# Is it possible to print rotational dofs in .dat file?

**URL:** <https://calculix.discourse.group/t/is-it-possible-to-print-rotational-dofs-in-dat-file/3776>\
**Category:** Postprocessing/Visualization\
**Created:** [February 9, 2026, 4:44pm UTC](https://calculix.discourse.group/t/is-it-possible-to-print-rotational-dofs-in-dat-file/3776 "2026-02-09T16:44:43Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![MJJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b487fb/32.png) [@MJJ](https://calculix.discourse.group/u/MJJ)\
**Post date:** [February 9, 2026, 4:44pm UTC](https://calculix.discourse.group/t/is-it-possible-to-print-rotational-dofs-in-dat-file/3776/1 "2026-02-09T16:44:43Z")

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I have a reference node that is part of a kinematic constraint. I would like to print the rotational dofs (U4, U5, U6). Is it possible to output these in any way? \*NODE PRINT only seems to output translational dofs (U1, U2, U3).

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<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:** [February 9, 2026, 4:56pm UTC](https://calculix.discourse.group/t/is-it-possible-to-print-rotational-dofs-in-dat-file/3776/2 "2026-02-09T16:56:06Z")

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> [@MJJ](#):
>
> \*NODE PRINT only seems to output translational dofs (U1, U2, U3).

You need two \*NODE PRINT cards - one for REF NODE (translational DOFs) and one for ROT NODE (rotational DOFs numbered like translational ones):

```auto
*Node print, Nset=NSET_REF, Global=Yes
U
*Node print, Nset=NSET_ROT, Global=Yes
U

```

Or one card if you add them to a common set.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![MJJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b487fb/32.png) [@MJJ](https://calculix.discourse.group/u/MJJ)\
**Post date:** [February 9, 2026, 6:10pm UTC](https://calculix.discourse.group/t/is-it-possible-to-print-rotational-dofs-in-dat-file/3776/3 "2026-02-09T18:10:10Z")

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Thanks for the reply! Im trying to understand how to apply this to my case. So I have 2 additional nodes defined:

```auto
*NODE, NSET=MY_REF_NODE
10001, 0.0, 0.0, 1.0
*NODE, NSET=MY_ROT_NODE
10002, 0.0, 0.0, 1.0

```

Then, i can use the ref node with my kinematic constraint:

`*COUPLING, CONSTRAINT NAME=MY_CONS, REF NODE=10001, SURFACE=MY_SURF, ORIENTATION=MY_ORIENT`  
`*KINEMATIC`  
`2,3`

Then i have to create a rigid body for the reference node in order to specify a ROT NODE?

`*RIGID BODY, NSET=MY_REF_NODE, REF NODE=10001, ROT NODE=10002`

Then i have forces / moments applied to `MY_REF_NODE` with the `*NODE PRINT`cards as you have defined in your original reply.

Am i understanding correctly?

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<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:** [February 9, 2026, 6:20pm UTC](https://calculix.discourse.group/t/is-it-possible-to-print-rotational-dofs-in-dat-file/3776/4 "2026-02-09T18:20:30Z")

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Actually, I thought you were already using rigid body constraint.

But since you are using `*COUPLING` with `*KINEMATIC`, DOFs 1-6 are supported in the reference node. At least for BCs/loads, it may not work for as expected for output.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![MJJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b487fb/32.png) [@MJJ](https://calculix.discourse.group/u/MJJ)\
**Post date:** [February 9, 2026, 6:37pm UTC](https://calculix.discourse.group/t/is-it-possible-to-print-rotational-dofs-in-dat-file/3776/5 "2026-02-09T18:37:25Z")

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Yeah, looks like this is the relevant line of code:

> <https://github.com/Dhondtguido/CalculiX/blob/4ae20fc055ff7e157b6618804f7266635b647bd8/src/printout.f#L125>

But im not sure what `ipos` is exactly. Its possible reference nodes that have dofs 4-6 active may be interpretted otherwise in this function.

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<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:** [February 9, 2026, 6:51pm UTC](https://calculix.discourse.group/t/is-it-possible-to-print-rotational-dofs-in-dat-file/3776/6 "2026-02-09T18:51:24Z")

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Since kinematic couplings add rigidity to a surface, maybe you could just use a rigid body constraint (applied to a node set from that surface) instead ?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![MJJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b487fb/32.png) [@MJJ](https://calculix.discourse.group/u/MJJ)\
**Post date:** [February 9, 2026, 6:53pm UTC](https://calculix.discourse.group/t/is-it-possible-to-print-rotational-dofs-in-dat-file/3776/7 "2026-02-09T18:53:44Z")

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I think that may work, thanks for the help!