The panels on the Thermal2 tab are: • Measures - Section 13
• Mesher - Section 14 • TD Direct - Section 18.6 • Import - Section 18.2
• Export - Section 18.3 and Section 18.4 • Utilities - Section 2.8
2.3
Edit
The Edit command in the first section of the Thermal menu may be used to edit Thermal Desktop objects such as surfaces, nodes, conductors, heat loads, heaters, finite elements, etc. This command (Thermal > Edit) or the corresponding Edit toolbar icon will likely be the most used command.
The user selects the object(s) to be edited and then issues the Edit command. Alterna- tively, the user may issue the command first and then select the object(s) to be edited. If more than one type of object is selected, the Object Selection Filter dialog box, shown in Figure 2-5, will be displayed. The user may then select the type of object to be edited and
may also provide additional filtering criteria on the selection set. For example, the user may wish to only edit objects in a certain submodel or of a certain optical/material property. More detailed information about the Object Selection Filter dialog box may be found in Section 7.18 "Toggle Selection Filter".
If more than one object of a specific type is selected, then the user enters “multi edit” mode. Some dialog boxes, such as the Node dialog box, will ghost items, such as the Node ID, that are not available for editing in multi edit mode. After OK is selected when more than one object is being operated on, another dialog box will appear. This dialog box tells the user that only fields that have been changed will be updated for the selected objects. This dialog box will list the fields that the program thinks have changed. Please note that changing a field to be the same that it previously was does not constitute a change. For example, if the current value is 5.0, and the user simply retypes 5, that field will not be deemed changed. Likewise, if a drop-down list currently displays “Water” in the text field, clicking on the drop-down list and re-selecting “Water” does not constitute a change.
2.4
Model Browser
The Thermal > Model Browser menu selection will display the Model Browser win- dow, shown in Figure 2-6. The Model Browser can be used to view (or “browse”) the various components of the model. The main field within the Model Browser will display model objects within the field in a “tree” format. Below or to the right of the main field is the output field. Information about the items selected in the main field is shown in the output field. See page 2-19 to learn how to change the location of the output field. The divider bar between the main field and the output field can be dragged to change its location.
The default for the Model Browser is to list model objects by Submodel and ID. The user may select the List menu to see what types of objects are available for listing. The choices are:
• Submodel.Id - The tree is organized by nodal submodels (Section 4.2).
Expanding the nodal submodels shows the node IDs in each submodel. Expanding the node IDs shows all graphical node(s) with the submodel and ID. Expanding the graphical nodes (nodes with a ‘::’ following the ID number) shows surfaces and network elements (conductors, heatloads, etc.) associated with the node. Selecting the top-level node IDs will select all network entities associated with that node ID. Lower-level selections will use the ‘Always Trace Children’ option discussed in Section 2.4.4. If the non-graphical node ID is followed by ‘->’, then the node has been listed in correspondence data (Section 7.5).
• Non Graphical Objects - The tree is organized by five non-graphical object managers: Case Set Manager for Case Sets (Section 15); Logic Object for logic objects (Section 12); Optics Manager for optical properties (Section 3.1); Orbit Manager for heating environments (Section 6); and Thermo Manager for thermo- physical properties (Section 3.2). Expanding the managers will list items for the particular manager. The items are not expandable, but the items can be edited indi- vidually from the Model Browser.
• Analysis Group - The tree is organized by radiation analysis groups (Section 4.1). Each analysis group expands to show the nodal submodels which expand to show the node IDs which expand to show the associated surfaces. If a node has
been assigned correspondence data and correspondence is turned on, the assigned SINDA submodel and node ID is listed after the Thermal Desktop node ID. • Optical Props - The tree is organized by optical property names followed by a summary of the property values. Expanding the optical properties lists all surfaces with that property.
• Thermo Props - The tree is organized by thermophysical property names (Sec- tion 3.2.3), alias names (Section 3.2.4) and Material Stack names (Section 3.2.5). Basic property names are followed by the property values; alias names are fol- lowed by the associated material and then the material property values; and lami-
nate and aggregate names are follow by their material type; and material stack names are listed alone. Expanding the property names shows all items assigned that property. laminates, aggregates and material stacks that use the material are grouped by type: Laminates, Aggregates, and Stacks.
• Surfaces/Solids - The tree is organized by the conductor submodel for thin shells, FD solids, and solid finite elements (Section 4.3.1.4, Section 4.4.1.3, and Section 4.5,respectively). Expanding the submodels lists the surfaces, solids, and finite elements included in the submodel. Expanding each surface, solids or finite element lists network elements (nodes, conductors, heat loads, etc.) attached to the surface or solid.
