7.10 Tasker mechanism

The QuickWave operation scheme is that the simulation project prepared in QW-Editor is exported using one of Export options and then the FDTD simulation is run in QW-Simulator. During the export process, the QW-Editor creates export files essential for running the simulation. One of those files is tasker (*.ta3) file. As the name leads, this file contains the list of operations called tasks that should be performed by QW-Simulator. The tasks are defined using tasker commands. In typical operation regime the tasker file is very simple and contains:

 

With such tasker file the QW-Simulator performs the modal template calculation (if template ports are included in the project) and starts the actual FDTD processing (see Batch operation and generation of tasker files for details). Please note that execution of all tasks is reflected in the Simulator Log window. In this typical QuickWave operation regime, saving the simulation results, suspending or stopping the simulation, etc. are performed upon user’s action.

Attention: The typical tasker file for microwave heating scenarios involving QW-BHM is more complicated.

 

However, the tasker mechanism enables also much more advanced regime of QuickWave operation and allows the user to modify the standard tasker file. The modification of standard tasker file enables saving various simulation results and field patterns, suspending the simulation, freezing simulation, etc., automatically without the user’s action. The user can take advantage of a very rich set of tasker commands. Useful discussion concerning generation of tasker files is given in Batch operation and generation of tasker files and Syntax of tasker file.

The tasker file is a text file and can be created using any text editor. However, QuickWave delivers very useful feature enabling very convenient way of modification and preparation of the tasker file. This is enabled via Breakpoints mechanism. Using this feature is very convenient because it ensures correct syntax of the generated tasker file. Additionally, the user interface provided for Breakpoints prompts the user to provide all the necessary information, without a need to check the syntax and required parameters for each tasker command (breakpoint command).