OrcaFlex 8.2

The latest release of OrcaFlex 8.2 is OrcaFlex 8.2c. To upgrade to OrcaFlex 8.2c, download the following zip file:
OrcaFlex-Patch-8.2a-or-8.2b-to-8.2c.zip (1.4 MB)
and then run the program that the zip file contains.

This patch can only be applied if you are currently using an earlier release of version 8.2.

The new features introduced in OrcaFlex 8.2 are described below. For full details please download the following zip file: FlexHelp.zip (765 KB) and save the files it contains. You can then open the saved .hlp file and open the What's New topic in the Introduction chapter of the contents, and follow the links from there to other parts of the help file.

New in Version 8.2c (released April 2003)

Bug fixes

Printing data for certain models containing 6D Buoys was failing. The models affected were those with Spar Buoys or Towed Fish with a large number of cylinders.
Old data files which contained Vessel Types with draughts named '?' could not be loaded.
The Water Density Variation graph had incorrect values when the model was not using SI units.

New in Version 8.2b (released January 2003)

Calls to the OrcFxAPI results functions have been speeded up.

Bug fixes

OrcaFlex was sometimes giving "Out of Memory" errors for models using the Vortex Tracking option.
OrcaFlex data files with wings which were written by version 7.4 or older could not be read by version 8.2a.

New in OrcaFlex 8.2a

VIV Toolbox

Two more VIV models are now available - the Iwan and Blevins wake oscillator model and the Vortex Tracking model.
The VIV Force result has now been renamed Vortex Force and it now includes all of the lift and drag forces. Previously it only included the force from the VIV model being used, some of which included drag effects and some of which didn't.

Simulations

There is a new Extend Simulation menu item on the Calculation menu, which allows you to extend a completed or part run simulation without having to reset and restart the simulation from scratch.

Lines

Proportion Wet and Fluid Incidence Angle are now available as a results variables for nodes on lines.
When using the line type wizard to model lines with floats, float spacing has been renamed float pitch.

Vessels

When using a time history file to specify vessel motion, you now have a choice of using cubic Bessel interpolation.

Environment

Current speed and direction can now be varied during the simulation. This enables modelling of loop currents.
Sea velocity and acceleration, current speed and direction, and static pressure are now available as results variables.
There is now a choice of 3 methods of kinematic stretching of linear waves (Single Airy and random waves). Previous versions of OrcaFlex used vertical stretching, which remains the default.
When using a JONSWAP or ISSC spectrum the spectral peak period and frequency are now reported, and are editable when using User settings (setting them sets Tz to match).
When using a Profile Seabed you can now choose the interpolation method. Previous versions of OrcaFlex used cubic spline interpolation, but cubic Bessel interpolation is now the default.
There is a new horizontal velocity graph available on the Wave Preview page of the Environment data form. Also, the Wave Components report now includes mean period T1 and the peak period Tp.

Buoys

Buoy Properties are now available using the pop-up menu on the 3D buoy data form and 6D Buoy data forms.
The orientation angles of a wing can now be varied during the simulation. This enables modelling of a towed object that varies its depth by changes in wing angle of attack. Also, the orientation angles and the global coordinates of the wing are now available as wing results.

Drag Chains

Results are now available for drag chains.

Modal Analysis

The current direction is now shown in the modal analysis view.

Fatigue Analysis

The fatigue analysis results now report the fatigue analysis data, as well as the analysis results. Previously only a selection of the data was reported on the results sheets.

OrcaFlex Programming Interface

A Visual Basic (VB) import module is now available for the OrcaFlex programming interface. This enables the programming interface to be called from a VB program or from a VB macro in Excel, Word etc.

Interface and Results

There is a new multiple file replay facility, which enables you to animate a series of static positions.
You can now install an Orcina Shell Extension. Amongst other things this enables you to open an OrcaFlex file by simply double clicking it.
Variable data can now be copied from one model to another using copy+paste or drag+drop in the model browser. Also, the variable data form now reports how values between and beyond those specified in the table are handled.
The session log now records any error messages you have had, displaying them in red.
There is a new Delete Unused Types facility on the Model menu.
In the Results and Stress spreadsheets you can now use relative paths to specify files.
If the results exceed the maximum number of rows in a spreadsheet (Excel has a limit of 65535) then you are now offered the choice of either sub-sampling (only displaying every n'th value) or truncating (only displaying as many as will fit).
If needed, you can now specify the video codec that is used when exporting video files.

Bug fixes

If a line had a 6D Buoy attachment then cancelling the line ends form caused the template 6D Buoy to change position.
Relative paths were not working for wave and vessel time history files, or for fatigue analysis files added to the batch form.
On the statics progress window buoy rotation angles were being reported in radians, not degrees.
When using the line type wizard to model lines with floats, the float weight in water was sometimes misreported on the data form. The correct value was used in calculations.
The OrcFxAPI functions C_GetStaticResult, C_GetStaticResult2, C_GetTimeHistory and C_GetTimeHistory2 were not working for statics-only OrcaFlex.