The TEXT Tab

Description

The TEXT tab displays details of nodes, elements, links and paths via a text-based spreadsheet that can contain numerical values and/or strings.

The TEXT tab can be used for viewing, reporting and editing purposes. As the information is presented in a grid, data can be readily copied and pasted to and from other applications via the clipboard. Data can also be edited directly in the grid or via a suite of tools and features designed to facilitate finite element data manipulation. See Straus7 Interface: Spreadsheet for more information on editing in the TEXT tab.

Entity Tabs

These are situated at the top of the grid. There is one entity tab for each of node, beam, plate, brick, link and path.

In Expanded view, all entity tabs are shown. In Compact view, entity tabs are shown only for entity types that exist in the model.

Entity sub-tabs can be switched by clicking the sub-tab name at the base of the grid or by clicking the sub-tab name in the quantities pane at the bottom left of the window.

Filter Pane

This is situated at the top left corner of the window.

Selection Status Filter

Filters the visibility of entities in the grid based on their selection status.

Coordinate Systems

Selects the coordinate system in which vector quantities are displayed and edited in the grid.

Vector quantities include:

Component Pane

This is situated at the middle left of the window.

Quantities

This is situated at the bottom left corner of the window.

It comprises the list of sub-tabs contained at the base of each entity tab in the grid and offers another way to switch between the sub-tabs.

Number of rows

The rightmost entry of the status bar shows the size of the displayed data in terms of the number of rows it occupies.

Toolbar Functions

Compact view

Shows entity tabs only for entities that exist in the model. Shows attribute sub-tabs only for attributes that exist on those entities. On the attribute sub-tabs, only the entities that use that particular attribute are listed.

Load and freedom cases in the component pane are listed only if they are used by the current attribute. Attribute IDs in the component pane are listed only if they are used by the active attribute for any load case.

Compact view is the default unless it is a new model containing no data, in which case the default is Expanded view.

Compact view is generally the easier way to view and edit existing data.

Expanded view

Shows entity tabs for all entities, even if they do not exist in the model. Shows all attribute sub-tabs for entities that exist in the model, even if the attribute does not exist in the model. On the attribute sub-tabs, every entity is listed, whether or not they use the attribute.

All load and freedom cases are listed for attributes in the component pane, as are all attribute IDs.

Expanded view is useful in the following situations:

Display options

Undo / Redo

Sequentially undoes or redoes single editing operations in the reverse order to which they were performed. Note that these are the same undo and redo lists available in the model window. They are not only for operations performed in the TEXT tab; operations performed in the model window can be undone/redone in the TEXT tab, and operations performed in the TEXT tab can be undone/redone in the model window.

Add new entity

Inserts a new row to the spreadsheet.

This is available in tabs where new entities can be added, such as the elements tabs.

Delete selected rows

Delete entities and optionally their nodes directly from the grid, based on selected cells.

Edit multi-point link

Opens the edit multi-point link dialog, which can be used to adjust the multi-point link connectivity and relationships of the link on the active row of the grid.

Copy to clipboard (Ctrl + C) / Paste from clipboard (Ctrl + V)

Stores the values of the highlighted cells to the clipboard or retrieves from it. See Straus7 Interface: Right-click Functions column separator for more information.

Export grid contents to file

Writes the data in the grid, including all Fixed Cells such as headers, to a text file.

Find (Ctrl + F) / Replace (Ctrl + R) / Find again (F3)

Opens the Find Cell (see TEXT: Find) or Replace Cell dialog (see TEXT: Replace) to find or replace data, numeric or text.

Find again repeats the last find for another match.

Right-click Functions

Right-clicking the grid opens a popup menu that provides additional functions. See Straus7 Interface: Right-click Functions.

See Also