prokon user guide - chap 02

8/13/2019 Prokon User Guide - Chap 02

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The PROKON Basics 2-1

Chapter

The PROKON Basics

The basic principles of using PROKON are discussed in this chapter. Starting with the issuesyou need to address when using the program for the first time, e.g. setting up a working folder,the text progresses to everyday tasks like running analysis and design modules. The chapterends with explaining advanced procedures like creating an equation library and customising thepage layout for your projects.


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The PROKON Basics2-2

Quick Reference

Using PROKON for the First Time 3 Using the Analysis and Design Modules 11 Using the Table Editor 19

Using the PROKON Calculator 27 Working with Pictures 29 Adding Text and Graphics 35 Working with Equations 41 Customising the Page Layout 51 Configuring the Section Database 57 Configuring the Material Database 60


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Using PROKON for the First Time 2-3

Using PROKON for theFirst Time

Depending on the shortcut options chosen during the installation procedure, you will be able torun PROKON by double-clicking the shortcut on the Desktop or selecting it from the Start

Menu .


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Using PROKON for the First Time2-4

Configuring PROKON

On launching PROKON , the main program, called Calcpad , is displayed. From here, you areable to launch the individual analysis and design modules. Calcpad is also the application thatyou will use to collect analysis and design results and save them in project files.

Some aspects are best attended to immediately when using PROKON for the first time:

Creating a user folder.

Setting the preferred design codes, design parameters and units of measurement.

Setting up a working folder.

Selecting a wallpaper.

Customising your projects appearance.

Note: When running PROKON for the very first time, the default design codes and units ofmeasurement are automatically set to match your current Windows Regional Settings . Tocheck or change your settings, open Control Panel and double-click Regional Settings .

Once you start using the PROKON analysis and design modules, you will want to progress toworking with project files:

Entering a header for a project.

Working with more than one project at a time.

File management.

Setting your user name

The PROKON suite can be made to adapt to your style of working by automatically savingyour preferences in a user folder . Information recorded include:

Preferences: Design codes, units of measurement and custom sections.

Display properties: Size and position of each module on the screen.

To select your user folder or create a new one,open the Settings menu and choose User . Theuser folder resides under the main PROKONprogram folder. If you use the system on anetwork, you will be able to select your userfolder regardless of which workstation on the

network you use.


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If you are using multiple sets on a network

If more than one set of programs has can be activated on your network, e.g. a set with mainlysteel design modules and another with mainly concrete design modules, each user can select aset to use. The sets are identified by the relevant Key Disk numbers.

The set selected is saved as part of the userpreferences. In other words, using the example ofseparate steel design and concrete design sets, asteel designer needs to select the steel design setonly the first time he uses PROKON . The nexttime he uses the system, he will automatically bepresented with the steel design set. More detailsregarding the setting of a user name are in given in

Chapter 2.

Selecting your preferences

During program installation, the default design codesand units of measurement are automatically setaccording to your PCs regional settings, i.e. theinformation recorded in the Regional settings function of the Windows Control Panel .

To change your preferred design code and parameters,use the General preferences command on theSettings menu.

The design modules use the selected preferences to

determine the default values for design codes andrelevant design parameters. You can howevertemporarily override these setting using the Designcode , Units or Preferences command on a designmodules File menu.

If a particular preference is not available in module,e.g. the preferred design code is not supported, themodule will automatically make a next-best selection.

Note: The preferences for the Dos modules are set separately using the Design codes (Dos) command. Refer to page 2-15 for detail.


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Setting up a working folder

By default, all input and output data is saved in the working folder . The first time you use PROKON , the working folder will be set to . . . \Prokon\Data\Demo. Once you get accustomedto using the suite, it is recommended that you create a new working folder for each project youare working on. Working folders can be created in any convenient location, be it on you ownhard disk or on the network.

To create a new working folder or select another existing folder, open the Settings menu andchoose Working Folder . When naming a newworking folder, you should use a validWindows folder name:

A folder name may contain up to 255characters, including spaces.

A folder name cannot contain thefollowing characters: \ / : * ? " < > |.

Note: The Dos modules also use the working folder to save data files. This effectivelyremoves the eight plus three character limitation imposed by Dos.

Selecting a wallpaper

To personalise your PROKON workstation, you may want to display a wallpaper in Calcpad .To load a wallpaper, open the Settings menu and choose Wallpaper . The following limitationsapply to wallpapers:

Supported graphics formats include: Windows Bitmap (.bmp), Icon (.ico), Metafile (.wmf)and Enhanced Metafile (.emf).

The wallpaper image is scaled to fit the Calcpad working area. Therefore, not all imageswill necessarily look well.

Customising your projects appearance

Once you get accustomed to using PROKON , it is recommended that you use the proceduresexplained from page 2-51 to load another page template or create your own template.


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Working with project files

Apart from acting as a launch platform for the analysis and design modules, you can useCalcpad to group analysis results and design calculations and then save all the information in aproject file.

You can use project files to keep a complete record of all your analysis and design calculations:

In an analysis or design module, the input data and results are typically collected on themodules Calcsheets page from where you send it to Calcpad . For an explanation of theprocedure, refer to page 2-13 and 2-17.

Results obtained from the various analysis and design modules are then saved together in aproject file.

You can then use Calcpad to supplement the results from the analysis and design moduleswith additional design notes and pictures. Refer to page 2-35 for more detail.

Links are retained with each individual analysis via data file objects. These objects arevisible in the right-hand margin as yellow folders. Double-clicking a data file object recallsthe original input data in the relevant analysis or design module.

