03 - Chapter 4 The Animation Client

Copyright © 2009 Altair Engineering, Inc. Proprietary and Confidential. All rights reserved.
Chapter 4: The Animation Client

The Animation Client – Overview
• Animation Window
• Animation Client Handle
• Loading a Model
• Attaching Results
• Model Object
• Result Control
• Query Control
• Selection Sets
• Groups
The Animation Client – Animation Window
• In any window, you can set the client type to Animation
• This creates the post object
• Sometimes both terms, Post and Animation, are used interchangeably
• It’s important to understand that Animation is just a client type while post
is an actual TCL command created inside the Animation client
Example:
hwi OpenStack
hwi GetSessionHandle session1
session1 GetProjectHandle project1
project1 GetPageHandle page1 1
page1 GetWindowHandle win1 1
win1 SetClientType Animation
hwi CloseStack
The Animation Client – Animation Client Handle
• After setting the client type, you can access the animation client and get
full access to its functionality using the GetClientHandle command
win1 GetClientHandle anim
• Object Hierarchy for poIPost (or animation client)

• The prefix “poI” is used internally for naming the classes within the animation
client.
• It stands for “post Interface”.
The Animation Client – Loading a Model
• Remember when working with the client handle, you always have to add
an object first using the appropriate Add command
• (i.e. AddModel, AddMeasure, AddNote and AddSectionCut).
• The Add command returns an ID that you should use to get the proper
handle
• Load a model with the AddModel command

anim AddModel bumper.h3d
The Animation Client – Loading a Model
• Overlaying multiple models in the same window

• Default behavior for AddModel command
• Example overlaying 2 models bumper.h3d and bumper_foam.h3d
anim AddModel bumper.h3d
anim AddModel bumper_foam.h3d
anim Draw
• if you have a model loaded in the window and you need to load a new
model (not overlay), then you can use the Clear command.
anim Clear
anim AddModel bumper_foam.h3d
anim Draw
• “anim Draw” is needed to update the graphics

The Animation Client – Attaching Results
• To attach results to the loaded model, you first need to get a model
handle using the GetModelHandle command available in the post
object.
• The GetModelHandle requires two arguments

• handle name – can be any arbitrary name
• model id – needs to be a valid id
• We can get a valid id form the AddModel command, which returns a

model id.
set id [anim AddModel bumper.h3d]
anim GetModelHandle my_model $id
• Now that there is a valid model handle (my_model), results can be

attached using the SetResult command.
my_model SetResult bumper.h3d
• At this point, we have a model and its results loaded. We can animate
and/or view results such as contour, tensor, and vector plots.
Exercise 4.1
Loading a Model and Result File

• Therefore, to load a model and attach results, here’s a set of commands

that are needed:
hwi OpenStack
hwi GetSessionHandle session1
session1 GetProjectHandle project1
project1 GetPageHandle page1 1
anim Clear
set id [anim AddModel bumper.h3d]
anim GetModelHandle my_model $id
my_model SetResult bumper.h3d
anim Draw
hwi CloseStack
The Animation Client – Model Object
• The Model Object allows access to:

• Result Control (provides access to Contour, Tensor, Vector, etc)
• Query Control
• Selection Sets
The Animation Client – Model Handle
• When working within the HyperView GUI, there is only one active model
within a session at any given time.
• However, when working with the command layer, you can work with any
model that’s loaded in the session.
• You are not restricted to the active model only – as long as you get the
proper model handle.
The Animation Client – Result Control
• Need to get result handle to gain access to the loaded results.
• The result control handle allows you to query information such as:
• load cases
• simulation steps
• data types
• It also allows you to apply results such contour, tensor and vector plots
and other features.
• Example: Get a list of data types for the current load case (also referred
to as subcase).
anim GetModelHandle my_model [anim GetActiveModel]
my_model GetResultCtrlHandle my_result
set current [my_result GetCurrentSubcase]
set data_types [my_result GetDataTypeList $current]
The Animation Client – Query Control
• The query control allows you to query or get information for all entity
types in the model. Aside form basic information you can also query
results, such as stress values, displacements, etc…
• First need to get a query control handle and then perform the desired
query.
• When working with the query control you have to remember the following:
• Choose the entity type (i.e. node, element, component or system)
• Specify the request (i.e. “node.id”, “contour.value” etc…)
• Specify a set of entities that you need information for (i.e. all nodes, or IDs
100-200, or all entities above/below a certain contour value, etc…)
• Output the data to a file or any other channel
The Animation Client – Query Control
• Example: Assume that we have bumper.h3d loaded and a model handle

named my_model. We will get the coordinates for a set of nodes ranging
from 1 to 100; we will output the data to a file named “out.txt”.
my_model GetQueryCtrlHandle my_query

# create a node set and add ids 1-100
set set_id [my_model AddSelectionSet node]
my_model GetSelectionSetHandle node_set $set_id
node_set Add "id <= 100"
my_query SetSelectionSet $set_id
# ask for ids and coordinates
my_query SetQuery "node.id node.coords"
my_query WriteData out.txt
# clean up
my_model RemoveSelectionSet $set_id
The Animation Client – Selection Sets
• A Selection Set defined as a place-holder for entities that are supported

inside HyperView;
• These entities are nodes, elements, parts/components and systems.
• Selection sets are used extensively and are needed by many

objects/commands in the command layer.
• Almost all result related objects (contour, tensor, vector, fld, etc…) as
well as other controls, such as the exploded view and query, require a
selection set.
• There are a few basic rules to remember:

• Create the needed set of the right type
• Add/Remove entities and use it based on your needs
• Remove it when it is not needed
• It is very important to remove the selection set after it is not needed.

