Release 11.0 Documentation for ANSYS
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Depending on how files are used, the program writes them in text (ASCII) form or binary form. For example, ERR and LOG files are text, while DB, EMAT, and RST files are binary. In general, files that you may need to read (and edit) are written in text form, and all other files are written in binary form.
All binary files are external type files. External binary files are transportable between different computer systems.
Below are some tips for using binary files:
When transferring files via FTP (File Transfer Protocol), you must set the BINARY option before doing the transfer.
Most ANSYS binary files must have write permission to be used, even if the data is only being read from the file. However, the database files (file.DB) and results files (file.RST, file.RTH, etc.) can be read-only. When you save a read-only file.DB, the existing read-only file is saved to a file.DBB. However, you cannot save the read-only file.DB a second time, because it will attempt to write over the file.DBB, which ANSYS will not allow.
Binary files are not backward-compatible with previous releases of the ANSYS program. For example, you cannot use binary files produced by ANSYS 11.0 with release ANSYS 5.7 or earlier. Attempting to use binary files from later releases with an earlier release can cause serious operating problems in ANSYS. For a list of the files that are upwardly compatible, see Table 18.2: "Permanent Files Written by the ANSYS Program".
You can access ANSYS binary files (for example, file.TRI, file.DB, file.RST) from NFS-mounted disk partitions. However, this usage is discouraged because heavy network traffic may result. Also, network traffic may cause NFS errors, which in turn can cause the ANSYS program to read or write an ANSYS binary file incorrectly.
The following tables list the files that ANSYS writes.
Table 18.1 Temporary Files Written by the ANSYS Program
| Identifier | Type | Contents |
|---|---|---|
| ANO | Text | Graphics annotation commands [/ANNOT] |
| BAT | Text | Input data copied from batch input file [/BATCH] |
| DOn | Text | Do-loop commands for nesting level n |
| DSCR | Binary | Scratch file (ANTYPE=2, Modal Analysis) |
| DSPxx | Binary | Scratch files for the distributed sparse solver |
| EROT | Binary | Rotated element matrices |
| LOCK | Binary | Prevents more than one ANSYS job with the same name from running in the same directory |
| LSCR | Binary | Scratch file (ANTYPE=4, Mode Superposition) |
| LV | Binary | Scratch file from substructure generation pass with more than one load vector. |
| LNxx | Binary | Scratch files for the sparse solver (x = 1-32) |
| MASS | Binary | Compressed mass matrix for modal analysis (subspace method) |
| MMX | Binary | Work matrix for modal analysis (subspace method) |
| PAGE | Binary | Page file for ANSYS virtual memory (database space) |
| PCn | Binary | Scratch file for PCG solver (n = 1 to 10) |
| SCR | Binary | Scratch file for Jacobi Conjugate Gradient solver |
| SSCR | Binary | Scratch file from substructure generation pass |
Many of the permanent ANSYS files are upwardly compatible. Files that generally can be used by future releases of ANSYS have a Y in the Upward column.
Table 18.2 Permanent Files Written by the ANSYS Program
| Identifier | Type | Upward | Contents |
|---|---|---|---|
| ANF | Text | - | ANSYS Neutral Format file, written by default by ANSYS after a connection import [1] |
| BCS | Text | - | Stores performance information when running the sparse solver |
| BDB | Binary | - | Database for best design (optimization) [OPKEEP] |
| BFIN | Text | - | Interpolated body forces written as BF commands [BFINT] |
| BRFL | Binary | - | FLOTRAN results file for best design (optimization) [OPKEEP] |
| BRMG | Binary | - | Magnetic results file for best design (optimization) [OPKEEP] |
| BRST | Binary | - | Structural results file for best design (optimization) [OPKEEP] |
| BRTH | Binary | - | Thermal results file for best design (optimization) [OPKEEP] |
| CBDO | Text | - | Interpolated DOF data written as D Commands [CBDOF] |
| CDB | Text | Y | Text database file [CDWRITE] |
| CMAP | Text | - | Color map file |
| CMD | Text | Y | Commands written by *CFWRITE |
| CND | Text | Y | Nonlinear diagnostics file that tracks contact quantities throughout the solution [NLDIAG] |
| CMS | Binary | Y | Component Mode Synthesis file |
| DB | Binary | Y | Database file [SAVE, /EXIT] |
