Fix/Add IP parameter in launcher (#585)

* Removed the default title for plotting in `_plot_point_scalars` to solve issue #576.

* Revert "Removed the default title for plotting in `_plot_point_scalars` to solve issue #576."
One branch will be created.

This reverts commit eefed0e.

* Changed documentation to reflect the way you can change the IP of the grpc server.

* Added changes to launcher_grpc to create a `mylocal.ip` file
which tells Ansys which IP to use to launch the grpc server.
I did include an if to avoid execute if the ip is different than
default LOCALHOST (127.0.0.1).

* Making changes to `launch_mapdl` to pass the
argument `ip` to the function `launch_grpc`.

* Added procedures to write the `mylocal.ip` file
with the desired grpc ip.
It seems the process needs quite a bit time before reding
the file in (it is not the first thing it does)
hence I'm not deleting the file.

* Added `test_grpc_custom_ip` to the test grpc unit.
Resolve issue #582

* Fixing style.

* Answering review.
Added Windows description for the commands to launch ansys.

* Answering Review.
Fixed format in `create_ip_file` and added context manager.

* Answering Review.
Fixed format in `create_ip_file` and added context manager.
Fixed some line spacing and file names.

* add skip when mapdl is not locally installed

* Update tests/test_grpc.py

* Fixing format issues.

* Replaced the way IP is found in the output file.
Using regex now.

* Pushed back in the workflow the `mylocal.ip` file
deletion. Now it is deleted when we exit mapdl (`mapdl.exit()`).
I removed the traces of the old delete function.

* Deleting `_remove_mylocalip_file`

Access that file to delete it might be complicated in some environments and it might be prone to errors.

Co-authored-by: Alex Kaszynski <[email protected]>

* Deleting mention to `_remove_mylocalip_file`.

Co-authored-by: Alex Kaszynski <[email protected]>

* Added `check_valid_ansys` to skipif.

* Fixed `test_grpc_custom_ip` test.

* Update tests/test_grpc.py

Changes in asserting ip

Co-authored-by: Alex Kaszynski <[email protected]>

* Fixed name in method.

* Re ordering imports.

* Format fixing

* Format fixing using black.

* Format fixing

Co-authored-by: Alex Kaszynski <[email protected]>

Author: germa89

ansys/mapdl/core/launcher.py

@@ -148,13 +148,22 @@ def port_in_use(port, host=LOCALHOST):
             return True
 
 
+def create_ip_file(ip, path):
+    """Create 'mylocal.ip' file required for ansys to change the IP of the gRPC server."""
+
+    file_name = os.path.join(path, "mylocal.ip")
+    with open(file_name, "w") as f:
+        f.write(ip)
+
+
 def launch_grpc(
     exec_file="",
     jobname="file",
     nproc=2,
     ram=None,
     run_location=None,
     port=MAPDL_DEFAULT_PORT,
+    ip=LOCALHOST,
     additional_switches="",
     override=True,
     timeout=20,
@@ -340,7 +349,12 @@ def launch_grpc(
         port += 1
     pymapdl._LOCAL_PORTS.append(port)
 
+    # setting ip for the grpc server
+    if ip != LOCALHOST:  # Default local ip is 127.0.0.1
+        create_ip_file(ip, run_location)
+
     cpu_sw = "-np %d" % nproc
+
     if ram:
         ram_sw = "-m %d" % int(1024 * ram)
     else:
@@ -1005,10 +1019,10 @@ def launch_mapdl(
         )
     elif mode == "grpc":
         port, actual_run_location = launch_grpc(
-            port=port, verbose=verbose_mapdl, **start_parm
+            port=port, verbose=verbose_mapdl, ip=ip, **start_parm
         )
         mapdl = MapdlGrpc(
-            ip=LOCALHOST,
+            ip=ip,
             port=port,
             cleanup_on_exit=cleanup_on_exit,
             loglevel=loglevel,

doc/source/getting_started/running_mapdl.rst

@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ connect to it.  First, launch MAPDL with:
 
     C:/Program Files/ANSYS Inc/v211/ansys/bin/winx64/ANSYS211.exe -grpc
 
-Or on Linux with (assuming a ``/usr/ansys_inc`` install:
+Or on Linux with (assuming a ``/usr/ansys_inc`` install):
 
     /usr/ansys_inc/v211/ansys/bin/ansys211 -grpc
 
@@ -70,6 +70,26 @@ port 50005 with:
 
     /usr/ansys_inc/v211/ansys/bin/ansys211 -port 50005 -grpc
 
+You can configure the IP too. However because of ANSYS limitation to receive
+strings from command line, the IP needs to be read from an external file 
+called ``mylocal.ip``. This file is read automatically.
+
+You can then setup the IP in Windows (Powershell and CMD) with:
+
+.. code::
+    
+    echo "127.0.0.1" > mylocal.ip
+    C:/Program Files/ANSYS Inc/v211/ansys/bin/winx64/ANSYS211.exe -grpc
+
+
+or in Linux with:
+
+.. code::
+    
+    echo "127.0.0.1" > mylocal.ip
+    /usr/ansys_inc/v211/ansys/bin/ansys211 -grpc
+
+
 This server can be connected to either from the same host, or from an
 external host.  For example, you can connect to a MAPDL service
 running locally with:

tests/test_grpc.py

@@ -4,12 +4,17 @@
 import pytest
 
 from ansys.mapdl.core import examples
+from ansys.mapdl.core.launcher import get_start_instance, check_valid_ansys
+from ansys.mapdl.core import launch_mapdl
 
 PATH = os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__))
 
 # skip entire module unless HAS_GRPC installed or connecting to server
 pytestmark = pytest.mark.skip_grpc
 
+skip_launch_mapdl = pytest.mark.skipif(not get_start_instance() and check_valid_ansys(),
+                                       reason="Must be able to launch MAPDL locally")
+
 
 @pytest.fixture(scope="function")
 def setup_for_cmatrix(mapdl, cleared):
@@ -149,6 +154,13 @@ def test_download_missing_file(mapdl, tmpdir):
         mapdl.download("__notafile__", target)
 
 
+@skip_launch_mapdl  # need to be able to start/stop an instance of MAPDL
+def test_grpc_custom_ip():
+    ip = '127.0.0.2'
+    mapdl = launch_mapdl(ip=ip)
+    assert mapdl._ip == ip
+
+
 def test_cmatrix(mapdl, setup_for_cmatrix):
     cap_name = "aaaaa"
     output = mapdl.cmatrix(1, "cond", 3, 0, cap_name)