Convert PlotData of User Defined Result to a DPF field and plot it

Pernelle Marone-Hitz
Pernelle Marone-Hitz Member, Moderator, Employee Posts: 867
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edited June 2023 in Structures

In Mechanical scripting, how can I retrieve the data from a user-defined result and plot it as a Python Result ?

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  • Pernelle Marone-Hitz
    Pernelle Marone-Hitz Member, Moderator, Employee Posts: 867
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    edited March 2023

    A user-defined result (UDR) is inserted in Mechanical :

    A property is added to the Python Result for the user to provide the name of the UDR:

    This is achieved by modifying the Property Provider of the Python Result:

    The piece of code of interest here is:

    def reload_props():
        this.PropertyProvider = None
    
        # Create the property instance
        provider = Provider()
        
        input_group = provider.AddGroup("Input")
        ns_prop = input_group.AddProperty("UDR Name", Control.Expression)
        
        # Connects the provider instance back to the object by setting the PropertyProvider member on this, 'this' being the 
        # current instance of the Python Code object.
        this.PropertyProvider = provider
    
    
    

    Then, the Script part of the Python Result is edited:

    The code that is needed here is :

    def post_started(sender, analysis):# Do not edit this line
        define_dpf_workflow(analysis)
    
    def define_dpf_workflow(analysis):
        
        # import DPF
        import mech_dpf
        import Ans.DataProcessing as dpf
        mech_dpf.setExtAPI(ExtAPI)
        
        # Connect to result file
        dataSource = dpf.DataSources(analysis.ResultFileName)
        
        # Retrieve mesh 
        model=dpf.Model(dataSource)
        mesh=model.Mesh # whole mesh
        
        # Retrieve property values
        udr_name = str(this.GetCustomPropertyByPath("Input/UDR Name").Value)
        
        # Access User Defined Result and create a field out of it
        udr = ExtAPI.DataModel.GetObjectsByName(udr_name)[0]
        nb_nodes = len(udr.PlotData['Node']) # get number of nodes 
        
        udr_field = dpf.FieldsFactory.CreateScalarField(nb_nodes) # instanciate field
        udr_field.MeshedRegionSupport = mesh # attach mesh
        udr_field.ScopingIds = udr.PlotData['Node'] # give list of nodes
        udr_field.Data = [0. for i in range(0,nb_nodes)]# fill field with zeros
        node_ids = udr.PlotData['Node']
        values = [value for value in udr.PlotData['Values']]
        for ii in range(0,nb_nodes):
            index=udr_field.ScopingIds.IndexOf(node_ids[ii])         # get index of node in created field
            udr_field.UpdateEntityDataByEntityIndex(index,[values[ii]])  
        
        # Create field operator for plotting
        forward = dpf.operators.utility.forward_field()
        forward.inputs.field.Connect(udr_field)
        
        dpf_workflow = dpf.Workflow()
        dpf_workflow.Add(forward)
        dpf_workflow.SetOutputContour(forward)
        dpf_workflow.Record('wf_id', False)
        this.WorkflowId = dpf_workflow.GetRecordedId()
    

    This code grabs the UDR, extract the values in it thanks to PlotData, and passes those values to a DPF Field to be able to plot it in the Python Result object.

  • Ray_Greene
    Ray_Greene Member Posts: 5
    First Comment
    **

    Pernelle:
    Thanks so much for posting this!
    I was able to do some (work) cool application by mouse click applying it :) but it failed with automation :(
    Why? DPF Python Result is "def post_started(sender, analysis):", i.e. it runs before UDR data is populated by post. On the other hand, a Python Code object is "def after_post(this, solution)", i.e. it runs after UDR data is populated by post - what is needed to use UDR results in DPF with automation. Do you have any suggestions for how to do this? I tried putting time.sleep(time_sleep) in the DPF code but it did not work.
    Cordially,
    Ray

  • Pernelle Marone-Hitz
    Pernelle Marone-Hitz Member, Moderator, Employee Posts: 867
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    Hi @Ray_Greene , glad you found that post useful! Indeed I hadn't realized this would not work in an automated way. There is unfortunately no workaround possible, the only solution would be to execute the two objects manually and in a successive manner.
    I also tried having a Python Code object in "after post" unsuppress the Python Result and evaluate, but Python Results do not have a Suppressed / Unsuppressed status so this is not a viable path either.
    Looks like something that could be improved, I'll let the developers know.