Use the Variables node to define expressions as user-defined
variables. Global variables can be used in any context that accepts variable expressions, in all Components and on all geometric entities — provided that their expressions are also global expressions. In contrast, local variables have a specific geometry domain of definition. Such variables can only be used and evaluated in a specific Component, or on selected domains, boundaries, edges, or points.
Select the geometric scope from the Geometric entity level list:
Entire model,
Domain,
Boundary,
Edge (3D only), or
Point. For all levels except
Entire model, you must also specify the variables domain of definition either by adding entities to a
Manual selection or choosing
All boundaries, for example, from the
Selection list.
In the Variables table or the fields under the table, enter variables by defining a variable name under
Name, an expression that define the variable under
Expression (see
About Parameters, Variables, and Expressions), and (optionally) a description that explains the variable under
Descriptions. Alternately, you can import variable definitions from a text file. For the expression, press Ctrl+Space (or Ctrl+/) or use the
Insert Expression button (
) below the table to choose from a number of applicable variables, parameters, functions, operators, and constants that you can insert into the expression at the position of the cursor. Use other buttons underneath the table to move and remove rows and to clear the table.
Additionally, the Save to File button (
) saves variables to a text file (or to a Microsoft Excel Workbook spreadsheet if the license includes LiveLink™
for Excel®) for reuse in other models. The information is saved in space-separated columns in the same order as displayed on screen. When saving to Excel, an
Excel Save dialog box appears where you can specify the sheet and range and whether to overwrite existing data, include a header, or use a separate column for units.
Using the Load from File button (
), you can import or load data in text files created, for example, by a spreadsheet program. Data must be separated by spaces or tabs. If the license includes LiveLink™
for Excel® you can also load variables from a Microsoft Excel Workbook spreadsheet. Then an
Excel Load dialog box appears where you can specify the sheet and range, whether to overwrite existing data, and declare if the data is stored using a separate column for units.