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hfVisualizer Remote Control File

Use these commands to create, open, save, export, or close a model without using the GUI menus.

Most file commands stay silent on success. Internal history fields such as scriptTail are still recorded into Remote Control History and script-save, but are hidden from normal CLI JSON output.

new

hfVisualizer --remote [--target <id>] new [--discard-unsaved]
  • Creates a new empty model.
  • If unsaved changes exist and the current file already has a path, remote control auto-saves first.
  • If unsaved changes exist and there is no current file path, the command fails with SAVE_PATH_REQUIRED.
  • --discard-unsaved discards unsaved changes without auto-save and does not show the GUI save-confirmation dialog.

open

hfVisualizer --remote [--target <id>] open <file>
  • Opens the specified model file.
  • If unsaved changes exist and the current file already has a path, remote control auto-saves first.
  • If unsaved changes exist and there is no current file path, the command fails with SAVE_PATH_REQUIRED.

save

hfVisualizer --remote [--target <id>] save [file]
  • Without [file], saves to the current file.
  • With [file], saves there and updates the current file path.

write-scene

hfVisualizer --remote [--target <id>] write-scene <file>
  • Writes the active render scene to an output file.
  • Supported extensions:
  • .png
  • .jpg
  • .bmp
  • .pnm
  • .tif
  • .svg
  • .ps
  • .eps
  • .pdf
  • .tex

write-program-shot

hfVisualizer --remote [--target <id>] write-program-shot <file>
  • Captures the full hfVisualizer program area, including menu bar, toolbars, dock widgets, central views, and status bar.
  • The parent directory of <file> must already exist.
  • The file extension must be supported by the current Qt image writer runtime.
  • Writes raster formats supported by the runtime.
  • Does not support vector formats such as .svg, .pdf, .ps, .eps, or .tex.
  • Records the canonical write-program-shot ... tail into Remote Control History and script-save.

import

hfVisualizer --remote [--target <id>] import <file> [--type <Hyfeast|MGT|MCT|Abaqus|GMSH>]
  • Imports an external model file into the current session.
  • --type is optional.
  • When --type is omitted, the type is inferred from the extension:
  • .inp -> Hyfeast
  • .mgt -> MGT
  • .mct -> MCT
  • .msh -> GMSH

export

hfVisualizer --remote [--target <id>] export <file>
  • Exports the current model to the specified output path.
  • Use an output path and extension supported by the existing export flow.

quit

hfVisualizer --remote [--target <id>] quit [--discard-unsaved]
  • Closes the target window.
  • If unsaved changes exist and the current file already has a path, remote control auto-saves first.
  • If unsaved changes exist and there is no current file path, the command fails with SAVE_PATH_REQUIRED.
  • --discard-unsaved discards unsaved changes without auto-save, does not show the GUI save-confirmation dialog, and closes the target window immediately after the remote request is accepted.

Example:

hfVisualizer --remote open D:\Work\beam.inp
hfVisualizer --remote save
hfVisualizer --remote write-program-shot D:\Work\hfVisualizer-program.png
hfVisualizer --remote quit --discard-unsaved