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Simple Geometry Question

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How can I tell which geometry object is which? If I draw two circles, c1 and c2, how can I tell which is which? The "intuitive" method -- clicking on the object in model builder does nothing. Neither does clicking on the object in the graphics panel. I must be a dope because it's inconceivable Comsol doesn't give users an easy way to identify objects. What am I missing?

17 Replies Last Post May 31, 2017, 12:28 p.m. EDT

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Posted: 1 decade ago Apr 3, 2012, 4:22 p.m. EDT
1. Somewhere in Preferences you can make the labels visible in your graphics window
2. You can check identifier in Model Builder. After you draw a circle, the title of it under Geometry is "Circle (c1)". You just need to select the right option from "View-Model Builder..."
3. View-Selection List is also sometimes very helpful
1. Somewhere in Preferences you can make the labels visible in your graphics window 2. You can check identifier in Model Builder. After you draw a circle, the title of it under Geometry is "Circle (c1)". You just need to select the right option from "View-Model Builder..." 3. View-Selection List is also sometimes very helpful

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Posted: 1 decade ago Apr 4, 2012, 7:47 a.m. EDT
1. I've looked through preferences and turned on anything that seems related to "labels", but still no joy. I see some of the tutorials show labels, but my screen does not. How can this be turned on?

2. I understand that model builder lists all the objects with labels, but which label goes with which object? Am I forced
to try to memorize the correspondence? That seems very silly in the year 2012.

3. The numbers found in selection list are different yet again from the labels given in model builder and the visual
representation displayed in the graphics window. You'd think that clicking on a selection, or an object, or a graphics
element would highlight the corresponding element(s) in each view as it would in almost every other software I've used.

So my question remains: if I draw multiple objects, how do I know which one is which? Suppose I want to disable one of them, how do I figure out which one to disable? Trial and error?
1. I've looked through preferences and turned on anything that seems related to "labels", but still no joy. I see some of the tutorials show labels, but my screen does not. How can this be turned on? 2. I understand that model builder lists all the objects with labels, but which label goes with which object? Am I forced to try to memorize the correspondence? That seems very silly in the year 2012. 3. The numbers found in selection list are different yet again from the labels given in model builder and the visual representation displayed in the graphics window. You'd think that clicking on a selection, or an object, or a graphics element would highlight the corresponding element(s) in each view as it would in almost every other software I've used. So my question remains: if I draw multiple objects, how do I know which one is which? Suppose I want to disable one of them, how do I figure out which one to disable? Trial and error?

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Posted: 1 decade ago Apr 4, 2012, 8:01 a.m. EDT
As Alexander already pointed out: Switch on the 'selection list' in the view menu. This provides what you want. You must switch on the identifier in the model builder node label.

However, it would be a suggestion to COMSOL to highlight the object selected in the model builder in the graphics.

Cheers
Edgar
As Alexander already pointed out: Switch on the 'selection list' in the view menu. This provides what you want. You must switch on the identifier in the model builder node label. However, it would be a suggestion to COMSOL to highlight the object selected in the model builder in the graphics. Cheers Edgar

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Posted: 1 decade ago Apr 4, 2012, 12:51 p.m. EDT
try Model-Definitions-View and check "Show geometry labels"
try Model-Definitions-View and check "Show geometry labels"

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Posted: 1 decade ago Apr 5, 2012, 9:05 a.m. EDT
"As Alexander already pointed out: Switch on the 'selection list' in the view menu. This provides what you want. You must switch on the identifier in the model builder node label."

Can you post a screen shot of what you are talking about, or give me a pointer to a page in a users manual. I must be very dense, but if I look at the "selection list" tab, there are region numbers that do not correspond to the labels used in the model builder, which lists whole entities. There's a "view" node under the models node with "Show Geometry Labels" checkbox under settings. I check it and nothing happens. I still can't figure out which object corresponds to which object under geometry in Model builder.

Please explain what you mean by "switch on the identifier". That's exactly what I want to do -- telling me to "just switch it on" is not helping me figure out *how*. What exactly do I "switch"??????
"As Alexander already pointed out: Switch on the 'selection list' in the view menu. This provides what you want. You must switch on the identifier in the model builder node label." Can you post a screen shot of what you are talking about, or give me a pointer to a page in a users manual. I must be very dense, but if I look at the "selection list" tab, there are region numbers that do not correspond to the labels used in the model builder, which lists whole entities. There's a "view" node under the models node with "Show Geometry Labels" checkbox under settings. I check it and nothing happens. I still can't figure out which object corresponds to which object under geometry in Model builder. Please explain what you mean by "switch on the identifier". That's exactly what I want to do -- telling me to "just switch it on" is not helping me figure out *how*. What exactly do I "switch"??????

