A symbol plot shows either the magnitude and direction of a vector or tensor variable at a specified step and frame of an output database or the magnitude and direction of model attributes at a specified step of a model in the current model database. Abaqus/CAE represents the values as symbols (for example, arrows) at locations on your model. For more information on tensor and field output variables, see “Overview of field output variable selection,” Section 42.5.1. For more information on selecting the results step, see “Selecting a specific results step and frame,” Section 42.3.1. To learn how to display the minimum and maximum values associated with your symbol plot, see “Customizing the legend,” Section 56.1.
To produce a symbol plot:
Open the model database or the output database containing your model data or analysis results.
If you are plotting data from a model database, switch to the Visualization module, expand the Model Database container of the Results Tree, and select the model you want to use.
Select the results step and frame to display (or just the step, if the current model database is selected).
For output databases, select the symbol field output variable to display. For model databases, select the primary field output variable as the variable to display.
The symbol plot state is activated.
Select the plot state–independent and symbol plot customization options you want.
If your chosen field output includes complex numbers, select the Complex Form tab in the Result Options dialog box to control the numeric form to display. This option applies only to plots for output databases.
For plots of output database data, select Plot
Symbols from the main menu bar to modify whether to plot the symbols on the deformed model shape, the undeformed shape, or both.
Tip:
You can also produce a symbol plot using the deformed 
, undeformed 
, or superimposed 
symbol tools in the toolbox.
The current viewport changes to display a customized symbol plot of the specified field output variable at the specified step and frame of the current output database.
Abaqus automatically refreshes your symbol plot each time you click Apply in the step and frame selector dialog box, plot state–independent options, superimpose plot options (if applicable), or symbol plot options dialog boxes.
