can either be loaded from a file with the "ScriptFile" attribute,
or be included in a "Code" tag - >
<GuiOperation Name="Enter Something" Priority="2" SourceType="CSharp">
<Code>
<![CDATA[
Ansys.UI.Toolkit.MessageBox.Show("This is a test");
]]>
</Code>
[Script] - The path to a Python script to run on execution of the operation. Specification of the script
cannot be combined with execution of custom code. Therefore a script should not be included if code is
defined inside the tags of the GuiOperation node. Scripts invoked from a user interface operation defined
on the ContextMenu of the cell have access to the following variables:
container - A string that can be passed to any command or query that requires as a parameter the
reference to the data container associated with the component.
configurationObject - The configuration object can be used to access some of the information
specified in the configuration file, such as a working directory or error file. The query GetEntityProp-
erties(Entity=configurationObject) returns a dictionary that contains all the available con-

figuration information.
When the user interface operation invokes a script, the invocation of the script is wrapped in a command.
It is possible to specify scripts to be executed in order to interrupt or cancel the execution of the com-
mand. It is also possible to specify an error file to provide messages when the command execution fails,
with the same control on the error display that is provided for the update. A detailed description of
the attributes is given below:
1. InterruptScript=[string] - An optional Python script that is invoked when the computation is

interrupted. In Workbench terminology, the Interrupt operation closes the external application cleanly,
allowing access to data. The Interrupt operation is visible only if the Interrupt script is provided.
2. StopScript=[string] - An optional Python script that is invoked when the computation is stopped.
In Workbench terminology, the Stop operation abruptly closes the external application, possibly resulting
in the loss of data. The Stop operation is visible only if the Stop script is provided. The same script can be
used for Stop and Interrupt. The script has access to the same information (strings container and con-
figurationObject) that is passed to the executing script.
3. ErrorFile=[string] - A file used to communicate that the execution of the user interface operation
was not successful. The error file muist be removed by the user interface operation upon completion. If it
is still present, Workbench sends an error message. The content of the error message can be specified
through the attribute CheckOnError (see below). A generic message is displayed if CheckOnError is not
specified.
4. CheckOnError=[string] - If an error file is specified, its content is scanned for lines that contain the
specified error string. All lines that contain the string are displayed as error messages (with the error string
stripped from the message). An error string named file causes the whole content of the file to be displayed.
5. UseUpdateConfiguration=[boolean] - This variable can be specified as a shortcut, in order to use

for the custom user interface operation the same files specified in the Update instructions for stop/interrupt
and for controlling the error message display. If the attribute is True and the attributes above are not spe-
cified, the code will use the ones provided for the first update instruction, if specified.
[Image] - The name (without extension) of a file containing an image to be used for the user interface
operation. Files with common extension for images are searched under the Images directory under External
Connection add-in. If a Customization directory is provided under the installation or user specific area,
the corresponding Images directories are also searched for the specified file.
[Tooltip] - A string to display as the Tooltip for ToolbarButton type operations. The string has no
effect for other operation types.
Properties Node
You can define custom properties in the <Properties> XML node.
Properties are used to create dynamic data objects in Workbench; therefore, their definitions reflect the
internal organization of the Workbench data model. Properties should be assigned a DataEntity and
an ObjectName. The DataEntity is a string that defines high level grouping for the properties. One
or more objects can be created for a given DataEntity.
A DataObject ObjectName (as defined by its DataEntity and properties) is added to the con-
tainer associated with the cell from which the configuration is read. If different External Data systems
are present, each has a separate container.
Properties Node
Format
The <Properties> node has the following format:
<Properties>
<DataEntity Name= [ Data Entity Name ] Label = [ Data Entity Label ] >
<Object Name= [ Data Object Name ] >
<Property Name= [ Property Name ] Label= [ Property Label ] DataType= [ Data Type ]
Value= [Value]
Group = [ Group ] IsReadOnly = [ IsReadOnly ]
IsExtrinsic = [ IsExtrinsic ] IsVisible = [ IsVisible ]
Min = [ Min ] Max = [ Max ]
OptionLabels = [ Option Labels ]/>
</Object>
</DataEntity>
</Properties>
Attributes
The <Properties> node has the following attributes:
DataEntity
[Data Entity Name] - The internal (immutable) name assigned to the Data Entity. If this attribute is
not specified, a default name is assigned internally. However, specification of a name enables the retrieval
of the properties associated with objects of the Data Entity (see below). A special name CellProperties
is reserved for the DataEntity whose properties should be displayed in the user interface from the context
menu of the associated cell.
[Data Entity Label] - The display name (user changeable) assigned to the Data Entity in the user
interface.
Object
[Data Object Name] - The internal (immutable) name assigned to the Data Object. If this attribute
is not specified, a default name is assigned internally. However, specification of a name enables the
retrieval of the properties associated with the given object (see below).
Properties
Mandatory attributes for the definition of a property are:
[Property Name] - The name to be assigned to the property, unique for that DataEntity
[DataType] - The type of data which the properties define. Currently supported types include:
int
double
string
quantity
bool
option
DataReference
[Value] - A string representing the value to be assigned to the property, which is parsed by the code
according to the type.
The bool type can assume the values of True or False.
A quantity type should be specified by providing a string of type double [ unit ] (for ex-
ample,23 [ms^-1] ).
The options type is used for mutually exclusive choices, which should be specified by comma
separated strings without white space (for example,[Option1,Option2]).
The DataReference type should be specified by a string of type DataEntityType:ObjectName.
Optional attributes are:
[Property Label] - The user-visible string that can be assigned to the property (default is the
property name).
[Group] - The group to organize the properties (for user interface purpose only).
[IsReadOnly] (True/False) - Specifies that the property cannot be edited. Default is

"False."
[IsExtrinsic] (True/False) - Specifies that the property is not relevant for the compu-
tation of the state of the cell. Default is "False."
[IsVisible] (True/False) - Specifies whether the property should be shown in the user
interface. Default is "True."
[Min] - The lowest range for the property value.
[Max] - The highest range for the property value.
[OptionLabels] (for option type only) - The visible names for the options, to be used in the user
interface, specified by comma separated strings without white space (for example [Background,Fore-
ground]).
You can access the value for each property from any Python script used with Workbench via the
Workbench query GetEntityProperty, as described below:
dataReference = / + container + / + DataEntityName + : + ObjectName
propertyVal = GetEntityProperty(Entity=dataReference, Name=PropertyName)
where
container is the name of the container associated with the cell. This information is typically available
in the function from where the Python script is called (for example, the update script for a cell or the
script invoked from a user interface operation selected on a given cell).
DataEntityName is the name specified in the configuration file. For example:

<DataEntity Name="MyDataEntity">
ObjectName is the name specified in the configuration file. For example:
Properties Node
<Object Name="MyObjectName">
PropertyName is the name of the property specified in the configuration file.
It is also possible to change the value of the properties that are not marked as read-only using the
Workbench SetEntityProperty command:
SetEntityProperty(Entity=dataReference,Name=PropertyName, Value=value)
where value is the appropriate type for the property being modified. For example, a property of type
quantity named InletVelocity defined for an object named AnsSettingsObject of the data
entity type SettingsDataEntity can be queried and set as follows:
dataReference = / + container + / + SettingsDataEntity + : + AnsSettingsObject
value = GetEntityProperty(Entity=dataReference,
Name = InletVelocity)
SetEntityProperty(Entity = dataReference,
Name = InletVelocity, Value=10 [m s^-1])
External Connection Examples
The following section provides examples of how you can use the External Connection in ANSYS Work-
bench. The examples are as follows:
Custom, Lightweight, External Application Integration
User Interface Button Definition
Mesh Transfer System
Material Transfer
Custom Transfer System
Custom, Lightweight, External Application Integration

The following example illustrates the integration of an external application that squares the value of
an input number, which is displayed in the Parameter Set tab. The external application updates the
output parameter to the computed square value.
Figure 7: Squares Example Schematic View
Figure 8: Squares Example In Parameter Set Tab
File Structure
The file structure for this External Connection system within the user-specified working directory (which
for the purpose of this example is D:/ExternalConnection) is:
D:/ExternalConnection/Squares/SquaresCongfig.xml
D:/ExternalConnection/Squares/Squares.exe
D:/ExternalConnection/Squares/input.txt
D:/ExternalConnection/Squares/ouput.txt
Component Configuration XML File

The Component Configuration File (SquaresConfig.xml) defines the input and output types and
calls the executable file Squares.exe.
<Configuration CellName="Squares" SystemName="SquareSystem" Version="" ShowEditConfiguration="True">
<Instructions WorkingDirectory="D:/ExternalConnection/Squares">
<Instruction Type="Init">
<Name></Name>
<Args></Args>
<ParameterParsingRules>
<Parameter Name="SquareInput" Type="Input">
<Rule Type="File">input.txt</Rule>
<Rule Type="StartLine">1</Rule>
<Rule Type="PreString">input=</Rule>
<Rule Type="DataType">Double</Rule>
</Parameter>
<Parameter Name="SquareOutput" Type="Output">
<Rule Type="File">output.txt</Rule>
<Rule Type="StartLine">1</Rule>
<Rule Type="PreString">output=</Rule>
<Rule Type="DataType">Double</Rule>
</Parameter>
</ParameterParsingRules>
</Instruction>
<Instruction Type="Update">
<Name></Name>
<ExePath>D:/ExternalConnection/Squares/Squares.exe</ExePath>
<Args></Args>
</Instruction>
</Instructions>
</Configuration>

This example illustrates an external connection that defines a button and provides the script to execute
upon button invocation.
Figure 9: Button Example
File Structure
The file structure for this External Connection solution within the directory C:/Program
Files/Ansys Inc/v180/Addins/ExternalConnection is:
Customization\CustomToolBarConfiguration.xml
Customization\Images\custom.png
Customization\Scripts\pipe1.py
Note
This example uses the installation Customization location. You could instead choose a user-
specific location to limit custom user interface additions to a specific user.
User Interface Configuration XML File

The user interface configuration file (CustomToolBarConfiguration.xml) defines a user interface
operation and calls the Python file pipe.py to enable the button.
<Configuration ShowEditConfiguration="True">
<GuiOperations>
<GuiOperation Name="Custom GUI" Priority="2" ScriptFile="pipe1.py" Image="custom"
Type="ToolbarButton" SourceType="Python"/>
</GuiOperations>
</Configuration>
Instruction File
The Instruction file (pipe1.py) contains the Python code that displays a message box.
import clr
clr.AddReference("Ans.UI.Toolkit")
clr.AddReference("Ans.UI.Toolkit.Base")
from Ansys.UI.Toolkit import *
MessageBox.Show("Example!")

