Mask Panel

Use the Mask panel to mask entities from the display list.

Location: Tool page or 1D page > Connectors module

Masking can be useful to reduce the number of entities displayed. With fewer entities on the screen, it is easier to select the desired elements or lines.

It is also possible to speed up processing time by masking off portions of a large model while you are working on a smaller, localized section of the model.

When masking connectors, you can choose to mask the corresponding realized FE by selecting the mask realized FE checkbox.

Mask Subpanel

Option Action
(entities switch) Select the entities to mask.

Some collector-type options, such as comps, enable a series of checkboxes to allow you to select entities contained within the collectors.

When you select elems, click the switch to change the selection mode.
elems
Select individual elements, or select all of the elements contained by a component or on a surface.


Figure 1. Example: Elems Selection
faces
Select all of the elements on 2D and 3D faces. If there are discontinuities on a 2D face, then only the elements in between the discontinuities will be selected.


Figure 2. Example: Faces Selection
2D faces ext
Select all of the elements on a 2D face that contain discontinuities.


Figure 3. Example: 2D Faces Ext Selection
include realized fe Mask realized elements along with their related connectors.
Note: Available when masking connectors.
face angle / individual selection
face angle
Angle between the normal of facets that share an element edge. A facet can either be a shell element itself, or one of the faces of a solid element. The normal of triangular facets is that of the plane defined three corner vertices. Whereas, the normal of quadrilateral facets is calculated by taking the cross-product between its two diagonals. This special treatment for quadrilaterals is because a warped shape does not lie completely on a plane.
individual selection
Select individual elements on a face or select individual free/shared edges of elements.

Unmask Subpanel

Option Action
(entities switch) Select the entities to unmask.

Some collector-type options, such as comps, enable a series of checkboxes to allow you to select entities contained within the collectors.

When you select elems, click the switch to change the selection mode.
elems
Select individual elements, or select all of the elements contained by a component or on a surface.


Figure 4. Example: Elems Selection
faces
Select all of the elements on 2D and 3D faces. If there are discontinuities on a 2D face, then only the elements in between the discontinuities will be selected.


Figure 5. Example: Faces Selection
2D faces ext
Select all of the elements on a 2D face that contain discontinuities.


Figure 6. Example: 2D Faces Ext Selection
elements Unmask elements when unmasking the component that contains it.
points Unmask points when unmasking the component that contains it.
lines Unmask lines when unmasking the component that contains it.
surfs Unmask surfaces when unmasking the component that contains it.
solids Unmask solids when unmasking the component that contains it.
connectors Unmask connectors when unmasking the component that contains it.
loads Mask loads when masking the component that contains it.
equations Mask equations when masking the component that contains it.
master elements Unmask master elements when unmasking the component that contains it.
slave elements Unmask slave elements when unmasking the component that contains it.
ellipsoids Unmask ellipsoids when unmasking the component that contains it.
mbjoints Unmask mbjoints when unmasking the component that contains it.
mbplanes Unmask mbplanes when unmasking the component that contains it.
include realized fe Unmask realized elements along with their related connectors.
face angle / individual selection
face angle
Angle between the normal of facets that share an element edge. A facet can either be a shell element itself, or one of the faces of a solid element. The normal of triangular facets is that of the plane defined three corner vertices. Whereas, the normal of quadrilateral facets is calculated by taking the cross-product between its two diagonals. This special treatment for quadrilaterals is because a warped shape does not lie completely on a plane.
individual selection
Select individual elements on a face or select individual free/shared edges of elements.

Command Buttons

Button Action
mask Hide selected entities.
reverse Reveal any hidden entities, while hiding any visible ones, within the constraints of your selection.
reverse all As for Reverse, but affects all entities, not just your selection.
mask not shown Mask all entities that currently lie outside the current field of view (beyond the edges of the graphics area).
unmask all Reveal all entities.
unmask Reveal the selected entities.
unmask shown Unmask all entities that currently lie inside the current field of view (within the boundaries of the graphics area).
reject Undo the most recent mask operation.
return Exit the panel