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Post-Processing
Simcenter STAR-CCM+ allows you to post-process the solution after each iteration or time-step, (while the simulation is running), as well as when the simulation completes. For this reason, you generally create post-processing objects before running the simulation. Post-processing objects are also known as analysis objects.
Plots
The plotting features in Simcenter STAR-CCM+ allow you to create three kinds of two-dimensional plots.
Plots Reference
Plot nodes contain controls for the overall content of the plot, while individual sets of sub-nodes are available for controlling data, functions of axes, and the appearance of data and grid lines.
Plot Color Objects Reference
With these plot color controls, you can decide how to apply colors to plots in a simulation.

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Post-Processing
Simcenter STAR-CCM+ allows you to post-process the solution after each iteration or time-step, (while the simulation is running), as well as when the simulation completes. For this reason, you generally create post-processing objects before running the simulation. Post-processing objects are also known as analysis objects.
- Analysis Workflow
  The key steps in successfully analyzing simulation results are to: (1) be clear on what quantities you want to extract; (2) locate or define surfaces on which to obtain the data; and, (3) present the data in visual scenes or numeric output.
- Data Interpolation
  Most visualization objects such as plots, reports, and scalar displayers allow for smooth and non-smooth values. For example, the contour style for scalar displayers provides a Smooth Filled option (smooth) and a Filled option (non-smooth). The way these values are calculated depends on the discretization method.
- Field Function Interpolation and Interfaces (FV)
  For finite volume meshes, understanding how Simcenter STAR-CCM+ deals with field function data is important for avoiding non-physical results in post-processing at an interface, and to appreciate the difference that smoothing makes when it is applied.
- Accessing Solution Data through Derived Parts
  Although Simcenter STAR-CCM+ can display, analyze, and report simulation data on regions, boundaries, and parts, there are many cases when you want to access data in other entities of the solution space. Derived parts provide a mechanism for defining additional entities on which you can access solution data.
- Visualizing the Solution
  The visualization tools in Simcenter STAR-CCM+ are integrated with the analysis, allowing for the interactive extraction and viewing of solution data from either a running or converged simulation.
- Transient Solution Data
  For transient solutions, Simcenter STAR-CCM+ provides the simulation history file (.simh) to which you can save selected data while a simulation is running. After the simulation completes, you can load this file and query its states for post-processing.
- Sampling Data Values Using Reports and Monitors
  This workflow incorporates the roles of both reports and monitors.
- Accessing Field Data from Previous Time-Steps or Iterations
  A field history is a type of field monitor that stores a finite number of past values (or samples) of a field function, captured at moments defined by its update policy, for a given set of input regions or boundaries (or both).
- Reporting Results
  Reports provide summaries of solution data.
- Monitoring the Solution
  Monitors sample, save, and plot solution data.
- Plots
  The plotting features in Simcenter STAR-CCM+ allow you to create three kinds of two-dimensional plots.
  - Plotting Workflow
    Decide on the quantities to plot, and based on that choice, select the plot type. Set up the plot with the appropriate field functions and parts. Decide how to customize the appearance of the plot, and whether to export images for presentation purposes.
  - Working with Monitor Plots
    Monitor plots display the values collected by report-based and residual-based monitors as the solution is advanced. You can also use them to plot data from tables in the simulation.
  - Working with XY Plots
    XY plots are two-dimensional charts that can be used to display graphs of scalar values from the set of available solution variables or from table data.
  - Working with Histogram Plots
    Histogram plots are two-dimensional bar charts that can be used to display data distribution.
  - Plotting with Multiple Axes
    Simcenter STAR-CCM+ lets you add an axis to a plot to allow the comparison of multiple variables in a single chart display.
  - Interacting with the Plot Display
    The plot display in Simcenter STAR-CCM+ allows you to adjust the axis ranges interactively, zoom into an area, and pan the plot area. You can also reset to the original plot view.
  - Updating Plots
    You can control how open XY, monitor, and histogram plots update by changing the trigger type that is located in the Update node.
  - Customizing Data Display in Plots
    The appearance of data in all plots can be modified in a number of ways.
  - Customizing Plot Colors
    Simcenter STAR-CCM+ allows you to define plot colors based on inputs to the plots, and to override these color choices where necessary. For example, you can define and maintain colors based on their relationship to specific residuals on residual plots, or to particular input surfaces within a region. You can also create and apply your own colors, such as the colors used by your company for its branding.
  - Managing Data in a Plot
    You can make various types of simulation data available for plotting: monitors, tabular data, and derived data.
  - Plots Reference
    Plot nodes contain controls for the overall content of the plot, while individual sets of sub-nodes are available for controlling data, functions of axes, and the appearance of data and grid lines.
    - Plot Properties Reference
    - Axis Properties Reference
      The Axes node appears in the node of any plot type, and contains sub-nodes for controlling the arrangement and appearance of axes.
    - Plot Solution Variables Property Reference
    - Plot Data Sets Property Reference
    - Heatmap Objects Reference
      The Heatmap Style node and its sub-nodes let you control the appearance of concentrations of data in a plot display.
    - Bubble Plot Objects Reference
      The Bubble Style node and its sub-nodes let you control the appearance of a third and fourth variable in a plot display.
    - Legend Properties Reference
    - Plot Color Objects Reference
      With these plot color controls, you can decide how to apply colors to plots in a simulation.
    - Cyclic Mode Properties Reference
      The Cyclic Mode property of the monitor plot makes objects available for controlling periodic data.
  - Saving and Printing Plot Data
    You can export the contents of a plot as data in .csv format. You can also save the plot to an image file or PDF, or send it to a printer.
- Exploring Solutions with Data Focus
  This interactive tool lets you extract knowledge of merit -- information that facilitates a correct engineering decision -- from a large volume of data.
- Parametric Positioning for Analysis Surfaces in Turbomachine Domains
  In studies of cases of revolving volumes, such as turbomachinery, a typical requirement for post-processing is to render and plot data on surfaces or profiles that are positioned parametrically in relation to the domain bounding surfaces. For example, you may wish to view the total pressure on a surface located exactly half-way between the hub and shroud, or you may wish to plot pressure across both blade surfaces on a given slice.
- Triggers and Update Events
  Several features of Simcenter STAR-CCM+ require that you define a trigger for when an action takes place. Simcenter STAR-CCM+ provides three built-in trigger types, and one custom trigger type (defined by an update event).
- Signal Processing
  Signal processing applies data set functions to sets of wave data.

