8.3.8. Viewing Simulation Models and Images

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### 8.3.8. Viewing Simulation Models and Images

When you select 2D image file types such as .png and .jpg files in the EKM repository, they are displayed as static images on the Content tab in the object view.

When you open certain types of simulation files or 3D image file types, an Image tab is displayed in the object view where you can view the 3D model or image associated with the selected file. You can also access this view by selecting (More) > Display > Image for a selected file.

The embedded interactive viewer on the Image tab displays native geometry from SpaceClaim .scdoc files, as well as VRML (.wrl) files and other file types that display 3D images. For certain Fluent, CFX and MAPDL files, it displays a 3D image that has been extracted from the file. For Simplorer, Maxwell, HFSS and Ansoft Designer files, it displays a static image. For a list of file types from which images are extracted, see Automatic Extraction of Images on Upload.

Note that images are not extracted from AEDT projects by default. However, an administrator can configure EKM to do so. Refer to Extracting Images from ANSYS Electronics Desktop (AEDT) Projects.

The figure below shows a sample 3D image in the viewer:

Figure 8.7: Display in Image Viewer

Images may also be available on the Simulation Details Report tab for a Workbench project if a system in the project contains a file that has an image associated with it. If the image is 3D, it will be displayed in the embedded interactive viewer, enabling you to manipulate the image directly within the report.

You can also use the viewer to display a static image that has been added as an `Image` property to any object. Static image properties can be added to any EKM object by selecting (Edit) > Properties.

If a file type is configured to extract a different type of 3D model image, such as a .cax file, the image will be displayed in the associated application (for example, VCollab) on the Image tab. For more information about interacting with extracted CAX images in VCollab, see Displaying 3D Simulation Images Using VCollab.

If viewing a 3D image, you can manipulate the image in various ways.

Viewer functions are described in the following topics:

- Setting the View
- Creating a New View
- Working with Views
- Interacting with 3D Images
- Controlling the Visibility of Individual Parts
- Highlighting Edges, Faces and Bodies
- Displaying a Cross-Section
- Adding Markup to a View
- Exploding the Model
- Saving View Changes

#### 8.3.8.1. Setting the View

The Views button is displayed on the viewer toolbar if the source simulation file is one that supports multiple scenes or viewports. Views contain preselected visualization settings such as camera angles, zoom levels, and visibility selections.

For example, when viewing an image from a CFX .def file, clicking displays a menu of four viewports, which correspond to the four viewports that you would see in the CFX-Pre 3D viewer or CFD-Post:

Note: If the source simulation file does not have views associated with it, the views menu will not contain any views.

#### 8.3.8.2. Creating a New View

You can create new views that contain display settings of your choice. When you create a new view, it is initially based on the current view. New views are added to the Views list for subsequent access.

1. Click the Views button and select New View. Or, right-click in the viewing area and select Save View.

2. In the New View Name dialog box, specify a name for the new view, then click OK. The view is added to the Views list.

3. Orient the object as you wish.

4. To retain the new view for future sessions, save your changes.

Note: The New View action is not available if you do not have Modify permission on the simulation file.

#### 8.3.8.3. Working with Views

A context-sensitive menu in the viewing area provides access to various view-related actions.

- To reset the orientation of an object in the current view after interacting with it, right-click and select Reset View. The object will return to the orientation it had when the view was last saved.

- To save a snapshot of the current view to a .png file, right-click and select Save Image. In the Save As dialog box, specify a save location and file name, then click Save.

- To delete a view that you have created, right-click and select Delete View. Note that you cannot delete a view that was generated in the original simulation file.

#### 8.3.8.4. Interacting with 3D Images

3D images will be displayed in a built-in, interactive viewer on the Image tab.

Note: An image will not be displayed in the viewer if EKM is running in a browser version that does not support WebGL. WebGL is supported in Internet Explorer 11, Mozilla Firefox 4.0 and higher, and Google Chrome 9 and higher.

