Command-line quick start

Run an example

From a source checkout, install the package and run a Python input:

python -m pip install .
aestimo --help
aestimo -i examples/sample_1qw_barrierdope_ingaas.py

To display the plots after a calculation:

aestimo -d -i examples/sample_1qw_barrierdope_ingaas.py

The CLI also accepts JSON projects saved by the GUI:

aestimo -i /path/to/project.json

Python inputs execute as Python modules. JSON projects use a separate loader that translates GUI field names into solver fields; these formats are not simply interchangeable text representations. See Inputs.

Command reference

Option	Purpose
`-h`, `--help`	Show available arguments and exit.
`-i`, `--input`	Load a Python input file or JSON project.
`-d`, `--drawfigures`	Display figures at the end of the calculation.
`-v`, `--version`	Print the local Aestimo version and exit.

Help/version reporting and module imports do not create calculation output files. Exit status 0 indicates normal CLI completion, 1 indicates a rejected calculation (such as an unsupported solver or exceeded grid limit), and 2 indicates a usage/input-loading error. Missing paths, malformed Python/JSON and a JSON root that is not a project object are input-loading errors.

For a rejected calculation, inspect aestimo.log in its output directory. The error message states the rejected option or limit; no successful-completion message or numerical results should be inferred from that log’s existence.

Results are written below the current working directory as <input-stem>_output/. For example, project.json produces project_output/. Use separate working directories for inputs with the same filename stem. Read aestimo.log there for convergence messages and errors.

For a non-interactive shell on Linux:

MPLBACKEND=Agg aestimo -i /path/to/project.json

Successful completion is a numerical result for the chosen model. Check the mesh, convergence and model assumptions before interpreting physical observables.