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A Glossary of Tecplot Terms
Frames
A frame is the region in which you can
plot data and draw objects. The frame mode determines in
a broad sense what type of plot can be drawn in the frame. There
are four frame modes:
- 3D: Use the 3D frame mode to create
3D plots of surfaces and volumes.
- 2D: Use the 2D frame mode to creat 2D
field plots.
- XY: Use the XY frame mode to create
XY plots.
- S: Use the S (for Sketch) frame mode
to create plots without data such drawings, flowcharts and viewgraphs.
The frame mode combines with the frame's data
set and the active plot layers and their associated attributes to
completely specify the plot. Each frame mode represents just one
view of the data.
Layers
A plot layer is a rendering of one representation
of the frame's data set. The complete plot is the sum of all the
active plot layers, plus axes, text, geometries, and other elements
added to the basic data plotted in the layers. There are six layers
for 2D and 3D frames, four layers for XY frames and no layers for
Sketch frames.
The six layers for 2D and 3D frames are as follows:
- Mesh: The Mesh layer plots the lines
connecting the data points within each zone.
- Contour: The Contour layer plots contours,
either by plotting lines in the plot having a constant value,
or the region between these lines, or both.
- Vector: The Vector layer plots the direction
and magnitude of vector quatities.
- Scatter: The Scatter layer plots symbols
at the location of each data point.
- Shade: The Shade layer can be used to
shade each zone with a specified solid color, or to add light-source
shading to a 3D surface plot.
- Boundary: The Boundary layer plots the
zone boundaries of the ordered data.
The four layers for XY frames are as follows:
- Lines: The Lines layer plots a pair
of variables X and Y as a set of line segments or a fitted curve.
- Symbols: The Symbols layer plots a pair
of variables X and Y as individual data points represented by
a symbol you specify.
- Bars: The Bars layer plots a pair of
variables X and Y as a horizontal or vertical bar chart.
- Error Bars: The Error Bars layer plots
error bars in any of several formats.
Data Sets
Tecplot uses two main types of files for storing
data and plot information. Data is stored in data files,
while plot information is stored in layout files.
A data file typically consists of a number of
data points organized into one or more zones. Each zone typically
represents some identifiable portion of a physical object (such
as the wing of a plane) or perhaps a time slice of a physical process.
Each zone consists of either ordered data, which is a parameterized
array of data points, or finite-element data, which is a
set of data points called nodes, accompanied by a list showing
how the nodes are connected to form elements. When a data
file is read into Tecplot, it is attached to a frame as part of
the frame's data set. You can later attach other frames to
that same data set. You can also combine multiple data files into
a single Tecplot data set.
Zones
As described above, a zone typically represents
some identifiable portion of a physical object or process. Each
zone consists of either ordered or finite-element data.
Layout
The Tecplot workspace is the portion
of your screen in which you create Tecplot sketches and plots. All
sketching and plotting is done inside a Tecplot frame, which can
manipulated much like a process window. The current state of the
workspace, including the sizing and positioning of frames, the location
of data files used by each frame, and all current plot attributes
for all frames, makes up a Tecplot layout.
Map
A mapping is the relationship amoung the variables
in a dataset. Basically, it defines which variables are independent
and which are dependent (ie. for an XY plot, you define which variable
is X and which variable is Y). |
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