EXTRACTCUTS,<num>,<path>

Command that will automatically generate section cuts and cross sections for all defined panels.

All cross sections will be perpendicular to one global coordinate system axis. The axis the cross sections is perpendicular to will be determined by the normal vector to the face of the panel. If the Z component of the normal is less than .995 this panel all cross sections will be perpendicular to the global z axis. Otherwise, a set of cross sections perpendicular for X and set for cross sections perpendicular to Y will be generated for this panel.

The num argument will determine how many cross sections per panel will be generated. The extents of each panel will be calculated and cross sections will be placed along each panel based on the number of cross sections requested. If a cross section would be parallel to an element boundary the cross section will be moved slightly away from the boundary so that the cross section will be include a distinct row of elements.

The command will generate a prep file called AutoCuts.pre in the model directory. This prep file will write all results files into the directory specified in the path argument. The generated prep file requires that model and the binary stress database be loaded into the User Interface memory. The prep file with the INP command or the input menu option.

The results from each cross section calculation will be stored in a file that will have the name Panel_X-Cut_-Dir.thcs where X is the panel number, Y is the cross section number and Dir is the axis that the cross section is perpendicular to. The files will be written by CALCSECTHISTDB command.

• num - number of cross sections per panel
• path - path for all results from the cut history calculations. This directory is where results will be written. AutoCuts.pre will be written in the model directory.