Find Panel

Use the Find panel to locate entities in a database.

Location: Tool page or 1D page > Connectors module

Find Entities Subpanel

Use the Find Entities subpanel to find individual elements in your model.
Option Action
entity selector Select the data type of the entities to find.
When you select nodes or elems, click the switch to change the selection mode.
Nodes
nodes
Select individual nodes.


Figure 1. Example: Nodes Selection
faces
Select all of the nodes on 2D and 3D faces. If there are discontinuities on a 2D face, then only the nodes inbetween the discontinuities will be selected.


Figure 2. Example: Faces Selection
2D faces ext
Select all of the nodes on a 2D face that contain discontinuities.


Figure 3. Example: 2D Faces Ext Selection
loops
Select all of the nodes on continuous free edges that make a closed loop simultaneously, such as the perimeter of a hole.
Important: Only valid for SHELL elements.


Figure 4. Example: Loops Selection
free edges
Select all of the nodes on free edges of elements. If there are discontinuities on an edge, then only the nodes on the free edges inbetween the discontinuities will be selected.
Important: Only valid for SHELL elements.


Figure 5. Example: Free Edges Selection
free edges ext
Select all of the nodes on free edges of elements that contain discontinuities.
Important: Only valid for SHELL elements.


Figure 6. Example: Free Edges Ext Selection
edges
Select all of the nodes on free edges or shared edges (butt joints, L/corner joints, and T-joints) of elements. If there are discontinuities on an edge, then only the nodes on the edge inbetween the discontinuities will be selected.
Important: Only valid for SHELL elements.


Figure 7. Example: Edges Selection
edges ext
Select all of the nodes on free edges or shared edges (butt joints, L/corner joints, and T-joints) of elements that contain discontinuities.
Important: Only valid for SHELL elements.


Figure 8. Example: Edges Ext Selection
Elements
elems
Select individual elements, or select all of the elements contained by a component or on a surface.


Figure 9. Example: Elems Selection
faces
Select all of the elements on 2D and 3D faces. If there are discontinuities on a 2D face, then only the elements in between the discontinuities will be selected.


Figure 10. Example: Faces Selection
2D faces ext
Select all of the elements on a 2D face that contain discontinuities.


Figure 11. Example: 2D Faces Ext Selection
numbers Display the numbers of the entities.
found nodes: on mark / temp nodes Only displays when nodes is chosen as the entity.
free lines / surf edges Only displays when lines is chosen as the entity
free edges Only displays when surf edges is chosen.
shared edges Only displays when surf edges is chosen.
non-manifold edges Only displays when surf edges is chosen.
suppressed edges Only displays when surf edges is chosen.
display: only connector Only displays when connectors is chosen as the entity.
display: connector and FE Only displays when connectors is chosen as the entity.
face angle / individual selection
face angle
Angle between the normal of facets that share an element edge. A facet can either be a shell element itself, or one of the faces of a solid element. The normal of triangular facets is that of the plane defined three corner vertices. Whereas, the normal of quadrilateral facets is calculated by taking the cross-product between its two diagonals. This special treatment for quadrilaterals is because a warped shape does not lie completely on a plane.
Important: Only available when the entity selector is set to nodes or elems and the selection mode is set to faces, 2d faces ext, free edges, free edges ext, edges, or edges ext.
individual selection
Select individual elements on a face or select individual free/shared edges of elements.
Important: Only available when the entity selector is set to nodes or elems and the selection mode is set to faces, free edges, or edges.
edge angle
Split edges that belong to a given face. When the edge angle is 180 degrees, edges are the continuous boundaries of faces. For smaller values, these same boundary edges are split wherever the angle between segments exceeds the specified value. A segment is the edge of a single element.
Important: Only available when the entity selector is set to nodes and the selection mode is set to free edges, free edges ext, edges, or edges ext.

Find Attached Subpanel

Use the Find Attached subpanel to find entities that are attached to other FE or geometry entities. For example, after you have selected an element, you may use this function to view the elements that are attached to it, allowing you to move progressively through the model, row by row.
Option Action
entity selector Select the data type of the entities to find.
attached to selector Select the data type of the entities to which the entities you want to locate are attached.
When you select nodes or elems, click the switch to change the selection mode.
Nodes
nodes
Select individual nodes.


Figure 12. Example: Nodes Selection
faces
Select all of the nodes on 2D and 3D faces. If there are discontinuities on a 2D face, then only the nodes inbetween the discontinuities will be selected.


Figure 13. Example: Faces Selection
2D faces ext
Select all of the nodes on a 2D face that contain discontinuities.


Figure 14. Example: 2D Faces Ext Selection
loops
Select all of the nodes on continuous free edges that make a closed loop simultaneously, such as the perimeter of a hole.
Important: Only valid for SHELL elements.


Figure 15. Example: Loops Selection
free edges
Select all of the nodes on free edges of elements. If there are discontinuities on an edge, then only the nodes on the free edges inbetween the discontinuities will be selected.
Important: Only valid for SHELL elements.


Figure 16. Example: Free Edges Selection
free edges ext
Select all of the nodes on free edges of elements that contain discontinuities.
Important: Only valid for SHELL elements.


Figure 17. Example: Free Edges Ext Selection
edges
Select all of the nodes on free edges or shared edges (butt joints, L/corner joints, and T-joints) of elements. If there are discontinuities on an edge, then only the nodes on the edge inbetween the discontinuities will be selected.
Important: Only valid for SHELL elements.


