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Organization (S): EDF-R & D/AMA
Handbook of Utilization
U4.0- booklet: Use of the commands
Document: U4.01.00
How to read the documentation of the commands

Summary:

This note is a guide of reading of the U4 booklets and U7 of Manuel d' Utilization.

It explains in particular the significance of the méta-characters and the typographical conventions used for
the description of the syntax of the commands.

All the examples given here are given as illustration and do not replace complete description
commands appearing in the booklets U4 and U7.


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Count

matters

1 Recalls on the syntax of the commands Aster ..................................................................................... 3
2 standard Plan of the documents of use of the commands ........................................................................ 3
3 Paragraph Drank ...................................................................................................................................... 4
4 Paragraph Syntax .............................................................................................................................. 4
4.1 Méta-characters of statute of operands (/ | ) ......................................................................... 5
4.1.1 Obligatory or optional operands .................................................................................. 5
4.1.2 Alternatives in the choice of the operands .............................................................................. 5
4.1.3 Combinations of the méta-characters of choice of the operands ............................................... 7
4.2 Méta-characters of the type of concept or argument ....................................................................... 8
4.2.1 Types of concepts or arguments [] ................................................................................... 8
4.2.2 Type of the concept produced [*] .................................................................................................... 8
4.3 Comments ................................................................................................................................. 9
4.4 Types of the arguments awaited by the key words ........................................................................... 9
4.5 Types of the concepts produced in Aster ...................................................................................... 10
5 Paragraph Operands ....................................................................................................................... 11
6 Phases of checking/execution .................................................................................................... 11
7 Typography and indentations ................................................................................................................ 12

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1
Recalls on the syntax of the Aster commands

The process control language and its supervisor are completely described in the document [U1.03.01].
One recalls here some notions on syntax of the Aster commands.

In Aster, one understands by the generic term of commands at the same time the operators, them
procedures and macro-commands of the process control language. An operator provides a concept
product typified (by the operator) and named by the user. A procedure does not generate a concept
product, it achieves actions such as impressions or resource allocations.

In the example below, one recalls the vocabulary which is used in the description of
commands.

Operand (S) or body of the command
Character of end of assignment



obligatory

Name chosen by the user

Operand
Operand

Operand


beto = DEFI_MATERIAU (ELAS = _F (E = 3.4E10, NAKED = 0.25, RHO = 2500.) );




Produced concept
Name of Word-key-factor
Key word
Argument
End of command


the operator
(optional)

Terminology Aster

An operand is thus the unit consisted a key word and its argument. However, in
documentation of the commands, one often indicates the operands of an operator or one
procedure by the name of their key word. For example: RHO, single-ended spanner word, or ELAS, key word factor.

The term of produced concept is generic for all the operators, it is the result of the work of
the operator.

Here in example DEFI_MATERIAU, there was creation of the structure of data of the MATER type
(material), named concrete by the user. It gathers the denominations (key word E, NAKED, RHO) and
the values (arguments 3.4E10, 0.25, 2500.) mechanical elastic characteristics (key word
factor ELAS) of material.

The term of concept-product of the result type is reserved to the operators of end of calculation of one
Aster modeling. In general, these operators provide the result of calculation, i.e.
physical fields of sizes (displacements, temperatures, constraints, efforts, etc…) on
nodes or on the meshs at various moments or for various frequencies.

The concept result comprises in general under types.

2
Standard plan of the documents of use of the commands

Each document of presentation of a command comprises the following chapters:

·
Drank,
·
Syntax,
·
Operands,
·
Phase of checking/Production run (possibly),
·
Examples.

This presentation makes it possible the user to find in only one document all knowledge
necessary to the implementation of a command.
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3 Paragraph
Drank

One states the functionality filled by the command (actions carried out). They are also specified
types of the concepts awaited in input and the produced concept, as well as characteristics of
order. The first sentence of this paragraph is also displayed automatically in so much
what bars information by Eficas.

This paragraph is also displayed by the search engines; it thus contains only text
without equations or formula.

Example: Operator STAT_NON_LINE [U4.51.03]

Drank:
To calculate the quasi-static mechanical evolution of a structure into nonlinear.

Nonthe linearity is related either to the behavior of material (for example plastic), or with
geometry (for example in great displacements). To have details on the method of
resolution employed, one will refer to the reference material [R5.03.01].

