1. Short Topics Chapter 14

2. Training Manual October 30, 2001 Inventory #001569 14-2 In this chapter, we will present some general tips and “tricks” on how to use ANSYS more efficiently Chapter 14 – Short Topics Overview

3. Training Manual October 30, 2001 Inventory #001569 14-3 An abbreviation is a short-cut to commonly used functions. It is a character string that represents one or more ANSYS commands. Whenever you define an abbreviation, it appears as a button in the ANSYS Toolbar, giving you one-button access to the desired function. There are five predefined abbreviations when you first start ANSYS, but you can modify them or add your own — up to 100 total abbreviations. Chapter 14 – Short Topics Toolbar and Abbreviations

4. Training Manual October 30, 2001 Inventory #001569 14-4 As an example, to display line numbers on a line plot, you would need to do the following: –Utility Menu > PlotCtrls > Numbering… > Line numbers On > OK –Utility Menu > Plot > Lines Later, to turn off line numbers, you would have to use the same menus again. Instead, you could define two abbreviations: –LINE_ON for the command string ‘/pnum,line,on $lplot’ –LINE_OFF for ‘/pnum,line,off $lplot’ and simply press the appropriate button in the toolbar to turn line numbering on or off. Chapter 14 – Short Topics …Toolbar and Abbreviations

5. Training Manual October 30, 2001 Inventory #001569 14-5 The following information is needed for an abbreviation: –The short-cut name –The command string it represents. To find out the command for a particular function, first execute the function using the GUI, then list the log file (Utility Menu > List > Files > Log File). Use the *ABBR command to define abbreviations: –*ABBR, name, command_string –If command_string consists of more than one command (separated by a $ sign), it must be enclosed in single quotes. A convenient dialog box is available for this: –Utility Menu > MenuCtrls > Edit Toolbar… –or Utility Menu > Macro > Edit Abbreviations… Chapter 14 – Short Topics …Toolbar and Abbreviations

6. Training Manual October 30, 2001 Inventory #001569 14-6 Abbreviations are stored in the standard ANSYS database, so they get saved to the.db file when you save the database. You can also write abbreviations to an ASCII file, jobname.abbr: –Utility Menu > MenuCtrls > Save Toolbar… –or Utility Menu > Macro > Save Abbr… –or ABBSAV command To restore abbreviations from a file, use: –Utility Menu > MenuCtrls > Restore Toolbar… –or Utility Menu > Macro > Restore Abbr… –or ABBRES command Chapter 14 – Short Topics …Toolbar and Abbreviations

7. Training Manual October 30, 2001 Inventory #001569 14-7 By creating a series of.abbr files and with a clever use of ABBSAV and ABBRES functions, you can create “nested” toolbars — buttons that bring up an entirely new set of buttons — and put together a menu of your own! Once you master the ANSYS command language, there is virtually no limit to the power and usefulness of abbreviations! Chapter 14 – Short Topics …Toolbar and Abbreviations

8. Training Manual October 30, 2001 Inventory #001569 14-8 Demo: –Resume rib.db –Create abbreviations EPLOT, APLOT, LPLOT, KPLOT –Delete KPLOT abbreviation –Save abbreviations to file.abbr, then list the file –Now list the log file and show the ABBSAVE command. (This is how you can find out the commands for a given function.) –Resume rib.db again –Restore abbreviations from file.abbr and use the buttons Chapter 14 – Short Topics …Toolbar and Abbreviations

9. Training Manual October 30, 2001 Inventory #001569 14-9 Whenever you start ANSYS, it reads a start file called start60.ans (or start57.ans, start56.ans, etc. depending on ANSYS revision). You can include any commands in the start file. The most common ones are abbreviation definitions. ANSYS checks for the start file first in the working directory and then in your home directory. If no file is found, it will read the “default” start file in the ANSYS documentation directory (/ansys60/docu). –The “default” start file contains several suggested abbreviations, all of them commented out. You can make a copy of it and “uncomment” the ones you want to use. Chapter 14 – Short Topics Start File

10. Training Manual October 30, 2001 Inventory #001569 14-10 APDL is an acronym for ANSYS Parametric Design Language, a powerful scripting language that allows you to parameterize your model and automate common tasks. Using APDL, you can: –input model dimensions, material properties, etc. in terms of parameters rather than numbers. –retrieve information from the ANSYS database, such as a node location or maximum stress. –perform mathematical calculations among parameters, including vector and matrix operations. –define abbreviations (short cuts) for frequently used commands or macros. –create a macro to execute a sequence of tasks, with if-then-else branching, do-loops, and user prompts. Chapter 14 – APDL Overview

11. Training Manual October 30, 2001 Inventory #001569 14-11 To define a parameter, use the format Name=Value –Can be typed in the input window or in the Scalar Parameters dialog (Utility Menu > Parameters > Scalar Parameters...) –Name is the parameter name, eight alphanumeric characters or less. –Value may be a number, a previously defined parameter, a mathematical function, a parametric expression, or a character string (enclosed in single quotes). Chapter 14 – Short Topics Defining Parameters