Figure 18. Example: Edges Selection
edges ext
Select all of the nodes on free edges or shared edges (butt joints, L/corner joints, and T-joints) of elements that contain discontinuities.
Important: Only valid for SHELL elements.


Figure 19. Example: Edges Ext Selection
Elements
elems
Select individual elements, or select all of the elements contained by a component or on a surface.


Figure 20. Example: Elems Selection
faces
Select all of the elements on 2D and 3D faces. If there are discontinuities on a 2D face, then only the elements in between the discontinuities will be selected.


Figure 21. Example: Faces Selection
2D faces ext
Select all of the elements on a 2D face that contain discontinuities.


Figure 22. Example: 2D Faces Ext Selection
numbers Display the numbers of the entities.
found nodes: temp nodes/ on mark Only displays when nodes is chosen as the entity.
face angle / individual selection
face angle
Angle between the normal of facets that share an element edge. A facet can either be a shell element itself, or one of the faces of a solid element. The normal of triangular facets is that of the plane defined three corner vertices. Whereas, the normal of quadrilateral facets is calculated by taking the cross-product between its two diagonals. This special treatment for quadrilaterals is because a warped shape does not lie completely on a plane.
Important: Only available when the entity selector is set to nodes or elems and the selection mode is set to faces, 2d faces ext, free edges, free edges ext, edges, or edges ext.
individual selection
Select individual elements on a face or select individual free/shared edges of elements.
Important: Only available when the entity selector is set to nodes or elems and the selection mode is set to faces, free edges, or edges.
edge angle
Split edges that belong to a given face. When the edge angle is 180 degrees, edges are the continuous boundaries of faces. For smaller values, these same boundary edges are split wherever the angle between segments exceeds the specified value. A segment is the edge of a single element.
Important: Only available when the entity selector is set to nodes and the selection mode is set to free edges, free edges ext, edges, or edges ext.

Between Subpanel

Use the Between subpanel to find entities that are shared by two or more of the selected entities. For example, you could find nodes that are shared between selected components or surfaces, and so on.
Option Action
nodes / connectors Select the data type of the entities to find.
entity selector Select the data type of the entities to which the entities you want to locate are between.
When you select nodes or elems, click the switch to change the selection mode.
Nodes
nodes
Select individual nodes.


Figure 23. Example: Nodes Selection
faces
Select all of the nodes on 2D and 3D faces. If there are discontinuities on a 2D face, then only the nodes inbetween the discontinuities will be selected.


Figure 24. Example: Faces Selection
2D faces ext
Select all of the nodes on a 2D face that contain discontinuities.


Figure 25. Example: 2D Faces Ext Selection
loops
Select all of the nodes on continuous free edges that make a closed loop simultaneously, such as the perimeter of a hole.
Important: Only valid for SHELL elements.


Figure 26. Example: Loops Selection
free edges
Select all of the nodes on free edges of elements. If there are discontinuities on an edge, then only the nodes on the free edges inbetween the discontinuities will be selected.
Important: Only valid for SHELL elements.


Figure 27. Example: Free Edges Selection
free edges ext
Select all of the nodes on free edges of elements that contain discontinuities.
Important: Only valid for SHELL elements.


Figure 28. Example: Free Edges Ext Selection
edges
Select all of the nodes on free edges or shared edges (butt joints, L/corner joints, and T-joints) of elements. If there are discontinuities on an edge, then only the nodes on the edge inbetween the discontinuities will be selected.
Important: Only valid for SHELL elements.


Figure 29. Example: Edges Selection
edges ext
Select all of the nodes on free edges or shared edges (butt joints, L/corner joints, and T-joints) of elements that contain discontinuities.
Important: Only valid for SHELL elements.


Figure 30. Example: Edges Ext Selection
Elements
elems
Select individual elements, or select all of the elements contained by a component or on a surface.


Figure 31. Example: Elems Selection
faces
Select all of the elements on 2D and 3D faces. If there are discontinuities on a 2D face, then only the elements in between the discontinuities will be selected.


Figure 32. Example: Faces Selection
2D faces ext
Select all of the elements on a 2D face that contain discontinuities.


Figure 33. Example: 2D Faces Ext Selection
numbers Display the numbers of the entities.
face angle / individual selection
face angle
Angle between the normal of facets that share an element edge. A facet can either be a shell element itself, or one of the faces of a solid element. The normal of triangular facets is that of the plane defined three corner vertices. Whereas, the normal of quadrilateral facets is calculated by taking the cross-product between its two diagonals. This special treatment for quadrilaterals is because a warped shape does not lie completely on a plane.
Important: Only available when the entity selector is set to nodes or elems and the selection mode is set to faces, 2d faces ext, free edges, free edges ext, edges, or edges ext.
individual selection
Select individual elements on a face or select individual free/shared edges of elements.
Important: Only available when the entity selector is set to nodes or elems and the selection mode is set to faces, free edges, or edges.
edge angle
Split edges that belong to a given face. When the edge angle is 180 degrees, edges are the continuous boundaries of faces. For smaller values, these same boundary edges are split wherever the angle between segments exceeds the specified value. A segment is the edge of a single element.
Important: Only available when the entity selector is set to nodes and the selection mode is set to free edges, free edges ext, edges, or edges ext.