3.3.1.7. VTK Recorder

The VTK recorder writes the model mesh and selected response quantities to VTK XML format for visualization in ParaView. It creates a directory named after the recorder base name, writes a ParaView collection file (.pvd), and stores time-step data in .vtu files.

For newer workflows, consider also the PVD Recorder, which provides similar ParaView output.

recorder vtk $baseName $respType1 $respType2 ... <-precision $nSD> <-dT $deltaT> <-rTolDt $rTol>

Note

  1. Valid nodal response types include:

disp
disp2
disp3
vel
accel
reaction
reaction2
reaction3
mass
unbalancedLoad
eigen $mode

  1. Element response may be requested with eleResponse followed by the same arguments used in an Element Recorder (for example, eleResponse localForce).

  2. This recorder is available in the Tcl interpreter. It is not registered in the standard OpenSeesPy recorder map; use Tcl or the PVD Recorder / GMSH Recorder for Python-based visualization workflows.

  3. Open $baseName.pvd in ParaView to animate results over time.

  4. The function returns a value:
    SUCCESS: >0 an integer tag that can be used as a handle to remove a recorder with the remove Command command.
    FAILURE: -1 recorder command failed (read the log)

Example

  1. Tcl Code

recorder vtk results disp accel -dT 0.1

Code developed by: fmk