To perform calculations not covered in the scope of the design modules, you can useequations a feature built into Calcpad . The use of the Equation Editor is explained onpage 2-41.

Entering a header for a project

The information at the top each page should be completed to reflect the designers name, the

date etc. To edit the header information: Select the Header

command from theEdit menu or double-click the header inCalcpad .

Type the informationfor each field.

To insert the currentdate, click Insert date .

If you use similar headers for your different projects, you can save retyping information bysaving the header information. Click Save as default to save the information and Load default

to retrieve it.


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Click OK to apply the new header to the active project. The new header will apply to thecurrent and following pages. This allows you, for example, to use different peoples names inthe Designed by field if more than one person is working on the same project file.

The composition of the header can be changed to suit your own needs by customising the pagetemplate. For more details, refer to the customisation procedures explained from page 2-51.

Working with more than one project at a time

You can open more than one project in Calcpad at a time. The current selected project isreferred to as the active project. All results sent to Calcpad from the analysis and designmodules are placed in the active project.

To select an open project and make it the active project, click its tab with the mouse.

File management

Use the File menu commands to open and save project files in the working folder or any otherlocation on your own computer or on a network drive that you have write access to:

To create a new project file, select New Project .

To open an existing project file, use the Open Project command.

Use Save Project to save the active project .

To save a new, unnamed project fi le, use Save Project as .

To close the active projects or all open projects, use Close Project or Close All .

To open a recently used project file, click the file name at the bottom of the File menu. PROKON Project files as saved with the extension .PPF for easy recognition.

To open a project file on your hard disk or network

1. On the File menu, click Open Project .

2. In the Look in box, click the drive and folder that contains the document.

3. In the folder list, double-click folders until you locate the folder that contains thedocument you want.

By default, the file list is filtered to show only project files created by Calcpad . You canchange this by selecting All files in the Files of type box, e.g. when wanting to open a textfile. You can also type a filter File name box; for example, type p*.* to find all filesstarting with the letter p.

4. To change the appearance of the file list, click List or Details . With Details selected, youcan click a column heading to sort the data files by name, size, date or type.


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5. Double-click the document you want to open.

Saving a new, unnamed project file

1. On the File menu, click Save Project .

2. To save the project in a different folder, click a different drive in the Save Project in box,or double-click a different folder in the folder list.

3. To save the document in a new folder, click Create New Folder .

4. In the File name box, type a name for the document. You can use long, descriptive filenames if you want. The program will automatically add an appropriate file extension.

5. Click Save .


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Using the Analysis and Design Modules 2-11

Using the Analysis and DesignModules

To run a PROKON analysis or design module, click its icon on the shortcut bar or select itfrom the Program Menu. If a particular modules shortcut icon or menu item is dimmed, it

means that the module is not included in your workstation.When you run a module by clicking its icon or choosing it from the Programs menu, the bestavailable version of that module is launched. If the Windows version of a module is notavailable, the Dos version will be launched instead.

Where available, the Dos version of each module is also included in the suite. To run the Dosversion of a module, right-click its icon on the shortcut bar.


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Using the Analysis and Design Modules2-12

Using the Windows modules

The analysis and design modules follow a similar pattern. By familiarising yourself with a fewconcepts, you should find using the PROKON suite relatively simple and intuitive.

Setting the preferred design codes

Use the General preferences command on the Settings menu to select the design codes andparameters to use. More detail of the procedure is given on page 2-5.

Similar layout

All modules present you with a number of tabbed pages or menus:

The File menu: Standard Windows commands are provided for opening and saving datafiles. The commands are similar to those described on page 2-8.

The Input page: All inputdata is entered on this page.In the case of some of thelarger analysis modules, e.g.the frame analysis modules,this page will itself contain anumber of tabbed inputpages. Some modules alsoallow specialised inputtrough a separate Settings

page or button. The Analysis or Design

page: Selecting this pagetypically starts the analysisand displays the results.

The Calcsheets page: Analysis and design results can be accumulated in a singlecalcsheet. You can choose between printing or sending the information to Calcpad .

The Drawings or Bending Schedules page: Most design modules are capable ofgenerating a detailed drawing or bending schedule of the designed element. Drawings andbending schedules can be edited and printed using Padds .

The Help menu: Access is provided to on-line Help topics and built-in Examples .

To display a particular page or menu, click it with the mouse. Alternatively use F11 and F12 tomove forward and back between the pages.


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Data input

Except when using Padds for graphical input, e.g. for frames, all data is entered in tables. Datais normally evaluated immediately as entered. If invalid input is detected, a list of errors isnormally displayed.

Entered data is typically shown in Pictures that interact with the Table Editor to automaticallyupdate with every entry in the tables. Pictures can be zoomed and panned for more detail.Some pictures have visible zoom buttons, others not. However, all pictures can be zoomed byright-clicking it and using the pop-up menu. Pictures can also be saved as drawings.

The use of the Table Editor is explained in detail on page 2-19 and the manipulation ofPictures on page 2-29.

Sending analysis results to CalcpadAfter a successful analysis or design, you can group the results in a calcsheet. You can thenchoose to print or send the information to Calcpad . To send results to Calcpad:

Access the relevant modules Calcsheets page.

Use the Settings function to select the components to include in the calcsheet. You canoptionally select the Data File to have the input data saved as part of the Calcpad project.

Note: In the case of some of the larger modules, e.g. the frame analysis modules, you needto first view the results and select individual components to be included in the calcsheet.

Click Send to Calcpad to append the results to the active project in Calcpad .

