Requesting Graphical Output

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The MONITORS and PLOTS sections contain requests for graphical output.

MONITORS are used to get ongoing information about the progress of the solution.

PLOTS are used to specify final output, and these graphics will be saved in a disk file for later viewing.

FlexPDE recognizes several forms of output commands, but the primary forms are:

· CONTOUR	a plot of contours of the argument; it may be color-filled
· SURFACE	a 3D surface of the argument
· VECTOR	a field of arrows
· ELEVATION	a "lineout" along a defined path
· SUMMARY	text-only reports

Any number of plots may be requested, and the values plotted may be any consistent algebraic combination of variables, coordinates and defined parameters.

In our example, we will request a contour of the temperature, a vector map of the heat flux, k*grad(Phi), an elevation of temperature along the center line, and an elevation of the normal heat flux on the surface of the blob:

PLOTS

CONTOUR(Phi)

VECTOR(-k*grad(Phi))

ELEVATION(Phi) FROM (0,-1) to (0,1)

ELEVATION(Normal(-k*grad(Phi))) ON 'ring'

Output requested in the PLOTS section is produced when FlexPDE has finished the process of solving and regridding, and is satisfied that all cells are within tolerance. An alternative section, identical in form to the PLOTS section but named MONITORS, will produce transitory output at more frequent intervals, as an ongoing report of the progress of the solution.

A record of all PLOTS is written in a file with suffix .PG5 and the name of the .PDE script file. These recorded plots may be viewed at a later time by invoking the VIEW item in the FlexPDE main menu.

MONITORS are not recorded in the .PG5 file. It is strongly recommended that MONITORS be used liberally during script development to determine that the problem has been properly set up and that the solution is proceeding as expected.

[Note: FlexPDE accepts other forms of plot command, including GRID plots and HISTORIES. See the Reference chapter "Sections | Monitors and Plots".]