HyperWorks Startup Options

Startup options launch HyperWorks with specific behaviors or with specific settings defined.

The options are provided as command line options to the application executable or startup script.

runhwx (Windows only)

Deduces the HyperWorks environment, sets the proper environment variables, such as PATH and HW_ROOTDIR, and then launches the hwx executable, or another hw executable if specified. The environment is generally deduced based on the executable's location, however see the options below for exceptions and details. All command line options received by runhwx are passed to the second executable, unless specified otherwise. See below. By default, this executable is located in hw/unity/bin/PLATFORM or hw/hwx/bin/PLATFORM, but it may also be placed into hw/hw/bin/PLATFORM.

runhwx <ARGS> <EXECUTABLE>

<ARGS> are:

Argument Alternate Option Description
-aa -allArguments <bool> Input is a boolean, 0 or 1.

Indicates which command line arguments to pass to the second executable.

1
All arguments are passed. This is the default.
0
If the second executable is specified with -ex, don't pass to it any command line arguments that precede -ex, the argument -ex itself, and the argument -aa itself. Only arguments after -ex's value, minus -aa, are passed. If the second executable is not specified with -ex, none of the arguments are passed.
-cfg     Run the child process, that is, hwx or the other executable, in the foreground, synchronously. That is, wait for it to shut down before shutting down runhwx. If this option is not specified, runhwx is shut down as soon as the child process starts.
-ef -emvfile <file> The path to an environment file must be passed as an argument. The path must be either absolute or relative to the executable. Each line in the file must be of the format ENV_VAR_NAME=ENV_VAR_VALUE. Every environment variable called ENV_VAR_NAME will be set to the value ENV_VAR_VALUE before running HyperWorks. Each line is processed as follows:

The first equal sign in the line is the separator between variable name and value. Any subsequent equal signs are seen as part of the value.

All whitespace from the beginning and end of the line and around the equal sign is stripped. All other whitespace is considered part of the var name or value and is left as is. There is no need to quote values that contain spaces. In fact, if you do quote, the quotes will end up as part of the variable's name or value.

For example, this line:
ABCD =ef =gh
will cause the env var called "ABCD" to be set to the value "ef =gh".

And this line:
IJK="lmn"
will cause the env var called "IJK" to be set to the value ""lmn"", the internal set of quotes as part of the value.

To unset a var, use an assignment with nothing after the equal char:
VAR_NAME=

Several special env vars (PATH, PLATFORM, HW_ROOTDIR, ALTAIR_HOME, HW_UNITY_ROOTDIR) may not be modified using -ef.

If the value is a path, it may contain other, already defined path referencing env vars, preceded by $ and ended by / or end of line. For example:

MY_PATH=$HW_ROOTDIR/hwx/bin/$PLATFORM

-ex -executable <exe> The name or path to the executable to run. May be either a full path or relative. If the value does not end with ".exe", ".exe" it is automatically appended before processing. After that, it tries to interpret the name in the following order:
  • Exactly as is, if it is an absolute path
  • Relative to unity/hwx bin dir
  • Relative to hw bin dir
  • Relative to unity/hwx root dir
  • Relative to hw root dir

If none of the above works, an error is generated. If this option is not specified, the executable is assumed to be hwx.exe in the unity/hwx bin directory.

-so -shellOpen   If this option is specified, it will try to open the file provided with the -o option using an already running instance of hwx.exe or another executable. If it is not named hwx.exe, specify the name using -ex. This option must appear before -o and after -ex in the command line.
-useAltairHomeEnv     If this option is specified, the ALTAIR_HOME environment variable is assumed to be already in the environment, and will be used to initialize everything else. If this option is not specified (default), the environment will be deduced from the runhwx executable location.

