In the previous chapter, we learned that the forms of many applications within Patran change depending upon analysis code specific definitions stored within the database. In this section we will see that the forms under Analysis are also analysis code specific. But, instead of being dependent upon analysis code specific definitions stored within the database, they are governed by PCL functions contained within a special PCL library called <analysis_code>.plb. For user defined analysis interfaces, it is the user’s responsibility to create the PCL functions needed to govern the Analysis forms for his interface and compile them into the <analysis_code>.plb library.

Then Analysis functions contained in <analysis_code>.plb have three basic responsibilities:

They activate the requested application once the Apply button on the main Analysis form is selected.