Entity Editor

The Entity Editor enables you to quickly view and edit entities in a model and correctly setup solver information.

The Entity Editor can be accessed from the Model, Reference and Solver browsers. In the Model Browser, the following view modes are supported: Model, Include, Component, Property and Material. When accessing the Entity Editor from the Reference Browser, you will only be able to view your entity selection's corresponding data in a non-editable form.

The Entity Editor opens when you create new entities, as well as duplicate, edit, or select single or multiple entities in the browser. To expand and collapse the Entity Editor, click in the top, right-hand corner. To adjust the height of the Entity Editor, drag up and down.

Entity parameters are displayed in the Name column, and the values associated with each parameter are displayed in the Value column. The parameters that display in gray text cannot be edited. Once you edit an entity in the Entity Editor, the changes will be automatically applied throughout your model.


Figure 1.

Edit Multiple Entities

If you select multiple entities in the browser, the Entity Editor opens and displays the selected entities common corresponding data that can be modified simultaneously.

The rows that contain ### indicate that these fields do not contain common data but can still be modified. When you modify the data, both common and ambiguous, HyperMesh applies the changes to all of the selected entities.

To select multiple entities in the browser, press Shift and begin selecting entities.
In Figure 2, seven components are selected, and the Entity Editor displays their common corresponding data. The Color, Card Image, and Prop_Id are different, therefore you see ###. The Mat_Id is the same for all of the selected components, therefore you see the material name and its ID.


Figure 2.

Edit HyperMesh Specific Data

When you create an entity, it is assigned an unique ID, name and color. Use the Entity Editor to edit this data.

Open the Entity Editor for the entity to edit.
Option Description
Edit ID and name
  1. Click Name or ID and enter a new value for the entity in the editable field.
  2. Press Enter.
HyperMesh updates the changes in the Entity Editor and browser automatically.


Figure 3.
Edit color
  1. For Color, click the color box.
  2. From the color pallet, select a new color to represent the entity.
The entities color changes in the Entity Editor, browser and graphics area.


Figure 4.

Edit Solver Specific Data (Template Data)

Every entity is assigned solver specific data, which you can modify using the Entity Editor.



Figure 5.

Assign a Card Image

In the Entity Editor, you can assign a card image to an entity. The card images you are able to assign to an entity will depend on the user profile you have loaded and the entity type you have selected in the browser.

  1. Click Card Image.
  2. Select a new card image from the drop-down list.
    The entity's card image changes, and the Entity Editor displays additional solver related fields.


    Figure 6.

Turn Fields ON or OFF

  • Turn fields on and off in the Entity Editor.
    Option Description
    Turn field off Remove its corresponding value or select OFF from the drop-down list.

    If you hover over a field that is turned OFF, its default value will appear in the Value column.
    Turn field on Enter a new value or select a value from the drop-down list.

    When a field is turned ON, its corresponding value will always be displayed in the Value column.
    In the example below, assume that initially the field ISOP is turned OFF and has a default value of FULL. To turn the field ON, click its corresponding Value field and select a value from the drop-down list. If you want to turn the field OFF, select <OFF> from the drop-down list.


    Figure 7. ISOP Field Off


    Figure 8. ISOP Field On
    In the example below, assume that initially the field G is turned OFF and has a default value of 80769.2. To turn the field ON, click the Value field and press Enter. To turn the field OFF, delete the value and press Enter. If you turn the field OFF, the Entity Editor will retain the previous value you specified.


    Figure 9. NU Field Off


    Figure 10. NU Field On
    In the example below, assume that initially the field MID4 is turned OFF. You can turn the field on and then assign it a material. To turn the field ON, click its corresponding Value field and select materials from the drop-down list. You can then click the yellow selector button and select a material to assign to the field. If you want to turn the field OFF, select <OFF> from the drop-down list.


    Figure 11. MID4 Field Off


    Figure 12. MID4 Field On
  • Turn card image fields on and off in the Card Editor by clicking the field heading.

    When a field is turned ON, an additional field appears under the field heading, from which you can enter or select a value.

