Appendix A. GET Function Summary

A "get function" is available for some items and can be used instead of the *GET command. The function returns the value and uses it where the function is input, bypassing the need for storing the value with a parameter name and inputting the parameter name where the value is to be used.

For example, assume the average X location of two nodes is to be calculated. Using the *GET command, parameter L1 can be assigned the X location of node 1, and parameter L2 can be assigned the X location of node 2. Then the mid-location can be computed from MID = (L1 + L2) / 2:

*GET,L1,NODE,1,LOC,X
*GET,L2,NODE,2,LOC,X
MID=(L1+L2)/2

However, using the node location "get function" NX(N), which returns the X location of node N, MID can be computed directly without the need for intermediate parameters L1 and L2:

MID=(NX(1)+NX(2))/2

Get functions return values in the active coordinate system unless stated otherwise.

Get function arguments may themselves be parameters or other get functions. The get function NELEM(E,NPOS) returns the node number in position NPOS for element number E. Combining functions, NX(NELEM(E,NPOS)) returns the X location of that node.

The table below lists available get functions grouped by functionality. The *GET command also lists get functions as alternatives to *GET items, where applicable (see the tables in the Notes section of *GET).

Table 1: *GET - Get Function Summary

"Get Function" Summary
Entity Status Get FunctionDescription
NSEL(N)Status of node N: -1=unselected, 0=undefined, 1=selected.
ESEL(E)Status of element E: -1=unselected, 0=undefined, 1=selected.
KSEL(K)Status of keypoint K: -1=unselected, 0=undefined, 1=selected.
LSEL(L)Status of line L: -1=unselected, 0=undefined, 1=selected.
ASEL(A)Status of area A: -1=unselected, 0=undefined, 1=selected.
VSEL(V)Status of volume V: -1=unselected, 0=undefined, 1=selected.
Next Selected Entity
NDNEXT(N)Next selected node having a node number greater than N.
ELNEXT(E)Next selected element having an element number greater than E.
KPNEXT(K)Next selected keypoint having a keypoint number greater than K.
LSNEXT(L)Next selected line having a line number greater than L.
ARNEXT(A)Next selected area having an area number greater than A.
VLNEXT(V)Next selected volume having a volume number greater than V.
Locations
CENTRX(E)Centroid X-coordinate of element E in global Cartesian coordinate system. Centroid is determined from the selected nodes on the element.
CENTRY(E)Centroid Y-coordinate of element E in global Cartesian coordinate system. Centroid is determined from the selected nodes on the element.
CENTRZ(E)Centroid Z-coordinate of element E in global Cartesian coordinate system. Centroid is determined from the selected nodes on the element.
NX(N)X-coordinate of node N in the active coordinate system.
NY(N)Y-coordinate of node N in the active coordinate system.
NZ(N)Z-coordinate of node N in the active coordinate system.
KX(K)X-coordinate of keypoint K in the active coordinate system
KY(K)Y-coordinate of keypoint K in the active coordinate system
KZ(K)Z-coordinate of keypoint K in the active coordinate system
LX(L,LFRAC)X-coordinate of line L at length fraction LFRAC (0.0 to 1.0).
LY(L,LFRAC)Y-coordinate of line L at length fraction LFRAC (0.0 to 1.0).
LZ(L,LFRAC)Z-coordinate of line L at length fraction LFRAC (0.0 to 1.0).
LSX(L,LFRAC)X slope of line L at length fraction LFRAC (0.0 to 1.0).
LSY(L,LFRAC)Y slope of line L at length fraction LFRAC (0.0 to 1.0).
LSZ(L,LFRAC)Z slope of line L at length fraction LFRAC (0.0 to 1.0).
Nearest to Location
NODE(X,Y,Z)Number of the selected node nearest the X,Y,Z point (in the active coordinate system, lowest number for coincident nodes). A number higher than the highest node number indicates that the node is internal (generated by program).