Plot Color Objects Reference

With these plot color controls, you can decide how to apply colors to plots in a simulation.

Plot Colors

Directly under the Plots node, the Plot Colors node holds pairs of inputs and colors.

Plot Colors Properties

Default Color Palette: Selects one of the color palettes in the simulation: any user-defined palettes, and three stock palettes: High Contrast, Legacy Plot, and Siemens.; For more information about how you can work with these color palettes and create your own, see Customizing Colors with Palettes.

Plot Colors Node Actions

Open: Activates the Plot Colors dialog containing the pairs of inputs and colors.
Apply Colors to All Plots: Applies the associated colors of inputs to the corresponding inputs in all plots in the simulation.

Color Assignment

This node controls how colors are selected for the parent plot.

Color Assignment Properties

Mode

Selects the technique for applying colors.

Next Available—independent of the Plot Colors node settings, selects the least used color from the palette.
Assign from Plot Colors—for a given input, uses the color currently paired with that input in the Plot Colors node.

Link to Plot Colors—causes plot colors to change whenever changes are applied to the Plot Colors node.

Note	Consider the fact that this setting works both ways. For example, if you change colors of the Symbol Style sub-node of any plot's data set node while Link to Plot Colors is selected, the input-color pair is changed for the Plot Colors node along with all plots that are linked to it.

Color Palette

Selects one of the color palettes in the simulation: any user-defined palettes, and three stock palettes: High Contrast, Legacy Plot, and Siemens.

For more information about how you can work with these color palettes and create your own, see Customizing Colors with Palettes.

Color Assignment Node Actions

Reset Color Assignment: Applies the latest settings in the Mode property to all affected inputs in the plot.