This example implements a mesh transfer system. It consumes an upstream mesh and passes it to a
downstream Fluent system.
Figure 10: End-to-End Mesh Transfer Between Mesh, Mesher, and Fluent Setup
File Structure
The file structure for this External Connection system within the directory C:/Program Files/Ansys
Inc/v180/Addins/ExternalConnection/SystemDefinitions is:
/GenericMeshTransfer/GenericMeshTransferSystem.xml
/GenericMeshTransfer/Mesher.xml
/GenericMeshTransfer/test.py
/GenericMeshTransfer/GenericMesh_cell.png
/GenericMeshTransfer/GenericMesh.png
System Definition XML File

The System Definition XML file (GenericMeshTransferSystem.xml) defines a system named
Generic Mesh, which appears under External Connection Systems in the Workbench Toolbox, as shown.
Figure 11: Toolbox System Entry
The file, GenericMeshTransferSystem.xml, contains the following code:

<System name="GenericMeshTransfer" displayText="Generic Mesh" abbreviation="GenMeshXfr"
imageName="GenericMesh">
<Components>
<Component name="Mesher" displayText="Mesher" imageName="GenericMesh_cell">
<Inputs>
<Input/>
<Input dataType="FluentMesh">MeshingMesh</Input>
</Inputs>
<Outputs>
<Output dataType="FluentMesh">SimulationGeneratedMesh</Output>
</Outputs>
</Component>
</Components>
</System>
Component Configuration File

The Component Configuration File (Mesher.xml) calls the Python file test.py.
<Configuration ShowEditConfiguration="False">
<Instructions>
<Name></Name>
<Script>
C:/Program Files/Ansys Inc/v180/Addins/ExternalConnection/SystemDefinitions/
GenericMeshTransfer/test.py
</Script>
</Instruction>
</Instructions>
</Configuration>
Update Instruction
The Update Instruction file (test.py) contains the Python code that provides instructions for passing
the mesh data to the downstream Fluent system.
#obtain input data
container = ExternalConnectionSystemContainer
upstreamData = container.GetInputDataByType(InputType="MeshingMesh")
meshFileRef = None
upstreamDataCount = upstreamData.Count
if upstreamDataCount > 0:
meshFileRef = upstreamData[0]
#set our output so that we are just a pass through.
outputRefs = container.GetOutputData()
meshOutputSet = outputRefs["SimulationGeneratedMesh"]
meshOutput = meshOutputSet[0]
#meshOutput.MeshFile = meshFileRef
meshOutput.TransferFile = meshFileRef
#if no new data...nothing to process from upstream sources.
Material Transfer
This example implements a material transfer system that passes MatML-formatted material data to a
downstream Engineering Data system.
Figure 12: Engineering Data View
Material Transfer
Figure 13: Schematic View
File Structure
/GenericMaterialTransfer/GenericMaterialTransferSystem.xml
/GenericMaterialTransfer/Material.xml
/GenericMaterialTransfer/test.py
/GenericMaterialTransfer/Sample_Materials.xml
/GenericMaterialTransfer/GenericMaterial_cell.png
/GenericMaterialTransfer/GenericMaterial.png
System Definition XML File

The System Definition XML file (GenericMaterialTransferSystem.xml) defines a system named
Generic Material, which appears under External Connection Systems in the Workbench Toolbox, as
shown.
The file, GenericMaterialTransferSystem.xml, contains the following code:

<System name="GenericMaterialTransfer" displayText="Generic Material"
abbreviation="GenMatXfr" imageName="GenericMaterial" toolboxGroup="">
<Components>
<Component name="Material" displayText="Material" imageName="GenericMaterial_cell">
<Inputs>
<Input/>
</Inputs>
<Outputs>
<Output>MatML31</Output>
</Outputs>
</Component>
</Components>
</System>
Component Configuration File

The Component Configuration File (Material.xml) calls the Python file test.py.
<Instructions>
<Name></Name>
<Script>
C:/Program Files/ANSYS Inc/v180/Addins/ExternalConnection/SystemDefinitions/
GenericMaterialTransfer/test.py
</Script>
</Instruction>
</Instructions>
</Configuration>
Update Instruction
The Update Instruction file (test.py) contains the Python code that provides instructions for passing
the MatML-formatted material data to a downstream Engineering Data system
matFilePath = r"C:\Program Files\Ansys Inc\v180\Addins\ExternalConnection\SystemDefinitions\
GenericMaterialTransfer\Sample_Materials.xml"
matFileRef = None
isRegistered = IsFileRegistered(FilePath=matFilePath)
if isRegistered == True:
matFileRef = GetRegisteredFile(matFilePath)
else:
matFileRef = RegisterFile(FilePath=matFilePath)
AssociateFileWithContainer(matFileRef, container)
matOutputSet = outputRefs["MatML31"]
matOutput = matOutputSet[0]
matOutput.TransferFile = matFileRef
Material File
This file (Sample_Materials.xml) contains the MatML-formatted material data:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<EngineeringData version="18.0">
<Notes />
<Materials>
<MatML_Doc>
<Material>
<BulkDetails>
<Name>Sample Material</Name>
<Description>Sample material from Driver</Description>
<PropertyData property="pr0">
<Data format="string">-</Data>
<ParameterValue parameter="pa0" format="float">
<Data>494.1474492,912.7972764,1172.453938,1941.495468,2803.754154,3869.063522,5245.395513,10378.82012,
18192.58268,28438.67868,57755.1982,94951.87682,135751.6191,178064.7612,216504.4272,261538.9311,304701.
5076,333300.2826,364061.2544,397079.5705,432533.1159,457543.8578,483751.5301</Data>
<Qualifier name="Variable Type">Dependent,Dependent,Dependent,Dependent,Dependent,Dependent,Dependent,

Dependent,Dependent,Dependent,Dependent,Dependent,Dependent,Dependent,Dependent,Dependent,Dependent,
Dependent,Dependent,Dependent,Dependent,Dependent,Dependent</Qualifier>
</ParameterValue>
<ParameterValue parameter="pa1" format="float">
<Data>0.1338,0.2675,0.3567,0.6242,0.8917,1.1592,1.4268,2.051,2.586,3.0318,3.7898,4.3694,4.8153,5.172,
5.4395,5.707,5.9299,6.0637,6.1975,6.3312,6.465,6.5541,6.6433</Data>
<Qualifier name="Variable Type">Independent,Independent,Independent,Independent,Independent,Independent,

Independent,Independent,Independent,Independent,Independent,Independent,Independent,Independent,Independent,
Independent,Independent,Independent,Independent,Independent,Independent,Independent,Independent</Qualifier>
</ParameterValue>
</PropertyData>
<PropertyData property="prDriver">
<Data format="string">-</Data>
<Qualifier name="Data Link Version">1</Qualifier>
<Qualifier name="Model Type">Linear;Isotropic</Qualifier>
<Qualifier name="Sample Property">Value</Qualifier>
</PropertyData>
</BulkDetails>
</Material>
<Metadata>
<ParameterDetails id="pa0">
<Name>Stress</Name>
<Units>
<Unit>
<Name>Pa</Name>
</Unit>
</Units>
</ParameterDetails>
<ParameterDetails id="pa1">
<Name>Strain</Name>
<Units>
<Unit>
<Name>m</Name>
</Unit>
<Unit power="-1">
<Name>m</Name>
</Unit>
</Units>
</ParameterDetails>
<PropertyDetails id="pr0">
<Unitless />
<Name>Sample Property</Name>
</PropertyDetails>
<PropertyDetails id="prDriver">
<Unitless />
<Name>Driver Link Details</Name>
</PropertyDetails>
</Metadata>
</MatML_Doc>
</Materials>
<Loads />
<BeamSections />
</EngineeringData>

This example implements a custom transfer from a producing system to a consuming system.
Figure 15: Schematic View
File Structure
/CustomTransfer/CustomTransferProducerSystem.xml
/CustomTransfer/CustomTransferConsumerSystem.xml
/CustomTransfer/Producer.xml
/CustomTransfer/Consumer.xml
/CustomTransfer/Producer.py
/CustomTransfer/Consumer.py
/CustomTransfer/Sample_Materials.xml
/CustomTransfer/Generic_cell.png
/CustomTransfer/Generic.png
Producer System Definition XML File

The System Definition XML file (CustomTransferProducerSystem.xml) defines a system named
Producer, which appears under External Connection Systems in the Workbench Toolbox, as shown.
The file, CustomTransferProducerSystem.xml, contains the following code:

<System name="Producer" displayText="Producer" abbreviation="Producer" imageName="Generic">
<Components>
<Component name="Producer" displayText="Producer" imageName="Generic_cell">
<Inputs>
<Input/>
</Inputs>
<Outputs>
<Output>MyData</Output>
</Outputs>
</Component>
</Components>
</System>
Producer Component Configuration File

The Component Configuration File (Producer.xml) calls the Python file producer.py.
<Instructions>
<Name></Name>
<Script>
C:/Program Files/ANSYS Inc/v180/Addins/ExternalConnection/SystemDefinitions/CustomTransfer/producer.py
</Script>
</Instruction>
</Instructions>
</Configuration>
Producer Update Instruction

