Select File
Open from the main menu bar to open either:
A model database (file extension .cae)
An output database (file extension .odb)
By default, output database files are opened as read-only. You can choose to open an output database file with write privileges; you must do so if you want to copy any X–Y data objects to the output database (see “Copying a session X–Y data object to an output database file,” Section 29.2.6, for more information). Output database files that reside on remote machines can be opened only as read-only; you cannot write to a remote output database file.
Output and model database files from previous versions of ABAQUS must be upgraded to the current version when they are opened.
If ABAQUS/CAE has permission to write to the original file (i.e., it is an output database file that you have chosen to open with write privileges or a model database file), you are prompted to convert the file to the current version. During the conversion ABAQUS/CAE creates a backup of the original model or output database and the journal file associated with the model database; the converted database file and the new journal file are saved in the current directory (the directory from which you opened ABAQUS/CAE) with the original file names. If the database was opened from a directory other than the current directory, that directory will still contain the original version of the file with the original file name. When the conversion is complete, ABAQUS/CAE creates a log file called file_name-upgrade.log that indicates the result of the conversion.
If you try to update a local output database file that you have chosen to open as read-only, ABAQUS/CAE automatically creates a converted version of the output database that is saved to a temporary location. The converted output database file is saved to the directory defined by the $TMPDIR (UNIX) or TEMP (Windows) environment variable on your system; if this variable is not defined, the new file is saved to the current working directory. This temporary version of the output database file is deleted when you exit ABAQUS/CAE.
If you try to update a remote output database file, ABAQUS/CAE tries to create a converted version of the output database file that is saved to a temporary location. The converted output database file is saved to the /tmp directory on the remote system or to the directory defined by the $TMPDIR environment variable on the remote system. If the temporary directory is not defined, the database upgrade fails. This temporary version of the output database file is deleted when you exit ABAQUS/CAE.
Alternatively, you can convert an output database file from an earlier version of ABAQUS to the current version using the abaqus upgrade utility (see “Execution procedure for input file and output database upgrade utility,” Section 3.2.14 of the ABAQUS Analysis User's Manual). To permanently upgrade an output database file from an earlier version of ABAQUS to the current version (for use in later ABAQUS/CAE sessions, for example), you must either open the file with write permissions and convert it when prompted or use the abaqus upgrade utility. You can use the abaqus upgrade utility to upgrade a remote output database only from the system on which the database resides.
If you are using an older version of ABAQUS/CAE, you cannot open a model or output database file created from a newer version. Version 5.8 output database files cannot be opened in Version 6.
When you upgrade an older model database, the upgrade process may place keywords that you added manually to a model in the wrong location in the upgraded input file. As a result, you may experience problems when you submit the model for analysis in the Job module. If that is the case, you should open the upgraded model, return to the Keywords Editor, and click Discard All Edits to delete all of the keywords that you added. You can then recreate the keywords in the correct location in the input file.
To open a model database or an output database:
From the main menu bar, select FileOpen.
Tip:
You can also click 
in the toolbar to open a model database or an output database.
ABAQUS/CAE displays the Open Database dialog box.
From the File Filter menu at the bottom of the Open Database dialog box, select one of the following:
Model Database (*.cae)
ABAQUS/CAE lists all the files in the selected directory with the file extension .cae. Select the model database to open, and click OK.
ABAQUS/CAE opens the model database and displays its name in the title bar of the main window. All operations now refer to the new model database. If you have modified the current model database, ABAQUS/CAE asks if you want to save it before it opens the selected model database.
Output Database (*.odb)
ABAQUS/CAE lists all the files in the selected directory with the file extension .odb. Select the output database to open, and click OK.
If you have created and started a network ODB connector, the Directory field includes a Network connectors item that allows you to access a remote directory and open a remote output database. For more information, see “Creating a network ODB connector,” Section 9.7.3.
By default, output database files are opened as read-only. To open an output database file with write privileges, toggle off Read Only near the bottom of the Open Database dialog box before clicking OK. You must open an output database file with write privileges if you want to copy X–Y data objects from your session to the file or permanently upgrade an old file to the current version of ABAQUS/CAE. You can open a remote output database file only as read-only.
ABAQUS/CAE starts the Visualization module in the current viewport and displays the model in the undeformed plot state. You can open more than one output database at the same time and display the contents in different viewports.
Note: If you open an output database file while the analysis that creates it is running but before output results are written, you may have to close the file and reopen it after the results are available.
