Exporting cross-section table results from Plaxis 2D to .txt file

Question

Greetings all, 
 
 I am currently running several thousands of dynamic nonlinear deformation analysis with approximately 15 k elements per model. As you may understand, with such numbers it is difficult to evaluate results manually. 
 I was able to prepare the models automatically following the command line outcomes but when it comes to post-processing, command lines do not show the commands for every step. 
 For example, to cut a cross-section and extract results manually, following is what I do: 
 
 1. Cut the cross-section using Tools>Cross section 
 2- Select the output type (say horizontal displacement at that phase) 
 3 - Click on the table icon by right clicking on the cross section 
 4 - Select all data 
 5 - Export to .txt 
 After doing this manually, I am able to utilize python because at this point it is independent of Plaxis. 
 Is there any way to do above 5 steps automatically by "Run Commands" option? I am a python user and I have tried to follow the python scripting guidelines but found it difficult to understand and put the pieces together to do what I want to do above. 
 Thank you 
 Oz

Micha van der Sloot · Answer

With the command runner alone, you will not be able to export the data to a text file. 
 To make cross-sections and automatically export the data, I suggest to use Python as you already mentioned. 
 Here is a good starter: 
 https://communities.bentley.com/products/geotech-analysis/w/plaxis-soilvision-wiki/45440/automatic-line-cross-section-chart-generation-using-python 
 And instead of putting the results in a plot, you can write this to a text file. Based on the above example, you could make it like this: 
 
 import os 
 from plxscripting.easy import *

# BOILERPLATE # 
 # initialize PLAXIS OUTPUT 
 port = "YOUR OUTPUT PORT" 
 password = r'YOUR PASSWORD' 
 s_o , g_o = new_server ( 'localhost' , port , password = password )

def gather_results ( phase , resultobjects , start , end , sample_count = 16):
 """ retrieves the results for the given line from start to end """ 
 step = [( e - s ) / ( sample_count - 1) for e , s in zip ( end , start )]
 results = []
 for i in range ( sample_count ):
 position = ( start [0] + i * step [0],
 start [1] + i * step [1])
 # first two values are the coordinates: 
 values = [ position [0], position [1]]
 for resultobj in resultobjects :
 result_string = g_o . getsingleresult ( phase ,
 resultobj ,
 position )
 # check if position lies outside the mesh 
 if result_string == "not found" :
 raise Exception ( "Used getsingleresult for point outside mesh." )

values . append ( float ( result_string ))

# add the row 
 results . append ( values )
 return results

def writeresults ( folder , phase , resultobjects , results ):
 """ writing the data to a text file

:param folder: path to the folder where the data will be saved 
 :param phase: phase object, the name will be used to create the name 
 :param resultobjects: list of result objects, to be used for the table header 
 :param results: list of results 
 :return: .txt filename 
 """ 
 txtfile = os . path . join ( folder , 'results_{}.txt' . format ( phase . Name . value ))
 rows = []
 # first two entries are X and Y for 2D: 
 header = [ "X" , "Y" ]
 header . extend ([ str ( i ) for i in resultobjects ])
 rows . append ( header )
 rows . extend ( results )

# construct text lines for the results 
 delimiter = '	' 
 txtlines = []
 for row in rows :
 txtlines . append ( delimiter . join ([ str ( cell ) for cell in row ]))

# write text file 
 with open ( txtfile , 'w' ) as f :
 f . write ( '
' . join ( txtlines ))

return txtfile

def getResultsMultiplePhases ():
 """ gets results for multiple phases and writes them to a text file """ 
 sample_count = 16
 start = (4.0, 4.0)
 end = (4.0, - 10)
 # assumes that start and end contain floats

resultobjects = []
 resultobjects . append ( g_o . ResultTypes . Soil . Ux )
 resultobjects . append ( g_o . ResultTypes . Soil . Uy )
 resultobjects . append ( g_o . ResultTypes . Soil . MeanEffStress )

phases = [ g_o . Phase_3 , g_o . Phase_4 ]
 folder = r'D:	est data'

for phase in phases :
 results = gather_results ( phase , resultobjects , start , end , sample_count )
 newfile = writeresults ( folder , phase , resultobjects , results )
 print ( 'Created:' , newfile )

getResultsMultiplePhases ()

Alternatively , you want to use the report generator to save the table of a cross-section to a Saved View. But for this, you would need to redo this for every model, but at least you can automate this for every phase in each PLAXIS project file.

Stefanos Papavasileiou · Answer

Dear Duggirala, 
 Thank you for your feedback! I have already replied to the service request you submitted earlier today and I will also comment here. 
 I totally agree that we are missing this functionality. We will continue working on improving our scripting support and we will cover the cross-sections data. 
 Output, in general, handles mostly the visualisation of the model. That explains why the commands are not automatically generated as Input does. We have covered, though, all available commands with our Scripting reference: https://communities.bentley.com/products/geotech-analysis/w/plaxis-soilvision-wiki/45447/scripting-reference-and-how-to-use-it 
 Naturally, we cannot cover all possible cases in the vastness of projects that users handle, but via a service request we can assist you further if needed. 
 In any case, I have passed all comments as feedback to our developers.

Stefanos Papavasileiou · Answer

Dear Matthew, 
 Our upcoming release (coming soon) is going to include the extra results that are missing. 
 Just a little more patience and then you have it.

Stefanos Papavasileiou · Answer

Hello Abed, 
 The latest version is out already: New releases: PLAXIS 2023.1 
 PLAXIS 2D 2023.1 Release notes 
 PLAXIS 3D 2023.1 Release notes

Exporting cross-section table results from Plaxis 2D to .txt file

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