The Update Instruction file (producer.py) contains the Python code that provides update instructions
for the producing system.
filePath = r"C:\Program Files\Ansys Inc\v180\Addins\ExternalConnection\SystemDefinitions\
CustomTransfer\Sample_Materials.xml"
fileRef = None
isRegistered = IsFileRegistered(FilePath=filePath)
if isRegistered == True:
fileRef = GetRegisteredFile(filePath)
else:
fileRef = RegisterFile(FilePath=filePath)
AssociateFileWithContainer(fileRef, container)
outputSet = outputRefs["MyData"]
myData = outputSet[0]
myData.TransferFile = fileRef
Consumer System Definition XML File

The System Definition XML file (CustomTransferConsumerSystem.xml) defines a system named
Consumer, which appears under External Connection Systems in the Workbench Toolbox, as shown
in Figure 16: Toolbox System Entry (p. 30).
<System name="Consumer" displayText="Consumer" abbreviation="Consumer" imageName="Generic">
<Components>
<Component name="Consumer" displayText="Consumer" imageName="Generic_cell">
<Inputs>
<Input/>
<Input dataType="">MyData</Input>
</Inputs>
</Component>
</Components>
</System>
Consumer Component Configuration File

The Component Configuration File (Consumer.xml) calls the Python file consumer.py.
<Instructions>
<Name></Name>
<Script>
C:/Program Files/Ansys Inc/v180/Addins/ExternalConnection/SystemDefinitions/CustomTransfer/consumer.py
</Script>
</Instruction>
</Instructions>
</Configuration>
Consumer Update Instruction

The Update Instruction file (consumer.py) contains the Python code that provides update instructions
for the consuming component to obtain the output data from the upstream producer.
#obtain input data
container=ExternalConnectionSystemContainer
upstreamData=container.GetInputDataByType(InputType="MyData")
fileRef=None
upstreamDataCount=upstreamData.Count
if upstreamDataCount>0:
fileRef=upstreamData[0]
#if no new data...nothing to process from upstream sources.
Appendix A. Component Input and Output Tables
The External Connection supports the component inputs and outputs listed in the following tables.
Table 1: Autodyn
Taskgroup Task Input Output

Autodyn Setup AUTODYN_Remap AutodynSetup
MechanicalSetup
SimulationGeneratedMesh
Analysis None None
Table 2: BladeGen

BladeGen Blade None TurboGeometry
Design VistaGeometry
BladeGen Blade None TurboGeometry
(Beta) Design VistaGeometry
Table 3: CFX

CFX (Beta) Setup SimulationGeneratedMesh CFXSetup
CFXMesh SystemCouplingSetupData
MechanicalSetup
Solution CFXSetup CFXSolution
CFXSolution
CFX Setup SimulationGeneratedMesh CFXSetup
MechanicalSetup
CFXSolution
Results CFXSolution CFDAnalysis
FluentSolution
ForteSolution
ICEData
IcePakResults
MechanicalSolution
PolyflowSolutionType
Component Input and Output Tables

VistaTFSolution
Table 4: Design Assessment

Design Engineering ExternalModelOutputProvider Material
Assessment Data FEMSetup EngineeringData
MatML31
Geometry AnsoftCADObject Geometry
FEMSetup
ICEData
Geometry
SimulationModelGeneratedPMDB
TurboGeometry
Model AIMGeometryMeshOutputProvider MechanicalModel
CompositeEngineeringData MechanicalMesh
EngineeringData SimulationGeneratedMesh
EnhancedModelData SimulationEngineeringData
ExternalDataSetup SimulationModelGeneratedMesh
ExternalMaterialFieldDataSetup SimulationModelGeneratedPMDB
ExternalModelOutputProvider
ExternalTraceDataSetup
GeneralTransfer
Geometry
MeshingAssemblyTransferType
Modeler
SimulationEngineeringData
SimulationModelGeneratedMesh
SimulationSolutionOutputProvider
SolidSectionData
Setup MechanicalModel SimulationSetup
GeneralTransfer MechanicalSetup
MechanicalMesh
MechanicalSolution
SimulationSolutionDataInternal
Solution SimulationSetup MechanicalSolution
GeneralTransfer SimulationSolution
Results SimulationSolution MechanicalResults
SimulationResults
Table 5: Direct Optimization

Direct Optimization DesignPointsDataTransfer OptimizationModel
Optimization
Table 6: Electric

Electric Engineering ExternalModelOutputProvider EngineeringData
Data FEMSetup Material
MatML31
FEMSetup
Geometry
ICEData
MechanicalResults
TurboGeometry
GeneralTransfer
Geometry
Modeler
SolidSectionData
MechanicalMesh MechanicalSetup
GeneralTransfer

SimulationResults
Table 7: Engineering Data

Engineering Engineering ExternalModelOutputProvider Material
Data Data FEMSetup EngineeringData
MatML31
Table 8: Explicit Dynamics

Explicit Engineering ExternalModelOutputProvider EngineeringData
Dynamics Data FEMSetup Material
MatML31
FEMSetup
Geometry
ICEData
MechanicalResults
TurboGeometry
GeneralTransfer
Geometry
Modeler
SolidSectionData
EnhancedMechanicalModel MechanicalSetup
EnhancedModelData
GeneralTransfer
MechanicalMesh
SimulationResults
Table 9: Explicit Dynamics (LS-DYNA Export)

Explicit Engineering ExternalModelOutputProvider EngineeringData
Dynamics Data FEMSetup Material
(LS-DYNA
Export) MatML31
FEMSetup
Geometry
ICEData
MechanicalResults
TurboGeometry
GeneralTransfer
Geometry
Modeler

SolidSectionData
GeneralTransfer
Table 10: External Data

External Setup None ExternalDataSetup
Data ExternalMaterialFieldDataSetup
Table 11: External Model

External Setup None ExternalModelOutputProvider
Model
Table 12: External Connection

External External None ExternalConnectionProperties
Connection Connection
Table 13: Finite Element Modeler

Finite Model MechanicalSetup FEMMesh
Element SimulationGeneratedMesh FEMSetup
Modeler
CompositeEngineeringData Geometry
FEMSetup
MAPDLCdb
SolidSectionData
Table 14: Fluent (with Fluent Meshing)

Fluent Mesh FluentMesh FluentTGridMesh
Geometry
Setup AIMFluentMeshOutputProvider FluentSetup
AIMFluentPartMeshFileOutputProvider
AIMFluentPartMeshOutputProvider
AnsoftHeatLossDataObject SystemCouplingSetupData
FluentCase
FluentImportable
FluentMesh
FluentTGridMesh
ICEData
ICESetupData
Solution FluentSetup FluentSolution
FluentSolution
Table 15: Fluent

Fluent Setup AIMFluentMeshOutputProvider FluentSetup
AIMFluentPartMeshOutpuProvider SystemCouplingSetupData
AnsoftHeatLossDataObject
FluentCase
FluentImportable
FluentMesh
FluentTGridMesh
ICEData
ICESetupData
FluentSolution
Table 16: Fluent (with CFD-Post) (Beta)

Fluent Setup AIMFluentMeshOutputProvider FluentSetup
AIMFluentPartMeshFileOutputProvider SystemCouplingSetupData
AnsoftHeatLossDataObject
FluentCase
FluentImportable
FluentMesh
FluentTGridMesh
ICEData

ICESetupData
FluentSolution
FluentSolution
ForteSolution
ICEData
IcePakResults
MechanicalSolution
VistaTFSolution
Table 17: Fluid Flow Blow Molding (Polyflow)

Fluid GeometryAnsoftCADObject Geometry
Flow FEMSetup
Blow
Molding Geometry
(Polyflow) ICEData
TurboGeometry
Mesh Geometry GeneratedMeshOutputForAQWAModelProvider
MechanicalModel
MeshingGeneratedMeshOutputProvider MeshingGeneratedMeshOutputProvider
MeshingMesh
Setup PolyflowTransferMesh PolyflowSetup
Solution PolyflowSetup PolyflowSolutionType
PolyflowSolution ExternalDataSetup
PolyflowSolution
ForteSolution
FluentSolution
ICEData
IcePakResults
MechanicalSolution
VistaTFSolution
Table 18: Fluid Flow Extrusion (Polyflow)

Fluid Flow Geometry AnsoftCADObject Geometry
Extrusion FEMSetup
(Polyflow)
Geometry
ICEData
MechanicalResults
TurboGeometry
MechanicalModel
MeshingMesh
PolyflowSolution
FluentSolution
ForteSolution
ICEData
IcePakResults
MechanicalSolution
VistaTFSolution
Table 19: Fluid Flow (CFX)

Fluid Flow Geometry AnsoftCADObject Geometry
(CFX) FEMSetup
ICEData
Geometry
MechanicalResults
TurboGeometry

MechanicalModel
MeshingMesh
Setup SimulationGeneratedMesh CFXSetup
MechanicalSetup
Solution CFXSolution CFXSolution
CFXSetup
FluentSolution
ForteSolution
ICEData
IcePakResults
MechanicalSolution
VistaTFSolution
Table 20: Fluid Flow (Fluent)

Fluid Geometry AnsoftCADObject Geometry
Flow FEMSetup
(Fluent)
Geometry
ICEData
MechanicalResults
TurboGeometry
MechanicalModel
MechanicalModel
MeshingMesh
FluentImportable
FluentCase
FluentImportable
FluentMesh
FluentTGridMesh
ICEData
ICESetupData
FluentSolution
FluentSolution
ForteSolution
ICEData
IcePakResults
MechanicalSolution
VistaTFSolution
Table 21: Fluid Flow (Polyflow)

