4rifbatch' user manual - 4subsea.com · "4rifbatch" user manual, 5087, 20.08.2008...

4Subsea AS, Smedsvingen 4, 1395 Hvalstad, www.4subsea.com

Doc.no: 5087 by COW, 20.08.2008

"4RifBatch" User Manual

PROJECT

Project Number: 2008-4SUB-0041

Project Name: Internal IT

Client ref.: To whom it may concern

Customer: Customer

DOCUMENT

Document Title: "4RifBatch" User Manual

Document Number: 5087

Document Date [dd.mm.yyyy]: 20.08.2008

Document Revision: Initial

Reason for issue: Issued for internal review

Confidentiality: Open

Responsible

Author Carl Olav Wickmann

Checked Øyvind Tveit

"4RifBatch" User Manual, 5087, 20.08.2008 for Asker, 4Subsea

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(I) TABLE OF CONTENTS "4RifBatch" User Manual ........................................................................................................... 1

1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 3

1.1 Prerequisites ............................................................................................................... 3

1.2 Concepts ..................................................................................................................... 3

1.2.1 Base file vs Case file .............................................................................................. 3

1.2.2 Base file variable .................................................................................................. 3

1.2.3 Condor .................................................................................................................. 3

2 Installation .......................................................................................................................... 5

3 Using 4RifBatch .................................................................................................................. 6

3.1 Most common use ...................................................................................................... 6

3.1.1 Launching 4RifBatch ............................................................................................. 6

3.1.2 Loading Base files ................................................................................................. 6

3.1.3 Selecting case- and analysis folder ....................................................................... 6

3.1.4 Select a RAO file location ..................................................................................... 7

3.1.5 Specifying case data for the given base file variables .......................................... 7

3.1.6 Creating base files ................................................................................................ 7

3.1.7 Runnining Riflex .................................................................................................... 7

3.1.8 Saving your case-parameter table ....................................................................... 7

3.1.9 Loading a previous case-parameter table ............................................................ 7

3.2 Special features .......................................................................................................... 9

3.2.1 Aborting a batch job ............................................................................................. 9

3.2.2 Using the built in case file generator ................................................................... 9

3.2.3 Using the built in case file generator scatter diagram ......................................... 9

3.2.4 Using excel for parameter table calculations ..................................................... 10

3.2.5 Using Condor ...................................................................................................... 11

3.2.6 Entering project information [HOLD] ................................................................. 11

4 Frequently asked Questions ............................................................................................. 12

(II) ABBREVIATIONS FEM Finite Element Model (computational analysis type)

(III) REVISION HISTORY

Rev. no.

Rev. Date Pages affected Description of Change Checked


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1 INTRODUCTION 4RifBatch is short for 4Subsea Riflex Batch program”, which is a windows based software tool for generating multiple case files and managing batch-runs for the analysis program RIFLEX. Information about this program is found here: http://www.4subsea.com/software_solutions.php

1.1 Prerequisites

A valid installation of RIFLEX should be installed separately on your computer in order to run RIFLEX from 4RifBatch. 4RifBatch expects that the following file exists:

C:\Program Files\DNVS\DeepC\Riflex\etc\riflex.bat

If this file is not found, you are prompted to identify the file on your system. 4RifBatch has been tested on windows XP operating system, and requires .NET runtime library to be installed additionally on your system. The installation program will download automatically from Microsoft for you.

1.2 Concepts

4RifBatch uses a single prepared input file for each of the four Riflex modules (inpmod, stamod, dynmod and outmod) and generates multiple base files for each of these, according to the parameter variation chosen by the user.

1.2.1 Base file vs Case file

The term “Base file” refers to the Riflex input file which is used as a template for generating multiple “Case files”. The base file is a normal Riflex input file, but can also contain variables instead of input values. A “Case file” can be seen as a copy of the base file only modified where the user has specified variables in the base file. Hence, any case file can be opened in Riflex as an independent analysis, while base files containing variables cannot.

1.2.2 Base file variable

A variable in a base file is defined by the character $ and a descriptive name continuously after, i.e. $RiserLength which could stand in the place where a number describing the riser length would be. 4RifBatch recognizes all variables included in the base files defined this way, and creates a table in the main window with the variables as column headers. The values to be input in place of each variable in the case files should be written in the cells of the table. See the example in Figure 1-1, where the variable $Ampl is given the value 3.25.

1.2.3 Condor

Condor is a network computing environment for sharing multiple pc’s computing recourses, which 4RifBatch can take advantage of. 4RifBatch then expects the following file to be present:

C:\condor\bin\condor_submit.exe

This requires a condor setup to be present in the user’s local network. See http://www.cs.wisc.edu/condor/ for more details.

http://www.4subsea.com/software_solutions.php

http://www.cs.wisc.edu/condor/


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Figure 1-1: Example of main window of 4RifBatch when an inpmod base file with four variables have been loaded.


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2 INSTALLATION 4RifBatch is installed by entering the address: http://www.4subsea.com/Applications/4RifBatch/4RifBatch.htm in your web-browser, and clicking on the “install” button.

Figure 2-1: Installation page for 4RifBatch

http://www.4subsea.com/Applications/4RifBatch/4RifBatch.htm


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3 USING 4RIFBATCH

3.1 Most common use

3.1.1 Launching 4RifBatch

A shortcut to 4RifBatch is placed on your start-menu under the program group “4Subsea”. Click on the shortcut here to launch 4RifBatch.