hwx

Argument Alternate Option Description
-f -file <file> Runs a script specified by the file. Requires absolute file paths as argument (separated by ',').
-help     Displays the list of command line options used with hwx and runhwx.
-lc -logconsole   Flag to indicate whether to log messages to console.
-ll -loglevel <int> Minimum level of the log messages that can be logged. An integer corresponding to the LogLevel enum should be passed as an argument.
-nal -noAutoLoad   Flag to indicate not to auto-load plugins.
-p -plugin <string> Load the specified plugins. Requires the names of plugins (separated by ',') as argument.
-v -version <string> Version to be used in the path of the settings file directory. (A directory and file created by HyperWorks for each user to store his or her personalized settings.)
-lch     This argument is valid in batch mode only. This option is used to specify that HyperWorks should just launch the client help and exit. The options -pr, -prver, and -c should also be specified along with this.
-hm2go     This option is valid only if specified along with -lch. This is used to specify whether to use HM2GO or not while launching help. You can specify "0" to not use HM2GO and "1" to use HM2GO. By default HM2GO is used.
-prver   <string> This option is valid only if specified along with -lch. This is used to specify the client profile's version.
-tv   <string> This option will change the theme version used by the framework (for example: -tv 2019).
-s -size <string> This option will specify the width and height of the window at launch. Use Width x Height (for example: -s 800x600).
Argument Alternate Option Description
-c -client <string> Loads the specified client and creates a client object. Client name should be passed as argument.
-kc -keepconsole   Keep open the Windows command console and write any text messages into it. By default, the release builds always release the console and discard text messages. Unnecessary if a batch mode option (-b, -batch, -shell) was specified. Windows only. Ignored on other platforms.
-l -locale <string> Internationalization language. The language should be passed as an argument. Generally, only used during the first run. Subsequent runs will use the language used in the previous run, as stored in personalized settings, see -v, so this argument will be ignored.
-ngs     Flag indicating not so show the getting started dialog.
-ns -nosplash   Flag indicating not to show the splash screen.
-o -open <file> Open the specified file with the given client. Should be used along with the -client option. Absolute file path should be passed as argument.
-port   <int> Port number of the server. Should be used along with the -server option. Port number should be specified by argument.
-pr -profile <string> Set the given profile for the current client object. Should be used along with the -client option. Profile name should be passed as argument.
-server     Run HyperWorks in Server mode in a different thread.
-sf -splashfile <file> Specify the file to be used as splash screen. Absolute file path or file path relative unity/hwx dir should be passed as argument. This is deprecated since switching to the splash.xml support.
-gvi -generateversionimage <file> Specify the file to be generated for the installer splash screen using the config/splash.xml file to compose a splash screen and exit.
-style     Flag to indicate not to use Unity style

HyperWorks Framework

Argument Option Description
-?   Print out the HyperWorks usage message.
-clientconfig <file> Specifies the client configuration file to load, which defines the client that is loaded and which clients are available. If no file is specified, the default clients.dat file is used.
hwfepre.dat
HyperMesh
hwmbdmodel.dat
MotionView
hwplot.dat
HyperGraph 2D
hwplot3D.dat
HyperGraph 3D
hwpost.dat
HyperView
hwtext.dat
TextView
hwvideo.dat
MediaView
-diag <bool> Used to set a diagnostic state for the application.
-f <file> Loads the specified file when starting a session. This may be an .mvw file or a file specific to the default client.
-h   Print out the HyperWorks usage message.
-help   Print out the HyperWorks usage message.
-hwc <file> Automatically runs the specified HWC script.
Note: There is a space between -hwc and the filename.

For example: -hwc c:/temp/demo.hwc.

-landscape   Used in conjunction with the -p option to print all pages in a landscape orientation.
-p <file> [ps_file] <mvw_file> [ps_file]

Prints all pages in the mvw_file with the specified orientation. If ps_file is specified, instead of going to the printer, the pages are printed to a Postscript file named ps_file.

-portrait   Used in conjunction with the -p option to print all pages in a portrait orientation.
-s <string> <width> x <height> + <x> + <y>

Opens HyperWorks in a window of the specified width and height in pixels.

-tcl <file> Automatically runs the specified Tcl script.
Note: There is a space between -tcl and the filename.

For example: -tcl c:/temp/demo.tcl.

-version   Print the HyperWorks version.
-wait   Used in conjunction with the -b option to wait for a key press before exiting if running under Windows.
-qa   Used to allow test harnesses to disable pop-up dialogs which interfere with command-driven tests.

HyperMesh

Argument Option Description
-a <subprofile_name> Used in conjunction with -u<profile> to specify a user profile sub-profile at startup.
Note: There is no space between -a and the subprofile name.

For example: -uAbaqus -aStandard3d

-c <command_filename> Automatically run the specified command file.
Note: There is no space between -c and the filename.
-continue   Always continue (do not prompt) on errors when processing a command file.
-<filename>   Automatically load the specified .hm file.
-g   Force the display of the User Profile dialog at startup.
-h   Print out the HyperMesh usage message.
-nocommand <string> Prevent HyperMesh from creating or writing to the command.tcl file
-nouserprofiledialog   Prevent the display of the User Profile dialog at startup.
-nowriteviewcommands   Prevent HyperMesh from writing view commands to the command.tcl file.
-r <result_filename> Set the name of the HyperMesh results file to either the input filename with a .res suffix, or to the specified file.
Note: There is no space between -r and the filename.
-s <width> x <height> + <x> + <y> Opens HyperMesh in a window of the specified width and height in pixels. Optionally, the x and y location of the upper left corner of the window can be specified.
Note: There is no space between -s and any of the arguments
-templex   Allow Templex statements within command files.
-t <template_filename> Set the global template to the specified file.
Note: There is no space between -s and the filename.
-tcl <tcl_filename> Automatically run the specified Tcl script.
-u <profile_name> Used to specify a user profile at startup.
Note: There is no space between -u and the profile name.
-version   Prints the HyperMesh version.

Example: Startup Options

Windows
<altair_home>/hw/bin/<platform>/hw.exe -clientconfig hwfepre.dat -tcl /home/user/my_script.tcl
Linux
<altair_home>/altair/scripts/hw -clientconfig hwfepre.dat -tcl /home/user/my_script.tcl