CONSTRUCT SET [Set_Name] APPEND

  This command is used to append geometric parts or elements or nodes to a set.

FEMGEN Command.
               

CONSTRUCT SET [Set_Name] APPEND [Type] Part

This command appends geometric parts to sets which have been previously activated using the command CONSTRUCT SET OPEN or to the set named in the command.

Set_Name = optional name of the set to which parts are to be appended. This may be an existing or a new set. If no name is given then parts will be appended to all the currently open sets. A named set is automatically closed and completed after execution of the command. The currently open sets will remain open until the CONSTRUCT SET CLOSE command is issued. Completion of the set will then take place unless the set was originally created with the INCOMPLETE, LIST or LOOP keywords. See note 3.

Type = optional specification of the level of part that is to be appended to the set (see below). If omitted all levels of parts will be appended.

Part = name of a point, line, surface, body, set, or `ALL' (all parts) to be appended to the set(s). More than one part may be specified at a time and parts may be identified by name or by using the graphics cursor (see below).

Type Comments

No type All the parts that make up the named part are appended to the set(s).

POINTS All the points that make up the named part are appended to the set(s).

LINES All the lines that make up the named part are appended to the set(s).

SURFACES All the surfaces that make up the named part are appended to the set(s).

BODIES All the bodies that make up the named part are appended to the set(s).

Selection of parts using the graphics cursor
The graphics cursor may be used to identify parts by picking. The graphics cursor is placed near the required part and either a mouse button is used in which case the nearest part of any type will be selected, or a keyboard key may be used to identify the type of part to be picked namely:

The drivers for some graphics devices are case sensitive such that use of a lower case letter allows the picking process to continue within the same command and use of an upper case letter or a `C/R' will cause the picking process to terminate.

Also, via use of the keyword CURSOR, the graphics cursor can be used to control other append operations based on the position of a part on the screen as follows:

Control Comments

LEFT parts that lie entirely on the specified side of a section line

RIGHT defined by two cursor positions are appended to the named or

TOP open sets. BOTTOM

POLYGON parts that lie entirely within the polygon specified by up to 20 cursor positions are appended to the named or open sets. Note that the middle mouse button (or right button on a two button mouse) should be used to specify the polygon vertices, the last vertex should be specified with the left button to complete the polygon.

The CURSOR commands are recorded in the history file as CONSTRUCT SET APPEND MODEL DIVIDE/POLYGON followed by the cursor positions in model coordinates. This is done to ensure reliable playback from history files.

Only parts that are currently being displayed will be considered. Parts are then appended to the set if all of their primary defining parts satisfy the test (i.e. end points of lines are considered, but points defining the centres of arcs are not).

Return Level: CONSTRUCT SET APPEND for a previously opened set.

Notes:

1.

General use
The command may be repeated to append several parts or previously defined sets. Existing sets can be re-opened to append more parts.

2.

Limits
A maximum of 10 parts may be specified within the same command.

3.

Set completion
The checks that are performed when a set is closed will depend on how the set was first opened.

Sets that have been created with the default options will be automatically completed, so that all parts used in the definition of higher order parts will be added to the set. Thus, if a body is added to a set, then when the set is closed all the surfaces, lines and points that make up the body are also added to the set.

Sets that have been initially opened with the LIST or LOOP keywords will be checked and modified so that they contain only parts of the given type and will be checked for validity. The parts in these sets do not need to be given in topological order.

Sets that have been initially opened with the INCOMPLETE keyword are not completed or checked.

Examples:

1.

CONSTRUCT SET SE3 APPEND LINES B1

Add all the lines that make up B1 to the set SE3.

2.

CONSTRUCT SET APPEND SU1

Add surface SU1 and all the points and lines that make up surface SU1 to all the currently open sets.

3.

CONSTRUCT SET SE3 APPEND LINES CURSOR TOP

Add to the set SE3, all the lines that lie above the section line made with 2 cursor hits.

4.

CONSTRUCT SET APPEND POINTS CURSOR POLYGON

Add to all the currently open sets, all the points that lie within a polygon defined by up to 20 cursor hits.

FEMVIEW Command.
                     

CONSTRUCT SET [Set_Name [Set_Type]] APPEND Part Range

This command appends a specified range of elements or nodes to the currently open sets. Appended elements or nodes will be indicated by a square symbol displayed at the element centroid or the node point.

Set_Name = Optional name of the set to which elements or nodes are to be appended. This may be an existing set or a new set. If no name is given then elements or nodes will be appended to all the currently open sets. A named set, if not currently open, is automatically closed after execution of the command, whilst the currently open sets will remain open until the CONSTRUCT SET CLOSE command is issued.

Set_Type = Optional keyword for use with a new set which is used to define the type of set to be created. This may be ELSET (the default) to create an element set, or NODESET to create a node set.

Part Range Comments

OLD set_name(s) The contents of the previously defined set(s) are appended to the named or open sets. Up to 10 existing sets may be specified in one command, but all must be of the same type i.e. all node sets or all element sets.

NODES n1 n2 n3 ... Nodes in the specified range of node numbers

n1 TO n2 are appended to the named or open sets. n1 TO n2 STEPS n3

Part Range Comments

CURSOR ... The graphics cursor is used to control append operations based on the position of nodes on the screen. (See note 1).

