Configuring the Activity Execution Options

Clear this option if you do not want to run this activity.

Allow Performance Study and/or Simulation Companion to monitor the files of the activity.

Enter the amount of time you want this activity to run before the activity is considered to have failed. This option prevents an activity from running indefinitely.

Configure the maximum number of parallel simulations that will be submitted at one time while the activity is running. For example, if you run an activity containing a Design of Experiments adapter that will run 100 simulations (where every design point is known and can be run independently), Process Composer for Dashboard can submit all of the simulations at one time and potentially consume every available 3DOrchestrate Station. The maximum batch size activity option, with a default value of four, protects against consuming all available stations.

However, you are not guaranteed that every algorithm will reach the maximum batch size. Most optimizers will not reach a high maximum batch size, and the actual batch size is often a function of the number of design variables.

Select when you want to clean up the files in the working directory. Some activities can leave files in the working directory for archiving or troubleshooting. You can choose from the following:

• Always. Select this option to always clean up the files in the working directory.
• On success. Select this option to clean up the files in the working directory if the activity runs successfully.
• Never. Select this option to never clean up the files in the working directory.

Select Use fast-flow execution tier to improve the performance of the subflows under a process adapter. Fast-flow execution is available only for an empty activity or an activity containing an Optimization, DOE, Monte Carlo, or Loop process adapter.

When the subflow contains function adapters that run rapidly (such as the Calculator, OS command, or Excel adapters), this option improves performance by running the entire subflow on a single 3DOrchestrate Station. Running the subflow on a single station reduces the amount of network activity during distributed execution by the 3DOrchestrate.

However, if an adapter in the subflow does not run rapidly (in less than one second), selecting fast-flow execution is unlikely to improve performance. For example, if the subflow contains an Abaqus adapter, selecting this option may limit the availability of parallel computing resources and slow down the execution of the subflow. In addition, you should select fast-flow execution only when affinities do not prevent the function adapters in a subflow from running on a single station.

Process Composer for Dashboard highlights the subflow in orange to indicate you selected fast-flow execution.