# learning to function with .vtu files in Paraview
**URL:** https://discourse.paraview.org/t/learning-to-function-with-vtu-files-in-paraview/16883
**Category:** ParaView Support
**Created:** [July 1, 2025, 5:00pm UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/learning-to-function-with-vtu-files-in-paraview/16883 "2025-07-01T17:00:33Z")
**Posts on this page:** 11
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Ashugarg](https://discourse.paraview.org/u/Ashugarg)
#### Post date: [July 1, 2025, 5:00pm UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/learning-to-function-with-vtu-files-in-paraview/16883/1 "2025-07-01T17:00:33Z")
Hi,
I have recently started using Paraview for visualizing outputs from my sub-surface model which provides output in .vtu format. I was wondering if there are any tutorial or guide available for the beginners to learn how to operate .vtu files in Paraview. Like we have different stratification layers in our model how to individually visualize each of them etc…
Thanks a lot for your support!
Shubham.
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### Author:  [@mwestphal](https://discourse.paraview.org/u/mwestphal)
#### Post date: [July 2, 2025, 7:16am UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/learning-to-function-with-vtu-files-in-paraview/16883/2 "2025-07-02T07:16:51Z")
> [@Ashugarg](#):
>
> how to operate .vtu files in Paraview.
File → Open → Select .vtu file → Apply
> Like we have different stratification layers in our model how to individually visualize each of them etc…
Every data is different, please share your data 🙂
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### Author:  [@Ashugarg](https://discourse.paraview.org/u/Ashugarg)
#### Post date: [July 2, 2025, 4:13pm UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/learning-to-function-with-vtu-files-in-paraview/16883/3 "2025-07-02T16:13:17Z")
Thanks a lot Mathieu for your response. I completely agree with you. I can share my dataset with you. Is there a way I can share the dataset securely to you.
Regards,
Shubham.
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### Author:  [@mwestphal](https://discourse.paraview.org/u/mwestphal)
#### Post date: [July 2, 2025, 4:14pm UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/learning-to-function-with-vtu-files-in-paraview/16883/4 "2025-07-02T16:14:31Z")
> [@Ashugarg](#):
>
> Is there a way I can share the dataset securely to you.
> **[WeTransfer | Send Large Files Fast](https://wetransfer.com)**
>
> The simple, quick and secure way to send your files around the world without an account. Share your files, photos, and videos today for free.
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### Author:  [@Ashugarg](https://discourse.paraview.org/u/Ashugarg)
#### Post date: [July 2, 2025, 4:48pm UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/learning-to-function-with-vtu-files-in-paraview/16883/5 "2025-07-02T16:48:26Z")
Hi,
I sent the files successfully via We Transfer. Please let me know those were not received for some reason.
Thank you,
Shubham.
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### Author:  [@mwestphal](https://discourse.paraview.org/u/mwestphal)
#### Post date: [July 3, 2025, 8:21am UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/learning-to-function-with-vtu-files-in-paraview/16883/6 "2025-07-03T08:21:53Z")
I did not receive anything, you can share the link here instead.
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### Author:  [@Ashugarg](https://discourse.paraview.org/u/Ashugarg)
#### Post date: [July 3, 2025, 5:36pm UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/learning-to-function-with-vtu-files-in-paraview/16883/7 "2025-07-03T17:36:48Z")
Ohhk, I see. Sorry. Please let me know if this link works ([https://we.tl/t-KbCsef51NI](https://we.tl/t-KbCsef51NI?utm_campaign=TRN_TER_01&utm_source=sendgrid&utm_medium=email&trk=TRN_TER_01)).
Thank you,
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### Author:  [@mwestphal](https://discourse.paraview.org/u/mwestphal)
#### Post date: [July 4, 2025, 8:14am UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/learning-to-function-with-vtu-files-in-paraview/16883/8 "2025-07-04T08:14:58Z")
Is this what you want to do ?
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### Author:  [@Ashugarg](https://discourse.paraview.org/u/Ashugarg)
#### Post date: [July 4, 2025, 3:02pm UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/learning-to-function-with-vtu-files-in-paraview/16883/9 "2025-07-04T15:02:12Z")
Hi Matthew,
Thanks for your support. So, the first image (depth to groundwater) shows the plan view of an example watershed model. This model has 15 vertical stratified layers (visible in surface with edges view).
So, what I am looking for is that if I can visualize these 15 layers individually. Let us say, if I want to see the components only 12 th layer and not any other layer. How can I do that?
The clip tool or slice tool may help in this case as the terrain is quite flat. But when the terrain is quite undulating how to go about visualizing a particular layer.
Great thanks for persisting on this!
Regards,
Shubham.
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### Author:  [@mwestphal](https://discourse.paraview.org/u/mwestphal)
#### Post date: [July 4, 2025, 3:07pm UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/learning-to-function-with-vtu-files-in-paraview/16883/10 "2025-07-04T15:07:57Z")
Sadly your data is unstructured, which means it does not implictely contains enough information to extract the layer.
If you could generate a field containing the layer ID for each cell, then it would become trivial to extract it.
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### Author:  [@Ashugarg](https://discourse.paraview.org/u/Ashugarg)
#### Post date: [July 4, 2025, 9:51pm UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/learning-to-function-with-vtu-files-in-paraview/16883/11 "2025-07-04T21:51:18Z")
Yes, thank you! I understood the issue now. Thanks for your help 🙂
Shubham.