Workshop: Simulation Assistant Simulation Assistant: Workshop Content - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Workshop: Simulation Assistant

Simulation Assistant: Workshop Content • Java macros: simple demonstration • Wizards: high-end Java • Simulation Assistants as an end user: two examples – Internal Flow – Muffler aero-acoustics • Simulation Assistants in detail • Edit and enhance an existing Simulation Assistant – Netbeans – Add a new scene to a Task

What is a Simulation Assistant? • The Simulation Assistant – A tool to help guide users through STAR-CCM+ setup processes • Exposed as a side panel • Leverages the power of Java – A framework for Authors to replicate best practices and simulation workflows • The Simulation Assistant – Enhances user experience – Ensures repeatability of a process – Enforces consistency of results – Speeds up learning curve – Shortens time to productivity for • Users new to STAR-CCM+ or to CFD • Sophisticated and industry specific analysis workflows

Why Simulation Assistant? • Simulation Assistant provide a visual workflow within STAR-CCM+ – A flexible approach allowing a scalable level of sophistication • Users – Designed to be a simple way of executing simulation steps without • Knowing STAR-CCM+ UI • Mastering the physics to analyse • Authors – Designed to be a simple way of executing simulation tasks without high levels of Java knowledge • Different to macros which are inherently procedural • Use event driven programming

The Simulation Assistant • The Simulation Assistant appears in a new frame on the right hand side of the STAR-CCM+ window • The workflow is divided up into different steps – Each step may have a number of actions – Actions are used to execute operations within STAR-CCM+ • Single operation – e.g. change a value • Complex operations – e.g. setup a continuum • Swing operations – e.g. pop-up a new panel

Where can I learn about …? • Examples – Three example Simulation Assistants are available for users • Documentation - Help – A dedicated section in the Help coves using and developing a Simulation Assistant – A tutorial is available showing the route to building the Internal Flow Assistant

Launching a Simulation Assistant • The Simulation Assistant is loaded from the File menu – Java files that contain the structure of the Simulation Assistant – May be .java or compiled .jar files

Main Components Tasks: • The major stages in your workflow • May be expanded or collapsed Steps: • Operations within a task • Typically presented as bullet points Sub-Tasks • May be expanded or collapsed within a task Actions: • Hyperlinks that execute a function

Task Layout Information Tags • Clickable icons that expand • May be used to Pre & Post-Conditions: provide additional • Optional automatic information/ enabling/ disabling of instructions tasks • Ensures required actions are completed before moving forward Images • May be embedded in text • Can be used to execute actions

Authoring a Simulation Assistant

How do I Write an Assistant • The Simulation Assistant framework provides – A structure to execute actions in a logical and consistent manner • It can be thought of as executing a series of STAR-CCM+ java macros one by one – A documented API and consistent coding style • Provided with STAR-CCM+ are – Tutorial – Documentation – Example Assistants – Javadocs – NetBeans template

The Structure of a Simulation Assistant Compiled Assistant Compiled bundles all project files project .jar in a single file that can be easily distributed The top level assistant Assistant is a placeholder for .java subsequent tasks Each task may contain Task .java a number of actions as well as sub-tasks If xhtml files are used, Text defined by XHTML, Text/Layout Stylesheet .css the style of text may be may be embedded in .xhtml defined by a stylesheet task or separate file

Step 1 – Setting up an IDE • It is recommended to use the NetBeans IDE for developing Simulation Assistants – It can be downloaded from https://netbeans.org/ – The same IDE helps in writing STAR-CCM+ macros • Once downloaded install the STAR-CCM+ Simulation Assistant template – Go to Tools > Plugins > Downloaded > Add plugins – Point the plugin manager to nbm file available to download through the Steve portal – Accept the license terms and usage and continue

Step 2 – Creating a Project • Each Simulation Assistant should be a separate NetBeans project – Go to file > New Project. The STAR-CCM+ template should be seen with the Simulation Assistant Project • Next choose the title, name, location and package/class details of your project

Step 3 – Adding STAR-CCM+ Libraries • The final step in creating the Simulation Assistant project is adding the STAR-CCM+ libraries – If not already present, create a new library by choosing Manage Libraries… • Use Add JAR/Folder to add all the files in the lib, core, core\locale, modules, modules\ext & modules\locale sub-directories – These can be found in the STAR-CCM+ installation directory under lib/java/platorm • Important Note: – On Windows it’s recommended to install STAR-CCM+ in the top level of your hard drive or move the Java libraries from STAR-CCM+ into a separate location – If STAR-CCM+ is installed to the default location you project may not compile due to a bug in NetBeans

Structure of the Top Level Assistant • When a simulation assistant project is created, the top level task is automatically created • The top level assistant.java simply references each of the subsequent tasks – The tasks are added to an ArrayList Name of the assistant displayed in STAR-CCM+ @StarAssistant(display =“Assistant Name") public final class AssistantClass extends SimulationAssistant { public AssistantClass () { List<Task> tasks = new ArrayList<Task>(); tasks.add(new Task1name ()); tasks.add(new Task2name ()); Assistant Tasks tasks.add(new Task3name ()); tasks.add(new Task4name ()); setOutline(tasks); } }

Creating a Task • To create a new task, right click on the assistant package and choose “New > Simulation Assistant Task” • Choose the name and location of the task • Before creating the task you can also choose whether the xhtml is embedded in the task or an external file

Structure of a Task • The main function of the task is to provide actions for the user – The actions themselves, generally take the form of snippets of java code used to perform STAR-CCM+ tasks i.e. sections of java macro – One task may contain many actions – Actions are exposed via XHTML Reference to the action, Name of the task displayed as a link displayed in STAR-CCM+ @StarAssistantTask(display = “ Task Name ", xhtml fragment contentFragment = "<ul><li><a href=\"staraction: action \"> action name </a></li></ul>", displayed in STAR-CCM+ controller = NewTask.NewTaskController.class) public class TaskName extends Task { Task class public class NewTaskController extends FunctionTaskController { referenced in the top level public void action () { java file Individual notifyUser("Example TaskController function."); action } containing code snippet } }

Subtasks • May be created and are shown nested in another task – Each subtask is a new java file Task Expanded subtask Collapsed subtask • Added to a tasks by creating an ArrayList List<Task> subTasks = new ArrayList<Task>(); subTasks.add(new Task1A ()); subTasks.add(new Task1B ()); subTasks.add(new Task1C ()); setSubtasks(subTasks);

Using Lookups • In many instances a client-server object (cso) such as a may be needed across multiple tasks – e.g. I choose a boundary in task 1 and then want to modify it in task 2 – To keep track of these hierarchical lookups are used • To add an object to the lookup list – addToTaskLookup(cso) • To retrieve objects – lookupObject(class) - returns the first object of that class from list – lookupObjects(class) – returns all objects of that class from list – getLookup() – returns the entire list – removeFromTaskLookup(cso) – removes a cso from the list – clearTaskLookup() – clears the entire list

Expanding Nodes • To highlight the area where an action is working on or where the user should input values, it is possible to expand nodes in the tree • Two methods are available – selectAndExpandNode(ClientServerObject[] csos) • Selects the associated nodes in the tree and expands when not visible – selectNodeExclusive(ClientServerObject[] csos) • Selects the associated nodes in the tree and collapses all other branches