# Suggestions for the query tool **URL:** \ **Category:** Feature Requests\ **Tags:** annotations\ **Created:** [July 13, 2026, 5:07pm UTC](https://prepomax.discourse.group/t/suggestions-for-the-query-tool/3565 "2026-07-13T17:07:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Fran](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a4c791/32.png) [@Fran](https://prepomax.discourse.group/u/Fran)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2026, 5:07pm UTC](https://prepomax.discourse.group/t/suggestions-for-the-query-tool/3565/1 "2026-07-13T17:07:14Z")
Hi, Here are some ideas about possible improvements (maybe some of them are bugs?) for the query tool: 1. give the element size when querying an element. Right now, if I want to check if an element has the size I wanted, I need to use the Distance tool, which is less practical and limited to the visible face of the element. I guess there are several possible definitions to element size, as it is the case with the mesh quality tool. Maybe the definition could be the one closest to the one used to set the size of elements in the meshing parameters, or it could be configured in the annotations settings. 2. when displaying a distance, the annotation doesn’t get updated when changing the simulation increment, as it is the case with other types of annotations. I guess this has to do with the fact that the distance annotation is “impermanent” compared to the other types of annotations that remain visible even after closing the Query tool? 3. allow multiple “permanent” distance annotations that remain visible after closing the Query tool. 4. when measuring a distance in exploded view, the given distance is the “exploded” distance, and not the actual distance. Sometimes it is easier to make a selection in exploded view. I tried exploding, selecting, de-exploding, but the distance annotation doesn’t get updated (same as point 2. above) 5. allow the selection of a coordinate system. This could maybe be a global parameter that could be selected in a drop-down menu in the Query window? ---
**Author:** ![FEAnalyst](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/prepomax.discourse.group/feanalyst/32/688_2.png) [@FEAnalyst](https://prepomax.discourse.group/u/FEAnalyst)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2026, 5:55pm UTC](https://prepomax.discourse.group/t/suggestions-for-the-query-tool/3565/2 "2026-07-13T17:55:24Z")
> [@Fran](#): > > 1. give the element size when querying an element. Do you mean some characteristic length ? > [@Fran](#): > > 1. allow the selection of a coordinate system. This could maybe be a global parameter that could be selected in a drop-down menu in the Query window? Abaqus also has this for the coordinate and distance checks: ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/free1/uploads/prepomax/original/2X/c/c91c78dcf9e3c07a927dcd4322a6822b5e835ecb.png) ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/free1/uploads/prepomax/original/2X/f/f56d2bcf19e596bcd5899d43c49b20be38898d65.png) ---
**Author:** ![Matej](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a698b9/32.png) [@Matej](https://prepomax.discourse.group/u/Matej)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2026, 6:03pm UTC](https://prepomax.discourse.group/t/suggestions-for-the-query-tool/3565/3 "2026-07-13T18:03:14Z")
> [@Fran](#): > > 1. allow the selection of a coordinate system. This could maybe be a global parameter that could be selected in a drop-down menu in the Query window? So the coordinate system would be used for outputting the length/distance values. ---
**Author:** ![Fran](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a4c791/32.png) [@Fran](https://prepomax.discourse.group/u/Fran)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2026, 8:53pm UTC](https://prepomax.discourse.group/t/suggestions-for-the-query-tool/3565/4 "2026-07-13T20:53:43Z")
> [@FEAnalyst](#): > > Do you mean some characteristic length ? Yes I guess, although I struggle to understand the difference. > [@Matej](#): > > So the coordinate system would be used for outputting the length/distance values. Yes, and also for other types of query where this could be relevant, for example node query where the coordinates can be output. Could this also work with a cylindrical coordinate system? (to get the tangential distance for example, although that’s maybe a very specific case) ---
**Author:** ![FEAnalyst](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/prepomax.discourse.group/feanalyst/32/688_2.png) [@FEAnalyst](https://prepomax.discourse.group/u/FEAnalyst)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2026, 9:20pm UTC](https://prepomax.discourse.group/t/suggestions-for-the-query-tool/3565/5 "2026-07-13T21:20:31Z")
> [@Fran](#): > > Yes I guess, although I struggle to understand the difference. There are several different definitions depending also on the goal of evaluating this quantity. For solid elements, sometimes it’s defined as a cube root of the element’s volume, shortest distance across the element (for stable time increment calculations) or even just a “typical length of a line across an element for a first-order element and half of the same typical length for a second-order element” (Abaqus definition for some material models, DS doesn’t share the details).