Fluid Geometry AnsoftCADObject Geometry
Flow FEMSetup
(Polyflow)
Geometry
ICEData
MechanicalResults
TurboGeometry
MechanicalModel
MeshingMesh
PolyflowSolution

FluentSolution
ForteSolution
ICEData
IcePakResults
MechanicalSolution
VistaTFSolution
Table 22: Geometry

Geometry Geometry AnsoftCADObject Geometry
FEMSetup
Geometry
ICEData
MechanicalResults
TurboGeometry
Table 23: Harmonic Response

Harmonic Engineering ExternalModelOutputProvider EngineeringData
Response Data FEMSetup Material
MatML31
FEMSetup
Geometry
ICEData
MechanicalResults
TurboGeometry
GeneralTransfer
Geometry
Modeler
SolidSectionData
AnsoftForceAndMomentDataObject MechanicalSetup
EnhancedMechanicalModel
ExternalDataSetup
GeneralTransfer
MechanicalMesh
MechanicalSolution
SimulationResults
Table 24: Hydrodynamic Diffraction

Hydrodynamic Geometry AnsoftCADObject Geometry
Diffraction FEMSetup
Geometry
ICEData
MechanicalResults
TurboGeometry
Model GeneratedMeshOutputForAQWAModelProvider AqwaModel
Geometry
Setup AqwaModel AqwaSetup
Solution AqwaSetup AqwaSolution
ExternalDataSetupForAqwa

Results AqwaSolution AqwaResults
Table 25: Hydrodynamic Response

Hydrodynamic Geometry AnsoftCADObject Geometry
Response FEMSetup
Geometry
ICEData
MechanicalResults
TurboGeometry
Model Geometry AqwaModel
GeneratedMeshOutputForAQWAModelProvider
Setup AqwaModel AqwaSetup
AqwaSolution
Solution AqwaSetup AqwaSolution
Results AqwaSolution AqwaResults
Table 26: IC Engine (Fluent)

ICE Engine ICE None ICEData
(Fluent) Geometry AnsoftCADObject Geometry
FEMSetup
Geometry
ICEData
MechanicalResults
TurboGeometry
MechanicalModel
MeshingGeneratedMeshOutputProvider MeshingGeneratedMeshOutput -Provider
MeshingMesh
ICE ForteSMGData ICESetupData
Solver SimulationGeneralMesh
Setup
FluentImportable
FluentCase
FluentMesh
FluentTGridMesh
ICEData
ICESetupData
FluentSolution
FluentSolution
ForteSolution
ICEData
IcePakResults
MechanicalSolution
VistaTFSolution
Table 27: IC Engine (Forte)

IC ICE None ICEData
Engine Geometry AnsoftCADObject Geometry
(Forte)
FEMSetup
Geometry
ICEData
MechanicalResults
TurboGeometry
MechanicalModel
MeshingMesh
ICE ForteSMGData ICESetupData
Setup SimulationGeneralMesh
Forte ICESetupData ForteSolution

FluentSolution
ForteSolution
ICEData
IcePakResults
MechanicalSolution
VistaTFSolution
Table 28: ICEM CFD

ICEM Model FluentImportable MeshingAssemblyTransferType
CFD Geometry SimulationGeneratedMesh
MechanicalMesh
MeshingMesh
Modeler
Table 29: Icepak

Icepak Setup AnsoftHeatLossDataObject IcePakSetup
Geometry
Solution IcePakSetup IcePakResults
Table 30: Eigenvalue Buckling

Eigenvalue Engineering ExternalModelOutputProvider EngineeringData
Buckling Data FEMSetup Material
MatML31
FEMSetup
Geometry
ICEData
MechanicalResults
TurboGeometry
GeneralTransfer
Geometry
Modeler
SolidSectionData
GeneralTransfer
MechanicalMesh
Results SimulationSolution ExternalModelOutputProvider
MechanicalResults
SimulationResults
Table 31: EigenValue Buckling (Samcef)

Eigenvalue Engineering ExternalModelOutputProvider EngineeringData
Buckling Data FEMSetup Material
(Samcef )
MatML31
FEMSetup
Geometry
ICEData
MechanicalResults
TurboGeometry

GeneralTransfer
Geometry
Modeler
SolidSectionData
MechanicalMesh
SimulationResults
Table 32: Magnetostatic

Magnetostatic Engineering ExternalModelOutputProvider EngineeringData
MatML31
FEMSetup
Geometry
ICEData
MechanicalResults
TurboGeometry
GeneralTransfer
Geometry
Modeler
SolidSectionData
MechanicalMesh
SimulationResults
Table 33: Feedback Iterator

Feedback Feedback FeedbackIteratorSetup FeedbackIteratorEntity
Iterator Iterator
Table 34: Mechanical APDL

Mechanical Analysis FEMSetup None
APDL Geometry
MAPDLSolution
MAPDLDatabase
MAPDLResults
MAPDLCdb
MechanicalSetup
MechanicalSolution

SolidSectionData
Table 35: Mechanical Model

Mechanical Engineering ExternalModelOutputProvider EngineeringData
Model Data FEMSetup Material
MatML31
FEMSetup
Geometry
ICEData
MechanicalResults
TurboGeometry
GeneralTransfer
Geometry
Modeler
SolidSectionData
Table 36: Mesh

Mesh Geometry AnsoftCADObject Geometry
FEMSetup
Geometry
ICEData
MechanicalResults
TurboGeometry
MechanicalModel
MeshingMesh
Table 37: Microsoft Office Excel

Microsoft Analysis None MSExcelSetup
Office
Excel
Table 38: Modal (ABAQUS)

Modal Engineering ExternalModelOutputProvider EngineeringData
(ABAQUS) Data FEMSetup Material
MatML31
FEMSetup
Geometry
ICEData
MechanicalResults
TurboGeometry
GeneralTransfer
Geometry
Modeler

SolidSectionData
MechanicalMesh
SimulationResults
Table 39: Modal

MatML31
FEMSetup
Geometry
ICEData
MechanicalResults
TurboGeometry
CompositeEngineeringData
EngineeringData
EnhancedModelData
ExternalDataSetup MechanicalMesh
ExternalMaterialFieldDataSetup SimulationGeneratedMesh
ExternalModelOutputProvider SimulationEngineeringData
ExternalTraceDataSetup SimulationModelGeneratedPMDB
GeneralTransfer SimulationModelGeneratedMesh
Geometry
Modeler
SolidSectionData
GeneralTransfer
MechanicalMesh
MechanicalResults
SimulationResults
Table 40: Modal (NASTRAN)

(NASTRAN) Data FEMSetup Material
MatML31
FEMSetup
Geometry
ICEData
MechanicalResults
TurboGeometry
GeneralTransfer
Geometry

Modeler
SolidSectionData
Setup GeneralTransfer SimulationSetup
MechanicalModel
SimulationResults
Table 41: Modal (Samcef)

(Samcef ) Data FEMSetup Material
MatML31
FEMSetup
Geometry
ICEData
MechanicalResults
TurboGeometry
GeneralTransfer
Geometry
Modeler
SolidSectionData
MechanicalMesh
SimulationResults
Table 42: Parameters Correlation

Parameters Parameters ResponseSurfaceDataTransfer CorrelationModel
Correlation Correlation DesignPointsDataTransfer
Table 43: Polyflow Blow Molding

Polyflow Setup PolyflowTransferMesh PolyflowSetup
Blow SimulationGeneratedMesh
Molding
PolyflowSolution
Table 44: Polyflow Extrusion

Polyflow - Setup PolyflowTransferMesh PolyflowSetup
Extrusion SimulationGeneratedMesh
PolyflowSolution
Table 45: Polyflow

Polyflow Setup PolyflowTransferMesh PolyflowSetup

PolyflowSolution
Table 46: Random Vibration

Random Engineering ExternalModelOutputProvider EngineeringData
Vibration Data FEMSetup Material
MatML31
FEMSetup
Geometry
ICEData
MechanicalResults
TurboGeometry
CompositeEngineeringData
EngineeringData MechanicalMesh
EnhancedModelData SimulationGeneratedMesh
ExternalDataSetup SimulationEngineeringData
ExternalModelOutputProvider SimulationModelGeneratedMesh
GeneralTransfer
Geometry
Modeler
SolidSectionData
GeneralTransfer
MechanicalMesh
SimulationResults
Table 47: Response Spectrum

Response Engineering ExternalModelOutputProvider EngineeringData
Spectrum Data FEMSetup Material
MatML31
FEMSetup
Geometry
ICEData
MechanicalResults
TurboGeometry
Model AIMGeometryMeshOutputProvider
CompositeEngineeringData MechanicalModel
EngineeringData MechanicalMesh
ExternalDataSetup SimulationEngineeringData
ExternalModelOutputProvider SimulationModelGeneratedMesh
GeneralTransfer
Geometry
Modeler
SolidSectionData
GeneralTransfer
MechanicalMesh

SimulationResults
Table 48: Response Surface

Response Design None DesignPointsDataTransfer
Surface of DOEModel
Experiments
ParametricContext
Response ParametricContext ResponseSurfaceModel
Surface DOEModel DesignPointsDataTransfer
ResponseSurfaceDataTransfer
Table 49: Response Surface Optimization

Response Design None ParametricContext
Surface of DOEModel
Optimization Experiments
DesignPointsDataTransfer
Response ParametricContext ResponseSurfaceModel
Surface DOEModel DesignPointsDataTransfer
Optimization ParametricContext OptimizationModel
ResponseSurfaceModel
Table 50: Results

Results Results CFXSolution CFDAnalysis
FluentSolution
ForteSolution
ICEData
IcePakResults
MechanicalSolution
VistaTFSolution
Table 51: Rigid Dynamics

Rigid Engineering ExternalModelOutputProvider EngineeringData
Dynamics Data
FEMSetup
MatML31 Material
FEMSetup
Geometry
ICEData
MechanicalResults
TurboGeometry
GeneralTransfer
Geometry
Modeler
SolidSectionData
MechanicalMesh

