Customizing the Display of Plots with Envelope Data

You can display contour, isocontour, and symbol plots using only data from a predefined envelope (range of values).

Before you begin: You must have created envelope data. For contour and isocontour plots, envelope data is available only for the Element type variable. For symbol plots, envelope data is available for both Element and Node type variables.
See Also
Displaying Contour, Isocontour, and Symbol Plots
Defining Envelope Data
  1. Do one of the following to display the Plot Options:
    • Click the results plot, and select the plot options tool in the context toolbar.
    • Double-click the results plot.
    • In the Results tabbed page of the Feature Manager, display the Plots list and then either double-click the plot you want to modify or highlight the plot and select Edit.
  2. Click the Definition tab to specify the Envelope data.
  3. Select a Template.
  4. Select the desired Envelope you created previously.
  5. Select an output Variable.
  6. Select a Display option to control how to represent data in the legend:
    OptionDescription
    Value Use a range of numerical values.
    Step Use active step information. Individual steps are displayed in the legend.
    Frame Use frame information. Individual frames are displayed in the legend.
    Ply Use ply information. Individual plies are displayed in the legend.
    Section point Use a normalized value (0 to 1) representing the overall depth of the section point.
    State Combine step and frame options. Frames of the selected steps are displayed in the legend.

    Note: The legend for plots that use labels (color code and most envelope data) instead of value ranges is not displayed when the number of labels exceeds the legend options setting (default=20). You can change the options for an individual plot, if desired.

  7. Select one of the following Render values at options to determine where and how values are displayed on the mesh:
    OptionDescription
    Nodes Determine values at the node of each element. Values are averaged across elements, resulting in smooth color gradations.
    Elements Determine a single value for each element. Values are not averaged across elements, resulting in a quilt type display.
    Element face Determine a single value for each element face. Values are not averaged across element edges, resulting in a quilt type display.
  8. In the Rendering tab , specify the transparency, visible edges, and edge angle. See Customizing the Visibility and Style of a Plot.
  9. Select one of the following Averaging options:
    OptionDescription
    Use section boundaries Average the results using section boundaries for the location.
    No boundaries Do not average the results.
  10. Click Close to exit the editor.

Plot data is created only from the range allowed in the envelope definition.