5.1. Post-Installation Procedures for Mechanical APDL and Ansys Workbench Products

The following post-installation procedures apply only to the Mechanical APDL and Ansys Workbench products. These are in addition to the post-installation procedures noted above for all products.

  • Set the following environment variables based on the behavior you want. Set the environment variables following the conventions of your operating system. Not all of these are required for all integrated Ansys Workbench products (such as Ansys Autodyn), but setting them correctly for Ansys Workbench will in no way hinder the performance of the other products.

    • The ANSYS242_DIR environment variable sets the location of the Ansys directory hierarchy. The default value is c:\Program Files\ANSYS Inc\V242\ANSYS. You probably will not need to reset this variable, unless you change the location of the installed files.

    • ANSYS242_PRODUCT - set this to the correct product variable to run Mechanical APDL to start with the correct Mechanical APDL product without specifying the -p command modifier each time.

    • ANS_CONSEC - set this to YES to disable Mechanical APDL dialog boxes and allow multiple jobs to run consecutively without waiting for user input. Settings for ANS_CONSEC are:

      Value of ANS_CONSECBatch Dialog BoxGPF Dialog Box on Error
      Not defined/defaultNoYes
      YESNoNo
      NOYesYes
    • ANSYS_LOCK - set to ON (default) to create file locks to prevent users from opening a new job with the same name and in the same directory as the current job.

    • ANSYS242_MAT161 - set this environment variable to 1 to enable use of the LS-DYNA *MAT_COMPOSITE_MSC material (requires an LS-DYNA MAT_161 license).

    • ANSYS242_MAT162 - set this environment variable to 1 to enable use of the LS-DYNA *MAT_COMPOSITE_DMG_MSG material (requires an LS-DYNA MAT_162 license).

    • LSTC_LICENSE - This is an LS-DYNA environment variable that controls which license manager is used by the LS-DYNA executable. It is set to Ansys during installation; changing this environment variable will prevent Ansys LS-DYNA from using your Ansys licenses when running the executable.

Configuring MPI Software

Installing MPI for Ansys Parallel Processing gives instructions for installing MPI software, for use with Ansys Parallel Processing. This section mentions the following set-password batch scripts, for caching your login/password credentials:

  • "setimpipassword.bat", for Intel MPI

  • "setpcmpipassword.bat", for IBM MPI

If, when running any of your simulations, you get an error message relating to an inability to connect to the hydra_service, you will need to run the corresponding set-password script. Note that because some Ansys products require processing in parallel, it may be necessary to run the set-password script even if you are not performing parallel processing.

5.1.1. Post-Installation Procedures for Ansys Fluent

After installing the Ansys Fluent software, you will need to reset the default values in the Ansys Fluent launcher as follows:

  1. Verify that the FLUENT_INC environment variable is not set. From the Control Panel, select System and click the Advanced tab. Click Environment Variables. Find and delete the FLUENT_INC variable.

  2. In Windows 10 or 11, Start > All apps> Ansys 2024 R2> FLUENT 2024 R2.

  3. Click Default.

  4. Click Yes when asked if you want to discard the LAUNCHER history.

  5. Click Cancel if you do not want to start Fluent at this time. The new defaults will have been saved.

Please refer to the Ansys Fluent Quick Start Guide for more information.

The default Intel MPI in Fluent release 2023 R2 fails to install the hydra service when installing Intel MPI from the Ansys Installation Launcher on Windows. Workaround: You must make sure that the appropriate services have been configured to run by the administrator as follows:

"c:\Program Files (x86)\Intel\oneAPI\mpi\2021.8.0\bin\hydra_service.exe" -install

5.1.2. Post-Installation Procedures for Ansys Polyflow

Polyflow no longer requires the FLUENT_INC environmental variable. It should be deleted as is recommended for Fluent:

  • From the Control Panel, select System and click the Advanced tab. Click Environment Variables. Find and delete the FLUENT_INC variable.

