Probing X–Y plots

You can use the Query toolset to obtain information about curves in an X–Y plot. As you position the cursor over an X–Y curve in the current viewport, Abaqus/CAE highlights the nearest curve point and displays the curve legend text, the point's sequence identification, and the X- and Y-coordinates of the point in the Probe Values dialog box. Abaqus/CAE also highlights the selected curve point with a symbol and displays the X- and Y-coordinates of that curve point next to the symbol. These symbols and coordinates persist on the X–Y plot until you leave Probe mode. You can choose to display only the curve points that comprise an X–Y data object or to interpolate to display arbitrary points along the curve.

See Also
X–Y plot probes

Context:

When you select a point in Probe mode, Abaqus/CAE adds the legend text, sequence identification, and X- and Y-coordinates of the current point to the data table, which appears at the bottom of the Probe Values dialog box. You can clear or sort this table, delete individual rows, and write these data to a file. If the X–Y data name differs from the X–Y curve legend text, the Legend value in the Probe Values dialog box displays the X–Y data name prepended to the legend text.

While Probe mode is active, Abaqus/CAE also tracks the position of the cursor in the X–Y plot with arrows that run along the X- and Y-axes. These arrows respectively track the current X- and Y-position of the cursor, so they enable you to select your curve points with greater precision.

To help locate X- and Y-data points, you may want to produce an X–Y plot with curve symbols visible before using the Query toolset. For more information, see Customizing the symbols used on an X–Y curve.

  1. Locate the Probe Values dialog box.

    In the Visualization module toolbox, click . The Probe Values dialog box appears.

  2. At the top of the dialog box, toggle Interpolate between points to enable or disable the display of probe values for arbitrary points along the curve.

    When you enable interpolation, Abaqus/CAE displays the sequence identification of arbitrary points by listing the bracketing X–Y data object points in parentheses.

  3. Select the information types that you want to include in your query.

    Click mouse button 3 anywhere in the data table, select Edit Visible Columns from the list that appears, and toggle on the information types that you want to include in the query and display as columns in the data table. When an information type is toggled on, Abaqus/CAE can display that type of data in two locations for the selected element: in the data table when you mouse over or select the element in the viewport, and in the probe values output file.

  4. Move the cursor to probe the X–Y plot in the current viewport.

    As you position the cursor over a curve point, Abaqus/CAE displays the X- and Y-coordinates of the current point on the curve itself and displays the current position of your cursor along the X- and Y-axes of the X–Y plot.

  5. To select and accumulate values of interest and to allow subsequent writing of these values to a file, click mouse button 1 while positioning the cursor over a curve point.

    Abaqus/CAE stores the legend text, sequence identification, and X- and Y-coordinates of the current point into the data table. Abaqus/CAE also tags the points you select in the viewport by placing a symbol at the curve point you selected and displaying the X- and Y-coordinates next to that point.

  6. To delete data from the data table or to clear or sort the table, click mouse button 3. For more information, see Entering tabular data.
  7. To save the data you have selected, click Write to File. For more information, see Generating tabular data reports.
  8. To exit probe mode, do one of the following:

    • Click the cancel button in the prompt area.

    • Click Cancel in the Probe Values dialog box.

    • Click mouse button 2.

    • Produce a plot in some other (e.g., undeformed, deformed) mode.