Using the Import Surface, Line or Point Data dialog box, you can read in data for one or more surfaces, polylines, or point clouds.

One locator of the selected type is made for each data set within the CSV file. Each new locator appears in the Outline tree view, under User Locations and Plots. The names of the new locators are based on the data set names provided in the file, and are made unique by numerical suffixes as needed.

Also see Location Submenu.

Locator Names

If you import a generic file, the locator that is created is named using the locator name stored in the file, with the prefix Imported. If a locator with the same name already exists, the lowest integer greater than 1 that creates a unique name is appended. For example, if the imported file specifies a locator called Line 1, the locator that is created is called Imported Line 1, unless such a locator already exists, in which case the locator is called Imported Line 1 1. If the latter were the case, then importing another file with a locator called Line 1 would cause the creation of a locator called Imported Line 1 2.

Importing Experimental Data in a Customized File

You can import experimental data in a customized file; typically this data will be for a user surface boundary profile or a polyline. The file structures are similar, except that the user surface description requires more information to define the boundary. Refer to USER SURFACE Data Format or POLYLINE Data Format as appropriate.

The example that follows shows experimental data that can be imported into CFD-Post.

[Name]
Experimental Data Set 1
[Data]
Node No., X[m], Y[m], Z[m], Press.[Pa], Vel.[m/s], Temp.[R],   ...
0,        -0.3, -0.3, -1.0,    0.0,       1.0,        0.224,   
1,        -1.0, -1.0,  1.0,    1.0,       2.0,        1.35987, 
2,        -1.0,  1.0,  1.0,    1.0,       3.0,       -0.45,    
3,        -0.3,  0.3, -1.0,    0.0,       4.0,       -5.82,    
4,         0.3, -0.3, -1.0,    2.0,       5.0,        9.6323,  
5,         1.0, -1.0,  1.0,    3.0,       6.0,        7.1859,  
6,         1.0,  1.0,  1.0,    3.0,       7.0,       -4.656234,
7,         0.3,  0.3, -1.0,    2.0,       8.0,        2.1237,  
8,         0.0,  0.0,  2.0,    5.0,       9.0,        6.456,   
[Faces]
# Faces are defined by their points, represented by the point IDs:
#   3 points for a tri-face and 4 points for a quad-face.
# The face normal is defined by the order of the points, so define
# all points in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction
# to obtain a uniform face normal 

0 - 3
# The face above is created from points 0 through 3
7 - 4
4 1 0
# Tri- and quad-faces may be combined
4 5 1
6 3 2
6 7 3
0 3 7 4
2 1 8
6 2 8
5 6 8
1 5 8

Importing .stl Files

When importing a .stl file, you select the units in which the selected file was written by choosing the appropriate Length Units. This will overwrite any length units already specified in the file.

Only ASCII .stl files are supported.

You can also load STL files from the Insert menu in CFD-Post. For details, see Method.