Autodesk Simulation 2013 'Loads from File' Error

[priyashanmugam]

Hi

I am trying to run a linear static stress analysis in Simulation 2013 for multiple load cases, which was already completed successfully in Algor 2011. 

When adding loads to the model via the "Loads from file" option, I used the same ASCII results file (.xyz) that was successfully used with Algor 2011. But Autodesk Simulation 2013, provides me with an error, which I am not able to figure out how to troubleshoot. (Please see a snapshot of the error message attached).

The format used in the ASCII results file is:

Nodal Condition Type,xc,yc,zc,load in x,load in y,load in z,load case,Prop_id

(The Prop id used for all load cases was 0, and nodal condition type for all nodes n load cases was 21)

Please let me know if you could help me fix this error.

Thanks,

Priya

[madg1]

can you upload  ASCII results file ?

[priyashanmugam]

@madg1: Here's a sample ASCII results file, uploaded as a text file.

[madg1]

i m looking for line 110  

Spoiler

[priyashanmugam]

I don't think line 110 in the message has to do with a corresponding line number in the ASCII file. The same error would pop up even if u used an ASCII results file with just 5 lines. Am guessing, line 110 corresponds to either the analyzer code or some FORTRAN error. No idea.

I was more focused on the type mismatch message. Maybe something like format or type number has changed between previous versions of autodesk sim and 2013?  

[madg1]

see if this helps....erro code 13 if you are using mac....i know its licence files....but better cross check

[priyashanmugam]

Thanks for being so helpful and for your response. 

But, am not using Mac OS. So, guess Error #13, is out. 😞

[madg1]

may be change the file name (shorten it) and try again.....good luck

[priyashanmugam]

Sadly, that didn't work, either. So, as for now, am just manually entering the loads node by node, for every load case (which is quite a painstaking task for a bigger model). Hoping that someone from Autodesk can help me use the "Loads from File" option for 2013. Am wondering if anybody's done it before and can share the file format they used.

Thanks for your patient help, anyways, madg1.

[John_Holtz]

Hi Priya,

When does the error occur? My guess is that is occurs after you have clicked the "..." button to browser for the file,  chosen the file, and clicked the "Open" button to begin the import. The title of the error message "ParserXYZ" or something like that makes me think that the software is not recognizing the file properly. The file that I created by saving your supplied text worked with 2013 on my computer. (In particular, the text displayed in Internet Explorer when I clicked the "attachment". I selected the text, copied it, and pasted it into a Notepad file.) So, the things to check are:

1) What is the complete path where the .XYZ file is stored. Perhaps there is a problem caused by it (too long? unusual character? something else?)

2) What are you "Regional Settings" or "Region and Language" set to for the "list separator"? In other words, Windows can be configured to use different characters for decimal point, separating columns ("list separator" in Win 7), and so forth. Although the documentation does say to use the comma ( , ) to separate the columns, perhaps it is really based on the regional settings.

3) Change the extension to .csv and open it is Excel (or other spreadsheet program). Does it look proper?

4) Open it in Word (or other word processor) as a text file. Does it look proper? In particular, there are no blank lines, or everything is not on the same line.

5) Try the same thing I did. Click the "attachment" text file in your post. When it is displayed, select the text and copy it. Start a new Notepad and paste the text. Save the file. Note that you may need to use My Computer to edit the name. When I did it and saved it as "test.xyz", Notepad automatically added ".txt" to the name which I needed to remove manually.

[priyashanmugam]

Hi John,

Thanks for your detailed response. 

The error does not occur while importing the file, rather, during the analysis when the file is being used/read (around 3-4 secs into the analysis).

I diligently tried all the steps/checks that you had outlined, but with no luck.

1. To ensure the path was right, I copied both the files (.fem and .xyz) onto the desktop, gave them both very short simple names (crfdn.fem and loadable.xyz). The path for both the files would be C:\Users\Priya\Desktop\loadable.xyz and C:\Users\Priya\Desktop\crfdn.fem, which I was hoping is pretty straightforward.

2. Confirmed in my windows settings that the list separator is indeed a comma(,)

3. Changed the extension to csv and opened it as an excel file, checked it thoroughly. There seems to be no issues.

4. Opened it in Word and Wordpad. Nothing seems to be odd.

5. I tried the exact same thing you did. But as I mentioned, the error does not occur while trying to import the file into "Loads from File" the dialog box. It seems to happen when the file is actually being read, during the analysis.

Additionally, listed below are a few other trouble-shooting attempts which I had earlier tried and alas, failed!

6. The documentation says, "Other than the addition of the X, Y, Z coordinate of the load, the format of the file must be identical to the nodal condition table (nodecond.dbf located in the modelname.ds_data\design scenario\ds.mod folder).". So, I opened the nodecond.dbf file and realised it had a slightly different format:

Node number,type, xc,yc,zc,lc,prop_id

In accordance with this, I tried changing the format of my xyz file as follows:

Node number,type,xc,yc,zc,loadx,loady,loadz,lc,prop_id

instead of the one listed in the document(which is the format of the xyz file I sent u):

Type,xc,yc,zc,loadx,loady,loadz,lc,prop_id

Sadly, this didn't work.

7. The documentation also says, "Each item needs to be on the same row of the file and separated by a comma." Also, the file nodecond.dbf, had all the nodes listed on one continuous line. So, I tried that: made all the lines into one single really loooooooong line. (silly attempt, but at that point, I was willing to try anything). Needless to say, it didn't work either.

8. Few other failed attempts, which are not even worth mentioning. 

(Also, I just want to reiterate that the same two files earlier worked flawlessly in previous versions of autodesk algor. Its just that, now I have only 2013 license and hence, need to get this working in 2013)

So, do you still think you can help me, please? Really apprecaite your input.

Thanks,

Priya.

[priyashanmugam]

I am still unable to use mutliple load cases. If anybody used the "Loads from File" option in Autodesk Sim 2013 and completed their analysis successfully, could you please share your input file so that I can check for format? 

Or, if Autodesk could provide a sample problem and complete solution using the "Loads from File" Option for Autodesk sim 2013, it'd be really helpful. 

@John, could you please help me, by maybe using an illustrative example for any random static analysis problem, using loads from file option? I'd really appreciate your help.

Thanks,

Priya.

[John_Holtz · Accepted solution]

Hi Priya,

It appears that the loads from file does not work with the .XYZ format. Try the .NOD format; that did work for me. The format is very similar, as follows:

1. node number
2. type of load (21 for nodal force)
3. X component of the load
4. Y component of the load
5. Z component of the load
6. load case number
7. property ID (usually 0).

[priyashanmugam]

John,

Thanks for your response. Sounds like a good idea to try a different file extension (.nod) .

Tried it. There's just one problem am encountering with it. When you upload a .nod file onto the Loads from File dialog box, are you able to change the load case numbers in the column titled "Load Case"? In my system, I am unable to change the load case number to anything different from the default zero. (The drop down list box does not update itself to the number of load cases, as it would if you used a .xyz file. Also, it is not allowing me to manually type on it either).

How did you get around this problem?

Once again, appreciate your help.

Thanks,

Priya.

[priyashanmugam]

John,

The .nod file worked! Thanks a lot! 🙂