Installing Abaqus 2016 to run off the Central License Server

The installation procedure and file system layout for Abaqus has changed significantly in the 2016 release. It is now necessary to run 3 separate installers for a complete Abaqus installation. Please be sure to run all 3 installers in order to get a fully functional Abaqus installation.

If you get errors referring to IOError ... Permission denied... when you launch Abaqus, make sure you're launching it from a writable folder and/or launch it as a user with administrative privileges.

The pdf documentation links reached by clicking the PDF link on the upper right of the documentation starting page may not work unless you are using the Internet Explorer browser, but you can access the pdf manuals by going to the parent page of that page.

On this page:

Requirements

This Abaqus installation procedure is only authorized for MIT student/faculty/staff users. It requires a 64 bit operating system (Windows or Linux). See Prerequisites for more details.

Note:

• You will not need to register with Simulia or download anything from their web site.
• You will not need to update the annual license file, this is handled on the server.
• Running Abaqus this way requires that you maintain network connectivity, and requires use of the MIT VPN if you are off the MIT campus.

Switching an existing Abaqus installation to get licenses from the Central License Server

If you have machines where Abaqus is already installed and you want to get licenses from the Central License Server, you don't need to perform the installation steps below. You just need to edit the abaquslm_license_file parameter line in a local Abaqus environment file abaqus_v6.env (release 6.14-3 and earlier) or custom_v6.env (release 2016) as shown here. This parameter is set in a line in the .env file beginning with

abaquslm_license_file=

(It's near the end of the abaqus_v6.env file which is fairly long. custom_v6.env is short).

The default location for abaqus_v6.env in release 6.14-3 is

• C:\SIMULIA\Abaqus\6.14-3\SMA\site
  for Windows
• <parent_dir>/6.14-3/SMA/site
  for Linux (where <parent_dir> is the Abaqus parent directory)

The default location of custom_v6.env in release 2016 is

• C:\Program Files\Dassault Systemes\SimulationServices\V6R2016x\win_b64\SMA\site
  for Windows
• /usr/DassaultSystemes/SimulationServices/V6R2016x/Linux_a64/SMA/site
  for Linux

Abaqus Installation

You need to maintain network connectivity during installation and it you're off campus, you need to be running the VPN before you run the installers. If you're on campus and using wireless, be sure you're connected to MIT Secure, other networks won't work.

Downloads

You will need the following items (access limited to students/faculty/staff):

This documentation and software is licensed under an academic license agreement between MIT and Dassault Systemes Simulia Corp. It may be used only by MIT students, faculty and staff (Authorized Users) for non-profit academic research and teaching. The right to use the materials for any other purpose, including commercial purposes, is expressly prohibited. Authorized Users must stop using the software and delete it (and any accompanying license key) from any non MIT-owned computers they have installed it on when they cease to be affiliated with MIT. By clicking on the links below, you agree that you are an Authorized User and that you will only use the software for the purposes listed above.

• Abaqus 2016 software (Windows/Linux 64 bit)
• Abaqus 2016 Program Directory (optional)

When a new Abaqus release becomes available, we will change the version reference for the documentation and software installers and update the download links for the new release. You can revisit this page to look for the updates, and install the new version by repeating the installation steps below. The vendor typically issues several update releases each year.

Installation of the Program Directory (abaqus_2016_pdir.zip archive) is optional. Unzip it in some location <install_loc>. It contains release notes, system requirements and general information about the current Abaqus release. The starting point for browsing the information is

• <install_loc>\PDir_SIMULIA_EstPrd\1\default.htm (Windows)
• <install_loc>/PDir_SIMULIA_EstPrd/1/default.htm (Linux)

Windows installation

Please note that installation will require about 8.8 Gb temporarily/4.7 Gb permanently.

1. Unzip abaqus_2016.zip in a temporary location.
2. Run setup.exe in the AM_SIM_Abaqus_Extend.AllOS\1\3DEXPERIENCE_AbaqusSolver\Windows64\1 folder.
3. If a Windows Firewall alert pops up, set it to allow internet access for DSYInsSetupGUI.
4. Click Next on the following screen.
5. Select the installation folder (the default is preferred), click Next.
6. Select all components for installation, click Next, then Install followed by Close when the installation completes.
7. Run setup.exe in the AM_SIM_Abaqus_Extend.AllOS\1\CAA_3DEXPERIENCE_AbaqusSolver\Windows64\1 folder.
8. If a Windows Firewall alert pops up, set it to allow internet access for DSYInsSetupGUI.
9. Click Next on the following screen.
10. Select the installation folder (the default is preferred), click Next.
11. Select all components for installation, click Next, then Install followed by "Close" when the installation completes.
12. Run setup.exe in the AM_SIM_Abaqus_Extend.AllOS\1\SIMULIA_Abaqus_CAE\Windows64\1 folder.
13. If a Windows Firewall alert pops up, set it to allow internet access for DSYInsSetupGUI
14. Click Next on the following screen.
15. Select the installation folder (the default is preferred), click Next.
16. Enter the Abaqus solver installation location. If you opted for the default location, you can copy the Windows example, click Next.
17. Enter the target location for CAE commands (the default is preferred), click Next.
18. Select SIMULIA FLEXnet for license server type and enter this in the License Server 1 dialog (leave the other entries blank), click Next.
19. Enter this documentation URL then click Next.
20. Keep the default Abaqus working directory C:\Temp, then click Next.
21. Review the installation information and click Install.