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Posted: 1 decade ago Apr 5, 2012, 9:15 a.m. EDT
I double checked. I have "show geometry labels" checked under the settings of the view node and no geometry labels appear -- or at least not that I can see. Is there some other thing I need to do to make them visible? Set a color? Enable "show text" mode or some such nonsense?
I double checked. I have "show geometry labels" checked under the settings of the view node and no geometry labels appear -- or at least not that I can see. Is there some other thing I need to do to make them visible? Set a color? Enable "show text" mode or some such nonsense?

Ivar KJELBERG COMSOL Multiphysics(r) fan, retired, former "Senior Expert" at CSEM SA (CH)

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Posted: 1 decade ago Apr 5, 2012, 10:54 a.m. EDT
Hi

normally not if you set de geometrical lables in the active View (in case you have several, select carefully the one you have changed the settings)

You might need to refresh your graphics manually, and go into the geometry nodes and then check the different entitiy selection buttons/icons (window border top right): domains, boundaries, edges, points this should switch through the different enetity views and give the different labels.

You can also use the "Selection view" (turn it on by the view settings) and select an entitiy therein, it will highlighnt in the graphics view, or if you select it in any physics node selection view, it will highlight in the Selection view) but if you are looking for edges or points, its easier in wireframe mode or at least transparenciy mode, than in full 3D geometrical mode

You need some time to get used to the graphics approach, if you are a new user of COMSOL, but once you got the tricks, it's rather easy and handy

--
Good luck
Ivar
Hi normally not if you set de geometrical lables in the active View (in case you have several, select carefully the one you have changed the settings) You might need to refresh your graphics manually, and go into the geometry nodes and then check the different entitiy selection buttons/icons (window border top right): domains, boundaries, edges, points this should switch through the different enetity views and give the different labels. You can also use the "Selection view" (turn it on by the view settings) and select an entitiy therein, it will highlighnt in the graphics view, or if you select it in any physics node selection view, it will highlight in the Selection view) but if you are looking for edges or points, its easier in wireframe mode or at least transparenciy mode, than in full 3D geometrical mode You need some time to get used to the graphics approach, if you are a new user of COMSOL, but once you got the tricks, it's rather easy and handy -- Good luck Ivar

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Posted: 1 decade ago Apr 5, 2012, 12:17 p.m. EDT
Attached is a screenshot. I created two concentric spheres, and a cylinder in a new file. Where are the geometry labels? This is wireframe mode. They aren't visible in transparent mode, either. I must be doing something silly.

As far as knowing the "tricks", I'm glad that you know them and you feel they are easy and handy. I've been using Comsol long enough to see the UI change dramatically, which is not conducive to learning tricks over time, as you suggest might be possible for some people.
Attached is a screenshot. I created two concentric spheres, and a cylinder in a new file. Where are the geometry labels? This is wireframe mode. They aren't visible in transparent mode, either. I must be doing something silly. As far as knowing the "tricks", I'm glad that you know them and you feel they are easy and handy. I've been using Comsol long enough to see the UI change dramatically, which is not conducive to learning tricks over time, as you suggest might be possible for some people.


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Posted: 1 decade ago Apr 5, 2012, 3:21 p.m. EDT
maybe it's the problem with your video card drivers?
maybe it's the problem with your video card drivers?

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Posted: 1 decade ago Apr 6, 2012, 10:50 a.m. EDT

maybe it's the problem with your video card drivers?


I run Comsol on a brand new iMac -- maybe it's a bug in Comsol.
[QUOTE] maybe it's the problem with your video card drivers? [/QUOTE] I run Comsol on a brand new iMac -- maybe it's a bug in Comsol.

Jean-Christophe Lavocat

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Posted: 1 decade ago Jun 19, 2012, 10:25 a.m. EDT
I have the same problem (comsol 4.2) under linux.

Well, to be more precise, it does work only for surfaces, not for volumes.

