File Blocks

A file block is a block that references an external file. The different types of file blocks model quite different types of problems, and use different parameters, but they also share some common properties which are described below.

General Usage of File Blocks

Using the Block Properties - General dialog box, the contents of a file block can be changed in two ways:

  1. Another file can be browsed by pressing the Browse... button.

  2. The referenced file of most file blocks can be modified inside CST DESIGN STUDIO™ by pressing the Edit... button. This launches an appropriate editor, e.g. a CST MICROWAVE STUDIO File block will be opened in CST MICROWAVE STUDIO® and a SPICE Import block in a simple editor window.

After a browse or edit operation the block will be updated with the new or changed file. Frequency bounds (if present) and the number of internal ports will be changed according to the new contents. Connections will be kept if there are some ports with identical names contained in the new or changed project.

Some Details

After dropping a file block inside the schematic view, an Import File dialog box is opened (see below). There, you may browse for a file of the correct type (block specific file extensions are preset in the dialog).

 

Apart from block specific properties there is one property common for all file blocks that can be set while inserting the block, but that can also be modified later by customizing the block’s property dialog:

A file block is represented by a block specific image (e. g. a small image of the 3D model in case of a CST MICROWAVE Studio file block) and a small arrow on the lower left indicating that it is a file block. The number of internal ports is derived from the referenced file, e.g. in case of a CST MICROWAVE Studio file block it corresponds to the number of (waveguide or discrete) ports defined in the CST MICROWAVE STUDIO® model, and in case of a SPICE Import block it corresponds to the number of terminals of the selected subcircuit.

 

 

Result handling

For file blocks referencing a CST STUDIO SUITE® project, results will be automatically calculated during the execution of a task if no results  are available or existing results are outdated.

 

If a file is modified in an external program, e.g. in an external instance of CST MICROWAVE STUDIO®, CST DESIGN STUDIO™ recognizes this change. The file blocks store the modification times of their associated files. Before an update of the results is performed, these modification times are compared with the files’ current modification times. If they differ, the Update File References dialog will be displayed, containing a list of the modified files. Please mark those files that need to be updated in the CST DESIGN STUDIO™ model. All other results will be kept.

 

 

Both choices can make sense: Imagine that you open a CST DESIGN STUDIO™ project that you have not used for some time and in the meantime have modified an external file that is referenced from within the program. If you do not intend to change the CST DESIGN STUDIO™ project, you should choose not to update the blocks associated with this file. On the other hand, if you are just working with both programs in parallel and always want to accept the modifications performed in CST MICROWAVE STUDIO® in CST DESIGN STUDIO™, then you would choose the update of the associated file.

Recovery of lost files

You may check whether all file references of a CST DESIGN STUDIO™ project are valid by choosing Home: Edit Project Dependencies Check For Missing Files from the main menu. A dialog will be shown that lists all missing files and indicates whether they can be restored automatically or not. You have two options for fixing missing file references:

See also

Block Overview