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inquiry functions

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Introduction to Inquiry Functions

Here is just about everything I know about inquiry functions. They
are similar to *GET functions in usage, and have two input
arguments. Here's an example.
a=ndinqr(33,1)

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In this case, "a" will be assigned a value of -1 if node 33 is

unselected, 0 if it is undefined, and 1 if it is selected. This is an
example of using an inquiry function to obtain information about a
specific entity, in this case node 33.

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An alternative use of an inquiry function is to find more generic

data about a certain kind of entities. The following example
illustrates this.

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a=ndinqr(0,14)
This will assign to parameter "a" the highest node number defined
in the model. Notice that the first argument is zero, and the second
argument is 14.
Here are the inquiry functions I am aware of.

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ndinqr(node,key) node number or zero, and key number

elmiqr(elem,key)
kpinqr(keypoint,key)
lsinqr(line,key)
arinqr(area,key)
vlinqr(volume,key)
rlinqr(real,key)
gapiqr(gap element,key)
masiqr(master DOF,key)
ceinqr(constraint equation,key)
cpinqr(coupled set,key)
csyiqr(coord system,key)
etyiqr(element type,key)
foriqr(nodal force,key)
All of these work pretty much the same, with the first argument
used as either an entity ID number (for data about a specific node,
element, etc.) or a zero if the information is about a class of
element (number of selected nodes, etc.)
The key numbers are defined as follows.
key=1 return select status (for a specific entity)
key=12 return number of defined entities (KP's, nodes, etc.)
key=13 return number of selected entities
key=14 return the highest ID number in use
There a few other inquiry functions which have a slightly different
format.
mpinqr(mat,prop,key) material property table number, property
number, key additional key=3 for number of temps used in a
specific property
dget(node,idof,kcmplx) node number, displacement pointer,
complex key displacement pointers are...
1=ux, 2=uy, 3=uz, 4=rotx, 5=roty, 6=rotz, 7=ax, 8=ay 9=az,

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10=vx, 11=vy, 12=vz, 19=pres, 20=temp, 21=volt, 22=mag,

23=enke, 24=ends, 25=emf, 26=curr
complex key=0 for real, 1 for imaginary
fget(node,idof,kcomplx) same definition as dget, but for forces this
time.
Posted by John Crawford on 10.28.1997

Inquiry Functions for Sections

I have looked at the code and can confirm Tyllinen Juha's
observation. It will work in 5.5, 5.6, and not likely to change.
"Quick testing seems to indicate that Section number would be
available with sn = elmiqr(n,-4), where n is the element number.
At least that is the way it worked in 5.5.1 with Beam188 and
Beam189."
Other possibilites for element characteristics
-1, material number
-2, element type
-3, real constant number
-4, Element Section ID number
-5, coordinate system number
Posted by Grama Bhashyam on 10.29.1999

Useful Inquiry Functions

Nodes

ndinqr(node,key)
node - node number, should be 0 for
key = 12, 13, 14
key - information needed
= 1, return select status:
= 12, return number of
defined nodes
= 13, return number of
selected nodes
= 14, return highest node
number defined
= -2, superelement flag
= -3, master degrees of
freedom bit pattern
= -4, active degrees of
freedom bit pattern
= -5, solid model
attachment
= -6, pack nodal line
parametric value
output arguments:

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for key = 1
= 0, node is undefined.
= -1, node is unselected.
= 1, node is selected.
Element

elmiqr(ielem,key)
ielem - element number, should be zero
for key = 12, 13, or 14
key - information flag
= 1, return select status
= 12, return number of
defined elements
= 13, return number of
selected elements
= 14, return maximum
element number used
= -1, material number
= -2, type.
= -3, real.
= -4, element section ID
number
= -5, coordinate system
number
= -7, solid model reference
output arguments:
for key = 1
= 0, element is undefined
= -1, element is unselected
= 1, element is selected

Keypoints

kpinqr(kpid,key)
kpid - keypoint may be 0 for key = 12,
13, 14
key - information flag.
= 1, select
= 12, number of defined
= 13, number of selected
= 14, highest number
defined
= -1, material number

