Parameters

Parameter entities are used to parameterize FE entity and geometric entity attributes. In version 12.0, their exposure is limited to FE entities for input/output purposes.

Parameter entities do not have a display state of On or Off.

Parameters have an active and export state. The active state of a parameter controls the listing of the parameter in the Model browser and any of its views. If a parameter entity is active, then it is listed in the Model browser and any of its views. If a parameter entity is inactive, then it is not listed in the Model browser or any of its views.

The export state of a parameter entity controls whether or not that parameter is exported when the custom export option is utilized. The all export option is not affected by the export state of a tag. The active and export states of tag entities can be controlled using the Entity State browser.

Solver Card Support for Parameters

In order to be properly read and import parameters, independent parameters must be defined before dependent parameters. If parameters are not properly defined, Abaqus will abort the evaluation, and an error message will display. In the image below, parameter2 must be defined ahead of parameter1.

parameter_example

Parameters are evaluated and their values are determined by the solver. The final value, after the evaluation of the parameter, will be written in the input deck.

The order in which the parameters are written determines the value assigned to the parameter. The value of Parameter1, regardless of where Parameter1 is written in the input deck, will be 2.

*PARAMETER

parameter1 = 1.0

**HMNAME PROPERTY 1 property1

*SHELL SECTION, ELSET=property1, MATERIAL=Steel

<parameter1>, 5

*PARAMETER

Parameter1 = 2.0

During export, parameters are exported in the order in which they were created. Parameter information is written at the top of the input deck. If a parameter is in an Include file, then it will be written at the top of the Include file.

The keywords, *Parameter Dependence and *Parameter Table are not yet supported.

Supported Card

Solver Description

Supported Parameters

Notes

*PARAMETER

Defines numerical values through algebraic expressions of parameter names referenced throughout the input file.

Double

Integer

String

Double expression

Integer expression

Supported:

•	Parameters can be created, imported, and exported.

•	Edit parameters in the Entity Editor.

•	Parameter expressions are evaluated on the fly.

•	Parameter expressions can reference another parameter.

•	If you edit the value of a parameter, the other parameters that references it will be updated accordingly.

•	Parameterized variables are grayed out in the card editor and cannot be changed. Edit these variables in the Entity Editor.

•	You can create and assign parameters from the fields of an entity in Entity Editor.

•	Load magnitude, element node ID, Node coordinate, and so on can all be parameterized.

Limitations:

•	Support is limited to all properties and materials.

•	Parameterization of entity IDs is not supported.

•	Unsupported parameterized entities and fields are replaced with corresponding parameter values during import, to avoid the loss of data.

•	In macros and browsers, if any parameterized variable is changed, you will receive a warning message in the message bar and the value will not be updated.

•	The creation of duplicate parameters is not supported. During import, duplicate parameters and their corresponding expression will be replaced with the resolved value in the input deck.

Supported Card

Solver Description

Supported Parameters

Notes

*PARAMETER

Defines numerical values of parameter names referenced throughout the input file.

Supported:

•	Parameters can be created, imported, and exported.

•	Edit parameter expressions in the Entity Editor.

•	Parameter expressions are evaluated on the fly.

•	A parameter expression can reference another parameter.

•	If you edit the value of a parameter, the other parameters that references it will be updated accordingly.

•	The variables parameterized will be grayed out in the card editor so that it cannot be changed. These fields can be changed from Entity Editor.

•	Same parameters can be used for negation by prefixing negative signs “-“.

•	You can create and assign parameters from the fields of an entity in Entity Editor.

•	Parameters can be referenced in angular brackets, along with the usual reference using “&”.

•	Free format is supported.

Limitations:

•	Support is limited to all FE entities except elements and nodes.

•	Parameterization of entity ID’s is not supported.

•	Unsupported parameterized entities and fields are replaced with corresponding parameter values during import, to avoid the loss of data.

•	In macros and browsers, if any parameterized variable is changed a warning message will appear in the message bar and the value will not be updated.

*PARAMETER_EXPRESSION

Defines numerical values through algebraic expressions of parameter names referenced throughout the input file.

Supported:

•	Parameters can be created, imported, and exported.

•	You can edit parameters and parameter expressions in the Entity Editor.

•	Parameter expressions are evaluated on the fly.

•	Parameter expression can reference another parameter.

•	If you edit the value of a parameter, the other parameters that references it will be updated accordingly.

•	Same parameters can be used for negation by prefixing negative signs “-“.

•	The variables parameterized will be grayed out in the card editor so that it cannot be changed. These fields can be changed from Entity Editor.

•	Parameters can be referenced in angular brackets, along with the usual reference using “&”.

•	Free format is supported.

Limitations:

•	Support is limited to all FE entities except elements and nodes.

•	Parameterization of entity ID’s is not supported.

•	Unsupported parameterized entities and fields are replaced with corresponding parameter values during import, to avoid the loss of data.

•	In Macros and Browser, if any parameterized variable is changed a warning message will appear in the message bar and the value will not be updated.

