Preferences
Settings → Preferences
Manages Adams Car application settings. Refer Adams Car Preferences
General & Interface
Settings → Preferences → General & Interface
For the option: | Do the following: |
|---|---|
User Mode | Your access to the Standard Interface or Template Builder mode depends on your User Mode. Select one of the below: ■Standard - Standard users do not have access to the Template Builder, only to the Standard Interface. Therefore, the standard user cannot make topological modifications to templates, but can operate on subsystems, varying design parametrics and analysis inputs. ■Expert - Expert users have access to modeling capabilities available in the Template Builder. Therefore, expert users can open templates and modify their topological information, as well as create new templates. If you are an expert user, when you launch your Adams product, it prompts you to select either Standard Interface or Template Builder. The legacy environment variable for this preference is MDI_ACAR_USERMODE. |
Prompt for interface Mode | Selecting toggle button displays the Welcome dialog box; Unselecting toggle button turns off the display of the Welcome dialog box. The legacy environment variable for this preference is MDI_ACAR_MODEPROMPT. |
Allow Adams View Interface Access | The legacy environment variable for this preference is MDI_ACAR_PLUS_AVIEW. |
Default Side Preference | When you set the side preferences: ■The creation dialog box in the Template Builder sets the default type based on the side preference you set. ■The guesses available in the pop-up menus of dialog boxes are limited to either "left" and "single", "right" and "single", or "left", "right", and "single" entities depending on the preferred side. Your template-based product does this to limit the number of guesses. The legacy environment variable for this preference is MDI_ACAR_SIDE_PREF. |
Vehicle Axes | Select Left and Rear vehicle axis to set the orientation of the global reference frame using direction cosines The legacy environment variables for these preferences are MDI_ACAR_VEHICLE_LEFT and MDI_ACAR_VEHICLE_REAR. |
Use Text Editor to View Files | Use the specified Text Editor to view File Contents. The View Property File tool  , found in many dialog boxes, will launch a text editor instead of the Information window when this is set.The legacy environment variable for this preference is MDI_ACAR_SIDE_PREF. |
External Text Editor | Register an external text editor tool. Enter the full path (with "/" as separator) to an executable, including cmd-line arguments The legacy environment variable for this preference is MDI_ACAR_USE_EDITOR. |
External Text Diff Tool | Register an external differencing/comparison (Diff) Tool Enter the full path (with "/" as separator, including cmd-line arguments) to an executable The legacy environment variable for this preference is MSC_ACAR_EXTERNAL_DIFF. |
External Post-Processor | Enter the full path (with "/" as separator, including cmd-line arguments) to an executable The legacy environment variable for this preference is MSC_ACAR_EXTERNAL_POST. |
Assembly Submodel Order | Select one of the below options ■Testrig first: testrig will be copied to the assembly first ■Testrig last: testrig will be copied to the assembly last |
Database Management
File → Manage Databases → Database Management → Remove
For the option: | Do the following: |
|---|---|
Alias | Name by which the database will be referenced during the session. |
Type | Indicates if database was registered by ‘user’ or by ‘acar’ product |
Path | File system location of the database directory |
Create | Create a new database and add it to the Session |
Add | Add an existing database to the Session |
Remove | Remove the selected Database(s) from the Session |
Files & Backup
Settings → Preferences → File & Backup
For the option: | Do the following: |
|---|---|
Session File Auto-Save | Automatically saves database (.bin) at Auto Save intervals (minutes). Select one of below option: ■Off: No database saved ■On (Include Analyses): auto-save the entire database including analysis results which may increase the duration of these interruptions. ■On (Exclude Analyses): auto-save only the model(s) in the session and may reduce the duration of these interruptions. If the session ends unexpectedly, this recovery file will be available at the next software launch. Note that for large databases the auto-save can temporarily interrupt interactive work. The legacy environment variable for this preference is MDI_AUTO_SAVE |
Interval | Specify the number of minutes between which auto-save recovery files are written. The legacy environment variable for this preference is MDI_AUTO_SAVE_INTERVAL. |
Directory | Specify the location at which Adams stores recovery files generated when automatically saving session. The legacy environment variable for this preference is MDI_AUTO_SAVE_DIR. |
