53.2.1 Producing an overlay plot

An overlay plot is a display that contains multiple plots in one viewport. Overlay plots are composed of layers; you use the Overlay Plot Layer Manager to create layers and to configure your overlay plots.

Tip:  You can also plot any combination of deformed and undeformed models shapes with or without contours, symbols, or materials orientations for a single output database by using the Allow Multiple Plot States tool. Since all the plot states are created on a single layer, the Allow Multiple Plot States tool is limited to displaying data from a single output database, step, and frame. For more information, see Displaying multiple plot states, Section 36.6.

To produce an overlay plot:

  1. Create the first plot that you want to include in the display.

  2. Locate the overlay plot dialog box.

    From the main menu bar, select ViewOverlay Plot. The Overlay Plot Layer Manager appears.

  3. Click Create to create a layer that contains the plot shown in the current viewport.

    The Create Viewport Layer dialog box appears.

  4. Enter a name for the layer, and click OK.

    The new layer appears in the Overlay Plot Layer Manager, with check marks in both the Visible and Current columns.

  5. Create a new plot in the current viewport.

  6. Repeat Step 3 through Step 5 to create as many layers as you would like to include in the plot. In the Create Viewport Layer dialog box for all layers after the first one, you can choose to copy the view from an existing layer by toggling on Copy view from and selecting a layer from the list.

    The new layers appear in the Overlay Plot Layer Manager as you create them; the most recently created layer will have a check mark in the Current column.

    Tip:  You can delete a layer by clicking in the Name or Object column in the Overlay Plot Layer Manager to select the layer and clicking Delete.

  7. Check that the layers that you want to include in the plot have a check mark in the Visible column, and click Plot Overlay.

    The layers appear stacked on top of each other in the current viewport in the order in which they are listed in the Overlay Plot Layer Manager.

When you have finished, you can click Plot Single in the Overlay Plot Layer Manager to exit the overlay plot state. The overlay plot disappears from the viewport, and the display returns to the previous plot state; but the Overlay Plot Layer Manager remains open. Click Dismiss to close the Overlay Plot Layer Manager. To recreate your overlay plot, select ViewOverlay Plot (if the Overlay Plot Layer Manager is not open) and click Plot Overlay.

Note:  If you dismiss the manager without clicking Plot Single, the viewport remains in the overlay plot state and you must reopen the Overlay Plot Layer Manager to return to the previous plot state.


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