SimulationResults
Table 52: Shape Optimization

Shape Engineering ExternalModelOutputProvider EngineeringData
Optimization Data FEMSetup Material
MatML31
FEMSetup
Geometry
ICEData
MechanicalResults
TurboGeometry
GeneralTransfer
Geometry
Modeler
SolidSectionData
CFXSolution MechanicalSetup
FluentSolution
GeneralTransfer
IcePakResults
MechanicalMesh
MechanicalSolution
SimulationResults
Table 53: Six Sigma Analysis

Six Design DesignPointsDataTransfer
Sigma of DOEModel
Analysis Experiments
(SSA) ParametricContext
Response DOEModel ResponseSurfaceModel

Surface ParametricContext DesignPointsDataTransfer
(SSA)
Six Sigma ParametricContext SixSigmaModel
Analysis ResponseSurfaceModel
Table 54: Static Structural (ABAQUS)

Static Engineering ExternalModelOutputProvider EngineeringData
Structural Data FEMSetup
(ABAQUS)
MatML31 Material
FEMSetup
Geometry
ICEData
MechanicalResults
TurboGeometry
Geometry
GeneralTransfer

Modeler
SolidSectionData
ExternalDataSetup
FluentSolution
GeneralTransfer
IcePakResults
MechanicalMesh
MechanicalSolution
SimulationResults
Table 55: Static Structural

Structural Data
FEMSetup Material
MatML31
FEMSetup
Geometry
ICEData
MechanicalResults
TurboGeometry
GeneralTransfer
Geometry
Modeler
SolidSectionData
AnsoftForceDataObject SystemCouplingSetupData
CFXSolution
ExternalDataSetup
FluentSolution
GeneralTransfer
IcePakResults
MechanicalSolution
MechanicalResults
SimulationResults
Table 56: Static Structural (Samcef)

Structural Data FEMSetup Material
(Samcef )
MatML31
FEMSetup

Geometry
ICEData
MechanicalResults
TurboGeometry
GeneralTransfer
Geometry
Modeler
SolidSectionData
ExternalDataSetup
FluentSolution
GeneralTransfer
IcePakResults
MechanicalMesh
MechanicalSolution
SimulationResults
Table 57: Steady-State Thermal (ABAQUS)

Steady-State Engineering ExternalModelOutputProvider EngineeringData
Thermal Data FEMSetup
(ABAQUS)
MatML31 Material
FEMSetup
Geometry
ICEData
MechanicalResults
TurboGeometry
GeneralTransfer
Geometry
Modeler
SolidSectionData
ExternalDataSetup
FluentSolution
GeneralTransfer
IcePakResults
MechanicalMesh
MechanicalSolution

SimulationResults
Table 58: Steady-State Thermal

Thermal Data FEMSetup Material
MatML31
FEMSetup
Geometry
ICEData
MechanicalResults
TurboGeometry
GeneralTransfer
Geometry
Modeler
SolidSectionData
CFXSolution
ExternalDataSetup
FluentSolution
GeneralTransfer
IcePakResults
MechanicalSolution
SimulationResults
Table 59: Steady-State Thermal (Samcef)

Thermal Data FEMSetup Material
MatML31
FEMSetup
Geometry
ICEData
MechanicalResults
TurboGeometry
Geometry
GeneralTransfer
Modeler

SolidSectionData
Setup CFXSolution SimulationSetup
ExternalDataSetup MechanicalSetup
FluentSolution
GeneralTransfer
IcePakResults
MechanicalMesh
MechanicalModel
MechanicalSolution
SimulationResults
Table 60: System Coupling

System Setup ExternalDataSetup CouplingSetupProvider
Coupling SystemCouplingSetupData
Solution CouplingSetupProvider None
Table 61: Thermal-Electric

Thermal-ElectricEngineering ExternalModelOutputProvider EngineeringData
MatML31
FEMSetup
Geometry
ICEData
MechanicalResults
TurboGeometry
Geometry
GeneralTransfer
Modeler
SolidSectionData
ExternalDataSetup SystemCouplingSetupData
FluentSolution
IcePakResults
MechanicalMesh
GeneralTransfer
SimulationResults
Table 62: Throughflow

Throughflow Geometry AnsoftCADObject Geometry
FEMSetup
Geometry
ICEData
MechanicalResults
TurboGeometry
Setup Geometry VistaTFSetup
VistaGeometry
VistaTFPhysics

Solution VistaTFSetup VistaTFSolution
VistaTFSolution
FluentSolution
ForteSolution
ICEData
IcePakResults
MechanicalSolution
VistaTFSolution
Table 63: Throughflow (BladeGen)

Throughflow Blade None TurboGeometry
(BladeGen) Design VistaGeometry
Setup Geometry VistaTFSetup
VistaGeometry
VistaTFPhysics
VistaTFSolution
FluentSolution
ForteSolution
ICEData
IcePakResults
MechanicalSolution
VistaTFSolution
Table 64: Transient Structural (ABAQUS)

Transient Engineering ExternalModelOutputProvider EngineeringData
Structural Data FEMSetup Material
(ABAQUS)
MatML31
FEMSetup
Geometry
ICEData
MechanicalResults
TurboGeometry
Geometry
GeneralTransfer
Modeler
SolidSectionData
FluentSolution
ExternalDataSetup
GeneralTransfer
IcePakResults
MechanicalMesh
MechanicalSolution
SimulationResults
Table 65: Transient Structural

Transient Engineering ExternalModelOutputProvider EngineeringData
Structural Data FEMSetup
MatML31 Material

FEMSetup
Geometry
ICEData
MechanicalResults
TurboGeometry
GeneralTransfer
Geometry
Modeler
SolidSectionData
AnsoftForceDataObject SystemCouplingSetupData
CFXSolution
ExternalDataSetup
FluentSolution
GeneralTransfer
IcePakResults
MechanicalSolution
MechanicalResults
SimulationResults
Table 66: Transient Structural (Samcef)

Transient Engineering FEMSetup EngineeringData
Structural Data MatML31 Material
(Samcef )
FEMSetup
Geometry
ICEData
MechanicalResults
TurboGeometry
GeneralTransfer
Geometry
Modeler
SolidSectionData
ExternalDataSetup
FluentSolution
GeneralTransfer
IcePakResults
MechanicalMesh
MechanicalSolution

SimulationResults
Table 67: Transient Thermal (ABAQUS)

Transient Engineering ExternalModelOutputProvider Material
Thermal Data FEMSetup EngineeringData
(ABAQUS)
MatML31
FEMSetup
Geometry
ICEData
MechanicalResults
TurboGeometry
GeneralTransfer
Geometry
Modeler
SolidSectionData
ExternalDataSetup
FluentSolution
GeneralTransfer
IcePakResults
MechanicalMesh
MechanicalSolution
SimulationResults
Table 68: Transient Thermal

MatML31
FEMSetup
Geometry
ICEData
MechanicalResults
TurboGeometry
GeneralTransfer
Geometry
Modeler

SolidSectionData
CFXSolution
ExternalDataSetup
FluentSolution
GeneralTransfer
IcePakResults
MechanicalSolution
SimulationResults
Table 69: Transient Thermal (Samcef)

(Samcef )
MatML31
FEMSetup
Geometry
ICEData
MechanicalResults
TurboGeometry
GeneralTransfer
Geometry
Modeler
SolidSectionData
ExternalDataSetup
FluentSolution
GeneralTransfer
IcePakResults
MechanicalMesh
MechanicalSolution
SimulationResults
Table 70: Turbomachinery Fluid Flow (BladeEditor) (Beta)

Turbomachinery Geometry AnsoftCADObject Geometry
Fluid Flow FEMSetup
(BladeEditor)
Geometry
ICEData
MechanicalResults
TurboGeometry
Turbo TurboGeometry TurboMesh
Mesh Geometry CFXMesh
FluentImportable
Setup SimulationGeneratedMesh CFXSetup
MechanicalSetup

CFXSolution
FluentSolution
ForteSolution
ICEData
IcePakResults
MechanicalSolution
VistaTFSolution
Table 71: TurboGrid

TurboGrid Turbo Mesh TurboGeometry TurboMesh
Geometry CFXMesh
FluentImportable
Table 72: Vista TF

Vista TF Setup VistaGeometry VistaTFSetup
VistaTFPhysics
Geometry
VistaTFSolution
FluentSolution
ForteSolution
ICEData
IcePakResults
MechanicalSolution
VistaTFSolution
Table 73: Vista AFD

Vista AFD Meanline None VistaAFDMeanlineProvider
Design VistaAFDMeanlineProvider VistaAFDDesignProvider
Analysis VistaAFDDesignProvider None
Table 74: Vista CCD

Vista Blade None VistaCCDBladeDesignProvider
CCD Design
Table 75: Vista CCD (with CCM)

Vista Blade None VistaCCDBladeDesignProvider
CCD Design
(with Performance VistaCCDBladeDesignProvider None
CCM) Map
Table 76: Vista CPD

Vista Blade None None
CPD Design
Table 77: Vista RTD

Vista Blade None None
RTD Design
Table 78: Vista RTD (Beta)

Vista Blade None VistaGeometry
RTD Design VistaTFPhysics
(Beta)
Table 79: ACP (Pre)

ACP Engineering ExternalModelOutputProvider EngineeringData
(Pre) Data FEMSetup Material
MatML31
FEMSetup
Geometry
ICEData
MechanicalResults

TurboGeometry
Model AIMGeometryMeshOutputProvider MechanicalMesh
EngineeringData SimulationEngineering Data
EnhancedModelData SimulationGenerated Mesh
ExternalDataSetup SimulationModelGenerated Mesh
GeneralTransfer
Geometry
Modeler
SolidSectionData
Setup ACPSetupData ACPSetupData
EngineeringData CompositeEngineering Data
Geometry EnhancedModelData
SimulationEngineeringData SimulationEngineeringData
SimulationGeneratedMesh SimulationModelGeneratedMesh
SimulationModelGeneratedMesh SolidSectionData
Table 80: ACP (Post)

