Plots#

Description#

Zmaster has comprehensive plotting features, which combined with the post calculations provides an efficient way of creating X-Y plots, or exporting secondary data from the calculation.

An example view of the plot command dialogs is shown below, using the same problem as previously shown for the post calculation (last section). Note that the post variable created previously is available for plotting.

../../_images/plotting.svg

Plots are based on different available “plot sets” which can be data files, nodal values, simulation results, line set traces, etc. Each plot set can have one variable selected for the dependent variable, and one or more for the independents. Different plot sets can be visualized simultaneously either all on the same plot, or on different plots staggered along the Z axis or tiled in the X-Y plane. Plots from the same plot set can be viewed on these merged plots using “plot aliases” which are duplications of the plot data, with separate selections and options.

Data entry fields#

The data entry fields at the top of the plot dialog have the following significance:

  • Curve output: In order to export data, enter a file name in the top text entry box. The data will be output to the file each time the Draw button is pressed.

  • Options: The meaning and possible values for Options depends on the currently selected plot. Options are “attached” to the plot sets, or plot set aliases.

    • 1these are currently applied globally. Work is being done to handle better the multiple plot cases

  • X-Label, Y-Label: The X and Y-axis labels 1these are currently applied globally. Work is being done to handle better the multiple plot cases.

Curve types#

Curve types are defined by a user-definable class ZEBU_PLOT_SET, so what is described here may be a sub-set of what is available. We expect some Plug-in plot types to be available on the Zebulon resources web site in the future.

When the Plot command is activated, Zmaster “sniffs” around the current directory and solution files to make some default selection plot sets. These are for example any problem.test files, line sets from FEA, node variables, etc.

The following curve type are general purpose, and a user may wish to add more instances of these to a particular .mast file (you need to Save the modifications to get them in the next session).

datafile

ASCII multiple column plot files (generated using a **curve output option for example).

merged_plot

Merged plots combine data from multiple plot sets to let variables be plotted against other plot set variables. There is a special dialog which pops up for this one.

liset

FEA data to be plotted across a geometry.

nset

FEA data to be plotted accros nset.

nset_sum

The sum of all nodes’ values within given nset, for a given variable.

node_vals

FEA results at a node.

integ_vals

FEA results at a Gauss point.

simfile

Simulation results file.

These plots are secondary, and will not normally be “Added” by the user, but rather are created in other ways. For example alias curves are created by double clicking on a plot set name (top list box), and removed by double clicking on the alias.

alias

Alias sets are duplications of a plot set with different selections and options.

comparison

A special merged plot for comparing results.

vecfile

An automatically generated duplicate of the simfile with vector and tensor variables “lumped.”

Options#

As mentioned above, the Options available are context dependent. To be reminded of the possible options, click on the Help button of the main plot dialog, and select the plot set options list item at the bottom of the dialog. Available options for particular plots may be added in the future.

  • all plots: All plots may use the options field to select X and Y plotting variables. The syntax uses a simple regular expression search of variable names.

    X=eto22 Y=sig*2

  • liset: The liset values are plotted across geometry. For solutions with multiple time steps there must be a method of selection of the time steps to display. For problems with a limited number of time steps, the default option is ALL which selects all available solutions. For problems with many steps, the last “map” is given by default. The option can be changed to select individual maps or ranges of maps. The number of available maps is given in the problem.ut file. An example follows:

    1,2, 5-12