5.1.3. Post-Installation Procedures for ICEM CFD

If you are running ICEM CFD over the network, you may not be able to access ICEM CFD Help using the Help menu. To access ICEM CFD Help, navigate to commonfiles\help\en-us in the installation directory on the server machine and copy the file icemcfd_help.chm to your local machine. Double-click the local copy to view the help.

5.1.4. Post-Installation Procedures for Ansys FENSAP-ICE

Software Launch

After installing Ansys FENSAP-ICE, the software will be accessible through Start > All Programs > Ansys 2024 R2 > Fluid Dynamics > FENSAP-ICE 2024 R2.

Workbench Extension

Some features of FENSAP-ICE are available in Workbench through the use of an extension. The plug-in is provided in the following directory:

<install_dir>/ansys_inc/v242/fensapice/workbench/FENSAPICE-WB R24.2.wbex

While in Ansys Workbench, install the plug-in using the Extensions > Install Extension menu. You can then set it to load automatically at startup in the Extensions > Manage Extensions menu.

See Getting Started with FENSAP-ICE in Workbench for further details on running FENSAP-ICE in Workbench.

Licensing

The Ansys Licensing System is used by default. No special configuration is required if the Ansys License contains a feature enabling FENSAP-ICE and the Ansys R2024 R2 package is installed.

NTI Licensing

Legacy license keys from prior to Ansys R2024 R2 use the NTI FLEXLm license system. The option for NTI licensing must then be enabled in the licensing.txt file <install_dir>/ansys_inc/v242/fensapice/config/licensing.txt or by setting up the NTI_LICENSE_FILE environment variable.

Modify the licensing.txt file to contain the license server information NTI_LICENSE_FILE=port@server.

The default port is 27000.

For instructions on how to set-up the NTI license server or on how to force a specific licensing system, refer to the appropriate sections in the FENSAP-ICE Manual.

5.1.5. Post-Installation Information for Ansys Speos

The following post-installation procedures apply only to the Ansys Speos products.

Speos Environment Variables

An environment variable describes the resource that must be recovered by the computer. The following table lists all the environment variables that can be used in the bat files.


Note:  The file paths provided below depend on your operating system and product version. Never insert spaces between a variable and its value.


ApplicationEnvironment VariableDescriptionDefault value if not existing
Any SpeosOPTIS_BASE_PATHOptical Products directory in program files%AWP_ROOT221%\Optical Products\
AnySpeosOPTIS_SOFTWARE_BASE_PATHSpeos Software directory inside Optical Products%AWP_ROOT221%\Optical Products\<softname>
Any SpeosOPTIS_VIEWERS_PATHViewers installation directory inside Optical Products%OPTIS_BASE_PATH%\Viewers
Any SpeosOPTIS_APPLICATION_DATA_PATHProgramData path%programdata%\Ansys\v2XX\Optical Products\
Any SpeosOPTIS_USER_APPLICATION_DATA_PATHMain AppData path%appdata%\Ansys\v2XX\Optical Products\
SpeosSPACECLAIM_OEM_XMLXml file path. Used by SpaceClaim to find the xml file defining the customization for the application being considered as Speos product instead of SpaceClaimMandatory
SpeosSPEOSSC_RESOURCES_PATHFolder path. Used by the xml file set in SPACECLAIM_OEM_XML to provide SpaceClaim with the required Speos customization resources (manifest, icons, default user configuration)Mandatory
Speos for NXSPEOS_NX_DIRThe path to the Speos for NX application folder containing binaries, icons, dlx files ...)Mandatory
Speos for NXUGII_CUSTOM_DIRECTORY_FILEIt is an NX environment variable which allows to define the .dat required for NX application. We usually set the ANSYS_SPEOS_NX_DIR variable.Mandatory

Batch Files Examples

This section gives information about .bat file commands and provides batch files examples. Batch (.bat) files are plain text files. They contain a series of commands that are executed by the Windows command-line interpreter.

