File types and function - Tekla Structure System Tutorial

This section describes the various types of file Tekla Structures uses and explains their uses and location.

Topics Input files (p. 85) Data files (p. 86) DSTV connection properties (p. 89) Messages (p. 89) Profiles (p. 90) Bin (p. 91) Fonts (p. 91) Symbols (p. 91) System (p. 92)

Input files

Tekla Structures uses input files to control dialog boxes, as well as how components work. All input files have the extension inp.

File Description More information

objects.inp Controls the user-defined attributes

Adding properties (p. 98)

profitab.inp Contains available parametric profiles

Customizing para- metric profiles (p. 104)

fltprops.inp Includes materials and dimensions of available flat bars

Using flat bars (p. 108)

pop_mark_parts. inp

Contains settings for pop- marking

Pop-mark settings (p. 179)

privileges.inp Controls access rights. Controlling access to attributes (p. 76) rebar_config.in

Contains settings for reinforcement marks

rebar_schedule_ config.inp

Contains internal bending types of reinforcing bars and their mapping to area specific bending codes..

Reinforcing bar bending types (p. 469)

component_confi g.inp

Contains settings for the representation and marking of cast-in fittings analysis_design

_config.inp

Contains settings for analysis and design

Component description files

Tekla Structures uses component description files to define the properties of system

components. As a general rule, you should not modify these files, as they affect the operation of system components. See When to modify.

These files are located in the folder: ..\applications\steel1\ and

..\applications\steel2\

There is one input file for each component toolbar. For example, xs_page_10.inp controls the components on toolbar 10.

When to modify You will only need to modify component description files in the following circumstances:

•

If you add step profiles to the steps.dat file, you should change the

xs_page_10.inp file to reflect those changes. If you do not, Tekla Structures will not display the changes in the Steps dialog box. See also Example 1: Stairs (S82).

•

If you modify the Stanchion connection type used in handrailing (1024). See Example 2: Handrailing (1024) for more information.

Data files

Tekla Structures reads data files from the system folder. See System folder (p. 96). These files contains data used by certain modeling tools and details. They are:

File Description

joints.dat Contains the data used in detail 1024 and modeling tool S76. Used in the Stanchion connection type field

railings.dat Contains the data for railing detail 1025. This information is used in the the railing type field. stairs.dat Contains the data for the modeling tool S83. Used

in the Stair type field

steps.dat Contains the data for modeling tool S82. Used in the Step profile field

std_flange_plate s.dat

Contains the detail used in modeling tool S99. Used in the fields:

•

Outer flange profile

•

Inner flange profile

•

Top plate profile

std_stiffener_pl ates.dat

Contains the data used in modeling tool S99. Used in the Horizontal stiffener profile field marketsize.dat Contains available market sizes for certain mate-

rial grade. Can be used with fMarketSize()

function in the custom component editor. See also Using market sizes (p. 109).

Data files and modeling tools

Here are two examples of how data files and modeling tools work together.

Example 1: Stairs (S82)

The modeling tool Stairs (S82) is on component toolbar 10, so we need to look at the file xs_page_10.inp. See Component description files (p. 86).

The entry for Stairs (S82) in the xs_page_10.inp file starts:

attribute("step_index", "j_step_profile", option,"%s", none, none,"0.0", "0.0")

Next Tekla Structures lists the options that appear in the Step profile field in the Tekla Structures Stairs (82) dialog box:

{ value("DEFAULT", 1) value("PLAIN50x200", 0) value("PLAIN50x210", 0) value("PLAIN50x220", 0) value("PLAIN50x300", 0) etc...

Tekla Structures gets additional information to create the object from the file steps.dat. It reads the information in by line number, not name.

The option PLAIN50X200 in the Step profile field in the Stairs (S82) dialog box appears on line two of the xs_page_10.inp file. If you pick this option, Tekla Structures reads in the information from line 2 of the steps.dat file.

These files affect the operation of modeling tools and details.

You can open data (*.dat) files using a standard text editor. Tekla Structures lists the information in data files in text columns. You will find an explanation of the column names at the beginning of each data file.

Do not change the line order in data files or modeling tool description files.

Example 2: Handrailing (1024)

Handrailing detail 1024 is on toolbar 10, so we need to look at the file xs_page_10.inp. See Component description files (p. 86).

The entry for handrailing 1024 in the file xs_page_10.inp starts:

tab_page("","jd_Parameters",3) {

attribute("cut2", "j_railing_type", option, "%s", none, none, "0.0","0.0")

Line 2

Next Tekla Structures lists the options that appear in the Stanchion connection type field in the Handrailing (1024) and Stanchions (S76) dialog boxes:

value("j_Default", 2) value("j_auto", 1) value("j_MONO_S", 0) value("j_MONO_SC", 0) value("j_MONO_SO", 0) etc...

Tekla Structures gets additional information to create the object from the file joints.dat. It reads the information in by line number, not name.