• Contact/Contactors/TECs - The tree is organized by submodel of the contact (Section 4.3.1.5), contactor (Section 4.8) or TEC (Section 4.11). Expanding the submodel lists surfaces with contact defined, Contactors, or TECs. Expanding Contactors or TECs will show “From” and “To” and the area associated with each and expanding those headings will show all surfaces or solids associated with the Contactor or TEC. Expanding surfaces or solids with Contact will list any conduc- tors, contactors, TECs, or heat loads associated with the surface, but these are not expandable.
• Assemblies/Trackers - The tree is organized by each base assembly (called articulators) and base tracker and surfaces not attached to an assembly or tracker. Expanding assemblies or trackers will list each assembly, tracker, surface, solid and AutoCAD object attached to the assembly or tracker. This tree is unique in that items can be dragged from one group to another to change association of objects to assemblies or trackers.
• Grip Manipulators - This tree is organized by Grip Manipulators (Section 4.15). By expanding a grip manipulator, any objects that have grip points attached to the grip manipulator are displayed with the attached grip noted in brackets. • Conductors - This tree is organized by submodels containing conductors (Sec- tion 4.7) which expand to show the conductors. Expanding the conductors show the nodes, surfaces, solids or elements included in the conductor definition.
• Heaters - This tree in organized by submodels containing logic for heaters (Sec- tion 4.10). expanding the submodels lists the heaters. Expanding the heaters lists the nodes, surfaces, solids, or elements associated with the heater.
• Heatloads - This tree is organized by submodels containing logic for heat loads (Section 4.9). Expanding the heat loads lists the nodes, surfaces, solids or finite elements to which the heat load is applied.
• Orienters - This tree is organized by the material orienters (Section 3.2.6). Expanding the material orienters lists the finite elements that use the orienter to define the orientation of anisotropic materials.
• Pressures - This tree is organized by submodels containing pressure loads (Section 4.12). Expanding the submodels lists the pressure loads. Expanding the pressure loads lists the surfaces, solids or finite elements to which the pressure
load is applied.
• Measurement Points - This tree is organized by the measurement points cre- ated using the Measures feature (Section 13).
• Fluid Submodel.Id - This tree is organized by fluid submodel (Section 5.2). Expanding the fluid submodels shows the lump IDs in each submodel. Expanding the lump IDs shows all graphical lumps with the fluid submodel and ID. Expand- ing the graphical lumps (lumps with a ‘::’ following the ID number) shows paths and ties associated with the lump. Selecting the top-level lump IDs will select all network entities associated with that lump ID. Lower-level selections will use the ‘Always Trace Children’ option discussed in Section 2.4.4.
• Paths - This tree is organized by fluid submodel. Expanding the submodels lists the flow paths (Section 5.3.2) within the submodel. Expanding the paths will show the lumps connected by the path.
• Ties - This tree is organized by fluid submodel. Expanding the submodels lists the flow paths (Section 5.3.2) within the submodel. Expanding the paths will show the lumps connected by the path.
• Pipes - This tree is organized by fluid submodels. Expanding the submodels lists the pipes (Section 5.4) and pipe IDs. Expanding the pipe IDs shows the graph- ical pipe with that fluid submodel and ID. Expanding the graphical pipe (pipes with a ‘::’ following the ID number) shows lumps, paths, ties and nodes defined by the pipe definition along with the AutoCAD lines, curves and arcs used for the pipe center line. Selecting the top-level pipe IDs will select all network entities associated with that pipe ID. Lower-level selections will use the ‘Always Trace Children’ option discussed in Section 2.4.4.
• Macros - This tree is organized by fluid duct macros. Expanding the fluid sub- model displays numbers of the duct macros in the fluid submodel. Expanding the duct macros displays lumps and paths in the duct macro.
• Rotation Axes - This tree is organized by path rotation axes (Section 5.3.5). Expanding a path rotation axis will list all paths attached to that axis.
• IFaces - This tree is organized by IFaces (Section 5.3.6) listed as fsub- model.IFACE.ID. Expanding the IFace lists the lumps associated with the IFace. • FTies - This tree is organized by FTies (Section 5.3.7) listed as fsub-
model.FTIE.ID. Expanding each FTie lists the path or lump pair used to define the FTie.
• Heat Exchangers - This tree is organized by fluid submodel, then heat exchanger (Section 5.5), then paths referenced by the heat exchanger.