Saving inputYou can use the File menu of a module tosave and open input data files. However, ifyou enable the Data File option beforesending a calcsheet to Calcpad , you canlater recall the input data by double-clickingthe relevant object in Calcpad . A data fileembedded in Calcpad is saved as part of aproject and does not need to be saved in therelevant module as well.

If you do save a data file in an analysis ordesign module, the file name extension willautomatically be set to the program numberfor easy recognition, e.g. .A03 for FrameAnalysis .


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Using the online help

You can access context-sensitivehelp by pressing F1 . Alternativelyuse the Help menu to display anoverview of the program.

It is easier to update electronicinformation than printed manuals.Therefore, you may occasionallyfind that the on-line help is more upto date that the manual.

Updated help files are published

regularly on the PROKON

SupportWeb . Additional information notgiven in either the manual or Help ,e.g. answers to frequently askedquestions and details of programrevisions, is also available on the

PROKON Support Web . Refer tothe introduction of this manual to read moreabout support service included with yourpurchase of PROKON software.


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Using the Dos modules

The Dos modules all have a similar look and feel, making their use relatively simple. A fewimportant topics are briefly explained in the following text. For a more detailed explanation,consult the Dos Version Users Guide .

Setting your preference

Use the following commands on the Settings menu to select your preferences:

Colour screen prints(Dos): If selected, allscreens sent to Calcpad will

be in colour. If you are usingblack-and-white printer, youwill get better printingresults if you de-select theoption.

Design codes (Dos):Display the Dos versionsconfiguration utility.Change the design codes andparameters to suit yourrequirements.

Note: The Dos modules support Briti sh Standards and equivalent SABS design codes only.

The design codes and parameters can be saved for later re-use, e.g. for projects requiringspecial design parameters.


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Data input

Input is done on a modules mainscreen or on a series of inputscreens that are typicallyaccessed by pressing I. Dataentry is done using a table editor,as explained in Chapter 2 of theDos Version Users Guide .

All input screens display theinput data graphically and thegraphics are updatedautomatically as you enter data.Some input screens also allowsketches to be zoomed for moredetail.

Saving input data

Input data is normally saved using F2 and existing files retrieved using F3 . In addition, thecurrent input data is saved automatically to a last file whenever you leave a program. To allowyou to continue where you ended your last session, the last file is automatically read the nexttime you run a program. Last files are named after the respective applications, e.g. ContinuousBeam and Slab Design saves a file called LASTCB.

Note: The last files get saved independently from files saved using F2:Save . Since the lastfiles get overwritten from time to time, the F2:Save option should be used to name files andsave them permanently.


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Analysis and design

The buttons to analyse, design or generate a bending schedule or drawing are always easilyrecognisable.

Sending design output to Calcpad

Output can be viewed graphically or in tabular format. Output is normally displayed directlyafter an analysis or by pressing V or L . Output can be sent to Calcpad and used together withthe output from the Windows modules:

To send the current screen

images to Calcpad , pressPrtSc . You can also sendmore than one screen imageby pressing PrtSc whileeach of the screens isdisplayed. Screens can becaptured in colour or black-and-white. Refer to page 2-15 for detail on setting yourpreference.

Use the normal Printfunctions to display inputtables and output files in the

PROKON Preview utility.From here you can eitherprint the information or sendit to Calcpad .

Using on-line help

Context-sensitive help is always available bypressing F1 . The help facilities are typicallyorganised to include a table of contents at the top,followed by the various topics. More information isgiven in Chapter 2 of the Dos Version UsersGuide .


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Using the Table Editor 2-19

Using the Table Editor

You can edit text in tables using the standard Windows functions, i.e. as employed by mostspreadsheet applications. The standard Windows functions are supplemented with a number ofspecial functions that speed up table editing.

For information on tabular input in the Dos modules, refer to Chapter 2 of the Dos Version

Users Guide .


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Using the Table Editor2-20

Moving around and editing text

You can move around in tables and edit cells in very much the same way as you do in yourfavourite spreadsheet program.

Moving the cursor in a table

Use the arrow keys to move between cells. Press Enter to jump to the left-most cell in thenext row. Pressing Tab moves one cell to the right and Shift+Tab one cell to the left. If youpress Tab at the end of a row, the cursor will jump to the left-most cell in the next row.

Home jumps to the first cell in the row and End to the last. PgUp and PgDn moves one screenup or down. To jump to the top left or bottom right corner of the table, press Ctrl+Home or

Ctrl+End .

Tip: Click a cell with the mouse to quickly move the cursor to that cell.

Entering and editing text

To enter text into a cell, position the cursor on the cell and start typing. Press Enter or one ofthe arrow keys to accept the new text and move to a next cell. Depending on the key pressed,the cursor will move to a specific cell:

Pressing Enter accepts the entry and moves the cursor to the left-most cell in the next row.

If you press the right , up or down arrow key, the cursor will move one cell right, upor down.

If you wish to move one cell to the left, use Shift+Tab .

Note: Some cells have special drop-down lists for selecting values. Depending on thespecific application, you may be able to select common values from the list or optionallytype values.

While entering or editing text, you can move left and right using the left and right arrow keys.To jump to the left-most or right-most positions, press Home or End . To move one word to theleft or right, use Ctrl with the left and right arrows.

To edit text in a cell, move the cursor to the cell and press F2 or double-click it. If you want toreplace the text in the cell rather than change it, simply retype the text without firstpressing F2 .


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Deleting text

Press Del or Backspace to clear the current cells contents. While entering or editing text in acell, Del and Backspace will delete one character to the right or left respectively.

Inserting lines

Press Enter to move to the first cell on the next line. To insert a blank line at the cursor,press Ctrl+I .