The evolution can be studied in several successive work (réentrant concept), that is to say in
continuation (the last calculated moment is the initial moment of following calculation), is in recovery in
on the basis of one former moment.

If time necessary to carry out calculation is not sufficient, the program stops,
but the already calculated results are backed up if a data base were defined in
profile of study of the user. Product a structure of data of the evol_noli type.

4 Paragraph
Syntax

One gives, in this paragraph, the whole of the operands of the command. One specifies, for each
operand, using méta-characters and of indentations suitable for the typographical presentation of
commands (cf example of operator AFFE_MATERIAU):

·
the name of the operator,
·
the name of the key words,
·
the reference symbols user of the produced concept and the arguments of the key words,
·
obligatory or optional character of the operands (statute),
·
alternatives in the choices of the operands,
·
types of the arguments awaited by the key words,
·
default values taken by the arguments in the case of optional operands,
·
the type of the produced concept, when it is about an operator.

Reference symbol of
Type of

Name of the operator
Produced concept
Produced concept
Name

symbolic system of

chm [
cham_mater] = AFFE_MATERIAU
the argument

(
MAILLAGE = my,

[grid]
Argument

imposed of type
AFFE =_F (

/TOUT= “YES”,
text
Méta-character

“obligatory”
/MAILLE= lma, [l_maille]

/GROUP_MA= lgma, [l_gr_maille]

M

ATER = chechmate, [to subdue]
Type of Concept
Méta-character


TEMP_REF =/0., [DEFAUT]
awaited user
“optional”
/tref, [R]
)

Argument
Type of argument

Méta-character
);
by defect
waited

“alternate”
Presentation of the syntax (partial) of operator AFFE_MATERIAU
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4.1
Méta-characters of statute of operands (/ | )

Four méta-characters are used to indicate the statute of the operands. It is necessary to understand here by
statute of the operands their obligatory or optional declaration and the nature of the alternatives in
choice of the operands.

These méta-characters do not form part of the process control language. They have only one function of
documentary presentation and should not thus be used for the drafting of the file of
commands.

4.1.1 Obligatory or optional operands

They are located by the presence at the head black or white rhombus.

black rhombus: it is obligatory to declare in the command the operands which follow it
sign.

white rhombus: the declaration of the operands which follow this sign is optional. In case
of absence of the operand, the command will affect possibly one or of the default values.

Example: operator DEFI_LIST_ENTI
(definition of a list of strictly increasing entireties
whose values are regularly spaced)

Li = DEFI_LIST_ENTI
(
DEBUT
=

deb.
,






INTERVALLE = _F (JUSQU_A = yew,













PAS
=
ipas,













)





);

·
It is obligatory to declare the operand identified by key word DEBUT and to provide deb. which
is the first entirety of the list to be built.

·
It is not obligatory to declare the operand identified by the key word factor INTERVALLE.
In this case the list of entireties will be summarized with only one entirety of value deb. (this is specified
in the description of the operands).

·
If operand INTERVALLE is declared, then it is obligatory to declare the operand
JUSQU_A which specifies the whole end yew of the interval to be cut out with a constant step
and the operand PAS which indicates the step ipas interval division.

4.1.2 Alternatives in the choice of the operands

They are located by the presence at the head each choice of the alternative:

·
of one/(slash): exclusive alternative, only one choice among those proposed,
·
of one | (pipe, semi colonist): nonexclusive alternative, one or more choice among those
proposed.
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Example of exclusive alternative: operator AFFE_MODELE
(assignment of the type of finite elements on
whole or part of a grid).
Mo = AFFE_MODELE (



MAILLAGE = my



AFFE = _F (
/
ALL = “YES”,









/
MAILLE
=
mall,
[l_maille]









/
NOEUD
=
noeu,
[l_noeud]









/
GROUP_MA = g_mail
, [l_gr_maille]









/
GROUP_NO = g_noeu
, [l_gr_noeud]




...............







)



);

In operand AFFE (obligatory) it should be indicated where will be affected, on the grid, the type of finite element
specified in operands PHENOMENE and MODELISATION of the same command:

·
maybe on all grid (TOUT),
·
maybe on certain meshs (MAILLE),
·
maybe on certain nodes (NOEUD),
·
maybe on certain groups of meshs (GROUP_MA),
·
maybe on certain groups of nodes (GROUP_NO).