IJK [BLOCK n] I n1 TO n2 Nodes within the specified IJK range are

... J n3 TO n4 K n5 TO n6 appended to the named or open sets. This command is for IJK regular models only. (Note that if no BLOCK is specifed the default is all blocks and that any IJK range not specified defaults to n1 - nmax).

ELEMENTS n1 n2 n3 ... Elements in the specified range of element

n1 TO n2 numbers are appended to the named or open

n1 TO n2 STEPS n3 sets.

CURSOR ... The graphics cursor is used to control append operations based on the position of elements on the screen. (See note 1).

EXTERNAL All elements with a free face are appended to the named or open sets.

TOP Angle These commands define a viewpoint at

BOTTOM Angle infinity at the specified side of the

FRONT Angle screen. A surface normal to each free

BACK Angle face of an element is calculated and

LEFT Angle the element appended to the named or

RIGHT Angle open sets if the angle between its normal and line of sight from the viewpoint is less than the specified `Angle'. Effective only with 3-dimensional solid elements.

XMIN Limit XMAX Limit These commands define a six sided

... YMIN Limit YMAX Limit bounding box in the model coordinate

... ZMIN Limit ZMAX Limit system. Between one and six `Limits' to the box can be specified; `Limits' not defined are considered infinite. Elements that have all nodes within the bounding box are appended to the named or open sets.

IJK [BLOCK n] I n1 TO n2 Elements within the specified IJK

... J n3 TO n4 K n5 TO n6 range are appended to the named or open sets. This command is for IJK regular models only. (Note that if no BLOCK is specifed the default is all blocks and that any IJK range not specified defaults to n1 - nmax).

GROUPS n1 n2 n3 ... Elements in the specified range of

n1 TO n2 element group numbers are appended

n1 TO n2 STEPS n3 to the named or open sets.

MATERIALS n1 n2 n3 ... Elements with material numbers in the

n1 TO n2 specified range are appended to the

n1 TO n2 STEPS n3 named or open sets.

TYPES Element_Type Elements of the specified type are appended to the named or open sets.

RESULTS ABOVE v1 [BELOW v2] Nodes or elements respectively

BELOW v1 [ABOVE v2] (depending on whether the results are

BETWEEN v1 v2 nodal or elemental) with result values equal to or above or below or between the specified threshold values are appended to the named or open sets. A loadcase and results attribute must be current. Note that even if both ABOVE and BELOW thresholds are specified only one threshold test need be satisfied for the node/element to be selected. (ie. the test is a logical .OR. not a logical .AND.) (See notes 2 and 3).

CURSOR ...... The graphics cursor is used to control append operations based on the position of elements on the screen for element sets, and the position of nodes on the screen for node sets. (See note 1).

Notes:

1.

The CURSOR control
The graphics cursor can be used as follows. Note that for operations on elements, the entire element (i.e. all it's nodes) must satisfy the control for the element to be selected.

Control Comments

LEFT Nodes/Elements that lie on the specified side of a

RIGHT section line defined by two cursor positions are

TOP appended to the named or open sets. BOTTOM

POLYGON Nodes/Elements that lie within the polygon specified by up to 20 cursor positions are appended to the named or open sets. Note that the middle mouse button (or right button on a two button mouse) should be used to specify the polygon vertices. The last vertex should be specified with the left button to complete the polygon or by making a `hit' close to the 1st vertex.

2.

Appending elements (or element sets) to node sets
All the nodes that define the specified elements will be appended to the node set.

3.

Appending nodes (or node sets) to element sets
Any element connected to any of the specified nodes will be appended to the element set.

Examples:

1.

CONSTRUCT SET APPEND OLD WING

The contents of the existing set named `WING' are appended to all the open sets.

2.

CONSTRUCT SET FRED APPEND OLD CAP FLANGE BOLT

The contents of the existing sets named `CAP', 'FLANGE' and `BOLT' are appended to the set named `FRED'.

3.

CONSTRUCT SET APPEND ELEMENTS 10 TO 100 STEPS 20

Elements 10, 30, 50, 70 and 90 are appended to all the open sets.

4.

CONSTRUCT SET APPEND NODES 1 2 3 4 5

Nodes 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 are appended to all the open sets.

5.

CONSTRUCT SET VIEWSET APPEND ELEMENTS FRONT 45.0

Elements with a free face, having a surface normal making an angle of less than or equal to 45.0 degrees with a line of sight from the front of the screen, are appended to the set named `VIEWSET'.

6.

CONSTRUCT SET APPEND MATERIALS 3

Elements with material number 3 are appended to all the open sets.

7.

CONSTRUCT SET PETE NODESET APPEND RESULTS ABOVE 1.5E4

Nodes or elements respectively (depending on whether the results are nodal or elemental) having current results values above 1.5E4 are appended to set `PETE' which, if a new set, will be created as a node set.

8.

CONSTRUCT SET PETE APPEND ELEMENTS IJK I 2 TO 6

Elements in an IJK regular model having I values of 2 to 6, J values 1 to Jmax and K values 1 to Kmax are appended to set `PETE'.

9.

CONSTRUCT SET APPEND ELEMENTS IJK BLOCK 1 J 3 K 10 TO 20

Elements in block 1 of an IJK regular model having I values of 1 to Imax, a J value of 3 and K values 10 to 20 are appended to all open sets.

See also the following commands

'UTILITY TABULATE CONSTRUCT SETS'
'UTILITY TABULATE SETS'