Spark3DBatch

Python library to launch (batch) Spark3D simulations. SPARK3D versions > 2016 should be supported, but last tests were done on SPARK3D 2025 SP4.

Installation

1. Create a dedicated Python environment, activate it.
2. Run pip install spark3d-batch.

[!NOTE] If you are completely new to Python and these instructions are unclear, check this tutorial. In particular, you will want to:

1. Install Python 3.9 or higher.
2. Learn to use Python environments, pipenv or virtualenv.
3. Install a Python IDE such as Spyder or VSCode.

3. Set the environment variable $SPARK3DPATH to point to the folder containing the SPARK3D executable. In general, adding the following line to your .bashrc will do the trick:

   export SPARK3DPATH="/opt/cst/CST_Studio_Suite_20XX/SPARK3D/"
   

[!IMPORTANT] Not tested on Windows.

Usage

Two options:

1. Provide a SPKX file,
2. Provide a XML file and a field map.
   • XML can be generated by unzipping a SPKX file, allowing you to modify the simulation parameters with a script.
   • Field maps can be F3E, DSP or MFE.

To-do

Important

• Allow for control over accelerating field instead of power
• Change how the path to SPARK3D is declared. Currently not robust at all.

Secondary

• Package test data

Tertiary

• Complete installation instructions
• Static typing to detect allowed keys in XML
• CLI interface
• On pip
• Tests
• Use logging instead of printc
• Add release.py