open-comsol-project

name	open-comsol-project
description	Use when the user wants to start COMSOL, use COMSOL Server or mphserver, initialize or check COMSOL executable paths, auto-open an .mph model, open COMSOL GUI without a model, monitor localhost:2038, or run a Python mph probe.

Open COMSOL Project

Use this skill for a Windows COMSOL Server workflow.

First Use

Before starting COMSOL on a new machine, initialize local paths:

powershell -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "<skill-root>\scripts\Initialize-ComsolSkill.ps1"

The initializer searches common COMSOL install locations. It shows detected comsolmphserver.exe and comsol.exe paths, lets the user press Enter to accept them, or prompts the user to type paths manually. It writes a local config.env next to this SKILL.md, then runs:

powershell -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "<skill-root>\scripts\Test-ComsolEnvironment.ps1"

Do not commit config.env; commit only config.example.env.

If Start-ComsolWorkflow.ps1 or Start-ComsolServer.ps1 is run before config.env exists, it will launch the initializer automatically. Use -NoInitialize only when a non-interactive run should fail instead of prompting.

Environment Check

Run the check whenever a user reports the skill cannot start COMSOL:

powershell -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "<skill-root>\scripts\Test-ComsolEnvironment.ps1"

For optional Python mph validation:

powershell -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "<skill-root>\scripts\Test-ComsolEnvironment.ps1" -CheckPython

Standard Workflow

When the user does not specify a model path, start mphserver and open COMSOL GUI directly:

powershell -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "<skill-root>\scripts\Start-ComsolWorkflow.ps1"

When the user specifies a model path, start mphserver and auto-open that .mph file in COMSOL GUI:

powershell -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "<skill-root>\scripts\Start-ComsolWorkflow.ps1" "C:\path\to\model.mph"

The script starts comsolmphserver.exe, waits for the configured TCP port, then opens comsol.exe. If a model path was provided, it passes the path directly to comsol.exe so the project opens without manual file selection.

The Python probe is optional. Use -Probe only when the user asks to read or verify the model through Python:

powershell -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "<skill-root>\scripts\Start-ComsolWorkflow.ps1" "C:\path\to\model.mph" -Probe

Fast Checks

Check whether the server is listening:

Get-NetTCPConnection -LocalPort 2038 -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue

Check whether GUI is connected to the same server:

Get-NetTCPConnection -RemotePort 2038 -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue

A successful GUI connection usually shows comsol.exe with an Established connection to the configured server port, and comsolmphserver.exe listening on that local port.

Python Probe

Use the probe only after COMSOL GUI has opened the model:

python "<skill-root>\scripts\comsol_mph_probe.py" --host localhost --port 2038

If the probe hangs, do not treat that as proof that the GUI connection failed. First inspect TCP connections and COMSOL process titles. The GUI may be connected even when Python mph cannot complete the Java handshake.

Diagnostics

• Multiple comsolmphserver.exe processes can exist; identify the one owning the configured local port.
• If Python probe fails, check python -c "import mph; print(mph.__version__)".
• If GUI opened but Python sees no model, the model may be loaded in a different server session.
• Prefer direct comsol.exe launch over Start Menu shortcuts for speed.
• Avoid long blind sleeps; use TCP polling on the configured server port.