comsol-multiphysics

name	comsol-multiphysics
description	Use when connecting Codex to local or remote COMSOL Multiphysics, probing COMSOL installations, running comsolbatch or comsolcompile, using Java API automation, using Python mph session tools converted from the bundled MCP runtime, searching bundled COMSOL manuals, or repairing COMSOL automation failures.

COMSOL Multiphysics

Overview

Use this skill to operate COMSOL Multiphysics through two preserved backends:

• comsolbatch / comsolcompile command-line probes and Java API scripts.
• Python mph session operations converted from the bundled MCP runtime.

Keep the scope to solver connection, model/session management, parameter edits, geometry, physics, mesh, study, result export, documentation lookup, and failure repair. Do not add project-specific device templates or paper-specific modeling assumptions to this skill.

Workflow

1. Detect the operating system first:
   • On Windows PowerShell, use scripts/probe_comsol.ps1 and scripts/validate_comsol_skill.ps1.
   • On Git Bash for Windows, use the .sh scripts; they detect MINGW/MSYS/CYGWIN and delegate to the PowerShell scripts with path conversion.
   • On Linux, use scripts/probe_comsol.sh and scripts/validate_comsol_skill.sh; they run COMSOL CLI commands directly.
2. Decide which backend is needed:
   • Use the command-line backend for installation probes, Java API builders, batch runs, table exports, and robust local smoke tests.
   • Use the Python mph backend for interactive model/session tools, existing model inspection, parameter management, geometry/physics/mesh/study/result utilities, and documentation helpers.
3. Discover local paths before assuming any profile:
   • Prefer explicit user-provided paths.
   • Then check COMSOL_BIN, COMSOL_ROOT, COMSOL_HOME, COMSOL_MPH_PYTHON, PYTHON, and the current PATH.
   • Then scan common COMSOL installation roots for the newest version folder.
   • If no Python environment can import mph and mcp, ask for or create an appropriate environment instead of using a machine-specific path.
4. Load only the needed reference:
   • Java API, batch, geometry, physics, mesh, result, dataset, or table export syntax: references/comsol-automation.md.
   • Example local profile structure: references/solver-profiles.json.
5. Probe before real work unless the same backend already passed in the current session.
6. Normalize the local solver environment before launching binaries.
7. Run the smallest viable operation first: version check, import check, session start, model load, or compile/run/save probe.
8. Store raw stdout/stderr, generated scripts, result files, and probe JSON near the caller's job artifacts, not inside this skill.
9. If a solver call fails, classify the signature, propose the smallest patch, retry once when safe, then report the exact command and artifacts.

Quick Commands

Command-line probe:

$skill = "C:\path\to\comsol-multiphysics"
$out = ".\solver_probe_out\comsol"
powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "$skill\scripts\probe_comsol.ps1" -DryRun -OutDir "$out"
powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "$skill\scripts\probe_comsol.ps1" -Deep -OutDir "$out"

Git Bash or Linux:

skill="/path/to/comsol-multiphysics"
out="./solver_probe_out/comsol"
bash "$skill/scripts/probe_comsol.sh" --dry-run --out-dir "$out"
bash "$skill/scripts/probe_comsol.sh" --deep --out-dir "$out"

The probe auto-discovers common Windows installs and honors COMSOL_BIN, COMSOL_ROOT, COMSOL_HOME, and binaries already available on PATH. Treat the resolved path as session-local evidence, not as a portable profile.

Python runtime adapter:

$python = "<python-that-can-import-mph-and-mcp>"
$skill = "C:\path\to\comsol-multiphysics"
& $python "$skill\scripts\comsol_mph_tool.py" list-tools
& $python "$skill\scripts\comsol_mph_tool.py" tool model_load --json "{\"file_path\":\"C:\\path\\to\\model.mph\",\"set_current\":true}"
& $python "$skill\scripts\comsol_mph_tool.py" resource "comsol://session/info"

Use any Python environment that can import mph and mcp. The adapter reuses the bundled runtime under scripts/comsol_mcp_runtime; it does not reimplement the MCP tools. For stateful model work, use batch --json [...] or scripts/validate_comsol_skill.ps1 so session state stays in one Python process.

Preserved Runtime Capabilities

The bundled Python runtime preserves the original MCP categories:

• Session: start, connect, disconnect, status.
• Model: load, create, save, version, list, set current, clone, remove, inspect, components.
• Parameters: get, set, list, sweep setup, descriptions.
• Geometry: create sequences, add common features, boolean operations, CAD import, build, list features.
• Physics: available interfaces, add common interfaces, boundary setup, materials, multiphysics couplings, feature listing/removal.
• Mesh and study: mesh creation/info, study solve, async progress, cancellation, solutions, datasets.
• Results: expression evaluation, scalar evaluation, inner/outer values, data/image exports, export and plot listing.
• Knowledge: embedded guides, troubleshooting, best practices, PDF module list/status/search.
• Resources: session info, model tree, model parameters, model physics.

Validation

Run the bundled validation script from a caller workspace:

$skill = "C:\path\to\comsol-multiphysics"
powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "$skill\scripts\validate_comsol_skill.ps1" `
  -SkillDir "$skill" `
  -Python "<python-that-can-import-mph-and-mcp>" `
  -ModelPath "C:\path\to\model.mph"

Git Bash or Linux validation:

skill="/path/to/comsol-multiphysics"
bash "$skill/scripts/validate_comsol_skill.sh" \
  --skill-dir "$skill" \
  --python "/path/to/python" \
  --model-path "/path/to/model.mph"

-Python and -ModelPath are optional discovery inputs. Without -ModelPath, validation should still check skill structure, COMSOL probe behavior, runtime imports, and adapter registration. With a supplied model, the validation script must not save over the model; it may load, inspect, list parameters, read resources, and remove the model from memory.

Common Mistakes

• Do not edit files inside the COMSOL installation directory.
• Do not assume python points to an environment with mph; use a discovered or user-selected interpreter.
• Do not treat solver exit code 0 as enough; verify the expected artifact or exported table exists.
• Do not save back to a user-supplied .mph unless the user explicitly requested it.
• Do not write project-specific geometry or physics assumptions into this reusable skill.