ReferencePoint ID

[csllqeclcat]

I am working on a script in which I want to create a connector between a reference point and a vertices of my model. I create the reference point using~

a.ReferencePoint(point=(5.0, 0.0, 0.0))

The problem is that then I do not know how to automatically pick the reference point in order too use it in the next command. I tried with findat, but it does not work for reference points. Regarding the ID of the point generated, it seems that it is numbered randomly and I could not find how to get that ID or to control it.

I hope that somebody can help me because I am stuck with this since two weeks ago.

thanks

 

[akabarten]

Hello,

Respository with reference points can be found in model database in location:
mdb.models['model_name'].rootAssembly.referencePoints
Keys for reference point are just integer values.
You can not control key name, and abaqus/CAE assign them internally.
The last reference point created in model get the highest number, so if you need the last RP you have to sort keys and take the highest.
I noticed that "usually" the last RP is in first position in respository. So you can use syntax:
lastRP = mdb.models['model_name'].rootAssembly.referencePoints.values()[0]
or
firstKey = mdb.models['model_name'].rootAssembly.referencePoints.keys()[0]
lastRP = mdb.models['model_name'].rootAssembly.referencePoints[firstKey]
I wrote "usually" because I found following information in abaqus documentation: "You can use the keys()[ i] method to access an individual key; however, most repositories are not ordered, and this is not recommended.". So please be carfully with that.

Reference points are stored in respository and if you want to use RP you need to assign values from that location but you will not find any inforamtion about RP there.
Inforamtion like: position (coordinates), id (used in respository), name (which you can see in CAE) you can find here:
mdb.models['model_name'].rootAssembly.features
The informations are under keys 'RP-x', where x is a number of RP.

I hope the informations will help you.

Best Regards,
Bartosz

 

[csllqeclcat]

Bartoz, thanks a loot for your help. I am trying all what you propose in order to gain better understanding of abaqus.
Regarding the problem expossed, I have just solved it by


RP=a.ReferencePoint(point=( 1.0, 0.0, 0.0))
RP_id=RP.id
This give me the id of the ref point
then

ref_point= mdb.models['model_name'].rootAssembly.referencePoints[RP_id]