Vector and tensor results for displaying graph plots can be transformed into any of the following coordinate systems: any user defined local system (CID), the projection of any CID, the Patran global system, a material coordinate system, element IJK coordinate system or the nodal (analysis) coordinate system depending on the type of result (vector, or tensor). See Coordinate Systems, 27 for a definition of each of these coordinate systems. The default is no transformation, which will extract data in the coordinate frame as stored in the database. Typically the solver code will calculate results at nodes in the analysis coordinate system specified by the user. These can vary from node to node. Element data can be stored from the analysis code in any coordinate system.

This scale factor has the effect of simply scaling the results up or down by the specified amount. For results data this will scale both the x and y axes.

By specifying a filter value, a gate will be used to keep values below a maximum, above a minimum, between a certain range, or at the exclusion of certain values. The default is none. If filtering is used, only those results which pass the filter gate will be used in the graph plot. The filter values apply only to the Y-axis data.

For element based result quantities that must be extracted at nodes, an averaging domain must be used since more than one result will exist for each node. There is a contribution from each element attached to any particular node. By default all entities which contribute are used. Alternatively you can tell the Results application to only average results from those elements that share the same material or element property, are from the same target entities, or have the same element type. For more detail see Averaging, 15.

The method in which certain results are determined can make a difference to the actual displayed plot. This is important when derived results from element based tensor or vector results are used such as VonMises stress or Magnitude displacements. For instance if you average at the nodes first and then derive the desired quantity you may get a different answer than if you derive first and then average. It is left up to the user to decide which is correct. For more detail see Averaging, 15.

Many times element based results that are to be extracted from the nodes exist at locations other than the nodes such as at integration points. Various methods are available to the user to extrapolate these results out to the nodes. For mode detail see Extrapolation, 21.

The Real component of a complex number is the default by which results will be postprocessed. To force the postprocessor to use a different quantity such as Magnitude, Imaginary, Phase, or Angle, set this option pull down menu. This option will only be available if a complex result has been selected. It is not recommended to calculate invariants (e.g., von Mises) from complex results because the phase is not accounted for.

This listbox displays all existing graph plots. You may select one of these plots from the listbox and all settings of that plot including display attributes, target entities, option, and selected results will be restored. This is an easy mechanism to help make many plots with the settings of an existing plot without modifying the selected plot. When the Action is set to Modify, this listbox appears under the Select Results display of the Results application form also.

Graph plots can be saved by name and recalled later for graphical display. Multiple graph plots can be saved in the database and displayed simultaneously. These graph plots can be posted/unposted and deleted as explained in Post/Unpost, 29 and Delete, 32 respectively. Once a plot has been created and named it retains all results, attributes, target entities, and options assigned to it. If no plot name is specified a default is created called default_Graph. As long as no plot name is specified, the default_Graph will be overwritten each time a plot is created or modified.