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
Just copy the fles into your installation folder: /Path/to/BETA_CAE_Systems/shared_v17.0.2/python/win64/Lib/site-packages
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")
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| Static Functions | Short Explanation |
|---|---|
QDEntity.create(entity_type, deck=base.CurrentDeck(), **card_properties) |
Static function for entity creation |
QDEntity.convert(arg) |
Static function for conversion of an entity or containers |
QDEntity.collect(search_type, container=None, deck=base.CurrentDeck(), **kwargs) |
Static function for collecting entities from the database |
QDEntity.get(search_type, element_id, deck=base.CurrentDeck(), **kwargs) |
Static function for getting an element from its type and id |
| Member Functions | Short Explanation |
|---|---|
QDEntity(entity, deck=None) |
Constructor from an ansa.base.Entity |
QDEntity.__len__() |
Overloaded len, returns numbe of cards |
QDEntity.__getitem__(key) |
Overloaded [], access entity cards like a dictionary, also accepts lists |
QDEntity.__setitem__(key, value) |
Overloaded [], change single or multiple card values directly |
QDEntity.__iter__() |
Overloaded iterator for loops, iterate over card names and values in the entity |
QDEntity.collect(search_type, deck=self.myDeck, **kwargs) |
Collect entities, container is the instance itself |
QDEntity.cards() |
Get all of the entities card names as list(str) |
QDEntity.keys() |
Same as QDEntity.cards() |
QDEntity.values() |
Get all of the entities card values as list |
QDEntity.set_deck(deck) |
Set the entity deck manually, use ansa.constants |
QDEntity.user_edit() |
Pops the entity card for the user for editation. |
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 valuesThis 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 entityThis 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")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)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)Overloaded len operator. Returns the number of cards of the entity.
len(qd_entity)
# >>> 7Oerloaded [] 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']"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']"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
# >>> ...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!Get all the card values of an entity as a list of str.
qd_entity.cards() # this qd_entity is a "NODE"
# >>> ['TYPE', 'NID', ... ] Get all the values for the cards as a list of objects.
qd_entity.values() # this qd_entity is a "NODE"
# >>> ['GRID', 1, ... ]Set the deck of the entity. Use ansa.constants.
qd_entity.set_deck(ansa.constants.ABAQUS)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