Free OpenFOAM GUI

[Jörg 29]

Hi together,

Please note that CAESES can be utilized as an OpenFOAM GUI (Graphical User Interface).

 

There are free academic versions of the CAESES pro edition for students and PhD students as well as trial licenses with flexible time frames. There are also special editions for small companies, start-ups and freelancers.

 

Compared to other tools in the market, CAESES is good at automation, i.e. if you already have an existing OpenFOAM setup and you want to analyze design variants of your product, then CAESES might be a perfect choice. Especially, if geometry variation plays a major role. In contrast to that, a tool such as HELYX-OS might be a better choice e.g. if you would like to set up an OpenFOAM case from scratch.

 

Here are some CAESES-specific offers:

• Conveniently configure and manipulate template files (e.g. controlDict or any other ASCII file) in the GUI
• Change your geometry design and trigger OpenFOAM with a single mouse-click for analysis (i.e. streamline your design process / automation)
• Use your individual result values such as pressure loss or homogeneity for an objective function in design studies and shape optimizations
• Postprocess your simulation data (streamlines, contour plots etc)

Here is a video that shows some of the features in CAESES.

Cheers
Joerg

 

 

LAST UPDATE FEBRUARY 2018

[Mr. James Hakes 0]

Hey Joerg

 

This may be due to my lack of understanding of Ubuntu and OpenFOAM, but I have been trying to run the Ahmed Body sample.

The part I have been struggling with is pointing CAESES to an OpenFOAM executable.

I understood that there was no single OpenFOAM program, but that it is a library of utlitlies and solvers?

 

Do you think you could give me a hint as to what to do next, where to find the OpenFOAM executable or do I point it to the solver executable?

 

cheers

 

James

[Mr. James Hakes 0]

Thanks for your help Matthias

 

Could not get it to run, below I have copied and pasted the output of the console.

 

 

*** INFO computation : preparing generic process ... [design: baseline]

*** INFO computation : writing generic command files ... [design: baseline]

*** INFO computation : generic process prepared [design: baseline]

*** INFO OpenFOAM STL Export : processing [exporting 1 object(s)]

*** INFO computation : running external process [/home/mid/Allrun in design baseline]

*** INFO LocalResourceManager : Updated permissions on external process file /home/mid/Allrun.

*** INFO computation : finished results [design: baseline]

*** INFO FGenIntReader : Could not open file /home/mid/Desktop/ahmedbody/manual_results/baseline/computation///forceCoeffs.dat for reading [parsing process aborted]

*** INFO FResultsGenInt : File read error [Failed to open file /home/mid/Desktop/ahmedbody/manual_results/baseline/computation/case.foam]

[Matthias Maasch 21]

Hi James,

 

can you please give me the output of the taskMonitor.

 

Cheers

 

Matthias

[Mr. Carsten Fuetterer 9]

Hi James,

 

please try to start CAESES from the terminal. This helped in my case.

 

Please post the stdouterroroutput.redirect file if there are still errors.

 

cheers

 

Carsten

[Mr. James Hakes 0]

I always run Caeses from inside the terminal, still doesn't work.

Im not sure what you mean by the task monitor, and I dont know where to find the stdouterroroutput.redirect file?

[Mr. Carsten Fuetterer 9]

ok,

 

then please post the error message. You can find this file in your project directory. See therefor the attached picture.

 

best regards

 

Carsten

 

[Mr. James Hakes 0]

Hey Carsten

 

I found i found the stdouterroroutput.redirect file and have copied it below.

 

Seems like it cant find where OpenFOAM library is located?

Moving /home/mid/Desktop/ahmedbody2/manual_results/baseline/computation//input/0 to /home/mid/Desktop/ahmedbody2/manual_results/baseline/computation//0
Moving /home/mid/Desktop/ahmedbody2/manual_results/baseline/computation//input/Allrun to /home/mid/Desktop/ahmedbody2/manual_results/baseline/computation//Allrun
Moving /home/mid/Desktop/ahmedbody2/manual_results/baseline/computation//input/constant to /home/mid/Desktop/ahmedbody2/manual_results/baseline/computation//constant
Moving /home/mid/Desktop/ahmedbody2/manual_results/baseline/computation//input/system to /home/mid/Desktop/ahmedbody2/manual_results/baseline/computation//system

[Captured output from application /home/mid/Allrun]

./Allrun: 3: .: Can't open /bin/tools/RunFunction

Thanks,

[Mr. Konrad Lorentz 2]

Hi James,

 

It seems to be a problem of OpenFOAM variable resolving!

