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      <title>Real, Integer, and Character Input Data</title>
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      <div class="title_topic3" id="xps10_pagetitle">Real, Integer, and Character Input Data </div>
      <hr noshade="true">
      <p class="para_topic">NX Nastran is quite particular about the input requirements for data entry.  The three possible types of data entries are Integer, Real, and Character (sometimes called literal, or BCD-binary coded decimal).  The three types of data are described as follows: </p>
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               <td align="left" colspan="1" rowspan="1" valign="top">
                  <p class="para_td">Integer </p>
               </td>
               <td align="left" colspan="1" rowspan="1" valign="top">
                  <p class="para_td">Cannot contain a decimal point. </p>
               </td>
            </tr>
            <tr>
               <td align="left" colspan="1" rowspan="1" valign="top">
                  <p class="para_td">Real </p>
               </td>
               <td align="left" colspan="1" rowspan="1" valign="top">
                  <p class="para_td">Must contain a decimal point. </p>
               </td>
            </tr>
            <tr>
               <td align="left" colspan="1" rowspan="1" valign="top">
                  <p class="para_td">Character </p>
               </td>
               <td align="left" colspan="1" rowspan="1" valign="top">
                  <p class="para_td">Can be alphanumeric, but must always start with an alpha character and be 8 characters or less in length. </p>
               </td>
            </tr>
         </tbody>
      </table><br><p class="para_topic">Real numbers may be entered in a variety of ways.  For example, the following are all acceptable versions of the real number seven: </p>
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               <td align="left" colspan="1" rowspan="1" valign="top">
                  <p class="para_td">7.0 </p>
               </td>
               <td align="left" colspan="1" rowspan="1" valign="top">
                  <p class="para_td">.7E1 </p>
               </td>
               <td align="left" colspan="1" rowspan="1" valign="top">
                  <p class="para_td">0.7+1 </p>
               </td>
            </tr>
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                  <p class="para_td">.70+1 </p>
               </td>
               <td align="left" colspan="1" rowspan="1" valign="top">
                  <p class="para_td">7.E+0 </p>
               </td>
               <td align="left" colspan="1" rowspan="1" valign="top">
                  <p class="para_td">70.-1 </p>
               </td>
            </tr>
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      </table><br><div class="title_division">Free, Small, and Large Field Formats </div>
      <p class="para_division">NX Nastran has three different field formats for input data: </p>
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                  <p class="para_td">Free Field Format </p>
               </td>
               <td align="left" colspan="1" rowspan="1" valign="top">
                  <p class="para_td">Input data fields are separated by commas. </p>
               </td>
            </tr>
            <tr>
               <td align="left" colspan="1" rowspan="1" valign="top">
                  <p class="para_td">Small Field Format </p>
               </td>
               <td align="left" colspan="1" rowspan="1" valign="top">
                  <p class="para_td">Ten fields of eight characters each. </p>
               </td>
            </tr>
            <tr>
               <td align="left" colspan="1" rowspan="1" valign="top">
                  <p class="para_td">Large Field Format </p>
               </td>
               <td align="left" colspan="1" rowspan="1" valign="top">
                  <p class="para_td">Ten fields&mdash;fields containing actual data are sixteen characters each.  Large fields are used when greater numerical accuracy is required. </p>
               </td>
            </tr>
         </tbody>
      </table><br><p class="para_division">The NASTRAN statement, File Management Section, Executive Control Section, and Case Control Section use free field format.  The Bulk Data Section allows the use of any of the three formats. </p>
      <p class="para_division">NX Nastran Bulk Data contains ten fields per input data entry.  The first field contains the character name of the Bulk Data item (e.g., GRID, CBAR, MAT1, etc.).  Fields two through nine contain data input information for the Bulk Data entry.  The tenth field never contains data&mdash;it is reserved for entry continuation information, if applicable. </p>
      <p class="para_division">Consider the format of a typical NX Nastran Bulk Data entry, the GRID entry, which is used in NX Nastran to describe the geometry of the structural model. </p>
      <p align="left"><img align="bottom" src="graphics/bulk_data-ufig02.gif"></p>
      <div class="title_division">Example: </div>
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            <col span="1" width="10*">
            <col span="1" width="10*">
            <col span="1" width="10*">
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                  <p class="para_td">1 </p>
               </td>
               <td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1">
                  <p class="para_td">2 </p>
               </td>
               <td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1">
                  <p class="para_td">3 </p>
               </td>
               <td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1">
                  <p class="para_td">4 </p>
               </td>
               <td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1">
                  <p class="para_td">5 </p>
               </td>
               <td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1">
                  <p class="para_td">6 </p>
               </td>
               <td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1">
