Awesome

qd-ansa

This library is a python utility library for ANSA and META from Beta CAE Systems SA. The project is not affiliated in any way with the official software.

These enhancements make access much easier, and also debugging! This module was written for the reason, that the common scripting API did not feel pythonic enough to me.

Authors: D. Toewe, C. Diez

Installation

Just copy the fles into your installation folder: /Path/to/BETA_CAE_Systems/shared_v17.0.2/python/win64/Lib/site-packages

META Example

The META API has currently only one function, which exports your current model to an html file. Currently only shell elements are supported.

import webbrowser
from qd.meta.export import export_to_html

export_to_html("Filepath/for/HTML", use_fringe=True, fringe_bounds=[0,0.03] )
webbrowser.open("Filepath/for/HTML")

Download example HTMLs here.

ANSA Example

The ANSA API was wrapped for usability. I concentrated many (static) functions into the class QDEntity and got rid of annoying additional arguments.

from ansa import base
from qd.ansa import QDEntity

# never forget the help ...
help(QDEntity)
# >>> A lot of text ...

# NOTE:
# Some ANSA Model is already open

ansa_entity_list = base.CollectEntities(base.CurrentDeck(), None, "GRID") # method from ANSA
qd_entity_list = QDEntity.convert(ansa_entity_list) # converts single entities, lists and dicts
qd_entity_list = QDEntity.collect("GRID") # get them directly, more comfortable :)

entity = QDEntity.get("NODE", 1) # get an entity directly

entity.cards()
# >>> ['TYPE', 'NID', 'CP', 'X1', 'X2', 'X3', 'CD', 'PS', 'SEID', 'field 10', 'Name', 'FROZEN_ID', 'FROZEN_DELETE', 'AUXILIARY', 'Comment']

entity["TYPE"] # access like a dict
# >>> "GRID"

entity["X1","X2","X3"] # also lists work
# >>> [0.0, 20.0, 0.0]

entity["X1","X2","X3"] = [1., 19., 1.] # either string or list(str) setter
entity["X1","X2","X3"]
# >>> [1.0, 19.0, 1.0]

# error messages ...
print(entity["UNKNOWN"])
# >>> KeyError: 'Key not found: UNKNOWN' 

# we can iterate over the entity, like a dictionary
for card_name, card_value in entity:
    pass

Classes

QDEntity

Detailed Description

QDEntity.create(entity_type, deck=base.CurrentDeck(), **card_properties)

This static method creates a QDEntity. It is a wrapper for base.CreateEntity. One has to specify solely the Type. All other optional arguments are passed as a dictionary to the function, so that attribtues may be set directly.

qd_entity = QDEntity.create("GRID") # create a grid
qd_entity = QDEntity.create("GRID", X1=10, X2=20, X3=10) # create a grid with values

QDEntity.convert(arg)

This static method converts any ansa.base.Entity or any entity within a container (list,tuple,np.array,dict). All other container elements stay untouched!

ansa_entity = ansa.base.Entity(deck=base.CurrentDeck(), id=1, type="GRID")
qd_entity = QDEntity.convert(ansa_entity)

entity_list = [ansa_entity,"YAY"]
entity_list = QDEntity.convert(entity_list) # "YAY" stays untouched

entity_dict = { ansa_entity._id : ansa_entity } # some dictionary
entity_dict= QDEntity.convert(ansa_entity) # converts keys/values if ansa entity

QDEntity.collect(search_type, container=None, deck=base.CurrentDeck(), **kwargs)

This static method is a wrapper for ansa.base.CollectEntities. It's a little more comfortable, since it does not require as many arguments. The Entities are returned as QDEntity.

qd_entities = QDEntity.collect("FACE")

QDEntity.get(search_type, element_id, deck=base.CurrentDeck(), **kwargs)

This static method is a wrapper for ansa.base.GetEntity. One may get an entity from its type and id.

qd_entity_face = QDEntity.get("FACE", 1)

QDEntity(entity, deck=None)

Constructor of a QDEntity from an ansa.base.Entity. Deck can be specified with ansa.constants and uses base.CurrentDeck() if not specified.

ansa_entity = ansa.base.Entity(deck=base.CurrentDeck(), id=1, type="GRID")
qd_entity = QDEntity(ansa_entity)

QDEntity.__len__()

Overloaded len operator. Returns the number of cards of the entity.

len(qd_entity)
# >>> 7

QDEntity.__getitem__(key)

Oerloaded [] operator. Any card in the entity can now be accessed like a dictionary. The argument may be either a str or a list(str). In the second case a list is returned.

qd_entity["TYPE"] # entity is a mesh node
# >>> 'GRID'
qd_entity["NID"]
# >>> 1
qd_entity["TYPE","NID"] # also lists work
# >>> ['GRID',1]

# everyone loves meaningful error messages :)
qd_entity["TYPE","NID","WRONG_FIELD"]
# >>> KeyError: "Could not find the following keys: ['WRONG_FIELD']"

QDEntity.__setitem__(key, value)

Overloaded [] operator for setting card values.

qd_entity["X1"] # entity is a mesh node
# >>> 0.0
qd_entity["X1"] = 1 # single setter
qd_entity["X1","X2"] = 1,19 # list setter

# intelligent error messages ... that's rare ...
qd_entity["X1","X2","WRONG_FIELD"] = 1,19,"YAY" 
# >>> KeyError: "Could not set the following cards: ['WRONG_FIELD']"

QDEntity.__iter__()

Overlaoded operator for loops. With this, one can iterate over the ansa.base.Entity and gets card names and values as pair.

for card_name,card_value in qd_entity:
    print("%s : %s" % (card_name,card_value) )
# >>> 'TYPE' : 'GRID'
# >>> 'NID' : 1
# >>> ...

QDEntity.collect(search_type, deck=self.myDeck, **kwargs)

Same as collect entities, but the container is the instance itself. For the generic collect, call the static function from the class, not the instance.

qd_entities = QDEntity.collect("FACE") # static function collect
face = qd_entities[0] # choose first face
face_grids = face.collect("GRID") # collect GRIDS of face only!

QDEntity.cards() or QDEntity.keys()

Get all the card values of an entity as a list of str.

qd_entity.cards() # this qd_entity is a "NODE"
# >>> ['TYPE', 'NID', ... ] 

QDEntity.values()

Get all the values for the cards as a list of objects.

qd_entity.values() # this qd_entity is a "NODE"
# >>> ['GRID', 1, ... ]

QDEntity.set_deck(deck)

Set the deck of the entity. Use ansa.constants.

qd_entity.set_deck(ansa.constants.ABAQUS)

QDEntity.user_edit()

Pops up the card of the entity, so that the user can edit it. Returns, whether the user pressed ok (True) or not (False).

qd_entity = QDEntity.get("FACE",1)
qd_entity.user_edit() # pops up the dialog