Supported Card	Solver Description	Supported Parameters	Notes
%DEFREPSYM	Defines default parameter values.	Materials Properties	Can be created, imported, and exported. Edit in the Entity Editor.
%DEFREPWIDTH	Defines default width information.		Automatically created during export when a parameter is created in HyperMesh.
%SETREPSYM	Defines default values.	Materials Properties	Cannot be created in HyperMesh, only imported and exported.
%UNDEFREPSYM	Clears or unsets default parameter values.	Materials Properties	Cannot be created in HyperMesh, only imported and exported.
%UNSETREPSYM	Clears or unsets parameter values.	Materials Properties	Cannot be created in HyperMesh, only imported and exported.

Materials that can be parameterized in the NastranMSC user profile.

•

MAT1

•

MAT10

•

MAT2

•

MAT4

•

MAT5

•

MAT8

•

MAT9

•

MATEP

•

MATG

•

MATHE

•

MATHP

Properties that can be parameterized in the NastranMSC user profile.

•

PAABSF

•

PACBAR

•

PACINF

•

PAERO2

•

PBEND

•

PBUSH

•

PBUSH1D

•

PCOMP

•

PCOMPG

•

PCOMPP

•

PCONVM

•

PWELD

•

PDAMP

•

PELAS

•

PELAST

•

PFAST

•

PGAP

•

PHBDY

•

PMASS

•

PROD

•

PSEAM

•

PSHEAR

•

PSHELL

•

PSHELL1

•

PTUBE

•

PVISC

•	The parameter entity is supported in the OptiStruct interface, however support is limited to parameters that are created in HyperMesh and associated with parameters in HyperStudy.

•	Scope is limited to material and property entity types. Also, within those entity types, parameterization is restricted to template attributes of type double.

•	Parameterized attributes are unparameterized with their original value during export.

•	Parameters cannot be exported or imported.

Supported Card

Solver Description

Supported Parameters

Notes

/GLOBAL/INT_EXPR/

Defines numerical values through algebraic expressions of parameter names referenced throughout the input file.

Supported:

•	Parameters can be created, imported, and exported.

•	Edit parameter expressions in the Entity Editor.

•	Parameter expressions are evaluated on the fly.

•	Parameter expressions can reference another parameter.

•	If you edit the value of a parameter, the other parameters that references it will be updated accordingly.

•	Same parameters can be used for negation by prefixing negative signs “-“.

•	Parameterized variables are grayed out in the card editor and cannot be changed. Edit these variables in the Entity Editor.

Limitations:

•	Support is limited to all FE entities except elements and nodes.

•	Parameterization of entity IDs is not supported.

•	Unsupported parameterized entities and fields are replaced with corresponding parameter values during import, to avoid the loss of data.

•	In macros and browsers, if any parameterized variable is changed, you will receive a warning message in the message bar and the value will not be updated.

/GLOBAL/INTEGER/

Defines numerical values of parameter names referenced throughout the input file.

Supported:

•	Parameters can be imported, exported, and created in HyperMesh.

•	Edit parameter expressions in the Entity Editor.

•	Create and assign parameters on the fly in Entity Editor.

•	Same parameters can be used for negation by prefixing negative signs “-“.

•	Parameterized variables are grayed out in the card editor and cannot be changed. Edit these variables in the Entity Editor.

Limitations:

•	Support is limited to all FE entities except elements and nodes.

•	Parameterization of entity IDs is not supported.

•	Unsupported parameterized entities and fields are replaced with corresponding parameter values during import, to avoid the loss of data.

•	In macros and browser, if any parameterized variable is changed, you will receive a warning message in the message bar and the value will not be updated.

/GLOBAL/REAL/

Defines numerical values of parameter names referenced throughout the input file.

Supported:

•	Parameters can be imported, exported, and created in HyperMesh.

•	Edit parameter expressions in the Entity Editor.

•	Create and assign parameters on the fly in Entity Editor.

•	Same parameters can be used for negation by prefixing negative signs “-“.

•	Parameterized variables are grayed out in the card editor and cannot be changed. Edit these variables in the Entity Editor.

Limitations:

•	Support is limited to all FE entities except elements and nodes.

•	Parameterization of entity IDs is not supported.

•	Unsupported parameterized entities and fields are replaced with corresponding parameter values during import, to avoid the loss of data.

•	In macros and browser, if any parameterized variable is changed, you will receive a warning message in the message bar and the value will not be updated.

/GLOBAL/REAL_EXPR/

Defines numerical values through algebraic expressions of parameter names referenced throughout the input file.

Supported:

•	Parameters can be imported, exported, and created in HyperMesh.

•	Edit parameter expressions in the Entity Editor.

•	Parameter expressions are evaluated on the fly.

•	Parameter expressions can reference another parameter.

•	If you edit the value of a parameter, the other parameters that references it will be updated accordingly.

•	Same parameters can be used for negation by prefixing negative signs “-“.

•	Parameterized variables are grayed out in the card editor and cannot be changed. Edit these variables in the Entity Editor.

Limitations:

•	Support is limited to all FE entities except elements and nodes.

•	Parameterization of entity IDs is not supported.

•	Unsupported parameterized entities and fields are replaced with corresponding parameter values during import, to avoid the loss of data.

•	In macros and browser, if any parameterized variable is changed, you will receive a warning message in the message bar and the value will not be updated.

Parameters

Parameters

Parameters

Supported Card

Solver Description

Supported Parameters

Notes

Supported Card

Solver Description

Supported Parameters

Notes

Supported Card

Solver Description

Supported Parameters

Notes

Supported Card

Solver Description

Supported Parameters

Notes

See Also: