how to insert keyword in the step load definition section using python script? - abaqus

Question

I am using python to insert *Include, Input=file.inp into step load definition section to apply for pressure boundary condition on nodes. Here is my script, however, it is inserted in Part level section. I am wondering how to control the insert position using python. Thanks
def GetKeywordPosition(myModel, blockPrefix, occurrence=1):
if blockPrefix == '':
return len(myModel.keywordBlock.sieBlocks)+1
pos = 0
foundCount = 0
for block in myModel.keywordBlock.sieBlocks:
if string.lower(block[0:len(blockPrefix)])==\
string.lower(blockPrefix):
foundCount = foundCount + 1
if foundCount >= occurrence:
return pos
pos=pos+1
return +1
position = GetKeywordPosition(myModel, '*step')+24
myModel.keywordBlock.synchVersions(storeNodesAndElements=False)
myModel.keywordBlock.insert(position, "\n*INCLUDE, INPUT=file.inp")

Answer 1

You can adapt the re module. This should work
import re
# Get keywordBlock object
kw_block = myModel.keywordBlock
kw_block.synchVersions(storeNodesAndElements=False)
sie_blocks = kw_block.sieBlocks
# Define keywords for the search (don't forget to exclude special symbols with '\')
kw_list = ['\*Step, name="My Step"']
# Find index
idx = 0
for kw in kw_list:
r = re.compile(kw)
full_str = filter(r.match, sie_blocks[idx:])[0]
idx += sie_blocks[idx:].index(full_str)
UPD: Some explanations as requested
As keywords in the .inp file could be somewhat repetitive, the main idea here is to create a "search route", where the last pattern in the list will correspond to a place where you want to make your modifications (for example, if you want to find the "*End" keyword after a specific "*Instance" keyword).
So we proceed iteratively through our "search route" == list of search patterns:
Compile the regex expression;
Find the first appearance of the pattern in the sie_blocks starting from the index idx;
Update the idx so the next search is performed from this point.
Hope this will help