Running OpenSim tools from command line

[Chand John]

It can be helpful to run OpenSim tools like scale, IK, and RRA/CMC from the command line instead of running them through the GUI.

Suppose you want to run CMC through the command line in the directory C:\mysimulation, using the setup file Subject01_Setup_CMC.xml, which is located in C:\mysimulation. I'm assuming you have already installed OpenSim on your computer (but the GUI doesn't need to be running). Use the following steps:

1. Go to the Start Menu and choose Run...

2. Type "cmd" (without the quotes) in the text field and press Enter. This should open a new DOS Prompt window.

3. Type "C:"

4. Type "cd \mysimulation"

5. Type "cmc -Setup Subject01_Setup_CMC.xml"

CMC will run in the DOS Prompt window until termination. If you want to stop CMC from running at any time, just type CTRL+C.

If CMC crashes, an error message will appear in the DOS Prompt window. This is unlike the GUI, which tends to completely disappear in an instant when a crash occurs. Thus the command line can be useful for finding errors that caused a tool to crash in the GUI.

[Chand John]

Also, to run RRA from the command line, using the setup file Subject01_Setup_RRA.xml, simply replace the command in step 5 with:

cmc -Setup Subject01_Setup_RRA.xml

To run the scale tool using the setup file Subject01_Setup_Scale.xml, type:

scale -Setup Subject01_Setup_Scale.xml

To run the IK (inverse kinematics) tool using the setup file Subject01_Setup_IK.xml, type:

ik -Setup Subject01_Setup_IK.xml