Prefs - Environment Variables

Owned by
thomas (Unlicensed)
Last updated: 04 Jun, 2014
3 min read

An environment variable is a globally, system-wide defined value that influences the way a process runs on a computer. A very good example of an environment variable is the definition of a path where temporary files are stored. Each software or process that reads the variable will store the files in exactly the same place.

RealFlow also makes use of environment variables for different applications and purposes. Here is a complete list of all available variables and which information they contain:

RealFlow Application

When RF_2014_PATH is active, all terminal applications will look for RealFlow under the given path. This way it is very easy to open RealFlow from a shell program without specifying the path to our simulation tool. Instead of this command line string:

prompt>"/Applications/RealFlow 2014/RealFlow.app/Contents/MacOS/RealFlow”

you will only need:

prompt>RealFlow

The variable expects the correct path to the RealFlow application:

RF_2014_PATH=“/Applications/RealFlow 2014/RealFlow.app/Contents/MacOS/RealFlow”

Floating License

The RealFlow 2014 GUI comes with the option of installing via the NL License Manager (as it does for RealFlow Nodes and the RealFlow RenderKit). You will need to add an environment variable RF_GUI_USE_LICENSE_MANAGER onto the machines on which you want RealFlow to be used. This will tell RealFlow during the program's launch whether to use a floating or a local license. Please bear in mind that you can only use one: if you install it as a floating, installing a local license will not work and vice versa. The values are:

RF_GUI_USE_LICENSE_MANAGER=0 (local)

RF_GUI_USE_LICENSE_MANAGER=1 (floating)

In the case of the Learning Edition (LE), the RealFlow Node licenses cannot be installed as floating and the job manager has to be set to pick up the license locally. In order to do that, the user has to set the environment variable

RF_NODE_USE_LOCAL_LICENSE=1

GUI Layout

If the operating system’s environment layout variable is defined then the layout is always updated with this variable ignoring your own settings:

RFLAYOUTSPATH

For example:

RFLAYOUTSPATH=C:/Documents and Settings/RFLayouts/standard.lay

Commands, Shelves, Shortcuts

If you are working in a network then it is usually necessary to provide the information about commands, shelves, and shortcuts globally for all RealFlow installations. This way, all users will have access to the same collection of tools. Of course, it is possible to store the three individual files anywhere and point to them with settings under "Preferences". But, for multiple RealFlow licenses this can be a very tedious task. A much more fashionable way is to define environment variables:

RF_COMMANDS_FILE_PATH

RF_SHELVES_FILE_PATH

RF_SHORTCUTS_FILE_PATH

For example:

RF_COMMANDS_FILE_PATH=/mnt/file_server/realflow/RealFlowCommands.xml

RF_SHELVES_FILE_PATH=/mnt/file_server/realflow/RealFlowShelves.xml

RF_SHORTCUTS_FILE_PATH=/mnt/file_server/realflow/RealFlowShortcuts.xml

When these variables are defined, all RealFlow installations will look for the “RealFlowShortcuts.xml” file under the path specified there.

Python and Startup Scripts

With this environment variable it is also possible to specify additional search paths. This is useful for 3rd party Python modules, because they do not have to be installed under Python’s default directory, but can be anywhere on your hard disk. The creation/modification of environment variables is different for each operating system, so please take a look at your system’s help documents.

PYTHONPATH

RealFlow can execute a Python script directly during startup. The default folder for this RFS file is RealFlow's application folder. With the following environment variable it is also possible to point to any other directory globally:

RF_STARTUP_PYTHON_SCRIPT_FILE_PATH

For example:

RF_STARTUP_PYTHON_SCRIPT_FILE_PATH=”/Applications/RealFlow 2014/startup.rfs”

Default Project

When this environment variable is defined RealFlow will always load the project specified directly after the program's launch.

RFDEFAULTPROJECT

For example:

RFDEFAULTPROJECT=”D:/RealFlow Projects/Startup/Hybrido Standard Setup.flw”

Default Project Folder

If the following environment variable is defined in your operating system, the scenes folder is always updated with this variable ignoring the user preference:

RFSCENESPATH

For example:

RFSCENESPATH=/mnt/file_server_name/RF_Scene _Files/

Default Object Folder

By default, RealFlow looks for objects (OBJ, SD or ABC files, for example) in the project's directory's own “object” folder. If you want RealFlow to search for objects in a common folder, please use RFOBJECTSPATH and define the complete path, for example:

RFOBJECTSPATH=/mnt/Media/RealFlow/Alembic_Files/