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 # `PreContactTool`

 Last update: 09.03.2026 

<a id="ansys.mechanical.stubs.v251.Ansys.ACT.Automation.Mechanical.PreContactTool"></a>

#### *class* Ansys.ACT.Automation.Mechanical.PreContactTool

Bases: [`object`](https://docs.python.org/3/library/functions.html#object)

Defines a PreContactTool.

<a id="overview"></a>

## Overview

### Methods

NameDescription[`Activate`](#PreContactTool.Activate)Activate the current object.[`AddComment`](#PreContactTool.AddComment)Creates a new child Comment.[`AddFigure`](#PreContactTool.AddFigure)Creates a new child Figure.[`AddGap`](#PreContactTool.AddGap)Creates a new ContactGap[`AddImage`](#PreContactTool.AddImage)Creates a new child Image.[`AddInitialInformation`](#PreContactTool.AddInitialInformation)Creates a new ContactDataTable[`AddPenetration`](#PreContactTool.AddPenetration)Creates a new ContactPenetration[`AddStatus`](#PreContactTool.AddStatus)Creates a new ContactStatus[`ClearGeneratedData`](#PreContactTool.ClearGeneratedData)Run the ClearGeneratedData action.[`CopyTo`](#PreContactTool.CopyTo)Copies all visible properties from this object to another.[`CreateParameter`](#PreContactTool.CreateParameter)Creates a new parameter for a Property.[`Delete`](#PreContactTool.Delete)Run the Delete action.[`Duplicate`](#PreContactTool.Duplicate)Creates a copy of the current DataModelObject.[`EvaluateAllResults`](#PreContactTool.EvaluateAllResults)Run the EvaluateAllResults action.[`GenerateInitialContactResults`](#PreContactTool.GenerateInitialContactResults)Generate Initial Contact Results and Mesh Parts[`GetChildren`](#PreContactTool.GetChildren)Gets the list of children, filtered by type.[`GetParameter`](#PreContactTool.GetParameter)Gets the parameter corresponding to the given property.[`GroupAllSimilarChildren`](#PreContactTool.GroupAllSimilarChildren)Run the GroupAllSimilarChildren action.[`GroupSimilarObjects`](#PreContactTool.GroupSimilarObjects)Run the GroupSimilarObjects action.[`PropertyByAPIName`](#PreContactTool.PropertyByAPIName)Get a property by its API name.[`PropertyByName`](#PreContactTool.PropertyByName)Get a property by its unique name.[`RemoveParameter`](#PreContactTool.RemoveParameter)Removes the parameter from the parameter set corresponding to the given property.### Properties

NameDescription[`Children`](#PreContactTool.Children)Gets the list of children.[`Comments`](#PreContactTool.Comments)Gets the list of associated comments.[`DataModelObjectCategory`](#PreContactTool.DataModelObjectCategory)Gets the current DataModelObject’s category.[`Figures`](#PreContactTool.Figures)Gets the list of associated figures.[`Images`](#PreContactTool.Images)Gets the list of associated images.[`InternalObject`](#PreContactTool.InternalObject)Gets the internal object. For advanced usage only.[`Location`](#PreContactTool.Location)Gets or sets the Location.[`Properties`](#PreContactTool.Properties)Gets the list of properties for this object.[`ScopingMethod`](#PreContactTool.ScopingMethod)Gets or sets the ScopingMethod.[`VisibleProperties`](#PreContactTool.VisibleProperties)Gets the list of properties that are visible for this object.<a id="property-detail"></a>

## Property detail

<a id="PreContactTool.Children"></a>

### *property* PreContactTool.Children *: List\[Ansys.Mechanical.DataModel.Interfaces.IDataModelObject\] | [None](https://docs.python.org/3/library/constants.html#None)*

Gets the list of children.

<a id="PreContactTool.Comments"></a>

### *property* PreContactTool.Comments *: Iterable\[[Ansys.ACT.Automation.Mechanical.Comment](Comment.md#ansys.mechanical.stubs.v251.Ansys.ACT.Automation.Mechanical.Comment)\] | [None](https://docs.python.org/3/library/constants.html#None)*

Gets the list of associated comments.

<a id="PreContactTool.DataModelObjectCategory"></a>

### *property* PreContactTool.DataModelObjectCategory *: [Ansys.Mechanical.DataModel.Enums.DataModelObjectCategory](../../../Mechanical/DataModel/Enums/DataModelObjectCategory.md#ansys.mechanical.stubs.v251.Ansys.Mechanical.DataModel.Enums.DataModelObjectCategory) | [None](https://docs.python.org/3/library/constants.html#None)*

Gets the current DataModelObject’s category.

<a id="PreContactTool.Figures"></a>

### *property* PreContactTool.Figures *: Iterable\[[Ansys.ACT.Automation.Mechanical.Figure](Figure.md#ansys.mechanical.stubs.v251.Ansys.ACT.Automation.Mechanical.Figure)\] | [None](https://docs.python.org/3/library/constants.html#None)*

Gets the list of associated figures.

<a id="PreContactTool.Images"></a>

### *property* PreContactTool.Images *: Iterable\[[Ansys.ACT.Automation.Mechanical.Image](Image.md#ansys.mechanical.stubs.v251.Ansys.ACT.Automation.Mechanical.Image)\] | [None](https://docs.python.org/3/library/constants.html#None)*

Gets the list of associated images.