Speos Example:

set Version=2021 R2

set ANSYS_Version=212

TITLE Speos V%ANSYS_Version%

REM please update this path

set SPEOSSC_PATH=D:\Ansys_Speos_Folder\ANSYS SPEOS %SSC_VERSION%\

set SPEOS_download_dir=D:\Ansys_Speos_Folder\%Version%

set EAP_SPEOS_STRIDE=1

set SERVER_SPACECLAIM=C:\Program Files\ANSYS Inc

set SPACECLAIM_PATH=%SERVER_SPACECLAIM%\v%ANSYS_Version%\scdm

set OPTIS_BASE_PATH=%SPEOS_download_dir%

set OPTIS_SOFTWARE_BASE_PATH=%SPEOS_download_dir%\Speos

set SPEOSSC_RESOURCES_PATH=%SPEOS_download_dir%\Speos\bin\Resources

set SPACECLAIM_OEM_XML=%SPEOSSC_RESOURCES_PATH%\SPEOS_SCCustomization.xml

start "" "%SPEOS_download_dir%\Speos\bin\AnsysSpeosLauncher.exe" "%SPACECLAIM_PATH%\SpaceClaim.exe" /AddInManifestFile="%SPEOS_download_dir%\Speos\bin\SpeosSC.Manifest.xml"

Speos for NX Example:

echo off

cls

set SPEOSVersion=241

set NX_RELEASE=2212

TITLE Speos for NX %Version%

REM please update this path

set SPLM_LICENSE_SERVER=29000@LIC_SERVER_TO_MODIFY

REM Replace NXPTR101 with your license module

set UGS_LICENSE_BUNDLE=NXPTR101

set OPTIS_BASE_PATH=\\SHARED_STORAGE\v%SPEOSVersion%\Optical Products\Speos for NX

set OPTIS_SOFTWARE_BASE_PATH=%OPTIS_BASE_PATH%\NX_SPEOS_%NX_RELEASE%

set SPEOS_NX_DIR=%OPTIS_SOFTWARE_BASE_PATH%

REM please update the content of the *.dat file below with the SPEOS_NX_DIR value

set UGII_CUSTOM_DIRECTORY_FILE=%OPTIS_BASE_PATH%\speos_custom_dir_%NX_RELEASE%.dat

REM Allows automation without SPEOS for NX started

Path=%Path%;%SPEOS_NX_DIR%\application\

call "\\SHARED_STORAGE\Siemens\NX2212\NXBIN\ugraf.exe" -NX

5.1.5.1. Integrating Speos for NX as an add-on on a Server

You can use this procedure to launch NX with Speos for NX as add-on from a dedicated server on your localcomputer.


Note:  Prior to performing the following procedure, you must install Speos for NX and NX on the server.


To integrate Speos for NX:

  1. On the server, in the custom_dirs.dat file (that may be located in the NX installation on the server), add the path to the NX_SPEOS_XXXX folder. The following example orders NX to launch Speos for NX as add-on when launching NX.

    Example: \\yourserverpath\Speos for NX\NX_SPEOS_XXXX

  2. On your local computer, in the NX Startup bat file, set the following environment variables:

    1. UGII_CUSTOM_DIRECTORY_FILE = \\yourserverpath\custom_dirs.dat

      This will inform the Startup bat file where to find the custom_dirs.dat file on the server.

    2. UGII_VENDOR_OPTIS = \\yourserverpath\Speos for NX\NX_SPEOS_XXXX

  3. On the server, modify the SpeosNXApp.men file (that may be located in Speos for NX\NX_SPEOS_XXXX\startup) according to the site needs.

    This file includes the NX "menuscript" commands to insert the Speos for NX application button in the NX application menu.

  4. On the server, share the folders where NX (example: \\yourseverpath\Siemens\NXXXXX) and Speos for NX (example: \\yourserverpath\Ansys Inc\v2XX) are installed, in order for your local machine to access the files.

  5. Launch NX from your local machine.

For more information on add-on integration, please refer to the NX documentation.

5.1.6. Post-Installation Procedures for Other Products

FEMGV  —  For Ansys Aqwa customers, FEMGV is also available as a separate, standalone installation, available via media or the Ansys customer site Download Center.