Batch processing with MDX 2023

[BigRy]

I am hoping to find someone who is familiar with MDX 2023 - in particular with batch processing. MDX had a major update some time in the recent past, going from MDXv6 to MDX Client 2023. This update involved an upgrade from the 1992-era GUI to a spiffy new 1998-era GUI. Jokes aside, there have been wholesale changes to the program.

I have a curved girder bridge load rating for DelDOT which as of our Semi-final submission (2021) had over 100 loadcases. The only practical way of running this many loadcases was by using a series of batch files, which was a lot of work to setup but was easy enough to execute. The batch files called the old MDXv6 program to run each loadcase. We are currently now updating this rating for our Final submission, but we are now running MDX Client 2023 instead of MDXv6. I've been unable to get my updated batch files to run properly. The issue seems to be with the START command (see below), and how it handles the argument for opening the .MDX model file. The syntax I am using is identical to the syntax used previously. CMD will open MDXCLIENT.exe without issue, but it does not load the 3-610.MDX model file when called as an argument.

start /wait MDXCLIENT.exe input="C:\MDX_Temp\Design_Ratings\Group_1\3-610\3-610.MDX" loadcase=1

The input="C:\MDX_Temp\Design_Ratings\Group_1\3-610\3-610.MDX" argument seems to be the problem. I have confirmed the path is correct. I have confirmed the 3-610.MDX model can be opened manually. I have confirmed the syntax used is identical to my older known-working batch file. I have even tried numerous variations of this argument, all to no avail.

I am growing concerned that this issue is due to an error in MDX 2023, instead of an error in coding of the batch file. I was hoping to find another bridge engineer who has experience doing batch analyses in MDX 2023. I also have a ticket in with MDX, but I have not received a response yet.

 

[OSUCivlEng]

I don't know anything about batch files, but I had quite a few problems with MDX Client 2022 when we upgraded about a year ago. The program would barely run at all.

I went back and forth via email, but I found it very helpful to talk with them on the phone. I would call them to get their attention. I think it's just a couple people who develop and troubleshoot the software.

 

[BigRy]

Yeah it seems like there's a number of issues with the new MDX. This batch processing issue might be resolved in a more recent update, but my It group can't even get the old version uninstalled ha ha.

 

[OSUCivlEng]

As I recall we had some problems with making the license work. There was a lot of back and forth.

 

[BigRy]

Yeah, they started getting really obnoxious with the licensing rules around the time COVID hit when everyone was working remotely. We had all kinds of issues with them and had a ton of back and forth trying to reach a compromise that would allow us to use the software remotely. I believe that's all resolved now. The issue I'm having now has nothing to do with the license, as I can open and run models individually without issue. Its just that MDX doesn't want to open the model when the argument for the START command points to the MDX model file.

Per my last post, I got MDX Client 2023 updated to the latest version (2023.9.29), but it did not fix my problem with batch processing. And updating the software was a nightmare in and of itself. The old version refused to uninstall for some reason, but our IT group eventually figured it out. I do not know what the resolution was.

I just put a call into MDX and got an admin assistant or CSR. She said she would see if the guy who handles batch processing could call me on my cell, so we shall see where this goes. Its been 2 days since I submitted the ticket via email, and I received no response at all. I'm on a time crunch here, so I really need to know sooner rather than later if I'm going to have to brute force all these loadcases to get this rating done in time for submission.

 

[OSUCivlEng]

I was very direct when I contacted them. I explained that the problem was the changes they made and it was causing me delays and affecting my ability to conduct business. That seemed to get their attention. I would start calling them multiple times a day.

 

[BigRy]

I never got a call back, but they did email me a "new" batch script template today. Of course that template also does not work, and it had several typos in it too lol. I already replied back to let them know it doesn't work, so I'll hold off on following up until tomorrow.