Whenever RAM Frame gives a warning about distorted shell elements, the report log provides a list of the affected elements and their coordinates. However, the only way to identify these elements graphically is to move the cursor to the coordinates indicated in the log, which can be a daunting task if there are many distorted elements. A few potential enhancements to help identify these issues are listed below and shown in the attached file:
Add an option in the "Find Member" dialog box to search by shell element number.
Add an option in the "View" menu to display shell element numbers graphically in the model.
Similar to the RAM Steel Beam/Joist Module, add an option under the "View" menu to show shell elements with warnings and highlight these graphically in the model.
Are there other cases where you need to locate a shell element by it's number? Maybe it would be useful in conjunction with the diaphragm section forces report.
If the only time it's needed is for reviewing distorted mesh warnings, then it might be easier to highlight the elements in the view directly.