Finding and replacing text

You can search for and replace text in a

table by pressing Ctrl+F . This feature canbe especially handy when working withlarge tables, e.g. when entering nodes for aframe analysis.

To repeat the last search without firstopening the dialog box, press F3 .


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Working with blocks

You can copy, move or delete cells using the block commands. These actions typically requiretwo steps:

Marking a cell or block of cells you can choose between using the normal Windowsmethods of selecting cells or the extended PROKON functions.

Using a block command to manipulate the block.

Marking blocks

When marking blocks, you can choose between using the standard Windows functions and theextended PROKON block functions the behaviour of the resulting blocks are different.

Using the standard Windows functions

To select a cell or block of cells using standard Windows commands, use any of the followingprocedures:

Click and drag the mouse to select a rectangular block of cells.

Position the cursor on one of the corner cells. Press and hold Shift and then use the arrowkeys to move to the opposite corner.

Note: When marking a block this way, moving the cursor will undo the selection.

Marking persistent blocks

The extended functions allow you to mark persistent blocks, i.e. blocks that remain selectedeven if you move the cursor. Persistent blocks are marked as follows:

To select one or more rows, move the cursor to the first row and press Ctrl+L . Then moveto the last row and press Ctrl+L again.

To select one or more columns, move the cursor to the first column and press Ctrl+K andthen move to the last column and press Ctrl+K again.

To mark a rectangular block of cells, position the cursor on the top left cell and then pressCtrl+B . To end the selection, move to the bottom right cell and press Ctrl+E .

Note: A persistent selection will remain active until unmarked with Ctrl+U . While the cellsare selected, you are free to move the cursor without the block being de-selected.


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Copying, moving or deleting cells

A selected cell or group of cells can be copied, moved or deleted using the standard Windowsfunctions or the extended PROKON block functions.

Using the Windows clipboard functions

You can use the normal Windows clipboard Cut , Copy and Paste functions:

To copy a cell or block to the clipboard, press Ctrl+C . Alternatively right-click it andchoose Copy .

To cut a block, i.e. remove it from the table and copy it to the clipboard, press Ctrl+X .

Alternatively right-click it and choose Cut . To paste the clipboard contents into the table at the cursor position, press Ctrl+V .

alternatively right-click and choose Paste . If you are pasting a block of cells, the currentcursor position will be taken as the top left corner of the block.

Examples:

To copy cells in the table, first select the cell or block of cells and Copy the information tothe clipboard. Then position the cursor to the new position and Paste the text.

To move one or more selected cells, Cut them to the clipboard and Paste them at the newposition.

To delete one or more selected cells, select and Cut them. Alternatively press Del to deletethe selected cells.

Copying, moving and deleting cells using persistent blocks

You can use the extended functions to mark persistent blocks and then copy and move textwithout using the Windows clipboard.

To copy one or more cells, first mark a persistent block, move to the new position andthen press Ctrl+V .

To move a persistent block, use Ctrl+M .

To delete a persistent block selection, use Ctrl+D .


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Advantages of using persistent blocks

The normal block selection functionality offered by Windows allows you to quickly mark anarea with the mouse or keyboard. However, the selection is cancelled as soon as you move thecursor. In contrast, persistent blocks offer the following advantages:

You are allowed to move the cursor while defining the selection, without cancelling theselection. You could, for example, move up or down in the table without undoing theselection.

You do not need to first Copy or Cut information to the Windows clipboard - while apersistent block is selected, you can Paste or Move it directly.

You can quickly mark persistent blocks using the keyboard.

Copying text from another program

You may sometimes find it easier to generate tables of values using another application, e.g.your favourite spreadsheet program. Relevant information can then be copied to a PROKONtable (or from PROKON to the other program) using the Windows clipboard:

Select relevant text and Copy it to the clipboard.

Press Alt-Tab to swap to the destination program or click it on the Windows Task Bar.

Position the cursor and Paste the information from the clipboard.


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Summary of commands

Moving around:

Arrows : Move one cell up, down, left or right.

Enter : Jump to the first cell in the next row.

Tab : Move one cell right.

Shift+Tab : Move one cell left.

Home : Jump to the first cell of the current row.

End : Jump to the last cell of the current row.

Ctrl+Home : Jump to the top left corner of the table.

Ctrl+End : Jump to the bottom left corner of the table.

Del : Delete the cell at the cursor.

Ctrl+Y : Delete the line at the cursor (irrespective of any block selected).

Backspace : Delete the cell at the cursor and open it for editing.

Ctrl+I : Insert a blank line.

Ctrl+F : Find or replace text

Editing cells:

F2 : Edit the cell at the cursor.

Left/right : Move the cursor inside the text.

Ctrl+left/right : Move the cursor left or right one word.

Up/down : Accept the changed text and moves to the adjacent cell.

Enter : Accept the changed text and jumps to the first cell in the next row.

Del : Delete the character to the right.

Backspace : Delete the character to the left.

Marking persistent blocks:

Ctrl+A : Select all cells.

Ctrl+B : Mark the top left corner of a rectangular block.

Ctrl+E : Mark the bottom right corner of a rectangular block.

Ctrl+K : Mark the first or last column of a block.


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Using the PROKON Calculator 2-27

Using the PROKON Calculator

Use the PROKON calculator for basic calculations. You can copy a result to the Windowsclipboard and then paste it into Calcpad or an input table of a design module.


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Using the PROKON Calculator2-28

Using the Calculator

Use the PROKON calculator for basic calculations. You can copy a result to the Windowsclipboard and then paste it into Calcpad or an input table of a design module.