 

Maybe you didn't setup your OpenFOAM environment before starting CAESES-FFW.

 

To do that:

- you can modify the CAESES-FFW.sh start script and add the following lines in the header (not in the first line, you need the shebang!)

- you can modify your  ~/.bashrc to have the environment settings in all your Terminals(note: you have to run the CAESES-FFW out of a terminal).

- you can  modify your  ~/.profile to have the environment settings for all your applications (even from the Desktop Icon, if you created one)

(-> please read for more details or find a man page for your distribution)

export FOAM_INST_DIR=/data/app/OpenFOAM
foamDotFile=$FOAM_INST_DIR/OpenFOAM-2.1.1/etc/bashrc
[ -f $foamDotFile ] && . $foamDotFile

With that setup you will always "source" (load) the required OpenFOAM environment before starting CAESES-FFW.

 

Otherwise the line in the script "Allrun" would not be succesful.

. $WM_PROJECT_DIR/bin/tools/RunFunctions

more installation help could be found here:

http://www.openfoam.org/archive/2.1.1/download/source.php

 

Regards

Konrad

[Jörg 29]

Hi,

 

This seems to be related:

 

http://www.friendship-systems.com/forum/index.php?/topic/125-software-connector-guide-to-set-an-executable-using-an-input-file/

[Mr. Jussi Kangas 0]

Hello

 

Im havin problen with openfoam connector.

I have workin isntall of openfoam 221, currently im using helyx os with it, but free version is limited and does not have modelling capabilities.

So CAESES would be berfect for my use, but Im having problem with connectin openfoam, im trying to run ahmedboby sample but im getting this error:

 

 

*** INFO computation : preparing generic process ... [design: baseline]

*** INFO computation : writing generic command files ... [design: baseline]

*** INFO computation : generic process prepared [design: baseline]

*** INFO Multi Body STL Export : processing [exporting 1 object(s)]

*** INFO computation : running external process [/home/jussi/tred/ahmedbody/manual_results/baseline/computation/input/Allrun in design baseline]

*** INFO LocalResourceManager : External process start failure. [Executable /home/jussi/tred/ahmedbody/manual_results/baseline/computation/input/Allrun could not be resolved to a valid file.]

*** INFO computation : finished results [design: baseline]

*** INFO FGenIntReader : Could not open file /home/jussi/tred/ahmedbody/manual_results/baseline/computation//postProcessing/forces/0/forceCoeffs.dat for reading [parsing process aborted]

*** INFO FResultsGenInt : File read error [Failed to open file /home/jussi/tred/ahmedbody/manual_results/baseline/computation/logs/Ux_0]

*** INFO FResultsGenInt : File read error [Failed to open file /home/jussi/tred/ahmedbody/manual_results/baseline/computation/logs/Uy_0]

*** INFO FResultsGenInt : File read error [Failed to open file /home/jussi/tred/ahmedbody/manual_results/baseline/computation/logs/Uz_0]

*** INFO FResultsGenInt : File read error [Failed to open file /home/jussi/tred/ahmedbody/manual_results/baseline/computation/case.foam]

*** INFO FResultsGenInt : File read error [Failed to open file /home/jussi/tred/ahmedbody/manual_results/baseline/computation/logs/contGlobal_0]

*** INFO FResultsGenInt : File read error [Failed to open file /home/jussi/tred/ahmedbody/manual_results/baseline/computation/logs/contLocal_0]

*** INFO FResultsGenInt : File read error [Failed to open file /home/jussi/tred/ahmedbody/manual_results/baseline/computation/logs/k_0]

*** INFO FResultsGenInt : File read error [Failed to open file /home/jussi/tred/ahmedbody/manual_results/baseline/computation/logs/omega_0]

*** INFO FResultsGenInt : File read error [Failed to open file /home/jussi/tred/ahmedbody/manual_results/baseline/computation/logs/p_0]

 

How to get started to solve what is going wrong?

[Mr. Carsten Fuetterer 9]

hi,

 

could you please post the stdouterroroutput.redirect file which you can find in /manual_results/baseline/computation/?

 

This is the first file you should check if something is going wrong.

