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hfVisualizer Remote Control Element

element

hfVisualizer --remote [--target <id>] element <type> <id> <n1,n2,...> [--section <name>] [--elset <name>]
  • Creates one element in preprocessing mode.
  • <id> must be a positive integer.
  • <n1,n2,...> must match the required node count for <type>.
  • All referenced node ids must already exist.

element-update

hfVisualizer --remote [--target <id>] element-update <id> <n1,n2,...> [--section <name|none>] [--beam-cs <name|none>] [--release <name|none>] [--scale-factor <value>] [--orientation-cs <name|none>] [--moving-position <x,y>] [--spline <name|none>] [--host-elset <name|none>]
  • Updates one existing element in preprocessing mode.
  • This is the canonical IPC/CLI form for Element Table row edits and non-row delete clears.
  • <id> must already exist.
  • <n1,n2,...> must match the current element node count.
  • Optional fields apply only to compatible element types:
  • --beam-cs: T3D2, B3D2H, B3D2MH
  • --release: B2D2H, B2D2MH, B3D2H, B3D2MH
  • --scale-factor, --orientation-cs: Spring, EarthSpring, PointMass
  • --moving-position: MovingSpring
  • --spline, --host-elset: EmbeddedLine
  • Use none to clear section / coordinate system / spline / host elset values.

Example:

hfVisualizer --remote element-update 201 11,12 --section BEAM_SEC --beam-cs CS_LOCAL --release None

element-delete

hfVisualizer --remote [--target <id>] element-delete <ids|__selected__>
  • Deletes elements by id pattern or current element selection in preprocessing mode.
  • Uses the same delete path as Element Table full-row deletion.
  • GUI Delete Node/Element Selection records explicit element-delete <ids> and node-delete <ids> tails in that order, using the selection snapshot captured at click time.
  • <ids> accepts integer id patterns such as 1,2,3, 1:5, 1:9:2.
  • __selected__ resolves to the current element selection.
  • Validation rules:
  • preprocessing mode only
  • every requested id must already exist before deletion starts
  • __selected__ requires a non-empty current element selection
  • Partial delete behavior:
  • safe delete may leave some requested elements undeleted
  • when that happens, the command returns DELETE_PARTIAL with requestedIds, deletedIds, remainingIds, counts, and the canonical scriptTail
  • the applied tail is still recorded in Remote Control History because the model has changed

Example:

hfVisualizer --remote element-delete 201:205
hfVisualizer --remote element-delete __selected__

element-extrude

hfVisualizer --remote [--target <id>] element-extrude <translate|rotate> --direction-axis <text> --distance-angle <text> [--start-node-id <id>] [--start-element-id <id>] [--line2 <type>] [--quad4 <type>] [--prism6 <type>] [--hexa8 <type>] [--nset <name>] [--elset <name>] [--remove-source <on|off>] [--merge-node <on|off>]
  • Applies the same operation as the GUI Element Extrude widget.
  • The command uses the current eligible GUI selection and does not take a separate source argument.
  • Eligible sources are processed together, matching the GUI behavior:
  • selected nodes -> line elements
  • selected beam elements, selected Face2D edges, or selected edges -> quad elements
  • selected Solid2D/Shell elements or selected Face3D faces -> prism/hexa elements
  • --line2, --quad4, --prism6, and --hexa8 are optional result-type overrides. They are consumed only when the current selection produces that result category.
  • --direction-axis uses the same numeric repeat syntax as the GUI:
  • translate: dx,dy,dz
  • rotate: x1,y1,z1,x2,y2,z2
  • --distance-angle uses the same repeat syntax as the GUI, such as 100,2@50 or 15,30,3@10.
  • Default values are applied by result category when the corresponding result is produced and the option is omitted:
  • --start-node-id: current next node id
  • --start-element-id: current next element id
  • node -> line result: --line2 B3D2H
  • beam/edge -> quad result: --quad4 S4F
  • triangle face -> prism result: --prism6 C3D6
  • quad face -> hexa result: --hexa8 C3D8
  • --remove-source on
  • --merge-node on
  • Validation rules:
  • preprocessing mode only
  • translate requires exactly 3 direction values
  • rotate requires exactly 6 direction values and two distinct axis points
  • --distance-angle must resolve to one or more finite values
  • the current selection must contain at least one eligible source
  • Behavior rules:
  • --nset inserts source/result nodes into that nset, matching the GUI
  • --elset inserts created elements, and also selected source beam/shell/solid2d elements into that elset just like the GUI widget
  • --remove-source on removes source beam/shell/solid2d elements after extrusion; surface/edge sources are not deleted
  • a node-only extrusion uses --line2 only; unused result-type options may be present but have no effect
  • Remote Control History records one canonical element-extrude ... tail, so exact replay assumes the same selection has already been reconstructed

