General queries

You can always use the Query toolset to obtain general information about the model, regardless of which module you are using, although the Query toolset is not available in the Job module. The General Queries in the Visualization module are similar to those in the other modules, but they are discussed separately in Querying the model in the Visualization module due to differences in some selection methods and the inclusion of undeformed and deformed model data in the results. For all other modules, the items under General Queries in the Query toolset provide the general information discussed below.

See Also
Customizing mesh display

In most cases Abaqus/CAE displays the requested information in the message area, and the same information is written to the replay file. Select ToolsQuery from the main menu bar to use the Query toolset, or select the tool in the Query toolset.

The Query dialog box is split into two sections. The top section of the dialog box contains general queries that are available in each module except the Job module, where the Query toolset is not available at all. The bottom portion of the dialog box contains module-specific queries; as you switch between modules, Abaqus/CAE displays queries that are appropriate for the contents of the current module.

For tools that require meshes to be available, you can use the ViewPart Display Options or ViewAssembly Display Options menu items to display the native mesh.

Point/Node

Coordinates of a selected point or node. You can select a local CSYS in which to display the coordinates.

Distance

Distance between two selected points, nodes, edges, faces, or a combination of these objects. You can select a local CSYS in which to display the coordinates of the picked points and the components of the result.

Angle

The angle between two edges or faces, between an edge and a face, or between three points

Feature

For a selected feature:

  • Feature name

  • Description

  • Status (if the feature is suppressed or if it failed to regenerate)

  • Parent feature names

  • Child feature names

  • Parameters

Shell element normals

Display shell/membrane normal directions

Beam element tangents

Display beam/truss tangent directions

In addition, if the current viewport contains a mesh, the Query toolset provides the following information:

Mesh stack orientation

For hexahedral, wedge, and quadrilateral elements that you can use in a continuum shell, cohesive, cylindrical, or gasket mesh, Abaqus/CAE indicates the mesh stack orientation. For hexahedral and wedge elements, Abaqus/CAE colors the top face brown and the bottom face purple. For quadrilateral elements, arrows indicate the orientation of the elements. In addition, Abaqus/CAE highlights any element faces and edges that have inconsistent orientation.

Note:

The query results do not account for changes made in the mesh stack orientation while defining a solid composite layup or a composite shell layup in the Property module.

Mesh

For an assembly, part or part instance, geometric region, or element:

  • The total number of nodes and elements in the selected area

  • The number of elements for each element shape

By default, Abaqus/CAE displays mesh information in the message area, but you can display this information in tabular format in the Mesh statistics dialog box by toggling on Display detailed report in the prompt area. The Mesh statistics dialog box also enables you to display mesh information by part instance or by element type.

Element

For a selected element:

  • Element label

  • Element topology; for example, linear hexahedron

  • Abaqus element name; for example, C3D8I

  • Nodal connectivity

Mesh gaps/intersections

For a selected part or part instance:

  • Display element edges of boundary faces with incompatible interfaces

  • Display element edges of boundary faces with cracks or gaps

  • Display element edges of boundary faces that intersect other faces

Mass properties

For an assembly, selected part or part instance, geometric region, solid element, shell, solid face, beam, or truss, Abaqus/CAE returns some or all of the following information:

  • Surface area (displayed only for shell elements and for solid faces)

  • Area centroid

  • Volume

  • Volume centroid

  • Mass

  • Center of mass

  • Moments of inertia about the center of mass or about a specified point

For more information about this query, see Querying mass properties.

Geometry diagnostics

  • Invalid, imprecise, or small geometry

  • Topology

Sets
For a selected set:
  • Geometry set: components, index, instance name, set name, set type, total number of components
  • Element set: element label, element type, connectivity, instance name, set name, set type, total number of elements
  • Node set: node label, nodal coordinates, elements sharing the node, instance name, set name, set type, total number of nodes
Surfaces
For a selected surface:
  • Geometry surface: index, side, instance name, surface name, surface type, total number of surfaces
  • Mesh surface: element label, element type, connectivity, side, instance name, surface name, surface type, total number of faces
Geometry face normal
The surface normal components in the global Cartesian coordinate system of a planar face or, for a curved surface, at a selected point on the face. You can select a local CSYS in which to display the normal. If typing coordinates of an evaluation point on a curved surface, you should enter the coordinates in the local CSYS, if selected.
Element face normal
The surface normal components in the global Cartesian coordinate system of the element face. You can select a local CSYS in which to display the normal.
Advanced distance

Whereas the regular distance query allows you to find the distance between two selected single entities, the advanced distance query allows you to find the minimum distance between groups of entities. These entities can be nodes, elements, vertices, edges, faces, or cells, and you can select them from the viewport or by set. You can select a local CSYS in which to display the coordinates of the closest points and the components of the result.

For more information, see Obtaining general information about the model.