• AddSelectionSet command – requires valid entity type (node,

element, etc) and it returns a set ID
• The set ID should be used to get a selection set handle
• The following example illustrates that selection set offers a lot of

methods to help you build the needed set of entities to work with.
• In addition, you can reverse the selection and even add by contour value
for example.
• The online help offers a comprehensive example showing all available

methods.
• Example: Assume that there is a valid model handle named my_model.

# create an element set
set set_id [my_model AddSelectionSet element]
my_model GetSelectionSetHandle elem_set $set_id
• Add element ID (10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100)

set id_list { 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100}
foreach id $id_list {
elem_set Add "id $id"
}
• Now let’s subtract all IDs below 50
elem_set Subtract "id < 50“

• Example (continued): So now we are left with a selection set that has
the following IDs: 50 60 70 80 90 and 100.
• Let’s add all elements that are adjacent to the elements in the set.
elem_set Add adjacent
• And finally, let’s subtract any TRIAS that are selected.
elem_set Subtract "config 103"

The Animation Client – Groups
• Selection sets can be used to create groups
• To create a group you need to:

• Add a selection set
• Set its label
• Example: Create a group of all elements that have a contour value

above 1200. Assume that bumper.h3d loaded and a contour plot of
stress:
set set_id [my_model AddSelectionSet element]
my_model GetSelectionSetHandle elem_set $set_id
elem_set Add "contour > 1200"
elem_set SetLabel "Stress > 1200"
elem_set SetIDVisibility true
elem_set SetVisibility true
elem_set SetColor yellow
• After creating this group, you can go to the Groups Panel and turn the
display on/off or change other options.
Exercise 4.2
Working with the Model Object

The Animation Client - Exercise
Exercise 4a
Description:
Load two models (bezel.h3d and bezel_iter2.h3d) in two separate

windows. Both of these files are located in
C:/Altair/hw10.0/tutorials/mv_hv_hg/animation. First, capture the screen
to a file name screen.jpg and then capture each window separately to
two separate files, window1.jpg and window2.jpg
Handles used
session, project, page, window, client
TCL/TK commands used
AddModel, CaptureScreen, SetActiveWindow, CaptureActiveWindow
Hints
Use the session to capture screen and then set the active window to
capture the individual windows.
The Animation Client - Exercise
Exercise 4b
Description:
Load bezel.h3d. Get the following information: number of nodes,

elements and parts. Create a note displaying the information you have
acquired.
Handles used
session, project, page, window, client, model, selection set, note
TCL/TK commands used
GetSize, AddNote, SetText
Hints
Use the GetSize command on the selection set handle to get the number
of elements in the selection set.

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Copyright © 2009 Altair Engineering, Inc. Proprietary and Confidential. All rights reserved.

Chapter 4: The Animation Client

The Animation Client – Overview

• Animation Client Handle

The Animation Client – Animation Window

• In any window, you can set the client type to Animation

• This creates the post object

• Sometimes both terms, Post and Animation, are used interchangeably

The Animation Client – Animation Client Handle

• Object Hierarchy for poIPost (or animation client)

The Animation Client – Loading a Model

• Load a model with the AddModel command

The Animation Client – Loading a Model

• Overlaying multiple models in the same window

• “anim Draw” is needed to update the graphics

The Animation Client – Attaching Results

• The GetModelHandle requires two arguments

• We can get a valid id form the AddModel command, which returns a

The Animation Client – Attaching Results

• Now that there is a valid model handle (my_model), results can be

Loading a Model and Result File

The Animation Client – Attaching Results

• Therefore, to load a model and attach results, here’s a set of commands

The Animation Client – Model Object

• The Model Object allows access to:

The Animation Client – Model Handle

The Animation Client – Result Control

• Need to get result handle to gain access to the loaded results.

The Animation Client – Query Control

The Animation Client – Query Control

• Example: Assume that we have bumper.h3d loaded and a model handle

my_model GetQueryCtrlHandle my_query

The Animation Client – Selection Sets

• A Selection Set defined as a place-holder for entities that are supported

• These entities are nodes, elements, parts/components and systems.

• Selection sets are used extensively and are needed by many

• There are a few basic rules to remember:

• It is very important to remove the selection set after it is not needed.

The Animation Client – Selection Sets

• AddSelectionSet command – requires valid entity type (node,

• The following example illustrates that selection set offers a lot of

• The online help offers a comprehensive example showing all available

The Animation Client – Selection Sets

• Example: Assume that there is a valid model handle named my_model.

• Add element ID (10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100)

• Now let’s subtract all IDs below 50

elem_set Subtract "id < 50“

The Animation Client – Selection Sets

elem_set Add adjacent

• And finally, let’s subtract any TRIAS that are selected.

elem_set Subtract "config 103"

The Animation Client – Groups

• Selection sets can be used to create groups

• To create a group you need to:

• Example: Create a group of all elements that have a contour value

Working with the Model Object

The Animation Client - Exercise

Load two models (bezel.h3d and bezel_iter2.h3d) in two separate

session, project, page, window, client

TCL/TK commands used

AddModel, CaptureScreen, SetActiveWindow, CaptureActiveWindow

The Animation Client - Exercise

Load bezel.h3d. Get the following information: number of nodes,