ACP Engineering ExternalModelOutputProvider EngineeringData
(Post) Data FEMSetup Material
MatML31
FEMSetup
Geometry
ICEData
MechanicalResults
TurboGeometry
EngineeringData SimulationEngineeringData
GeneralTransfer
Geometry
Modeler
SolidSectionData
Results EngineeringData
MAPDLSolution
MechanicalSolution
Table 81: Maxwell 3D

Maxwell Geometry AnsoftCADGeometryEntity AnsoftCADObject
3D AnsoftGeometryManagerData AnsoftCellInOutEntity
Object
Geometry AnsoftGeometryManager
DataObject
Setup AnsoftCellInOutEntity AnsoftCellInOutEntity
FeedbackIteratorSetup
Solution AnsoftCellInOutEntity AnsoftForceAndMoment
DataObject
AnsoftForceDataObject
AnsoftHeatLossData Object
Table 82: Maxwell 2D

Maxwell Geometry AnsoftCADGeometryEntity AnsoftCADObject
2D AnsoftGeometryManagerData AnsoftCellInOutEntity
Object
Geometry AnsoftGeometryManager
DataObject
Setup AnsoftCellInOutEntity AnsoftCellInOutEntity

Solution AnsoftCellInOutEntity AnsoftForceAndMoment
DataObject
AnsoftForceDataObject
AnsoftHeatLossData Object
Table 83: RMxprt

RMxprt Setup AnsoftCellInOutEntity AnsoftCellInOutEntity
Solution
Table 84: Simplorer

Simplorer Setup MechanicalSetup AnsoftCellInOutEntity
Solution AnsoftCellInOutEntity
Table 85: FeedbackIterator

Feedback Feedback FeedbackIteratorSetup FeedbackIteratorEntity
Iterator Iterator
Table 86: Turbo Setup

Turbo Turbo
Setup Setup
Table 87: Turbo Machinery Fluid Flow (Bladegen) (Beta)

Turbomachinery Blade None TurboGeometry
Fluid Flow Design VistaGeometry
(BladeGen)
(Beta) Turbo Mesh Geometry CFXMesh
TurboGeometry FluentImportable
TurboMesh
Setup CFXMesh CFXSetup
MechanicalSetup SystemCouplingSetup Data
CFXSolution
FluentSolution
ForteSolution
ICEData
IcePakResults
MechanicalSolution
VistaTFSolution
Table 88: Turbo Machinery Fluid Flow

Turbomachinery Turbo Mesh Geometry CFXMesh
Fluid Flow TurboGeometry FluentImportable
TurboMesh
Setup CFXMesh CFXSetup
MechanicalSetup SystemCouplingSetup Data
CFXSolution
FluentSolution
ForteSolution
ICEData
IcePakResults
MechanicalSolution
VistaTFSolution
Table 89: Performance Map

Performance Performance
Map Map
Table 90: Topology Optimization

Topology Engineering ExternalModelOutputProvider EngineeringData
Optimization Data FEMSetup Material
MatML31
FEMSetup
Geometry

ICEData
MechanicalResults
TurboGeometry
EngineeringData SimulationEngineeringData
GeneralTransfer
Geometry
Modeler
SolidSectionData
Setup GeneralTransfer MechanicalSetup
MechanicalMesh SimulationSetup
MechanicalModel
Solution GeneralTransfer MechanicalSolution
SimulationSetup SimuationSolution
SimuationSolutionDataInternal
SimuationSolutionOutputProvider
SimulationResults
Appendix B. ANSYS Workbench Internally Defined System Template
and Component Names
Table 91: ACP (Pre)
Component Name Component Display Name

EngDataCellTemplate Engineering Data
GeometryCellTemplate Geometry
SimulationModelCellTemplate Model
ACPSetupCellTemplate Setup
Table 92: ACP (Post)

ACPResultsCellTemplate Results
Table 93: Feedback Iterator

FeedbackIteratorComponentTemplate Feedback Iterator
Table 94: Mechanical APDL

ANSYSSetupCellTemplate Analysis
Table 95: Hydrodynamic Diffraction

AQWAModelCellTemplate Model
AQWASetupHDCellTemplate Setup
AQWAAnalysisCellTemplate Solution
AQWAResultsCellTemplate Results
Table 96: Hydrodynamic Response

ANSYS Workbench Internally Defined System Template and Component Names

AQWAModelCellTemplate Model
AQWASetupHDCellTemplate Setup
AQWAAnalysisCellTemplate Solution
AQWAResultsCellTemplate Results
Table 97: Autodyn

AUTODYN_Solution Setup
AUTODYN_Results Analysis
Table 98: Results

CFDPostTemplate Results
Table 99: CFX

CFXPhysicsTemplate Setup
CFXResultsTemplate Solution
Table 100: Fluid Flow (CFX)

SimulationMeshingModelCellTemplate Mesh
Table 101: CFX (Beta)

Table 102: Response Surface Optimization

DXDOECellTemplate Design of Experiments
DXResponseSurfaceCellTemplate Response Surface
DXOptimizationCellTemplate_GDO Optimization
Table 103: Response Surface Optimization -Demo

DXDemoDOECellTemplate Design of Experiments
DXOptimizationCellTemplate_GDO Optimization
Table 104: Parameters Correlation

DXCorrelationCellTemplate DXCorrelationCellTemplate
Table 105: Direct Optimization

DXDirectOptimizationCellTemplate Optimization
Table 106: Response Surface

DXDOECellTemplate Design of Experiments
Table 107: Six Sigma Analysis

DXDOECellForSixSigmaTemplate Design of Experiments
(SSA)
DXResponseSurfaceCellForSixSigmaTemplate Response Surface (SSA)

DXSixSigmaCellTemplate Six Sigma Analysis
Table 108: External Connection

ExternalConnectionTemplate External Connection
Table 109: External Data

ExternalLoadSetupCellTemplate Setup
Table 110: External Model

ExternalModelSetupCellTemplate Setup
Table 111: Fluent (with Fluent Meshing)

FluentTGridCellTemplate Mesh
FluentSetupCellTemplate Setup
FluentResultsCellTemplate Solution
Table 112: Fluent

Table 113: Fluid Flow (Fluent)

Table 114: Fluent (with Results)

Table 115: ICEM CFD

ICEMCFD Model
Table 116: IC Engine (Fluent)

ICEComponentTemplate ICE
ICESetupComponentTemplate ICE Setup
Table 117: IC Engine (Forte)

ICEComponentTemplate ICE
ICESetupComponentTemplate ICE Setup
Table 118: Icepak

IcePakSetupCellTemplate Setup
IcePakSolutionCellTemplate Solution
Table 119: Mechanical Model

Table 120: Electric


SimulationSetupCellTemplate_ElectricStaticANSYS Setup
SimulationSolutionCellTemplate_ElectricStaticANSYS Solution
SimulationResultsCellTemplate_ElectricStaticANSYS Results
Table 121: Eigenvalue Buckling

SimulationSetupCellTemplate_StructuralBucklingANSYS Setup
SimulationSolutionCellTemplate_StructuralBucklingANSYS Solution
SimulationResultsCellTemplate_StructuralBucklingANSYS Results
Table 122: Eigenvalue Buckling (Samcef)

SimulationSetupCellTemplate_StructuralBucklingSamcef Setup
SimulationSolutionCellTemplate_StructuralBucklingSamcef Solution
SimulationResultsCellTemplate_StructuralBucklingSamcef Results
Table 123: Magnetostatic

SimulationSetupCellTemplate_ElectromagneticsMagnetostaticsANSYS Setup
SimulationSolutionCellTemplate_ElectromagneticsMagnetostaticsANSYS Solution
SimulationResultsCellTemplate_ElectromagneticsMagnetostaticsANSYS Results
Table 124: Modal

SimulationSetupCellTemplate_StructuralModalANSYS Setup
SimulationSolutionCellTemplate_StructuralModalANSYS Solution
SimulationResultsCellTemplate_StructuralModalANSYS Results
Table 125: Modal (Samcef)

SimulationSetupCellTemplate_StructuralModalSamcef Setup
SimulationSolutionCellTemplate_StructuralModalSamcef Solution
SimulationResultsCellTemplate_StructuralModalSamcef Results
Table 126: Modal (NASTRAN) (Beta)

SimulationSetupCellTemplate_StructuralModalNASTRAN Setup
SimulationSolutionCellTemplate_StructuralModalNASTRAN Solution
SimulationResultsCellTemplate_StructuralModalNASTRAN Results
Table 127: Modal (ABAQUS)

SimulationSetupCellTemplate_StructuralModalABAQUS Setup
SimulationSolutionCellTemplate_StructuralModalABAQUS Solution
SimulationResultsCellTemplate_StructuralModalABAQUS Results
Table 128: Random Vibration

SimulationSetupCellTemplate_StructuralRandomVibrationANSYS Setup
SimulationSolutionCellTemplate_StructuralRandomVibrationANSYS Solution

SimulationResultsCellTemplate_StructuralRandomVibrationANSYS Results
Table 129: Response Spectrum

SimulationSetupCellTemplate_StructuralResponseSpectrumANSYS Setup
SimulationSolutionCellTemplate_StructuralResponseSpectrumANSYS Solution
SimulationResultsCellTemplate_StructuralResponseSpectrumANSYS Results
Table 130: Topological Optimization (Beta)

SimulationSetupCellTemplate_StructuralShapeOptimizationANSYS Setup
SimulationSolutionCellTemplate_StructuralShapeOptimizationANSYS Solution
SimulationResultsCellTemplate_StructuralShapeOptimizationANSYS Results
Table 131: Shape Optimization (Beta)

