the channels menu / confile

channels menu

confile

Purpose
To set a series of initialization parameters for GIG. The confile is not a tool, function or button, but a file with parameters.

Introduction
GIG uses a series of predefined parameters that determine the maximum size of the models it can handle. The larger these parameters, the larger the models that can be modeled and rendered. However, a GIG that can handle large models will also require more swap space. Normally, GIG will use the right parameters (confile.nor) and you will not need to concern yourself with the confile.

Running GIG on small machines
When you run GIG on a workstation without a lot of (internal) memory, out of swap space and can not fork child process error messages can appear. Usually, this can be solved by copying a configuration file with smaller configuration values to your home directory. This will cause GIG to require less swapspace. The small configuration file is installed by default on workstations with 32 MB internal memory.

Example

Assuming the user is currently in the GIG home directory, then the following command has to be executed:

cp lib/intlib/confile.sma confile

GIG will now require less swapspace, but will complain sooner about models that are too big to handle.

Large CAD files
When a model that is read into GIG is too large for the standard configuration, stack overflow error messages can appear. Usually, this can be solved by copying a configuration file with larger configuration values to your home directory. This will cause GIG to require more swapspace. The large configuration file should not be necessary for model files of less than 10 MB.

Example

Assuming the user is currently in the GIG home directory, then the following command has to be executed:

cp lib/intlib/confile.big confile

GIG can now handle larger models, but will require more memory and swapspace. Check your system administrator if you now need to increase swapspace (or see below for HP).

Really large CAD files
When a model that is read into GIG is too large for the big configuration, then you can still get stack overflow error messages. What you can do now is write down the error message, and edit the confile in your homedirectory (assuming that you first performed the step described above for 'large CAD files'). You will have to look for the offending parameter, and increase the value.
For example, if the error message complained about a global text identifier stack overflow, then you should double the value of the glbtxt parameter.
Editing the large configuration file should not be necessary for model files of less than 40 MB.

Really large CAD files on HP workstations
On HP workstations, working with really large model files might require you to tweak some of the Operation System parameters.

To increase swap space or check swap space:

start sam
open disks and file systems
open swap
select actions
select add file system swap
specify what you want, etc.

Then, in sam go to kernel configuration and open Configurable Parameters. Parameters you can tweak to increase performance:

fs_async. Set this to '1'. This allows writing directly to disk rather than writing to disk cache all the time. It will dramatically increase your I/O performance.
maxdsiz. Set to ~900f swap size.
maxssiz. Set to ~100f swap size.
maxtsize. Set to ~800f swap size.

Be prepared to reboot the system when you decide to tweak the system parameters with sam. When you exit, it will ask if you want to rebuild the kernel. This is necessary for your tweaked parameters to take effect. If you answer 'yes' the system will be rebooted.

Comments
See also: SDRC (I-DEAS) to GIG converter, Varimetrix to GIG converter, get intercol, get igs.