 

cheers

 

Carsten

[Karsten Wenzke 12]

Hey Jussi,

 

Sorry for the late reply.

 

I assume you have read the project documentation and done this:

 

In order to initialize OpenFOAM, source your OpenFOAM dot-file before starting the CAESES/FFW from

the terminal or modify the loaction of the dot-file in the prepared stringparameter or the Allrun Script itself. 

To start the computation go to SoftwareConnector and start the application with a right click on the central element and then "Run".

 

You can also take a look in the Taskmonitor (you can find it on the right side of the CAESES window)

It contains the console output of the allrun script and openfoam.

 

You can also find two tutorials with an OpenFOAM integration.

Documentation > Tutorials > Integration

 

Does this help?

 

Cheers,

 

Karsten

[Mr. Alasdair Honeyman 0]

Hi,
I am having the same problem (I think). I have spent a week trying to solve this by myself but I really can't see the problem.

Below is th copied text from the stdouterroroutput.redirect file:

 

/home/alasdair/OpenFOAM/AH81_OpenFOAM_Propeller/manual_results/baseline/Runner//Allrun: 5: .: Can't open /home/alasdair/OpenFOAM/OpenFOAM-2.3.1/bin/tools/.RunFunctions

 

ANy help would be appreciated.

 

Regards.

 

Alasdair.

[Mr. Carsten Fuetterer 9]

Hi Alasdair,

 

the first lines of your Allrun script should look like:

 

#!/bin/sh
cd ${0%/*} || exit 1 # run from this directory

chmod +x Allrun.pre
. /home/carsten/OpenFOAM/OpenFOAM-2.3.0/etc/bashrc

# Source tutorial run functions
. $WM_PROJECT_DIR/bin/tools/RunFunctions

I just realized that the source command does not work, instead you should use the dot :

use

. /home/carsten/OpenFOAM/OpenFOAM-2.3.0/etc/bashrc

instead of

source /home/carsten/OpenFOAM/OpenFOAM-2.3.0/etc/bashrc

I hope this works for you

[Mr. Alasdair Honeyman 0]

Hi Carsten,

thaks for replying. I have tried a few variations of the allrun script, currently it looks like this:

 

 

#!/bin/sh

cd ${0%/*} || exit 1 # run from this directory

 

# Source tutorial run functions

. /home/OpenFOAM/OpenFOAM-2.3.1/bin/tools/RunFunctions

 

chmod +x Allrun.pre

 

wmUNSET

. /home/OpenFOAM/OpenFOAM-2.3.1/etc/bashrc

touch case.foam

 

 

./Allrun.pre

 

runApplication decomposePar

 

runParallel `getApplication` 4

 

runApplication reconstructPar

 

This has changed the error message in stdouterroroutput.redirect to:

 

[Captured output from application /home/alasdair/OpenFOAM/AH81_OpenFOAM_Propeller/manual_results/baseline/Runner//Allrun]

/home/alasdair/OpenFOAM/AH81_OpenFOAM_Propeller/manual_results/baseline/Runner//Allrun: 5: .: Can't open /home/OpenFOAM/OpenFOAM-2.3.1/bin/tools/RunFunctions

 

I am a bit stuck.

 

Regards,

Alasdair.

[Mr. Carsten Fuetterer 9]

Hi,

can you try to move the source command

. /home/carsten/OpenFOAM/OpenFOAM-2.3.0/etc/bashrc

in front of

. $WM_PROJECT_DIR/bin/tools/RunFunctions

[Mr. Alasdair Honeyman 0]

Hi Carsten, I have done that, and that changes the error file to:

 

/home/alasdair/OpenFOAM/AH81_OpenFOAM_Propeller/manual_results/baseline/Runner//Allrun: 4: /home/alasdair/OpenFOAM/AH81_OpenFOAM_Propeller/manual_results/baseline/Runner//Allrun: wmUNSET: not found
/home/alasdair/OpenFOAM/AH81_OpenFOAM_Propeller/manual_results/baseline/Runner//Allrun: 5: .: Can't open /home/OpenFOAM/OpenFOAM-2.3.1/etc/bashrc

 

Alasdair.

[Mr. Carsten Fuetterer 9]

Hi,

 

remove the wmUNSET command.

