OptiStruct Configuration File

OptiStruct configuration files may be used to establish default settings for the OptiStruct. Configuration files must be named optistruct.cfg. Any errors or warnings caused by the content of these files will be echoed to the screen only.

Any default setting will be ignored if it is defined by an environment variable (Running OptiStruct), bulk data input deck entry (The Input File), or command line argument (Run Options for OptiStruct).

The configuration file allows default settings to be established on five different levels:

1.	System level

•	If a configuration file is located in the ${ALTAIR_HOME}/hwsolvers directory, the default settings defined in this file apply to all solver runs.

•	A configuration file is included in the installation at this location. This configuration file contains all of the configuration file options in a comment format. Uncommenting an option will activate it. This file may be used as a template for all configuration files.

•	If the ${ALTAIR_HOME} environment variable is not set, the configuration file at this location will not be used. This variable is automatically set when the recommended HyperWorks installation and execution procedures are followed.

2.	Corporate level

•	If a configuration file is located in the ${HW_CORPORATE_CUSTOMIZATION_DIR} directory, the default settings defined in this file are added to the system defaults.

•	If a default setting, which was defined at the system level, is redefined at this level, the redefined setting is used.

•	If the ${HW_CORPORATE_CUSTOMIZATION_DIR} environment variable is not set, the configuration file at this location will not be used.

3.	Group level

•	If a configuration file is located in the ${HW_GROUP_CUSTOMIZATION_DIR} directory, the default settings defined in this file are added to the system and corporate defaults.

•	If a default setting, which was defined at the system or corporate level, is redefined at this level, the redefined setting is used.

•	If the ${HW_GROUP_CUSTOMIZATION_DIR} environment variable is not set, the configuration file at this location will not be used.

4.	User level

•	If a configuration file is located in the ${HOME} directory, the default settings defined in this file are added to the system, corporate and group defaults.

•	If a default setting, which was defined at the system, corporate or group level, is redefined at this level, the redefined setting is used.

•	If the ${HOME} environment variable is not set, the configuration file at this location will not be used. This variable is normally set for UNIX and Linux operating systems to point to a user's home directory, but it may vary for different versions of the Windows operating system.

5.	Local level

•	If a configuration file is located in the current directory, the default settings defined in this file are added to the system, corporate, group and user defaults.

•	If a default setting, which was defined at the system, corporate, group or user level, is redefined at this level, the redefined setting is used.

Below is a list of entries recognized in the configuration file. As stated above, the configuration file contained in the installation may be used as a template for other configuration files.

The format of the entries (with the exception of ELEMQUAL) is similar to the format of the I/O Options in the input deck, namely:

ENTRY = Argument

Comments may be inserted using the $ character; which indicates that everything which follows on that line is a comment.

ELEMQUAL is a recognized entry in the configuration file. It is used as described in the bulk data entry description ELEMQUAL with the condition that it must be written in free format (Guidelines for Bulk Data Entries).

Entry	Argument	Description
DOS_DRIVE_$	Path	Same as DOS_DRIVE_$ environment variable (Running OptiStruct).
SYNTAX	<ALLOWINT, STRICT>	Same as SYNTAX setting on the I/O option SYSSETTING.
SPSYNTAX	<STRICT, CHECK, MIXED>	Same as SPSYNTAX setting on the I/O option SYSSETTING.
CORE	<OFF, AUTO, IN, OUT, MMIN>	Same as the –core run option in the Run Options for OptiStruct section.
SAVEFILE	<ALL, OUT, NONE>	Same as SAVEFILE setting on the I/O option SYSSETTING.
RAMDISK	Integer	Same as RAMDISK setting on the I/O option SYSSETTING.
SKIP10FIELD	<CHECK, WARN>	Same as SKIP10FIELD setting on the I/O option SYSSETTING.
CARDLENGTH	Integer	Same as CARDLENGTH setting on the I/O option SYSSETTING.
TABSTOPS	Integer	Used to change the default tab length from 8 to another value.
MAXLEN	Integer	Used to define the maximum allowable amount of memory to be used in MB. There is no default.
MINLEN	Integer	Used to define the initial memory allocation in MB. The default is 10% of OS_RAM.
BUFFSIZE	Integer Default = 16832	The maximum size in 8 byte words of the records of data written to the .op2 file. Use -1 to turn off buffering.
MSGLMT	Various	See MSGLMT setting in the I/O options section.
ASSIGN, UPDATE, filename	Various	See ASSIGN in the I/O options section.
LOADTEMP	<SHAREID>	Same as LOADTEMP setting on the I/O option SYSSETTING.
OS_RAM	RAM in Mbytes	Same as SYSSETTING option OS_RAM.
PLOTELID	<UNIQUE, ALLOWFIX>	Same as SYSSETTING option PLOTELID.
RAM_SAFETY_FACTOR	Multiplier	Same as -rsf option for running from the script (Run Options for OptiStruct).
FORMAT	<HM, H3D, ASCII, OPTI, OS, NASTRAN, PUNCH, O2, OUT2, OUTPUT2, PATRAN, APATRAN>	Same as I/O option FORMAT.
SCREEN	<OUT, LOG, NONE>	Same as I/O option SCREEN.
TMPDIR	Path	Same as I/O option TMPDIR.
SCRFMODE	<BASIC, BUFFERED, UNBUFFER, STRIPE, MIXFCIO>	Same as SCRFMODE setting on the I/O option SYSSETTING.
CHECKEL	<YES, NO, FULL>	Same as CHECKEL option for bulk data entry PARAM.
OutputDefault	<AUTO, NONE>	Allows default outputs to be disabled. This entry controls output for subcases for which there is no output requested. AUTO: Output is automatically generated for certain solution sequences. NONE: No output that is not specifically requested is output.
CHECKMAT	<YES, NO, FULL>	Same as CHECKMAT option for bulk data entry PARAM.
COUPMASS	<-1, 0, 1, YES, NO>	Same as COUPMASS option for bulk data entry PARAM.
EFFMASS	Integer	Same as EFFMASS option for bulk data entry PARAM.
PRGPST	<YES, NO>	Same as PRGPST option for bulk data entry PARAM.
KGRGD	<YES, NO>	Same as KGRGD option for bulk data entry PARAM.
WTMASS	Real > 0.0	Same as WTMASS option for bulk data entry PARAM.
MBDH3D	<NODAL, MODAL, BOTH, NONE>	Same as MBDH3D option for bulk data entry PARAM.
FLEXH3D	<AUTO, YES, NO>	Same as FLEXH3D option for bulk data entry PARAM.
USERAM	RAM in Mbytes	Same as SYSSETTING option USERAM.