    In example below, the card image MAT1 is displayed for a material in OptiStruct. By default, the field G is turned OFF. To turn the field ON, click its field header. The default value is displayed under the field heading.


    Figure 13. MAT1 Card Image with the Field G Off


    Figure 14. MAT1 Card Image with the Field G On
    When defining data in tables, certain fields can be turned ON and OFF. To turn a field ON, right-click on the heading of the disabled field and select Status. In the image below, the NO field is being turned ON for the load collector TSTEP.


    Figure 15.

Assign Entities

In the Entity Editor you can assign certain entities to another entity or a group of entities.

For example, you can assign a property to a component. When an entity has an entity assigned to it, the name and ID of the assigned entity will be displayed in the Value field. If an entity does not have an entity assigned to it, the Value field will display <Unspecified>.

In the image below, the Entity Editor is open for the component bottom_bracket. The material aluminum is assigned to the component, and a property has not yet been assigned.


Figure 16.

In the Entity Editor, you can assign an entity using the Select dialog or the Entity Selector.

  • Method 1: Assign Entities Using the Select Dialog
    1. Click the entity's corresponding Value field.
    2. Click the yellow selector.


      Figure 17.
    3. Select an entity in the following ways:
      1. In the Select dialog, select an entity.
        Tip: You can search for entities in the Select dialog by entering a name, ID, or card image in the search field. When you click or press Enter, the dialog only displays the entities that match your search string.


        Figure 18.
      2. In the graphics area, select an entity. HyperMesh automatically selects the entity in the Select dialog.


        Figure 19.
    4. Click OK.
  • Method 2: Assign Entities Using the Entity Selector
    1. Click the entity's corresponding Value field.
    2. Click .
    3. In the panel area, click the yellow selector.


      Figure 20.
    4. Select an entity in the following ways:
      1. In the panel area, select an entity and click return.


        Figure 21.
      2. In the graphics area, select a entity. HyperMesh outlines your selection in white.


        Figure 22.
    5. Click proceed.

Resolve Unresolved Entities

The import and export of unresolved entity IDs is supported, in a limited way. If you have an unresolved entity ID which is referenced by other entities, the Entity Editor displays the phrase "Unresolved Entity" in the Value field of the unresolved entity.

In the image below, the load collector Fatigue refers to a load collector with id=9, which is unresolved.



Figure 23.
  1. Right-click on the Name field of the unresolved entity and select Clear unresolved entity from the context menu.
  2. Click the entity's corresponding Value field.
  3. Click the yellow selector.
  4. In the Select dialog, select a new entity.
  5. Click OK.

Keyboard Shortcuts

Function Key Description
Tab Moves from one row to the next in the Entity Editor.
Shift + Tab Moves to the previous row in the Entity Editor.
Spacebar Activates the Value field of the selected row.
Move up and down in the Entity Editor, a list of options in drop-down menus, or in a right-click context menu.
Enter Accepts the changes made to a parameter in the Value field, or selects an option in a right-click context menu.
Esc Dismisses the changes made to a parameter in the Value field, or closes a right-click context menu.

Create and Edit Assigned Entities

Create and Assign a New Entity

To create and assign a new entity to an entity or a group of entities:

  1. Right-click on the entity assignment field and select Create from the context menu.
  2. In the Create dialog, define the new entity.
  3. Click Close.
    The Entity Editor creates and assigns the new entity.


    Figure 24.

Edit an Assigned Entity

To edit an entity that is assigned to an entity or a group of entities in the Entity Editor:

  1. Right-click on the entity assignment field and select Edit from the context menu.
  2. In the Edit dialog, modify the entity data.
  3. When you are finished making changes, click Close.


    Figure 25.

Create and Assign Contact Surfaces Using Elements or Nodes

When defining contact entities in the Entity Editor, you can create and assign contact surfaces using elements or nodes to master and slave entities.

Only available in the Abaqus, ANSYS, and OptiStruct user profile.

  1. In the Entity Editor, right-click on the Slave entity or Master entity field and select Create Contact Surface using Elements or Create Contact Surface using Nodes from the context menu.
    Note: The options available depend on the solver keyword selected.


