using PNG by default for plots.

doc/source/api/mapdl.rst

@@ -35,6 +35,8 @@
    Mapdl.input_strings
    Mapdl.set_log_level
    Mapdl.version
+   Mapdl.use_vtk
+   Mapdl.file_type_for_plots
 
 
 Constants

src/ansys/mapdl/core/mapdl.py

@@ -73,6 +73,12 @@
 
 DEBUG_LEVELS = Literal["DEBUG", "INFO", "WARNING", "ERROR"]
 
+VALID_DEVICES = ["PNG", "TIFF", "VRML", "TERM", "CLOSE"]
+VALID_DEVICES_LITERAL = Literal[tuple(["PNG", "TIFF", "VRML", "TERM", "CLOSE"])]
+
+VALID_FILE_TYPE_FOR_PLOT = VALID_DEVICES.copy()
+VALID_FILE_TYPE_FOR_PLOT.remove("CLOSE")
+VALID_FILE_TYPE_FOR_PLOT_LITERAL = Literal[tuple(VALID_FILE_TYPE_FOR_PLOT)]
 
 _PERMITTED_ERRORS = [
     r"(\*\*\* ERROR \*\*\*).*(?:[\r\n]+.*)+highly distorted.",
@@ -204,6 +210,7 @@ def __init__(
         log_file: Union[bool, str] = False,
         local: bool = True,
         print_com: bool = False,
+        file_type_for_plots: VALID_FILE_TYPE_FOR_PLOT_LITERAL = "PNG",
         **start_parm,
     ):
         """Initialize connection with MAPDL."""
@@ -222,6 +229,8 @@ def __init__(
         self._launched: bool = False
         self._stderr = None
         self._stdout = None
+        self._file_type_for_plots = file_type_for_plots
+        self._default_file_type_for_plots = file_type_for_plots
 
         if _HAS_PYVISTA:
             if use_vtk is not None:  # pragma: no cover
@@ -331,6 +340,48 @@ def is_console(self):
         """Return true if using console to connect to the MAPDL instance."""
         return self._mode == "console"
 
+    @property
+    def file_type_for_plots(self):
+        """Returns the current file type for plotting."""
+        return self._file_type_for_plots
+
+    @file_type_for_plots.setter
+    def file_type_for_plots(self, value: VALID_DEVICES_LITERAL):
+        """Modify the current file type for plotting."""
+        if isinstance(value, str) and value.upper() in VALID_DEVICES:
+            self._run(
+                f"/show, {value.upper()}"
+            )  # To avoid recursion we need to use _run.
+            self._file_type_for_plots = value.upper()
+        else:
+            raise ValueError(f"'{value}' is not allowed as file output for plots.")
+
+    @property
+    def default_file_type_for_plots(self):
+        """Default file type for plots.
+
+        Use when device is not properly set, for instance when the device is closed."""
+        return self._default_file_type_for_plots
+
+    @default_file_type_for_plots.setter
+    def default_file_type_for_plots(self, value: VALID_FILE_TYPE_FOR_PLOT_LITERAL):
+        """Set default file type for plots.
+
+        Used when device is not properly set, for instance when the device is closed."""
+        if not isinstance(value, str) and value.upper() not in VALID_FILE_TYPE_FOR_PLOT:
+            raise ValueError(f"'{value}' is not allowed as file output for plots.")
+        return self._default_file_type_for_plots
+
+    @property
+    def use_vtk(self):
+        """Returns if using VTK by default or not."""
+        return self._use_vtk
+
+    @use_vtk.setter
+    def use_vtk(self, value: bool):
+        """Set VTK to be used by default or not."""
+        self._use_vtk = value
+
     def _wrap_listing_functions(self):
         # Wrapping LISTING FUNCTIONS.
         def wrap_listing_function(func):
@@ -1878,13 +1929,20 @@ def __enter__(self) -> None:
                 self._parent().show("PNG", mute=True)
                 self._parent().gfile(self._pixel_res, mute=True)
 
+            self.previous_device = self._parent().file_type_for_plots
+
+            if self._parent().file_type_for_plots not in ["PNG", "TIFF", "PNG", "VRML"]:
+                self._parent().show(self._parent().default_file_type_for_plots)
+
         def __exit__(self, *args) -> None:
             self._parent()._log.debug("Exiting in 'WithInterativePlotting' mode")
             self._parent().show("close", mute=True)
             if not self._parent()._png_mode:
                 self._parent().show("PNG", mute=True)
                 self._parent().gfile(self._pixel_res, mute=True)
 
+            self._parent().file_type_for_plots = self.previous_device
+
         def __exit__(self, *args) -> None:
             self._parent()._log.debug("Exiting in 'WithInterativePlotting' mode")
             self._parent().show("close", mute=True)
@@ -3039,6 +3097,10 @@ def run(
             # https://github.com/pyansys/pymapdl/issues/380
             command = "/CLE,NOSTART"
 
+        # Tracking output device
+        if command[:4].upper() == "/SHO":
+            self._file_type_for_plots = command.split(",")[1].upper()
+
         # Invalid commands silently ignored.
         cmd_ = command.split(",")[0].upper()
         if cmd_ in INVAL_COMMANDS_SILENT:

src/ansys/mapdl/core/mapdl_grpc.py

@@ -251,6 +251,11 @@ class MapdlGrpc(_MapdlCore):
         PyPIM. This instance will be deleted when calling
         :func:`Mapdl.exit <ansys.mapdl.core.Mapdl.exit>`.
 
+    file_type_for_plots: ["PNG", "TIFF", "PNG", "VRML", "TERM"], Optional
+        Change the default file type for plots using ``/SHOW``, by
+        default it is ``PNG``.
+
+
     Examples
     --------
     Connect to an instance of MAPDL already running on locally on the
@@ -867,6 +872,8 @@ def _run_at_connect(self):
         with self.run_as_routine("POST26"):
             self.numvar(200, mute=True)
 
+        self.show(self._file_type_for_plots)
+
     def _reset_cache(self):
         """Reset cached items."""
         if self._mesh_rep is not None:

tests/test_plotting.py

@@ -593,3 +593,25 @@ def filtering(file_name):
 
     # cleaning
     os.remove(last_png)
+
+
+def test_file_type_for_plots(mapdl):
+    assert mapdl.file_type_for_plots in ["PNG", "TIFF", "PNG", "VRML", "TERM", "CLOSE"]
+
+    mapdl.file_type_for_plots = "TIFF"
+    assert mapdl.file_type_for_plots == "TIFF"
+
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError):
+        mapdl.file_type_for_plots = "asdf"
+
+    mapdl.default_plot_file_type = "PNG"
+    n_files_ending_png_before = len(
+        [each for each in mapdl.list_files() if each.endswith(".png")]
+    )
+
+    mapdl.eplot(vtk=False)
+    n_files_ending_png_after = len(
+        [each for each in mapdl.list_files() if each.endswith(".png")]
+    )
+
+    assert n_files_ending_png_before + 1 == n_files_ending_png_after