Mechanical APDL Basic Analysis Guide

and FREQ is reserved for the frequency value. All other identifiers must be unique, and can be made
up of 32 letters and characters. If you don't supply a unique identifier, ANSYS will assign one. In addition
to the unique identifiers, ANSYS uses numerical indices (reference numbers) to track and manipulate
the variables. These numbers can be used interchangeably with the identifiers at the command level,
and in some interactive operations. The numerical index is displayed, along with any name you choose
in the data properties dialog box.

8.3.1. Interactive

Follow these steps to enter time-history data using the variable viewer.

1. Click on the Add Data button.

Result: The “Add Time-History Variable” data selection dialog appears. Use the result item tree

provided in the “Result Item” frame of this dialog to select the type of result you wish to add.

Result items are presented in a hierarchical tree fashion from which you can select many

standard result items (only result items available in your analysis will be displayed). A “favorites”

section is provided to allow you to access previously selected data items. The last fifty entries

are stored here.

2. Specify a name for the result item and provide additional information. The “Variable Name” field in
   the “Result Item Properties” area will display an ANSYS-assigned name, however, this field can be
   edited to use any name you choose. You will be asked to overwrite existing data if the name chosen
   is not unique. Depending on the type of result chosen from the “Result Item” area above, you may
   provide additional information about the item, such as the appropriate shell surface, force component
   or layer number information.


3. Click on the OK button.

Result: If entity information is required, a picking window will appear, and you can choose the

appropriate node and/or element from your model. The “Add Time-History Variable” window

then closes and the appropriate variable appears in the variable viewer's variable list area.

If you wish to enter more than one variable definition, click Apply, and the results data will be

defined and entered into the variable list area, while still keeping the “Add Time-History Variable”

window open.

4. (optional) Add or modify properties information.

You may, depending on the type of results variable, wish to supply additional time-history

properties information. Time History Properties include specific variable information, X- axis

definition data and list definition data. This information can be edited at any time via the Data

Properties button.

Notes:

• You can see all of your defined variables in the Variable List area. Specific element and node inform-
  ation, along with the appropriate range of values are all displayed here.


• When you define your variable information with the variable viewer, you can easily modify and change
  various properties by clicking on the variable and using the Data Properties button. The subsequent
  “Time History Properties” tabbed dialog box allows you to modify or add specific (Variable) results
  data properties and also to modify global properties (X-Axis and List).

Release 15.0 - © SAS IP, Inc. All rights reserved. - Contains proprietary and confidential information

Defining Variables