Matlab Tool vs. Stand Alone version

I have a quick question that I think I may know the answer to.  

I have been testing FEATool as a Matlab toolbox (on Windows) and am getting ready to submit a purchase request for the coming years budget.  Am I correct in thinking that using the tool as a Matlab toolbox is the most powerful and flexible format? It seems like the stand alone verison might now have the ability to manipulate data as well as an integrated Matlab system.  Is that right?  Are there any benefits to the stand alone version that I am missing?

Thank you.

DrMont wrote

I have been testing FEATool as a Matlab toolbox (on Windows) and am getting ready to submit a purchase request for the coming years budget.  Am I correct in thinking that using the tool as a Matlab toolbox is the most powerful and flexible format? It seems like the stand alone verison might now have the ability to manipulate data as well as an integrated Matlab system.

Hi, thank you for considering using FEATool in your work.

Currently, the only significant difference between using FEATool Multiphysics as a stand-alone Desktop App or Matlab toolbox, is that installing FEATool as a Matlab toolbox also allows for running simulation models as Matlab (m-file) scripts (due to the Mathworks Matlab compiler licensing restrictions for stand-alone apps).

Running FEATool Multiphysics as a Matlab toolbox can for example be useful for automating and running large batches of simulations, such as parametric studies. See for example some of the tutorials linked below:

    https://featool.com/tutorial/2017/11/13/CAD-Import-and-Parametric-Stress-Displacement-Simulation
    https://featool.com/tutorial/2015/09/09/Parametric-Studies-with-FEATool-M-Script-Model-Files

With Matlab you can also naturally interface with most other Matlab functions and toolboxes, such as for optimization and parameter minimization like here:

    https://featool.com/tutorial/2019/02/11/Parameter-Minimization-and-Potential-Flow-Over-a-Wing-Profile
    https://featool.com/model-showcase/03_Structural_Mechanics_07_topology_optimization1

Note that you don't need a new or different license to use FEATool as a Matlab toolbox, the same license is valid for both usecases. So you could start using it as a stand-alone Desktop App, and then a Matlab toolbox when you think it would be useful.

DrMont wrote

Are there any benefits to the stand alone version that I am missing?

To maybe put it more succinctly. There is nothing that the stand-alone version of FEATool Multiphysics can do over using it as a Matlab toolbox (they are compiled identically). However, using FEATool as a Matlab toolbox allows for interfacing with Matlab (running Matlab m-file script simulation models), where as the the stand-alone version does not support this.

Thank you for your reply.

Is there anything special I need to do to purchase? Or can our purchasing department take care of everything online?
If one of the buyers makes the purchase, can it still be set up on my computer? Or is it tied to the machine where it was purchased?

Thanks again.

DrMont wrote

Is there anything special I need to do to purchase?

No, not really.

DrMont wrote

Or can our purchasing department take care of everything online? If one of the buyers makes the purchase, can it still be set up on my computer? Or is it tied to the machine where it was purchased?

Yes, your purchasing deparment can handle it. After purchasing the client will be emailed an activation token for the license that you can use to activate the softare on any computer system (they should just remember to forward that to you).

Thank you,

The purchase is on our budget for the upcoming quarter.