I think your path is wrong. you typed

/home/OpenFOAM/OpenFOAM-2.3.1/etc/bashrc

instead of

/home/alasdair/OpenFOAM/OpenFOAM-2.3.1/etc/bashrc

or can you post the installation path of OpenFOAM

[Mr. Alasdair Honeyman 0]

Hi Carsten,

 

I tried changing the file path as suggested and removin wmUNSET, error file reads:

/home/alasdair/OpenFOAM/AH81_OpenFOAM_Propeller/manual_results/baseline/Runner//Allrun: 1: /home/alasdair/OpenFOAM/OpenFOAM-2.3.1/etc/bashrc: /data/app/OpenFOAM/OpenFOAM-2.3.1/bin/foamEtcFile: not found
/home/alasdair/OpenFOAM/AH81_OpenFOAM_Propeller/manual_results/baseline/Runner//Allrun: 1: /home/alasdair/OpenFOAM/OpenFOAM-2.3.1/etc/bashrc: /data/app/OpenFOAM/OpenFOAM-2.3.1/bin/foamCleanPath: not found
/home/alasdair/OpenFOAM/AH81_OpenFOAM_Propeller/manual_results/baseline/Runner//Allrun: 1: /home/alasdair/OpenFOAM/OpenFOAM-2.3.1/etc/bashrc: /data/app/OpenFOAM/OpenFOAM-2.3.1/bin/foamCleanPath: not found
/home/alasdair/OpenFOAM/AH81_OpenFOAM_Propeller/manual_results/baseline/Runner//Allrun: 1: /home/alasdair/OpenFOAM/OpenFOAM-2.3.1/etc/bashrc: /data/app/OpenFOAM/OpenFOAM-2.3.1/bin/foamCleanPath: not found
/home/alasdair/OpenFOAM/AH81_OpenFOAM_Propeller/manual_results/baseline/Runner//Allrun: 141: .: Can't open /data/app/OpenFOAM/OpenFOAM-2.3.1/etc/config/settings.sh

 

 

here ae the contents of the OpnFOAM2.3.1 folder (from typing ls in terminal from within etc directory)

 

alasdair@alasdair-HP-xw4600-Workstation:~/OpenFOAM/OpenFOAM-2.3.1/etc$ ls
bashrc   caseDicts   codeTemplates  controlDict  thermoData
bashrc~  cellModels  config         cshrc
alasdair@alasdair-HP-xw4600-Workstation:~/OpenFOAM/OpenFOAM-2.3.1/etc$
 

 

Regards,

Alasdair.

[Mr. Carsten Fuetterer 9]

do you have

. /home/alasdair/OpenFOAM/OpenFOAM-2.3.1/bin/tools/RunFunctions

?

[Mr. Alasdair Honeyman 0]

Hi Carsten,

 

yes, plase see copy and paste from teminal from within tools directory (afte typing ls):

 

alasdair@alasdair-HP-xw4600-Workstation:~/OpenFOAM/OpenFOAM-2.3.1/bin/tools$ ls
CleanFunctions         foamListBinDirs            pre-commit-hook
doxyFilter             foamListSourceFiles        pre-receive-hook
doxyFilter.awk         foamListThirdPartyBinDirs  README
doxyFilter-ignore.awk  foamLog.db                 replaceAllShellSun
doxyFilter.sed         gtagsrc                    RunFunctions
doxyFilter-table.awk   inlineReplace              scanpackages
doxyFilter-top.awk     MakefileDirs
foamConfigurePaths     org-batch
alasdair@alasdair-HP-xw4600-Workstation:~/OpenFOAM/OpenFOAM-2.3.1/bin/tools$

 

Alasdair.

[Mr. Carsten Fuetterer 9]

ok then you have to do what Konrad Lentz posted in the 9th post

[Mr. Alasdair Honeyman 0]

Hi Carsten, I have already done that as I saw the post when I forst started trying to get this to work - please see below copy paste from my CAESES -FFW file:

 

export FOAM_INST_DIR=/data/app/OpenFOAM
foamDotFile=$FOAM_INST_DIR/OpenFOAM-2.3.1/etc/bashrc
[ -f $foamDotFile ] && . $foamDotFile
 

Regards,

 

Alasdair.

[Mr. Carsten Fuetterer 9]

ok I see the mistake.

please write:

export FOAM_INST_DIR=/home/alasdair/OpenFOAM
foamDotFile=$FOAM_INST_DIR/OpenFOAM-2.3.1/etc/bashrc
[ -f $foamDotFile ] && . $foamDotFile