Render style is the style in which Abaqus/CAE displays your model. Render style is a plot state–independent option; that is, you set it once for all undeformed, deformed, contour, symbol, and material orientation plots. However, you can set a different value of render style for use with the undeformed shape in a superimposed plot. Render style choices include wireframe, filled, hidden, and lightsource-shaded. For more information, see “Customizing render style, translucency, and fill color,” Section 55.2.

Edge style is the line style and thickness of element and surface edges; edge visibility is the extent to which Abaqus/CAE displays these edges. Edge style and visibility options are plot state–independent, but you can set them differently for use with the undeformed shape in a superimposed plot. For more information, see “Customizing element and surface edges,” Section 55.3.

You can control the overall color of element and surface edges using the plot state–independent Color & Style options. In addition, you can customize the edge color of individual elements and surfaces using the plot state–independent Color Code dialog box. By default, the color code selections override the overall colors. For more information on overall edge coloring, see “Selecting overall element and surface edge color,” Section 55.3.3. To learn more about individual item edge coloring, see “Customizing the display color of individual objects,” Section 77.8. Individual item edge coloring applies only to wireframe and hidden render style plots.

You can control the overall fill color of element faces and surfaces using the plot state–independent Color & Style options. In addition, you can customize the face color of individual elements using the plot state–independent Color Code dialog box. By default, the color code selections override the overall colors. For more information on overall fill color, see “Selecting overall fill color,” Section 55.2.3. To learn more about individual item color filling, see “Customizing the display color of individual objects,” Section 77.8. Individual item fill coloring applies only to filled and shaded render style plots.

You can change the visibility and customize the color and font of element, node, and face labels and the color and style of node symbols. All these options are plot state–independent. For more information, see “Customizing model labels,” Section 55.5.

You can choose to display arrows representing the element or surface normals in the model. The arrows are visible in all plot states, and you can control the arrow size, color, and arrowhead style. For more information, see “Displaying element and surface normals,” Section 55.7.

You can customize the render style; edge visibility, color, and style; fill color; scaling; and translucency for all display bodies in your model. These options are plot state–independent when applied to display bodies. For more information, see “Customizing the appearance of display bodies,” Section 55.8.

You can select a coordinate system and match the motion of that coordinate system with the camera. You can also make the camera follow the rotation of the selected coordinate system. If you are using the camera in movie mode, you can also position the camera in the model at the origin of the coordinate system. For more information, see “Customizing camera movement,” Section 55.9.

You can control the display of symbols representing various model entities, including boundary conditions, connectors, coordinate systems, and point elements. Entity display options are plot state–independent. For more information, see “Controlling the display of model entities,” Section 55.10.

You can control the display of analysis constraints that were applied in the Interaction module; for example, tie constraints or kinematic coupling constraints. For more information, see “Controlling the display of constraints in the Visualization module,” Section 55.11.

Abaqus/CAE offers several other plot state–independent general model display options. These options include:

• Sweep/Extrude to control the three-dimensional display of two-dimensional models. For more information, see “Sweeping and extruding your model,” Section 55.12.1.

• Mirror/Pattern to simulate the display of a complete model when only a representative portion of the model was analyzed. For more information, see “Using mirrors and patterns to display your results,” Section 55.12.2.

• Curved Lines & Faces to control how quadratic and cubic element edges and faces are displayed. For more information, see “Refining curved edges and faces,” Section 55.12.3.

• Elements with No Results to control the color of elements having no results (for example, rigid surfaces) in contour plots. For more information, see “Coloring elements with no results,” Section 55.12.4.