1. Chapter 2: Introduction to HyperMesh Process Auomation

2. Fundamentals of HyperMesh Automation - Overview
Topics Presented:
What is HyperMesh automation?
Levels of automation, from basic to advanced
The HyperMesh Utility Menu
Files associated with the Utility Menu
Running macros and Tcl/Tk scripts from the Utility Menu
Exercise: Create Utility Menu button to run a user-created Tcl script
In this chapter we will discuss what HyperMesh automation is and the different levels of automation available within HyperMesh.
We will also examine the HyperMesh Utility menu, the files that are associated with it, and how to run macros and scripts from it.

3. What is HyperMesh Automation?
In general, it is an automatic or semi-automatic execution of a series of HyperMesh commands, steps or processes.
Levels of Automation, from Basic to Advanced
Level 1: HyperMesh macro
Level 2: HyperMesh Tcl/Tk script
Level 3: Altair Process Manager

4. Level 1: HyperMesh macro
Performs a HyperMesh action.
It is a command file containing HyperMesh, mouse, and Templex commands.
Some benefits
Reduces user time and mouse clicks for lengthy and repetitive tasks.
Creates custom HyperMesh environments
Application examples
One click shortcut to automesh panel, cleanup sub-panel, add point: point button
One click tool turning on/off all of the geometry
One click tool creating a component collector with a hard-coded name
Limitations
Cannot cancel execution or reject results of a macro
A macro is not recursive; it cannot call itself

5. Level 2: HyperMesh Tcl/Tk Script
Publicly available, open-standard, interpreted scripting language
Tcl/Tk is embedded in HyperMesh
Some benefits
Add logic and conditional control to HyperMesh macros
Develop custom applications, including user-defined panels
A Hypermesh Tcl/Tk script file contains
HyperMesh macro commands
HyperMesh Tcl commands
Core Tcl/Tk commands
Application examples
Tool creating a solver material database
Tool defining a HyperMesh panel
Tool requesting user to specify load collector name and then creates the collector with that name if one does not already exist

6. Level 3: Altair Process Manager
Enables rapid development and deployment of process automation applications in the CAE domain
It is a programmable personal workflow manager that guides users through standard work process
Some benefits
Standardize CAE processes
Minimize CAE analysis set-up time
Rerun previously-conducted CAE processes
Provide integration with CAD, PDM systems, databases, intranets, and job submission systems
Streamline CAE activities
Establish and distribute “Best Practice” processes corporate wide

7. The HyperMesh Utility Menu
It contains HyperMesh-supplied macros and Tcl/Tk scripts
It is customizable
Add to it buttons with associated, user-created macros and Tcl/Tk scripts
Located in the Tab area (View -> Utility Menu)
Contains page selection buttons at bottom of menu
A macro file (hm.mac) controls the display and available operations of the Utility Menu
Attributes that you can change include:
The Utility Menu page on which the operations appear.
Text to be displayed on each control.
Location and size of the menu.
The help string to be displayed on the menu bar.
The macro to call when each control is used.

8. Files Associated with the Utility Menu
hm.mac and [solver].mac files
Base definitions file for default HyperMesh Utility menu or a solver user profile’s Utility menu, respectively
The default hm.mac file sources the following additional macro files:
disppage.mac Populates the Display page of the Utility Menu
geommeshpage.mac Populates the Geom/Mesh page of the Utility Menu
globalpage.mac Creates the button group that allows you to switch pages
qamodelpage.mac Populates the QA/Model page of the Utility Menu
userpage.mac Populates the User page of the Utility Menu
The userpage.mac file is specifically reserved for user defined macros.
May exist in the installation directory or in the directory from which HyperMesh launches.
HyperMesh first looks for the userpage.mac file in the directory from which it launches and then in the installation directory.
The userpage.mac is where we will be adding our macro definitions

9. Running Macros and Tcl/Tk Scripts from Utility Menu
Location for User-Created Macros
Save them to your user-created userpage.mac file
By default, macro menu’s User page is blank; it is reserved for user-created macros
Location for User-Created Tcl/Tk Scripts
Set environment variable, TCL_INCLUDE, containing list of path names to search before looking in default folder
HyperMesh macros consist of valid command file or templex commands.
To call a macro from the Utility menu, a button needs to be created.
Button is located in the Utility menu.
Button calls the appropriate macro using the *createbutton command.

10. *createbutton() Syntax:
*createbutton(page, name, row, column, width, COLOR, helpstring, macroName, [arg1…])
Page: page where button appears, values 1-n
Name: text displayed on button
Enclose with quotes (“ “)
Use 12 to 24 characters depending on screen’s font scale or resolution
Row: where button appears, values -1, 0, 1-n
-1 is next available row plus one
0 is next available row
# of visible rows depends on screen resolution
Column: where button starts, values 0-10
Width: button’s width, values 1-10
COLOR: button’s color
Colors: RED, BLUE, GREEN, CYAN, BUTTON, and MAGENTA
Color’s spelling must be in uppercase
Helpstring: string displayed in the bubble help for the button.
MacroName: name of macro to call when button is selected
Arg1…: list of one or more optional arguments passed to macro
May have as many arguments as computer’s memory allows

11. Examples of Defined Macro Menu Buttons
Button calls user-created HyperMesh macro
*createbutton(5, “Create force”, -1, 0, 10, GREEN, “Create force on selected nodes”, “createForce_macro”)
Button calls HyperMesh-provided macro “EvalTcl” to evaluate user- created Tcl script
*createbutton(5, “Create force”, -1, 0, 10, GREEN, “Create force on selected nodes”, “EvalTcl”, “create_force.tcl”)

12. Examples of Defined Macro Menu Buttons
Button calls user-created macro to evaluate user-created Tcl script
*createbutton(5, “Create force”, -1, 0, 10, GREEN, “Create force on selected nodes”, “createForce_macro”, “create_force.tcl”)
*beginmacro(“createForce_macro”)
*evaltclscript($1,0)
*endmacro()
where *evaltclscript() runs a Tcl/Tk script
*evaltclscript(filename, flag)
Filename Tcl/Tk filename to run
Flag flag to run command end functions, default = 0

13. Online Help

14. Practical Exercises Exercise 2a Description
Add a button to the User Page on the Utility Menu which executes the macro modeltour.tcl. This macro is located in the installation under hm\scripts, so a path is not needed. The name of the button should be “Model Tour”. The help string should be “Explore HyperMesh Session”. The color and location are up to you.
HyperMesh commands used
*createbutton()
TCL/TK commands used
none
Hints
On Windows, the working directory is located in the My Documents folder. Create a new text file called userpage.mac in this location and add the appropriate commands to make the button evaluate the tcl file.