Plotting and Cross-Section Interactive Toolbar
On the 2D Plot Group or 3D Plot Group toolbars, interactive buttons are available based on the plot type. Use these buttons during the creation of cross-section plots or in general while creating plots.
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Plot Group Contextual Toolbar
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Results Toolbar and Plot Group Contextual Toolbar
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See Table 21-11 for links to all the plots.
Table 21-13: Plotting and Cross-Section Toolbar
Icon
Name
Use and Result
Evaluate Along Normal
If you click in a point in the graphics window when a 3D view is shown, then the ray that begins in the point on the screen is intersected with the surfaces of the plot and the color in the first intersection is evaluated to a table with four columns: (x, y, z, color).
Evaluate
In 2D, if you click on the plot, then the value of the expression that defines the color in that point is evaluated to a table. It contains three columns: (x, y, value).
First Point for Cut Line
Available for 2D and 3D plot groups to create a cross-section line plot. Adds a Cut Line dataset and a 1D Plot Group with a Line Graph that uses this dataset.
Click these buttons to plot a cross-section of data between two points.
Second Point for Cut Line
Cut Line Direction
Available with 3D plot groups to create a cross-section line plot. Adds a Cut Line dataset and a 1D Plot Group with a Line Graph that uses this dataset.
Click this button to plot a line perpendicular to a point selected in the Graphics window.
Cut Line Surface Normal
Available with 3D plot groups to create a cross-section line plot. Adds a Cut Line dataset and a 1D Plot Group with a Line Graph that uses this dataset.
Click this button to plot a line in the same way as a domain point probe, with point and direction.
First Point for Cut Plane Normal
Available with 3D plot groups to create a cross-section surface plot. Adds a Cut Plane 3D dataset and a 2D Plot Group with a Surface plot that uses this dataset.
Click these buttons to plot a cross-section of data between the two points along the plane.
Second Point for Cut Plane Normal
Cut Plane Normal
Available with 3D plot groups to create a cross-section surface plot. Adds a Cut Plane 3D dataset and a 2D Plot Group with a Surface plot that uses this dataset.
Click this button to plot a plane perpendicular to a point selected in the Graphics window.
Cut Plane Normal from Surface
Available with 3D plot groups to create a cross-section surface plot. Adds a Cut Plane 3D dataset and a 2D Plot Group with a Surface plot that uses this dataset.
Click this button to plot a plane.
Surface
Click this button to add a Surface plot to a 2D or 3D Plot Group.
Surface with Height
Click this button to add a surface plot with a height attribute to a 2D Plot Group.
Arrow Surface
Click this button to add an Arrow Surface plot to a 2D Plot Group.
Streamline
Click this button to add a Streamline plot to a 2D or 3D Plot Group.
Line
Click this button to add a Line plot to a 2D or 3D Plot Group.
Slice
Click this button to add a Slice plot to a 3D Plot Group.
Isosurface
Click this button to add an Isosurface plot to a 3D Plot Group.
Volume
Click this button to add a Volume plot to a 3D Plot Group.
Arrow Volume
Click this button to add an Arrow Volume plot to a 3D Plot Group.
Notes About Using the Cross-Section interactive toolbar
The first time any button is clicked on the cross-section toolbar, a dataset and a plot group containing either a line graph or surface plot are added to the Model Builder. No new dataset or plot group is created unless the generated dataset or plot groups are deleted or disabled. See below for exceptions. The COMSOL software chooses the default coordinates for the cross section as a vertical line intersecting the data in the middle.
It is important to ensure the areas of the geometry selected contain data when defining the line or plane. When lines or planes are changed, the coordinates and calculations are automatically updated in the dataset and in the final plot.
Deleting and Disabling Datasets and Plot Groups
The following exceptions apply to the datasets and plot groups that are automatically added using the cross-section toolbar.
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If a plot group is disabled, no new dataset or plot group is created even if you click one of the interactive buttons. You need to enable the plot group to regenerate the cross-section plot.
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If a plot group is deleted, click one of the interactive buttons to regenerate the plot group using the cut plane or cut line dataset.
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If a dataset is deleted, and it is used with a plot group, the plot group is also deleted at the same time. However, if the plot group is using another dataset, it is not deleted.
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If a dataset is disabled, the associated plot group is not disabled. However, if you want to plot another cross section, click one of the interactive buttons to create a new dataset to use with the plot group.