Adding a PyTecplot Script to the Quick Macro Panel

Problem: Can I play a PyTecplot script from the Quick Macro Panel (QMP) in Tecplot? Solution: Yes! This procedure describes how to add a PyTecplot script to your QMP using the Histogram.py (found in the python handy scripts of our GitHub): 1) Make sure PyTecplot is installed and updated, along with other modules used in your PyTecplot script (such as numpy). It is also recommended that you install the latest version of Tecplot […]

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Convert Solution Time Format for Display

Problem: My solution time is in seconds (ssss.ss), and I want to display it as hours:minutes:seconds (hh:mm:ss.ss). Solution: Use a Tecplot macro to loop over time and retrieve the solution time. Assign the hours, minutes, and seconds to new variables and refer to their max values using dynamic text.   Macro Procedure (see link to the GitHub script below): Retrieve the number of time steps: $!EXTENDEDCOMMAND COMMANDPROCESSORID=’extend time mcr’ COMMAND=’QUERY.NUMTIMESTEPS […]

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Extract Boundary Layer Values

This article describes both a macro and a PyTecplot script that extracts a field variable along a line normal to a surface. We recommend using PyTecplot insofar as possible. Example: Load the M6-Wing example file, which can be found in your Tecplot Installation Directory: …/Tecplot/Tecplot 360 EX 20xx R1/examples/OneraM6wing/OneraM6_SU2_RANS.plt. To better visualize the node at which we’ll probe, let’s turn on the mesh for the second zone. Zoom somewhere on […]

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Displaying Data Labels at High Magnification

Question: At high magnification, my cell and point labels become grainy and look terrible. How can I display these labels correctly? Solution: Use software rather than hardware rendering to display these node labels on a highly zoomed plot. See Figure 2. 1)  Download software_hardware_rendering_qmp.mcr  from our GitHub or create a macro with this code: #!MC 1200 $!MacroFunction Name = “SwitchToSoftwareRendering” SHOWINMACROPANEL = true $!Page UseSoftwareRendering = true $!EndMacroFunction $!MacroFunction Name […]

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How to Show Invisible Frame Borders

Problem: I have multiple frames on the paper and I don’t want frame borders in my export. So I’ve turned off the option Show border in the dialog Frame>Edit Active Frame. At the same time I’d like to see an outline for all invisible frame borders to get a better idea how these frames are positioned and overlap on the page in the 360 EX session. This outline should not […]

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How to Reset the Light Source Position

Problem: I have changed the position of the light source interactively using the mouse. There’s no UI option to reset the light source to its original position. How can I do this? Solution: Use a macro command to reset the light source position: #!MC 1410 $!GLOBALTHREED LIGHTSOURCE { XYZDIRECTION { X = -0.2 Y = -0.2 Z = 0.959 } }


Customize the Color Palette

Problem: I want to change the default colors of the palette. Solution: Call a macro at Tecplot’s startup to overwrite the default colors in the palette.   To do so: Edit the tecplot.cfg file in Tecplot’s installation directory and include a set of $!BASICCOLOR macro commands to change the palette. In the palette, each color placeholder is referd to as CUSTOM#, where # is the placeholder number in the palette. […]

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Min-Max Values of Transient Data

Problem: The min-max values shown in the Data Set Information dialog do not show values across all time. Solution: If you have transient data, the min-max for a variable is only for the “active zones” which unfortunately means only the current time step because the other time steps are not currently active. To see the min-max for the entire data set, run the PlotMinMaxContourOverTime.mcr macro from the Tecplot handyscripts GitHub […]

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Deleting Geometries in a Layout Template

Question: How does one replace the geometries (shapes, polylines, etc.) already present in a layout when a new data file is loaded into the layout file? Explanation of the Question: I created a layout file from a dataset that contains geometries, such as a relative wind velocity vector or aircraft body axes relative to wind axes. I want to create a template from this layout, but the geometries are now […]

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Adding Macros to the Quick Macro Panel

In Tecplot 360, the Quick Macro Panel is a sidebar for playing your favorite or frequently-used macros. It initially appears docked to the right side of the main Tecplot 360 window, but like the other sidebars can be hidden from view. To display the Quick Macro Panel, select Scripting->Quick Macros. Adding macros to the Quick Macro Panel in Tecplot 360 is useful for playing your favorite or frequently-used macros. The […]

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