Configuration File

OptiStruct configuration files may be used to establish default settings for 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 (Run OptiStruct), Bulk Data Entry (The Input File), or command line argument (Run Options).

File Location

The configuration file allows default settings to be established on the five different levels listed below in increasing order of hierarchy.

  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 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 Altair Simulation 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.

Entries and Format

Entries recognized in the configuration file. 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 Entry 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 (Bulk Data Guidelines).
Entry Argument Description
DOS_DRIVE_$ <path> Same as DOS_DRIVE_$ environment variable (Run OptiStruct).
SYNTAX <ALLOWINT, STRICT> Same as SYNTAX in the SYSSETTING I/O Options Entry.
SPSYNTAX <STRICT, CHECK, MIXED> Same as SPSYNTAX in the SYSSETTING I/O Options Entry.
CORE <OFF, AUTO, IN, OUT, MMIN> Same as the -core run option in Run Options.
SAVEFILE <ALL, OUT, NONE> Same as SAVEFILE in the SYSSETTING I/O Options Entry.
RAMDISK Integer Same as RAMDISK in the SYSSETTING I/O Options Entry.
SKIP10FIELD <CHECK, WARN> Same as SKIP10FIELD in the SYSSETTING I/O Options Entry.
CARDLENGTH Integer Same as CARDLENGTH in the SYSSETTING I/O Options Entry.
TABSTOPS Integer Used to change the default tab length from 8 to another value.
INCPATH <path> Same as the –incpath run option in Run Options.
MAXLEN Integer Used to define the maximum allowable amount of memory to be used in MB.

No default.
MAXRATIO Value, option

Value: <Real>

Option: <ERROR>

Same as MAXRATIO in the SYSSETTING I/O Options Entry.
MDSDIR <path> Path to the location of the Altair Multiscale Designer™ installation. For more information, refer to the MDSDIR I/O Entry.
MINLEN Integer Used to define the initial memory allocation in MB.

The default is 10% of OS_RAM.
BUFFSIZE Integer Default = 65537 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 Entry section.
ASSIGN, UPDATE, filename Various See ASSIGN in the I/O Options Entry section.
OS_RAM RAM in Mbytes Same as OS_RAM in the SYSSETTING I/O Options Entry.

Default = 8000 MB
PLOTELID <UNIQUE, ALLOWFIX> Same as PLOTELID in the SYSSETTING I/O Options Entry.
RAM_SAFETY_FACTOR Multiplier Same as -rsf option for running from the script (Run Options).
FORMAT <HM, H3D, ASCII, OPTI, OS, NASTRAN, PUNCH, O2, OUT2, OUTPUT2, PATRAN, APATRAN> Same as I/O Options Entry FORMAT.
SCREEN <OUT, LOG, NONE> Same as I/O Options Entry SCREEN.
TMPDIR <path> Same as I/O Options Entry TMPDIR.
SCRFMODE <BASIC, BUFFERED, UNBUFFER, STRIPE, MIXFCIO> Same as SCRFMODE in the SYSSETTING I/O Options Entry.
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.
SRCHDCLR <YES, NO> Same as SRCHDCLR in the SYSSETTING I/O Options Entry.
PRINFACC <0, 1> Same as PRINFACC option for Bulk Data Entry PARAM.
REFPNT <GEOM, CG> Same as REFPNT option for Bulk Data Entry PARAM.
UNKNDATA <WARN, ERROR> Same as UNKNDATA in the SYSSETTING I/O Options Entry.
TLOADMAT <0, 1, 2> Same as TLOADMAT in the SYSSETTING I/O Options Entry.