COMSOL 5.0 Update 1

Released December 17, 2014

  Important If you have a license for LiveLink™ for AutoCAD®, see further update instructions.

This update corrects several bugs and stability issues in COMSOL 5.0.

1

Check your version

Make sure that you run COMSOL version 5.0.0.243 or later. On the Help menu, click About COMSOL Multiphysics to check your version. Be sure to close all COMSOL® sessions before installing the update.

2

Download Update

Additional product specific updates

If you have a license for any of the additional product listed below, please also download the corresponding update

Product Update(s)
LiveLink™ for AutoCAD® Windows - comsol_5.0.1.276_llac_win.exe (0.5 MB)
LiveLink™ for Excel® Windows - comsol_5.0.1.276_llexcel_win.exe (1.4 MB)
LiveLink™ for Inventor® Windows - comsol_5.0.1.276_llinv_win.exe (1.2 MB)
LiveLink™ for MATLAB® Windows - comsol_5.0.1.276_mli_win.exe (0.3 MB)
Linux - comsol_5.0.1.276_mli_linux.tar.gz (0.1 MB)
Mac OS X - comsol_5.0.1.276_mli_mac.dmg (0.1 MB)
LiveLink™ for Revit® Windows - comsol_5.0.1.276_llrevit_win.exe (0.5 MB)
LiveLink™ for Solid Edge® Windows - comsol_5.0.1.276_llse_win.exe (0.5 MB)
LiveLink™ for SOLIDWORKS® Windows - comsol_5.0.1.276_llsw_win.exe (1.4 MB)
3

Install

Before you proceed with the installation, make sure to exit any running COMSOL process.

Windows

Run the downloaded .exe-file to extract the update to the COMSOL 5.0 installation directory, for example C:\Program Files\COMSOL\COMSOL50\Multiphysics.

Linux

Copy the downloaded .tar.gz-file to the COMSOL 5.0 installation directory:

cp comsol5.0.1.276linux.tar.gz [installdir]/comsol50/multiphysics

where [installdir] is the root of the installation, for example /usr/local. Unzip it by the commands:

cd [installdir]/comsol50/multiphysics
tar xvzf comsol_5.0.1.276_linux.tar.gz

Macintosh

Double-click the downloaded .dmg file to mount the disk image. In the Finder, open the mounted disk and double-click the COMSOL installer icon. Select your COMSOL installation folder, usually called COMSOL5.0/Multiphysics.

Additional update instructions for LiveLink™ for AutoCAD®

Finish the installation of the update, then to complete the installation of LiveLink™ for AutoCAD® follow these steps:

  1. Locate A: <COMSOL root>\ext\LiveLink\AutoCAD\. The default location is C:\Program Files\COMSOL\COMSOL50\Multiphysics\ext\LiveLink\AutoCAD\
  2. Locate B: %ProgramData%\Autodesk\ApplicationPlugins\. The default location is C:\ProgramData\Autodesk\ApplicationPlugins\. Note that the ProgramData folder is hidden and might not be listed. Typing the path in the address field will display the folder.
  3. Copy the folder LiveLinkforCOMSOL.bundle from folder A to folder B.
  4. Several dialog boxes might appear asking for confirmation regarding folder and file replacement. Accept these.
  5. A dialog saying Destination Folder Access Denied will appear and require account elevation to continue. Allow the action to be performed, if the current user does not have administrative rights the dialog will require an administrative user to accept the changes.
4

Check your installation

  1. Start COMSOL Multiphysics.
  2. On the Help menu, click About COMSOL Multiphysics.
  3. Check that the version number is 5.0.1.276 (If not, the installation did not succeed).

COMSOL Multiphysics

  • Added support for including multiphysics coupling nodes in reports.
  • You can now use an image from a file as the model's thumbnail. It is also possible to add a title for a model in the root node's Settings window.
  • Adaptive mesh refinement for a parametric solver now works correctly with all error estimators.
  • Documentation links from module documentation to COMSOL Multiphysics documentation now work correctly.
  • Security settings are now available for controlling access to, for example, system properties, file systems, and runtime security settings from methods and external libraries, primarily for use in applications created using the Application Builder. The security settings are available on the Security page in the Preferences dialog box (see Security Settings).
  • Stability improvements.

Application Builder

  • When defining the initial values for variables added under Declarations, you can use Load and Save buttons in the Edit Argument dialog box to load and save the values in a text file.
  • The tables in the library nodes (Images, Sounds, Files) now have an Export Selected File button, to save the file in the library to the hard drive.
  • In the Settings window for Input Field objects, there is now an Add Unit Label button next to the Unit dimension check list. The button adds a unit label linked to the input field and place it to the right of the input field.
  • Table form objects now support a Clear Table toolbar button. In the Settings window the Table can be cleared check box adds the button to the table toolbar.
  • Improved default names for form objects creating using the Application Wizard.
  • Applicable form objects' context menu now includes Add Local Method to add a local method or Edit Local Method or Edit Method for editing a form's local method or other method.
  • The ribbon button Test Form has been renamed Preview Form, and the Application Builder section in the root node's Settings window has been renamed Application.
  • Double-clicking an application in Application Libraries opens it instead of running it.
  • The Images library now contains additional sample images for use in applications.
  • Applications can now have filenames that include UTF-8 characters.
  • Stability improvements.

