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I’ve noticed that if I have a prescription with all coatings on all surfaces with the “Use Layer Multiplier And Offsets” box checked and then execute a Monte Carlo (MC) analysis--in this case just on all coating layer thicknesses via TCMU--all the aforementioned boxed on all surfaces are unchecked and, in order to perform a transmission analysis, I have to check on the boxes again (in the MC files).  This is rather cumbersome.  Is there a way--via a macro command--to turn on layer multipliers?  Or can future OS versions leave whatever’s “checked” in a “checked” state when the MC files get created?

To try and replicate your problem, I used the Cooke Triplet example file and changed the AR coating on surface 1 to a HEAR1 coating with three layers.  The “Use Layer Multiplier and Offsets” option was checked for this coating, and I added TCMU tolerance operands for the 3 layers.  Then I ran a MC analysis and saved a few files.  They all retained the coating multiplier/offsets check option.

So, I wasn’t able to replicate your problem, at least with one multi-layer coating on a single surface.  I’m using OS v23.1.

Regards,

Jeff


Thanks, Jeff.  I’m using 23.1.02. 

I used the “Cooke 40 degree field.zos” file from the Samples/Sequential directory.  The prescription has a single-layer AR coating (“AR”) applied to each surface.  I turned on the “Use Layer Multiplier and Offsets” for each surface and ran a Monte Carlo with TCMU -0.03 0.03 as the range on each surface.  When I opened the Monte Carlo result, “Use Layer Multiplier and Offsets” was turned off.  Furthermore, I saved the sample file as “Cooke 40 degree field_TCMU.zos” with “Use Layer Multiplier and Offsets” turned on for all coated surfaces.  When I opened the file, however, everything was turned off on every surface.  

Hmm.


Hi James,

If you use the “Cooke 40 degree field.zmx” file, everything works fine.

You have fallen into the binary ZOS trap.  Even though the “new” file format is over 2 years old, there are still a lot of bugs in how it was implemented (and absolutely zero benefit as of now).  In 2022, OpticStudio gave the option of choosing ZMX as the default format.  I would ALWAYS save files as ZMX and avoid ZOS at all costs until a) it is more fully debugged and b) provides actual useful features.  

 


Apparently I’ve fallen into the Sarlacc pit again!  I’ll give a .zmx version a go.  Thanks for the response.


Yes, I saved the file as .zos and re-ran the MC analysis, and sure enough the problem arises.  As a general practice I don’t use the .zos format. 

Jeff


It would be great if Team Ansys-Zemax could just remove this ‘feature’, it does nothing but get in the way of the work you’re trying to do 👿


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