3.1.2 Loading Base files

The main window in 4RifBatch contains a row of buttons which is used for loading the base files. Click on the four first buttons counting from left to load all the base files into the program. The icons have a three letter description on top of the folder to separate each function:

Inpmod input base files

Stamod input base files

Dynmod input base files

Outmod input base files

Browse to the appropriate file location, and select the desired base file for each of the modules.

Figure 3-1: 4Rifbatch main window where the base files loading buttons are highlighted.

3.1.3 Selecting case- and analysis folder

Click on the button to browse to an appropriate case file folder.

NOTE: A good practice for avoiding any trouble when running RIFLEX is to select a case file folder which does not contain any blank spaces, i.e. use “c:\riflex_work\case_folder_1” instead of selecting “c:\riflex work\case folder 1”. Much of the RIFLEX code was developed


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prior to the 32 bit windows file and folder names, and you may experience a “file not found” error during launch if spaces are allowed in the file or folder names for the case files.

3.1.4 Select a RAO file location

If your inpmod base file referes includes a reference to an external support vessel RAO file,

you are required to locate the folder for these files by clicking the button.

3.1.5 Specifying case data for the given base file variables

A case is defined by clicking the button, and filling out the empty cells across the row. Please see Figure 1-1 for example. The cells should contain a descriptive case file name, and subsequently values for all of the specified base file variables.

NOTE: The case file name should not contain any blank spaces or characters which are not accepted by windows for file naming.

3.1.6 Creating base files

Once all case data has been input in the main window table, the case files for running RIFLEX can be generated by first selecting the desired cases by ticking of in the first column (marked blue and named Run in Figure 1-1). Secondly, the case file modules to be generated must be ticked off in the “Make Casefiles” section. Finally, the files are created when the “Make Files” button is pressed (se Figure 3-2)

Figure 3-2: Making casefiles

3.1.7 Runnining Riflex

When you have created the case files successfully, the “Run Riflex Without Condor” section becomes active (see Figure 3-2). To launch Riflex in a batch with all your ticked-off casefiles, tick the desired riflex modules and press the “Run Riflex” button. A multiple command windows will now appear on your screen, as Riflex sequentially runs each module for all of your case files.

3.1.8 Saving your case-parameter table

All the data in the case tables can be saved by clicking the (excel) button and selecting “Save to excel”. The save files now being created additionally store information on base file location, and case output folder along with the save date and time.

The save files are in essence an excel worksheet which can be opened and edited manually in with full spreadsheet calculation ability.

3.1.9 Loading a previous case-parameter table


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By clicking the excel button, and further selecting the “Import from excel” the user can restore the data from a previously generated work session. The import window (Figure 3-3) is shown once the excel file has been located by user, and the user can here customise for how many of the modules the data should be imported for. Import of data for one or several modules are done by un-ticking these in the lower left part of the window (highlighted in Figure 3-3).

Figure 3-3: Import window

If any changes have been made in the base file locations since the excel file generation, the user can manually locate the base files by clicking the buttons marked “…” When “OK” is clicked at the import window, 4RifBatch returns to the main window where the stored data now is loaded and shown in the table.


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3.2 Special features

3.2.1 Aborting a batch job

Job abortion is not implemented in the 4RifBatch program yet.

3.2.2 Using the built in case file generator

Used for generating variations on two variables and make corresponding case file names

3.2.3 Using the built in case file generator scatter diagram

Used for generating variations on two variables (Hs and Tp) and make corresponding case file names based on a scatter diagram format. Right click in the table.

Figure 3-4 4RifBatch contains a default scatter diagram. This is used to generate casefiles based on combination of Hs and Tp selected. The probability in each cell is not used.


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Figure 3-5 When you have selected the whole scatter diagram, or just a part of it, you can see the case file names. You must also select the two variables representing Hs and Tp

Figure 3-6 Click ok and the casefiles are generated for you, based on the selected variations

3.2.4 Using excel for parameter table calculations

Microsoft Excel can be utilized for manipulating the case file table. The data can be imported through the “excel importer” or by using “copy” and “paste” functionality.


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If the built-in excel importer is used (described in section 3.1.9), the most efficient work progress is to first save the 4RifBatch program data to excel (section 3.1.8) and then open the file in MS Excel. This way, the user is already given the format for the case file data should be stored, including proper headers, appropriate number of columns and correct naming of sheets within the workbook.

4RifBatch uses data stored in the spreadsheets with names corresponding to the riflex modules (Inpmod, Stamod, Dynmod and Outmod), as seen in the example in Figure 3-7.

Figure 3-7: Screen shot from manipulating 4RifBatch save files manually from MS Excel 2007

4RifBatch’s excel importer will only read cell values as shown on the screen in excel when loading the data, meaning that calculations and excel formulas and functions can be utilised. This is shown in Figure 3-7, where the value in cell C8 is calculated from a simple trigonometry function.

Another feature to take note of, is that the excel importer will not be affected when other spreadsheets are added to the excel file. This is useful if one needs to perform and store intermediate calculations. The example file in Figure 3-7 contains one such additional spreadsheet named “Load_Cases_calculations”.

3.2.5 Using Condor

Not applicable for use outside 4Subsea.

3.2.6 Entering project information [HOLD]


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4 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

4rifbatch' user manual - 4subsea.com · "4rifbatch" user manual, 5087, 20.08.2008...

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