# How to show the material numers in the grid?
**URL:** https://discourse.paraview.org/t/how-to-show-the-material-numers-in-the-grid/11902
**Category:** ParaView Support
**Tags:** vtk
**Created:** [April 17, 2023, 3:39am UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/how-to-show-the-material-numers-in-the-grid/11902 "2023-04-17T03:39:46Z")
**Posts on this page:** 6
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@zjqf](https://discourse.paraview.org/u/zjqf)
#### Post date: [April 17, 2023, 3:39am UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/how-to-show-the-material-numers-in-the-grid/11902/1 "2023-04-17T03:39:47Z")
I have a question about showing the material numbers.
figure 1 and figure 2 are got by using VISIT software. As figure 2 shows, there are material number in the grids. I want to get the same figure by using Paraview. What should I do?
My figrue in paraview as follow:
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### Author:  [@nicolas.vuaille](https://discourse.paraview.org/u/nicolas.vuaille)
#### Post date: [April 17, 2023, 7:38am UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/how-to-show-the-material-numers-in-the-grid/11902/2 "2023-04-17T07:38:32Z")
You should change the array used for coloration. You need to have an array containing this info, and probably you should use `Interpret Values as Categories` in the color map editor.
[Doc about the data model](https://docs.paraview.org/en/latest/UsersGuide/understandingData.html) and how to know about data arrays.
[Doc about displaying the data](https://docs.paraview.org/en/latest/UsersGuide/displayingData.html#id3)
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### Author:  [@zjqf](https://discourse.paraview.org/u/zjqf)
#### Post date: [April 18, 2023, 1:07am UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/how-to-show-the-material-numers-in-the-grid/11902/3 "2023-04-18T01:07:14Z")
Thanks for your reply, maybe I didn’t describe the problem clearly enough. my target is not render model by material array, is to display the material array in the grid.
you can zoom in on the figure 2, and you will see the follow figure:
it dispaly the material array value in grids, i also want to display the material array values in grids by using paraview.
the `Interpret values as Categories` can render the model by material array, but can not display the material array values. another example as follow foigure:
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### Author:  [@nicolas.vuaille](https://discourse.paraview.org/u/nicolas.vuaille)
#### Post date: [April 18, 2023, 7:15am UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/how-to-show-the-material-numers-in-the-grid/11902/4 "2023-04-18T07:15:48Z")
Ah ok.
The nearest feature we have is the `Selection Label` I think.
In the `Find Data` panel, after creating a selection, you can configure labels and edit their visual properties. Note that by default, not all elements are labelized: you should change the max in the settings.
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### Author:  [@zjqf](https://discourse.paraview.org/u/zjqf)
#### Post date: [April 18, 2023, 7:41am UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/how-to-show-the-material-numers-in-the-grid/11902/5 "2023-04-18T07:41:31Z")
Thanks very much! I get the figure as follow:
I want to plot the top cells, but i use the function(as figure2) can not select the cells i want(cell number 1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17). Is there any way to select cells i want?
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### Author:  [@zjqf](https://discourse.paraview.org/u/zjqf)
#### Post date: [April 18, 2023, 7:54am UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/how-to-show-the-material-numers-in-the-grid/11902/6 "2023-04-18T07:54:03Z")
ok, i find way to select the cell i want. Thanks very much again!