Make the AWP_ROOT### check more explicit (Mechanical can be installed without it being defined)

[Jalmenara]

On some Linux environments (clusters, containers), it can be the case that Ansys (Mechanical) is installed even though the AWP_ROOT### variable is not defined.

I think the exception message in initializer.py._get_default_latest_version() should be more explicit, to ease the problem solving.

[dipinknair]

@Jalmenara Yes in Linux AWP_ROOT is not set which is why mechanical-env has to be called before using pymechanical. mechanical-env sets AWP_ROOT env and hence there will not be any issue with initializer. For more info https://mechanical.docs.pyansys.com/version/stable/user_guide/cli/mechanical-env.html.

Let me know if this clarifies the issue.

[Jalmenara]

@Jalmenara Yes in Linux AWP_ROOT is not set which is why mechanical-env has to be called before using pymechanical. mechanical-env sets AWP_ROOT env and hence there will not be any issue with initializer. For more info https://mechanical.docs.pyansys.com/version/stable/user_guide/cli/mechanical-env.html.

Let me know if this clarifies the issue.

Thanks a lot for the quick reply @dipinknair

Actually, I tried that too, but seems that find-mechanical has a similar issue when the installation is not in one of the default locations.
These are /usr/ansys_inc, /ansys_inc or /install/ansys_inc, according to ".venv/lib64/python3.11/site-packages/ansys/tools/common/path/path.py"

In my case, installation sits at /ansys/ansys_inc/v271/, and without $AWP_ROOT271 defined, this is what mechanical-env python ... yields.
Note that there are no mentions to (a) what default locations are; and (b), that you can use AWP_ROOT271 to point manually to your own location.

(.venv) bash-4.4$ mechanical-env python ./import_to_mechanical.py 
/ansys/repos/jalmenar-lsdyna-learner/.venv/lib64/python3.11/site-packages/ansys/tools/common/path/path.py:1184: UserWarning: No path found for mechanical in default locations.
  warnings.warn(f"No path found for {product} in default locations.")
CRITICAL -  -  logging - handle_exception - Uncaught exception
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/ansys/repos/jalmenar-lsdyna-learner/.venv/bin/find-mechanical", line 8, in <module>
    sys.exit(cli())
             ^^^^^
  File "/ansys/repos/jalmenar-lsdyna-learner/.venv/lib64/python3.11/site-packages/click/core.py", line 1485, in __call__
    return self.main(*args, **kwargs)
           ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/ansys/repos/jalmenar-lsdyna-learner/.venv/lib64/python3.11/site-packages/click/core.py", line 1406, in main
    rv = self.invoke(ctx)
         ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/ansys/repos/jalmenar-lsdyna-learner/.venv/lib64/python3.11/site-packages/click/core.py", line 1269, in invoke
    return ctx.invoke(self.callback, **ctx.params)
           ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/ansys/repos/jalmenar-lsdyna-learner/.venv/lib64/python3.11/site-packages/click/core.py", line 824, in invoke
    return callback(*args, **kwargs)
           ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/ansys/repos/jalmenar-lsdyna-learner/pymechanical/src/ansys/mechanical/core/embedding/find_mechanical.py", line 107, in cli
    _version = atp.version_from_path("mechanical", _exe)
               ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/ansys/repos/jalmenar-lsdyna-learner/.venv/lib64/python3.11/site-packages/ansys/tools/common/path/path.py", line 1339, in version_from_path
    raise ValueError(
ValueError: The provided path, "None", is not a valid string. Run the following command to save the path to the Ansys Mechanical executable:

    save-ansys-path --name mechanical /path/to/mechanical-executable

Error running the find-mechanical.

I think this should be mentioned somewhere... Not sure if it's a matter of ansys.tools.common or pymechanical, though.

Also, I tried pushing a branch to discuss the concrete solution in a draft PR, but it seems that I don't have permissions. Is that normal?

Thank you!

[dipinknair]

@Jalmenara find-mechanical looks for default paths. But you can use https://mechanical.docs.pyansys.com/version/stable/user_guide/cli/mechanical-env.html#arguments path argument to set the path. also you can save the path with save-ansys-path https://mechanical.docs.pyansys.com/version/stable/user_guide/cli/find-mechanical.html#save-ansys-path. Let me know if this clarifies your issue.

For pushing change you can fork the pymechanical and use it for creating PR. https://mechanical.docs.pyansys.com/version/stable/contribute/developer.html

[Jalmenara]

Hi @dipinknair

My bad that I didn't read the docs thouroughly...
Still, since the mechanical-env feature is "unconventional", I think it'd be good to clarify the warning messages a little.

See that the suggested fix at the bottom was save-ansys-path --name mechanical /path/to/mechanical-executable... when I had never heard of save-ansys-path (only mechanical-env).
If I would've seen a mechanical-env -p path/to/install there, I'd have understood what to try next.

I've created this draft. If you can have a look... it'd be appreciated :)
Please don't hesitate to challenge

#1592

Thank you for the quick replies