2.12. Setting Preferences for Workflows

You can access global preferences when using guided workflows in Fluent through the Preferences dialog.

 File → Preferences...

Through the General and the Meshing Workflow categories, the Preferences dialog contains global settings that are useful when working with guided workflows:

  • In the General category, use the Dockable Workflow Editor option to be able to separate the guided meshing workflow task steps from their properties (that is, enable the detachable Workflow Editor). This allows you to relocate and resize the Workflow Editor for easier and convenient access, especially when there is limited space available and several properties in a task. Upon changing this option, you will need to restart your Fluent session for it to take effect. See Editing Tasks for more information.

  • In the Meshing Workflow category, use the Save task editing data with mesh file option to ensure that workflow-specific task editing data is saved when you save the mesh file. This data will be saved in a corresponding workflow-specific folder alongside the mesh file (see Saving and Loading Workflows for more information). When this option is enabled, the Saving data for editing tasks preference is automatically set to Write mesh files.

  • For Saving data for editing tasks, you can determine how mesh files are managed when you edit your workflow tasks. Choices include:

    • Use the Write mesh files option to save a mesh file into a temporary folder while editing mesh-related tasks within the workflow.

      • When this option is enabled (the default), Fluent creates a mesh file for use when a completed mesh-related task must be edited.

      • When this option is disabled, Fluent will not create a mesh file, and when the completed mesh-related task must be edited, Fluent automatically updates each previous task in order to generate the required mesh file.

        Disabling this preference is recommended if you do not need to edit your workflow tasks once they have been defined.

    • Use the Write into memory option to save mesh file information to memory while editing mesh-related tasks within the workflow.

      Note:   The Fault-tolerant Meshing workflow does not fully support the Write into memory option, so if selected as a preference, the workflow will use Write mesh files instead.

    • Use Do not save data to not save a mesh file while editing a task.

      Note:  If the Saving data for editing tasks option is set to Do not save data, and you are reverting any changes to a particular task, then updating that task subsequently updates all previous tasks.

      Whether the Saving data for editing tasks option is set to Write mesh files or Write into memory, mesh information is saved for a particular task when the task is completed. When you choose to edit any settings to a completed task, the saved mesh information corresponding to that task is retrieved and the task's settings are restored accordingly.

      See Editing Tasks for more information about reverting and updating tasks.

  • Use the Save workflow template (.wft) with mesh file field to control whether or not Fluent will automatically save a workflow template file (for later re-use as needed) whenever you save the mesh. Enabled by default, whenever you write a mesh file, Fluent automatically saves the current workflow to a workflow template file (*.wft) using the same name as the mesh into the corresponding workflow_files folder.

    Note:  The workflow template file is not created when automatically writing any intermediate files such as for reverting/editing tasks.

  • Use the Temporary files folder field to control where Fluent will write the temporary mesh files generated while using the workflows. You can specify a valid location, or by default, the location is set to the current working directory.

    Note:  If you specify a "." here, Fluent will expand it to include the current working directory. In addition, you can use environment variable syntax in the path such as $env-var (Linux) and %env-var% (Windows), as well as ~ on Linux that denotes your home.

  • Use the Workflow templates folder field to specify the location of any custom workflow template (.wft) files that you want to use in Fluent meshing mode. Once started, Fluent will load the workflow template files located in this folder so that they are available in the Workflow drop-down list.

    Any accompanying customized Scheme (.scm) file(s) that correspond to a customized workflow template can also be placed along side the workflow template files. As long as they share the same base file name (for example "my_custom_template.wft" and "my_custom_template.scm"), selecting the workflow in Fluent automatically loads the corresponding Scheme file(s) as well.

    Note:  If you specify a "." here, Fluent will expand it to include the current working directory. In addition, you can use environment variable syntax in the path such as $env-var (Linux) and %env-var% (Windows), as well as ~ on Linux that denotes your home.

  • Use the Verbosity option to determine whether or not you see task-related messages in the console window that might assist you with your workflow. The default is off which limits the output to the console.

  • Use the Task based display option under Graphics Settings to control how Fluent automatically displays items in the graphics window within the tasks of the workflow.

    • A value of auto will automatically display objects (or refinement regions, edge zones, size boxes, etc.) in the graphics window within the task, based on the threshold values defined for the Automatic display face zone limit and the Automatic display facet limit.

    • A value of yes will always automatically change displayed objects in the graphics window within the task, according to the task's display requirements.

    • A value of no will never automatically change displayed objects in the graphics window, throughout the entire workflow.