psymb

Mapdl.psymb(label='', key='', **kwargs)

Shows various symbols on displays.

APDL Command: /PSYMB

Parameters:

label

Show symbols as selected from the following labels:

CS

Local coordinate systems.

NDIR

Nodal coordinate systems (on rotated nodes only).

ESYS

Element coordinate systems (element displays only).

LDIR

Line directions (line displays only).

LDIV

Controls the display of element divisions on lines.

ADIR

Area direction symbol (for keypoint, line, area and volume plots).

LAYR

Layer orientations (relative to the projected element x-axis) or fiber orientations in smeared reinforcing elements. Used only within an element display. Use KEY to specify the layer number.

ECON

Element mesh symbols on keypoints and lines.

DOT

Larger symbols displayed for node and keypoint locations. When Label = DOT, KEY = 1 by default.

XNOD

Extra node of surface or circuit elements.

FBCS

Force boundary condition scaling. Subsequent KEY value determines whether or not to scale the applied and derived forces/moments to the same maximum value.

DEFA

Resets the symbol keys so that ANSYS displays none of the symbols controlled by the /PSYMB command. The value of the KEY field is ignored.

STAT

Prints the status of the settings of the symbol keys controlled by the /PSYMB command. The KEY field is ignored.

key

Symbol key:

-1

Effective only if Label = LAYR and solid shape element display (/ESHAPE) is active. Orientation of all layers appears with the solid shape element display.

0

No symbol (default). If Label = LDIV, then KEY= 0 indicates that the displayed element divisions will correspond to the existing mesh (the word MESHED or EXISTING can also be substituted). Also, for Label = LDIV, if you execute any meshing command (such as AMESH or VMESH), KEY is set to 0 (MESHED) automatically. If Label = FBCS, then KEY= 0 indicates that boundary condition scaling will not be common. The applied and derived forces/moments will be scaled to their respective maximum values.

1

Include symbol. If Label = LDIV, then KEY = 1 indicates that the displayed line divisions will correspond to the value assigned by LESIZE (the word LESIZE can also be substituted). Also, for Label = LDIV, if you execute the LESIZE command, KEY is set to 1 (LESIZE) automatically. If Label = FBCS, then KEY= 1 indicates that boundary condition scaling will be common. The applied and derived forces/moments will be scaled to the same maximum value.

N

If Label = LAYR, then N is equal to the layer number. If Label = DOT, then N can be equal to 0,1,…..15, indicating the dot size. If Label = LDIV, then KEY = -1, indicates that no element divisions will be displayed (the word OFF can also be substituted).

Notes

Includes various symbols on the display. Triads are right-handed with x displayed as the longest leg. Where color is displayed, x is white, y is green, and z is blue. For beams, x is always along the length of the element. For lines, an arrow represents the direction of a line, from the beginning keypoint to the end keypoint. See /PLOPTS command for additional display options. Use /PSTATUS or /PSYMB,STAT to display settings. Use /PSYMB,DEFA to reset all specifications back to their defaults. The command /PSYMB,ECON,1 causes the symbol “M” to be displayed on keypoints and lines associated with meshed entities. When you issue the command /PSYMB,DOT,1, a larger symbol is displayed for each node and keypoint location.

PowerGraphics (/GRAPHICS,POWER) does not support /PSYMB,ESYS and /PSYMB,LAYR.

If KEY = N and PowerGraphics is off, the centroid of the surface elements is connected to the extra node using a gray line. However, if PowerGraphics is on, the color of the line connecting the centroid to the extra node is the same as that for the elements themselves (as determined by /PNUM).

When Label = LAYR, the layer systems can be visualized with all current-technology layered elements and the smeared reinforcing element REINF265. To use /PSYMB,LAYR with REINF265, first set the vector-mode graphics option (/DEVICE,VECTOR,1).

This command is valid in any processor.