Using the ACSI graphical user interface

The distribution includes a simple self-explanatory graphical user interface (GUI) designed to help creating and editing configuration files and to launch a co-simulation.

To create a new configuration file, use the File → Create New Configuration option from the Main menu. This action will create a configuration file with default values. The File menu also allows saving and reading existing configuration files.

The GUI is divided into two sections. The top one has three panels and the bottom one has one display panel for messages. On the top left panel there is a tree view showing the Main script options and the Processes script options. Clicking the Main options, shows the main co-simulation options on the second panel from the left. Those are the global configuration directives described above. Here you have the options for error control and interpolation/extrapolation algorithms and so on.

Clicking the Adams option on the tree view, the GUI displays the current configuration directives for the Adams process on the second panel from the left. All options in this panel are described above. Clicking a Marc option on the tree view, the GUI displays the current options for the first Marc process. Marc processes are numbered. Similarly, an EDEM process will show its corresponding properties.

The Edit menu has options to add and remove co-simulating processes as needed. Notice there is only one Adams process allowed.

When either process properties are displayed, the top right panel will display the interactions and corresponding interaction data. Fill in the data for the interactions as described in this document. Other options in the Edit menu allow you to create and delete interactions.

The Run menu option can be used to launch the co-simulation. Follow the prompts to start the co-simulating processes. The first prompt will ask you to launch the Adams process; at that point you need to manually launch the Adams process. If the Adams process starts successfully, handshaking messages will be displayed acknowledging the communication between the processes. If you have co-simulating Marc codes, you will be prompted to launch the Marc processes one by one. The tool will display messages acknowledging the communication between the processes. If you have a co-simulating EDEM model, launch the EDEM model following the instructions for EDEM models.