Execution Modes

NX Open applications can execute in three modes:

Execution Mode	Usage
Interactive (a.k.a. internal)	Runs as part of an NX interactive session — NX display window, menus, toolbars, and resource tabs are active. The application may present its own dialogs or run behind the scenes, performing anything from geometry generation to design rule validation.
Batch (a.k.a. external)	Runs without an NX interactive user interface. Has full access to NX part models but cannot execute NX display options. Any UI must be provided by the application itself. Typically used for time-consuming tasks needing little human interaction.
Remote	A client and server process, which may or may not reside on the same machine. Either side can run in interactive or batch mode. Communication is via remote procedure calls (supported directly by Java and .NET) or other inter-process communication (e.g. COM objects, ports). Useful when central data/knowledge must be shared across multiple sites.

Notes:

• The execution mode affects which libraries must be linked into the application (see "Applications (Compile and Link)").
• The execution mode also affects how the application is invoked (see "Execution Overview").
• Remote mode is not mutually exclusive with the other two — a remote application's client and server processes can each independently run in Interactive or Batch mode.

Related Topics

• Execution Overview
• Environment Variables
• Application Directory Structure
• How to Execute the Open API
• Unload Options