COMSOL Webinar

COMSOL Multiphysics
The Application Builder
Temesgen Markos Kindo, Ph.D.

Applications Engineer
Numerical Simulation with COMSOL Multiphysics

Integrated modeling, simulation,
and application design environment
Multiphysics models
Include and couple all relevant physics
Simulation apps enable crossfunctional product development

Build apps based on COMSOL software
models to deploy analysis capabilities to
collaborators and customers worldwide
All Industries Benefit from Multiphysics Simulation
A Complete Simulation Environment

COMSOL Desktop
Straightforward to
use, the Desktop
gives insight and
full control over the
modeling process
Model Builder
Provides instant
access to any of the
model settings
CAD/Geometry
Materials
Physics
Mesh
Solvers
Results
Graphics Window
Ultrafast graphic presentation,
stunning visualization
Product Suite COMSOL 5.2a
Custom Application Design Tools

Application Builder
Provides all the
tools needed to
build and run
simulation apps
Form Editor
Method Editor
Simulation Application
Any COMSOL model can be turned into an
app with its own interface using the tools
provided in the Application Builder
Run Custom Applications

COMSOL Server
Its the engine for
running COMSOL
apps and the hub for
controlling their
deployment,
distribution, and use
Simulation Apps
They can be run in a COMSOL Client
for Windows and major web browsers
Microsoft and Windows are either registered trademarks or
trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other
countries.
Agenda
Designing Simulation Applications
Application Builder
Running Simulation Apps

COMSOL Server
Live Demos
Creating Apps
Deploying Apps
Q&A Session
Simulation results from a model

of a thermoelectric cooler.
COMSOL Applications
Application = Physics Model + User Interface

Can be password protected
In COMSOL Multiphysics
Configure double-clicking MPH file for

Editing app
Running app
Or deploy with COMSOL Server
Application Builder
Included in the Windows version of COMSOL Multiphysics

Can run Applications with COMSOL Multiphysics or COMSOL Server
Run with COMSOL Multiphysics in Windows, OS X, and Linux
Run with COMSOL Server in Windows, OS X, Linux, and any platform/OS supporting a browser
Two Editors
The Form Editor
For user interface design
The Method Editor

For programming
The Application Libraries
Creating Apps Requires Collaboration
Creating an application often requires a collaborative effort

by experts within the following areas
Physics
Numerical analysis
Programming
User-interface and graphic design
A well-crafted application
avoids accidental user input errors

keeps the focus on relevant output details
Different Uses for Simulation Apps
Spreading the use of your simulations

Visualizing results
Sophisticated way of parameterizing your model
More powerful than traditional methods

Easy to pick up at a later time
Link to legacy code in C, Java, FORTRAN
COMSOL Server is a cost-effective way to deploy multiphysics

analysis to more users
COMSOL Server
COMSOL Server
COMSOL Server
Deploy COMSOL applications

Throughout your organization
Worldwide access
Administrative tools
Immediate access to application updates

Create user accounts and privileges
Create user groups
Configure for using one dedicated app only
More
Run Applications in Two Ways
COMSOL Client for Windows

Free download: 40MB
Same look-and-feel as the COMSOL Desktop
Run with LiveLink products for CAD
Web Browser
No installation required
No browser extensions required
1D, 2D, and 3D graphics
Interactive 3D graphics using the WebGL standard
License Options COMSOL Server
See www.comsol.com/sla for complete licensing terms.

Trademarks are the property of their respective owners. See www.comsol.com/trademarks.
Getting Started
Application Wizard
New Form Wizard

Quickly Build the Simplest-Possible App
1. Load the model busbar.mph from the Application Library (many
other models would also work)
COMSOL Multiphysics>Multiphysics>busbar.mph
2. Switch to the Application Builder

3. Click the New Form button and create an app with
a) Three input fields: Length, Width, and Applied Voltage
b) One graphics object for the Temperature plot
c) One button for the Compute Study node
4. Click the Test Application button to run and test your app
5. Drag the form objects around and test different layouts
Graphic User Interface

Form Editor
Buttons & Command Sequences

1
1. Insert a GUI object

2. Highlight the object in Form Editor
3. In the settings window, choose
commands to run
4. Provide command arguments, if needed
21
31
41
Buttons & Command Sequences

Add a Plot Geometry Button
1. Insert Objects > Button
2. Drag new Button next to the Compute button
3. In the Settings window of the Button:
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
Change Size to Large

Change Picture to geometry_32.png
Change the Text to Update Geometry
In the tree (Choose Commands to Run), double-click
Model>Component 1>Geometry 1
In the Arguments field next to the Plot Geometry command,
type graphics1
4.
Or click the Edit Arguments button below the command sequence table and select
the graphics object from a dialog box
Click Test Application to try it
Data Input
1. Insert a GUI object which can take data input
Input Field, Check Box, Combo Box, Slider
2. Highlight the object in Form Editor. In the settings window,
associate it with a data object (source)
3. Add Data Validation (optional)
4. Add an event which is triggered when data changes (optional)
21
1
31
41
Input Fields & Data Validation

Safe Inputs
1. Double-click the input field for the Length parameter
2. In the Settings window of the input field (inputfield1), locate
the Data Validation section
3. Select the check box for Minimum and change its value to 5
4. Select the check box for Maximum and change its value to 15
5. Type your own Error message
6. Click Test Application to try it, type in a number smaller than 5
or greater than 15
Note: the error message you see when using Test Application will
show additional debugging information as compared to running
with Run Application or COMSOL Server
Tools for Efficient App Building

