Learning Forum

[Anezka.Michalkova]

I am trying to create an ACT which defines load. The user would choose geometry with scoping. The ACT would then make named selection from the chosen geometry (which would be face or multiple faces for example). Then using worksheet, other named selection would be created, selecting all elements which belong to the first name selection. The element named selection would be then used for applying the load with APDL commands (sfe). I have this code

scoping = load.Properties ["Geometry"].Value

selectedIds = scoping.Ids

ExtAPI.SelectionManager.ClearSelection()

mySel = ExtAPI.SelectionManager.CreateSelectionInfo(SelectionTypeEnum.GeometryEntities)

mySel.Ids = selectedIds

area = ExtAPI.DataModel.Project.Model.AddNamedSelection()

area.Location = mySel

area.Name = "load_area"

elements = ExtAPI.DataModel.Project.Model.AddNamedSelection()
elements.Name = "elements"

elements.ScopingMethod = GeometryDefineByType.Worksheet

criteria = elements.GenerationCriteria

 

# First row

criteria.Add(None)

criterion_1 = criteria[0]

criterion_1.EntityType = SelectionType.GeoFace

criterion_1.Criterion = SelectionCriterionType.NamedSelection

criterion_1.Operator = SelectionOperatorType.Equal

criterion_1.Value = area

 

# Second row

criteria.Add(None)

criterion_2 = criteria[1]

criterion_2.Action = SelectionActionType.Convert

criterion_2.EntityType = SelectionType.MeshElement

elements.Generate()


when I run this code in Mechanical, it works just fine but when the code is run inside the ACT, it does not work. It creates the first named selection but then there is an error (ValueError: This property is parameterized and is read-only.) at the line

elements.ScopingMethod = GeometryDefineByType.Worksheet

What is the problem and how can I resolve it?

The same problem was happening also when I tried to create nodal named selection like this:

area = ExtAPI.DataModel.Project.Model.AddNamedSelection()

area.Location = mySel

area.Name = "load_area"

area.CreateNodalNamedSelection()

Again, was working fine in Mechanical scripting, does not work when run in ACT.

[mjmiddle]

 

If the ACT object is run as part of the solution being generated, such as a load object under the analysis branch, then the Outline object structure is fixed. It is not allowed to change it at that stage because as the APDL input file is written (generally in the order of Outline objects seen from top-to-bottom) certain Outline objects depend on others such as loads/supports written in certain coordinate systems defined higher. Changing some Outline objects at solution time could invalidate other Outline objects.

With control=”scoping” in the XML, why not just have the user selection a named selection instead of geometry selection? Vertex, edge, face selections create nodal components in APDL while body and element selections cause element components in APDL. So instead of converting to an element named selection, you could enforce body/element selections when “geometry” type is selected for control=”scoping”:

Or document your extension that the user needs to select named selection from the dropdown and select a body or element named selection.

Or use control=”select” to make a manual dropdown and populate the list with only those named selections for which your code has checked are body or element named selections.

Or instead of a "load" use an "object" as a load:

[Anezka.Michalkova]

 

Thank you so much. Can I ask about documentation regarding ACT? There is XML reference guide in help and also XML online reference guide for Mechanical but in neither of them could I find that something like

 exists. Are there any other materials from which I can learn about these commands?

 

[mjmiddle]

I think this is discussed in the Introductory ACT Training in Mechanical course in the Ansys Learning Hub (ALH):

https://www.ansys.com/services/ansys-learning-hub

You should also fnd some usages of it in the ACT Templates:

https://catalog.ansys.com/Developers.cshtml

Also see the "Extension Examples" on that page that are discussed in the ACT Developer's Guide:

https://ansyshelp.ansys.com/account/secured?returnurl=/Views/Secured/corp/v232/en/act_dev/act_dev_exampleExtensions.html

You could probably find it in ACT extensions in the Ansys Store also. Any that are free and contain the source code are good instructionals.