Using the Abaqus environment files

The Abaqus execution procedure reads environment files to determine the various parameters that are used to run a job. (See the Abaqus Execution Guide.)

When Abaqus starts, it searches three directories for the main environment file, abaqus_v6.env, in the following order:

  1. The install_dir/os/SMA/site/ subdirectory of the installation (see Installation subdirectories). An abaqus_v6.env file must exist in this directory.

    The parameter settings in this file are ignored when a job is submitted to a remote queue; in this case, the settings in install_dir/os/SMA/site/abaqus_v6.env on the remote computer are used instead.

    Starting in Abaqus 2016, the abaqus_v6.env file imports and uses any parameter definitions found in the following auxiliary environment files:

    • custom_v6.env should contain your site-specific settings such as licensing and documentation parameters

    • basic_v6.env contains general parameters common to all platforms

    • win86_64.env or lnx86_64.env contain platform-specific parameters such as compiler and MPI settings

    • graphicsConfig.env contains the onCaeGraphicsStartup() function to configure graphics-card-specific settings for Abaqus/CAE and Abaqus/Viewer

    You can add your parameter settings directly in the install_dir/os/SMA/site/abaqus_v6.env file; but the recommended best practice is to place your site-specific settings in the install_dir/os/SMA/site/custom_v6.env file.

  2. An abaqus_v6.env file in the user's home directory. This environment file is optional and will affect all jobs submitted from the user's account. Each user should include in this file only the parameters that they specifically want to change. This file should not be a complete copy of the install_dir/os/SMA/site/abaqus_v6.env file.

    On Windows platforms, for Abaqus to locate the environment file in the user's home directory, the full path to the user's home directory must be specified using the HOME environment variable or a combination of the HOMEDRIVE and HOMEPATH environment variables.

  3. An abaqus_v6.env file in the current working directory. This environment file is optional and will affect all jobs submitted from the current working directory. Each user should include in this file only the parameters that they specifically want to change. This file should not be a complete copy of the install_dir/os/SMA/site/abaqus_v6.env file.

If the same parameter is defined in more than one of these environment files or is defined more than once within a file, the last definition encountered will be used.

An individual user can override the site-wide parameter settings in the install_dir/os/SMA/site/custom_v6.env and install_dir/os/SMA/site/abaqus_v6.env files by creating a new file named abaqus_v6.env in their home directory or in the current working directory. Any parameters set in these files will be read last by Abaqus (in the order described above), overriding the site-wide values.

If you are upgrading from an earlier release, do not simply include parameters from the abaqus_v6.env file from previous releases of Abaqus without checking that they are necessary.

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