                  <p class="para_td">7 </p>
               </td>
               <td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1">
                  <p class="para_td">8 </p>
               </td>
               <td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1">
                  <p class="para_td">9 </p>
               </td>
               <td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1">
                  <p class="para_td">10 </p>
               </td>
            </tr>
         </thead>
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               <td align="left" colspan="1" rowspan="1" valign="top">
                  <p class="para_td">GRID </p>
               </td>
               <td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1">
                  <p class="para_td">2 </p>
               </td>
               <td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1">
                  <p class="para_td">&nbsp; </p>
               </td>
               <td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1">
                  <p class="para_td">1.0 </p>
               </td>
               <td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1">
                  <p class="para_td">-2.0 </p>
               </td>
               <td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1">
                  <p class="para_td">3.0 </p>
               </td>
               <td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1">
                  <p class="para_td">&nbsp; </p>
               </td>
               <td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1">
                  <p class="para_td">136 </p>
               </td>
               <td align="center" bgcolor="gray" colspan="1" rowspan="1">
                  <p class="para_td">&nbsp; </p>
               </td>
               <td align="center" bgcolor="gray" colspan="1" rowspan="1">
                  <p class="para_td">&nbsp; </p>
               </td>
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      </table><br><p class="para_division">We will now represent this example in free field, small field, and large field formats. </p>
      <div class="title_division">Free Field Format </div>
      <p class="para_division">In free field format, data fields are separated by commas.  The following shows the GRID Bulk Data entry example in free field format: </p>
      <p align="center"><img align="bottom" src="graphics/bulk_data-ufig03.gif"></p>
      <p class="para_division">The rules for free field format are as follows: </p>
      <ul>
         <li>
            <p class="para_item">Free field data entries must start in column 1. </p>
         </li>
         <li>
            <p class="para_item">To skip one field, use two commas in succession.  To skip two fields, use three commas in succession (and so on). </p>
         </li>
         <li>
            <p class="para_item">Integer or character fields with more than eight characters cause a fatal error. </p>
         </li>
         <li>
            <p class="para_item">Real numbers with more than eight characters are rounded off and lose some precision.  For example, an entry of 1.2345678+2 becomes 123.4568.  If more significant digits are needed, use the large field format. </p>
         </li>
         <li>
            <p class="para_item">Free field data can&rsquo;t contain embedded blanks.  An example of a free field embedded blank is shown below:<img align="bottom" src="graphics/bulk_data-ufig04.gif" border="0"></p>
         </li>
         <li>
            <p class="para_item">A dollar sign terminates the entry and comments may follow. </p>
         </li>
      </ul>
      <div class="title_division">Small Field Format </div>
      <p class="para_division">Small field format separates a Bulk Data entry into ten equal fields of eight characters each: </p>
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            <col span="1" width="10*">
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                  <p class="para_td">1 </p>
               </td>
               <td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1">
                  <p class="para_td">2 </p>
               </td>
               <td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1">
                  <p class="para_td">3 </p>
               </td>
               <td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1">
                  <p class="para_td">4 </p>
               </td>
               <td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1">
                  <p class="para_td">5 </p>
               </td>
               <td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1">
                  <p class="para_td">6 </p>
               </td>
               <td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1">
                  <p class="para_td">7 </p>
               </td>
               <td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1">
                  <p class="para_td">8 </p>
               </td>
               <td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1">
                  <p class="para_td">9 </p>
               </td>
               <td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1">
                  <p class="para_td">10 </p>
               </td>
            </tr>
         </thead>
         <tbody>
            <tr valign="middle">
               <td align="left" colspan="1" rowspan="1">
                  <p class="para_td">&lt;-8 Char-&gt; </p>
               </td>
               <td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1">
                  <p class="para_td">&lt;-8 Char-&gt; </p>
               </td>
               <td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1">
                  <p class="para_td">&lt;-8 Char-&gt; </p>
               </td>
               <td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1">
                  <p class="para_td">&lt;-8 Char-&gt; </p>
               </td>
               <td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1">
                  <p class="para_td">&lt;-8 Char-&gt; </p>
