To run OOFEG (graphic post-processor), you need job context file (*.osf, created by OOFEM when run with “-c” command-line option, for example). If you have not created context file, only geometry can be displayed.

To start oofeg, run it with the same input file name as you have run OOFEM:

oofeg -f input_file_name

If started correctly, graphical and control interface windows should appear.

1. If you have context file ready, select <active Step>, then Next step. This will read first solution step, see terminal window for messages.
2. To plot geometry: Select “Mesh plot”, mesh plot submenu will appear, then select “Geom plot”
3. To fit drawing inside graphical window, press “SHIFT+middle_mouse_button” while mouse pointer is inside graphical window
4. To rotate drawing, press “Ctrl+Shift+left_mouse_button” (while inside graphical window) and move with mouse (buttons still pressed)
5. To zoom window, just press left mouse button and draw zoom window.
6. To display deformed shape, from “Deformations” submenu select “auto-scale” to autoscale deformations and then “def geom plot” from the same submenu.
7. - To draw some forces (beams, plates and shells), select from “Variable plot” submenu “Scalar Plot” and select “Beam Forces/Moments” and choose the component from the pop-up menu (currently for beams only deformations is supported see here).
8. - To draw some stresses or strains (volume elements), select from “Variable plot” submenu “Scalar Plot” and select “Stress plot” or “Strain plot” and choose the stress component from the pop-up menu.
9. To change render-mode click <view>, <render>, <shaded> and click inside the the graphical window.

The<Data Mode> menu inside <Variable plot> allows to select whether to visualize raw or smoothed

The description of individual menus inside control window follows. Some commands require further user actions, watch controll window of OOFEG and its status canvas, which will show up some useful key bindings and help for certain operations.

Allows to manipulate viewing options

• <Frame> - allows to open/close new visualization window
• <Render> - allows to set rendering options for views.
• Axes - allows to switch on/off axes in view
• <Bg Color> - allows to set background color in view
• <Color Scale> manipulates color scale(s)
• Status - switch on/off displaying status line

Allows to select particular time step for visualization

• <Layer update> - selects layers, that are automatically updated, when new step is read
• <Seek Step> - seeks particular solution step (by number)
• Next step - moves to next step, or reads the first one
• Prev Step - moves to previous step

Allows to display geometry of FE model

• Geom plot - displays geometry
• <DofMan Plot> - displays nodes
• <Deformations> - allows to display deformed shape, you can set scale in this submenu or let oofeg to adjust scale automatically (auto-scale)
• <Variable plot> - allows to visualize internal variables
• <Data Mode> - allows to select recovered or local values
• <Plot algor> - allows to select type of visualization
• <Scalar Plot> - allows to visualize scalar components, just select the component you want to visualize
• <Vector Plot> - same for vectors

Allows to plot/visualize only certain parts of structure, based on element or material id.

• <Material Region Filter> - Sets filter based on material id
• <Element filter> - set filter based on element numbers

Switch on/off certain layers. After selecting layers, press apply and select the views, by pressing right-mouse button inside each, then terminate selection by pressing left-mouse button.

There are few useful oofeg key-bindings, also displayed in status window when active (B1,B2,B3 means left, middle,and right mouse button):

• B1 = window
• Ctrl B1 = pan
• Ctrl B2 = zoom
• Shift B2 = fit all (only active drawing window will be affected)
• Ctrl Shift B1 = rotate
• B3 = done

• B1 = select
• Ctrl B1 = select window
• Shift B1 = select nearest point (confirm by B1 or select next one by Shift B1)
• B2 = accept
• B3 = reject

At the moment, this guide is quite rough and you have to little bit experiment. Also not all options are supported by all elements, etc.