TRANSL: A PATRAN translator subroutine library
K.M. Butler, Caroline Caldwell · OSTI OAI (U.S. Department of Energy Office of Scientific and Technical Information) · 1988
The TRANSL subroutine library enables a programmer to easily interface and translate engineering models developed using PATRAN interactive graphics software to engineering analysis computer programs, typically executed on large mainframe computers. PATRAN is a powerful program which greatly simplifies the tasks of generating two- or three-dimensional geometry models, creating finite element grids, and applying boundary conditions. In order to use a model created in PATRAN in any analysis program, a translator must be written to convert the model from the PATRAN neutral file format into an input format specific to the analysis program. TRANSL is a versatile FORTRAN-77 subroutine library implemented on VAX computers which performs activities common to any interactive PATRAN translator. Its capabilities include reading specified PATRAN neutral file data into memory, sorting neutral file data and general arrays, searching for a specific piece of information, communicating with the user, and file handling. A session file for automatic submission of input in a later translator session and a print file containing all communication with the user may be automatically generated. The driver for the TRANSL subroutine library is a program which reads all data from the neutral file into memory and writes it out again in the samemore » format. This program demonstrates the use of TRANSL subroutines for developing a PATRAN translator and provides a means for testing the TRANSL subroutines. 4 refs.« less