Example:

hfVisualizer --remote select node 101,102
hfVisualizer --remote element-extrude translate --direction-axis 0,0,1 --distance-angle 100,2@50 --start-node-id 1001 --start-element-id 2001 --line2 T3D2 --quad4 S4F --prism6 C3D6 --hexa8 C3D8 --nset EXTRUDE_N --elset EXTRUDE_E --remove-source on --merge-node on

element-divide

hfVisualizer --remote [--target <id>] element-divide refine --source <ids|__selected__> --segments <n> [--start-node-id <id>] [--start-element-id <id>] [--merge-node <on|off>]
hfVisualizer --remote [--target <id>] element-divide topology --edge-source <text|__selected__> --segments <n> [--start-node-id <id>] [--start-element-id <id>] [--merge-node <on|off>]
hfVisualizer --remote [--target <id>] element-divide parametric --source <ids|__selected__> --r <text> [--s <text>] [--t <text>] [--start-node-id <id>] [--start-element-id <id>] [--merge-node <on|off>]
  • Applies the same operation family as the GUI Element Divide widget.
  • refine and parametric use --source with element id patterns or __selected__.
  • topology uses --edge-source with comma-separated edge tokens like 11-12,12-13 or __selected__.
  • --segments must be a positive integer for refine and topology.
  • --r, --s, and --t use the same numeric repeat syntax as the GUI.
  • parametric requires --r
  • omitted --s or --t default to 1
  • Default values:
  • --start-node-id: current next node id
  • --start-element-id: current next element id
  • --merge-node on
  • Validation rules:
  • preprocessing mode only
  • every explicit source id must already exist
  • __selected__ requires a non-empty current element or edge selection
  • topology resolves each edge token against the current database edge topology
  • Behavior rules:
  • GUI refine and parametric history records explicit element id snapshots
  • GUI topology history records --edge-source __selected__, matching the current selected-edge command behavior
  • remote CLI/script may use __selected__, and that token is preserved in the canonical tail
  • created elements become the new element selection, matching the GUI

Example:

hfVisualizer --remote element-divide refine --source 201:220 --segments 3 --start-node-id 1001 --start-element-id 2001 --merge-node on
hfVisualizer --remote element-divide topology --edge-source 11-12,12-13 --segments 2
hfVisualizer --remote element-divide parametric --source __selected__ --r 1,2,2@1.5 --s 1 --t 1

element-change

hfVisualizer --remote [--target <id>] element-change retype --source <ids|__selected__> [--line2 <type>] [--tri3 <type>] [--quad4 <type>] [--tetra4 <type>] [--prism6 <type>] [--hexa8 <type>]
hfVisualizer --remote [--target <id>] element-change reverse-node-order --source <ids|__selected__>
hfVisualizer --remote [--target <id>] element-change explode --source <ids|__selected__> --line2 <type> --tri3 <type> --quad4 <type> [--start-element-id <id>] [--remove-source <on|off>]
  • Applies the same operation family as the GUI Element Change widget.
  • --source accepts element id patterns or __selected__.
  • retype rules:
  • at least one family option is required
  • each supplied target type must match its family node count
  • GUI Remote Control History records all six family targets for deterministic replay
  • reverse-node-order uses only --source.
  • explode rules:
  • requires --line2, --tri3, and --quad4
  • default --start-element-id is the current LargestNumber next element id, matching the GUI widget
  • --remove-source defaults to on
  • Behavior rules:
  • retype returns the number of elements that actually changed
  • reverse-node-order affects only the same supported element families as the GUI
  • explode creates boundary elements, selects the created results, and optionally removes source elements
  • GUI Remote Control History records explicit source snapshots, not __selected__

Example:

hfVisualizer --remote element-change retype --source 201:260 --line2 B3D2H --tri3 S3F --quad4 S4F --tetra4 C3D4 --prism6 C3D6 --hexa8 C3D8
hfVisualizer --remote element-change reverse-node-order --source __selected__
hfVisualizer --remote element-change explode --source 401:420 --line2 B2D2H --tri3 CPS3 --quad4 CPS4 --start-element-id 9001 --remove-source on