Back-up Files | By default, a pop-up confirmation window appears if you try to overwrite existing model or property files on disk. If this pop-up is disabled in the Messaging & Alerts category, then this setting controls what happens upon a file saving conflict. Controls the file backup action (if no pop-up) and default selection for the pop-up. Select one of below option: ■Yes: Create a backup ■No: Do not create a backup file The legacy environment variable for this preference is MSC_ACAR_FILE_BACKUP_DEFAULT. |
Max. Count | Enter the maximum number of backups Adams should generate for file operations. The legacy environment variable for this preference is MSC_ADAMS_MAX_BACKUPS. |
Save Temporary Objects (.asy,. sub) | Allows you to include objects created at the Assembly level (in Standard Car or View Interface) directly to the assembly file. Examples of objects to save are Vibration analyses and simulation scripts. This option is only available for ASCII and XML formatted assembly files, as binary assembly files already contain all assembly objects. The legacy environment variable for this preference is MSC_ACAR_SAVE_TEMPORARY_OBJECTS. |
Use multi-line formatting (.xml) | If the toggle button is selected, then use multiple lines per tag when saving xml property files – this affects human-readability of the xml property files. The legacy environment variable for this preference is MSC_MULTILINE_XML. |
Template Save Format (.tpl) | Select the file format Adams Car should use when saving new files to the target database: ■ASCII - Saves the file in human-readable character format. ■Binary - Saves the file in binary format. Adams Car reads binary format files much faster than ASCII format files. Therefore, opening assemblies in binary format is much faster. Learn about binary assemblies. ■EDS - Saves the file in the Enhanced Data Set format. Like the ASCII option, the EDS format is a human readable, platform-independent ASCII format. The EDS format was developed to better handle complex UDE’s. Note: One can interrogate objects’ EDS formatting by selecting “Information” mode in the Database Navigator. The legacy environment variable for this preference is MSC_ACAR_TPL_SAVE_FORMAT. |
Read Property Files during | Specifies at which point property files are read (or re-read). Property files can be read at selected points during the modeling process. You can control when property files are read by selecting one of: ■at analysis submission ■during subsystem open/update and object modify ■analysis submission, subsystem open & object modify The legacy environment variable for this preference is MSC_ACAR_READ_PROPERTY_FILES. |
Result File (*.res) | Sets the default behavior for result files produced by the Solver. When selected, the analysis results (.res) file is produced during simulation. A Results file is a comprehensive listing of all output time histories from a simulation. It can contain REQUEST data, Measure data, CONTACT incidents and all part kinematics. If the model includes a flexible body, your template-based product automatically outputs an analysis results file. The legacy environment variable for this preference is MDI_ACAR_WRITE_RES. |
Results File Content | Determines results file default content. Select one of the following options: ■Full ■Sparse ■Adaptive The legacy environment variable for this preference is MDI_ACAR_RES_OUTPUT. |
Graphics File (*.gra) | Sets the default behavior for graphics files produced by the Solver. Select this toggle if you want to output a Graphics file during simulation. Contains part transformations for animating with Adams Postprocessor. The Graphics file information is largely redundant in modern Adams versions as the Results file typically contains all information needed for animation. The legacy environment variable for this preference is MDI_ACAR_WRITE_GRA. |
Request File (*.req) | Sets the default behavior for request files produced by the Solver. Select this toggle if you want to output a Request file during simulation. It contains all data defined in REQUEST elements. REQUEST data appears, by default, in the Results file so a separate Request file is often not needed. The legacy environment variable for this preference is MDI_ACAR_WRITE_REQ. |
RPC File (*.rsp) | Sets the default behavior for RPC files produced by Solver Select this toggle if you want to output the RPC file. RPC file is a data file in RPCIII format The legacy environment variable for this preference is MDI_ACAR_WRITE_RPC. |
OGL File (*.ogl) | Sets the default behavior for OGL files produced by the Solver. Select this toggle if you want to output the OGL file. The FTire wheel/tire forces and deformations are stored in an .ogl file The legacy environment variable for this preference is MDI_ACAR_WRITE_OGL |
