Zones are used to handle complexconfigurations or to conveniently subdivide data. Complex relations between frames can beconstructed, as an example, which have multiple frames that provideunique views of the same data set. Forexample, the frame mentioned above is associated with a data set, thedata set with one or more data files, and the data file possiblysubdivided into zones. Please do plan on alearning curve, particularly with respect to the data hierarchy. I don’t want to make Tecplot seem trivial to use. After adjustingeverything to your liking, save the whole aggregate as a single layout. Properties of plots (mesh, contour, shading, andso on) are changeable with a few menu selections. Multiple frames with individual plots and annotationssit on the workspace. A workspace appears when youstart Tecplot. The UI has a generally intuitive feel, which helps keepimpatient, non-document-reading users like me from running to thenearest fire exit, at least right away.

Once loaded, you interact with your data inside of the Tecplot WYSIWYGenvironment. The package is extensiblethrough user-written add-ins. Ididn’t list your favorite? Not to worry. There are also loaders builtinto Tecplot to handle many other standard formats, including Excel,DXF, Fluent, and DEM (though not SDTS-formatted DEMs) and others.

Tecplot is no slouch in this regard.There is an ASCII load format that is well documented, reasonablystraightforward, and with a bit of postprocessing, much existing datacan be coaxed into the program this way. This is especially true invisualization and is the reason why the better plotting packages supplyloaders for a variety of types. A huge number of options are available, from the simplest x,yplots to finite-element grids and volumetric data.ĭata preparation and conversion often present significant barriers tothe effective utilization of information.

Tecplot is a data exploration tool, producing 2D/3D graphical views ofdata. Each sphere represents one CFDrun sized by the number of iterations in the run. The plot shows thevariation of lift, speed, and angle of attach. Theresults of several hundred Cart 3D simulations of the Liquid Glide-BackBooster (a conceptual design for a new, reusable launch vehicle forspace exploration) visualized with Tecplot.

I’ll divide this brief review into two parts: a generaldescription of Tecplot and a closer look at some of the features addedin the new release. Tecplot Inc.formerly Amtec Engineeringrecently released version 10 ofits multiplatform plotting and scientific visualization program,Tecplot.

Tecplot polar contour plot