/abaqus_shell_utils

Utilities for integrating SIMULIA Abaqus™ to windows context menu (right click menu)

Primary LanguagePowerShellMIT LicenseMIT

abaqus_shell_utils

Utilities for integrating SIMULIA Abaqus™ to windows context menu (right click menu)

Introduction

When using SIMULIA Abaqus™, opening models in various places and importing .inp files can be a pain. This utility package automates these tasks by adding two useful commands to Microsoft Windows:

  • You can right click on .inp files and select "Import input file in Abaqus" to import them in a new Abaqus CAE window.
  • You can hold the Shift key and right click on a directory's background to open a new Abaqus window there.

Installation

The registry keys and scripts in this package must be introduced to Windows for them to work. You must have administrative privileges to do so.

First, you need to place the contents of the repository in a folder. This must be permanent as this path will be added to your PATH environment variable.

Now go inside this folder and run the add_current_folder_to_path.ps1 PowerShell script. The script automatically asks for administrative privileges. It then backups the machine's path variable and appends the current folder to it.

Finally, you need to run the register_commands.reg file which merges into the machine's registery and create's the necessary keys for context menu integration. This can be undone by running undo_register_commands.reg.

The installation process is now complete. Make sure you don't move the directory!

Using Different Abaqus™ Versions

A machine can have multiple versions of Abaqus™ installed. They are distinguished by the command used to run them, for example abq2021hf4 refers to Abaqus™ 2021.HF4 and abaqus refers to the default installation. These commands correspond to the .bat files usually found in C:\SIMULIA\Commands.

By default, the package uses the abaqus command which uses the default abaqus version. To change this, two edits must be made:

  1. In import_abaqus_input_file.ps1, the $abaqus_cmd_name variable must be changed to the desired command. This changes the Import input file in Abaqus command.
  2. In register_commands.reg, the abaqus command in line 16 must be changed to the desired command. This changes the Open Abaqus here command. The registry file must be re-run to add the changes to the registry.

Useful Sources

The following sources were used when developing this package. They contain useful information about Microsoft Windows Registry and PowerShell: