1 .. _cutting_quadrangles_page:
7 This operation allows cutting one or several quadrangle elements into two or four triangles.
9 **To cut quadrangles:**
11 1. Select a mesh (and display it in the 3D Viewer if you are going to pick elements by mouse).
12 2. In the **Modification** menu select the **Cutting of quadrangles** item or click **"Cutting of quadrangles"** button in the toolbar.
14 .. image:: ../images/image82.png
18 **"Cutting of quadrangles" button**
20 The following dialog box will appear:
22 .. image:: ../images/a-cuttingofquadrangles.png
26 * The main list contains the list of quadrangles selected for cutting. You can click on a quadrangle in the 3D viewer and it will be highlighted (lock Shift keyboard button to select several quadrangles):
27 * Click **Add** button and the ID of this quadrangle will be added to the list.
28 * To remove a selected element or elements from the list click **Remove** button.
29 * **Sort list** button allows sorting the list of IDs.
30 * **Filter** button allows applying a definite :ref:`filtering_elements` "filter" to the selection of quadrangles.
31 * **Apply to all** check box allows cutting all quadrangles of the selected mesh.
32 * **Preview** provides a preview of cutting in the viewer. It is disabled for **Cut into 4 triangles** as this cutting way implies no ambiguity.
33 * **Criterion** defines the way of cutting:
34 * **Cut into 4 triangles** allows cutting a quadrangle into four triangles by inserting a new node at the center of the quadrangle. The other options allow cutting a quadrangle into two triangles by connecting the nodes of a diagonal.
35 * **Use diagonal 1-3** and **Use diagonal 2-4** allow specifying the opposite corners, which will be connected to form two new triangles.
36 * **Use numeric functor** allows selecting in the field below a quality metric, which will be optimized when choosing a diagonal for cutting a quadrangle:
37 * **Minimum diagonal** cuts by the shortest diagonal.
38 * **Aspect Ratio** cuts by the diagonal splitting the quadrangle into triangles with :ref:`aspect_ratio_page` "Aspect Ratio" closer to 1
39 * **Minimum Angle** cuts by the diagonal splitting the quadrangle into triangles with :ref:`minimum_angle_page` "Minimum Angle" closer to 60 degrees.
40 * **Skew** cuts by the diagonal splitting the quadrangle into triangles with :ref:`skew_page` "Skew" closer to 0.0 degrees.
41 * **Select from** allows choosing a sub-mesh or an existing group, whose quadrangle elements then can be added to the main list.
43 3. Click the **Apply** or **Apply and Close** button to confirm the operation.
45 .. image:: ../images/image52.jpg
49 "The chosen quadrangular element"
53 .. image:: ../images/image51.jpg
57 "Two resulting triangular elements"
59 **See Also** a sample TUI Script of a :ref:`tui_cutting_quadrangles` operation.