smesh/doc/salome/gui/SMESH/input/constructing_meshes.doc

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\page constructing_meshes_page Constructing meshes

\n Construction of a mesh consists of:
<ul>
<li>Selecting a geometrical object for meshing</li>
<li>Applying \ref basic_meshing_algos_page "meshing algorithms" and
\ref about_hypo_page "hypotheses" which will be used at computation of
this mesh.</li>
</ul>

<em>To construct a mesh:</em>
<ol>
<li>In the \b Mesh menu select <b>Create Mesh</b> or click <em>"Create
Mesh"</em> button in the toolbar. 

\image html image32.gif
<center><em>"Create Mesh" button</em></center>

The following dialog box will appear: 

\image html createmesh-inv.png
</li>
<li>For example, you need to mesh a 3d object.
\n First, type the name for your mesh in the "Name" box, by default,
it is "Mesh_1". Then select the object you wish to mesh in the Object
Browser and click the "Add" button.

\image html image120.gif
<center><em>"Add" button</em></center>

Now you can define 1d Algorithm and 1d Hypotheses, which will be
applied to the edges of your object. (Note that any object has edges,
even if their existence is not apparent, for example, a sphere has 4
edges). Click the <em>"Add Hypothesis"</em>  button to add a hypothesis.

\image html image121.gif
<center><em>"Add Hypothesis" button</em></center>

Click the <em>"Edit Hypothesis"</em> button to define values for the
current hypothesis.

\image html image122.gif
<center><em>"Edit Hypothesis" button</em></center>

The use of additional hypotheses is optional (i.e. you may leave
"None" in this box).

Proceed in the same way with 2d and 3d Algorithms and Hypotheses, note
that the choice of hypotheses depends on the algorithm. There must be
one Algorithm and one or several Hypotheses for each dimension of your
object, otherwise you will not get any mesh at all. Of course, if you
wish to mesh a face, which is a 2d object, you don't need to define 3d
Algorithm and Hypotheses.
\n In the <b>Object Browser</b> the structure of the new mesh will be
displayed as follows:

\image html image88.jpg

It contains:
<ul>
<li>a reference to the geometrical object on the basis of which the mesh has been constructed;</li>
<li><b>Applied hypotheses</b> folder containing the references to the
hypotheses applied to the construction of the mesh;</li>
<li><b>Applied algorithms</b> folder containing the references to the
algorithms applied to the construction of the mesh.</li>
</ul>

There is an alternative way to create a mesh on an object simply by
clicking <b>Assign a set of hypotheses</b> button and selecting between
Automatic Tetrahedralization or Hexahedralization.  The program will
automatically generate a 3D mesh with the most appropriate
settings. In the same way you can apply this functionality for meshing
2D objects, in which case 3D algorithms are not applied.</li>
<li>Now, when everything is ready, select your mesh in the <b>Object
Browser</b>. From the \b Mesh menu select \b Compute or click "Compute" button of the
toolbar. 

\image html image28.gif
<center><em>"Compute" button</em></center>

The Mesh Computation information box appears.

\image html meshcomputationsucceed.png

If the mesh computation failed, the information about the cause of the
failure is provided.

\image html meshcomputationfail.png

After you select the error, <b>Show Subshape</b> button allows
visualizing the mesh elements that cause it.

\image html failed_computation.png

<b>Publish Subshape</b> button allows importing it in a separate MED
or UNV file.

<b>NOTE</b> It is possible to define a 1D or a 2D mesh in a
python script and then use such submeshes in the construction of a 3D
mesh. For this, there exist two algorithms: <b>Use existing edges</b> and <b>Use
existing faces</b>. They are not entirely usable from the GUI, so a
mesh created using these algorithms should be exported into a python
script, edited and then imported into the GUi. 

Consider trying a sample script for construction of a mesh from our 
\ref tui_creating_meshes_page "TUI Scripts" section.
</li>
</ol>

*/