PCL Reference Manual > Introduction > Introduction
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Introduction
This manual provides a detailed description of many of the PCL functions “built-in” to Patran that are available to the user. Many of these functions can be used by themselves, combined to build user functions, or be used to provide the functionality behind the forms and pull down menus that are part of a user interface. These functions can be used at the command line or in a file to extend and customize Patran. This manual provides a partial list of the functions that can be listed as entries in session and journal files, allowing it to be used as an aid to the interpretation of these files.
This manual is broken up into ten chapters that describe:
This chapter introduces the purpose and contents of this manual and describes the user interface and some of the features of journal and session files.
This chapter documents the functions that are used in the implementation of the File, Group, Viewport, Viewing, Display and Tools items on the menu bar.
This chapter documents functions that are used to implement the “Geometry” form accessed through the switch bar. The switch bar is located between the menu bar and the tool bar near the top of the user interface.
This chapter documents functions that are used in the implementation of the “Finite Elements” switch bar form.
This chapter documents functions that are used in the implementation of the “Loads/BC”, “Material”, “Properties”, “Load Cases”, and “Fields” switch bar forms.
This chapter documents functions that are used by the “Results” switch bar form.
This chapter documents the functions that are used in the implementation of the “XY Plot” switch bar form.
This chapter documents functions that are used to control some of the settings or preferences used by many of the other forms used in Patran. Many of these functions are used in the implementation of the “Preferences” menu bar item.
This chapter documents the changes that take place as functions are found to be broken, become obsolete, are modified or are new to the manual.
This chapter documents the different status messages in the status message database that can be accessed using the values returned by PCL functions.