# error message appears when using  -t  or --track option

**URL:** <https://openmc.discourse.group/t/error-message-appears-when-using-t-or-track-option/111>\
**Category:** User Support\
**Created:** [November 1, 2014, 5:30pm UTC](https://openmc.discourse.group/t/error-message-appears-when-using-t-or-track-option/111 "2014-11-01T17:30:59Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![EL\_BAKKALI\_JAAFAR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/45deac/32.png) [@EL\_BAKKALI\_JAAFAR](https://openmc.discourse.group/u/EL_BAKKALI_JAAFAR)\
**Post date:** [November 1, 2014, 5:30pm UTC](https://openmc.discourse.group/t/error-message-appears-when-using-t-or-track-option/111/1 "2014-11-01T17:30:59Z")

</div>

Hi, everyone,

I have a problem when i tried to run the openmc executable directly from a directory with -t option:  
openmc -t /home/elbakkali/openmc/examples/basic

but the alternatively way, works fine:  
cd /home/elbakkali/openmc/examples/basic; openmc

this problem appears just for -t option and every other OpenMC options works fine.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![paulromano](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/openmc.discourse.group/paulromano/32/486_2.png) [@paulromano](https://openmc.discourse.group/u/paulromano)\
**Post date:** [November 3, 2014, 10:25pm UTC](https://openmc.discourse.group/t/error-message-appears-when-using-t-or-track-option/111/2 "2014-11-03T22:25:56Z")

</div>

Can you describe what the problem is when you try to use that option?

Thanks,  
Paul

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Sterling\_Harper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@Sterling\_Harper](https://openmc.discourse.group/u/Sterling_Harper)\
**Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 1:18am UTC](https://openmc.discourse.group/t/error-message-appears-when-using-t-or-track-option/111/3 "2014-11-04T01:18:40Z")

</div>

@bahmedj, Thanks for reporting this error. As a side note, -t is meant as a debugging tool and it outputs a bunch of data files so you might not want to use it on a big simulation like examples/basic.

@Paul, I have been able to reproduce this error. Specifically, the error is “Settings XML file ‘settings.xml’ does not exist!” There is a similar error that occurs when running particle restart files. For example, running this in the test\_particle\_restart\_eigval directory will run without failing but will not output a track:

openmc

openmc -r particle\_12\_842.binary -t

But this will fail with the same settings.xml error:

openmc  
openmc -t -r particle\_12\_842.binary

I’ve taken a look at read\_commandline. I don’t know entirely what’s wrong, but it is related to the “i = i + 1” in the track case.

Sterling

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![EL\_BAKKALI\_JAAFAR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/45deac/32.png) [@EL\_BAKKALI\_JAAFAR](https://openmc.discourse.group/u/EL_BAKKALI_JAAFAR)\
**Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 1:51pm UTC](https://openmc.discourse.group/t/error-message-appears-when-using-t-or-track-option/111/4 "2014-11-04T13:51:08Z")

</div>

Hi,

I get the following error message :  
Reading settings XML file…  
ERROR: Settings XML file ‘settings.xml’ does not exist! In order to run OpenMC,  
you first need a set of input files; at a minimum, this includes  
settings.xml, geometry.xml, and materials.xml. Please consult the user’s  
guide at [http://mit-crpg.github.io/openmc](http://mit-crpg.github.io/openmc) for further information.  
ERROR STOP

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![paulromano](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/openmc.discourse.group/paulromano/32/486_2.png) [@paulromano](https://openmc.discourse.group/u/paulromano)\
**Post date:** [November 5, 2014, 3:34am UTC](https://openmc.discourse.group/t/error-message-appears-when-using-t-or-track-option/111/5 "2014-11-05T03:34:06Z")

</div>

Thanks for reporting this. I just fixed the problem in the ‘develop’ branch so it will be part of the next release.

Best regards,  
Paul

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![EL\_BAKKALI\_JAAFAR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/45deac/32.png) [@EL\_BAKKALI\_JAAFAR](https://openmc.discourse.group/u/EL_BAKKALI_JAAFAR)\
**Post date:** [November 5, 2014, 11:21am UTC](https://openmc.discourse.group/t/error-message-appears-when-using-t-or-track-option/111/6 "2014-11-05T11:21:21Z")

</div>

OK, Thanks.