show

Mapdl.show(fname='', option='', vect='', ncpl='', **kwargs)

Specifies the device and other parameters for graphics displays.

APDL Command: /SHOW

Parameters:

fname

Device name, file name, or keyword, as listed below:

<device name> - Any valid graphics display device name (e.g., X11, 3-D etc.). Defaults to X11

for most systems. See Getting Started with Graphics in the Basic Analysis Guide for details. A device name must be defined before activating the Graphical User Interface (GUI). Once the GUI is activated, the device name cannot be changed for that session, except for switching between X11 and X11C.

<filename> - Name of graphics file to which graphics displays are to be diverted (248

characters maximum). Should not be the same as a valid device name or any other Fname option. Plots are written to the file Filename.Ext (or just Filename.Ext if Ext is left blank) in the working directory. This file can be appended only during the same session; reissuing the same file name in a new session will overwrite existing file names from previous sessions. Although multiple file names can be used within one session, only the last file created or accessed will be appended. Issuing /SHOW, CLOSE, or starting a new session will prevent access to any previously created files.

TERM - Graphics displays are switched back to the last-specified device name.

CLOSE - This option purges the graphics file buffer. The CLOSE option should be issued

any time you are changing graphics devices or file output types during a session. Graphics displays are switched back to the last-specified device name, and any open graphics files are closed. The CLOSE option is similar to the TERM option, however, with the CLOSE option, another process, such as the DISPLAY program, can access the data in the graphics file. The CLOSE option causes graphics file buffers to be flushed to the graphics file.

FILE - Graphics displays are switched back to the last-specified file name.

OFF - Graphics display requests are ignored.

(blank) - If blank in interactive mode, graphics will be displayed on screen as requested

by display commands (no file written); If blank in batch mode, graphics data will be written to Jobname.GRPH.

PSCR - Creates PostScript graphic files that are named Jobnamennn.eps, where nnn is a

numeric value that is incremented by one as each additional file is created; that is, Jobname000.eps, Jobname001.eps, Jobname002.eps, and so on . (See the PSCR command for options.) Ignores the Ext and NCPL fields.

HPGL - Creates Hewlett-Packard Graphics Language files that are named Jobnamennn.hpgl,

where nnn is a numeric value that is incremented by one as each additional file is created; that is, Jobname000.hpgl, Jobname001.hpgl, Jobname002.hpgl, and so on. (See the HPGL command for options.) Ignores the Ext and NCPL fields.

HPGL2 - Creates Hewlett-Packard Graphics Language files that are named Jobnamennn.hpgl,

where nn is a numeric value that is incremented by one as each additional file is created; that is, Jobname000.hpgl, Jobname001.hpgl, Jobname02.hpgl, and so on. The HPGL2 files have enhanced color. (See the HPGL command for options.) Ignores the Ext field.

JPEG - Creates JPEG files that are named Jobnamennn.jpg, where nnn is a numeric value

that is incremented by one as each additional file is created; that is, Jobname000.jpg, Jobname001.jpg, Jobname002.jpg, and so on. Ignores the Ext field.

TIFF - Creates tagged image format files that are named Jobnamennn.tif, where nnn is a

numeric value that is incremented by one as each additional file is created; that is, Jobname000.tif, Jobname001.tif, Jobname002.tif, and so on. This value for the Fname argument ignores the Ext field. (See the TIFF command for options.)

PNG - Creates PNG (Portable Network Graphics) files that are named Jobnamennn.png,

where nnn is a numeric value that is incremented by one as each additional file is created; that is, Jobname000.png, Jobname001.png, Jobname002.png, and so on. This value for the Fname argument ignores the Ext field. (See the PNGR command for options.)

VRML - Creates Virtual Reality Meta Language files named Jobname000.wrl that can be

displayed on 3-D Internet web browsers. Ignores the Ext and NCPL fields.

option

Assign a file name extension or specify reverse video output:

Ext - File name extension (eight-character maximum).

REV - Reverse background/image (black/white) colors. Valid with Fname = PNG

(recommended), JPEG, PSCR, TIFF, and HPGL. This option is ignored if a previously specified color map table (/CMAP or /RGB) is in effect.

vect

Specifies raster or vector display mode. This affects area, volume, and element displays, as well as geometric results displays such as contour plots. See the /DEVICE command for an alternate way to toggle between raster and vector mode. Changing VECT also resets the /TYPE command to its default.

0 - Raster display (color filled entities; default)

1 - Vector display (outlined entities; i.e., “wireframe”)

ncpl

Sets the number of color planes (4 to 8). Default is device- dependent. NCPL is not supported by all graphics devices.

Notes

Specifies the device to be used for graphics displays, and specifies other graphics display parameters. Display may be shown at the time of generation (for interactive runs at a graphics display terminal) or diverted to a file for later processing with the DISPLAY program. Issue /PSTATUS for display status.

Batch runs do not have access to the fonts available on your system. The Courier and Helvetica font files used for JPEG, PNG and TIFF batch output are copyrighted by Adobe Systems Inc. and Digital Equipment Corp. Permission to use these trademarks is hereby granted only in association with the images described above. Batch run JPEG output is produced at the default quality index value of 75, unless specified otherwise.

Interactive displays default to eight color planes (NCPL = 8) for most monitors, while graph file output defaults to eight color planes for VRML output, and four color planes for PSCR, HPGL, HPGL2, JPEG, PNG, TIFF and FILE33.

This command is valid in any processor.