The Abaqus PDE is a separate application that you can access from within Abaqus/CAE or launch independently to work on Python scripts. It is intended primarily for use with scripts that use the Abaqus/CAE graphical user interface (GUI) or kernel commands, including plug-ins, but you can also use it to work on scripts that are unrelated to Abaqus. The Abaqus PDE also enables you to set breakpoints to pause script execution at a particular line in any Python script, including an Abaqus plug-in.
Figure 7–1 shows a .guiLog file in the Abaqus PDE. The script creates an extruded solid rectangular part named “box1” and was recorded by logging the actions to complete the task in the Abaqus/CAE user interface.
The PDE controls allow you to complete the following tasks:
Open .guiLog, .py, and other Python scripts
Designate an open file or open another file as the main file for testing
Open recently used files, including modules called by the main file
Edit scripts
Reload modules after editing a plug-in
Record .guiLog files from Abaqus/CAE
Run scripts that use the Abaqus/CAE user interface, the Abaqus scripting commands, or general Python commands
Add (or ignore) breakpoints in a script
Add a breakpoint in any Python code executed in Abaqus/CAE, such as plug-ins
Add a delay between executing steps
Step through scripts (trace the execution), including plug-in modules and custom startup modules
Change options for recording .guiLog scripts and animating (highlighting) traced files