    Figure 26.
  2. In the corresponding panel, select elements or nodes and click add.
  3. Click return to exit the panel.

Create and Edit Parameters

Create and Assign a New Parameter

In the LS-DYNA and Radioss user profiles, certain entities can be defined with parameters.

  1. Right-click on the parameter assignment field and select Create and Assign Parameter from the context menu.
  2. In the Create Parameter dialog, define the new parameter by changing the Parameter type and Expression value.
    When the Card Image and Parameter type are set to expression, the Expression value field becomes active.
    Note: The Entity Editor currently supports the following types of parameters: Double, Integer, Double Expression, and Integer Expression.
  3. In the Expression value field, enter a valid expression value.
  4. When you are finished defining the parameter, click Close.
    The Entity Editor creates and assigns the parameter to the selected entity.
    Note: These parameters can be used in HyperStudy for design exploration and optimization.


    Figure 27.

Edit a Parameter

  1. Right-click on the parameter assignment field and select Edit Parameter from the context menu.
  2. In the Edit Parameter dialog, modify the parameter's data.
  3. When you are finished making changes, click Close.


    Figure 28.

Parameterize and Unparameterize Entities

Parameterize an Entity

For any solver entity, you can parameterize most of the solver template data of a numeric value.
  1. Right-click on the solver data field and select Select Parameter/Parameterize from the context menu.
  2. In the Select Parameter dialog, select a parameter from the list of valid types.
  3. Click OK.


    Figure 29. Parameter Rho is being Parameterized with the Parameter param1.

Unparameterize an Entity

When a solver data field is parameterized, you can unparameterize it or assign it a different parameter.
Right-click on the field and select Unparameterize from the right-click context menu.


Figure 30. Parameter Rho is being Unparameterized with the Parameter param1.

Filter Entities

To filter the entities that are not applicable to the entity displayed in the Entity Editor, activate the entity filter in the right-click context menu.
When off, all of the entities available in the model will display in the Select dialog or Entity Selection panel.
In the image below, the Entity Editor is activated for the component bumper, which is of type *PART. For this example, assume that the Filter is activated. If you were to assign a property to this component using the Select dialog, seven properties would be available, even though the model contains a total of nine. The two properties that are filtered out cannot be assigned to a *PART of LS-DYNA. The status bar also displays a message that says seven of nine properties are being filtered using a filter criteria, and in this case it is an IdPool filter.


Figure 31.
If you deactivate the filter, the Select dialog will display all of the properties in the model.


Figure 32.

Warn Upon Entity Type Change

Any changes that you make in the Entity Editor will be automatically applied. Some of the changes may be irreversible.
  1. To confirm changes before they are made, activate the Warn upon entity type change option in the right-click context menu.
    When this option is activated, a Confirmation dialog will appear every time you make a change in the Entity Editor.
  2. To proceed, you must click Yes or No.
    By default, the Warn upon entity type change option is activated. If you do not want to display this message every time you make a change, you can deactivate this option.


    Figure 33.

View an ID List for Set Entities

Set entities are used to define and store lists of entity IDs for a specific entity.

Sets can be generated for nodes, elements, components, assemblies, properties, materials, ellipsoids, multibody planes, multibody joints, and multibodies which contain entity IDs for that specific entity. In the Entity Editor, you can view an ID list for set entities. The entity IDs are compacted using ranges, and segregated using ID pools. If some of the IDs are unresolved, than they will be listed separately under Unresolved IDs.

  1. Right-click on the Entity IDs field and select ID List from the context menu.
  2. In the ID List dialog, review a list of all of the entity IDs.
  3. When you are finished, click Close.


    Figure 34.

View Xref Entities

To open the Reference Browser and view a hierarchical tree structure that displays the relationship of a selected entity in the Entity Editor to other entities and parameters in the model, right-click on a field and select Xref entities from the context menu.
In the image below, the Reference Browser displays the entities related to the Property entity of the component bumper. If you select an entity from the Reference Browser, the Entity Editor will open and display your entity selection's corresponding data in a non-editable form.


Figure 35.