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Overview of external readers and the Altair Binary Format, the generic ASCII reader, running applications in batch mode, using Tcl/Tk commands, translators, and result math.
HyperMesh
FE Input Readers
FE input readers are C programs that read information from ASCII or binary finite element models files into the HyperMesh database.
Create FE Input Readers
hminlib
Entity Calling Sequence

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API, Reference Guides
Overview of external readers and the Altair Binary Format, the generic ASCII reader, running applications in batch mode, using Tcl/Tk commands, translators, and result math.
- Extensions
  Extensions are programs integrated with the application to enhance or extend the user experience.
- External Readers and Altair Binary Format
  Altair Binary Format (ABF) is the standard binary format read by the program. A library called abflib allows you to create files in ABF.
- Generic ASCII Reader
  A generic ASCII reader is now available which allows you to bring custom results directly into HyperView. The Altair ASCII format is useful for reading the results of any in-house or propriety codes which are saved in a generic format.
- Batch Mode
  Batch mode allows you perform a series of operations outside the program interface.
- External Resources
  External resources can be registered in preference files, session files, or Templex files. If an external resource is registered in a program session, it is automatically registered in the session file when the session is saved.
- Python API
  The Python API documentation for HyperMesh applications.
- Tcl/Tk Commands
  The application's scripting interface is a set of Tcl/Tk commands that follow a simple and consistent syntax.
- Translators
  Translators are utilities that are run from the command line of the operating system to convert various types of files into different formats.
- Result Math
  XML commands in the Result Math Module.
- HWC Console
  Record playback workflows in the application.
- HyperMesh Report
- Task Manager
  Use the Task Manager to load an XML file that defines tasks and their attributes.
- HyperMesh
  - API Programmer's Guides
    These provide an overview of all additions, updates, and changes to the HyperMesh APIs for each release.
  - Data Names
    Details on the core data that can be queried and manipulated.
  - Ext API
    This API allows external applications to link HyperMesh as a library and provides a limited set of functions and structures to access specific functionality.
  - FE Input Readers
    FE input readers are C programs that read information from ASCII or binary finite element models files into the HyperMesh database.
    - Result Readers
    - hmlib
      hmlib is a library which contains a set of routines to aid you in writing a C program.
    - hminlib
      hminlib is a set of routines which allows you to write an external input translator.
    - hmmodlib
      hmmodlib is a library of C routines which allows you to perform results translation of more complex data types, such as integration point results or node-on-element results.
    - hmreslib
    - Create FE Input Readers
    - Commands and Functions
  - HMASCII
    Details on the HMASCII format and associated commands.
  - Scripts
    This section contains details on general HyperWorks scripting concepts, along with documentation on the Tcl commands that can be used to query and modify the database and GUI.
  - Solver Templates
    Solver templates are ASCII data files containing HyperMesh Template Language Commands and HyperMesh Template Language Functions.
- MotionView
- Templex and Math Reference Guide
- Script and Model Library
  The Script and Model Library is a database of freely accessible scripts and models posted by users and Altair engineers.

View All Altair HyperWorks Help

Entity Calling Sequence

For each entity that can exist in a HyperMesh database, a set of three entity level functions (described in the User-Definable hminlib Functions section of this Help guide) can be defined. Since the user-defined functions for each of these entities may be interdependent, the entity calling sequence plays an important role when writing an input translator. The order in which hminlib calls the entity functions is listed below, followed by the designations used for each entity:

Table 1.
Null Entity	HM_ENTITYTYPE_NULL
Cards	HM_ENTITYTYPE_CARD
System Collectors	HM_ENTITYTYPE_SYSTCOLS
Systems	HM_ENTITYTYPE_SYSTS
Nodes	HM_ENTITYTYPE_NODES
Vector Collectors	HM_ENTITYTYPE_VECTORCOLS
Vectors	HM_ENTITYTYPE_VECTORS
Materials	HM_ENTITYTYPE_MATS
Properties	HM_ENTITYTYPE_PROPS
Components	HM_ENTITYTYPE_COMPS
Groups	HM_ENTITYTYPE_GROUPS
Elements	HM_ENTITYTYPE_ELEMS
Load Collectors	HM_ENTITYTYPE_LOADCOLS
Equations	HM_ENTITYTYPE_EQUATIONS
Loads	HM_ENTITYTYPE_LOADS
Geometry Database	HM_ENTITYTYPE_GEOMETRY
Lines	HM_ENTITYTYPE_LINES
Surfs	HM_ENTITYTYPE_SURFS
Points	HM_ENTITYTYPE_POINTS
Assemblies	HM_ENTITYTYPE_ASSEMS
Curves	HM_ENTITYTYPE_CURVES
Plots	HM_ENTITYTYPE_PLOTS
Blocks	HM_ENTITYTYPE_BLOCKS
Titles	HM_ENTITYTYPE_TITLES
Sets	HM_ENTITYTYPE_SETS
Outputblocks	HM_ENTITYTYPE_OUTPUTBLOCKS
Loadsteps	HM_ENTITYTYPE_LOADSTEPS
Sensors	HM_ENTITYTYPE_SENSORS
Designvars	HM_ENTITYTYPE_DESIGNVARS
Beam section collectors	HM_ENTITYTYPE_BEAMSECTCOLS
Beam sections	HM_ENTITYTYPE_BEAMSECT
Optitable entries	HM_ENTITYTYPE_OPTITABLEENTRS
Dequations	HM_ENTITYTYPE_OPTIFUNCTIONS
Optiresponses	HM_ENTITYTYPE_OPTIRESPONSES
DVPrels	HM_ENTITYTYPE_DVPRELS
Opticonstraints	HM_ENTITYTYPE_OPTICONSTRAINTS
Desvarlinks	HM_ENTITYTYPE_DESVARLINKS
Objectives	HM_ENTITYTYPE_OBJECTIVES
Control Volumes	HM_ENTITYTYPE_CONTROLVOLS
Opticontrols	HM_ENTITYTYPE_OPTICONTROLS
Optidscreens	HM_ENTITYTYPE_OPTIDSCREEN
Tags	HM_ENTITYTYPE_TAGS
Dobjrefs	HM_ENTITYTYPE_DOBJREFS
Contacts	HM_ENTITYTYPE_CONTACTS
Max Entity Count	HM_ENTITYTYPE_MAX