Visualizing Models and Groups

This task shows you how to visualize models and groups.

  1. To switch on or off the the visibility of each part, check the box in Settings Panel > Parts tab. In the following figure, for example, only Part 1 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, Part 1 is visible, but the draw style can only be changed for Part 2, because Part 1 is not selected.

  3. The part named Node Part refers to all nodes of the model represented by little squares. It is only visible if Draw as filled surface or Draw as points radio buttons are chosen in Draw Style. If you miss the Draw Style panel, right-click in the field Table of Parts and activate As context 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. In order to visualize a node group, turn on Node Part in Parts tab as shown above (it is turned off by default).

  6. In order to visualize a certain group alone, first make sure that all parts are turned on in Parts tab.

  7. Then click show visible radio button in Element Sets tab and check the group you wish to show.

    Show invisible displays all groups except the chosen ones.

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



If, additionally, the group ALL_ELEMENTS is chosen and Draw as lines, with hidden lines removed radio button in Draw Style panel of Parts tab is active for Part 1, the location of selected nodes is clearly seen:

In the files generated by Tosca Structure.report, the groups from GROUPS.onf file located in SAVE.onf directory are presented. This file contains the groups present in the input finite element model together with the groups from SIMULIA Tosca Structure parameter file (defined, e.g., using Tosca ANSA® environment).

Note: If the model changes during the steps, the groups from the preprocessing can only be shown in the first step.