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# 3.2.23 JOINING OUTPUT DATABASE (.ODB) FILES FROM RESTARTED ANALYSES

Products: Abaqus/Standard Abaqus/Explicit

# References

• “Execution procedure for Abaqus: overview,” Section 3.1.1   
• “Continuation of output upon restart” in “Restarting an analysis,” Section 9.1.1

# Overview

The abaqus restartjoin utility appends an output database (.odb) file produced by a restart analysis of a model to the output database produced by the original analysis of that model. Combining the original and restart output database files into a single file enables you to examine all of the output data for the analysis in Abaqus/CAE.

A similar utility, abaqus append, is used to join results (.fil) files. See “Joining results (.fil) files,” Section 3.2.15, for details.

# Appending data when the analysis restarts between steps versus midstep

You can append output database files from analyses that restart between steps and from analyses that restart in the middle of a step. While the required syntax is the same for these two types of analyses, Abaqus appends data differently, as follows:

• For an analysis that stops and restarts between steps, Abaqus simply appends the output from the new steps to the output from the existing steps of the original analysis.   
• For an analysis that stops and restarts in the middle of a step, the original and restart analyses overlap because the restart analysis resumes at the beginning of the interrupted step. In this case the abaqus restartjoin utility retains the results for any completed steps in the original analysis but replaces the results for the interrupted step with the output data produced by the restart analysis.

# Customizing the combined output database file

By default, Abaqus appends the output data produced by the restart analysis directly to the original output database file. If you prefer to retain the original output database file, you can create a copy of it and append the restart analysis output data to the copy instead. Abaqus names this copy using the format Restart\_original-odb-filename; for example, a copy of the original output database file job–1.odb would be named Restart\_job-1.odb.

Abaqus omits history data when you combine original and restart output databases; however, you can override this default. You can also control whether Abaqus compresses the combined output database file.

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Command summary 

<table><tr><td rowspan="3">abaqus restartjoin</td><td>originalodb=odb-file-name</td></tr><tr><td>restartodb=odb-file-name</td></tr><tr><td>[copyoriginal] [history] [compressresult]</td></tr><tr><td colspan="2">Command line options</td></tr></table>

# originalodb

This option specifies the output database file produced by the original analysis. If you omit the copyoriginal option, Abaqus appends the output data from the restart output database file directly to the original output database file.

If you omit this option from the command line, Abaqus will prompt you for its value.

# restartodb

This option specifies the output database file produced by the restart analysis. You can specify only one restart analysis output database file at a time.

If you omit this option from the command line, Abaqus will prompt you for its value.

# copyoriginal

If this option is specified, Abaqus creates a copy of the output database file specified by the originalodb option and appends the contents of the restartodb output database file to that copy instead of to the original file. When this option is omitted, Abaqus appends the output data from the restart analysis directly to the original output database file.

Abaqus names the copied output database file by adding the prefix Restart\_ to the name of the original output database file; for example, a copy of the original output database file original.odb would be named Restart\_original.odb.

# history

If this option is specified, Abaqus copies history data from the restart output database to the original output database or its copy. Abaqus omits history data in the joined output database file unless you specify this option.

# compressresult

If this option is specified, Abaqus compresses the resulting output database file.

# Examples

If your model produced an initial output database file named Job-1.odb and a restart output database file named Job-1\_res.odb, issue the following command to append the contents of the restart database to the initial output database file:

abaqus restartjoin originalodb=Job-1.odb restartodb=Job-1\_res.odb

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If you prefer to retain the original output database file, you can create a copy of this original file and append the contents of the restart output database file to the copy instead. Abaqus creates the name of the copied output database file by adding the prefix Restart\_ to the name of the original file; in the preceding example the copy of the original file Job-1.odb would be named Restart\_Job-1.odb. To perform the restart join operation using a copy of the original file, issue the following command:

abaqus restartjoin originalodb=Job-1.odb restartodb=Job-1\_res.odb copyoriginal

By default, Abaqus does not copy history data to the combined output database. To include history data, issue the following command:

abaqus restartjoin originalodb=Job-1.odb restartodb=Job-1\_res.odb history

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# 3.2.24 COMBINING OUTPUT FROM SUBSTRUCTURES

Products: Abaqus/Standard Abaqus/Explicit

# References

• “Execution procedure for Abaqus: overview,” Section 3.1.1   
• “Obtaining output of results within a substructure” in “Using substructures,” Section 10.1.1

# Overview

The abaqus substructurecombine utility combines the model and results data produced by two of a model’s substructures into a single output database (.odb) file. By combining all of a model’s substructure analysis output database files, you can display all of the data produced by a substructure analysis in Abaqus/CAE.