| DBB | Binary | Y | Copy of database file created when a nonlinear analysis terminates abnormally (used for traditional restart) |
| DBE | Binary | - | Database file from VMESH failure in batch mode |
| DBG | Text | - | FLOTRAN "debug" file (contains solution information) |
| DSUB | Binary | Y | Superelement DOF solution from use pass |
| ELEM | Text | Y | Element definitions [EWRITE] |
| EMAT | Binary | Y | Element matrices |
| ERR | Text | - | Error and warning messages |
| ESAV | Binary | Y | Element saved data ESAV files created by nonlinear analyses may not be upwardly compatible |
| FATG | Text | - | Fatigue data [FTWRITE] |
| FULL | Binary | - | Assembled global stiffness and mass matrices |
| GRPH | Text | Y | Neutral graphics file |
| IGES | Text | Y | IGES file from ANSYS solid model data [IGESOUT] |
| LDHI | Text | Y | Loading and boundary conditions of load steps (used for multiframe restart) |
| LGW | Text | Y | Database command log file [LGWRITE] |
| Lnn | Binary | Y | Load case file (where nn = load case number) [LCWRITE] |
| LOG | Text | Y | Command input history |
| LOOP | Text | - | Optimization looping file |
| MCF | Text | Y | Modal coordinates from harmonic or transient analysis |
| MCOM | Text | Y | Mode combination commands from spectrum analysis |
| Mnnn | Binary | Y | Modal displacements, velocities, and accelerations records and solution commands for a single substep of a load step (used for multiframe restart of a mode superposition transient analysis) |
| MODE | Binary | Y | Modal matrices (modal or buckling analysis) |
| MP | Text | Y | Material property definitions [MPWRITE] |
| NLH | Text | Y | Nonlinear diagnostics file that tracks results or contact quantities throughout the solution [NLHIST] |
| NODE | Text | Y | Node definitions [NWRITE] |
| NR | Binary | Y | Stores Newton-Raphson iteration information when the nonlinear diagnostic tool is active [NLDIAG,NRRE,ON] |
| OPO | Text | - | ANSYS output for last optimization loop |
| OPT | Text | - | Optimization data |
| OSAV | Binary | - | Copy of ESAV file from last converged substep |
| OUT | Text | - | ANSYS output file |
| PARM | Text | Y | Parameter definitions [PARSAV] |
| PCS | Text | - | Stores performance information when running the PCG solver |
| PFL | Text | - | FLOTRAN printout file |
| PSD | Binary | - | PSD file (modal covariance matrices, etc.) |
| PVTS | Text | - | Stores pivot information when running the default sparse solver |
| RCN | Binary | Y | Results file for initial contact state |
| RDB | Binary | Y | State of the database at the start of the first substep of the first load step (used for multiframe restart) |
| RDF | Text | - | FLOTRAN residual file [FLDATA,OUTP] |
| RDSP | Binary | - | Reduced displacements |
| REDM | Binary | - | Reduced structure matrix |
| RFL | Binary | Y | FLOTRAN results file |
| RFRQ | Binary | - | Reduced complex displacements |
| RMG | Binary | Y | Results file from magnetic field analysis |
| RMODE | Binary | Y | Calculated residual vectors from a modal analysis. |
| Rnnn | Binary | Y | Element saved records, solution commands, and status for a single substep of a load step (used for multiframe restart of static and full transient analyses) |
| RST | Binary | Y | Results file from structural and coupled-field analyses |
| RSW | Text | - | FLOTRAN "wall" results file |
| RTH | Binary | Y | Results file from thermal analysis |
| RUN | Text | - | FLOTRAN run data |
| SELD | Binary | Y | Superelement load vector data from generation pass |
| Snn | Text | Y | Load step files (where nn = load step number) [LSWRITE] |
| SORD | Text | - | Superelement name and number from use pass |
| STAT | Text | - | Status of an ANSYS batch run |
| SUB | Binary | Y | Superelement matrix file from generation pass |
| TB | Text | Y | Hyperelastic material constants |
| TRI | Binary | - | Triangularized stiffness matrix |
| USUB | Binary | Y | Renamed DSUB File for input to substructure expansion pass |
| XBC | Text | - | FLOTRAN boundary condition data (ANSYS to FLOTRAN) |
| XGM | Text | - | FLOTRAN geometry data (ANSYS to FLOTRAN) |
| XIC | Text | - | FLOTRAN initial condition data (ANSYS to FLOTRAN) |
For more information about the files produced by a connection import, see the ANSYS Connection User's Guide.
Many file compression utilities exist for UNIX (e.g., compress, gzip) and Windows (e.g., PKzip, WinZip). ANSYS cannot read compressed files. However, you can compress ANSYS models to save space when archiving, so long as you uncompress the models before trying to read them into ANSYS.