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ANSYS-Mode For GNU Emacs, An Introductory Tutorial For Version 14.5.1

This document is a tutorial for ANSYS-Mode, an add-on for the GNU Emacs editor that provides support for working with ANSYS finite element analysis software. ANSYS-Mode offers features for investigating and coding in ANSYS Parametric Design Language (APDL), managing ANSYS processes, and communicating with the ANSYS solver. It provides auto-completion, code templates, and interactive debugging capabilities to help improve workflow. The mode is pre-configured for common ANSYS installations and its documentation is accessible for users familiar with ANSYS but new to Emacs.

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Michael Jennings
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93 views

ANSYS-Mode For GNU Emacs, An Introductory Tutorial For Version 14.5.1

This document is a tutorial for ANSYS-Mode, an add-on for the GNU Emacs editor that provides support for working with ANSYS finite element analysis software. ANSYS-Mode offers features for investigating and coding in ANSYS Parametric Design Language (APDL), managing ANSYS processes, and communicating with the ANSYS solver. It provides auto-completion, code templates, and interactive debugging capabilities to help improve workflow. The mode is pre-configured for common ANSYS installations and its documentation is accessible for users familiar with ANSYS but new to Emacs.

Uploaded by

Michael Jennings
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 27

for GNU Emacs, an introductory

Tutorial for version 14.5.1

ANSYS-Mode

H. Dieter Wilhelm1
December 11, 2012

[email protected]

1 / 25

GNU Emacs editor support for working with ANSYS FEA


This project supports your workows with the FEA (Finite Element
Analysis) suite ANSYS (ANalysis SYStem, registered TM).
It provides `ANSYS-Mode', an add-on to the GNU Emacs editor for
investigating and coding APDL (Ansys Parametric Design
Language). The mode oers also managing and communication
capabilities for various ANSYS processes, like interactive code
debugging with the solver or inquiring the license manager status,
etc. Some features are quite sophisticated but its documentation is
accessible for ANSYS users with little Emacs experience.
GNU (Gnu's Not Unix) Emacs is an up-to-date, powerful and
extensible - yet free - editor. High quality software available for
every operating system where ANSYS is running.
In the following C-c or M-c means typing the <CTRL> or <ALT>
key together with the <c> key.
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Download ANSYS-Mode together with the Emacs editor


Remarkably there are

no

costs and license restrictions also for commercial use

Most convenient is taking the pre-congured ANSYS-Mode in


conjunction with the latest Emacs editor binary for Windows 64 bit
from the Google Code download page.

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Install ANSYS-Mode together with Emacs


Extract the former zip archive to an arbitrary location on your le
system. Optionally you might install Emacs shortcut icons for the
system tray with addpm.exe in Emacs' bin folder.

In this list runemacs.exe is the actual editor executable.


4 / 25

Open an APDL macro le with Emacs


Start the Emacs editor and open fontication.mac in the site-lisp
folder or any other APDL le (with the extensions mac, inp, dat or
anf, otherwise additionally type M-x ansys-mode and <RET>).

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Explore the ANSYS-Mode menu


If ANSYS is installed in its default folder C:Program Files under
Win64 also system dependent functions are working, like browsing
the APDL help with C-c C-b, otherwise, you can easily congure
this. (All described features can be executed through the
ANSYS-Mode menu or with keyboard shortcuts.)

6 / 25

Use the ANSYS-Mode APDL command help


Please type M-? (alternatively: C-c ?) on a code line and you will
see the APDL command's description together with its parameter
syntax. You can continue working, this temporary overlay (here in
yellow) remains visible for a while during your editing.

7 / 25

Select and insert templates from the menu into your code
Screenshot with the ANSYS Classics GUI (left) and Emacs (right) on Win64

8 / 25

Preview the extensible APDL code templates


Before inserting an entire template you are able to inspect its
content in a preview window (C-c C-s) and might copy the most
relevant snippets (see below and next slide).

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Select an interesting template from a completion window


Type C-c C-s to choose a template name, use the <TAB> key to
complete and to open the completion window of available items.

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Check auto-insertion and outline your code (tree view)


Create a new APDL le with the sux `.mac' and let Emacs
auto-insert a skeleton with `outline' headings. Collapse the content
to a tree view with C-c @ C-t and open all (C-c @ C-a) again.