Example of nonexclusive alternative:

operator AFFE_CHAR_MECA operand DDL_IMPO (assignment of displacements imposed on
degrees of freedom).

DDL_IMPO
=
_F
(/TOUT =
“OUI”,
/
NOEUD


=
lno
, [l_noeud]
/
GROUP_NO=
lgno,
[l_gr_noeud]
/
MAILLE

=
lma
, [l_maille]
/
GROUP_MA=
lgma,
[l_gr_maille]








| DX

=
ux
,
[R]









| DY

=
uy
,
[R]









| DZ

=
uz
,
[R]









| DRX
=
X,
[R]









| DRY
=
y,
[R]









| DRZ
=
Z,
[R]









| GRX
=
G
,
[R]









| PRES=
p
,
[R]









| PHI
=
, [R]









| TEMP=
T
,
[R]









| PRE1=
pr1
, [R]









| PRE2=
pr2
, [R]







)
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In this operator, it is necessary to specify obligatorily:

·
the applicability on the grid: everywhere (TOUT), on certain nodes (NOEUD) or on
certain groups of nodes (GROUP_NO),
·
on which degrees of freedom with which specified values by the user.

Méta-character | indicate that the user can impose a value of displacement on one (it
symbol indicates that one needs at least one of them) or several of the degrees of freedom (DX, DY, DZ, DRX,
DRY, DRZ, GRX, PRES, PHI, TEMP, PRE1, PRE2) of the beforehand indicated nodes.

4.1.3 Combinations of the méta-characters of choice of the operands

These méta-characters can be combined to illustrate the multiplicity of the choices in some
commands.

Example: order DEFI_MATERIAU (definition of a material by its properties of
behavior)

For a study of thermomechanics, one needs to define a material at the same time having
mechanical characteristics (ELAS) and thermics (THER) from where use of the pipe: |

But in each choice, one is obliged to choose if the properties of material are dependant (_FO)
or not of the temperature from where use of the slash: /; cf below:

my = DEFI_MATERIAU

(
| /ELAS = _F (
E =

yg,















NAKED
= naked,















RHO
=
rho,















ALPHA
= dil,













)
......










/ELAS_FO =_F (
E =

f1,















NAKED
= f2,















RHO
=
f3,















ALPHA
= f4,














)









| /THER = _F (
RHO_CP =
CP,















LAMBDA =,














)
......










/THER_FO =_F (
RHO_CP = g1,















LAMBDA
= g2,














)
......







);
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4.2
Méta-characters of the type of concept or argument

Like the méta-characters of statutes of operands, the hooks [] and the star * do not form part of
process control language. They have only one function of documentary presentation.

4.2.1 Types of concepts or arguments []

They frame the type of the concepts produced as well as the type of the arguments.

Example: order AFFE_MODELE (Affectation of the finite elements on the meshs of a grid)

Mo [model] = AFFE_MODELE
(
MAILLAGE =
my, [grid]







AFFE =_F (/ALL =
“OUI”,













/
MAILLE = mall,
[l_maille]
....................


);

In the example above, one thus specifies that the concept produced by AFFE_MODELE is of type
model and that the awaited concept as argument of key word MAILLE must be of l_maille type
(i.e list of mesh).

4.2.2 Type of the produced concept [*]

This méta-character indicates that the type of the produced concept, or under type of the produced concept of type
result, depends on the types of the arguments of certain operands. In this case the various ones
possibilities are registered after the syntax of the command.

Example: order COMB_CHAM_NO

In this example, if CH is a cham_no_DEPL_R given in argument of key word CHAM_NO under
key word factor COMB_C then cchno will be a cham_no_DEPL_C. If, on the other hand, CH is given under
key word factor COMB_R then cchno will be a cham_no_DEPL_R.

cchno [cham_no_ *] = COMB_CHAM_NO

(/COMB_R = _F (
CHAM_NO = CH,
[cham_no_DEPL_R]
[cham_no_TEMP_R]
[cham_no_PRES_R]









COEF_R
=
R,
[R]








)
/
COMB_C
=
_F
(CHAM_NO = CH, [cham_no_DEPL_R]
[cham_no_DEPL_C]
[cham_no_TEMP_R]
[cham_no_TEMP_C]
[cham_no_PRES_R]
[cham_no_PRES_C]









/
COEF_R
=
R,
[R]
/
COEF_C
=
C,
[C]








