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Exporting to .txt file when running a macro from the command line

  • 17 August 2020
  • 5 replies
  • 556 views

I am currently tyring to run a macro from the command line of my computer. The macro includes the command :



>>> OUTPUT 'exampleFile', APPEND



This is used to create an output txt file by the name of 'exampleFile.' Now, when I run this macro through the command line, no file is generated. But, when this macro is run through optic studio, there is a file that is generated named exampleFile. I don't understand why this step is ignored when the macro is used through the command line?


 

5 replies

Allie
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Userlevel 6
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Hi Isaiah,


I have tested this in OpticStudio 20.2.2, and I do not see the same behavior. When I run my macro through the command line, a file is created. If the file already exists, then the contents are edited with the output of my macro. Here is the macro I wrote:


 


OUTPUT 'exampleFile2', APPEND



val$ = 'Hello world! This is from the command line!'

PRINT val$

 


Here are the commands I used in the command line:


 


cd C:\Program Files\Zemax OpticStudio 20.2.2

OpticStudio.exe -zpl='C:\Users\Alexandra.Culler\Desktop\Zemax\Macros\Test.ZPL'

 


Are you using a similar process? Can you let me know what you are writing in the command line? Also, have you been able to get any other macro commands to work through the command line? 


Thanks,


Allie

Allie | Team Lead Application Engineering | Zemax, Ansys
I
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Hi Allie, 


Thanks for your reply. These are the exact steps I have been using as well unforutnately. I have also added the 'BEEP' command to confirm that the macro has finished running. So, I am able to get other commands to work, but unfortunately not the OUTPUT command. I am running OpticStudio_20.1 though... could this possibly be an issue? 


 


 


 

I
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Hmm... Now I am confused because I was actually able to get your code to save the file from the command line so it must not be a version issue. Here is the code I am using. Do I have the output syntax correct? (The ouput line is in bold to find easier) 

 





! Define initial variables


surfTotalNum = NSUR() # find total number of surfaces

mirror$ = 'MIRROR' # Set mirror string variable

code_coda = OCOD('CODA') # Obtain the code from the Coda Operand


!###################################################################################


!Loop through system and perform calculations


! Also tried puting the output command here


! OUTPUT 'ExampleFile', APPEND  




FOR i, 0, surfTotalNum, 1 


    glassType$ = $GLASS(i) 


    IF (glassType$ $== mirror$)


        ##############################################################################

        !Define Variables

        surf_num = i

        wave_num = 1

        field_num = 1

        px = 0

        py = .5

        ##############################################################################

       


        #calculates S polarization

        v1 = OPEV(code_coda, surf_num, wave_num, field_num, -6, px, py)

        v2 = OPEV(code_coda, surf_num, wave_num, field_num, -7, px, py)

        prod1 = v1 * v1

        prod2 = v2 * v2

        summ_s = prod1 + prod2


        ##############################################################################


        #calculates P polarization

        v1 = OPEV(code_coda, surf_num, wave_num, field_num, 6, px, py)

        v2 = OPEV(code_coda, surf_num, wave_num, field_num, 7, px, py)

        prod1 = v1 * v1

        prod2 = v2 * v2

        summ_p = prod1 + prod2


        ##############################################################################


        summ_tol = summ_p + summ_s

        reflection_tol = summ_tol / 2


        ##############################################################################

        # Use this section for exporting to txt file in proper format


        OUTPUT 'ExampleFile', APPEND  


        print i

        print summ_s

        print summ_p

        print reflection_tol

       


    ENDIF   

NEXT

 


BEEP 



 

Allie
Rank
Userlevel 6
Badge +2

Hi Isaiah,


I did test in 20.1 and can confirm that the method should work there.


Actually, it looks like my code was re-formatted a bit. Whenever we declare a string, it should be surrounded in quotation marks. When I pasted the code here, the quotation marks were switched to apostrophes 😕. Sorry about that! Here is the code as I see it in OpticStudio:


 



 


Actually, I just tried to run your code. I think I found the problem! When we run a macro through the command line in the way I presented above, OpticStudio is opened with a blank lens file and then the macro is run. As your code is now, the OUTPUT keyword is within an IF statment which is searching for a MIRROR surface. A blank lens file will not have a MIRROR surface, so everything within the IF statement will be ignored. 


When we use the OUTPUT keyword on line 13 (with the correct formatting), then the file will be created as expected, but it will be blank. 


As a test, add a LOADLENS command to the top of your macro so that the lens file of interest is opened with the macro! Let me know how that works!


Best,


Allie

Allie | Team Lead Application Engineering | Zemax, Ansys
I
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Oh goodness that was it! Completely forgot to load the lens haha. Thank you so much for your help!! 

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