# Issues with TETRA14 elements
**URL:** https://discourse.paraview.org/t/issues-with-tetra14-elements/17294
**Category:** ParaView Support
**Tags:** exodus
**Created:** [November 5, 2025, 6:25pm UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/issues-with-tetra14-elements/17294 "2025-11-05T18:25:49Z")
**Posts on this page:** 5
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@lindad](https://discourse.paraview.org/u/lindad)
#### Post date: [November 5, 2025, 6:25pm UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/issues-with-tetra14-elements/17294/1 "2025-11-05T18:25:49Z")
When attempting to create slices from exodus files using TETRA14 elements, all we see is the outline of the slice, e.g. it’s as if the parent mesh is a surface mesh instead of a volumetric one. There is no problem with TETRA4 or TETRA10 elements. The attached exodus file demonstrates the issue which we’ve tested in ParaView 5.12 and 5.13.3.
[dummy.e](https://discourse.paraview.org/uploads/short-url/zlXgL7zWZdv3JbKH6pwvSPgRc98.e) (1.4 MB)
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### Author:  [@dcthomp](https://discourse.paraview.org/u/dcthomp)
#### Post date: [November 5, 2025, 7:56pm UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/issues-with-tetra14-elements/17294/2 "2025-11-05T19:56:51Z")
VTK does not currently support a 14-node tetrahedron (though the IOSS library does). VTK supports a 15-node tetrahedron. Presumably the difference is a body-centered node.
Also, I see larger issues when loading the data you attached into ParaView 6.x:
- VTK’s IOSS-based reader does not create any cells at all from the file.
- loading the plugin for the legacy Exodus-based reader creates cells but appears to mistreat the connectivity data (see image).
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### Author:  [@woodscn](https://discourse.paraview.org/u/woodscn)
#### Post date: [November 5, 2025, 8:57pm UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/issues-with-tetra14-elements/17294/3 "2025-11-05T20:57:08Z")
Should VTK raise an error when it attempts to parse an unsupported element like this?
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### Author:  [@lindad](https://discourse.paraview.org/u/lindad)
#### Post date: [November 6, 2025, 6:43pm UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/issues-with-tetra14-elements/17294/4 "2025-11-06T18:43:26Z")
Thanks for the quick response @dcthomp
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### Author:  [@dcthomp](https://discourse.paraview.org/u/dcthomp)
#### Post date: [November 6, 2025, 6:52pm UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/issues-with-tetra14-elements/17294/5 "2025-11-06T18:52:10Z")
Yes. It is hard to test that filters do things like this or we would have a chance of forcing readers to do so.