If you experience trouble registering PyroSim, please contact <alison@rockware.com>.

PyroSim utilizes many advanced graphics card features in order to provide accelerated display of models in three dimensions. If you have problems with display, such as corruption of the image when you move the mouse, go to File->Preferences and turn off the fast hardware drawing options. This will disable the image caching and force PyroSim to always re-render the model. This should correct any display problems at the expense of speed.

You can also turn off graphics acceleration by starting PyroSim in Safe Mode. Select Run, All Programs, PyroSim, and then PyroSim (Safe Mode).

If you encounter this problem, please let us know the make/model of your video card and what video driver you are using. That will help us improve the faster version to work on more computers.

When running large models, it is possible that an out of memory error will be encountered. If this occurs, you can increase the default Java heap size. In our experience, the maximum size can be specified to approximately 70% of physical memory. By default, PyroSim will specify a java heap size of 50% of physical memory.

To specify the memory, you can either run from a command line or change the Start Menu shortcut properties. To run from a command line, open a command window and then go to the PyroSim installation directory (usually C:\Program Files\PryoSim). Execute PyroSim on the command line using the -JXmx argument. In this argument, the J specifies that the command will be passed along to the Java VM, not PyroSim. For example, pyrosim -JXmx1200m will request 1200 MB of memory.

To edit the PyroSim shortcut properties, right-click on the PyroSim icon, select the Shortcut tab, and then edit the Target by adding a space and -JXmx1200 to the end of the Target. A typical Target will then read "C:\Program Files\PyroSim\pyrosim.exe" -JXmx500m.

PyroSim Requires a Password to Run Parallel

MPI processes communicate using network protocols that are disabled by default for accounts without passwords. In order to work, MPI must have access to a password-protected account. Users without passwords can overcome this problem in a couple ways:

To instruct MPI to authenticate using an alternate account (e.g. set to mpi_user on a computer named aurora), you must issue a command using the console.

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.0.6002]
Copyright (c) 2006 Microsoft Corporation.  All rights reserved.

C:\>cd "\Program Files\PyroSim 2010\fds"

C:\Program Files\PyroSim 2010\fds>mpiexec -remove
Account and password information removed from the Registry.

C:\Program Files\PyroSim 2010\fds>mpiexec -register
account (domain\user) [aurora\thornton]: aurora\mpi_user
password: 
confirm password: 
Password encrypted into the Registry.
    

To verify that MPI will function with the account information (32-bit):

C:\Program Files\PyroSim 2010\fds>mpiexec -validate -port 52400
SUCCESS
    

To verify that MPI will function with the account information (64-bit):

C:\Program Files\PyroSim 2010\fds>mpiexec -validate -port 52500
SUCCESS
    

When trying to Run Parallel, PyroSim Repeatedly Requests a Password

PyroSim attempts to validate the MPI configuration prior to running the simulation. If this validation fails, PyroSim assumes it was because of a password mismatch. If you know this is not the case (e.g. you know you entered your password correctly), PyroSim may be responding incorrectly to a different error. To diagnose this error, please run PyroSim in safe mode. The error output should appear at the bottom of the console window. Forward this text to <support@thunderheadeng.com> and the support staff will help resolve the problem.

When Trying to Run Parallel, FDS Completes Immediately with No Output

This indicates that MPI started successfully, but the FDS executable (fds5_mpi) failed to run. To gather additional information about this error, you must run the MPI executable manually from the command prompt and observe the error output. To run the MPI executable manually, open a console window and issue the following commands:

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.0.6002]
Copyright (c) 2006 Microsoft Corporation.  All rights reserved.

C:\>cd "\Program Files\PyroSim 2010\fds"

C:\Program Files\PyroSim 2010\fds>fds5_mpi
    

The subsequent output should resemble the start of a successful FDS run, however in this case it will probably contain error output. Copy this error output and email <support@thunderheadeng.com>, the support staff will help resolve the problem.

The PyroSim software is available for download at: http://www.thunderheadeng.com The same site provides PyroSim user manuals and example problems. Please follow the examples to become familiar with the software.

Questions and suggestions should be sent to support@thunderheadeng.com or by phone to +1.785.770.8511.

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