Context:
You create a node list path by entering part instance names, node labels,
and node label ranges into a table. You can use the editing techniques
described in the following procedures to create a path by selecting nodes
directly from the viewport. Alternatively, you can create a node list path by
entering values directly into the table. If you do not know the part instance
names in the model, use the
Query toolset
to query nodes in the viewport. To help determine node labels of interest, you
may want to produce a model plot with node symbols and node numbers visible
prior to creating the path. For more information, see
Customizing model labels.
Locate the path creation and editing options.
Use the following techniques to create or edit a node list path:
Create a new path
-
From the main menu bar, select
.
The Create Path dialog box appears.
-
Abaqus
displays a default name for the path in the Name text
field. To provide a more meaningful name, replace this default with the name of
your choice (including blank spaces if you wish).
-
In the Create Path dialog box, click
Node list; then click Continue.
Edit an existing path
-
From the main menu bar, select
.
From the menu that appears, select the path you want to edit.
The Edit Node List Path dialog box appears.
Specify the nodes along your path.
Use either of the following techniques:
Select the nodes directly from the
viewport
-
Click Add Before or Add
After to begin making selections.
Abaqus/CAE
prompts you to Select nodes to be inserted into the path
and closes the Edit Node List Path dialog box.
-
Select one or more nodes from the viewport (for more information,
see
Selecting objects within the viewport”).
If a desired node exists in more than one part instance, toggle off the
Select the Entity Closest to the Screen tool in the
Selection toolbar. If you make an ambiguous selection, the
part instance name and node label will appear in the lower left corner of the
viewport in the form Highlighting Node
Instance.Node.
Use the Next and Previous buttons
to cycle through the possible selections, and click OK
to confirm your selection.
Abaqus
highlights the nodes as you select them and displays the node labels and the
path connectivity.
Note:
You can only select nodes that are in the current display group.
-
Click Done in the prompt area when you have
finished.
Abaqus/CAE
displays the Edit Node List Path dialog box; the part
instances and nodes in your path are listed in the path definition table.
-
If desired, repeat the preceding steps to add additional points.
The Add Before and Add
After buttons determine where your selections will be added in
relation to the currently highlighted line in the path definition table.
Enter the node labels directly into the
table
-
In the Path Definition table, use standard
keyboard and mouse editing techniques to insert, modify, or delete part
instance names and node label expressions. If you do not know the part instance
names in the model, use the
Query toolset
to query nodes in the viewport. For special table editing options or to read
data from an ASCII file, press mouse button 3. (For more information, see
Entering tabular data.)
A node label expression is either of the following:
-
A single node label; for example, 5.
-
A range of nodes that you specify with a starting and ending
node label optionally followed by an increment; for example, 5:10 or 5:10:2.
Note:
If you read node labels from an ASCII file, you must read the
table values starting with the first column, and each row must include a part
instance name and a node label expression. The part instance name is case
sensitive and must be enclosed in quotation marks as
follows:“INSTANCE_NAME”
-
After each node label expression, press Enter.
Abaqus
highlights all nodes included in the path and displays the node labels and the
path connectivity.
When you are done selecting nodes, click OK.
If you created a new path,
Abaqus/CAE
adds the path name to the Path Manager list. By default,
Abaqus/CAE
saves the path you have specified for the duration of the session. If you want
to retain a path for use in subsequent sessions, save it to an
XML file, to the model database, or to an
output database; for more information, see
Managing session objects and session options.