• CAPPMPs - This section is organized by fluid submodel and then capillary pumps (Section 5.6). Expanding a capillary pump lists the lumps and the node ref- erenced by the CAPPMP. Lumps and paths created by the CAPPMP for the solu- tion are not listed since they do not exist in the graphical interface.
trolling objects for imported SpaceClaim geometry and/or meshes created using TD Direct. (Section 18.6)
• Meshers/Mesh Importers - This tree is organized by meshers and mesh importers. A mesher is the mesh controllers generated by TDMesh (see Advanced Modeling Guide by following Windows Start > Programs > Thermal Desktop > Users Manual - Meshing). A mesh importer is the controlling object of a mesh imported using Thermal > Import > Create FE Mesh Importer (Section 18.2.3.1). Each mesh controller expands to show the headings of Elements and Nodes. Expanding those headings lists the elements and the nodes, respectively, controlled by the controller.
• Mesh Displayers/PP Mapper/BCM/Cutting Planes - This tree is organized by various mesh displayers: postprocessing mapper objects used for mapping tem- peratures to external meshes (Section 18.3.2); Boundary Condition Mappers (Sec- tion 4.13); and cutting planes (Section 17.1.7) used to view temperature profiles within solids models. The mesh displayers can be edited, but cannot be expanded. • Symbols - This tree is organized by symbol name along with the symbol’s group name (Section 11.1). Expanding the symbol lists all locations where the symbol is applied using a list selection, including orbits, logic objects and Case Sets. Note that symbols are not recognized within user-written logic where they would be designated as registers.
• Domain Tag Sets- This tree is organized by domain tag set name (Section 2.5). Expanding the domain tag set name lists all items contained in the domain tag set. • Groups - This tree is organized by AutoCAD group (Section 19.7.1). All objects in a group are listed when the group is expanded. AutoCAD group may sometimes be automatically created. Examples of automatically created groups are: stray nodes (page 4-62), duplicate elements (page 18-4), bad elements (page 18-4), Overlapping Surfaces, and TDMesh and TD Direct nodes and elements. • Layers - This tree is organized by AutoCAD layer (Section 19.7.2). Layer names along with layer condition (frozen, locked, etc.) are listed in the tree. Expanding the layer shows all items on the layer including nodes, surfaces, heat loads, and non Thermal Desktop items like lines. Only Thermal Desktop items may be edited from the Model Browser.
The Model Browser can be used to edit objects and to change their visibility. Any operation will be performed on the selected set. The Model Browser is a modeless window (meaning it allows the user to work in the drawing area while the window is open) and it can be resized and minimized. All items in the tree have a name associated with them. If the item name or ID is followed by ‘::’, then that item is a graphical entity of some kind. If the user selects an item that does not have the ‘::’, then the user is selecting all items subor- dinate to the selected item. If an item with ‘::’ is selected, then only that item has been selected. (for an exception see page 2-19). Note that the numbers and characters after the ‘::’ represent the AutoCAD internal numbering system and have no meaning to the user; text in the comment filed of items will be displayed to provide the user with meaningful
information regarding the object in the tree. The user can manipulate the AutoCAD graphics by simply making the AutoCAD window active and then performing operations in that window.
When an object (or objects) in the tree is selected, the Output field located at the bottom of the Model Browser details how many items have been selected and the types associated with the selected items. The Output field will also display if the object’s visibility state is “On”. Following that will be the layers that the object(s) reside on. Data for the selected items may be shown in the output window. The user may adjust the location of the separation bar between the tree window and the output window by positioning the cursor of the bar (until the cursor changes to double arrows) and clicking and dragging the bar to the desired location. The type of data shown in the output window is controlled under the Options menu of the Model Browser. This is described in Section 2.4.4 on page 2-19.
The user can select objects in the tree and use the menus to perform operations on those objects. Alternatively, a contextual menu appears if the user uses the right mouse button after selecting items in the tree (see Figure 2-7)
When a postprocessing dataset is active, right-clicking in the output field will allow stepping forward and backward in time, sending all data to a text file, or selecting all data to copy it so it can be pasted in another application. (see Figure 2-8)
The user can search the Model Browser tree using the text search field in the upper right corner of the Model Browser. The arrows to the left of the text field search for the text in the field in the forward and backward directions. The drop down to the right of the text field allows the user to search a previous search from the current Thermal Desktop session.
The user should select ‘X’ (located in the upper right corner of the window) to exit the Model Browser. The location of the Model Browser window and the options used are all saved in the DWG file so that the next time the tree is brought up, the Model Browser will appear in the same position as when it was last closed.
Want "Hands-On" Information? Use of the Model Browser appears
in several of the tutorial chapters—Section 20.3 "Model Browser Exam- ple" on page 20-41 will give the user a firm understanding of the Model Browser’s capabilities. Two additional tutorial exercises that utilize the Model Browser are Section 22.3 "Manifolded Coldplate" on page 22-37 and Section 22.5 "FEM Walled Pipe" on page 22-99.