12. Training Manual October 30, 2001 Inventory #001569 14-12 Chapter 14 – Short Topics...Defining Parameters Examples: inrad=2.5 outrad=8.2 numholes=4 thick=outrad-inrad e=2.7e6 density=0.283 bb=cos(30) pi=acos(-1) g=386 massdens=density/g circumf=2*pi*rad area=pi*r**2 dist=sqrt((y2-y1)**2+(x2-x1)**2) slope=(y2-y1)/(x2-x1) theta=atan(slope) jobname=‘proj1’ See *SET command for a list of valid function

13. Training Manual October 30, 2001 Inventory #001569 14-13 Chapter 14 – Short Topics...Defining Parameters The examples above are scalar parameters, which have a single value — either numeric or character. ANSYS also supports array parameters, which have multiple values. Both numeric and character arrays are available. Array parameters will not be discussed in this course. 28.7 -9.2 -2.1 51.0 0.0 xvalues = job1 job2 job3 job4 job5 filnam =

14. Training Manual October 30, 2001 Inventory #001569 14-14 Chapter 14 – Short Topics...Defining Parameters Some naming rules: Parameter names must be eight characters or less, beginning with a letter. Only letters, numbers, and the underscore character _ are allowed. Avoid underscore _ as starting character… reserved for ANSYS use. Names are not case-sensitive, i.e, “RAD” and “Rad” are the same. All parameters are internally stored in capital letters. Avoid common ANSYS labels such as STAT, DEFA, and ALL.

15. Training Manual October 30, 2001 Inventory #001569 14-15 Chapter 14 – Short Topics Using Parameters To use a parameter, simply enter its name in the appropriate field in the dialog box or on the command. For example, to define a rectangle using the parameters w=10 and h=5, –you can use the menu: Preprocessor > Create > Rectangle > By 2 Corners + –or commands: /prep7 blc4,,,w,h

16. Training Manual October 30, 2001 Inventory #001569 14-16 Chapter 14 – Short Topics...Using Parameters Note: Whenever you use parameters, ANSYS immediately substitutes their values. The rectangle in the previous example is stored as a 10x5 area, not as w x h. That is, if you change the value of w or h after creating the rectangle, the area will NOT be updated.

17. Training Manual October 30, 2001 Inventory #001569 14-17 Chapter 14 – Short Topics...Using Parameters Other examples of using parameters: jobname=‘proj1’ /filnam,jobname! Jobname /prep7 youngs=30e6 mp,ex,1,youngs! Young’s modulus force=500 fk,2,fy,-force! Force at KP 2 fk,6,fx,force/2! Force at KP 6

18. Training Manual October 30, 2001 Inventory #001569 14-18 Chapter 14 – Short Topics Retrieving Database Information To retrieve information from the database and assign it to a parameter, use the *GET command or Utility Menu > Parameters > Get Scalar Data... A vast amount of information is available, including model and results data. Refer to the *GET command description for details.

19. Training Manual October 30, 2001 Inventory #001569 14-19 Chapter 14 – Short Topics...Retrieving Database Information Examples: *get,x1,node,1,loc,x! x1 = X coordinate of node 1 [CSYS]* /post1 *get,sx25,node,25,s,x! sx25 = X stress at node 25 [RSYS]* *get,uz44,node,44,u,z! uz44 = UZ displacement at node 44 [RSYS]* nsort,s,eqv! Sort nodes by von Mises stress *get,smax,sort,,max! smax = maximum of last sort etable,vol,volu! Store element volumes as vol ssum! Sum all element table columns *get,totvol,ssum,,vol! totvol = sum of vol column *CSYS = In the active coordinate system (CSYS) RSYS = In the active results coordinate system (RSYS)

20. Training Manual October 30, 2001 Inventory #001569 14-20 Chapter 14 – Short Topics...Retrieving Database Information Some data can be retrieved with a get function. Examples: x1=nx(1)! x1 = X coordinate of node 1 [CSYS]* nn=node(2.5,3,0)! nn = node at or near (2.5,3,0) [CSYS]* /post1 ux25=ux(25)! ux25 = UX at node 25 [RSYS]* temp93=temp(93)! temp93 = temperature at node 93 width=distnd(23,88)! width = distance between nodes 23 & 88 *CSYS = In the active coordinate system (CSYS) RSYS = In the active results coordinate system (RSYS)

21. Training Manual October 30, 2001 Inventory #001569 14-21 Chapter 14 – Short Topics...Retrieving Database Information You can use a get function directly in a field, just like a parameter. For example: k,10,kx(1),ky(3)! KP 10 at X of KP 1, Y of KP 3 [CSYS]* k,11,kx(1)*2,ky(3)! [CSYS]* f,node(2,2,0),fx,100! FX force at node(2,2,0) [CSYS]* *CSYS = In the active coordinate system (CSYS)

22. Training Manual October 30, 2001 Inventory #001569 14-22 Summary: Define parameters using the format Name=Value. Value may be a number, a previously defined parameter, a mathematical function, a parametric expression, or a character string. Use *GET or get functions to retrieve data from the ANSYS database. ANSYS stores data in their actual form (numbers or strings), not in the form of parameter names. Chapter 14 – Short Topics Summary

23. Training Manual October 30, 2001 Inventory #001569 14-23 APDL Basics D. Workshop Refer to your Workshop Supplement for instructions on: W14A Abbreviations W14B 2-D Bracket Using Parameters