Creating or editing an edge list path

A path is a line you define by specifying a series of line segments in your model. In an edge list path the segments are defined by element edges and lines joining the ends of element edges. For information on including locations other than edges in a path, see Creating a path through your model.

See Also
Understanding results along a path
Obtaining X–Y data along a path

Context:

You create an edge list path by entering part instance names and edge labels into a table. Each edge label consists of an element number, a face number, an edge number, and a direction along the edge. Select edges from the viewport for entry into the table using a combination of three methods:

  • Select individual element edges.

  • Select an element edge and a direction along a feature edge and let Abaqus/CAE automatically add the remaining edges up to one end of the feature.

  • Select an element edge and a node and let Abaqus/CAE choose a shortest distance path along the element edges between them.

You can also edit the table directly, using the viewport to track your progress. However, some components of the edge labels depend on the element type, orientation, and desired connectivity, which are more easily determined by making selections from the viewport.

  1. Locate the path creation and editing options.
    To create a new path:
    1. From the main menu bar, select ToolsPathCreate. The Create Path dialog box appears.
    2. Abaqus displays a default name for the path in the Name text field. To provide a more meaningful name, replace this default with the name of your choice (including blank spaces if you wish).
    3. In the Create Path dialog box, click Edge list; then click Continue.
    To edit an existing path:
    1. From the main menu bar, select ToolsPathEdit. From the menu that appears, select the path you want to edit.

      Tip: You can also use the Path Manager to edit a path. From the main menu bar, select ToolsPathManager to display the manager. Select the path you want to edit, and click Edit from the buttons on the right side of the manager.

    The Edit Edge List Path dialog box appears.

  2. To create or edit a path by selecting edges in the viewport, click Add Before or Add After to begin making selections.

    Abaqus/CAE prompts you to Select edges to be inserted into the path and closes the Edit Edge List Path dialog box.

  3. Use the selection methods in the prompt area to select edges. Three edge selection methods are available:

    Individually

    Select individual element edges in the order that they should appear in the path; the selected edges need not be adjacent. If necessary, click Flip in the prompt area to reverse the connectivity of the last edge that you selected.

    By feature edge

    Select a starting edge that lies along a feature edge; Abaqus/CAE will automatically select all the edges between your selection and the end of the feature edge. Click Flip to reverse the connectivity of the edge that you selected and the direction used for automatic selection.

    By shortest distance

    Select a starting edge and an endpoint (node); Abaqus/CAE will automatically select the element edges that define the shortest path between your selections. Click Flip to reverse the connectivity of the edge that you selected and the direction used for automatic edge selection. If multiple routes exist with the same distance, Abaqus/CAE selects one of them.

    Note:

    The edge and node that you select must be on the same part instance.

    If a desired edge exists in more than one part instance, toggle off the Select the Entity Closest to the Screen tool in the Selection toolbar. If you make an ambiguous selection, the part instance name and edge label (without the direction value) will appear in the lower left corner of the viewport in the form Highlighting Element Edge Element.Face.Edge. Use the Next and Previous buttons to cycle through the possible selections, and click OK to confirm your selection.

    Abaqus highlights the edges as you select them and displays the node labels and the path connectivity. In addition, Abaqus labels the first node in the path Start and the last node in the path End.

  4. Click Done in the prompt area when you have finished.

    Abaqus/CAE displays the Edit Edge List Path dialog box; the part instances and edges in your path are listed in the path definition table.

  5. If desired, repeat the preceding steps to add additional edges.

    The Add Before and Add After buttons determine where your selections will be added in relation to the currently highlighted line in the path definition table.

  6. If desired, you can use standard keyboard and mouse editing techniques to insert, modify, or delete part instance names and edge labels in the Path Definition table. Edge labels are of the form (element number, face number, edge number, direction).

    Tip: Use the Query toolset to query nodes in the viewport to obtain part instance names. Display element and face labels in the viewport using the plot state-independent options. (For more information, see Customizing model labels.) Edges are numbered clockwise around a face as viewed from outside the element. The direction (−1 or 1) depends on your desired path connectivity.

    For special table editing options or to read data from an ASCII file, press mouse button 3. (For more information, see Entering tabular data.)

  7. After editing the Path Definition table, press Enter.

    Abaqus updates the path displayed in the viewport.

  8. When you are done selecting edges, click OK.

    If you created a new path, Abaqus/CAE adds the path name to the Path Manager list. By default, Abaqus/CAE saves the path you have specified for the duration of the session. If you want to retain a path for use in subsequent sessions, save it to an XML file, to the model database, or to an output database; for more information, see Managing session objects and session options.