)

);
if COMB_R and CHAM_NO:
[cham_no_DEPL_R] then [*]
- > DEPL_R
[cham_no_TEMP_R]
[*]
- > TEMP_R
[cham_no_PRES_R]
[*]
- > PRES_R
if COMB_C and CHAM_NO:
[cham_no_DEPL_R] then [*]
- > DEPL_C
[cham_no_DEPL_C]
[*]
- > DEPL_C
[cham_no_TEMP_R]
[*]
- > TEMP_R
[cham_no_TEMP_R]
[*]
- > TEMP_C
[cham_no_PRES_R]
[*]
- > PRES_C
[cham_no_PRES_C]
[*]
- > PRES_C
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4.3 Comments

For certain complex commands such as AFFE_CARA_ELEM or DEFI_MATERIAU for example,
the character of comment is employed to comment on the alternatives of the operands. It has it
even smell that in the process control language and is interpreted like such by the supervisor.

Example for AFFE_CARA_ELEM:

POUTRE=_F (
/
MAILLE
= lma, [l_maille]
/
GROUP_MA
=
lgma,
[l_gr_maille]



/SECTION = “GENERAL”,





/
# constant section







CARA= | “A”









| “IY” |
“IZ”



list

choice
| “AY” |
“AZ”



possible for one


| “EY” |
“EZ”



section
constant | “JX”









| “RY” | “RZ” | “RT”,





/
# section variable







CARA= | “A1” | “A2”









| “IY1” | “IY2” | “IZ1” | “IZ2”
list

choice
| “AY1” | “AY2” | “AZ1” | “AZ2”
possible for one


| “EY1” | “EY2” | “EZ1” | “EZ2”
variable section



| “JX1” | “JX2”









| “RY1” | “RY2” | “RZ1” | “RZ2” | “RT1” | “RT2”,
.....

)

4.4
Types of the arguments awaited by the key words

The key words of the operands await arguments which correspond, in general, to four
classes:

·
values, one then specifies by a reference symbol the accepted data-processing type (real,
entirety, character string, etc…),
·
imposed texts, then the texts (“OUI”, “HY1”) are indicated between quotes,
·
names of topological entities simple (name of node, meshs, or lists of names),
declared in the file of grid, or the names of groups of nodes or meshs, or
lists of names of groups of nodes or meshs,
·
names and lists of names of concepts produced by the operators.

The table below gathers all the principal types of the arguments awaited by the key words:

[R] real
3.
[l_R]
list realities
(1., 3., 7.)
[I]
entirety
7
[l_I]
list entireties
(9, 6, 1, 9)
[C]
complex
IH 1.1, 7.8 or MP 10., 1.57
[l_C]
list complexes
(IH 1.1, 7.), (IH 4.7, 9.)
[L]
logic
VRAI or FAUX
[TXM]
unconstrained text (name of TITER…)
“my title”
[KN]
text lower or equal to N characters
“INST”
[l_Kn]
list texts lower or equal to N
(“SIXX”, “SIYY”, “SIXY”)
characters
[node]
name of node
N23
[l_noeud]
list names of nodes
(N23, N24, N25)
[gr_noeud]
name of group of nodes
NBORD6
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[l_gr_noeud]
list names of groups of nodes
(NBORD, NBASE, NBORD)
[mesh]
name of mesh
M34
[l_maille]
list name of mesh
(M34, M35)
[gr_maille]
name of group of meshs
MPIQUAGE
[l_gr_maille]
list names of groups of meshs
(MSOM, MDROI, MGA)
[type_concept]
type of concept (or field) produced
monresu
beforehand with generally

automatic checking of the type
[l_type_concept] list of the type of concept user
(resu1, resu2)

4.5
Types of the concepts produced in Aster

One uses the méta-character of choice of exclusive alternative/to mean the plurality of concept
waited behind a key word.

