The icon bar is designed to give the user easy access to the most commonly used functions in eta/Post. Some of the functions represented in the icon bar are also located in the different menus. The user may simply click these icons to activate the functions instead of navigating through the menus.

 

1.         OPEN

Open a file.

2.         PRINT

Create a postscript file of the display area and send it to the printer (default) or write the image to a file. Prior to printing, the printer must be initialized to accommodate the print out from eta/Post software.

3.         PART ON/OFF

This function enables the user to turn the selected part(s) on/off. Once the function is selected, the PART ON/OFF dialog window is displayed, as shown in Figure 1.3.1.

Figure 1.3.1  PART ON/OFF Window

NOTE:  When the PART ON/OFF dialog window is displayed, only the VIEW OPERATION functions are enabled for use, other functions are disabled.

l  PART and PART SET option

Default setting closes and opens parts. If the postprocess result includes part set definition, the option can be activated. At this time, the opening and closing object is part set.

l  SORT BY

There are two options, ID and NAME so the parts can sort by ID or NAME in the part list.

l  ENTER ID

The user can enter the part ID in the input box, then press ENTER to change the current status. If the original status is On, it will be turned Off after pressing ENTER, and vice versa.

The user can select the part to turn on or off by picking the part name in the part list. There are several other methods to turn the part on or off, as described below.

l  Sort by

Ÿ    PICK ELEMENT

The part including the selected element is selected. The element will be highlighted as the cursor moves over the part.

Ÿ    SELECT BY DRAG WINDOW

This function allows the user to drag a window around the desired parts. All parts including the selected elements are selected.

Ÿ    SELECT BY MULTI-REGION

This function allows the user to define a multi-point region by clicking the mouse in the Graphic Display area; all parts in this area are selected.

Ÿ    SELECT BY FREE HAND

This function allows the user to select a region by free hand; all parts including the selected elements are selected. The user depresses the left mouse button and moves the mouse to select the desired region.

l  SHOW ELEMENT TYPE

This function allows the user to turn the selected element types on/off so they are shown or no longer shown in the window list, and in the GRAPHIC DISPLAY window.

Ÿ  BEAM 

All parts with the beam element are removed from the part list if the BEAM is toggled off. And all parts with the beam element appear in the part list if the BEAM is toggled on.

Ÿ  SHELL 

All parts with the shell element are removed from the part list if the SHELL is toggled off. And all parts with the shell element appear in the part list if the SHELL is toggled on.

Ÿ  SOLID 

All parts with the solid element are removed from the part list if the SOLID is toggled off. And all parts with the solid element appear in the part list if the SOLID is toggled on.

Ÿ  OTHER 

All parts with the line are removed from the part list if the OTHER is toggled off.  And all parts with the line appear in the part list if the OTHER is toggled on.

l  KEEP 

If KEEP is selected, the selected parts are highlighted and labeled with an asterisk on the Part List. When the user exits the function, only the selected parts remain displayed.

l  ALL ON

Turn all parts on and display them on the screen.

l  ALL OFF 

Turn all parts off from the GRAPHICS DISPLAY.

l  REVERSE

This function reverses the current on and off status of the parts in the model. The program updates the model display accordingly.

l  UNDO    

Undo the last operation in the Part ON/OFF function.

l  REDO     

Redo the last operation in the part ON/OFF function.

l  EXIT      

Closes the PART ON/OFF dialog window, and exits the function.

4.         VIRTUAL X ROTATION

The displayed model will dynamically rotate about the global X-axis when the cursor is moved up or down. Default rotate center is the model center. If Define Rotate Center is open, the user may define rotate center. After clicking the VX icon, the user may click the left mouse button to specify a suitable position as the rotate center, and move the cursor up and down to rotate the model.

5.         VIRTUAL Y ROTATION 

The displayed model will dynamically rotate about the global Y-axis when the cursor is moved up or down. Default rotate center is the model center. If Define Rotate Center is open, the user may define rotate center. After clicking the VY icon, the user may click the left mouse button to specify a suitable position as the rotate center, and move the cursor up and down to rotate the model.

6.         VIRTUAL Z ROTATION 

The displayed model will dynamically rotate about the global Z-axis when the cursor is moved up or down. Default rotate center is the model center. If Define Rotate Center is open, the user may define rotate center. After clicking the VZ icon, the user may click the left mouse button to specify a suitable position as the rotate center, and move the cursor up and down to rotate the model.

