Data Names

Data names are used to access data from the HyperWorks Desktop database. A data name is a string that represents a piece of data. They are basically generic references to the information that physically defines an entity in the HyperWorks Desktop environment.

An example of this would be the x, y, and z coordinates that define a node’s location in three-dimensional space. This information is part of the entity’s definition and is consistent for all solvers. These data names are well documented.

Solver-specific data created from the HyperWorks Desktop template system is stored in card images. Each piece of data that defines a card image has a text string (data name) and a numeric attribute ID. An example is the Young’s Modulus for a material. Each solver, and even each different material type for a particular solver, can have a Young’s Modulus attribute and a corresponding data name. These data names and attributes are defined in each solver’s feoutput template. They are unique and are not necessarily consistent between solvers or even between each material within a solver.

Templates exist for each solver supported by HyperWorks Desktop and are located in sub-folders under the <altair_home>/templates/feoutput directory. These templates define every solver specific attribute including data names, attribute IDs, card image formats, and the format of the data upon export. Solver data names are not documented, as they may change often as the templates that define them are updated or new solver card support is added.

During model export, using the HyperWorks Desktop template system, HyperWorks Desktop replaces the data name string with the value that the data name represents. For example, a node has id, x, y, z, and system as possible data names.