Probes
About Probes
Probes () monitor the development of a scalar-valued quantity (real or complex-valued number) from a time-dependent, frequency-domain, or parametric simulation by two different results presentations: tabulated data and 1D graph plots. You can probe while solving, as a monitor and diagnostic tool, and probe after the computation is finished for results analysis. On top of this functionality, a probe variable in the model component’s namespace and with a global evaluation scope is also defined. The probe variable’s name appears in the Probe variable field. You can use this variable as any other variable in, for example, equations, boundary conditions, or a stop condition.
Plot while solving is a technique used to briefly interrupt the simulation and launch some predefined plot commands and then continue with the simulation. Both normal plots and graphs can be plotted for probes during the simulation.
There are these types of probes (see Table 5-18 for the icon by space dimension):
Domain probes, boundary probes, and edge probes make it possible to probe the average, minimum, maximum, or integral of a field quantity over a domain, on a boundary, or along an edge.
Domain point probes and boundary point probes provide the value of some field quantity at a point in the domain or on a boundary. Any point within the domain or on the boundary can be defined.
Use Global variable probes () for probing the value of any global variable.
The probes automatically create a Probe Table node for displaying numerical results in the Table window and an associated plot group with a Probe Table Plot node that plots the probe data as a line graph in a separate Probe Plot window. For further processing, the probes also add data sets such as Domain Point Probe data sets (), which give access to the probe data. For further control, specify the table and plot window each probe uses.
To add a Probe to any Component:
On the Definitions toolbar select features from the Probes menu, or
Right-click the Definitions () node and choose an option from the Probes submenu.
When the simulation has finished, click the Update Results button () in the probe Settings window (or on the Definitions toolbar) to change the settings for a probe and update the results information. Then right-click the Definitions node (or the Probes node if the Definitions nodes are grouped by type) and select Update Probes.