Name File (*.nam) | Sets the default behavior for name files produced by the Solver. Select this toggle if you want to output a name file. Contains Request and component name for request (.req) file. The legacy environment variable for this preference is MDI_ACAR_WRITE_NAM. |
MAT File (*.mat) | Sets the default behavior for MAT files produced by Solver Select this toggle if you want to output the MAT file. |
RGU File (*.rgu) | Sets the default behavior for RGU files produced by the Solver. Select this toggle if you want to output soft soil road deformation data in the .rgu format. When using FTire soft soil modelling, soil deformations can be visualized in Adams Postprocessor with this file. The legacy environment variable for this preference is MDI_ACAR_WRITE_RGU. |
Analysis Log File (.log) | Select if you want to set the default value of the Analysis Log File toggle on analysis submission dialogs. The Analysis Log File contains information about the assembled model and analysis to an Analysis Log File The legacy environment variable for this preference is MDI_ACAR_ANL_LOG. |
Select toggle buttons to control the contents of the analysis log file. Writes additional information about the components you specify to the analysis log file. You can select components like testrig, assembly, parts etc. None, Default, Subsystem buttons are shortcuts to help you in quick selection The legacy environment variable for this preference is MDI_ACAR_ANL_LOG1. | |
None | This is a shortcut button. By selecting this button, all components get deselected |
Default | This is a shortcut button. By selecting this button, only testrig, assembly and hardpoints components toggle buttons get selected |
Subsystem | This is a shortcut button. By selecting this button, all components toggle buttons are selected except testrig and assembly |
Save modified Subsystems | By default, a pop-up confirmation window appears if you save or close an assembly and modified subsystems are detected. The button corresponding to this to this setting will be selected). If this pop-up is disabled in the Messaging & Alerts category, then this setting controls whether modified subsystems are saved. |
Analysis & Job Control
Settings → Preferences → Analysis & Job Control
For the option: | Do the following: |
|---|---|
Default Analysis Mode | Select interactive, background, graphical, files or event only. If set, all dialog_box option menus named ‘o_analysis_mode’ will be set to that choice by default. The following choices are supported: interactive, graphical, background, files_only, event_only. Note: Currently, only a small subset of analyses (mostly suspension) support ‘graphical’. See Mode of Simulation: Interactive, Mode of Simulation: Graphical, Mode of Simulation: Background, Mode of Simulation: Files_only, Mode of Simulation: Event_only. MSC_ACAR_DEFAULT_ANALYSIS_MODE environment variable will be updated in your private configuration file if value is other than default value. |
Number of Parallel Solver jobs | Enter the number of parallel Adams Car Solver jobs to launch when submitting multi-runs. The legacy environment variable for this preference is MSC_ADAMS_NJOBS. |
Keep OS Command Shell | Activate to keep the command window open after simulation. The default is to close the command shell window. The legacy environment variable for this preference is MDI_PAUSE. |
Solver Command | Optionally, specify the Adams Car Solver Executable command to be used in the ACF Runner and when running acf files from the Event Browser. The legacy environment variable for this preference is MSC_ACAR_SOLVER_EXECUTABLE. |
Step size for Events | Enter default step size used for vehicle events. Specify the size of the Output Steps. The legacy environment variable for this preference is MSC_ACAR_VDM_STEPSIZE. Note: Step size is not populated until the end time or duration are filled in the event dialog box. The field does not get updated in the event dialog box if it already has a value, unless you switch to a different Step Size/Frequency/Number_of_Steps choice. |
Smart Road Visualization | Select this toggle if you want to enable smart handling of road graphics visualization. The legacy environment variable for this preference is MSC_ACAR_SMART_ROAD. |
Adjusts Belt Mass & Inertia | Select this toggle if you want to allow Adams Tire to adjust wheel mass & inertia for belt properties of FTire and PAC2002. The re-distribution of the mass and inertia can be switched off by unselecting this toggle button. The legacy environment variable for this preference is MSC_ADAMS_TIRE_DIS_M_AND_I. |
Event Set output Folder | When selected, on execution of an Event Set analysis, the ‘working directory’ will be set as follows: ■Events that belong to the ‘default’ event set will be simulated in the current working directory ■Events that belong to a ‘named’ event set will be simulated in an equally named sub-directory The legacy environment variable for this preference is MSC_ACAR_EVENT_USE_CWD. |
