Blanking

Blanking allows you to exclude specific portions of zones from being plotted (in other words, selectively display certain cells or data points) based on variable values. In 3D, the result is analogous to a cutaway view.

Blanking settings apply only to the active frame, but Value Blanking settings for multiple frames may be synchronized using frame linking. Refer to Section 2 - 3.4 “Frame Linking” for more information on linking. Blanking results for volume zones depend upon the Surfaces to Plot setting on the Surfaces page of the Zone Style dialog (See Section 7 - 1.2 “Surfaces” for more details).

In the following discussions, the term "cell" is used. In I-ordered datasets, a cell is the connection between two adjacent points. In IJ-ordered datasets, a cell is the quadrilateral area bounded by four neighboring data points. In IJK-ordered datasets, a cell is the six-faced (hexahedral) volume bounded by eight neighboring data points. For finite element datasets, a cell is equivalent to an element.

The forms of blanking are as follows:

• Value Blanking - Cells (or portions of cells) of selected zones or line plot mappings are excluded based on the value of the value blanking variable at the data point of each cell or at the point where each cell intersects a constraint boundary.

• IJK Blanking - Cells of one IJK-ordered zone are included or excluded based on the index values. (IJK-ordered zones only)

All types of blanking may be used in a single plot. They are cumulative: cells blanked from any of the options do not appear. Value Blanking and Depth Blanking affect selected zones of all types, while IJK Blanking affects a single IJK-ordered zone.

In general, all types of blanking affect all field layers, zones, and all other plot attributes except for edge layers. with the following exceptions: