Abaqus 6.12 Graphics Devices

SIMULIA tests specific graphics devices to ensure adequate performance with Abaqus/CAE and Abaqus/Viewer; the graphics devices that have been tested (or scheduled for testing) are listed in the tables below. However, we cannot certify that these devices are completely compatible with all possible hardware and software configurations. Other devices may be compatible but have not been tested.

NOTE: Newer driver versions for the graphics card listed on this page are expected to work, but may not be compatible. We recommend that you use the tested driver version if you experience problems.

We may update graphics tuning parameters for graphics devices. These changes are intended to configure Abaqus to best utilize individual graphics devices. Updated graphics tuning parameters are included in the graphicsConfig.env file, which can be downloaded and placed in your Abaqus installation.

The use of graphics hardware acceleration on Windows platforms may cause display problems with some graphics adapters or drivers. Users may wish to disable graphics hardware acceleration to determine if a particular issue is specific to their graphics adapter or graphics driver. For instructions on how to turn off hardware acceleration see Additional Information, below.

Listing of tested configurations per platform:

Windows/x86-32

Vendor

Graphics Device

Graphics Memory

Driver Version

Operating System

Results

AMD [ATI]

FirePro V7800

2GB 

8.850.7.2 

Windows 7 Ultimate 

Pass 

NVIDIA

Quadro 600

1GB 

276.28 

Windows 7 Ultimate 

Pass 


Windows/x86-64

Vendor

Graphics Device

Graphics Memory

Driver Version

Operating System

Results

AMD [ATI]

FirePro V8700

1GB 

8.850.7.2 

Windows XP SP2 

Pass 

FirePro V9800

4GB 

8.850.7.2 

Windows Server 2008 R2 

Pass 

FirePro V4800

1GB 

8.850.7.2 

Windows 7 Ultimate 

Pass 

FirePro V3900

1GB 

8.911.3 

Windows 7 Ultimate 

Pass 

FirePro W5000

2GB

8.982.2

Windows 7 Ultimate

Pass

FirePro W8000

4GB

8.982.2

Windows 7 Ultimate

Pass 

NVIDIA

Quadro 5000

2.5GB 

276.42 

Windows 7 Ultimate 

Pass

Quadro 6000

6GB 

276.14 

Windows Server 2008 R2 

Pass 

Quadro 410

512MB

8.17.13.434

Windows 7 Ultimate

Pass 

Quadro K5000

4GB

9.18.13.0593

Windows 7 Ultimate

Pass 


Windows Laptop (64-bit)

Vendor

Graphics Device

Graphics Memory

Driver Version

Operating System

Results

 NVIDIA

Quadro 880M

1GB 

257.38 

Windows 7 Ultimate 

Pass 

 AMD[ATI]

Mobility FireGL V5700

512MB 

8.792.5 

Windows 7 Ultimate 

Pass 


Linux/x86-64

Vendor

Graphics Device

Graphics Memory

Driver Version

X11 Version

Operating System

Results

AMD [ATI]

FirePro V3900

1GB 

8.911.3

X.org Server 1.7.7

RHEL 6.1

Pass

FirePro V4900

2GB 

8.911.3

X.org 7.1.1

RHEL 5.5

Pass

FirePro V9800

4GB 

8.911.3

X.org 7.1.1

RHEL 5.1

Pass

FirePro W7000

4GB 

4.2.11753

Xorg Server 1.10.4

RHEL 6.2

Pass

NVIDIA

Quadro FX 5800

4GB 

290.10

X.org Server 1.6.5

SLES 11

Pass

Quadro 4000

2GB 

290.10

X.org Server 1.6.5

SLES 11

Pass

Quadro K4000

4GB 

304.64

X.org 7.1.1

RHEL 5.5

Pass

Additional Information

Abaqus/CAE and Abaqus/Viewer support OpenGL hardware graphics acceleration on all supported platforms. For instructions on how to turn off hardware acceleration, see How to Disable Graphics Hardware Acceleration to Resolve Graphics Incompatibility.

All Windows laptops are tested with their original factory display. Testing does not include any external display devices.

Windows Aero Theme Issue

Running Abaqus/CAE or Abaqus/Viewer using an Aero Theme on Windows 7 or Windows Vista can result in viewport window contents not refreshing correctly after a viewport window manipulation operation such as repositioning. Any subsequent viewport action, such as pan or zoom, alleviates the issue and the viewport contents are redrawn correctly.

In case the graphics device in which you are interested is not listed on this page, you may submit a Request for Enhancement.
See Customer Submission of Requests-for-Enhancements (RFEs) for SIMULIA

To determine your graphics card and graphics card driver for Windows systems

It is best to use the system Display Properties dialog to get this information, but if there is difficulty finding it or only a remote access to the system is possible the findVid program can be utilized.

  1. Download the findVid program appropriate for your system (32-bit or 64-bit)
  2. Then run the executable in a command prompt window
  3. The following is an example output from running the findVid.exe command

=============================================
C:\Temp>findVid32.exe
Device Name: NVIDIA Quadro FX 5600
Video Processor: Quadro FX 5600
Driver Date: 06/18/2010
Driver Version: 6.14.11.8208
Horizontal Res: 1280 pixels in 387 mm => 3.307493 pix/mm
Vertical Res: 1024 pixels in 310 mm => 3.303226 pix/mm
Display Settings: 1680 x 1050 @ 0,0 - 32-bit - 60 Hz
============================================

Updating your graphicsConfig.env file

Follow these instructions for updating your graphicsConfig.env file. You should update each release of Abaqus 6.12 that you have installed (e.g. 6.12, ...). The examples given in the instructions show updating Abaqus 6.12-1.

NOTE: The date stamp on the graphicsConfig.env file should help you determine which releases of Abaqus 6.12 you should update. If the date of the file is later than the creation date of the release (reported by abaqus whereami), then you should update that release.

  1. Find your Abaqus 6.12 version install directory and set your current directory to the site directory for that version.
           % abaqus whereami
    Abaqus Version 6.12-1
    Abaqus Site ID: 

    Abaqus is located in the directory /disk2/abaqus/6.12-1

    /disk2/abaqus/6.12-1/code
    /disk2/abaqus/6.12-1/code/bin
    /disk2/abaqus/6.12-1/CAEresources
    /disk2/abaqus/6.12-1/SMA
    /disk2/abaqus/6.12-1/code/bin/SMAExternal
    /disk2/abaqus/6.12-1/SMA/site

    Sequence Information:
    /disk2/abaqus/6.12-1/code/../SMA/site: 2012_02_06-13.52.01 119338

    % cd /disk2/abaqus/6.12-1/SMA/site

    Rename the existing graphicsConfig.env file

          % cp graphicsConfig.env graphicsConfig.env.old

  2. Download the new graphicsConfig.env file by clicking on the file name in the browser window.
  3. Select the  "save as" option, and save the file in your Abaqus 6.12 site directory. In the current example, the path to this directory is /disk2/abaqus/6.12-1/SMA/site.
  4. Reset the permissions on the graphicsConfig.env file.
          % chmod 644 graphicsConfig.env