During installation, the calculator can be configured to automatically load when Windowsstarts. If so, the calculator will be visible in the Windows system tray that is typically locatedin the bottom right corner of the screen, i.e. next to the clock.

Clicking its icon or pressing Ctrl+1 can display the calculator. Toclose the calculator, click Exit or press Esc . On closing, thecalculator will return to its idle status in the system tray .

To close the calculator and remove it from memory, right-click itsicon and choose Close .

Doing calculations

Operation is similar to a conventional hand-held calculator:

Enter an equation using the normal mathematical operators.

To enter a mathematical function, click the relevant button or write out the function.

Simplify complex equations by enclosing portions in brackets.

Press Enter to display the result.

To remove the displayed equation and continue working with the result, press Clear left .

Sending calculation results to other programs

The result of a calculation can be copied to the Windows clipboard for reuse in anotherprogram:

Click Copy or press Alt-C to copy the result to the clipboard and close the calculator.

In the relevant application, e.g. Calcpad or an input table of a design module, use thePaste command or press Ctrl+V to paste the value.

Tip: When using a Dos module, press Ctrl+Z to display a calculator. Use F10 to send theresult back to the modules input table.


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Working with Pictures 2-29

Working with Pictures

The analysis and design modules often have pictures linked to the input tables to make dataentry interactive and more intuitive. Pictures are also often used to present analysis results.


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Working with Pictures2-30

Zooming and panning pictures

You can zoom in to get a close-up view of a picture. Some pictures have Zoom buttons forthis purpose. If a picture does not have such buttons, you can still zoom it by right-clicking thepicture and choosing a command from the pup-up menu.

The following zoom commands are normally available for all pictures:

Window : Indicate a rectangular area to zoom into.

All : Display the whole picture, based on the size defined internally for thebackground.

Last: Revert to the last zoom setting.

Extents : Display the whole picture, based on the drawn entities.

In: Zoom in by 50%.

Out: Zoom out by 50%.

Pan: Drag the project in any direction to view an adjoining portion.

Print: Send the picture to the printer.

Saving pictures

In addition to the Zoom button commands, the right-click pop-up menu also allows you tosave the picture in the following file formats: PAD: Fully editable Padds drawing.

PIC: Prokon picture file.

EMF: Enhanced Windows metafile, readable by many graphics andpresentation packages.

DXF: 2D or 3D DXF drawings for use in other CAD systems.

In some modules, e.g. the frame analysis modules, a special button may is availablefor adding a picture to the Calcsheets .


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Working with 3D pictures

Because of their nature, some analysis and design modules need to display3D pictures. The commands available for 3D pictures are:


All : Display the visible portion of structure from the current view point.


Extents : Display the complete structure, moving forward or back if necessary.

In: Zoom in by 50%.



Print: Print the current view of the structure.

Viewpoint: Display the View Point Control dialog box for defining the viewpoint and other view characteristics.

View plane: Display the View Plane Control dialog box for defining a viewplane.

Rotate left: Rotate the structure to the left about the Y-axis. The rotation angleis defined in the View Point Control dialog box.

Rotate right: Rotate the structure to the right about the Y-axis.

Rotate up: Rotate the structure backward.

Rotate down: Rotate the structure forward.

Detailed settings

Some modules allow detailed configuration of pictures. In the frame analysismodules, for example, you can access the Graphics Options to enable or disabledisplay of node numbers, global axes etc. Pictures can also be rendered in 3D orshown as simple line diagrams.


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Working with Pictures2-32

View point control

Use the view Point Control Dialog function to define the viewpoint and other view properties:

View point: Imagine viewing the structure througha camera lens. The view point is then defined as theposition of the camera. Enter the view pointcoordinates or use the Walk function to move thecamera by the distance defined as the Step size .

View direction: The direction in which the camerais aimed. The default position is the centre of thestructure. Enter the view direction or use the Turn

function to rotate the camera through the angledefined as the Turn angle .

View angle: The lens angle. A larger angle willshow more of the structure in a close-up situation.

Projection: Choose between using an orthogonal or perspective projection. The latter givesa more realistic view of the structure. However, you may get a distorted picture whenusing a large view angle in a close-up situation.

Elevations: For a quick view from the top or one of the sides, choose a positive or negativeX, Y or Z-elevation.

Tip: The default view angle of 50 works well with perspective projections of structures. Ifyou cannot see the complete structure, the view point is probably to near to the structure.

Use the Zoom extents function to move back far enough to view the complete structure.The View Point Control dialog box can be left open while you work in the program. You canalso use the zoom and pan functions while the dialog box is open.


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View plane control

When viewing a complicated 3D structure, you may often find it difficult to identify points inthe structure. Use the View Plane Control function to define only certain planes to be viewed.View planes can be defined in three ways:

Nodes: Enter or use the mouse to indicatethree nodes that describe a plane. The planedoes not need to vertical or horizontal.

Axis: Define a view plane perpendicular tothe X, Y, or Z-axis. Enter the position alongthe indicated axis.

Coordinates: Enter three 3D coordinates todescribe a plane.

Enter a view plane thicknessto define how much of thestructure should be visible.

Click Clear to restore thesettings to displaying the wholestructure. Click Apply to makethe entered view plane takeeffect. Click Close to close thedialog box

The View Plane Control dialogbox can be left open while youwork in the program. You canalso use the zoom and panfunctions and the View PointControl while the dialog box isopen.

Tip: If your PCs screen resolution permits, you may move the View Point Control andView Plane Control dialog boxes to one side so as not to clutter the display of theunderlying program.


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Adding Text and Graphics2-36

Writing and editing text

You can use Calcpad as a simple word processor to write and edit text. You may possibly findthat you can use the exact same or similar editing and formatting commands as in yourfavourite word processor.

