Importing STL as Solid body

[tiwwexx]

Hello,

Simple question but hard to find the solution. When importing an STL file via model.Import(filepath), it imports as a triangle mesh. However, when I do this import manually I get an options box that pops up asking if I want to import as a solid body. Is there some option or flag I can use during the import python line that looks something like Import(filename, asSolid=True)? The reason why I want to do this is because the surface current viewer in the analysis tab only works for solid bodies, not these mesh grid objects.

Thanks for the help!

[bryn]

I am not sure this possible atm. Normally, you can find the options by creating an importer object and calling DumpTree on the Options, to see the names of the options.

It seems though, the Solidy option is inside a group with spaces in the name ("Stereo Lithography STL"). The name of the property cannot have spaces, so it is not accessible, e.g. by writing

importer = xcm.CreateImporterFromFile(file_name)
importer.Options.Stereo Lithography STL.Solidify.Value = Tre

I guess you could traverse the property group to find the child called "Solidify" and set it's value to True. We will investigate and make this option accessible for the 9.0 release.

Regarding the actual problem, though. Can you please explain in more detail what you mean by "surface current viewer"? Maybe we can fix this issue for the upcoming 9.0 release - it seems like it may be too restrictive and would be easy to fix.

[bryn]

the "Import As Solid" issue is fixed in the dev version. In 9.0, you can do this

importer = XCoreModeling.CreateImporterFromFile(file_name)
importer.Options.Solidify.Value = True
entities = importer.Import(file_name)

meanwhile, you could use this workaround

def find_property(prop, name):
    if prop.Name == name:
        return prop

    for i in range(prop.Size):
        child = prop.Children[i]
        result = find_property(child, name)
        if result is not None:
            return result

    return None

solidify = find_property(importer.Options, "Solidify")

assert solidify is not None
solidify.Value = True

entities = importer.Import(file_name)
assert len(entities) == 1 and isinstance(entities[0], xcm.Body)

[tiwwexx]

This is great, Thank you Byrn!

Regarding the other problem, when I have an object that is imported as a mesh grid instead of a solid body, the surface current viewer will not work. For example, I have a gradient shield that is defined as a solid object (it is a rectangular prism in the modeling tab) and a simple straight dipole that is a mesh grid (the tetrahedral like object in the modeling tab). After simulating some harmonic voltage source and going to the analysis page to check surface current density, only the gradient shield will have the surface current quiver vectors, there will be apparently no viewable surface currents on the dipole which had the actual voltage source. I hope this is an easy fix on your guys side as well!