Normally, the Output program is needed to select specific nodes and stress points for which data will be stored during the calculation. This data can be used to generate curves. Alternatively, it is also possible to select points for curves prior to the calculation by using the command line in PLAXIS 2D Input and PLAXIS 3D Input. This can be useful when using commands in the commands runner for example.

Since PLAXIS 2D 2017 and PLAXIS 3D 2017, this command option is available:

• using /output [...] to send commands from the PLAXIS Input program to the PLAXIS Output program.

Note: the command __selectcurvepoints is no longer available since PLAXIS 2D 2017 and PLAXIS 3D 2017

/output to send commands to Output

In order to control Plaxis Output through commands, first Output needs to be launched properly by first using the command selectmeshpoints from Input. Then, you can call any Output command from Input by prefixing the command with /output. Input will then know that this command should be senτ to Output in order to execute it. We can use the addcurvepoint command to select nodes and stresspoints and finally, we need to store the selected nodes and stress points using /output update.

To select points for curves prior to calculation, the commands in Input would look like this:

selectmeshpoints 
/output addcurvepoint "Node" (x y z)
/output addcurvepoint "StressPoint" (x y z)
/output update

Note, the parentheses on the coordinates in the command are not necessary but help to read the line.

Example

To select just one coordinate in PLAXIS 2D

selectmeshpoints
/output addcurvepoint "Node" (5 0) 
/output update

This will select a node nearest to coordinates (x, y) = (5 ,0)

To select just one coordinate in PLAXIS 3D

selectmeshpoints 
/output addcurvepoint "StressPoint" (0 3 5) 
/output update

This will result in selecting a stress point nearest to (x , y,  z) =  (0, 3, 5)

To select multiple coordinates in PLAXIS 2D

selectmeshpoints 
/output addcurvepoint "Node" (0 1) 
/output addcurvepoint "Node" (10 1) 
/output addcurvepoint "Node" (0 -10) 
/output addcurvepoint "Node" (10 -10) 
/output addcurvepoint "stresspoint" (0 1) 
/output addcurvepoint "stresspoint" (5 1) 
/output addcurvepoint "stresspoint" (0 -10) 
/output addcurvepoint "stresspoint" (5 -10) 
/output update

This will result in:

• Node A nearest to (x, y) = (0, 1)
• Node B nearest to (x, y) = (10, 1)
• Node C nearest to (x, y) = (0, -10)
• Node D nearest to (x, y) = (10, -10)
• Stress point K nearest to (x, y) = (0, 1)
• Stress point L nearest to (x, y) = (5, 1)
• Stress point M nearest to (x, y) = (0, -10)
• Stress point N nearest to (x, y) = (5, -10)

See also the Command Reference via the Help menu for more details and options.

__selectcurvepoints (Input only - 2016 and earlier)

Note this command is not supported anymore since PLAXIS 2D 2017 and PLAXIS 3D 2017.

This command used to do the following:

1. it cleaned all prior selected points for curves
2. for each set of coordinates, it found the closest node and closest stress point in the generated mesh and selected those as pre-calculation selected nodes and stress points
3. the maximum number of coordinates is 10

For more details, notes and some examples, see the attached PDF file: PLAXIS2016_Select_points_curves_prior_calculation_directly_in_Input.pdf