Variable (object)

Define the variable's settings.

Each variable object has a participant-specified name that System Coupling uses to identify the variable object. Variable object names must be unique within the analysis, must be in ASCII format, and cannot include forward slashes (/).

Tip:  Shown in the GUI as the Coupling Participant | Variable branch.

Variable contents:

 

*DisplayName (setting)

Variable's display name as defined in System Coupling.

By default, set to the same value as the variable's ParticipantDisplayName. The display name may be user-specified.

Variable display names must be unique. When duplicates exist, System Coupling appends an integer to the end of the duplicate variable names, beginning with the second instance. For example, two Mechanical participants in the same analysis might be named Transient Structural and Transient Structural 2.

Because variable display names are used in expressions, System Coupling automatically converts spaces to underscores ("_") and removes invalid characters.

Variable display names are shown in the System Coupling GUI and in user-facing output such as Transcript/Log files, charting output, and EnSight-formatted results.

Tip:  Shown in the GUI as the variable object under the Variable branch.

 

ParticipantDisplayName (setting)

Variable's display name as defined by the participant solver.

Participant-defined variable display names need not be unique. When there are multiple instances of the same variable from the same solver, all instances of the variable have the same value. For example, if there are three instances of Mechanical's incremental displacement variable, all three variables will have ParticipantDisplayName set to Incremental_Displacement.

Tip:  Shown in the GUI as the Coupling Participant | Variable | Participant Display Name setting.

 

DataType (setting)

Variable's data type as reported by the participant.

Possible values:

  • Real (default value)

    The coupling participant is declaring a variable with a real value.

  • Complex

    The coupling participant is declaring a variable with a complex value — that is, a number with both real and imaginary components.

    Note:  Expressions are not supported for complex values.

Tip:  Shown in the GUI as the Coupling Participant | Variable | Data Type setting.

 

QuantityType (setting)

Quantity type of the variable being transferred.

Required when coupling participants do not provide values for the TensorType and/or IsExtensive settings.

Otherwise, optional. If a quantity type is not available, then:

  • Values for the TensorType and/or IsExtensive settings are required.

  • Any variables with the same TensorType can be coupled.

Possible values:

  • Unspecified (default value)

  • Convection Reference Temperature

  • Force

  • Heat Rate

  • Heat Transfer Coefficient

  • Incremental Displacement

  • Mode Shape

  • Temperature

Tip:  Shown in the GUI as the Coupling Participant | Variable | Quantity Type setting.

 

Location (setting)

Location of the variable being transferred.

Possible values:

  • Node (default value)

  • Element

Tip:  Shown in the GUI as the Coupling Participant | Variable | Location setting.

 

TensorType (setting)

Tensor type of the variable being transferred.

Note:  Not available for FMU variables that have a data type of than Real.

Required when Variable.QuantityType is set to Unspecified. Otherwise, optional.

If the participant does not supply a value for the TensorType setting, then a value is inferred from other information provided by the participant.

Possible values:

  • Scalar

  • Vector

Tip:  Shown in the GUI as the Coupling Participant | Variable | Tensor Type setting.

 

IsExtensive (setting)

Whether the variable is extensive. (A property is extensive if its value depends on the size of the system.)

Required when Variable.QuantityType is set to Unspecified. Otherwise, optional.

If the participant does not supply a value for the IsExtensive setting, then a value is inferred from other information provided by the participant.

Possible values:

  • True

    The variable is extensive, which means that the value depends on the size of the system. For example, Force is extensive because it depends on the area of the mesh faces.

  • False

    The variable is intensive, which means that the value does not depend on the size of the system. For example, Force Density is intensive because it is Force per-unit-area.

Tip:  Shown in the GUI as the Coupling Participant | Variable | Is Extensive setting.

 

Attribute (object)

Set the variable's attributes.

Tip:  Shown in the GUI as the Coupling Participant | Variable | Attribute branch.

Attribute contents:

 
AttributeType (setting)

Set the attribute's type.

Blank values are not permitted. A value must be specified.

Possible values:

  • Real

  • Integer

Tip:  Shown in the GUI as the Coupling Participant | Variable | Attribute | Attribute Type setting.

 
*RealValue (setting)

Available when AttributeType is set to Real.

Set a real value for the attribute.

Accepts real values ≥ 0.0. Defaults to 0.0.

Expressions are not supported.

Tip:  Shown in the GUI as the Coupling Participant | Variable | Attribute | Real Value setting.

 
*IntegerValue (setting)

Available when AttributeType is set to Integer.

Set an integer value for the attribute.

Accepts integer values ≥ 0. Defaults to 0.

Expressions are not supported.

Tip:  Shown in the GUI as the Coupling Participant | Variable | Attribute | Integer Value setting.

 

Dimensionality (singleton)

Available when AttributeType is set to Real.

Set the variable's dimensionality.

Tip:  Shown in the GUI as the Coupling Participant | Variable | Dimensionality branch.

Dimensionality contents:

 
*Angle (setting)

Available when AttributeType is set to Real.

The variable's angle.

Accepts real values ≥ 0.0. Defaults to 0.0.

Expressions are not supported.

Tip:  Shown in the GUI as the Coupling Participant | Variable | Dimensionality | Angle setting.

 
*AmountOfSubstance (setting)

Available when AttributeType is set to Real.

The variable's amount of substance.

Accepts real values ≥ 0.0. Defaults to 0.0.

Expressions are not supported.

Tip:  Shown in the GUI as the Coupling Participant | Variable | Dimensionality | Amount Of Substance setting.

 
*Current (setting)

Available when AttributeType is set to Real.

The variable's current.

Accepts real values ≥ 0.0. Defaults to 0.0.

Expressions are not supported.

Tip:  Shown in the GUI as the Coupling Participant | Variable | Dimensionality | Current setting.

 
*Length (setting)

Available when AttributeType is set to Real.

The variable's length.

Accepts real values ≥ 0.0. Defaults to 0.0.

Expressions are not supported.

Tip:  Shown in the GUI as the Coupling Participant | Variable | Dimensionality | Length setting.

 
*LuminousIntensity (setting)

Available when AttributeType is set to Real.

The variable's luminous intensity value.

Accepts real values ≥ 0.0. Defaults to 0.0.

Expressions are not supported.

Tip:  Shown in the GUI as the Coupling Participant | Variable | Dimensionality | Luminous Intensity setting.

 
*Mass (setting)

Available when AttributeType is set to Real.

The variable's mass.

Accepts real values ≥ 0.0. Defaults to 0.0.

Expressions are not supported.

Tip:  Shown in the GUI as the Coupling Participant | Variable | Dimensionality | Mass setting.

 
*Temperature (setting)

Available when AttributeType is set to Real.

The variable's temperature.

Accepts real values ≥ 0.0. Defaults to 0.0.

Expressions are not supported.

Tip:  Shown in the GUI as the Coupling Participant | Variable | Dimensionality | Temperature setting.

 
*Time (setting)

Available when AttributeType is set to Real.

The variable's time.

Accepts real values ≥ 0.0. Defaults to 0.0.

Expressions are not supported.

Tip:  Shown in the GUI as the Coupling Participant | Variable | Dimensionality | Time setting.