The joints.dat file contains the following fields:

DSTV connection properties

The file ..\environments\country-independent\inp\dstv.lis contains the properties for different DSTV standard connections.

Messages

Tekla Structures uses the information in the message files to display messages in the user interface. The message files for different languages are located in

..\TeklaStructures\14.0\messages.

Do not change the line order in data files or component description files.

Field Description

index For info only. Tekla Structures reads information in by line number, not index number

name For info only. Tekla Structures reads information in by line number, not name

joint number Number of the connection to use

attribute name Name of the connection attribute file to use

updirection

origin type If railing type and stringer collide use COLLISION, otherwise use MIDDLE

double bolts 0 indicates that the connection only uses one bolt group 1 indicates that the connection uses two bolt groups

Do not change this file, as the information it contains is based on Euro- pean standards.

All message files have the file extension ail.

Profiles

Tekla Structures uses ASCII and binary files to manage profiles. Each environment has its own profile folder. For example, ..\environments\europe\profil\ contains the files for managing European profiles.

You can edit ASCII files using a standard text editor. Information in the binary files can only be changed via the user interface. This section describes the various file types in the ..\profil\ folder.

inp (ASCII)

profitab.inp The file profitab.inp defines the names that you can use for parametric profiles. Tekla Structures searches for this file in the standard search order (see Folder search order (p. 94)) and then the folder indicated by the variable XS_PROFDB in the initialization file. See also Customizing parametric profiles (p. 104).

rebar_database.i np

The file rebar_database.inp contains details of the reinforcement used in concrete structures. It includes both the standard bending radii and the standard hook dimensions. See also The reinforcing bar catalog (p. 142).

mesh_database.i np

The file mesh_database.inp contains details of the reinforcement meshes used in concrete structures. See also Reinforcement mesh.

cnv (ASCII)

Tekla Structures uses the information in cnv files to convert materials and profiles when transferring model information using links. For example, when you use the PML or HLI links, Tekla Structures reads the cnv files from the folder indicated by the variable XS_PROFDB in the initialization file.

lis (ASCII)

Tekla Structures creates lis files when you export bolt, profile and material catalogs. See also Merging profile catalogs (p. 128) and Merging bolt catalogs (p. 141).

Binary files

Tekla Structures stores catalog information in the binary files, which have the file extension bin. Tekla Structures searches for these files in the following folder search order

•

Model

•

Project

•

Firm

•

Folder indicated by the variable XS_PROFDB in the initialization file. See also Customizing message files (p. 102).

If you want to make catalogs available to other users, we recommend that you save catalogs in the project or firm folders. See Project and firm folders (p. 96).

These are the binary catalog files:

Bin

The folder ..\nt\bin\ contains Tekla Structures executable files and the Symbol, Drawing, Report and Template Editors. It also contains some support files for Tekla Structures editors.

Fonts

The variable DXK_FONTPATH in the initialization file should point to this folder. It includes the graphic fonts:

•

romsim

•

romco

•

fixfont

The Template Editor always searches the folder indicated by the variable DXK_FONTPATH, even if you configure it to also search other folders.

The variable TEMPLATE_FONT_CONVERSION_FILE points to the the conversion file Tekla Structures uses to map Tekla Structures fonts to Windows fonts. Windows fonts must have the extension ttf and be located in the ..\windows\fonts folder.

Symbols

The folder ..\environments\country-independent\symbols\ contains the Tekla Structures symbol files. There are two types of symbol files, sym and dwg. The Symbol Editor creates sym files. dwg files contain the symbols Tekla Structures displays in rendered views (for example, connection, point and origin symbols).

The variable DXK_SYMBOLPATH in the initialization file should point to this folder. This means that if Tekla Structures finds binary catalog files in the current model folder it does not use the catalogs located in the folder indicated by the variable XS_PROFDB in the initialization file.

File Description

assdb.db Bolt assembly catalog profdb.bin Profile catalog matdb.bin Material catalog screwdb.db Bolt catalog

System

The folder ..\environments\*your_environment*\system\ includes several file types:

rpt

Report templates you create with the Template Editor.

tpl

Drawing template files you create with the Template Editor.

lay

Layout definitions you create with the Drawings & Reports > Drawing Settings > Drawing Layout... option.

plotdev.bin

This file contains the print device definitions you create using File > Print... > Printer Catalog.... See The printer catalog. The definitions in the system folder are accesible to all users. You can also save printer definitions in the current model folder or the project and firm folders. See Project and firm folders (p. 96).

Tekla Structures searches for plotdev.bin in the model, project and firm folders, then the folder indicated by the variable XS_DRIVER.

Wizard files (dproc)

Tekla Structures wizard files automate drawing creation by performing a series of actions you would otherwise have to perform manually. Wizard files have the file extension dproc. Tekla Structures searches the system folder (see System folder (p. 96)) for wizard files. See also Creating AutoDrawings wizard files (p. 106).

In document Tekla Structure System Tutorial (Page 85-92)