SimulationSetupCellTemplate_StructuralShapeOptimizationANSYS Setup
SimulationSolutionCellTemplate_StructuralShapeOptimizationANSYS Solution
SimulationResultsCellTemplate_StructuralShapeOptimizationANSYS Results
Table 132: Static Structural

SimulationSetupCellTemplate_StructuralStaticANSYS Setup
SimulationSolutionCellTemplate_StructuralStaticANSYS Solution
SimulationResultsCellTemplate_StructuralStaticANSYS Results
Table 133: Static Structural (ABAQUS)

SimulationSetupCellTemplate_StructuralStaticABAQUS Setup
SimulationSolutionCellTemplate_StructuralStaticABAQUS Solution
SimulationResultsCellTemplate_StructuralStaticABAQUS Results
Table 134: Static Structural (Samcef)

SimulationSetupCellTemplate_StructuralStaticSamcef Setup
SimulationSolutionCellTemplate_StructuralStaticSamcef Solution
SimulationResultsCellTemplate_StructuralStaticSamcef Results
Table 135: Steady-State Thermal

SimulationSetupCellTemplate_ThermalSteadyStateANSYS Setup
SimulationSolutionCellTemplate_ThermalSteadyStateANSYS Solution
SimulationResultsCellTemplate_ThermalSteadyStateANSYS Results
Table 136: Steady-State Thermal (Samcef)

SimulationSetupCellTemplate_ThermalSteadyStateSamcef Setup
SimulationSolutionCellTemplate_ThermalSteadyStateSamcef Solution

SimulationResultsCellTemplate_ThermalSteadyStateSamcef Results
Table 137: Steady-State Thermal (ABAQUS)

SimulationSetupCellTemplate_ThermalSteadyStateABAQUS Setup
SimulationSolutionCellTemplate_ThermalSteadyStateABAQUS Solution
SimulationResultsCellTemplate_ThermalSteadyStateABAQUS Results
Table 138: Transient Structural (ABAQUS)

SimulationSetupCellTemplate_StructuralTransientABAQUS Setup
SimulationSolutionCellTemplate_StructuralTransientABAQUS Solution
SimulationResultsCellTemplate_StructuralTransientABAQUS Results
Table 139: Transient Structural (Samcef)

SimulationSetupCellTemplate_StructuralTransientSamcef Setup
SimulationSolutionCellTemplate_StructuralTransientSamcef Solution
SimulationResultsCellTemplate_StructuralTransientSamcef Results
Table 140: Transient Structural

SimulationSetupCellTemplate_StructuralTransientANSYS Setup
SimulationSolutionCellTemplate_StructuralTransientANSYS Solution
SimulationResultsCellTemplate_StructuralTransientANSYS Results
Table 141: Rigid Dynamics

SimulationSetupCellTemplate_StructuralTransientRBD Setup
SimulationSolutionCellTemplate_StructuralTransientRBD Solution
SimulationResultsCellTemplate_StructuralTransientRBD Results
Table 142: Explicit Dynamics

SimulationSetupCellTemplate_StructuralExplicitAUTODYN Setup
SimulationSolutionCellTemplate_StructuralExplicitAUTODYN Solution
SimulationResultsCellTemplate_StructuralExplicitAUTODYN Results
Table 143: Thermal-Electric

SimulationSetupCellTemplate_ThermalElectromagneticsStaticANSYS Setup
SimulationSolutionCellTemplate_ThermalElectromagneticsStaticANSYS Solution
SimulationResultsCellTemplate_ThermalElectromagneticsStaticANSYS Results
Table 144: Explicit Dynamics (LS-DYNA Export)

SimulationSetupCellTemplate_StructuralExplicitLSDYNA Setup
Table 145: Transient Thermal


SimulationSetupCellTemplate_ThermalTransientANSYS Setup
SimulationSolutionCellTemplate_ThermalTransientANSYS Solution
SimulationResultsCellTemplate_ThermalTransientANSYS Results
Table 146: Transient Thermal (ABAQUS)

SimulationSetupCellTemplate_ThermalTransientABAQUS Setup
SimulationSolutionCellTemplate_ThermalTransientABAQUS Solution
SimulationResultsCellTemplate_ThermalTransientABAQUS Results
Table 147: Transient Thermal (Samcef)

SimulationSetupCellTemplate_ThermalTransientSamcef Setup
SimulationSolutionCellTemplate_ThermalTransientSamcef Solution
SimulationResultsCellTemplate_ThermalTransientSamcef Results
Table 148: Design Assessment

SimulationSetupCellTemplate_CustomizableDesignAssessmentANSYS Setup
SimulationSolutionCellTemplate_CustomizableDesignAssessmentANSYS Solution
SimulationResultsCellTemplate_CustomizableDesignAssessmentANSYS Results
Table 149: Engineering Data

Table 150: Microsoft Office Excel

MSExcelComponentTemplate Analysis
Table 151: System Coupling

SystemCouplingSetupCellTemplate Setup
SystemCouplingSolutionCellTemplate Solution
Table 152: Polyflow

PolyflowSetupCellTemplate Setup
PolyflowSolveCellTemplate Solution
Table 153: Fluid Flow (Polyflow)

Table 154: Fluid Flow - Extrusion (Polyflow)

Table 155: Polyflow - Extrusion


Table 156: Fluid Flow - Blow Molding (Polyflow)

Table 157: Polyflow - Blow Molding

Table 158: Throughflow

VistaTFSetupTemplate Setup
VistaTFSolutionTemplate Solution
Table 159: Throughflow (BladeGen)

TSGeometryTemplate Blade Design
Table 160: Vista TF

Table 161: BladeGen

Table 162: BladeGen (Beta)

TSGeometryTemplateBeta Blade Design
Table 163: TurboGrid

TSMeshTemplate Turbo Mesh
Table 164: Turbo Setup

TSSetupTemplate Turbo Setup
Table 165: Vista RTD

TSVistaRTDTemplate Blade Design
Table 166: Vista RTD (Beta)

TSVistaRTDTemplate Blade Design
Table 167: Vista CCD

TSVistaCCDTemplate Blade Design
Table 168: Vista CCD (with CCM)

TSVistaCCDTemplate Blade Design

TSVistaCCMTemplate Performance Map
Table 169: Vista CPD

TSVistaCPDTemplate Blade Design
Table 170: Vista AFD

TSVistaAFDMeanlineTemplate Meanline
TSVistaAFDDesignTemplate Design
TSVistaAFDAnalysisTemplate Analysis
Table 171: Turbomachinery Fluid Flow (BladeEditor) (Beta)

TSMeshTemplate Turbo Mesh
Table 172: Turbomachinery Fluid Flow (BladeGen) (Beta)

TSMTSMeshTemplate Turbo Mesh
Table 173: Mesh

GeometryCellTemplate Blade Design
Table 174: Geometry

Table 175: Finite Element Modeler

FESetupCellTemplate Model
Table 176: Performance Map

PerfMapTemplate Performance Map
Table 177: Topology Optimization

SimulationSetupCellTemplate_StructuralTopologyOptimizationANSYS Setup
SimulationSolutionCellTemplate_StructuralTopologyOptimizationANSYS Solution
SimulationResultsCellTemplate_StructuralTopologyOptimizationANSYS Results
Appendix C. Data Transfer Types
Table 178: Data Transfer Types and Properties
Transfer Type Property

ACPSetupData ACPFileReference
ACPPreFileReference
AIMFluentMeshOutputProvider
AIMGeometryMeshOutputProvider
AnsoftCADObject
AnsoftHeatLossDataObject AnsoftTransferXMLString
AnsoftProjectResultsFolderAtCurrentDP
AnsoftForceDataObject AnsoftTransferXMLString
AnsoftForceAndMomentDataObject AnsoftTransferXMLString
FeedbackIteratorEntity
MAPDLSolution TransferFile
AuxiliaryFiles
MAPDLDatabase TransferFile
AuxiliaryFiles
MAPDLResults AuxiliaryFiles
MAPDLCdb TransferFile
AuxiliaryFiles
AqwaModel
AqwaSetup
AqwaSolution
AqwaResults
AutodynSetup
CFDAnalysis PostStateFile
CFXSetup CFXSolverInputFile
MAPDLSolverInputFile
CFXSolution MResLoadOption
CFXResultsFile
AuxiliaryFiles
MAPDLResultsFile
Data Transfer Types

Geometry GeometryFilePath
PlugInName
ParametricContext
DOEModel
DesignPointsDataTransfer
ResponseSurfaceModel
OptimizationModel
CorrelationModel
SixSigmaModel
EngineeringData TransferFile
Material
ExternalConnectionProperties
ExternalDataSetup TransferFile
ExternalModelOutputProvider TransferFile
InputFiles
SolidSectionData TransferFile
AuxiliaryFiles
CompositeSectionFiles
EnhancedModelData
FEMMesh ACMOFile
FEMSetup FEModelerFile
ANSYSInputFile
ParasolidFile
FiniteElementModelMaterials
AuxiliaryFiles
FluentTGridMesh TransferFile
FluentSetup CaseFile
ModelInfoFile
SystemCouplingSetupData
FluentCase MeshFile
TransferFile
FluentSolution CaseFile
DataFile
ICEData
ICESetupData
IcePakSetup
IcePakResults
MechanicalModel File
EdaFile
MeshingGeneratedMeshOutputProvider PMDBFile
ACMOFile
Mechdb
MeshingMesh TransferFile
SimulationGeneralMesh TransferFile
SimulationGeneratedMesh TransferFile
MSExcelSetup
CouplingSetupProvider TransferFile
PolyflowSetup
PolyflowSolutionType DataFile
PubFile
GeneratedFiles
PolyflowSolution
MechanicalMesh TransferFile
SimulationEngineeringData TransferFiles
SimulationModelGeneratedMesh TransferFile
SimulationSetup
MechanicalSetup TransferFile
MechanicalSolution
SimulationSolution
MechanicalResults
SimulationResults
TurboGeometry INFFilename
GeometryFilename
TurboMesh FileName
CFXMesh FileName
PreFileType
FluentImportable MeshFile
FileType
Dimension
VistaGeometry GeoData
TransferData
VistaTFPhysics TransferData
VistaCCDBladeDesignProvider TransferData
Data Transfer Types