Editor Tools
Add GUI objects and their most common command sequences in one step
Generate code associated with a node in the editor tree
Model Data Access

Access individual properties of a model tree that have not been parametrized
Record Code
Perform a sequence of operations in the Model Builder and get it as a code!
Language Elements
Pseudocode to code
Editor Tools
Add a Mesh Button
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Open the Editor Tools window

Make sure you have form1 open and active
Right click Model>Component 1>Mesh 1 and select Button
Rearrange your buttons as needed
Click Test Application to try it
Optional:
Use Editor Tools to add an Input for the Thickness parameter
Use Editor Tools instead of Insert Objects for common form

objects + command sequences
Buttons, Input Fields, Data Displays, Graphics + some Combo Boxes and Check Boxes
Use Insert Objects for other form objects and custom

command sequences
Data Display Objects

Formatted Output for Max Temperature
1.
2.
3.
In the Model Builder>Results, add a Derived

Values>Maximum>Volume Maximum, for the
temperature T, for All domains.
In the Application Builder, use Editor Tools, rightclick the Volume Maximum node and select Output.
This creates a Data Display object and a Text Label
object.
Drag the Data Display object as needed.
Model Data Access

Adding a Combo Box for Element Size
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Switch to the Model Builder

Change the Elements Size to Predefined
Click Model Data Access in the Ribbon
Select the check box next to Predefined
Switch back to the Application Builder
For the Busbar form (form1):
a)
Use Editor Tools and right-click Predefined Size, select

Input, this adds a Combo Box for the Element Size
b) In the Settings window for the Combo Box, change the
Initial value to From data source
7.
Rearrange as needed and test the application
Method Editor
Methods
Play a Sound
1.
2.
3.
4.
Double-click the Compute button

Click the Convert to New Method button
Click the Go to Method button
Add a method playSound(success.wav);
Use the Language Elements window to find all built-in methods that
start with play
Check the built-in sounds under the Libraries>Sounds node
5.
Can this instead be done with a command sequence?
Record Code
1.
Try Record Code to record code for the

operations you perform in the Model Builder
For example, try a few mesh operations
2.
Click Stop Recording and inspect the resulting

code
Check Box
Switch Electromagnetic Heat Source On/Off
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
In the Model Builder, locate Multiphysics>Electromagnetic Heat Source 1

Record a New Method and disable and enable the Electromagnetic Heat
Source 1 node
Stop Recording and inspect the code, you will soon use parts of this
Declare a Boolean variable emh with Description: Electromagnetic
Heating on/off
Insert a Check Box and use the emh variable as Source
Change the recorded method name to switch_emh, and change code
to:
model.multiphysics("emh1").active(emh);
7.
8.
In the Events section for the Check Box, choose switch_emh

Test the app
Needed: Declarations and Events

What variable do you want to change?
Declarations: Boolean, Double, Integer, String
What choices are available for that variable?

Declarations: Choice List
What do you want to trigger with the change?

Events + Methods
Q&A Session
Product Suite COMSOL 5.2a
Contact Us
Questions and free trial
Download the latest

version
comsol.com/contact
comsol.com/productdownload
www.comsol.com
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COMSOL Multiphysics

The Application Builder

Temesgen Markos Kindo, Ph.D.

Numerical Simulation with COMSOL Multiphysics

Simulation apps enable crossfunctional product development

All Industries Benefit from Multiphysics Simulation

A Complete Simulation Environment

Product Suite COMSOL 5.2a

Custom Application Design Tools

Run Custom Applications

Running Simulation Apps

Simulation results from a model

Application = Physics Model + User Interface

Configure double-clicking MPH file for

Or deploy with COMSOL Server

Included in the Windows version of COMSOL Multiphysics

The Method Editor

The Application Libraries

Creating Apps Requires Collaboration

Creating an application often requires a collaborative effort

avoids accidental user input errors

Different Uses for Simulation Apps

Spreading the use of your simulations

More powerful than traditional methods

Link to legacy code in C, Java, FORTRAN

COMSOL Server is a cost-effective way to deploy multiphysics

Deploy COMSOL applications

Immediate access to application updates

Run Applications in Two Ways

COMSOL Client for Windows

Interactive 3D graphics using the WebGL standard

License Options COMSOL Server

See www.comsol.com/sla for complete licensing terms.

New Form Wizard

2. Switch to the Application Builder

Graphic User Interface

Buttons & Command Sequences

1. Insert a GUI object

Buttons & Command Sequences

Change Size to Large

Click Test Application to try it

Input Fields & Data Validation

Tools for Efficient App Building

Model Data Access

Open the Editor Tools window

Use Editor Tools instead of Insert Objects for common form

Use Insert Objects for other form objects and custom

Data Display Objects

In the Model Builder>Results, add a Derived

Model Data Access

Switch to the Model Builder

Use Editor Tools and right-click Predefined Size, select

Rearrange as needed and test the application

Double-click the Compute button

Can this instead be done with a command sequence?

Try Record Code to record code for the

Click Stop Recording and inspect the resulting

In the Model Builder, locate Multiphysics>Electromagnetic Heat Source 1

In the Events section for the Check Box, choose switch_emh