The Analysis form will appear when the Analysis toggle, located on the Patran main form,
is chosen.

Read Input File as the selected Action allows model data to be read into the Patran database from an ANSYS input file. Patran can read two types of ANSYS input files. The first is the ANSYS input file created by Patran,<jobname.prp>. The second type of file is the file produced by the ANSYS CDWRITE command <jobname.cdb>. Currently, the input ile reader will only work with CDWRITE files that have been produced by including the UNBLOCKED option in the CDWRITE command.

The reader will accept input files from either ANSYS version 4.x or 5.x.

It is possible to read an existing ANSYS input file (jobname.inp) into Patran. This is not a fully supported feature and must be invoked by setting a special parameter. This is done by editing the settings.pcl file and adding the following line:

pref_env_set_logical( "shareware_input_file", TRUE )

If this setting is set to TRUE, then an additional Action item appears under the Analysis form called Read Input File. This file can exist in the installation, local or home directories.

Simply select the file from the file browser that appears when you pick the Select Input File button on the Analysis Form.

The translator will import nodes, elements, coordinate frames, and basic materials, element properties, and loads. See Supported Keywords.

This form appears when the Analysis toggle is selected on the main menu. Read Input File, as the selected Action, specifies that model data is to be translated from the specified ANSYS input file into the Patran database.

This subordinate form appears when the Select Input File button is selected on the Analysis form and Read Input File is the selected Action. It allows the user to specify which ANSYS input file to translate.