# Errors with \*ORIENTATION

**URL:** https://calculix.discourse.group/t/errors-with-orientation/2288
**Category:** Uncategorized
**Created:** [May 26, 2024, 7:13pm UTC](https://calculix.discourse.group/t/errors-with-orientation/2288 "2024-05-26T19:13:07Z")
**Posts on this page:** 4
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![akhmeteli](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/df788c/32.png) [@akhmeteli](https://calculix.discourse.group/u/akhmeteli)
#### Post date: [May 26, 2024, 7:13pm UTC](https://calculix.discourse.group/t/errors-with-orientation/2288/1 "2024-05-26T19:13:07Z")

</div>

I suspect I am missing something simple, but I would much appreciate your advice.

I am calculating buckling in a sandwich structure. The shape is a so-called stellated icosahedron. I calculate for different values of a certain integer parameter n related to the number of edges. I am having no problems with n=1 and n=2, but for n=3 I start getting errors, such as

\*ERROR reading \*ORIENTATION: distribution  
-4.265755714032843E-5  
has not been defined

The relevant lines in the input:

\*MATERIAL,NAME=C39  
\*ELASTIC,TYPE=ENGINEERING CONSTANTS  
6.6879e8,66.879,66.879,1.0e-5,1.0e-5,1.0e-5,1.379e8,1.379e8  
13.79,273.15  
\*ORIENTATION,NAME=OR39  
-4.265755714034968e-5,0.041314893132270915,0.06350969495567342,-0.26043909983097135,-0.026301865130987256,0.01693519472946925  
\*ELSET,ELSET=ELC39k4,GENERATE  
664702,665124  
\*SOLID SECTION,ELSET=ELC39k4,MATERIAL=C39,ORIENTATION=OR39

Why is the number read as a name of a distribution?

Another (apparently, induced) error:

\*ERROR reading \*SOLID SECTION. Card image:  
\*SOLIDSECTION,ELSET=ELC39K4,MATERIAL=C39,ORIENTATION=OR39

\*ERROR reading \*SOLID SECTION: nonexistent orientation

The relevant lines of input are the same.

The ccx input file is temporarily at [akhmeteli.org/newbuildorder.zip](http://akhmeteli.org/newbuildorder.zip) , but the zipped file is very large (about 100 MB).

Another thing I don’t understand. When I click on the ccx input file, I get numerous messages:

ERROR in seta: A negative entity-index:-1 was used in set +dlo

I use a Linux ccx\_2.19\_MT executable from [feacluster.com](http://feacluster.com).

Thank you

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![Disla](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/calculix.discourse.group/disla/32/3548_2.png) [@Disla](https://calculix.discourse.group/u/Disla)
#### Post date: [May 26, 2024, 7:55pm UTC](https://calculix.discourse.group/t/errors-with-orientation/2288/2 "2024-05-26T19:55:40Z")

</div>

CalculiX (just as ABAQUS) reads reals with the f20.0 Fortran format.

-4.26575571403496 **8** e-5 has more than 20 chars.

Just remove the last decimal

-4.26575571403496e-5

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![Calc\_em](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Calc\_em](https://calculix.discourse.group/u/Calc_em)
#### Post date: [May 26, 2024, 8:19pm UTC](https://calculix.discourse.group/t/errors-with-orientation/2288/3 "2024-05-26T20:19:30Z")

</div>

> [@Disla](#):
>
> just as ABAQUS

This is only mentioned for the UEL subroutine. Abaqus can read longer numbers in the input deck:

![input](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/free1/uploads/calculix/original/2X/0/07f5bc3241673dcce97738c31f88dfd3be68e1f2.jpeg)

 ![output](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/free1/uploads/calculix/original/2X/b/bd7b025e68e775d12f865a8de66b99e7a6738720.jpeg)

CalculiX would read this as approximately 2.93.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![akhmeteli](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/df788c/32.png) [@akhmeteli](https://calculix.discourse.group/u/akhmeteli)
#### Post date: [May 27, 2024, 2:37am UTC](https://calculix.discourse.group/t/errors-with-orientation/2288/4 "2024-05-27T02:37:11Z")

</div>

It seems this has worked! Thank you very much indeed! Would be difficult for me to guess.