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Utilise completions of all APDL symbols (around 2000)


Move the cursor behind a character (here `c') or word fragment and
type <ESC> <TAB> or C-M-i for completing up to date APDL
command-, element- and function names.

12 / 25

Open a summary window of your APDL variables


Type C-c C-v to receive a summary window (see below) of all your
variables denitions (also implicit) in the current APDL le.

13 / 25

Structure your variable assignments


Move the cursor to a variable denition paragraph or mark (here in
yellow) some denitions and type C-c C-a to align them.

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Use the Emacs integrated, programmable RPN calculator


Type C-x * * to open the calculator, type y for pasting results
directly into the APDL le. q to quit the `Emacs Calc' windows.

15 / 25

Debug your code interactively with the solver (Gnu/Linux)


You can run the ANSYS solver/interpreter under Emacs and send
code lines from the APDL window (above) with C-c C-c directly to
this process. Below you get an interactive solver output window
and on the left hand side the corresponding ANSYS graphics.

16 / 25

Display the license status and graphics on Gnu/Linux


In Emacs' mid-section you see the license state (C-c C-l) and left
Emacs window (below) a thumbnail view of images from a folder.

17 / 25

Arrange the ANSYS-Mode windows to your needs


The image shows an Emacs 23.2 frame (in reversed colour mode and compiled with the
GTK+ toolkit under Gnu/Linux) with a ripped o ANSYS menu eld

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Congure system dependent aspects and user options


The mode comes pre-congured for a default installation of ANSYS
14.5 for Win64. If a functionality is missing please adjust either of:
The well commented
conguration le default.el

. . . and restart Emacs.

19 / 25

Congure system dependent aspects and user options


The mode comes pre-congured for a default installation of ANSYS
14.5 for Win64. If a functionality is missing please adjust either of:
The well commented
conguration le default.el

Or change the settings with


Emacs' customisation system

. . . and restart Emacs.

. . . and reload ANSYS-Mode.

19 / 25

Get to know Emacs and check out its tutorial


Newcomers to Emacs should take the excellent guided online tour
to get a background of its capabilities and re up the interactive
tutorial (C-h t) which is translated to various languages.

20 / 25

Use the ANSYS-Mode built-in documentation


Please type C-h m for the ANSYS-Mode help, especially for the
usage and keybindings of this mode. At the beginning is also a brief
introduction of basic Emacs concepts.

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You might read further ANSYS-Mode documentation


I

Hands-on tutorial:
You will nd this more in-depth tutorial included in the mode's
archives on Google Code's download page or online.
Installation:
More detailed instructions are necessary if you are not using
the mode bundled with Emacs for Windows. Please have a
look in the README le. For an online version see the
ANSYS-Mode page at the EmacsWiki.
News and project history:
They are placed in the mode's accompanying NEWS le
Licensing and costs:
This is free and open software, there are no costs and
eectively no restrictions for you using Emacs and
ANSYS-Mode also commerically. Both are under the GPL
(Gnu Puplic License) described in the LICENSE le.
22 / 25

Search for help, report bugs and issues


Besides the documentation, have a look in the section `Issues and
bug reports' at Google's Code site or send an email to the
maintainer. Please use the ANSYS-Mode bug report functionality,
which might provide helpful status information.

23 / 25

Use ANSYS-Mode appropriate to your needs


The relevance of APDL remains tall: `WorkBench' operates

exclusively

the ANSYS solver

with it! While for many applications WorkBench is taking over the code authoring part
from the user, for a

true understanding of this tool the study of APDL is still prerequisite.


repetitive tasks and command snippets, extending WB.

Moreover, code APDL only for

Basic APDL viewer


Navigating in WB solver input les, discerning relevant information
through highlighting, quickly analysing APDL commands with the
built-in help or studying their detailed help in your browser.
Earnest APDL editor
Shortcut keybindings, outlining, code templates, completions,
auto-indentation, abbreviations, auto-insertion.
Advanced APDL environment
Solver communication/feedback - hybrid between coding and
debugging (Gnu/Linux only), retrieving license states, error le
viewing, abort le handling, extending APDL templates, . . .
24 / 25

Last slide of the ANSYS-Mode tutorial


Hint for the curious:

25 / 25

Last slide of the ANSYS-Mode tutorial


Hint for the curious:
Thank you for your time
getting acquainted with
ANSYS-Mode!
Have fun. . .

25 / 25

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