Example: operator ASSE_MATRICE
(assembly of the elementary matrices contained
in a list of concepts of the matr_elem_ type *.)

my [matr_asse_ *] = ASSE_MATRICE




(
MATR_ELEM
=
lmel,
/
[l_matr_elem_DEPL_R]





/
[l_matr_elem_DEPL_C]



/
[l_matr_elem_TEMP_R]



/
[l_matr_elem_TEMP_C]
/
[l_matr_elem_PRES_R]
/
[l_matr_elem_PRES_C]





);

if MATR_ELEM
[matr_elem_DEPL_R]
then [*]

DEPL_R
[matr_elem_DEPL_C]

DEPL_C
[matr_elem_TEMP_R]

TEMP_R
[matr_elem_TEMP_C]

TEMP_C
[matr_elem_PRES_R]

PRES_R
[matr_elem_PRES_C]

PRES_C

In the example above the concept awaited in argument of MATR_ELEM can be various types
and on the type of the last concept in argument by the user will depend (according to stated rules'
above) the typing of the concept produced by operator ASSE_MATRICE.
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5 Paragraph
Operands

One describes, for each operand the direction of the operand for this command, the nature and the type of
arguments awaited by the key words, and the restrictions and difficulties of employment.

For example, in the documentation of operator AFFE_MATERIAU, for operand AFFE,
operand intended to specify on which (S) entity (S) topological (S) of the grid of name my will be
affected the material of name chechmate produced by operator DEFI_MATERIAU, one will read:

AFFE

Key word factor which makes it possible to affect various materials on “pieces” of the grid.


/TOUT: “OUI”,

This key word makes it possible to affect on all the meshs of the grid.


/GROUP_MA: lgma,

This key word makes it possible to affect on a list of groups of meshs of the grid.

/
MAILLE
:
lma,

This key word makes it possible to affect on a list of meshs of the grid.

With each group of meshs, (key word GROUP_MA) or each list of meshs (key word MAILLE), or
still with all the grid (key word TOUT) is affected a material chechmate, which is a produced concept
by one of operators DEFI_MATERIAU [U4.43.01] or DEFI_COQU_MULT [U4.42.03].

If a mesh appears explicitly (or implicitly) in several occurrences of the key word
factor AFFE, the rule of overload is applied: it is the last assignment which precedes
[U2.01.08].

6
Phases of checking/execution

The Syntaxe paragraph of the documentation of use is the exact reflection of the catalog of
order. This catalog is a file which includes/understands, written in the language of the supervisor, all
rules on the key words: presence, exclusion, implication, contained…

Editor EFICAS exploits this catalog of command and allows the user, if with final the file
composed is valid, to obtain a correct command set.

With the execution of the study, the supervisor of Code_Aster reproduces the same task of checking
syntactic: either overall for all the file, or while alternating with the execution, orders by
order.

Moreover, during the execution itself of the commands (entered part FORTRAN of
source code), of the additional checks can be made. They are impossible constraints
to manage on the level of the process control language (equality of cardinals of different lists…).
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7
Print and indentations

For the legibility of the documents relating to the commands, all that refers to syntax is
printed in font Courier 10 points. One differentiates the various types of functional elements
(produced concept, key word, key word factor, argument) by the use of capital letters and tiny.

In capital letters:
·
names of the operators, the procedures
·
names of the key words and the key words factors,
·
imposed arguments of type text (those are between “quotes” as in the syntax of
commands).

In small letters:
·
names of the produced concepts,
·
reference symbols of the arguments,
·
types of the produced concepts and the arguments.

Into mixed tiny - capital letter when the produced concept admits under type. This one appears in
capital letters as well as type FORTRAN of the size of under type.

One reinforces the legibility of syntax by the use of indentations. They are used for the location of the blocks
operands and with the release of a group of operands under a key word factor. They too are used
to lay out the brackets of the same block under the same balance.

Example:

my [matr_asse_ *] = ASSE_MATRICE


(
MATR_ELEM
=
lmel,
/
[l_matr_elem_DEPL_R]




/
[l_matr_elem_DEPL_C]


/
[l_matr_elem_TEMP_R]
/
[l_matr_elem_PRES_C]


NUME_DDL =
naked, [nume_ddl]


CHAR_CINE
=
lcha,
/
[l_char_cine_meca]
/
[l_char_cine_ther]
/
[l_char_cine_acou]


INFO
=
/
1,
[DEFAUT]










/2,


);

if
MATR_ELEM
[matr_elem_DEPL_R]
then
[*]

DEPL_R
[matr_elem_DEPL_C]
DEPL_C
[matr_elem_TEMP_R]
TEMP_R
[matr_elem_PRES_C]
PRES_C

Handbook of Utilization
U4.0 booklet: Use of the commands
HT-66/05/004/A

Outline document