7.3. Initialize Profile Data

The Initialize Profile Data command invokes the Initialize Profile Data dialog box, which can:

  • Import data from a profile data file, creating a profile user function that can be used in applications such as profile boundary conditions or injection regions.

  • Import data from a table data file, creating a table user function that can be used in applications such as operating point input parameter tables.

To import profile or table data

  1. Select Tools > Initialize Profile Data.

    The Initialize Profile Data dialog box appears.

  2. Beside Profile Data File, click Browse  .

    The Select Profile Data File dialog box appears.

  3. Select the file containing your profile data.

  4. Click Open.

    The Select Profile Data File dialog box disappears. The profile data file is loaded. Basic information about the loaded profiles appears in the Initialize Profile Data dialog box.

    Note that if the path or filename is altered by typing in Data File, the OK and Apply buttons become unavailable. You must then click Reload to re-read the specified file and update the displayed profile information.

  5. Specify the Profile Data Storage setting.

    The options are:

    • Use External File

      With this option, the simulation gets profile data directly from the profile data file. Any changes to numerical values in the file take effect when the simulation is run. More substantial changes (new or renamed columns, etc.) require re-initialization in CFX-Pre.

    • Copy Profile Data Into Setup

      With this option, the profile/table data is copied into the current case definition and the profile/table data file is no longer referenced. Any changes to the profile/table data file require re-initialization in CFX-Pre in order to take effect.

  6. In the list of profiles that appears near the top of the Initialize Profile Data dialog box, select the check boxes for the profiles that you want to initialize.

    The Function Status column indicates whether or not initialization would produce a new function or update an existing function for the applicable profile.

    In the list, whichever profile is selected, not via the check box but via highlighting the entire list item, the following basic data appears: index names; parameter names and their units; field names and their units.

  7. For a profile that has three Cartesian spatial coordinates, you can select the Visibility check box to display the profile geometry, enabling you to visually confirm that the profile geometry is correctly aligned and scaled with the boundaries of the CFD model.

    When you select a profile’s Visibility check box in the Initialize Profile Data dialog box, or make the corresponding user function (in the Outline tree view) visible, you can control the rendering properties of the profile geometry. The appearance of the profile shape will depend on the specified face connectivity.

    • If a profile has face connectivity specified, in addition to nodal values, then the profile geometry appears as faces.

    • If a profile has no face connectivity, then the profile geometry appears as points based on the nodes.

    For details, see Render Options in the CFX-Pre User's Guide.

  8. Click OK.

    In the Outline tree view, under Simulation > Expressions, Functions and Variables, a user function object is listed for each selected profile or table function. In the case of profile functions based on three Cartesian coordinates with visibility turned on, the profile geometry is displayed in the viewer.

Note:  If you use the Copy Profile Data Into Setup option, and there is already existing data for this function stored in the case, the existing data will be overwritten and cannot be restored using the Undo command.

Note:  If you use the Copy Profile Data Into Setup option, you can update the stored data by using the Tools > Initialize Profile Data command again. Alternatively, you can use the cfx5dfile script to update the profile data or table data stored within the case using an external data file.

If you use cfx5cmds to update CCL, and/or you use cfx5dfile to update the profile data or table data stored within the case, then you must, in addition to updating an mdef file, also perform the same update to any associated .def or .cfg files.