    If you get an error message containing Unable to add Abaqus command directory to PATH variable, click Continue to proceed with the installation. This can be done later by right clicking This PC and selecting Properties -> Advanced system settings -> Advanced tab -> Environment Variables, select Path in the System variables section, Edit and add C:\SIMULIA\Commands if this isn't already present. You can also ignore the installation error reported at the end of the installation.

22. If a Windows Firewall alert pops up, set it to allow internet access for SMACkmCaeKerMod.
23. If a Windows Firewall alert pops up, set it to allow internet access for SMAEliLicensing.
24. Click Continue at the verification results popup followed by Close.

In certain usage modes, Abaqus requires access to system C, C++ and FORTRAN compilers. Installation and configuration of these is beyond the scope of this document; please consult the Abaqus documentation for further information.

To launch Abaqus from a command prompt, type abaqus. To launch the GUI, type abaqus cae. To launch the viewer, type abaqus viewer.

Linux installation

Please note that installation will require about 9.5 Gb temporarily/5.3 Gb permanently.

You will need to have the openmotif and compat-libstdc++-33 packages installed on Red Hat systems.

1. Unzip abaqus_2016.zip in a temporary location.
2. Run AM_SIM_Abaqus_Extend.AllOS/1/3DEXPERIENCE_AbaqusSolver/Linux64/1/StartGUI.sh.
3. Click Next on the following screen.
4. Select the installation directory (the default is preferred), click Next.
5. Select all components for installation, click Next, then Install followed by Close when the installation completes.
6. Run AM_SIM_Abaqus_Extend.AllOS/1/CAA_3DEXPERIENCE_AbaqusSolver/Linux64/1/StartGUI.sh.
7. Click Next on the following screen.
8. Select the installation directory (the default is preferred), click Next.
9. Select all components for installation, click Next, then Install followed by Close when the installation completes.
10. Run AM_SIM_Abaqus_Extend.AllOS/1/SIMULIA_AbaqusCAE/Linux64/1/StartGUI.sh.
11. Click Next on the following screen.
12. Select the installation directory (the default is preferred), click Next.
13. Enter the Abaqus solver installation location. If you opted for the default location, you can copy the UNIX example, click Next.
14. Enter the target location for CAE commands (the default is preferred), click Next.
15. Select SIMULIA FLEXnet for license server type and enter this in the License Server 1 dialog (leave the other entries blank), click Next.
16. Enter this documentation URL, then click Next.
17. Keep the default Abaqus working directory /var/tmp, then click Next.
18. Review the installation information and click Install.
19. Click Continue at the verification results popup followed by Close.

In certain usage modes, Abaqus requires access to system C, C++ and FORTRAN compilers. Installation and configuration of these is beyond the scope of this document; please consult the Abaqus documentation for further information. Abaqus is configured to use the Intel compilers by default; it is usually possible to use the gnu compilers instead by editing /usr/DassaultSystemes/SimulationServices/V6R2016x/Linux_a64/SMA/site/lnx86_64.env as follows: Change ifort to gfortran on the fortCmd line and make sure that g++ is on the cppCmd line. Remove gnu-incompatible compiler flags from the compile_fortran line (-V, -auto, -mP2OPT_hpo_vec_divbyzero=F, -extend_source, -fpp, -WB). Add -lgfortran to the link_sl and link_exe lines.

You need to launch Abaqus CAE or Abaqus Viewer from a directory where you have write permission.

The Abaqus launch command is abaqus (or abaqus cae for the GUI, abaqus viewer for the viewer), in the /var/DassaultSystemes/SIMULIA/Commands directory if you selected the default CAE commands directory.

You may need to set the XLIB_SKIP_ARGB_VISUALS environment variable to 1 in the launch terminal first if the Abaqus windows are washed out and translucent. You may run into other windowing artifacts unless you log in with a basic graphical session that disables advanced visual effects. Details for how to do this are beyond the scope of this article.

After installation is complete, you can delete the downloaded zip files and unzipped contents to save space.

Extras

An archive containing various extras including CAD associative interface plugins is here. Unzip this in a temporary location; instructions for installation and use of the various components are in pdf files located in subdirectories. Some of the associative interfaces are also located in the
AM_SIM_Abaqus_Extend.AllOS\1\SIMULIA_Abaqus_Associative_Interfaces\1 folder of the abaqus_2016.zip archive.

See Also

• Abaqus Landing Page