Visualizing Models and Groups

This task shows you how to visualize models and groups.

  1. To switch on or off the visibility of each part, check the box in Settings Panel > Parts tab.
    In the following figure, for example, only the Elements part is visible.

  2. Change the draw style of selected parts (highlighted in Table of Parts) using the radio buttons on the right side of the selection window. Pressing "Ctrl"-key and left-click you can also select multiple parts.
    In the following figure, for example, the Elements part is visible, but the draw style can only be changed for the Nodes part, because the Elements part is not selected.

  3. The part named Nodes refers to all nodes of the model represented by little squares. It is only visible if Draw as filled surface or Draw as points are chosen in Draw Style. If you miss the Draw Style panel, right-click inside the field Table of Parts and activate as shortcut menu.
  4. Using the tab Element Sets, it is possible to restrict the displayed objects to some element or node groups.

    Note: The parts that are hidden in Parts tab are not shown regardless of chosen groups in Element Sets tab.

  5. To visualize a node group, turn on Nodes in the Parts tab as shown above (it is turned off by default).

  6. To visualize a certain group alone, first make sure that all parts are turned on in the Parts tab.
  7. Then click show visible in Element Sets tab and check the group you intend to show.

    Show invisible displays all groups except the chosen ones.

In the following example, the design area of shape optimization (a node group DESIGN_NODES) is shown:



If, additionally, the group ALL_ELEMENTS is chosen and Draw as lines, with hidden lines removed in Draw Style panel of the Parts tab is active for the Elements part, the location of selected nodes is clearly seen:

Groups from the parameter file are presented together with groups from the input finite element model.