Using the Command Line

The EDEM Command Line has the same flags for both Windows and Linux:

edem.exe -–console –i “input.dem” [processing flags][post-processing flags]

When using EDEM from the command line, the help can be displayed using:

edem.exe -h

Flags will not change the deck itself. The simulator will run with the defined parameters from the command line, but will not change the simulator settings defined in the EDEM interface.

Required Flags

Switch	Description
-f/-i <string>	Input deck.

Processing Flags

The processing flags set the simulator options such as simulation time, time step, and number of processors. You can also specify the license server to use from the command line. If you do not specify any processing flags, the value stored in the simulation deck will be used. If there is no value saved in the simulation deck then the default value will be used.

Switch	Description
-c/--console/--script	Run EDEM in console-only mode.
-r/--run-time <double>	Total run time, default value = 1.
-w/--write-out <double>	Write out interval, default value = 1e-05.
-g/--cell-size <double>	Grid cell size (R min), default value = 2.
-t/--time-step <double>	Time step, default value is 1.0e-06. Set to 0 to enable auto time step.
-p/--processors <int>	Number of processors, default value = 1.
-R/--rewind	Rewind the simulation to the beginning.
--particle-properties	Recalculate the particle properties for all materials.
-E/--engine [0\|1\|2]	0=CPU Solver, 1=GPU OpenCL Solver, 2=GPU CUDA Solver. Default is 0.
-D --device [0\|1\|...]	Device index. + can be used for multi-device, such as 0+1.
--particle-properties	Recalculates the particle properties (mass/inertia) for all materials. Applicable if particle properties have been modified by an external program.
-n/--steps-total <int>	Run the simulation for given number of steps.
--wait-processor-key	EDEM will wait if no processor keys are available and start the simulation when CPU licenses are free. (legacy only)
--dyn [0\|1]	Enable the dynamic domain. See example.
--dyn-interval <double>	Set the dynamic domain check interval, default value is 0.1 s.
--dyn-check <int>	Set the dynamic domain number of checks, default value is 3.
--dyn-disp <double>	Set the dynamic domain particle displacement, default value is 10% of R min.
--gpu-split <string>	Set gpu splitting axis, default value is X.
--wait-license-key	Wait for license keys (CPU, GPU, API and Couplings) until they are available. (legacy only)
--simExport	Export data per write out interval. Must match name of Text Export within configuration file.
--compress-data	Run the simulation with compressed data turned on/off 0=Disable or 1=Enable data compression. Default is machine compression setting unless already set in simulation.
--acd	Run the simulation with alternative contact detection method on/off 0=Disable or 1=Enable alternative contact detection on GPU. Default is off unless already set in simulation
--precision	Change the solver precision. 0=Double, 1=Single precision, 2=Hybrid
--fma	Enable FMA optimizations for GPU solvers. 0=Disabled 1=Enabled

Post-Processing Flags

Use the post-processing flags to specify data export parameters. You can either specify the type of data to export (all, particle, geometry, etc.) or specify your simulation’s configuration file.

If you want to export data from the command line, first select File > Export > Results Data from the Analyst to set the path and filename to export to and the queries required.

Switch

Description

-e/--export [A|P|G|C|K] <string>

Type of data to export and filename (.csv)

A - Export all data

P - Export particle data

G - Export geometry data

C - Export contact data

K - Export collision data

See example

-e <string>

Filename of EDEM .dfg file which specifies data to export.

Miscellaneous Flags

EDEM contains additional flags which can be useful in certain situations.

Switch	Description
-?/-h/--help	Display options.
-v/--version	Display version.
--no-free	<Windows> Do not free EDEM from console in GUI mode.
--file-logger <string>	Print all output logs to file.
--server-dialog	Show server selection dialog.
-S/--server <string>	Set the license server to the specified string. This is instance specific-it will not update the default license server.
--cs	Enable the EDEM coupling server.
--auto-grid	Enable Auto Grid resizing.
--wait	Prevents connection clean-up after coupled simulation.
-L/--legacy-display	Use legacy graphics.
-s/--sim	Open EDEM in ‘Simulator Only’ mode.
-convert <string>	Converted simulation deck destination.
--rg	Replace geometry see example.

Stopping Command Line Simulations

A command line simulation will run until the simulation end time is reached, either set in the Simulator or via the -t flag.
In addition users can stop a command line simulation by creating a <simulation_name>.dem.stop file in the same folder as the simulation_name.dem file.