ACT Basics

2011 ANSYS, Inc.

December 3, 2012

Agenda
ACT Overview
Extensions Menu

Extensions Options
Extension Basics

Extension Types
Understanding an example extension

Q/A
2

2011 ANSYS, Inc.

December 3, 2012

What is ACT?
ACT enables to develop customization to capture knowhow, expertise, process, legacy tools within
ANSYS Mechanical environment in order to take advantage of:
A unified and consistent workflow
A consolidated user environment that facilitates ease of use

Based on 10 years experience in Customization

Similar in concept to APDL, but for the Mechanical GUI
An add-on module to the Workbench Environment based on Python and XML
Programming is interactive/interpretive
Like APDL (in MAPDL), allows you (in Workbench Mechanical Application) to:
get, modify, and put data
Add new capabilities
Encapsulate process flow
Automate repetitive tasks
Integrates with external processes and codes
Be creative

2011 ANSYS, Inc.

December 3, 2012

What ACT offers

Encapsulate APDL macros: Allows re-use of legacy APDL

scripts enabling transition to Mechanical application

MAPDL exposure: Fills the gap between MAPDL solver
capabilities and their exposure in ANSYS Mechanical
New pre-processing features (custom loads and boundary
conditions)
New post-processing features (custom results)
In-house solver integration (Mechanical GUI)

2011 ANSYS, Inc.

December 3, 2012

ACT entry points in Mechanical

How standard Mechanical works:

When user solves an analysis in Mechanical ,

the following things happen
1. All items in the tree (Mesh, Contacts,
Solver settings, Loads etc.) are converted
to APDL commands written as ds.dat
2. MAPDL is invoked in background,
consumes this "ds.dat" and writes out the
result to file.rst
3. Mechanical reads back the result (file.rst)
and displays contours/vectors etc.

Where ACT comes into picture:

Mostly ACT comes into picture in step-1 and 3

ACT comes into picture in step-2 when one
uses in-house/3rd party solver (instead of
default MAPDL)
5

2011 ANSYS, Inc.

December 3, 2012

ACT entry points in Mechanical

How ACT affects the step-1:

Custom loads created via ACT also need to be

translated as APDL commands to go into
ds.dat
Using Python APIs, user access all the data
(geometry, mesh, other data, inputs in
custom load etc.) and generates the desired
APDL commands

ACT provides a lot of control in accessing the

data and where the additional commands
need to go into the ds.dat

This part requires knowledge of APDL

commands

2011 ANSYS, Inc.

December 3, 2012

(2)

ACT entry points in Mechanical

How ACT affects the step-3:

Once, the results are available (from file.rst),

custom result object created via ACT access

those results using ACT Python APIs
ACT provides the mechanism to generate
scalar/vector/tensor results at
nodes/elements by using the available results

One can use external code along with the

Python APIs, to generate required results

APDL commands are NOT required

Although, optionally one can use APDL
commands to generate required results
This approach is less efficient compared
to using ACT Python APIs directly

2011 ANSYS, Inc.

December 3, 2012

(3)

ACT entry points in Mechanical

How ACT affects the step-2:

In this step, user can invoke any in-house or

3rd part solver (instead of MAPDL) for the
solution
This step is not of any importance when one
uses the standard MAPDL solver

One can essentially create his own input file

format (instead of "ds.dat" for MAPDL) from
the items in the tree

ACT provides the mechanism and controls in

writing the input, invoking external solver and
reading results back

As the solver is not MAPDL, APDL commands

are NOT required
8

2011 ANSYS, Inc.

December 3, 2012

(4)

What more
Apart from the 3 steps, ACT also provides access to:

Mechanical Graphics for

Displaying desired information (e.g. drawing lines, surfaces, texts etc.)
Displaying load variation (for an custom load)

Mechanical Application for

Invoking JScript commands for performing automation etc.
Publishing warning/errors from ACT objects

Workbench application for

Access to Engineering Data
Invoking Python commands to get data, or perform automation etc.

External Python modules for many different purposes, e.g.

Displaying GUI panels,
Plotting graphs etc.
9

2011 ANSYS, Inc.

December 3, 2012

ACT and JScript

Scope of ACT is NOT to replace JScript automation inside Mechanical
ACT creates a set of new customization possibilities on top of JScript automation methods
ACT typically adds new pre-processing and post-processing features

JScript can leverage new features exposed via ACT

ACT can also leverage the JScript macros for automating existing features

Examples:
In your workflow, you want to automatically insert a few mesh controls and already
available boundary conditions [fixed support, pressure load etc.]
You will use JScript macros to automate [as these features already exist in standard
Mechanical]
In your workflow, you want to expose some new type load [e.g. super-element,
acoustics loads etc.] or functionality [typically for users to use interactively]
You will use ACT to add these features *as they dont exist in standard Mechanical+
In your workflow, you want to expose some new features and automate existing and
these new features
You will use ACT to expose the new features.
You will use JScript to automate the new and existing features

10

2011 ANSYS, Inc.

December 3, 2012

Typical Use Case

Super user develops (e.g.:
tools/methods group) an
ACT-based extension that
encapsulates expertise,
know how and provides it
to everyday user for
expanded usage of
simulation within the
customers organization

11

2011 ANSYS, Inc.

December 3, 2012

ACT Components
ACT Module (the development toolkit)

Used to create ACT-based customizations or extensions

License managed (ACT license)
Maintained and supported by ANSYS
ACT Extensions (the resulting customizations)

12

What becomes visible to the end-user in the GUI (similar to UDF)

At R14.5, created extension under binary format (no license)
Outside of ANSYSs standard support model
Don't need a license (beyond the one to run ANSYS Mechanical) to run the
extensions

2011 ANSYS, Inc.

December 3, 2012

ACT Extension Development and Use

Typically, Super users (e.g.: tools or methods group) need to standardize a simulation
process. This involves:
Need to create new features (not existing in Mechanical already)
Need to automate existing and new features in Mechanical
Use of other Workbench capabilities such as CAD Connection, DP/DX, Meshing etc.