Abaqus combines output data by adding the contents of the second file you specify (the copy output database) directly into the first file you specify (the base output database). Because this process changes the base output database, consider backing up your data before using this utility.

# Combining data for models with more than two substructures

Because the abaqus substructurecombine utility combines data from only two output databases at a time, you must run the utility multiple times to create a single output database from an analysis with more than two substructures. Combine data from two of the substructures first, then repeat the operation to combine the resulting output database file with data from each remaining substructure.

# Customizing the combined output database

You can customize the substructure combine operation by adding only a subset of the data from the copy output database into the base output database. Abaqus enables you to add output data to the base output database from a single step or frame in the copy output database. You can also include only output data from the copy output database that relates to a particular variable; for example, you can copy output data related to Mises stress.

# Command summary

```ini
abaqus substructurecombine baseodb=odb-file-name
copyodb=odb-file-name
[all] [step=step-name]
[frame=frame-number] [variable=variable-key] 
```

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# Command line options

# baseodb

This option specifies the name of the base output database, to which Abaqus adds the contents of the copy output database.

If you omit this option from the command line, Abaqus will prompt you for its value.

# copyodb

This option specifies the name of the copy output database, which Abaqus adds to the contents of the base output database. You can specify only one file at a time for this option.

If you omit this option from the command line, Abaqus will prompt you for its value.

# all

This option indicates that data for all variables within all steps and frames of output should be copied to the combined output database. When you specify this option, Abaqus ignores the step, frame, and variable options.

# step

This option indicates the name of the step from which Abaqus will copy results data. You can specify only one step; if you omit this option, Abaqus copies data from the last step in the output database.

Abaqus ignores this option if you specify the all option.

# frame

This option indicates the number of the frame from which Abaqus will copy results data. You can specify only one frame; if you omit this option, Abaqus uses the last frame in the step specified by the step option.

Abaqus ignores this option if you specify the all option.

# variable

This option indicates the variable key for the variable from which Abaqus will copy results data. If you omit this option, Abaqus copies data for all variables in the output database. Abaqus ignores this option if you specify the all option.

Only output variable keys that are valid for output database file output are available for use with abaqus substructurecombine. In general, if a key corresponds to a collective output variable, rather than an individual component, it can be used with this execution procedure. The collective output variable keys are distinguished from their individual components by the fact that they have a bullet ( ) in one of the .odb columns in the tables in “Abaqus/Standard output variable identifiers,” Section 4.2.1.

# Examples

The following examples illustrate different methods of combining substructures using the abaqus substructurecombine execution procedure.

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# Combining two substructures

If your model contains two substructures that produce output database files named subst1.odb and subst2.odb, issue the following command to overwrite subst1.odb with the combined contents of the two files:

abaqus substructureCombine baseodb=subst1.odb copyodb=subst2.odb

# Combining more than two substructures

If your model contains more than two substructures, you must first combine the output database files from two of the substructures, then combine the combined output database with each of the other substructures’ output databases in turn. In this example the substructure analysis produces four output database files named subst1.odb, subst2.odb, subst3.odb and subst4.odb, so you must issue the abaqus substructure command a total of three times to combine all four files into a single output database, as shown in the following example:

```txt
abaqus substructureCombine baseodb=subst1.odb copyodb=subst2.odb
abaqus substructureCombine baseodb=subst1.odb copyodb=subst3.odb
abaqus substructureCombine baseodb=subst1.odb copyodb=subst4.odb 
```

# Combining specific elements of the substructures

If you want to include only the output data from the step Step-1 in the combined output database, issue the following command:

```txt
abaqus substructureCombine baseodb=subst1.odb copyodb=subst2.odb step="Step-1" 
```