<a id="PreContactTool.InternalObject"></a>

### *property* PreContactTool.InternalObject *: Ansys.Common.Interop.DSObjectsAuto.IDSContactToolAuto | [None](https://docs.python.org/3/library/constants.html#None)*

Gets the internal object. For advanced usage only.

<a id="PreContactTool.Location"></a>

### *property* PreContactTool.Location *: Ansys.ACT.Interfaces.Common.ISelectionInfo | [None](https://docs.python.org/3/library/constants.html#None)*

Gets or sets the Location.

<a id="PreContactTool.Properties"></a>

### *property* PreContactTool.Properties *: [tuple](https://docs.python.org/3/library/stdtypes.html#tuple)\[Ansys.ACT.Automation.Mechanical.Property\] | [None](https://docs.python.org/3/library/constants.html#None)*

Gets the list of properties for this object.

<a id="PreContactTool.ScopingMethod"></a>

### *property* PreContactTool.ScopingMethod *: [Ansys.Mechanical.DataModel.Enums.GeometryDefineByType](../../../Mechanical/DataModel/Enums/GeometryDefineByType.md#ansys.mechanical.stubs.v251.Ansys.Mechanical.DataModel.Enums.GeometryDefineByType) | [None](https://docs.python.org/3/library/constants.html#None)*

Gets or sets the ScopingMethod.

<a id="PreContactTool.VisibleProperties"></a>

### *property* PreContactTool.VisibleProperties *: [tuple](https://docs.python.org/3/library/stdtypes.html#tuple)\[Ansys.ACT.Automation.Mechanical.Property\] | [None](https://docs.python.org/3/library/constants.html#None)*

Gets the list of properties that are visible for this object.

<a id="method-detail"></a>

## Method detail

<a id="PreContactTool.Activate"></a>

### PreContactTool.Activate()

Activate the current object.

<a id="PreContactTool.AddComment"></a>

### PreContactTool.AddComment()

Creates a new child Comment.

<a id="PreContactTool.AddFigure"></a>

### PreContactTool.AddFigure()

Creates a new child Figure.

<a id="PreContactTool.AddGap"></a>

### PreContactTool.AddGap()

Creates a new ContactGap

<a id="PreContactTool.AddImage"></a>

### PreContactTool.AddImage(filePath: [str](https://docs.python.org/3/library/stdtypes.html#str))

```text
Creates a new child Image.
If a filePath is provided, the image will be loaded from that file,
if not, the image will be a screen capture of the Geometry window.

```

<a id="PreContactTool.AddInitialInformation"></a>

### PreContactTool.AddInitialInformation()

Creates a new ContactDataTable

<a id="PreContactTool.AddPenetration"></a>

### PreContactTool.AddPenetration()

Creates a new ContactPenetration

<a id="PreContactTool.AddStatus"></a>

### PreContactTool.AddStatus()

Creates a new ContactStatus

<a id="PreContactTool.ClearGeneratedData"></a>

### PreContactTool.ClearGeneratedData()

Run the ClearGeneratedData action.

<a id="PreContactTool.CopyTo"></a>

### PreContactTool.CopyTo(other: Ansys.ACT.Automation.Mechanical.DataModelObject)

Copies all visible properties from this object to another.

<a id="PreContactTool.CreateParameter"></a>

### PreContactTool.CreateParameter(propName: [str](https://docs.python.org/3/library/stdtypes.html#str))

Creates a new parameter for a Property.

<a id="PreContactTool.Delete"></a>

### PreContactTool.Delete()

Run the Delete action.

<a id="PreContactTool.Duplicate"></a>

### PreContactTool.Duplicate()

Creates a copy of the current DataModelObject.

<a id="PreContactTool.EvaluateAllResults"></a>

### PreContactTool.EvaluateAllResults()

Run the EvaluateAllResults action.

<a id="PreContactTool.GenerateInitialContactResults"></a>

### PreContactTool.GenerateInitialContactResults()

Generate Initial Contact Results and Mesh Parts

<a id="PreContactTool.GetChildren"></a>

### PreContactTool.GetChildren(recurses: [bool](https://docs.python.org/3/library/functions.html#bool), children: List\[ChildrenType\])

Gets the list of children, filtered by type.

<a id="PreContactTool.GetParameter"></a>

### PreContactTool.GetParameter(propName: [str](https://docs.python.org/3/library/stdtypes.html#str))

Gets the parameter corresponding to the given property.

<a id="PreContactTool.GroupAllSimilarChildren"></a>

### PreContactTool.GroupAllSimilarChildren()

Run the GroupAllSimilarChildren action.

<a id="PreContactTool.GroupSimilarObjects"></a>

### PreContactTool.GroupSimilarObjects()

Run the GroupSimilarObjects action.

<a id="PreContactTool.PropertyByAPIName"></a>

### PreContactTool.PropertyByAPIName(name: [str](https://docs.python.org/3/library/stdtypes.html#str))

```text
Get a property by its API name.
If multiple properties have the same API Name, only the first property with that name will be returned.

```

<a id="PreContactTool.PropertyByName"></a>

### PreContactTool.PropertyByName(name: [str](https://docs.python.org/3/library/stdtypes.html#str))

Get a property by its unique name.

<a id="PreContactTool.RemoveParameter"></a>

### PreContactTool.RemoveParameter(propName: [str](https://docs.python.org/3/library/stdtypes.html#str))

Removes the parameter from the parameter set corresponding to the given property.