(other-input-settings)=
# Other input settings

There are three groups of these settings.

## Included files

This part contains file names for base lines, materials (local) and layups as shown in [](#code-include).
The `<material>` sub-element is optional.
If this is included, PreVABS will read extra materials from this local file, besides the global material database (`MaterialDB.xml`).
If there are materials and laminae with the same names, data in the local material file will overwrite those in the global database.

- `path` in the `<include>` element is the relative path to the main input file;
- File extensions `.xml` can be omitted.

```{code-block} xml
:linenos:
:name: code-include
:caption: Input syntax for the included files.

<include>
  <baseline> path/baseline_file_name </baseline>
  <material> path/material_file_name </material>
  <layup> path/layup_file_name </layup>
</include>
```

**Specification**

- `<baseline>` - Name of the included base line file.
- `<material>` - Name of the included local material file.
- `<layup>` - Name of the included layup file.

## Analysis options

The second part contains settings for the analysis in VABS.
`<model>` can be 0 for classical beam model, or 1 for refined (Timoshenko) model.

```{code-block} xml
:linenos:
:name: code-analysis
:caption: A template for the analysis options in a main input file.

<analysis>
  <model> 1 </model>
</analysis>
```

**Specification**

- `<model>` - Beam model. Choose one from '0' (classical) and '1' (refined/Timoshenko).






## Global shape and mesh settings

The last part contains optional global geometry and meshing settings, which are all stored in a `<general>` sub-element.

User can set the global transformations of the cross section.
The three transformation operations have been discussed in [](#coordinate-systems).

- The order of transformation operation is: translating, scaling, and rotating;
- All operations are performed on the cross section, not the frame;
- The scaling operation will only scale the shape (base lines), and have
  no effect on the thicknesses of laminae;
- The rotating angle starts from the positive half of the $x_2$ axis,
  and increases positively counter-clockwise (right-hand rule).

There are two meshing options available now, global meshing size
`<mesh_size>` and type of elements `<element_type>`.

- If not setting, the global meshing size will be the minimum layer thickness by default;
- Two options for the element type are linear and quadratic.

```{code-block} xml
:linenos:
:name: code_general
:caption: A template for the global shape and mesh settings in a main input file.

<general>
  <translate> e2  e3 </translate>
  <scale> scaling_factor </scale>
  <rotate> angle </rotate>
  <mesh_size> a </mesh_size>
  <element_type> quadratic </element_type>
  <tolerance> 1e-9 </tolerance>
</general>
```

**Specification**

- `<translate>` - Horizontal and vertical translation of the cross-section. The origin will be moved to (-e2, -e3).
- `<scale>` - Scaling factor of the cross-section.
- `<rotate>` - Rotation angle of the cross-section.
- `<mesh_size>` - Global mesh size.
- `<element_type>` - Order of elements. `linear` or `quadratic` (default).
- `<tolerance>` - Tolerance used in geometric computation. Optional. Default value is 1e-12.

> [!NOTE]
> Only triangular element is available in the current version.