entity attributes

Allows you to modify the attributes of an entity in the model database.
The display attributes of the entities in the model database like icon size, visibility, name_visibility, transparency, color, line properties, and dependent properties are edited using this command.

Format:

 
entity attributes
entity_name =
an existing entity
type_filter =
ent
size_of_icons =
length
scale_of_icons =
real
expr_visibility =
integer
visibility =
on_off_with_toggle
name_visibility =
on_off_with_toggle
transparency =
integer
lod =
integer
color =
an_exisitng_color
entity_scope =
color_scope
line_thickness =
real
line_type =
line_style
active =
on_off_no_opinion
dependents_active =
on_off_no_opinion

Example:

 
entity attributes &
entity_name =
.copy_of_model.pendulum &
type_filter =
part &
size_of_icons =
20&
visibility =
on &
name_visibility =
on &
transparency =
50 &
lod =
100 &
color =
.colors.CYAN &
entity_scope =
all_color &
line_thickness =
.1 &
line_type =
dotdash &
active =
on &
dependents_active =
on

Description:

 
Parameter
Value Type
Description
entity_name
An Existing Entity
Specifies the name of an existing entity
type_filter
Ent
Specifies the types of objects allowed
size_of_icons
Length
Specifies the size of icon in modeling units
scale_of_icons
Real
Specifies unit-less scale factor for existing size of icons
expr_visibility
Integer
visibility
On_off_with_toggle
Specifies the visibility of graphic icons
name_visibility
On_off_with_toggle
Specifies the visibility of the entity names
transparency
Integer
Specifies the transparency level for graphic entities
lod
Integer
Specifies the level of details for shells
color
An_exisitng_color
Specifies the color of the modeling entities
entity_scope
Color_scope
Specifies the control of color modification for graphic entity
line_thickness
Real
Specifies the line thickness for entity outline
line_type
Line_style
Specifies the line type for a curve
active
On_off_no_opinion
Specifies whether or not the element is active
dependents_active
On_off_no_opinion
Specifies the dependent element’s active status

Extended Definition:

1. The ‘entity_name’ specifies any existing database entity. You may identify a database entity by typing its name or by picking it from the screen. If the database entity is not visible on the screen, you must type the name. You may also find it convenient to type the name even if the database entity is displayed. If you created the database entity by reading an Adams data set or graphics file, the database entity name is the first three letters of the Adams object, followed by the Adams data set database entity ID number. For example, the name of ADAMS PART/101 is PAR101. If you created the database entity during preprocessing, you will have given it a name at that time. If the database entity is available by default, you may identify it by entering only its name. If it is not, you must enter its full name. For example, to identify a part under an analysis, you may need to enter the analysis name as well. You may specify the part named par101 from the analysis named test by entering "/test/par101". If you type a "?", Adams Adams View will list the database entities available by default. You must separate multiple database entity names by commas. If the database entity is visible in one of your views, you may identify it by picking on any of the graphics associated with it. You need not separate multiple database entity picks by commas.
2. The ‘type_filter’ specifies the type of objects allowed. When specifying the objects for this operation a wild cards can be used, which may result in too many objects being found. For example, if all the parts for model MOD1 are desired, specifying .MOD1.* will get not only the parts, but all children of the model, like joints, forces, etc. Using the parameter TYPE_FILTER=part will result in only the parts being processed by this command.
3. Size of icons specifies the size, in modeling units, the Adams View icons will appear in. If no initial size is specified for Adams View icons, the default size will be one modeling LENGTH unit. For example, if the modeling units are K/M/S, a part axes icon will have triad legs of one meter in length. When you set SIZE_OF_ICONS at the model level, all Adams View icons used in creating a model will use the size specified. If the model has an SIZE_OF_ICONS set, and a part under that model has a different SIZE_OF_ICONS, the model's ICONS_SIZE will take precedence. For Example:
.model ---------------------- SIZE_OF_ICONS = .15 meters
.part -------------------- SIZE_OF_ICONS = .125 meters
The part's icon will be 1.5 meters is size.
If the model has SIZE_OF_ICONS of set to 0.0 , and a part under that model has a SIZE_OF_ICONS set to .125, the part's icon size will be used.
For Example:
.model ---------------------- SIZE_OF_ICONS = 0.0 meters
.part-------------------- SIZE_OF_ICONS = .125 meters
The part's icon will be .125 meters is size.
4. Scale of icons specifies a unit-less scale factor to apply to the current icon size.If no initial size is specified for Adams View icons, the default size will be one modeling LENGTH unit. For example, if the modeling unitsare K/M/S, a part axes icon will have triad legs of one meter in length. When you specify SCALE_OF_ICONS, a new size is calculated by multipling the current size, by the scale, and storing the product as the new ICON_SIZE.
5. Visibility specifies the visibility of graphic entities. The visibility parameter is used to control whether graphic entities, such as markers, joints, and parts, are to be drawn in an Adams View viewport. The legal values for this parameter are: ON, OFF, and TOGGLE. ON will make the desired entity visible. OFF will make the desired entity invisible. TOGGLE will take the current state of an entity’s visibility and reverse it.
6. The NAME_VISIBILITY parameter provides control over the visibility of the view name displayed at the top center position of a given view. The legal values of this parameter are ON and OFF. This is an optional parameter and if not entered, the name will be visible (i.e. will be ON). Note that if the visibility of the view name is turned off, the only indication that a view is "active" will be the color of the viewport border. This could be a problem on a black and white monitor.
7. The ‘transparency’ sets the level of transparency of a graphic entity. The legal values range from 0 to 100, where a value of 100 will make the graphic entity fully transparent. The ‘lod’ gives the level of details for a shell object. The range of values is from 0 to 100.
8. The color specifies the color the modeling entity should be drawn in. Adams View allows you to specify the following colors for modeling entities: BLACK, WHITE, RED, GREEN, BLUE, CYAN, MAGENTA, YELLOW, and NO_COLOR Specifying 'NO_COLOR' for a modeling entity, instructs Adams View to use the default color for this entity, if there is no color present in its parent modeling entity.
Example 1:
.model -------------------------NO_COLOR
.part---------------------- RED
.geometry(circle) ------- NO_COLOR
The circle will be RED.
Example 2:
.model -------------------------NO_COLOR
.part---------------------- RED
.geometry(circle) ------- BLUE
If a parent modeling entity has a color previously specified, that color takes precedence. Adams View will issue a warning message about color precedence. The circle will be RED.
Example 3:
.model -------------------------NO_COLOR
.part---------------------- NO_COLOR
.geometry(circle) ------- BLUE
The circle will be BLUE.
9. The ENTITY_SCOPE parameter is used to control how a color modification is to affect a particular graphic entity. The legal values for this parameter are FILL_COLOR, EDGE_COLOR, OUTLINE_COLOR, and ALL. FILL_COLOR is the color of those areas of a graphic that can be shaded (they include sides of a cylinders, frustums, boxes, etc.). The EDGE_COLOR is the color of the lines making up the edges of the facets (or areas filled by the FILL_COLOR) of a graphic that can be shaded. The OUTLINE_COLOR represents the color of the lines that make up those graphics that cannot be shaded or filled, like an outline graphic statement consisting of two points or the coil of a springdamper. Finally, the ALL value indicates that all three entity types, FILL_COLOR, EDGE_COLOR, and OUTLINE_COLOR will be affected by the color change. The ENTITY_SCOPE parameter is optional and if not entered, will be set to FILL_COLOR.
10.  The line thickness specifies the thickness of the line, whereas, the ‘line type’ parameter allows the selection of the line type for a curve. The line type describes how the line will look when displayed on a plot. Adams View supports solid, dash, dotdash, and dot.
Line Type Appearance
solid _______________
dash _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
dotdash . _ . _ . _ . _
dot . . . . . . . .
11.  When you set ACTIVE=NO, that element is written to the data set as a comment. When you set the ACTIVE attribute on an object, you are also setting it on the children of the object. If you set ACTIVE=NO on a part, but wish for a marker on that part to be on, then you must explicitly set ACTIVE=YES on the marker, after setting activation on the part. The DEPENDENTS_ACTIVE parameter acts in the same fashion, but sets the ACTIVE attribute for the dependents all the way down the dependency chain. For example, if you execute the following command:
PART ATTRIBUTES PART=PAR1 DEPENDENTS_ACTIVE=NO
Where PAR1 has a marker MAR1 which is the I marker of a joint JOI1 (which has a J marker MAR2), then JOI1 will be deactivated. Also, if the joint JOI1 is referenced in a request function, or if the I marker is referenced by a request, then the request will be deactivated. Propagation of activation status through groups is as if each element were to have its activation status changed indvidually.
Elements affected are:
Group
Part
Differential Equation
Marker
Geometry
Constraints
Forces
Data Elements
Output Control
12.  EXPR_ACTIVE allows you to set the activity of the group using an integer value, which allows parameterization. Adams View at this time does not allow expressions when specifying option lists. To allow the activity of a group to be set parametrically, the parameter EXPR_ACTIVE was added to the GROUP CREATE and GROUP MODIFY commands. This parameter takes an integer value. If the value is not set, either because the parameter was never used, or it was unset with the (none) expression, then the standard activity rules apply. If the EXPR_ACTIVE is set to an expression that evaluates to zero (FALSE), the objects in the group will be in active (and will not be included by Adams Solver in any simulation). If the value is the default or non-zero (TRUE), then the objects will be active (and will be included in simulations).