Release Notes: Altair Feko 2019.1.1

Altair Feko 2019.1.1 is available with new features, corrections and improvements. This version (2019.1.1) is a patch release that should be applied to an existing 2019 installation.

Feko is a powerful and comprehensive 3D simulation package intended for the analysis of a wide range of electromagnetic radiation and scattering problems. Applications include antenna design, antenna placement, microstrip antennas and circuits, dielectric media, scattering analysis, electromagnetic compatibility studies including cable harness modelling and many more.

WinProp is the most complete suite of tools in the domain of wireless propagation and radio network planning. With applications ranging from satellite to terrestrial, from rural via urban to indoor radio links, WinProp’s innovative wave propagation models combine accuracy with short computation times.

Feko 2019.1.1 Release Notes

The most notable improvements to Feko are listed by component.

CADFEKO

Feature

  • Added the Scale to metre option when exporting a mesh to a unitless mesh format such as NASTRAN. When this check box is selected, the model unit is taken into account during export and the dimensions are written out in metre. Otherwise, the exported dimensions are in the model unit.

Resolved Issues

  • Resolved a problem (that was introduced in the recent Feko 2019.0.1 update) where media cannot be assigned to windscreen solution elements.
  • Resolved an issue with dialog focus when using the keyboard shortcuts to launch the Feko solver (Alt+4) or PREFEKO (Alt+2) while the model contains unmeshed parts. The Unmeshed geometry or Inconsistent mesh dialogs lost focus behind the application.
  • Resolved a problem where mesh elements were written out twice to .cfm or .fhm file when not only exporting the current selection.
  • Improved the options available for export when all meshes in a model are excluded. Some export options were incorrectly enabled before, leading to confusion about whether the excluded meshes would be exported. Excluded meshes are not exported.
  • Resolved an issue with macro recording where the recorded script sometimes contained an invalid mesh ID for exporting a mesh.
  • Resolved the problem that clicking on a link to an item in the message window or in the CEM validate dialog could cause an assertion failing with the message Assertion failed: hasHandler.
  • Resolved an issue with the names “x”, “y”, or “z” used for points. If the model contained a reference to the component with the same name as the named point (“x.x”, “y.y” or “z.z”), performing further steps could cause the application to close. The model could get into such a problematic state by importing a .cfx file. Renaming the referenced point caused an assertion failing with the message Assertion failed: pVariable->isPoint() || pVariable->isScalar() || pVariable->isComplex() and saving the model led to an assertion failing with the message Assertion failed: isValid().

EDITFEKO

Resolved Issue

  • Resolved a problem (present only in versions of Feko 2019) where the UT card panel was missing the Normal side and Opposite to normal side drop-down lists for setting the face absorbing properties.

POSTFEKO

Resolved Issue

  • Corrected validation for the annotation position and result offset fields to use the Feko convention of the period as decimal symbol. Decimal values could not be entered on the Configure annotation dialog if the Decimal symbol specified in the operating system region settings was set to a character other than “.”.

Solver

Resolved Issues

  • Fixed a bug that resulted in high cross-polarisation levels when diffraction effects are included in the RL-GO solution of a model that is meshed with curvilinear triangles.
  • Fixed a bug that prevented the application of the fast far field calculation method for a dielectric model (where diffraction effects are not supported) solved with RL-GO with diffractions enabled.
  • Fixed a bug caused by Huygens sources not being created for incident rays that are not reflected from dielectric surfaces, resulting in improved accuracy in the calculated radiated power for such models.
  • Fixed a bug that led to an error being issued during the geometry checking phase of the solution of a finite array model excited with a vertex port.
  • The FEM line port load and non-radiating network implementation is improved, leading to more accurate results and improved power balance in some models (for other models the effect is negligible).
  • Warning messages, about duplicate input files, are no longer issued during the import of CST near field scans when the model is located in the same directory as the near field data.
  • Fixed a bug that resulted in an underestimate of the required memory for far field calculations, using the fast far field method, being reported in the .out file.

Shared Interface Changes

Resolved Issue

  • Resolved an issue with the restored window size after opening the application if it had been maximised previously.

WinProp 2019.1.1 Release Notes

The most notable improvements to WinProp are listed by component.

ProMan

Resolved Issue

  • Fixed a bug that resulted in an error while reading clutter data during a Monte Carlo analysis in an indoor scenario.

WallMan

Resolved Issue

  • Fixed a bug that prevented the definition of floor levels in an urban database. As a result, clutter definition in an urban database is now possible.