VistaAFDMeanlineProvider TransferData
VistaAFDDesignProvider TransferData
VistaTFSetup ControlFilename
GeoFilename
AeroFilename
CorrelationsFilename
VistaTFSolution ResultsFile
RestartFile
AUTODYN_Remap
MatML31 TransferFile
CompositeEngineeringData TransferFile
FluentMesh TransferFile
PolyflowTransferMesh TransferFile
ForteSetupData DataFile
ForteSMGData
ForteSolution
ForteSolutionData
Imported FLUENT Mesh File Type MeshFile
Modeler
GeneralTransfer
SimulationModelGeneratedPMDB TransferFile
ExternalMaterialFieldDataSetup
GeneratedMeshOutputForAQWAModelProvider PMDBFile
ACMOFile
Mechdb
MeshingAssemblyTransferType TransferFile
Appendix D. Addin Data Types and Data Transfer Formats
The following table lists the data types and data transfer formats supported for each addin.
Note
Where listed, a value of "n/a" indicates that you should use an empty format string.
Addin Data Type Format

AIM AIMFluentPartMeshFileOutputProvider n/a
AIMFluentPartMeshOutputProvider n/a
ANSYS MAPDLCdb n/a
MAPDLDatabase n/a
MAPDLSolution n/a
MAPDLResults n/a
AQWA AQWAModel transfer not supported
AQWASetup transfer not supported
AQWASolution transfer not supported
AQWAResults transfer not supported
AUTODYN AutodynSetup transfer not supported
AutodynAnalysis transfer not supported
CFX CFXSetup n/a
SystemCouplingSetupData n/a
CFXSolution n/a
DesignModeler Geometry n/a
DX transfer not supported
EBU (Q3D, Maxwell, AnsoftHeatLossDataObject n/a
HFSS) AnsoftCADObject n/a
AnsoftForceDataObject n/a
AnsoftForceAndMomentDataObject n/a
AnsoftGeometryDataObject n/a
EKM No Output Types
Engineering Data Engineering Data materials
External Load ExternalDataSetup ExternalDataSetup
ExternalTraceDataSetup ExternalTraceDataSetup
ExternalModelOutputProvider ExternalModelOutputProvider
ExternalMaterialFieldDataSetup ExternalMaterialFieldDataSetup
Addin Data Types and Data Transfer Formats

ExternalModelCoupling SolidSectionData n/a
EnhancedModelData EnhancedModelData
FEModeler Geometry
FEMMesh ACMOFile
FEMSetup FacetedGeometry
ParasolidGeometry
InputFile
FiniteElementModelMaterial
Fluent FluentTGridMesh n/a
FluentSetup transfer not supported
SystemCouplingSetupData SystemCouplingSetupData
FluentSolution n/a
Forte ForteSolution transfer not supported
ForteSolutionData transfer not supported
ForteSMGData transfer not supported
ForteSetupData n/a
ICEMCFD SimulationGeneratedMesh FluentMesh
Imported FLUENT Mesh FileType
CMDBMesh
POLYFLOWMesh
AnsysMesh
MeshingAssemblyTransferType FluentMesh
Imported FLUENT Mesh FileType
CMDBMesh
POLYFLOWMesh
AnsysMesh
ICEMCFDMesh
ICEngine ICEData ICEData
ICESetupData n/a
IcePak IcePakSetup transfer not supported
IcePakResults n/a
Meshing MechanicalModel transfer not supported
MeshingMesh CMDBMesh
FluentMesh
POLYFLOWMesh
SimulationGeneratedMesh CMDBMesh
FluentMesh
POLYFLOWMesh
GeneratedMeshForAQWAModelProvider n/a
MSExcel MSExcelSetup transfer not supported
Multiphysics CouplingSetupProvider CouplingSetupProvider
Coupling
Polyflow PolyflowSetup transfer not supported
PolyflowSolutionType n/a
PolyflowSolution transfer not supported
ExternalDataSetup ExternalDataSetup
Simulation MechanicalModel transfer not supported
MechanicalMesh CMDBMesh
FluentMesh
POLYFLOWMesh
SimulationGeneratedMesh CMDBMesh
FluentMesh
POLYFLOWMesh
SimulationEngineeringData SimulationEngineeringData
SimulationModelGeneratedMesh SimulationModelGeneratedMesh
SimulationModelGeneratedPMDB SimulationModelGeneratedPMDB
SimulationSetup n/a
MechanicalSetup n/a
MechanicalSolution n/a
SimulationSolutionDataInternal transfer not supported
SimulationSolution transfer not supported
SimulationSolutionOutputProvider SimulationSolutionOutputProvider
SimulationResults n/a
MechanicalResults n/a
GeneralTransfer n/a
TurboSystem VistaGeometry n/a
TurboMesh transfer not supported
CFXMesh n/a
FluentImportable n/a
VistaATFPhysics n/a
VistaCCDBladeDesignProvider n/a
VistaAFDMeanlineProvider n/a
VistaAFDDesignProvider n/a
VistaTF VistaTFSetup n/a
VistaTFSolution n/a
instructions node, 11
Index
O
C output, 10
component configuration files
creating, 8 P
configuration file producing data
configuration node, 11 update instructions, 10
GuiOperations node, 14 python queries, 10
instructions node, 11 GetInputData, 10
properties node, 16 GetInputDataByType, 10
configuration node, 11 GetOutputData, 10
consuming data
update instructions, 10 S
convenience queries system definition Files, 8
creating, 10 Creating , 8
creating systems
file layout and installation, 7 U
general workflow, 7 update instructions, 10
upstream data consumption, 10
D
data generation, 10 W
Workbench user interface
E customizing, 5
external application
external process responsibilities, 5
external applications
integrating, 4
external connection add-in
creating systems and components, 7
overview, 4
using within ANSYS Workbench, 4
External Connection configuration file
overview, 11
External Connection examples, 21
custom transfer, 29
custom, lightweight, external application integration,
21
material transfer, 26
mesh transfer system, 24
user interface button definition, 23
external process
responsibilities, 5
G
GuiOperations node, 14
I
input, 10
inputs and outputs
defining, 9

Workbench External Connection Add-In

Transféré par

Informations du document

Copyright

Formats disponibles

Partager ce document

Partager ou intégrer le document

Options de partage

Avez-vous trouvé ce document utile ?

Ce contenu est-il inapproprié ?

Droits d'auteur :

Formats disponibles

Workbench External Connection Add-In

Transféré par

Droits d'auteur :

Formats disponibles

Workbench External Connection Add-In

ANSYS, Inc. Release 18.0

2016 SAS IP, Inc. Unauthorized use, distribution or duplication is prohibited.

U.S. Government Rights

Published in the U.S.A.

Consumer Component Configuration File ....................................................................................... 31

Figure 1: External Connection System Cell in Toolbox

Figure 2: Read Configuration Menu

Figure 3: Squares Example Schematic View

Integrating an External Application

2. Launches the external application.

Upon the completion of the external application, the add-in:

External Process Responsibilities

1. Provide a configuration file that contains two elements:

The input/output parameter processing definitions

The update script or the name of an operating system executable file.

2. Read the input parameters from the input file.

3. Execute a solve/update of the external process.

4. Write the computed output parameter values to the output file.

Customizing the Workbench User Interface

For Windows machines, create a directory named ExternalConnection under %APPDATA%\An-

For Linux machines, create a directory named ExternalConnection under $HOME/.config/An-

1. Create a directory for the External Connection files.

2. Create a System Definition file.

4. Add the files to the appropriate installation directories.

Creating an External Connection Directory

For example, a directory C:\Program Files\Ansys Inc\v180\Addins\ExternalConnec-

Creating System Definition Files

System Definition files must specify, at a minimum:

The system name

At the System level, you can optionally specify:

At the Component level, you can optionally specify:

At the Input/Output level, you can optionally specify a Data Type.

The following is an example of the basic structure of a System Definition file:

Creating Component Configuration Files

Figure 6: Component File with Read Configuration Menu Exposed

Defining Inputs and Outputs

Creating Update Instructions for Producing or Consuming Data

Upstream Data Consumption (Input)

Data Generation (Output)

Returns a Dictionary<string,object> containing upstream data for a given type. For

Returns a Dictionary<string, DataReference> holding the components output types.

SystemName - The user-visible string that is assigned to the system.

CellName - The user-visible string that is assigned to the cell.

Version - The version associated with the configuration file.

Init - The parameter will be executed when the configuration is read.

Update - The parameter will be executed when the project is updated.

2. double - The value of the parameter is a double.

SkipOccurrences - The number of PreString occurrences to skip before parsing begins.

[Operation Name] - The name shown in the context menu.

CSharp - The code will be written in C#.

Python - The code will be written in Python.

erties(Entity=configurationObject) returns a dictionary that contains all the available con-

1. InterruptScript=[string] - An optional Python script that is invoked when the computation is

5. UseUpdateConfiguration=[boolean] - This variable can be specified as a shortcut, in order to use

The bool type can assume the values of True or False.

The DataReference type should be specified by a string of type DataEntityType:ObjectName.

Optional attributes are:

[IsReadOnly] (True/False) - Specifies that the property cannot be edited. Default is

[Min] - The lowest range for the property value.

[Max] - The highest range for the property value.

DataEntityName is the name specified in the configuration file. For example:

ObjectName is the name specified in the configuration file. For example:

PropertyName is the name of the property specified in the configuration file.