Type2Type: Change element type

Geometrical type for selected elements can be changed by automatically adding additional nodes on edges or on the interior of these elements by interpolation, or by deleting element nodes. By this way also quadrilateral elements with large distortions or large vertex angles can be automatically converted to two triangle elements (see command Check elements).

A type conversion may also be necessary after the creation of finite elements by subdivision of macro elements because the subdivision is only able to create one additional node on an edge.

Also type conversion may be necessary if elements with interior nodes are displayed within AutoCAD and later reread into MAKROS. In this case these interior nodes are lost.

Following dialog shows the available options:

Element type

Old type: The list box shows all currently existing element types in the structure. The type to be converted must be selected.

New type: The list box shows all possible new geometric types, to which the selected old element type can be converted. A new element type has to be selected.

Element selection

Only elements that have the given old geometric type and that are contained in the given element selection are converted. Button „Plot selection“ plots the element selection.