# Symmetric tensor in exodus II file
**URL:** https://discourse.paraview.org/t/symmetric-tensor-in-exodus-ii-file/15826
**Category:** ParaView Support
**Tags:** exodus
**Created:** [December 2, 2024, 8:29pm UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/symmetric-tensor-in-exodus-ii-file/15826 "2024-12-02T20:29:40Z")
**Posts on this page:** 8
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Renato\_E\_Poli](https://discourse.paraview.org/u/Renato_E_Poli)
#### Post date: [December 2, 2024, 8:29pm UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/symmetric-tensor-in-exodus-ii-file/15826/1 "2024-12-02T20:29:40Z")
Hi
I am trying to output a tensor from libmesh into an Exodus file.
I think I set the right ordering (XX-YY-ZZ-XY-XZ-YZ) but Paraview (v. 5.13.1) is not collapsing it in a single variable.
These are the vars:
“sigEFFXX”, “sigEFFYY”, “sigEFFZZ”, “sigEFFXY”, “sigEFFXZ”, “sigEFFYZ”
I believe the same used to work in earlier versions.
Any idea on how I can debug this issue?
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### Author:  [@mwestphal](https://discourse.paraview.org/u/mwestphal)
#### Post date: [December 3, 2024, 7:53am UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/symmetric-tensor-in-exodus-ii-file/15826/2 "2024-12-03T07:53:39Z")
Hi @Renato_E_Poli
> [@Renato\_E\_Poli](#):
>
> I believe the same used to work in earlier versions.
I’m afraid I doubt that.
> Any idea on how I can debug this issue?
Please share your data.
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### Author:  [@Renato\_E\_Poli](https://discourse.paraview.org/u/Renato_E_Poli)
#### Post date: [December 3, 2024, 1:44pm UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/symmetric-tensor-in-exodus-ii-file/15826/3 "2024-12-03T13:44:04Z")
Here you go.
This is the list of variables out of a netCDF dump.
name\_nod\_var = “SIGN”, “SIGS”, “NORMALX”, “NORMALY”, “NORMALZ”, “AN”, “AS”, “AT”, “DN”, “deltaDN”, “U\_dbgX”, “U\_dbgY”, “U\_dbgZ”, “P\_dbg”, “T\_gradX”, “T\_gradY”, “T\_gradZ”, “UX”, “UY”, “UZ”, “P”, “sigEFFXX”, “sigEFFYY”, “sigEFFZZ”, “sigEFFXY”, “sigEFFXZ”, “sigEFFYZ”, “Epsilon”, “Zeta”, “vonMises”, “sigTOTXX”, “sigTOTYY”, “sigTOTZZ”, “sigTOTXY”, “sigTOTXZ”, “sigTOTYZ”, “sigTERXX”, “sigTERYY”, “sigTERZZ”, “sigTERXY”, “sigTERXZ”, “sigTERYZ”, “S1X”, “S1Y”, “S1Z”, “T”
[example-RP.e](https://discourse.paraview.org/uploads/short-url/cbrXll1cy6d12SMiiufXTvkboyK.e) (3.6 MB)
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### Author:  [@Renato\_E\_Poli](https://discourse.paraview.org/u/Renato_E_Poli)
#### Post date: [December 3, 2024, 1:48pm UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/symmetric-tensor-in-exodus-ii-file/15826/4 "2024-12-03T13:48:30Z")
Note: in the above list, NORMAL{X,Y,Z}, U{X,Y,Z}, U\_dbg{X,Y,Z}, T\_grad{X,Y,Z} etc. are properly interpreted as a vector. However, S1{X,Y,Z} and the tensor variables are not. I cannot figure out why.
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### Author:  [@mwestphal](https://discourse.paraview.org/u/mwestphal)
#### Post date: [December 3, 2024, 3:30pm UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/symmetric-tensor-in-exodus-ii-file/15826/5 "2024-12-03T15:30:10Z")
Indeed, I confirm that the new IOSS exodus reader does not support tensors yet.
You can use the legacy reader by loading the plugin:
- Tools → ManagePlugins
- Load “LegacyExodusReader”
- File → Open → your file
- Select “LegacyExodusReader”
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### Author:  [@Renato\_E\_Poli](https://discourse.paraview.org/u/Renato_E_Poli)
#### Post date: [December 3, 2024, 3:43pm UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/symmetric-tensor-in-exodus-ii-file/15826/6 "2024-12-03T15:43:35Z")
Thank you. Any chance of automating that via command line or saved state?
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### Author:  [@mwestphal](https://discourse.paraview.org/u/mwestphal)
#### Post date: [December 3, 2024, 4:20pm UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/symmetric-tensor-in-exodus-ii-file/15826/7 "2024-12-03T16:20:43Z")
Sure: `./bin/paraview --plugins=LegacyExodusReader`
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### Author:  [@Renato\_E\_Poli](https://discourse.paraview.org/u/Renato_E_Poli)
#### Post date: [December 4, 2024, 1:33am UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/symmetric-tensor-in-exodus-ii-file/15826/8 "2024-12-04T01:33:35Z")
Thank you!