KP(X,Y,Z)Number of the selected keypoint nearest the X,Y,Z point (in the active coordinate system, lowest number for coincident keypoints).
Distances
DISTND(N1,N2)Distance between nodes N1 and N2.
DISTKP(K1,K2)Distance between keypoints K1 and K2.
DISTEN(E,N)Distance between the centroid of element E and node N. Centroid is determined from the selected nodes on the element.
Angles (in radians by default -- see the *AFUN command)
ANGLEN(N1,N2,N3)Subtended angle between two lines (defined by three nodes where N1 is the vertex node). Default is in radians.
ANGLEK(K1,K2,K3)Subtended angle between two lines (defined by three keypoints where K1 is the vertex keypoint). Default is in radians.
Nearest to Entity
NNEAR(N)Selected node nearest node N.
KNEAR(K)Selected keypoint nearest keypoint K.
ENEARN(N)Selected element nearest node N. The element position is calculated from the selected nodes.
Areas
AREAND(N1,N2,N3)Area of the triangle with vertices at nodes N1, N2, and N3.
AREAKP(K1,K2,K3)Area of the triangle with vertices at keypoints K1, K2, and K3.
ARNODE(N)Area at node N apportioned from selected elements attached to node N. For 2D planar solids, returns edge area associated with the node. For axisymmetric solids, returns edge surface area associated with the node. For 3D volumetric solids, returns face area associated with the node. For 3–D, select all the nodes of the surface of interest before using ARNODE.
Normals
NORMNX(N1,N2,N3)X-direction cosine of the normal to the plane containing nodes N1, N2, and N3, reported in the global Cartesian coordinate system.
NORMNY(N1,N2,N3)Y-direction cosine of the normal to the plane containing nodes N1, N2, and N3, reported in the global Cartesian coordinate system.
NORMNZ(N1,N2,N3)Z-direction cosine of the normal to the plane containing nodes N1, N2, and N3, reported in the global Cartesian coordinate system.
NORMKX(K1,K2,K3)X-direction cosine of the normal to the plane containing keypoints K1, K2, and K3, reported in the global Cartesian coordinate system.
NORMKY(K1,K2,K3)Y-direction cosine of the normal to the plane containing keypoints K1, K2, and K3, reported in the global Cartesian coordinate system.
NORMKZ(K1,K2,K3)Z-direction cosine of the normal to the plane containing keypoints K1, K2, and K3, reported in the global Cartesian coordinate system.
Connectivity
ENEXTN(N,LOC)Element connected to node N. LOC is the position in the resulting list when many elements share the node. A zero is returned at the end of the list.
NELEM(E,NPOS)Node number in position NPOS (1--20) of element E.
NODEDOF(N)Returns the bit pattern for the active DOFs at the specified node.
bit 0 is UX, bit 1 is UY,... bit 5 is ROTZ
bit 8 is AZ
bits 9,10,11 are VX,VY,VZ
bit 18 is PRES, bit 19 is TEMP, bit 20 is VOLT, bit 21 is MAG
bit 24 is EMF, bit 25 is CURR
For a node with UX,UY,UZ the return value will be 7 (bits 0,1,2)
For a node with UX,UY,UZ,ROTX,ROTY,ROTZ the return value will be 63 (bits 0,1,2,3,4,5)
Faces
ELADJ(E,FACE)For 2D planar solids and 3D volumetric solids, element adjacent to a face (FACE) of element E. The face number is the same as the surface load key number. Only elements of the same dimensionality and shape are considered. A -1 is returned if more than one is adjacent.
NDFACE(E,FACE,LOC)Node in position LOC of a face number FACE of element E. The face number is the same as the surface load key number. LOC is the nodal position on the face (for an IJLK face, LOC=1 is at node I, 2 is at node J, etc.)
NMFACE(E)Face number of element E containing the selected nodes. The face number output is the surface load key. If multiple load keys occur on a face (such as for line and area elements) the lowest load key for that face is output.