Typing text

Type text as you would in any other word processor or text editor.

Typing over existing text

Press the Ins key to toggle between overtype and insert modes . In overtype mode, you willreplace existing text as you type, one character at a time.

Replacing selected text

Select the text to be replaced and start typing to replace it.

Inserting symbols or special characters

You can insert Greek symbols and other special characters using the Symbol command on theInsert menu. You can also insert a character or symbol by typing the character code on thenumeric keypad, e.g. Alt- 225' inserts the character.

Insert the date and time in a project

You can insert the current date or time in a project using the Date command on the Insert

menu.

Insert a text file

To insert a complete text file, use the Text File command on the Insert menu. To insert only aportion of a text file instead:

1. Open the text file using the Open Project command on the File menu. Change the Files oftype field to 'All files' and select the file.

2. Select and copy the relevant text using the procedures described on page 2-39.

Deleting text

Use Del and Backspace to delete a character to the left or right. To delete words or paragraphs,select the text and press Del .


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Adding Text and Graphics 2-37

Changing the appearance of text

To change the appearance of text, e.g. underline text or numbers:

1. Select the text you want to change.

2. On the formatting toolbar, select a font or click a style or point size.

The change will be applied to the selected text only or, if you did not select any text, to newtext from the cursor position and further.

You can also use the keyboard shortcuts Ctrl+B , Ctrl+I and Ctrl+U to make text bold, italicor underlined.

When changing font style of text with mixed style, the style will toggle between normal,formatted and mixed, e.g. all normal, all bold and mixed normal and bold.

Moving around in a project

You can scroll through a project by using the mouse or shortcut keys.

To scroll through a project by using the mouse:

Scroll up one line: Click the up arrow on the scroll bar.

Scroll down one line: Click the down arrow on the scroll bar.

Scroll up one screen: Click above the scroll box.

Scroll down one screen: Click below the scroll box.

Scroll left: Click the left arrow on the horizontal scroll bar (if displayed).

Scroll right: Click the right arrow on the horizontal scroll bar (if displayed).

After scrolling, click where you want to start typing. To move the cursor using the keyboard:

Move up or down one line: Press the Up or Down arrow.

Move up or down one screen: Press PgUp or PgDn .

Move left or right one word: Press Ctrl+Left or Ctrl+Right.

To jump to the beginning or end of the current line: Press Home or End .

To jump to the first or last lines in the project: Press Ctrl+Home or Ctrl+End .

To move to the reference column on the far right: Press Ctrl+Tab .


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Using graphics in your project

Graphics can be used to supplement text and serve to enhance your projects. Inserted graphicscan be moved, copied and resized.

Inserting a graphic

Use the commands on the Insert menu to insert graphics:

To insert a Windows Bitmap or Metafile: Click Picture and select the file.

To insert a Padds drawing: Click Drawing and select the file.

Moving and resizing graphics

To move a graphic:

1. Select the graphic byclicking it.

2. Drag it to the new position.

To resize a graphic:

1. Select the graphic.

2. Drag the graphics edge tochange its horizontal orvertical size.

3. Drag one of the graphicscorners to proportionallychange its horizontal orvertical size.


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Adding Text and Graphics 2-39

Moving and copying text and graphics

You can move or copy text and graphics within a project, between projects, or betweenCalcpad and another program.

Selecting text and graphics to move or copy

You can select text and graphics by using the mouse or shortcut keys. To select text andgraphics using the mouse:

To select any amount of text, drag over the text.

To select a graphic, click it.

To select a whole word, double-click the word.

Using the keyboard, select text by holding down Shift and pressing the same key that movesthe cursor. To extend a selection:

One character to the left or right: Shift+Left or Right arrow.

To the beginning or end of a word: Ctrl+Shift+Left or Right arrow.

To the beginning or end of a line: Shift+Home or End .

One line up or down: Shift+Up or Down arrow.

One screen up or down: Shift+PgUp or PgDn .

To the beginning or end of the project: Ctrl+Shift+Home or End .

To select all the words in a line: Ctrl+L . To select the entire project: Ctrl+A .

Moving or copying text and graphics

To move or copy text and graphics:

1. Select the text or graphics you want to move or copy.

2. To move the selection, click Cut or press Ctrl+X .

3. To copy the selection, click Copy or enter Ctrl+V .

4. If you want to move or copy the text or graphics to another document, switch to it.

5. Click where you want your text or graphics to appear.

6. Click Paste or press Ctrl+V .


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Zooming a text and graphics

You can zoom in to get a close-up view of a project or zoom out to see more of the page at areduced size. Use the Zoom buttons or right-click the project for a pop-up menu with zoomcommands:


Margin : Display the whole page width between the left and right margins.

Page: Display the whole page.


In: Zoom in by 50%.



Page up: Scroll one page up. Same as pressing PgUp .

Page down: Scroll one page down. Same as pressing PgDn .


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Working with Equations 2-41

Working with Equations

You can use the Equation Editor to create your own equations in Calcpad . The EquationEditor is also used to edit existing equations or save equation objects for re-use in future,e.g. create a library of equations


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Working with Equations2-42

Inserting and editing equations

To open the Equation Editor for inserting or editing an existing equation:

To insert a new equation: Choose Equation from the Insert menu.

To edit an existing equation: Select and right-click the equation. Then choose Edit fromthe pop-up menu.

To create or edit an equation, work through the different pages to create an equation object:

Equations: Use one or more lines to enter equations. When creating a new equation, thispage is displayed first.

Variables: Assign a value to each variable used on the Equations page. When editing anexiting equation, this page is displayed by default.