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= -2, type
= -3, real number
= -4, node number, if
meshed
= -7, element number, if
meshed
output arguments:
for key = 1
= -1, unselected
= 0, undefined
= 1, selected
Lines

lsinqr(lsid,key)
lsid - line segment for inquire may be 0
for key = 12, 13, 14
key - item to be returned
= 1, select status
= 2, length (in model units)
= 12 number of defined
= 13, number of selected
= 14, highest number
defined
= -1, material number
= -2, type
= -3, real number
= -4, number of nodes
= -5, esys number
= -6, number of elements
= -8, number of element
divs in existing mesh
= -9, keypoint 1
= -10, keypoint 2
= -15, section id
= -16, number of element
divs for next mesh
= -17, 0 = hard / 1 = soft
NDIV
= -18, 0 = hard / 1 = soft
SPACE

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Area

arinqr(areaid,key)
areaid - area for inquiry, may be 0 for
key = 12, 13, 14
key - key to information needed about
the areaid
= 1, return select status
= 12, return number of
defined
= 13, return number of
selected
= 14, return highest
number defined
= -1, return material
= -2, return type
= -3, return real
= -4, return number of
nodes
= -6, return number of
elements
= -7, return pointer to area
in foreign db
= -8, return element shape
= -9, return mid-node
element key
= -10, return element
coordinate system
= -11, return area
constraint information
output arguments:
for key = 1
= 0, areaid is undefined
= -1, areaid is unselected
= 1, areaid is selected
for key = - 11
= 0, no constraint on this
area
= 1, symmetry constraint
= 2, anti-symmetry
= 3, both symmetry and
anti-symmetry

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Volumes

vlinqr(vnmi,key)
vnmi - volume for inquiry, may be 0 for
key = 12, 13, 14
key - information flag
= 1, return select status
= 12, return number of
defined
= 13, return number of
selected
= 14, return highest
number defined
= -1, material
= -2, type
= -3, real
= -4, number of nodes
= -6, number of elements
= -8, element shape
= -9, mid-node element key
= -10, element coordinate
system
output arguments:
for key = 1
= 0, node is undefined
= -1, node is unselected
= 1, node is selected
= 0, real constant table is
undefined.
= -1, real constant table is
unselected.
= 1, real constant table is
selected

Element
Type

etyiqr(itype,key)
itype - element type number, should be
0 for key = 12 and 14
key - item to be returned
= 1, return select status:
= 12, return number of
defined element types

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= 14, return highest

element type number
defined
output arguments:
for key = 1
= 0, element type is
undefined
= -1, element type is
unselected
= 1, element type is
selected
Real
Constants

rlinqr(nreal,key)
nreal - real constant table number,
should be 0 for key = 12, 13, 14
key - information flag
= 1, select status
= 12, number of defined
real constant tables
= 13, number of selected
real constant tables
= 14, highest real constant
table defined
output arguments:
for key = 1
= 0, real constant table is
undefined.
= -1, real constant table is
unselected.
= 1, real constant table is
selected

Section
Table

sectinqr(nsect,key)
nsect - section id table number, should
be 0 for key = 12, 13, 14
key - information flag
= 1, select status
= 12, return number of
defined section id tables

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= 13, return number of

selected section id tables
= 14, return highest section
id table defined
output arguments:
for key = 1
= 0, section id table is
undefined.
= -1, section id table is
unselected.
= 1, section id table is
selected
Materials

mpinqr(mat,iprop,key)
mat - material number, should be 0 for
key = 12 and 14
iprop - property reference number
iprop = 0, test for existence of any
material property with this material
number (with key = 1)
key - key as to the information needed
about material property
= 1, return select status:
= 12, number of defined
material properties
= 14, highest material
property number defined
output arguments:
for key = 1, iprop = 0 (test for
existence of any material property with
this material number)
EX = 1, EY = 2, EZ = 3,
NUXY = 4, NUYZ = 5, NUXZ
= 6, GXY = 7, GYZ = 8,
GXZ = 9, ALPX = 10, ALPY
= 11, ALPZ = 12, DENS =
13, MU =14, DAMP = 15,
KXX = 16, KYY = 17, KZZ =
18, RSVX = 19, RSVY = 20,
RSVZ = 21, C = 22, HF
=23, VISC = 24, EMIS =
25, ENTH = 26, LSST = 27,
PRXY = 28, PRYZ = 29,
PRXZ = 30, MURX = 31,