Also, there is need to:

Reduce learning curve for new engineers (not have to be APDL experts)
Avoid a solution where user
Can deviate from the standard process
Or, has to change things and adapt to his/her needs
Be able to upgrade the solution and deploy it easily
Avoid multiple versions etc.
An ACT based customization addresses all these requirements very well.

A Super user develops an ACT-based extension that encapsulates expertise, know how
And provides it to everyday user for a larger usage of simulation within the organization
A Super user needs ACT development module to develop extensions
The everyday user doesnt need ACT development module for using the extensions
13

2011 ANSYS, Inc.

December 3, 2012

ACT Extension Basics

An ACT extension consists at least of
One XML file
Configures the UI content
Defines the extensions properties
Binds application events to IronPython
script functions.
Configures behaviors for custom loads and
results.

One IronPython script file

Implements the extensions functionality
Event driven
Functions are invoked by application generated events
Supports access to external libraries
The script file is typically placed in a folder named with the same name as the XML file

One may have additional files/folders to organize the content better

E.g. a separate folder for images, other resources etc.
An extension can potentially be made of additional components
E.g. external Python libraries or even C# code
14

2011 ANSYS, Inc.

December 3, 2012

Extensions Menu
The Extensions option is
available in the menu bar of
the project page
Extension Manager to Load /
Unload available extensions
Install extensions
View log file to review
messages generated
from the extensions

Build binary extensions

!
15

2011 ANSYS, Inc.

December 3, 2012

No additional installation is
required for ACT module
ACT module is installed
along with Workbench 14.5

ACT Extension Types

The ACT handles two different types of extensions

Scripted extensions
Used during the development phase
Need the ANSYS Customization Suite license to use
Made of .XML and IronPython functions

Binary extensions
Provided by the developer to the users (once the
extension is completed)
Doesn't need a license (beyond the one to run ANSYS
Mechanical) to use
Result of the Build Binary Extension for one
scripted extension .WBEX file
This .WBEX [WorkBench EXtension] file is installed
from Extensions menu
16

2011 ANSYS, Inc.

December 3, 2012

Loading ACT extensions

Extensions are loaded with an application if they are pre-selected in the Workbench
Extension Manager tool

This pre-selection is done automatically for extensions that were loaded and saved
with the project

Extensions are listed by type: binary or scripted

17

2011 ANSYS, Inc.

December 3, 2012

Install Binary Extension

Extension gets installed in the current users Application Data (%appdata%) folder
Installation also creates a new folder in addition to the WBEX file

Both the folder and the WBEX file are necessary for the extension to work

!
18

Dont keep the same extension as both script and binary form
Only one will be loaded based on the path priority
2011 ANSYS, Inc.

December 3, 2012

Building Binary Extension

A binary format extension is not be readable by any other user
The resulted .WBEX file contains all the necessary files/directories of the extension

19

2011 ANSYS, Inc.

December 3, 2012

Building Binary ACT extensions

Three security levels are available:
Can copy extension to project: each time a user asks to save this extension with a
project, the extension itself is copied into the project and consequently is
available each time this project is opened. This extension can also be used with
other projects.
Can copy extension to project but locked to this one: the extension can be saved
within a project, as with the previous option, but the use of the extension is
limited to the current project. If a user opens a new project, this extension is not
available.
Cant copy extension to project: the extension is not saved with the project and
is not shared with other users with the project. Note that the extension can be
sent in addition to the project.

Note: These security options only apply if the user wants to save the
extension with the project, and are otherwise not applicable.
20

2011 ANSYS, Inc.

December 3, 2012

Extensions Options

Automatically load the specified

extensions each time ANSYS
Workbench is launched
Define additional folders in which
ACT will search for extensions in
order to expose them in the
Extension Manager
Exposes two additional features in
Mechanical to help debug the
extension under development
21

2011 ANSYS, Inc.

December 3, 2012

Reloads the extension

and updates Mechanical
(without having to close it
and reopen)
Opens the ACT log file

Demo
Enable/Disable extension
Extension information is stored in the Project
File/Folder structure of an example extension

22

2011 ANSYS, Inc.

December 3, 2012

An example ACT extension

The <extension> element contains the version

and name attributes for this extension

<interface>
expanded

The <script> element contains the src attribute.

Defines the path to the iron python script file.
<interface> is the parent element for custom UI
controls It contains the applications context
attribute.
The <images> element value defines the location
of icon files used for UI customizations
The <callbacks> element is parent to
event/function mapping elements
The <toolbar> element defines a toolbar and its
properties

23

2011 ANSYS, Inc.

December 3, 2012

An example ACT extension

The <callbacks> element is parent to

event/function mapping nodes

The <toolbar> element defines a toolbar and its

properties

24

2011 ANSYS, Inc.

December 3, 2012

(2)

The <oninit> element has a Python function

name to be called when the interface is initialized

The <entry> element defines a toolbar button

and its properties
The <onclick> element has a Python function
name to be called when this button is clicked

An example ACT extension

25

2011 ANSYS, Inc.

December 3, 2012

(3)

Demo
Build a binary extension
Installing a binary extension from WB Project page

26

2011 ANSYS, Inc.

December 3, 2012

Q/A

27

2011 ANSYS, Inc.

December 3, 2012