AC/DC Module

  • In the Magnetic and Electric Fields interface it is now possible to add a Coil Current calculation.

Acoustics Module

  • Issues with the effective bulk modulus for the Attenborough model in poroacoustics have been corrected.
  • The Zwikker-Kosten model for poroacoustics now works correctly.
  • The source power can now be specified when using a cone- or hemisphere- based release of rays in the Ray Acoustics interface.

CFD Module

  • Solver suggestions for the projection method have been improved.
  • Pseudo time stepping is now applied by default for stationary analysis.
  • The inlet number density of bubbles is now correctly defined when specifying the bubble diameter and gas density.
  • Stability improvements.

Chemical Reaction Engineering Module

  • The initial state can now be set for all parameters in the Initial Value feature of the Parameter Estimation.
  • Initial state selection improvement in the Experiment feature of Reaction Engineering.
  • Parameter estimation now allows creating the Experiment feature using Java commands.
  • Stability improvements.

Design Module

  • Stability improvements.

ECAD Import Module

  • Stability improvements.

Heat Transfer Module

  • The Conjugate Heat Transfer predefined multiphysics interface has been improved to provide better usability.
  • Removed one unnecessary degree of freedom in the Isothermal Domain feature.
  • The formulation of Immobile Fluids for the "Reciprocal average" option has been fixed.
  • Using a Temperature condition at interior boundaries now gives the expected results. .
  • Stability improvements.

LiveLink™ for AutoCAD®

  • Stability improvements.

LiveLink™ for Inventor®

  • Stability improvements.

LiveLink™ for MATLAB®

  • Stability improvements.

LiveLink™ for Revit®

  • Stability improvements.

LiveLink™ for Solid Edge®

  • Synchronization of curve and point objects is now enabled.

LiveLink™ for SOLIDWORKS®

  • Fixed problem with plot groups not being scaled correctly when opening models in the One Window interface.
  • Stability improvements.

MEMS Module

  • Changing a user-defined coupling matrix in a piezoelectric material now works correctly.

Molecular Flow Module

  • Stability improvements.

Optimization Module

  • You can now use a Table node as data source in a Global Least Squares Objective.

Particle Tracing Module

  • Corrected the Equation Display for the Elastic Collision Force with the Monte Carlo collision model.
  • Particle Tracing and Ray Optics models might be up to 10 times faster.
  • Overridden particle properties are now assigned correctly in models that use secondary emission and a spherical, hemispherical, or conical release of particles.
  • Stability improvements.

Pipe Flow Module

  • Stability improvements.

Plasma Module

  • The reduced ion mobility can now be correctly evaluated for the Inductively Coupled Plasma and Microwave Plasma interfaces.

Ray Optics Module

  • Corrected the sign conventions for reinitialized principal radii of curvature shown in the Equation Displays for the Wall and Material Discontinuity features.
  • Performance improvements.
  • Stability improvements.

Structural Mechanics Module

  • Stability improvements.

Security Settings

COMSOL includes security settings for controlling access to, for example, system properties, file systems, and runtime security settings from methods and external libraries, primarily for use in applications created using the Application Builder. The following security settings are available on the Security page in the Preferences dialog box:

  • Select the Allow batch jobs check box to allow batch jobs. This restriction affects the Batch, Batch Sweep, Cluster Computing, and Cluster Sweep nodes in the COMSOL Desktop model tree.
  • Select Allow external processes and libraries to allow applications to start external processes on the computer. This includes using the built-in executeOS() method. This setting also allows external C libraries to be called from methods in an application. The security settings do not extend to methods used to access the model object.
  • Select Allow running application methods to allow running applications that include methods. If you clear this check box, it is not possible to run methods in applications.
  • Select Allow running applications to allow running applications in general. If you clear this check box, it is not possible to run any applications.

By default, all check boxes above are selected.

Under Methods and Java libraries:

The Enforce security restrictions check box is selected by default. If selected, this check box enforces the following restrictions on methods and Java libraries:

  • Select the Allow access to system properties check box to read and write values to system properties such as System.getProperty("cs.np") which can be used to determine the number of cores that COMSOL Multiphysics currently uses.
  • Select the Allow changes to the runtime system check box to allow methods and Java libraries to change the runtime system—for instance, by modifying class loaders.
  • From the File system access list, select Temporary and application files (the default) to restrict methods and Java libraries to only have access to such files, or select All files to allow methods and Java libraries to access all files that you have permissions to access on the file system.
  • Select the Allow access to network sockets check box to allow methods and Java libraries to open sockets for network access.
  • Select the Allow control of the network authentication method check box to allow methods and Java libraries to control the network authentication method used.
  • Select the Allow access to classes through reflection check box to allow access to all members in a class through reflection.
  • Select the Allow access to runtime security settings check box to allow methods and Java libraries to access security settings.

All check boxes above are cleared by default, enforcing those security restrictions.