NASTRAN mesh
Menu: Files->Import->NASTRAN mesh...
Reads a NASTRAN mesh file.
FEMAP
Menu: Files->Import->FEMAP...
Reads FEMAP Neutral ASCII files and binary files.
TECPLOT
Menu: Files->Import->TECPLOT...
Reads TECPLOT 9.0 ASCII files.
3D Studio
Menu: Files->Import->3D Studio...
Reads a mesh in .3ds 3DStudio format.
XYZ nodes
Menu: Files->Import->XYZ nodes...
Reads a set of points from an text file. It reads also compressed text files.
Several options can be adjusted in the import file dialog box:
By default, lines with three real numbers separated bu spaces are imported.
Comments starts with: specify the comment character to skip lines, for instance # will skip lines starting with this characted
Format of lines: if the coordinates of the points are defined in a specific format, the user can enter here a C/C++ string format to parse the coordinates, for instance:
%g %g %g will read X Y Z coordinates separated by spaces
%g, %g, %g will read X Y Z coordinates separated by commas
%*d %g %g %g will read X Y Z coordinates after discarting the first 'index'
Create delaunay mesh after import: if enabled, after importing the points a triangle / tetrahedral mesh will be created using the delaunay mesher.
Vtk
Menu: Files->Import->Vtk...
With this option it is possible to read VTK files, with .vtk extension.
This importer/exporter is implemented as a Tcl plugin, based on the VTK package (Visualization Toolkit library).
The file information is converted into postprocess mesh and results. They are supported unstructured and cartesian meshes.
There is an extra option:
Merge: to add the mesh to the current mesh and results, else current model is erased.
Calculix
Menu: Files->Import->Calculix...
Reads a Calculix result files (.frd extension).
Calculix is an structural solver, with an Abaqus-like input format.
This importer/exporter is implemented as a Tcl plugin.
It read mesh and results.
Collada
Menu: Files->Import->Collada...
With this option it is possible to read collada mesh files, with .dae extension.
COLLADA (COLLAborative Design Activity) is an interchange format, xml-based for interactive 3D applications.
This importer is implemented as a pure Tcl plugin, with limited features.
It allow to import it as a regular mesh, otherwise the mesh data and attached textures is handled at Tcl scripting variables level, and the textures are drawn on the mesh.
Cut
Menu: Files->Import->Cut...
Reads cut planes, cut wires and iso-surface cuts in GiD so that the same cuts and cut-spheres can be used among several postprocess meshes.
Graph
Menu: Files->Import->Graph...
Adds graphs to those that may or may not have already been created inside GiD.
Stream lines
Menu: Files->Import->Stream lines...
Stream lines which where exported with the Files->Export->Post information->Stream lines can be incorporated to the model used to create them, as if they were created by the user in the same session.
Post information
Plugins
Menu: Files->Import->Plugins
This kind of plugins are compiled dynamic libraries that fit the prototype defined by GiD to do specialized thinks.
The loading/unloading mechanism works for all platforms (Windows, Linux and Mac OS X), but off course a compiled library is only valid for its platform.
Currently it only exists in GiD a category of plugins: To create postproces mesh and nodal results.
Together with the GiD installation, following import plug-ins are provided: (to be used and also as developer example)
OBJ: Wavefront Object format from Wavefront Technologies
OFF: Object file format vector graphics file from Geomview
PLY: Polygon file format, aka Stanford Triangle Format, from the Stanford graphics lab.
PLY-tcl: this plug-in is the same as the above PLY one but with a tcl's progress bar showing the tasks done in the library while a ply file is imported.