Chapter 20: File Management and Files
The ANSYS program uses many permanent and temporary files during an analysis. The following file-
management topics are available to help you understand how ANSYS handles files and what you can
do to customize and manage files:
20.1. File Management Overview
20.2. Changing the Default File Name
20.3. Sending Output to Screens, Files, or Both
20.4. Text Versus Binary Files
20.5. Reading Your Own Files into the ANSYS Program
20.6. Writing Your Own ANSYS Files from the ANSYS Program
20.7. Assigning Different File Names
20.8. Reviewing Contents of Binary Files (AUX2)
20.9. Operating on Results Files (AUX3)
20.10. Other File Management Commands20.1. File Management Overview
The ANSYS program uses files extensively for data storage and retrieval, especially when solving an
analysis. The files are named filename.ext, where filename defaults to the jobname, and ext is
a unique two- to four-character value that identifies the contents of the file. The jobname is a name
you can specify when entering the ANSYS program via the /FILNAME command (Utility Menu> File>
Change Jobname). If you specify no jobname, it defaults to FILE (or file).
File names (both jobname and ext ension) may appear in lowercase on some systems. For example, if
the jobname is bolt, you may have files at the end of an ANSYS analysis which could include:
bolt.db Database file
bolt.emat Element matrices
bolt.err Error and warning messages
bolt.log Command input history
bolt.rst Results fileTable 20.1:Temporary Files Written by the ANSYS Program (p. 319) and Table 20.2: Permanent Files
Written by the ANSYS Program (p. 320) show a list of files written by the ANSYS program. Files that are
generated and then deleted sometime before the end of the ANSYS session are called temporary files
(Table 20.1:Temporary Files Written by the ANSYS Program (p. 319)). Files that remain after the ANSYS
session are called permanent files (Table 20.2: Permanent Files Written by the ANSYS Program (p. 320)).
20.1.1. Executing the Run Interactive Now or DISPLAY Programs from Windows Explorer
If you are running ANSYS on a Windows system, you can double-click on the following types of files
from the Windows Explorer to execute the Run Interactive Now or DISPLAY programs:
Release 15.0 - © SAS IP, Inc. All rights reserved. - Contains proprietary and confidential information