Direct YouTube link: https://youtu.be/Xz2D2WcRTVU

Doing a lot of dragging and dropping when making data graphs in Simcenter Testlab (formerly called LMS Test.Lab)?

Use the “Replace Data Origin…” feature and save a lot of mouse clicks!

Getting Started

Suppose data from two different runs – ‘Run 1’ and Run 2 - are overlaid in a 2x2 layout display graph as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1: A 2x2 comparison plot of ‘Run 1’ versus Run 2

Instead of comparing ‘Run 1’ and Run 2, it is desired to compare ‘Run 3’ to Run 2.

Using traditional mouse operations, all ‘Run 1’ data would have to be removed from the displays and multiple drag and drop operations would be performed to add ‘Run 3’ data to the displays. This would be a time consuming operation which can be done much faster using the ‘Replace Data Origin…’ option.

Replace Data Origin

To replace all the ‘Run 1’ data with ‘Run 3’ data in just one operation, click on the picture tab and select ‘Replace Data Origin…’ as shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2: Select “Replace Data Origin…” by clicking on the Layout tab

In the “Replace Data Origin…” menu, select the following to swap ‘Run 3’ for ‘Run 1’:

Source Data: Current Picture
Replace: Run, Analysis
Select “Browse” next to the line containing ‘Run 1’

Figure 3: In ‘Replace Data Origin’ menu choose ‘Current Picture’, ‘Run’ and select ‘Browse’

After selecting ‘Browse’, navigate to ‘Run 3’ and press ’OK’. Press the ‘OK’ button in the Replace Data Origin menu as well.

Figure 4: In ‘Replace Data Origin’ menu, browse to ‘Run 3’’ to replace ‘Run 1’’

Behold! All ‘Run 1’ data has been swapped for ‘Run 3’ data as shown in Figure 5!

Figure 5: All ‘Run 1’ data replaced by ‘Run 3’ using ‘Replace Data Origin…’

Multiple Displays

When selecting ‘Source Data’ under the ‘Replace Data Origin’ menu, there is another useful option ‘All Pictures’. This can be used to replace the data across all display layout pictures in the active section.

In Figure 6, there are three pictures containing data from ‘Run 1’. Using ‘All Pictures’, ‘Run 1’ can be replaced in all three pictures at once.

Figure 6: Three Pictures in active section refer to ‘Run 1’. Using 'All Pictures'' option, data in all displays can be replaced at one time.

To replace the ‘Run 1’ data in all three pictures of the active section, change ‘Source Data’ to ‘All Pictures’ from ‘Current Picture’ as shown in Figure 7.

Figure 7: Run data in all active pictures of the section can be replaced at once by selecting ‘All Pictures’ under ‘Source Data’ (top left)

This replaces all the data at once. This option is particularly useful when used in conjunction with Format Based Printing Knowledge base article. One can make multiple page reports easily, and update them with a just a few mouse clicks.

Another mouse click saving tip? Try knowledge base article: Simcenter Testlab: Eliminate Folder Clicking with List All Blocks!

Questions? Post a reply, email peter.schaldenbrand@siemens.com, or contact Siemens Support Center.

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