If you want to include only the output data from the Mises variable in the combined output database, issue the following command:

```html
abaqus substructureCombine baseodb=subst1.odb copyodb=subst2.odb variable="Mises" 
```

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# 3.2.25 COMBINING DATA FROM MULTIPLE OUTPUT DATABASES

Products: Abaqus/Standard Abaqus/Explicit Abaqus/CFD

# References

• “Execution procedure for Abaqus: overview,” Section 3.1.1   
• “Joining output database (.odb) files from restarted analyses,” Section 3.2.23   
• “Combining data from multiple output databases,” Section 82.13 of the Abaqus/CAE User’s Guide, in the HTML version of this guide

# Overview

The abaqus odbcombine utility combines the results data in two or more Abaqus output database files (.odb) into a single output database (.odb) file. The abaqus odbcombine utility is intended for the combination of output databases containing different results. If you want to combine output databases from the same analysis before and after a restart, use the abaqus restartjoin execution procedure instead. For more information, see “Joining output database (.odb) files from restarted analyses,” Section 3.2.23.

Abaqus includes all model data from the selected output databases in the combined output database; however, for results data you can choose to include a subset of the data from the output databases that you specify. Abaqus/CAE determines which results data are included in the combined output database based on two factors: the filtering options you specify and your selection of master output database.

# Filters

You can filter the data that the utility includes in the combined output database to include results only from selected steps or frames, from selected output variables, or from a combination of these options. For example, a filter can enable you to include results data only from the last step and the last frame of the specified output databases, and the same filter can dictate that only Mises stress results are included in the combined output database. You can also establish multiple filters if you want to set up different filtering conditions for the first step than in the second step.

The abaqus odbcombine utility also provides two levels of filtering: output database–specific filters, which filter results from only a single output database; and default filters, which apply to the entire job. The output database–specific filters take precedence over the default filters, so Abaqus/CAE employs the settings in the default filters only when the default filter you define does not conflict with filters for one of the individual output databases.

The filtering syntax is flexible enough to allow you to specify multiple steps, frame, or output variable values. You can specify multiple step names in a comma-separated list, such as Step-1, Step-2, Step-4. For frames you can include ranges or individual values; for example, entering 1, 3, 5, 7:9 returns frames 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, and 9 to the combined output database.

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You can also use the symbolic constants ’ALL’, ’FIRST’, and ’LAST’ as shortcuts to specify the data you want to include. These options enable you to include results data from all steps or frames and data from all output variables rather than one or more selected variables.

# Master output database

One output database in every combine operation is designated as the master output database. The utility first transfers all field output data, subject to filtering selections, from the master output database to the combined output database. The utility then locates results data from matching steps and frames in the subsequent output databases and copies only those data into the combined output database. This strategy provides a more coherent structure for the combined results data.

# Configuration file usage

The abaqus odbcombine utility uses data in configuration files to determine which output databases to combine, the file to designate as the master output database, and the filtering options to enforce by default and for each output database. The configuration file must be in .xml format, and it can have three types of elements in the following order:

• The <DefaultFilters> element specifies one or more default filtering definitions. This section is optional, but you must include it if you want to set up default filtering for your combine operation.   
• The <MasterOdb> element specifies the location of the master output database and, if desired, one or more filtering definitions for the data in that output database. This section is required.   
• One <Odb> element is required for each additional output database that you want to include in the combine operation.

You can then specify default filters for output database–specific filters by embedding <Filter> elements within the <DefaultFilters> element or within one of the output database elements.

# Configuration file template

The following example illustrates the structure of the configuration file for the abaqus odbcombine utility.

<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?>

Your XML file declaration may differ from this one.

<OdbInput>

<DefaultFilters>

The default filtering element is optional. If you include this element in the configuration file, you must include at least one <Filter> element within this section. Filter elements can use the Steps or Frames attributes to refer to symbolic constants or the StepName or FrameIndex attributes to refer to individual steps or frames, as shown in the following examples:

<Filter Steps='step names or symbolic constants'

Frames='frame numbers or symbolic constants'
