def get_column_names(max_element_size, num_extra_columns):
    """Generate a list of column names used for Pandas to parse the data

    Args:
        max_element_size(int, required):
            the maximum element size in the mesh elements (e.g. if the mesh only contains E3T elements then
            the max_element_size is 3. If it also contains E4Q elements then it is 4).
        num_extra_columns(int, required):
            The number of extra columns after the element nodes and the material

    Returns:
        List of column names
    """
    max_cols = max_element_size + num_extra_columns + 1  # add column for element material
    data_columns = ['cmp{}'.format(i) for i in range(max_cols)]
    names = ['row_type']
    names.extend(data_columns)
    return names