2.4 Actions Creation

Now we need an External Script to manage the analysis of our model.
The Application is the bridge between the input data and the output data.
Select from the tool bar a new External Script icon and place it on the Work Flow.
The new External Script object must be configured, so enter the Script properties window, double clicking on its icon or RMB clicking and selecting Edit Node Properties. The External Script object name has to be changed to Weldedbeam (but this is not mandatory, you can choose a different name); then it has to be linked with the input data and output data, by clicking on their respective check boxes. As regards the link with the output file item beam_output.dat, an application exit condition has to be specified: here we write in the Condition field the string =0 (we assume the standard convention exit condition = 0 for a successful exit).
By clicking the OK button all changes to the logic are applied and the system should look like Fig. T2.4.1.

Fig. T2.4.1: Work Flow and Script properties.

The Logic Log reports the Error 103 MISSING SCRIPT FILE: a script file for the Weldedbeam node is missing.
A script file is needed in order to launch the application, it can be very simple or more sophisticated according to the user needs.
In this case we have to create one simple script file executing the program weldedbeam (see Fig. T2.4.2):

• Enter the Weldedbeam properties window.
• Select the Edit Script button and a simple text editor will show.
• Write a simple batch of commands, of which the most essential is the call to the weldedbeam executable file.
• Select the Ok button to confirm all changes.

        .../modeFRONTIER30x/doc/html/tutorial/project/weldedbeam
    

        .../modeFRONTIER30x/doc/html/tutorial/project/weldedbeam.c
    

Fig. T2.4.2: External Script Editor.

At this point the data flow of the project is completed. Now we have to define the logic flow.
As mentioned in section 2.1, the External Script node is the point where the data flow intersects the logic flow.

To define the logic flow of the process, we need to set a starting point and at least one ending point.
So we select from the tool bar a Scheduler item , that is the starting point of the logic flow. Placing it on the Work Flow desktop with a click causes two linked components to appear: the DOE icon and the proper Scheduler icon
To define the end of the logic flow we have to put two Logic End objects , one will mark a successful end of the solver, the other one will mark an unsuccessful end.
Note: only the Logic End Completed icon appears on the tool bar, so to place a Logic End Failed icon into the Work Flow, you have to put a Logic End Completed, edit the node properties and change the Logic End combo from Completed (default) to Failed.

Now we have to enter again the Script properties window, and perform the following operations:

• Check the Scheduler input item Scheduler17.
• Check the Logic End Completed item EndOK19, and specify an application exit condition (=0).
• Check the Logic End Failed item EndFailed20, and specify an application exit condition (<>0).

So far we set-up a logic flow, in which an application named weldedbeam is executed first, it gathers all the input data it needs from a file named beam_input.dat. Upon successful exit of the application (exit condition =0), the output file, named beam_output.dat, is created, the output variables are extracted and a logic completed signal is sent to modeFRONTIER. Otherwise (exit condition <>0) a logic failed signal is sent to modeFRONTIER.
Click the OK button to accept all changes, the project flow will look like Fig. T2.4.3.

Fig. T2.4.3: Work Flow and Application properties: the logic flow is now completed.

Now, since we have added the Scheduler component, the Error 150 MISSING SCHEDULER NODE has dissappeared at long last. Instead of it, the Logic Log shows the Error 151 SCHEDULER NOT DEFINED, and also Error 160 DOE TABLE NOT DEFINED, since these components has not been defined yet. They will be defined only in sections 2.7 and 2.8: till then the project will not be error free.