               </td>
               <td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1">
                  <p class="para_td">&lt;-8 Char-&gt; </p>
               </td>
               <td colspan="1" rowspan="1">
                  <p class="para_td">&lt;-8 Char-&gt; </p>
               </td>
               <td colspan="1" rowspan="1">
                  <p class="para_td">&lt;-8 Char-&gt; </p>
               </td>
               <td colspan="1" rowspan="1">
                  <p class="para_td">&lt;-8 Char-&gt; </p>
               </td>
               <td align="left" colspan="1" rowspan="1">
                  <p class="para_td">&lt;-8 Char-&gt; </p>
               </td>
            </tr>
         </tbody>
      </table><br><p class="para_division">The following is an example of the GRID entry in small field format: </p>
      <table border="1" width="100%" align="center">
         <colgroup span="1">
            <col span="1" width="10*">
            <col span="1" width="10*">
            <col span="1" width="10*">
            <col span="1" width="10*">
            <col span="1" width="10*">
            <col span="1" width="10*">
            <col span="1" width="10*">
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               <td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1">
                  <p class="para_td">1 </p>
               </td>
               <td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1">
                  <p class="para_td">2 </p>
               </td>
               <td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1">
                  <p class="para_td">3 </p>
               </td>
               <td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1">
                  <p class="para_td">4 </p>
               </td>
               <td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1">
                  <p class="para_td">5 </p>
               </td>
               <td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1">
                  <p class="para_td">6 </p>
               </td>
               <td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1">
                  <p class="para_td">7 </p>
               </td>
               <td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1">
                  <p class="para_td">8 </p>
               </td>
               <td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1">
                  <p class="para_td">9 </p>
               </td>
               <td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1">
                  <p class="para_td">10 </p>
               </td>
            </tr>
         </thead>
         <tbody>
            <tr valign="middle">
               <td align="left" colspan="1" rowspan="1">
                  <p class="para_td">GRID </p>
               </td>
               <td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1">
                  <p class="para_td">2 </p>
               </td>
               <td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1">
                  <p class="para_td">&nbsp; </p>
               </td>
               <td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1">
                  <p class="para_td">1.0 </p>
               </td>
               <td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1">
                  <p class="para_td">-2.0 </p>
               </td>
               <td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1">
                  <p class="para_td">3.0 </p>
               </td>
               <td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1">
                  <p class="para_td">&nbsp; </p>
               </td>
               <td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1">
                  <p class="para_td">136 </p>
               </td>
               <td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1">
                  <p class="para_td">&nbsp; </p>
               </td>
               <td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1">
                  <p class="para_td">&nbsp; </p>
               </td>
            </tr>
         </tbody>
      </table><br><p class="para_division">The rules for small field format are: </p>
      <ul>
         <li>
            <p class="para_item">Fields 1 and 10 must be left justified. </p>
         </li>
         <li>
            <p class="para_item">Fields 2 through 9 don&rsquo;t need to be either right or left justified, although aligning the data fields is good practice. </p>
         </li>
         <li>
            <p class="para_item">Small field input data cannot contain any embedded blanks.  An example of a small field embedded blank is shown below: </p>
            <p align="center"><img align="bottom" src="graphics/bulk_data-ufig05.gif"></p>
         </li>
      </ul>
      <div class="title_division">Large Field Format </div>
      <p class="para_division">A high degree of numerical accuracy is required in some NX Nastran applications.  Large field format is used when the small field format does not provide enough significant digits (recall that a minus sign, decimal point, and the &ldquo;E&rdquo; in scientific notation count as characters). </p>
      <p class="para_division">Large field format requires (at least) two lines for each entry:  the first and last field of each line contains eight columns, and the fields in between contain 16 columns.  The short field becomes two lines.  Large field entries are denoted by an asterisk (*) immediately following the character string in field 1A of the first line and immediately preceding the character string in field 1B of the second line. </p>
      <p class="para_division">The following is an example of the GRID Bulk Data entry example in large field format: </p>
      <div class="title_division">First Line: (Left half of single field) </div>
      <p align="center"><img align="bottom" src="graphics/bulk_data-ufig06.gif"></p>
      <div class="title_division">Second Line: (Right half of single field) </div>
      <p align="center"><img align="bottom" src="graphics/bulk_data-ufig07.gif"></p>
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