Settings: Choose how the equations should be displayed and optionally attach a picture.

Note: When sending a series of equations to Calcpad , the equations are grouped together asa unit, called an equation object .


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Entering equations

Enter one or more lines of equations on the Equations page. Equations are written in normalEnglish and then automatically displayed in the correct mathematical format.

Writing equations

A few simple rules apply when writing equations:

Like when using a simple calculator, use normal English to write an equation theequation is automatically formatted for you. For example, if you want to enter the equation

y = a x 2 + b x + c , enter y=a x^2+b x+c .

The mathematical operators that can be used include +, , /, and ^.

Use parenthesis to simplify an equation, e.g. for( )( )d c

ba+

+ enter ' y=(a+b)/(c+d) '.Use

multiple lines for a sequence of equations. Variable values are inherited by equations thatfollow. Refer to page 2-48 for more detail on using a series of equations.


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Defining variables

A variable can be a single letter or several letters and/or numbers, e.g. a , a 2 and a b. Theprogram intelligently takes care of formatting variables with sub-scripting and italic characters.

The following simple rules apply:

Enter numbers using normal or scientific notation. Example, 0.002 and 2E-3 has thesame meaning.

When entering a variable, the second and following characters are used as sub-scripts, e.g.enter abc to get a bc .

Variables are case sensitive, e.g. a and A are seen as two different variables.

A variable cannot start with a number. Using 1 and a separately yields a valid numberand variable respectively, but entering 1a is not allowed.

Using Greek symbols

Greek symbols are treated exactly like normal letters. To create a Greek symbol, enter a hashbefore the equivalent Roman letter, e.g. enter #S and #s to get and respectively.

The following rules apply:

Greek symbols are case sensitive, e.g. and are seen as two different variables.

You may mix Greek symbols with normal characters.

Note: The Greek symbols and are reserved and cannot be used as variable. Their valuesare fixed at 3.141593 etc. You may however use the symbol e as a normal variable.

Entering normal text

Normal text entries, e.g. headings and comments, are distinguished from equations byenclosing or preceding them in double quotes, e.g. "Comments" or "Comments without atrailing quote.


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Using mathematical functions

You can use the built-in mathematical functions as necessary, e.g. sqrt(...) to determinethe square root of an expression. Built-in functions include:

Trigonometry

Normal functions

Arc functions

sin, cos, tan

asin, acos, atan

Logarithmic functions

ln, log

Other functions

Square root

Absolute value

sqrt

abs

Additional functions can be derived using the standard mathematical operators and functions.A few simple examples include:

Instead of using the built-in square root function, you may determine the square root andother roots as follows: cba += can be entered as a=sqrt(b+c) ora=(b+c)^(1/2)

If a = log( b), then b = 10a

, which is entered as b=10^a .

Trigonometric functions are inter-dependent, e.g. ( )( )

tan

1cot = . To enter the equation

a = a=1/tan(#h) or a=(tan(#h))^(-1) .


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Assigning values to variables

Assign values to variables on the Variables page. A list of all variables used on the Equations page is displayed:

Assigned variables: Variables that are not calculated but require values to be assigned tothem are listed first.

Calculated variables: Variables denoting equation results are listed last. The values forthese items are typically shown as EqX:Y, where X is the relevant row number in thetable on the Equations page and Y is the equation result.

To explain the symbols, an image can be displayed alongside the list of variables. Refer topage 2-46 for more information on using images with equations.


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Equation settings

The Settings page is used to configure the display properties of an equation object:

Title: You can enter a title for an equation object. When inserting the equation in Calcpad ,the title can optionally be displayed above it.

Image: An image can be loaded and optionally displayed when inserting the equation inCalcpad . The image is also displayed on the Variables page.

Numeric format: You can choose to display equation results in decimal, scientific orengineering format.

Font: Select a font, style and height to use for the equation.


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Creating an equation library

You can use the File menu commands to save and recall alluseful equations.

The advantages of saving equation objects in a library willbecome obvious once you have created a number of intelligentequation objects comprising multiple equations and conditionalbranching.

You are free to save your equations in any folder on your PC oron the network. Using a dedicated and well-structuredfolder is recommended to ensure easy access to a large library

of equations.Use the Open command on the File menu to retrieve an equation object from disk. Whenworking with an existing equation, the Variables page is displayed automatically, i.e. theprogram assumes that you want to reuse the equations with new values.

The usability of an equation library can be greatly enhanced by using titles and pictures withequations, even if you do plan on displaying them when inserting equations in Calcpad .Equation objects with descriptive titles and explanatory pictures are easier to use, especially ina multi-user environment. Refer to page 2-46 for information on equation titles and pictures.


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Customising the Page Layout 2-51

Customising the Page Layout

By default, projects are displayed on a framed page with the PROKON logo. The top portion ofthe page, called the header, also includes a number of pre-defined fields like Designed by,Date etc. The page layout and header items are collectively referred to as a template .


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Customising the Page Layout2-52

Selecting another template or creating a new template

You can select one of the other pre-defined templates or create your own using the Page Setupcommand on the File menu:

To select a template, click Select template .

To modify an existing template or create a new one, click Edit template .

Click OK to close the Page Setup dialog box.

The following templates are available when you run PROKON for the first time:

Default: The default template with frame and PROKON logo. For a start, you may want toreplace the PROKON logo and contact details with your own.

Frame: No-frills template with a frame only. This template offers a larger workspace.

Nothing: A blank template, in case you prefer printing on blank sheets.


