PyAnsys Tools Visualization Interface

0.12.1 verified Fri May 01 auth: no python

A Python visualization interface for PyAnsys libraries, providing a unified API for plotting mesh objects and scalar/vector fields with backends like PyVista and Plotly. Current version 0.12.1 (stable), with pre-release 1.0.0a1 available. Release cadence is monthly.

pip install ansys-tools-visualization-interface

Common errors

error ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'ansys' ↓

cause The package is not installed or the import path uses hyphens incorrectly.

fix

Install the package: pip install ansys-tools-visualization-interface. Then import with underscores: from ansys.tools.visualization_interface import ...

error AttributeError: module 'ansys.tools.visualization_interface' has no attribute 'Plotter' ↓

cause The import statement is incorrect; the Plotter class is not a top-level attribute of the module.

fix

Use: from ansys.tools.visualization_interface import Plotter

error ValueError: Unsupported backend 'plotly' – only 'pyvista' is supported. ↓

cause Plotly backend is an optional dependency and not installed by default.

fix

Install with plotly support: pip install ansys-tools-visualization-interface[plotly]

Warnings

breaking The v1.0.0a1 pre-release introduces breaking changes in the API. The `Plotter` class and backend interfaces have been refactored. Existing code using v0.12.x may not work with v1.0.0a1 without migration. ↓

fix Review the migration guide at https://github.com/ansys/ansys-tools-visualization-interface/blob/main/doc/source/migration_guide.rst before upgrading.

deprecated The `add_scalar_field` method in v0.12.x is deprecated and will be removed in v1.0.0. Use `add_field` instead. ↓

fix Replace `add_scalar_field(...)` with `add_field(scalar_data=..., ...)`.

gotcha Backend selection must be done at initialization; you cannot switch backends after creating a Plotter instance. ↓

fix Pass backend='pyvista' or backend='plotly' to Plotter constructor.

Imports

Plotter

wrong

from ansys_tools_visualization_interface import Plotter

correct

from ansys.tools.visualization_interface import Plotter

Hyphens in package name must be replaced with underscores in import path.

PyVistaBackend

wrong

from ansys.tools.visualization_interface.backends import PyVistaBackend

correct

from ansys.tools.visualization_interface.backends.pyvista import PyVistaBackend

PyVistaBackend is not exposed from the backends package directly; must import from the submodule.

Quickstart

Basic example creating a triangular mesh and displaying it using the default backend.

from ansys.tools.visualization_interface import Plotter
import numpy as np

# Create a simple mesh
points = np.array([[0, 0, 0], [1, 0, 0], [0, 1, 0], [0, 0, 1]])
cells = np.array([[0, 1, 2], [0, 1, 3], [0, 2, 3], [1, 2, 3]])
cell_types = np.array([5, 5, 5, 5])  # Triangle

# Initialize plotter and add mesh
plotter = Plotter()
plotter.add_mesh(points, cells, cell_types)
plotter.show()