Change support for /EXPAND as EXPAND has been added as a APDL command.

[mikerife]

Description of the feature

The EXPAND command has been added to MAPDL recently. PyMAPDL and its converter supports the existing /EXPAND as EXPAND. So the current PyMAPDL 'expand' needs to be changed to 'slashexpand' and 'expand' changed to match EXPAND.

https://ansyshelp.ansys.com/account/secured?returnurl=/Views/Secured/corp/v241/en/ans_cmd/Hlp_C_EXPAND_sl.html
https://ansyshelp.ansys.com/account/secured?returnurl=/Views/Secured/corp/v241/en/ans_cmd/Hlp_C_EXPAND.html

Steps for implementing the feature

Uh, do that developer thing you do.

Useful links and references

https://ansyshelp.ansys.com/account/secured?returnurl=/Views/Secured/corp/v241/en/ans_cmd/Hlp_C_EXPAND_sl.html
https://ansyshelp.ansys.com/account/secured?returnurl=/Views/Secured/corp/v241/en/ans_cmd/Hlp_C_EXPAND.html

[germa89]

Hi @mikerife

Which version was added?

[mikerife]

Hi @germa89 sorry - I thought it was. But they have been in MAPDL since at least v6.0. Looks like there has been some back-and-forth between EXPAND, /EXPAND, and /CYCEXPAND on limitations and which is better to use with specific models (cyclic symmetric). Looks like /CYCEXPAND is not supported by PyMAPDL either. But not listed as a non-supported command.

[germa89]

Revisiting this again.

So we have:

• EXPAND: which is part of PyMAPDL.

  pymapdl/src/ansys/mapdl/core/_commands/post1_/special.py

  Line 629 in 03f722e

  def expand(self, nrepeat="", hindex="", icsys="", sctang="", phase="", **kwargs):

• /EXPAND: which is not part of PyMAPDL, presumably because it is a plotting command. But I feel like it is not for plotting, rather symmetries.
• /CYCEXPAND: which is a supported command too.

  pymapdl/src/ansys/mapdl/core/_commands/preproc/special_purpose.py

  Line 208 in 03f722e

  def cycexpand(self, wn="", option="", value1="", value2=""):

So I can either add /EXPAND, but I will need an MAPDL code so I can see if it works on PyMAPDL in the way we expect to. Or just add it to the list of non supported commands.

If you @mikerife send me any full example with /EXPAND, I can see if we can added. Otherwise, it should go to non-supported.

[mikerife]

Hi @germa89
Here is a simple example. It probably should be on the non-supported list. Maybe pydpf is a better place to implement these expansion commands...?
mike

EM56.zip

[germa89]

Pinging @rafacanton @PProfizi for feedback.

[PProfizi]

Hi @germa89, hi @mikerife, does any of these examples look like what /EXPAND does?
https://dpf.docs.pyansys.com/version/dev/examples/11-cyclic-symmetry/index.html

Cyclic symmetry examples — PyDPF-Core

Edit: ah sorry, that may be more akin to CYCEXPAND capabilities?
Expanding results on multi-sectors models is possible with PyDPF though, if that is what /EXPAND does.

[mikerife]

Hi @PProfizi
Yeah I think the cyclic expansion in DPF is over-kill compared to /expand. /expand is just a graphics tool; it does not change the mapdl database. Just shows copies of the mesh/result in a way to show the expanded symmetry.

Mike