In this view you can zoom in and out, pan, rotate, and hide model parts.

In this section:

- Rotating the Object
- Zooming and Panning
- Editing Mouse Button Assignments

##### 8.3.8.4.1. Rotating the Object

To rotate the object along the XY axis, click and drag with your left mouse button.

To rotate the object along the Z axis, use Ctrl + Shift + left mouse button.

For quick, predefined views, use the following keyboard shortcuts:

To | Press
--- | ---
Set the view from the +X axis | X
Set the view from the +Y axis | Y
Set the view from the +Z axis | Z
Set the view from the −X axis | Shift + X
Set the view from the −Y axis | Shift + Y
Set the view from the −Z axis | Shift + Z
Reset the view to the isometric orientation | R

Note: You can assign specific mouse buttons for rotating on the XY or Z axis. See Editing Mouse Button Assignments.

##### 8.3.8.4.2. Zooming and Panning

To zoom in and out, use one of the following:

- Mouse scroll wheel (or middle mouse button if you have an older mouse)

- Ctrl + left mouse button

To zoom the view so that the entire image is visible and centered in the view window, click on the viewer toolbar.

To pan the view, use one of the following:

- Right mouse button

- Shift + left mouse button

Note: To change the mouse buttons used for zooming and panning, see Editing Mouse Button Assignments.

##### 8.3.8.4.3. Editing Mouse Button Assignments

If you have a preferred way of using your mouse, you can customize the mouse button assignments for the following actions:

- Zoom

- Pan

- Rotate XY (2D plane)

- Rotate Z (3D plane)

To set mouse button assignments:

1. Click on the toolbar.

2. In the Options dialog box, specify the desired action for each mouse button or keyboard/mouse button combination, or specify None if you do not want to assign an action. You can assign the same action to multiple buttons/combinations if desired.

   To reset the mouse button assignments to the default values, click Reset.

3. Click OK.

Note: Mouse button assignments are stored in a browser cookie or browser DOM memory. Therefore, if you use different browsers to access EKM, you will need to specify your preferred mouse button assignments in each browser. Similarly, if you set mouse button assignments in the standalone ANSYS Viewer application, those settings will not apply to the interactive image viewer in EKM, or vice versa.

#### 8.3.8.5. Controlling the Visibility of Individual Parts

You can control whether or not specific parts are included in the model display. Click the Set Visibility button on the viewer toolbar to display the Set Visibility panel:

- To toggle a single part, click its check box.

- To toggle multiple parts simultaneously, click the check box of the first part in the range, then Shift+click the check box of the last part in the range. The visibility of the range will toggle to the opposite state that the last part was in.

  Note: If the last item in a selection range is the child of a folder, the toggle that you apply to the selection range will also be applied to the item's parent folder (and consequently all of its children).

When viewing an .avz file, you can quickly hide a body by right-clicking on it and selecting Hide Body from the context menu. The associated item in the Set Visibility panel will become disabled at the same time.

#### 8.3.8.6. Highlighting Edges, Faces and Bodies

When Highlight Mode is enabled for edges, faces or bodies, these items highlight when you hover over them with your mouse. This can help you clearly visualize specific parts of the model, and what each one includes. When something is highlighted, a tooltip is displayed at the same time.

To enable or disable highlighting for edges, faces or bodies, click on the viewer toolbar, then click the buttons on the flyout to toggle highlighting on or off. When highlighting is on, a button's background is blue.

Note that Highlight Mode is only available for models that have edges, faces and bodies defined in the source simulation file.

#### 8.3.8.7. Displaying a Cross-Section

Selecting or creating a cut plane displays a cross-section of the model, which can reveal internal or hidden details.

To display a cross-section view, click the Cut plane button and select one of the three predefined cut planes, or create a custom cut plane by picking three points on the object's surface. If you are viewing a SpaceClaim .scdoc file, you can also create a cut plane from a single point. With the single point method, the cutting plane aligns itself with a selected surface.