7.         SCREEN X ROTATION  

The displayed model will dynamically rotate about the screen X-axis when the cursor is moved up or down. Default rotate center is the model center. If Define Rotate Center is open, the user may define rotate center. After clicking the SX icon, user may click left button of mouse to specify a suitable position as the rotate center, and move the cursor up and down to rotate the model.

8.         SCREEN Y ROTATION 

The displayed model will dynamically rotate about the screen Y-axis when the cursor is moved up or down. Default rotate center is the model center. If Define Rotate Center is open, user may define rotate center. After clicking the SY icon, the user may click the left mouse button to specify a suitable position as the rotate center, and move the cursor up and down to rotate the model.

9.         SCREEN Z ROTATION 

The displayed model will dynamically rotate about the screen Z-axis when the cursor is moved up or down. Default rotate center is the model center. If Define Rotate Center is open, the user may define rotate center. After clicking the SZ icon, the user may click the left mouse button to specify a suitable position as the rotate center, and move the cursor up and down to rotate the model.

10.     FREE ROTATION

This function is a combination of Screen X and Screen Y rotation. Moving the mouse up/down manipulates Screen X rotation. Moving the mouse left/right manipulates Screen Y rotation. Moving the mouse diagonally combines the rotations of both directions. Click the left mouse button to stop the rotation. The user may activate this function by pressing Control and the left mouse button while moving the mouse. Release Ctrl after this function is activated. Release the left mouse button to exit the function.

Default rotation center is the model center. If Define Rotate Center is selected, the user may define the rotation center. After clicking the icon, the user may click the left mouse button to specify a suitable position as the rotate center, and move the cursor up and down to rotate the model.

11.     PAN

This command enables the user to translate the model on the screen by following the movement of the cursor. If the cursor is moved off the screen, the cursor reappears at the center of the screen. Click the left mouse button to stop the pan operation. The user may activate this function by pressing Control and the Middle mouse button while moving the mouse. Release Ctrl after this function is activated. Release the mouse button to exit the function.

12.     CURSOR ZOOM 

The user picks a point about which to zoom.  The model is centered about this point and the user may move the cursor up to zoom in, or down to zoom out. The user may activate this function by pressing Control and the right mouse button while moving the mouse. Release Ctrl after this function is activated. Release the right mouse button to exit the function.

NOTE:  If the cursor is moved off the screen in functions ROTATE, PAN, or CURSOR ZOOM, the cursor re-appears at the diagonal of the window automatically to continue the operation.

13.     WINDOW ZOOM 

The user defines the corners of the zoom window by positioning the cursor on the display screen. The user presses and holds the left mouse button, and drags the cursor diagonally until the desired window size is reached. Release the left button, the area included in the window will be displayed in full screen.

14.     FREE HAND ZOOM

The user defines a free region by pressing the left mouse button, and dragging the cursor on the display screen to define the region.  Release the left button, the area included in the region will be displayed in full screen.

15.     FILL SCREEN

Automatically zoom in or out until the model fits the viewing area of the screen.

16.     TOP VIEW 

Display the model from the TOP or in the XY-plane.

17.     X-Z VIEW

Automatically display the model from the LEFT or in the XZ-plane.

18.     Y-Z VIEW  

Automatically display the model from the RIGHT or in the YZ-plane.

19.     ISOMETRIC VIEW 

Display the model from the isometric plane (120-degree isometric).

20.     ERASE HIGHLIGHT 

Remove the highlighted entities from the screen, such as the entities generated from the commands SHOW LINE BOUNDARY CHECK ID ELEMENTS DEFINE TITLE, etc.

21.   POSTPROCESS ICON 

The functions in the POSTPROCESS icon bar allow the user to access the functions to process the result files. There are two kinds of icons on the eta/Post, one is general icons, including original status, deformed shape, stress/strain, vector plots and graphs, etc. as shown in Figure 1.3.2. The other group of icons is used to process the results from eta/DYNAFORM, including FLD, thickness/thinning, etc. as shown in Figure 1.3.3. Each of these icons will be described in chapter 7.

Figure 1.3.2  General POSTPROCESS Icons

Figure 1.3.3  Special icons for eta/DYNAFORM results