Resolve Abaqus CAE Connection Issues

Problem  

When using Abaqus/CAE for job submissions, engineers occasionally face a confusing situation: a job appears stuck at the “submitted” state in the model tree, even though it is running perfectly well in the background. This disconnection between the CAE interface and the job execution process can disrupt workflows and make it difficult to track simulation progress. 

This issue is frequently accompanied by a warning in the job's log file: 

***WARNING: Interactive messaging has been requested for this analysis run, but initialization of the messaging system has failed. Therefore no messages will be sent to Abaqus/CAE for this phase of the analysis. 

Technical Root Cause and Environment File Configuration 

This behavior typically stems from how the hostname is resolved. When the machine name includes both the local hostname and a domain (e.g., myhost.domain.com), the interactive messaging link between the job and Abaqus/CAE can break. Abaqus expects a simpler loopback address and fails to initialize the connection properly. 

To correct this, you need to edit the Abaqus environment file: abaqus_v6.env, to force CAE to use the loopback address. Add the following line: 

cae_local_host = "localhost" 

This tells Abaqus/CAE to always use the local loopback address (127.0.0.1) for job status messaging, avoiding name resolution problems caused by domain-qualified hostnames. You can find more details about the environment file location and usage here. 

Understanding Where to Apply the Fix 

Abaqus reads the abaqus_v6.env file from one of three locations, in order of priority: 

1. Installation Directory: Located at install_dir/os/SMA/site/. This environment file is always required but is ignored for remote queue submissions. 

2. User’s Home Directory: If an abaqus_v6.env file exists here, its settings apply to all jobs run under the user’s account. Add the cae_local_host line here to affect all sessions globally. 

3. Current Working Directory: Environment file settings in the launch directory override the others. Use this method for project-specific configuration only. 

   
   

Make sure you add the cae_local_host setting to only one of these files, preferably the one aligned with your organizational IT policy or user preference. 

Impact for Simulation Professionals 

Correcting this issue ensures that you can monitor job status live within Abaqus/CAE and interact with running simulations as intended. For engineering teams working on time-sensitive simulations or complex analysis workflows, this fix helps reduce confusion, re-runs, and delays caused by lost connections between the GUI and solver. 

Whether you're simulating stress responses in aerospace composites or nonlinear dynamics in industrial equipment, maintaining a healthy link between CAE and solver is critical for workflow efficiency. 

Facing Issues with Abaqus/CAE Job Monitoring?

Let 4RealSim help you troubleshoot and optimize your simulation workflow. Reach out via our contact form or email us at sales@4realsim.com for expert support.

As a trusted SIMULIA partner in the Benelux, US, and UK, 4RealSim specializes in solving complex Abaqus challenges for engineering teams across industries.