COMSOL 6.3 - Plotting and Cross-Section Interactive Toolbar

On the or toolbars, interactive buttons are available based on the plot type in the section. Use these buttons during the creation of cross-section plots or in general while creating plots.

Table 21-13: Plotting and Cross-Section Toolbar: Graphics Interaction.
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).
	Marker Point	If you click on a Surface, Volume, or Line 2D or 3D plot, a marker is added at that location with the plotted quantity’s value at that point, and a corresponding row with the marker coordinates is added to an existing Marker subnode set up to display point evaluations, or a new Marker subnode is added if needed.
	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.

Table 21-13: Plotting and Cross-Section Toolbar: Graphics Interaction.

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).

Marker Point

If you click on a Surface, Volume, or Line 2D or 3D plot, a marker is added at that location with the plotted quantity’s value at that point, and a corresponding row with the marker coordinates is added to an existing Marker subnode set up to display point evaluations, or a new subnode is added if needed.

First Point for Cut Line

Available for 2D and 3D plot groups to create a cross-section line plot. Adds a dataset and a with a 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 dataset and a with a 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 dataset and a with a 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 dataset and a with a 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 dataset and a with a 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 dataset and a with a plot that uses this dataset.

Click this button to plot a plane.

In addition, various types of plots can be added from the section.

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 . 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.

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.