Using the Importer |
 
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Using the Importer |
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The data importer accepts a range of inputs as outlined below. Apart from the data file name and source type (i.e WAMIT, Aqwa etc.), the remainder of the inputs are optional. If any of these parameters are explicitly specified via the importer, the corresponding value in the data file is ignored. If any value is not explicitly specified here, the corresponding value is read from the data file. Where a required parameter is not available from either source, the program will issue an error message.
Input: |
Description |
Input File Name: |
The name and location of the input file from which the hydrodynamic data is to be sourced. This should either be the WAMIT formatted *.out file or the AQWA *.lis file or the NEMOH Nemoh.cal file. |
Input File Source: |
The name of the program which created the input file. The options are WAMIT, AQWA, NEMOH and ORCAWAVE. |
Gravity: |
The acceleration due to gravity. This entry is only relevant to WAMIT. |
Water Density: |
The mass per unit volume of the fluid in which the body is situated, typically seawater. This entry is only relevant to WAMIT. |
Length Scale: |
The length scale which is used to convert the input data into dimensional form. This entry is only relevant to WAMIT. |
Excitation Forces: |
The source of the wave excitation data, either Haskind (the default) or Diffraction. This entry is only relevant to WAMIT. |
Output Directory: |
The path to the folder where Flexcom will route all data files generated during the conversion process. The path is optional and defaults to the current working directory. |
The user interface is shown below and is straight forward to use. The source type of the input data, either WAMIT, AQWA or NEMOH, is selected from a drop-down menu. Paths are provided to the source file and output directory. As mentioned above, the output path is optional and defaults to the current working directory.
The interface for the WAMIT data import differs from AQWA and NEMOH in that it provides inputs for water density, gravity and length scale which are used for converting the non-dimensional WAMIT data. The inputs default to 1025kg/m3 for water density, 9.80665m/s2 for gravity and 1.0 for length scale. Another WAMIT only option on the interface is the source of the wave excitation data, either Haskind (the default) or Diffraction, which is available to choose from a drop-down menu.
Once you have selected the data file and specified any optional parameters, simply press the Run button, The data importer then automatically reads in the relevant input data, performs the necessary conversions, and creates output files which are readily accessible by Flexcom as standard input files.
Hydrodynamic Data Importer Interface
If you wish to by-pass the data importer's user interface, and run the program from a command prompt window or another external program, you simply call the data importer's engine directly, pass it the name and location of the data file which you wish to import, and optionally provide some additional command line arguments. The data importer's engine is called 'HydrodynamicDataImporter.exe' and it is located in your local installation directory. The location varies depending on which version of Flexcom you have installed, but will be typically something like... "C:\Program Files\Wood\Flexcom\Version 2025.1.2\bin\HydrodynamicDataImporter.exe". Note that if the file path contains spaces, you must enclose the character expression in quotation marks.
Mandatory arguments:
•-input Input File Name and Path. The name and location of the input file from which the hydrodynamic data is to be sourced. The file path is optional and defaults to the current working directory.
•-source Input File Source. The name of the program which created the input file. The options are WAMIT, AQWA or NEMOH (Case insensitive).
Optional arguments:
•-gravity Acceleration due to Gravity. This entry is only relevant to WAMIT.
•-wdensity Water Density. This entry is only relevant to WAMIT.
•-lscale Length Scale. The length scale which is used to convert the input data into dimensional form. This entry is only relevant to WAMIT.
•-excite Excitation Source. The source of the wave excitation data, either Haskind (the default) or Diffraction. This entry is only relevant to WAMIT.
•-output Output Directory. The path to the folder where Flexcom will route all data files generated during the conversion process. The path is optional and defaults to the current working directory.
The data importer generates a range of data files which may be accessed by Flexcom in the standard fashion.
•Hydrostatic_Stiffness.dat. This file contains Hydrodynamic Stiffness data which is used to model the effects of buoyancy on the floating body. These inputs may be copied into the *FLOATING BODY keyword in your Flexcom model.
•Displacement_RAOs.dat. This file contains the Displacement RAO data which are used in the application of first order (wave frequency) motions. This file is used in conjunction with *VESSEL, INTEGRATED and *RAO keywords in your model.
•Force_RAOs.dat. This file contains Force RAO data from which high frequency First-Order Wave Loads are derived. This file name may be referenced directly from the *FORCE RAO keyword in your Flexcom model.
•Added_Mass.dat. This file contains Added Mass data from which Wave Radiation Loads are derived. This file name may be referenced directly from the *ADDED MASS keyword in your Flexcom model.
•Radiation_Damping.dat. This file contains Radiation Damping data from which Wave Radiation Loads are derived. This file name may be referenced directly from the *RADIATION DAMPING keyword in your Flexcom model.
•Newmans_QTFs.dat. This file contains Quadratic Transfer Function (QTF) data from which low frequency Second-Order Wave Drift Loads are derived. This file name may be referenced directly from the *QTF keyword in your Flexcom model.