ARFACE(E)For 2D planar solids and 3D volumetric solids, returns the area of the face of element E containing the selected nodes. For axisymmetric elements, the area is the full (360 degree) area.
Model Information
EATT(E,VAL)Element attribute number assigned to element E. Use VAL = 1 for MATT, 2 for TYPE, 3 for REAL, and 4 for SECN.
RCON(R,LOC)Real constant value for real table R and location LOC.
General Contact Information
SECTOMAT(Sect1,Sect2)Material ID to be used for general contact between sections Sect1 and Sect2.
SECTOREAL(Sect1,Sect2)Real constant ID to be used for general contact between sections Sect1 and Sect2.
Degree of Freedom Results
UX(N)UX structural displacement at node N.
UY(N)UY structural displacement at node N.
UZ(N)UZ structural displacement at node N.
ROTX(N)ROTX structural rotation at node N.
ROTY(N)ROTY structural rotation at node N.
ROTZ(N)ROTZ structural rotation at node N.
TEMP(N)Temperature at node N. For SHELL131 and SHELL132 elements with KEYOPT(3) = 0 or 1, use TBOT(N), TE2(N), TE3(N), . . ., TTOP(N) instead of TEMP(N).
PRES(N)Pressure at node N.
VX(N)VX fluid velocity at node N.
VY(N)VY fluid velocity at node N.
VZ(N)VZ fluid velocity at node N.
VOLT(N)Electric potential at node N.
MAG(N)Magnetic scalar potential at node N.
AZ(N)AZ magnetic vector potential at node N.
Returns information about the database manager
VIRTINQR(1)Number of pages in core.
VIRTINQR(4)Page size in integer words.
VIRTINQR(7)Maximum number of pages allowed on disk.
VIRTINQR(8)Number of read/write operations on page.
VIRTINQR(9)Maximum record number on page.
VIRTINQR(11)Maximum pages touched.
Returns the current value of Mechanical APDL filtering keywords.
KWGET(KEYWORD)Returns the current value the keyword specified by KEYWORD.
Character String Functions Strings must be dimensioned (see *DIM) as a character parameter or enclosed in single apostrophes ('char').
Functions which return a double precision value of a numeric character string.
VALCHR(a8)a8 is a decimal value expressed in a string.
VALOCT (a8)a8 is an octal value expressed in a string.
VALHEX(a8)a8 is a hex value expressed in a string.
Functions which return an 8 character string of a numeric value.
CHRVAL (dp)dp is a double precision variable.
CHROCT (dp)dp is an integer value.
CHRHEX(dp)dp is an integer value.
Functions which manipulate strings: StrOut is the output string (or character parameter) Str1 and Str2 are input strings. Strings are a maximum of 248 characters. (see *DIM)
StrOut = STRSUB(Str1, nLoc,nChar) Get the nChar substring starting at character nLoc in Str1.
StrOut = STRCAT(Str1,Str2)Add Str2 at the end of Str1.
StrOut = STRFILL(Str1,Str2,nLoc) Add Str2 to Str1 starting at character nLoc.
StrOut = STRCOMP(Str1)Remove all blanks from Str1
StrOut = STRLEFT(Str1)Left-justify Str1
nLoc = STRPOS(Str1,Str2)Get starting location of Str2 in Str1.
nLoc = STRLENG(Str1)Location of last nonblank character
StrOut = UPCASE(Str1)Upper case of Str1
StrOut = LWCASE(Str1)Lower case of Str1
The following functions manipulate file names.
Path String = JOIN ('directory','filename','extension') Produces a contiguous pathstring. e.g. directory/filename.ext
Path String = JOIN ('directory','filename')Produces a contiguous pathstring. e.g. directory/filename
SPLIT('PathString', 'DIR') Produces a separate output of the directory from the pathstring.
SPLIT('PathString', 'FILE') Produces a separate output of the complete filename (with extension) from the pathstring.
SPLIT('PathString', 'NAME')Produces a separate output of the filename from the pathstring.
SPLIT('PathString', 'EXT') Produces a separate output of the file extension from the pathstring.