Under Simulation/Options there's a check box, "List result quantities in higher precision." SW Help says about this, "When checked, results are listed with up to 16-digit precision." I have this box checked, yet the CSV files I get from Results/Define XX Plot.../List Selected generally have only a few digits of precision. What am I doing wrong? -- John Willett
Enough close results better than precision results.
You will lose much time for reaching precision results
>Enough close results better than precision results.<<
Seckin -- In my case this is not true. My problem requires taking the calculated displacements on an optical surface, subtracting out the best-fit sphere -- effectively re-focusing the instrument (which turns out to explain most of the computed displacements) -- and then analyzing the residual as my data.
Therefore I really do want higher-precision results listed if possible. (I don't know anything about the added time required to obtain them, since I haven't seen them yet.) So what am I doing wrong? -- John Willett
Did you make mesh refinement. Decrise the size of mesh and re run. Or you can use mesh control for the area which you interest.
And re run.
Could you send data?
When you define the plot you want, i.e. displacement in the X direction, do you set the chart options to give you the number of decimal places you want (in the Position/Format box under that tab)? You can set it to fixed (floating) decimal or scientific/engineering formats which might help with the smaller numbers you are interested in (seemingly).
>>When you define the plot you want, i.e. displacement in the X direction, do you set the chart options to give you the number of decimal places you want (in the Position/Format box under that tab)?<<
BINGO! Thanks, James, I hadn't noticed that requirement.
Yes, Seckin, I realize that all of these digits of **precision** may not be -- probably aren't! -- **accurate** and that it's my responsibility to use an appropriate mesh. This is something I need to play with to figure out how much accuracy I'm actually gettting...
Is there any way to set this charting precision as the default, since I will mostly want higher-precision listed results for the foreseeable future? -- John Willett
Yes, when you are in Simulation click on "Simulation" in the top window bar; select "Options" in the drop-down box; select the "Default Options" tab in the pop-up; click on "Color Chart" (under "Plot") and in the box to the right enter the number of decimal places you want displayed in the "Number Format" section.
>>Yes, when you are in Simulation click on "Simulation" in the top window bar; select "Options" in the drop-down box; select the "Default Options" tab in the pop-up; click on "Color Chart" (under "Plot") and in the box to the right enter the number of decimal places you want displayed in the "Number Format" section.<<
Thanks, James. I probably would never have found this entry. One problem remains, however:
When I set this option, I can re-check it immediately, and it's still set. But if I do something in SolidWorks and then come back to it, the entry in question keeps reverting to the original setting of "3." Any idea what's going on? -- John Willett
John,
You can set your default display under the options button and every time you start a study it will come up based on that. If you 'copy' a tab to modify a study it will keep the settings and particular reports you have already used. (RMB --> 'Duplicate' on the FEA tab itself.) 
>>You can set your default display under the options button and every time you start a study it will come up based on that. If you 'copy' a tab to modify a study it will keep the settings and particular reports you have already used.<<
OK, thanks. That probably explains my confusion; I haven't been careful about exactly which studies in an assembly have what default settings... -- John Willett
When you define the plot you want, i.e. displacement in the X direction, do you set the chart options to give you the number of decimal places you want (in the Position/Format box under that tab)? You can set it to fixed (floating) decimal or scientific/engineering formats which might help with the smaller numbers you are interested in (seemingly).