Exporting and importing condition sequences

To share condition sequences between models and users, or to create condition sequences outside of Pre/Post for use in a simulation, you can import and export condition sequences. The following file formats are supported for import and export:

• XML (*.xml)

• BDD (*.bdd)

XML files

You can import XML files that contain one or more condition sequences. You can also export multiple condition sequences to a single XML file.

The condition sequences you import from XML files can be edited just like condition sequences you create from within the simulation.

For details of how to format an XML file, see XML file format for condition sequences.

BDD files

BDD files are proprietary text files that are written and read by a third-party cycle definition software. BDD files can contain a single condition sequence only. Thus, you are limited to importing a single condition sequence from a BDD file, and you are limited to exporting a single condition sequence to a BDD file.

The condition sequences you import from BDD files can be edited just like condition sequences you create from within the simulation.

Importing options

Two commands are available for importing condition sequences. You can access both of these commands from the Condition Sequence Manager dialog box.

Import command

When you use the Import command, the software deletes all of the condition sequences, conditions, and condition parameters that are loaded in the simulation and replaces them with the condition sequences, conditions, and condition parameters in the XML or BDD file.

Add new Condition Sequence From File command (for XML files)

When you use the Add new Condition Sequence From File command to import an XML file, the software examines the labels of the condition sequences in the XML file and the condition sequences that already exist in the simulation. If it finds a match, it replaces the existing condition sequence with the condition sequence in the XML file. The imported condition sequence uses the conditions and condition parameters that existed in the simulation prior to the import, and all other condition sequences, conditions, and condition parameters are left as they were before the import.For example, assume that you have modeled an aircraft gas turbine engine and have loaded a series of condition sequences that represent the duty cycles the engine encounters. Suppose the times at which certain conditions occur changes for one of the duty cycles, but the conditions and condition parameters remain the same. With the Add new Condition Sequence From File command, you can replace the condition sequence for that duty cycle with a condition sequence that has the new times, but retains the existing conditions, condition parameters, and other existing condition sequences.

Add new Condition Sequence From File command (for BDD files)

When you use the Add new Condition Sequence From File command to import a BDD file, the software replaces the first condition sequence listed in the Condition Sequence Manager dialog box with the condition sequence in the BDD file. This occurs because unlike XML files, BDD files are limited to a single condition sequence, and the condition sequence does not have a label. The imported condition sequence uses the conditions and condition parameters that existed in the simulation prior to the import, and all other condition sequences, conditions, and condition parameters are left as they were before the import.

Because the behavior of the software depends on the labels of condition sequences and conditions in the file to import, along with those already loaded in the simulation, the Add new Condition Sequence From File command may not produce the result you would expect for certain situations. For a detailed explanation of how the software behaves when you use the Add new Condition Sequence From File command, see Using the Add new Condition Sequence From File command.

Importing condition sequences

When you import a condition sequence into a simulation that has an existing condition sequence, the following possibilities exist:

• The names of some condition parameters you are importing match those of condition parameters in the existing condition sequence.When this occurs, the software overwrites the values for the existing condition parameter with the values for the condition parameter of the same name that you are importing.

• Condition parameters in the condition sequence that you are importing are not in the existing condition sequence.When this occurs, any condition parameters that you are importing that are not in the existing condition sequence are added to the existing condition sequence.

• Condition parameters in the existing condition sequence are not in the condition sequence that you are importing. These condition parameters are referred to as missing parameters.When missing parameters occur, you can control how the software handles them with the options in the Handle Unused Missing Condition Sequence Parameters group of the Import Settings dialog box.If a missing parameter is used to define, for example, a boundary condition:To remove the missing parameter from the condition sequence, but retain the expression for the missing parameter, click Delete Missing Parameters. When you do so, the software unlocks the retained expression, issues a warning message in the Expressions dialog box, and makes the formula for the retained expression blank.To retain the missing parameter in the condition sequence, click Set Missing Parameters To Undefined. When you do so, the software unlocks the expression for the missing parameter, issues a warning message in the Expressions dialog box, and makes its value undefined. That is, in the Condition Sequence Manager dialog box, on the Conditions tab, the Value cell for the missing parameter is made blank.If a missing parameter is unused:To remove the missing parameter from the condition sequence and delete the expression for the missing parameter, click Delete Missing Parameters.To unlock the expression for the missing parameter, click Set Missing Parameters To Undefined. When you do so, the software makes its value undefined, and issues a warning message in the Expressions dialog box.

When you import a condition sequence, the software automatically opens an information window that lists the condition parameters that are:

• Created during the import.

• Overwritten with the values of condition parameters of the same name in the condition sequence you are importing.

• Deleted during the import.

• Retained during the import, but whose expressions are set to undefined.

Importing condition sequences with name collisions

A name collision occurs when you import a condition sequence that contains a condition parameter that shares the same name as an existing user-defined or system-defined expression. A name collision does not occur when you import a condition sequence that contains a condition parameter that shares the same name as an existing condition parameter. When this occurs, the software overwrites the values for the existing condition parameter with the values for the condition parameter that you are importing.

To specify how the software reconciles name collisions, use the options in the Handle Name Collisions During Import group of the Import Settings dialog box.

• To replace the formula of the existing expression with a formula that represents the imported condition parameter, and then lock the revised expression, click Overwrite Formula For Existing Entities For Name Collisions.Note: This option is valid only if the existing expression is not a locked system-defined expression and the dimensions of the existing expression and the imported condition parameter are the same. Otherwise, the software issues an error message.

• To rename the condition parameter that you are importing and retain the name of the existing expression, click Rename Incoming Condition Sequence Parameters For Name Collisions.

For example, suppose that you are importing a condition sequence that includes a condition parameter named p413 and a unlocked expression named p413 already exists.

• If you click Overwrite Formula For Existing Entities For Name Collisions, the software:Creates a table field for the condition parameter. The table field contains data that shows how the condition parameter varies with respect to time.Replaces the formula of the existing expression with a formula that represents the imported condition parameter.For example, if the software names the table field for the condition parameter sys_field(5), the formula for the existing expression is replaced with fd("sys_field(5)").Locks the revised expression.

• If you click Rename Incoming Condition Sequence Parameters For Name Collisions, the software:Renames the condition parameter p413_oldRenamed.Retains p413 as the name of the existing expression.

Where do I find it?

Controlling missing parameters and name collisions

Application	Pre/Post
Prerequisite	A Simulation file as the work part and displayed part
Command Finder	Condition Sequences
Location in dialog box	Condition Sequence tab→Import / Export group→Import

How do I

Export a condition sequence

Import a condition sequence

Create condition parameters

Create conditions

Create a condition sequence

Create a solution from a condition sequence

Update a solution from condition sequence changes

Learn more

Condition parameters, conditions, and condition sequences

Using a condition sequence to define a solution

Using the Add new Condition Sequences From File command

Define a boundary condition magnitude with condition parameters

Plot a condition sequence

Look up more details

XML file format for condition sequences

Quick links

Command reference

Pre/Post video examples

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Exporting and importing condition sequences, Simcenter 3D 2021.1 Series

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