Note that you can set the view from a particular axis using simple keyboard shortcuts. See Rotating the Object for details.

When you create a cross-section, it applies to the current view only. This makes it possible to have a different cross-section in each view.

When a cross-section view is active, the Move cut plane option becomes enabled on the Cut plane toolbar. To move a cut plane, simply click and drag in the direction that you want to move the cut plane. The object view adjusts as you move the cut plane. To exit this mode, click again to disable it. This returns you to rotation mode.

To deactivate a cross-section view and return to a full view of the object, click on its associated toolbar button to disable it.

#### 8.3.8.8. Adding Markup to a View

You can add static or dynamic text to a view and customize the appearance of text and leaders to suit your preference.

Static text can be placed anywhere within the view, and remains in place regardless of changes to the view.

Dynamic text is anchored to the object via a leader, and moves along with the object as you interact with it:

To activate Markup mode, click the Markup button on the viewer toolbar.

Note: Markup actions are not available for SpaceClaim .scdoc files.

- To add static text, click on the Markup toolbar. As you move your cursor, the tooltip displays the coordinates of the current point as a fraction of the viewport, indicating its relative position within the viewport. For example, if you position your cursor at the very center of the viewport, the coordinates will read `0.5000, 0.5000`. Click where you would like to insert the text. In the text box, type the desired text.

  If you resize the viewport, the text will remain at its relative position within the viewport, except if it is anchored at the edge of the viewport, in which case it will remain anchored at the edge.

- To add dynamic text with a leader, click on the Markup toolbar. As you position your cursor on the object, the tooltip displays the model space coordinates. Select the point on the object where you would like to anchor the leader. Select the point on the object where you would like to anchor the leader. Type the desired text, then click and drag the text box to the desired position.

- To edit the appearance of markup, ensure that Markup mode is active, then select the markup that you want to edit. You can also define your markup settings before inserting markup.

  - To edit the font color, click and make a selection from the color palette.

  - To edit the fill color of the text box, click and make a selection from the color palette.

  - To edit the font size, double-click the value in the font size box and type the desired font size.

  - To edit the leader style of dynamic text (arrow, dot, or none), make a selection from the following dropdown:

  - To edit the line color of dynamic text, click and make a selection from the color palette.

- To move markup, ensure that Markup mode is active and that the markup is not selected. Click and drag the markup to the desired location.

  When moving dynamic text, the tooltip displays the X and Y offset of the text from the leader anchor point (in pixels). When moving the leader anchor point, model space coordinates are displayed.

- To delete markup, ensure that Markup mode is active. Select the markup and then right-click and select Delete Markup.

#### 8.3.8.9. Exploding the Model

When viewing an .avz file, you can explode the model into its individual parts. This moves the parts out from their assembled position so that you can see individual parts more clearly, and visualize how they fit together to create the whole.

To explode a model, click on the viewer toolbar, then click and drag the slider to control the distance that parts are moved.

Parts are moved outward from the center of the area containing visible parts.

Note: Markup mode is not available when Explode mode is active. Existing dynamic markup will remain anchored to the object with which it is associated, but may not maintain the exact same anchor point in some cases.

#### 8.3.8.10. Saving View Changes

If you have changed the view of a model in the interactive viewer (for example, you have rotated the model in a particular view, or added a new view or markup), you can save the changes to the EKM server so that they will be available the next time that you view the model in EKM.

To save your changes, click on the viewer toolbar.

Note that the view that is current when you perform a save will become the default view for that file.

Note:

- The Save action is not available if you do not have Modify permission on the simulation file.

- The Save action is not available when viewing SpaceClaim .scdoc files.

- Images are saved internally on the EKM server and are independent of the simulation files from which they are generated. If you download a simulation file to your local system, and then upload it to EKM again, a new image will be extracted, and will therefore not contain the changes that you made previously.

Contains proprietary and confidential information of ANSYS, Inc. and its subsidiaries and affiliates.

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