I think it's a bug too.
I have the same problem (comsol 4.2) under linux. Well, to be more precise, it does work only for surfaces, not for volumes. I think it's a bug too.

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Posted: 10 years ago Dec 31, 2014, 11:55 a.m. EST
Here I am two years later -- with thousands of hours of COMSOL experience -- and I'm _still_ baffeled by this same question. See the attached screenshot. Why does COMSOL display the useless "fin" geometry label rather than the labels for the individual geometry entities? Did I miss a memo?
Here I am two years later -- with thousands of hours of COMSOL experience -- and I'm _still_ baffeled by this same question. See the attached screenshot. Why does COMSOL display the useless "fin" geometry label rather than the labels for the individual geometry entities? Did I miss a memo?


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Posted: 8 years ago Feb 17, 2017, 6:07 a.m. EST
Maybe you have already solved your problem if no maybe you can have a look on this.
Maybe you have already solved your problem if no maybe you can have a look on this.


Jeff Hiller COMSOL Employee

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Posted: 8 years ago Feb 17, 2017, 12:24 p.m. EST
Hello Naseer,

Looking at this thread, Chris encountered a combination of a clear graphics card problem (Demonstrated by his screenshot of April 5, 2012. As a side note, the fact that he had a brand new computer at the time increased, not decreased, the chance that its graphics card driver was buggy) and perhaps a misunderstanding of the interface (His screenshot of December 31, 2014, where it seems he is expecting to see the labels for geometry objects although those geometry objects no longer exist because he's unioned them out of existence).

Regarding Jean-Christophe's post: As for geometric entities, the Graphics window will show domain numbers when you are in domain selection mode (and I have seen this to be fickle in 3D with some graphics cards), boundary numbers when you are in boundary selection mode, edge numbers when you are in edge selection mode and points when you are in point selection mode. Perhaps that was the problem.

I hope this helps future readers of this thread.
Best,
Jeff
Hello Naseer, Looking at this thread, Chris encountered a combination of a clear graphics card problem (Demonstrated by his screenshot of April 5, 2012. As a side note, the fact that he had a brand new computer at the time increased, not decreased, the chance that its graphics card driver was buggy) and perhaps a misunderstanding of the interface (His screenshot of December 31, 2014, where it seems he is expecting to see the labels for geometry objects although those geometry objects no longer exist because he's unioned them out of existence). Regarding Jean-Christophe's post: As for geometric entities, the Graphics window will show domain numbers when you are in domain selection mode (and I have seen this to be fickle in 3D with some graphics cards), boundary numbers when you are in boundary selection mode, edge numbers when you are in edge selection mode and points when you are in point selection mode. Perhaps that was the problem. I hope this helps future readers of this thread. Best, Jeff


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Posted: 8 years ago May 25, 2017, 4:09 p.m. EDT
I have yet to see evidence in any provided images of DOMAIN labels showing. By switching on "Show Geometry Labels" I can see point/edge/boundary/object labels (object 'fin' when finalized)--but NO domain labels!

Can anyone confirm? This is for newest version (5.3.a). Using NVIDIA Quadro M4000 processor, but I highly doubt this is the reason only 1 of 5 geometry views is not showing a label...

-Ado

I have yet to see evidence in any provided images of DOMAIN labels showing. By switching on "Show Geometry Labels" I can see point/edge/boundary/object labels (object 'fin' when finalized)--but NO domain labels! Can anyone confirm? This is for newest version (5.3.a). Using NVIDIA Quadro M4000 processor, but I highly doubt this is the reason only 1 of 5 geometry views is not showing a label... -Ado


Jeff Hiller COMSOL Employee

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Posted: 8 years ago May 26, 2017, 8:36 a.m. EDT
Updated: 8 years ago May 31, 2017, 11:37 a.m. EDT
Hi Bryan,
I will report this to the developers. In 3D (and only in 3D), I can reproduce the absence of domain (and only domain) labels on my machine which is also equipped with an NVIDIA Quadro.
Jeff
Hi Bryan, I will report this to the developers. In 3D (and only in 3D), I can reproduce the absence of domain (and only domain) labels on my machine which is also equipped with an NVIDIA Quadro. Jeff

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Posted: 8 years ago May 31, 2017, 12:28 p.m. EDT
Thanks, Jeff! Maybe we'll see it in 5.3.2 ;-)
Thanks, Jeff! Maybe we'll see it in 5.3.2 ;-)

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