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MURY = 32, MURZ = 33,

PERX = 34, PERY = 35,
PERZ = 36, MGXX = 37,
MGYY = 38, MGZZ = 39,
EGXX = 40, EGYY = 41,
EGZZ = 42, TGXX = 43,
TGYY = 44, TGZZ = 45,
SONC = 46, SLIM = 47,
ELIM = 48, ORTH = 54,
CABL = 55, RIGI = 56,
HGLS = 57, BM = 58, QRAT
= 59, REFT = 60, PLAS =
61, CREE = 62, FAIL = 63,
BH = 64, PIEZ = 65, SWEL
= 66, WATE = 67, CONC =
68, PFLO = 69, ANEL = 70,
ACOU = 71, EVIS = 72,
USER = 73, NL = 74, HYPE
= 75, NNEW = 76, MOON =
77, OGDE = 78, SUTH =
79, WIND = 80
for key = 1 (otherwise)
= 0, material prop is
undefined
= 1, material prop is
selected
Constraint ceinqr(ceid,key)
Equations
ceid - constraint equation number
key - inquiry key, should be zero for
key = 12, 13, 14
= 1, return select status
= 1, equation is selected
= 0, equation is undefined
= -1, equation is unselected
= 12, return number of
defined constraint equations
= 13, return number of
selected constraint
equations
= 14, return number of
highest numbered
constraint equation defined

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= -1, return master degrees

of freedom for this equation
Couples

cpinqr(cpid,key)
cpid - coupled set number
key - inquiry key, should be zero for
key = 12, 13, 14
= 1, return select status
= 12, return number of
defined coupled sets
= 13, return number of
selected coupled sets
= 14, return the number of
the highest numbered
coupled set
output arguments:
for key = 1
= 1, coupled set is selected
= 0, coupled set in
undefined
= -1, coupled set in
unseleted

Coordinate csyiqr(csysid,key)
System
csysid - coordinate system reference
number, should be zero for key = 12 or
14
key - information flag.
= 1, return status:
= 12, number of defined
coordinate systems
= 14, maximum coordinate
system reference number
used.
output arguments:
for key = 1
= 0, coordinate system is
not defined
= -1, coordinate system is
not selected

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= 1, coordinate system is
selected
Warning
and Error
Messages

erinqr(key)

key - item to be returned

= 3, total number of notes
displayed
= 4, total number of
warnings displayed
= 5, total number of errors
displayed
= 6, total number of fatals
displayed
Posted by John Crawford on 10.10.2000

Inquiry Function for Next Available Number

I've discovered that **inqr(0,16) or ***iqr(0,16) returns the next
available number. For example, if areas 1, 2, and 3 exist in the
model, then arinqr(0,16) returns a value of 4. However, if only
areas 2 and 3 exist in the model, then arinqr(0,16) returns a value
of 1.
Posted by Jeff Strain on 11.23.2004

Scratch Memory Inquiry

meminqr(-3007) gets scratch memory in use (in bytes).
Posted by Sheldon Imaoka on 12.06.2004

Inquiry Function Matrix

See also handy, printable Inquiry Function Matrix
Posted by Sheldon Imaoka on 02.03.2005

Additional Line Inquiry Functions

Lines:
lsinqr(lsid,key)
lsid - line segment for inquire may be 0 for key = 12, 13, 14
key - item to be returned
= -13, orientation keypoint KPB
= -14, orientation keypoint KPE
Posted by Bram Weisman on 08.30.2008

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Real constant inquiry function

RLINQR(NREAL,5) would return the REAL set width (number of
fields).
Posted by Bram Weisman on 09.10.2008

Number of line loops in area

Area Line Loops
arliqr(areaid,loopid,key)
areaid - area for inquiry
loopid loop number
key 1 for number of loops when loopid is zero, or 2 for
number of lines in loopid
e.g.: arliqr(53,0,1) = number of loops in area 53
arliqr(53,1,2) = number of lines in loop 1 of area 53
arliqr(53,2,2) = number of lines in loop 2 of area 53
arliqr(53,3,2) = number of lines in loop 3 of area 53
Posted by Bram Weisman on 04.13.2015

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