Could some folks pass along a few tips on post-processing transient data files within FLUENT? I am really interested in decreasing the time in takes me to create an animation. My current way of read data file, plot contours, and save hard-copy, then animate cannot be the best way. Thanks.

Hi Clinton,

I am using flpost to generate animations with fluent data. The steps are:

1. create field view data (fvd) files of the ineteresting variables (the most advantageous is to this during your transient calculation). Afterwards it can be done by a journal e.g.:

file rd

"file.dat"

export fieldview "movie_0001_" pressure stream-function

2.read your case and all the fvd-files into flpost (can be done by a journal file without interaction)

3. Create an animation in flpost by firts plotting e.g. a contour plot for one time step; define it as key-1. Then switch to the scene-panel and change the time-step (by pressing the button a panel opens) to the last. The contour plot will change and you can define another key- in the animation panel (the number depends on how many time steps are in between).

3b) change write/record format to mpeg or hardcopy. mpeg will create an mpeg-file (disadvantage: low resolution; acceptable only for contour plots); hardcopy will create numbered hardcopy files which can be collected to an animation with e.g. image magick.

3c) play the animation (mpeg: the result will be a ready to play mpeg file; hardcopy: s.a.)

Or: have a look to the newest fluent news: There you will find an article concerning this issue. (If you already know what you want to animate you can generate your pictures right during the calculation by the "Monitor commands")

Volker