Solver ACF Failure Handling | Continue Solver ACF execution upon analysis failure. Select any one of the below: ■Stop ■No Stop ■Legacy The legacy environment variable for this preference is MSC_ACAR_SIM_FAIL |
Messaging & Alerts
Settings → Preferences →Messaging & Alerts
For the option: | Do the following: |
|---|---|
Alert Pop-up Countdown Duration | Control the default time, in seconds, that the popup waits before executing the default action. Default value is 0 sec which waits for a user selection indefinitely. Supports alert pop-up for Back-up Files. The legacy environment variable for this preference is MSC_ACAR_FILE_BACKUP_WAIT. |
Prompt to generate Model and Property File Back-ups | Controls the file backup warning popup. When selected, a warning box is displayed for the user if a model or property file save operation is overwriting an existing file. If not selected, then the warning does not appear and it proceeds with the action specified by the ‘Backup-up Files’ setting in the Files & Backup category. The legacy environment variable for this preference is MSC_ACAR_FILE_BACKUP_WARN |
Prompt to overwrite existing Events (Analysis Objects and Files) | Controls whether a prompt appears when overwriting existing Event data (simulation output) on disk. The legacy environment variable for this preference is MSC_ACAR_EVENT_OVERWRITE. |
Prompt to save modified Subsystems upon Assembly Save & Close | If selected, an Alert Pop-up prompts to confirm saving modified Subsystems upon Assembly Save |
Prompt to save Session or Model Files upon Application Exit | If selected, an Alert Pop-up prompts to confirm saving modified Model or Session Files on Exit |
Abort with an Error if the Subsystem specifies a non-existent node ID | If selected, Adams will abort opening the Subsystem if a non-existent Node ID is specified. If unselected, Adams will issue a warning and continue with the closest Node. The product default is to warn and continue. The legacy environment variable for this preference is MSC_ACAR_ERROR_ON_MISSING_NODE_ID. |
Warn if a Results File is needed for model objects | If selected, Adams will warn if results files are turned off, and the model contains objects that require it. If unselected, Adams will continue the analysis submission without a warning. The legacy environment variable for this preference is MDI_ACAR_RES_WARN. |
Post-Processing
Settings → Preferences → Post-Processing
For the option: | Do the following: |
|---|---|
External Post-Processor | Enter the full path (with "/" as separator, including cmd-line arguments) to an executable. The legacy environment variable for this preference is MSC_ACAR_EXTERNAL_POST |
Default Post-Processing Files | The default templates are listed for each event type, the values can be changed by entering a new filename in the Template file column or browsing which is done by clicking the button with “…” on it. In the table all, built in event are listed with categories according to the simulation menu entries. Also, user defined events (custom events) appear in the table. The name displayed for a custom event is automatically constructed from its class name but can be explicitly set if a variable DISPLAY_NAME is defined in the class. The subtype is derived from the type that the custom event inherits from, eg. chassis_event.SDIEvent or chassis_event.ChassisEvent but can be put in a subtype category (the text inside parenthesis) by defining the class variable EVENT_SUBTYPE. Example of custom events this can found in the folder: $topdir/acar/examples/custom_events |
Plot Templates | Lists the event name and the plot template for all registered events that supports a custom event. |
Report Templates | Lists the event name and the report template for all registered events that supports a custom event. |
Browse File Extension | Specifies the extensions for the browse dialog box for the template selection. Multiple extensions are possible to add using the semicolon as a separator. The extensions specified are saved to the .cfg file. |
For the tab Report Template: | |
User-Defined Report | |
Metrics Dictionary | Specify the comma separated file (.csv) specifying additional report metrics to be used. For the format refer to the file: $topdir/acar/examples/custom_events/acar_report_dictionary.csv |
Custom Environment
Settings → Preferences →Custom Environment
For the option: | Do the following: |
|---|---|
Name | Name of custom environment variable |
Value | Value of custom environment variable |
Add | Add a new Table Row to define an additional Custom Environment Variable. |
Remove | Remove the Custom Environment Variable(s) for the selected Table Row(s) |
Apply | Applies the modified Preferences to the current Session |