28.1. User Surface

You can define a user surface from a .csv file, for example one that was exported from CFD-Post. For details on the export of surface data from CFD-Post, see USER SURFACE Data Format in the CFD-Post User's Guide.

Creating a User Surface

  1. Select Insert > User Locations > User Surface.

    The Insert User Surface dialog box appears.

  2. Set Name to a unique name for the user surface and click OK.

    The details view for the user surface appears.

  3. Select a Data Storage option:

    • Use External File

      Data is defined by the file you specify under File Name and by the section of data within that file, selected under Section Name. The CFX-Solver will use the selected data section of the specified file.

      Note:  When submitting a run to a cluster or running on a different machine, the path to the .csv file must be valid on that cluster/machine.

    • Internal

      Data is read from the file that you select after clicking Copy Data Into Setup. This data is copied into the case definition when you click Apply or OK. The CFX-Solver will use the data stored with the case definition.

      Note that, after you click Copy Data Into Setup, the Copy Data Into Setup dialog box appears, where you specify the data file to read. If the specified file has an incorrect format, an error message will appear; after making corrections to such a file, click Reload to reassess the format of the file.

  4. In the details view, optionally select Visibility to view the surface in the graphics window.

    Note:  The displayed surface will not be automatically updated if the user surface input file is subsequently modified, even when using the Use External File data storage option.

  5. Click OK.

    An object named after the user surface is created and listed in the tree view under Simulation > User Locations.