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Creating your own template

A template is defined using a simple scripting language that has been derived from the Paddsmacro language. In essence, the script is a series of two-letter commands similar to thekeyboard shortcuts used in Padds . Several new commands have been introduced to for specialeffects like setting margins.

To create a new template, it may be easiest to modify an existing template:

1. Click Edit template to open the template script in the Text Editor .

2. Use the Save As command on the File menu to save the template with a new name.

3. Edit the script as necessary.

4. Choose Save on the File menu to save the script.

5. To preview your new template, press Alt-Tab to swap back to the Page Setup dialog boxor select it from the task bar.

6. Click Select template and open the new template.

7. To make further modifications, swap back to the Text Editor.

Repeat steps 3 to 7 until you are satisfied with the new template.

8. Finally close the Text Editor and the Page Setup dialog box to return to Calcpad .

Script commands

A number of script commands are available to draw lnes, write text and define special items.All commands use parameters, i.e. values, to define certain entities. Parameters are separatedwith spaces or commas.

The template script commands can be categorised as follows:

Global page layout:

XO X left and YO Y bot : Define the origin, or reference point, from where all entities aremeasured, e.g. XO 5 and YO 7.5 . The position of the origin is measured from thebottom left corner of the page. In fact, if you do not enter an origin the bottom left cornerof the page will be used. You may repeatedly redefine the origin the last definition isused for subsequent lines in the script.

MA M left ,M bot ,M right ,M top : Set the left, bottom, right and top margins in millimetres, e.g.MA 15,15,285,195 '. The margins define the workspace in Calcpad and the values are

measured from the origin rather than the edges of the page. The margin command does notdraw any lines.


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RT colpos : Right column tab stop, measured in millimetres from the origin, e.g.RT 170 . The design modules use the right column for code references and othercomments.

Graphics:

BM X left ,Y bot ,X right ,Y top ,filename : Insert a Bitmap image and stretch it between thecoordinates X left ,Ybot and X right ,Y top , e.g. BM 5,261,34.6.5,2779.5,LOGO.BMP . TheBitmap is assumed to reside in the same folder as the template file. For the best printingresults, the bitmap should be sized so that it can be placed at true size, e.g. an image of 700pixels wide by 300 pixels high, placed 29.6mm wide by 12.7mm high should print well at600 dpi.

Line drawing: LT thickness: Set the line thickness in millimetres, e.g. LT 0.25 .

LL X 1,Y1,X2,Y 2: Draw a line from the coordinate X 1,Y 1 to X 2,Y 2, e.g. LL 5,10,5,110 to draw a vertical line 100mm long.

Text:

TF font,style: Set the font and style, e.g. TF Times New Roman, Normal

TS size: Set the text height in points, e.g. TS 11 .

TT X left ,Y bot ,text: Write text at the coordinate X left ,Ybot , e.g. TT 5,10,Project No .

Header items:

HI X left ,Ybot ,X right ,Y top ,description: Insert a header item in the rectangle defined by thecoordinates X left ,Y bot and X right ,Y top , e.g. HI 150,270, Designed by . In Calcpad , theheader item is later referenced by its description. See page 2-7 for details on enteringheader information.

Other:

Comments can be written after two slashes, e.g. //comment.


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Example

Below is an abstract from the Default template script:

XO 15 // X OriginYO 15 // Y OriginBM 1,260, 41,267 PROKON.BMP // Load Bitmap x1,y1,x2,y2LT 0.3 // Line Thickness mmLL 0, 0,186, 0 // Line x1,y1,x2,y2LL 0,248,186,248LL 0,268,186,268LL 0, 0, 0,268. . .. . .

. . .LL 166, 0,166,248TF Arial Italic // Text FontTS 8 // Text Size PointsTT 156.5,267.8, Sheet // Text x,y,textTT 42.5,267.8, Job NumberTT 42.5,262.8, Job TitleTT 42.5,257.8, ClientTT 42.5,252.8, Calcs byTT 90.5,252.8, Checked byTT 138.5,252.8, DateTT 3,259 , Software Consultants Pty LtdTT 3,255.5, Internet: http://www.prokon.comTT 3,252 , E-Mail : [email protected] 1, 1, 185, 247 // Margins left, b, r, tRT 166.5 // Right column tab stopTS 10 // Text Size PointsHI 165.0,267.2, First Sheet No // Header Item

HI 60.0,267.2, Job Number // x,y,DescriptionHI 55.0,262.2, Job TitleHI 55.0,257.2, ClientHI 55.0,252.2, Calcs byHI 106.0,252.2, Checked byHI 150.0,252.2, Date


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Configuring the Section Database 2-57

Configuring the SectionDatabase

The Section Database utility is a base component for all steel member and connection designmodules. The module contains several listings international section databases and can be

expanded to include custom sections.Use the Section database command on the Tools menu to edit the database or select anotherinternational database.


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Configuring the Section Database2-58

Using the section database

The section database is accessible from all the steel member and connection design modules.Before using any of these modules, you may wish to first configure the database to yourrequirements.

Selecting a database

Depending on the Windows Regional Settings , PROKON willautomatically select an appropriate section database when you run it forthe first time. You can load another countrys database using at any timeusing F3 :

Australia and New Zealand: Load Sectable.aus. United States: Choose Sectable.us.

Southern Africa: Choose Sectable.za.

United Kingdom: Choose Sectable.uk.

Once you have localised the database by added some additional sectionsusing the procedure below, you may wish to backup your work using F2 .

Adding your own sections

The database may be expanded to include welded and other non-standard sections. If a sectionconforms to the basic definition of one of the standard shapes, it may be added as a standard

section. Non-standard shapes can be added to the user-defined group of sections.

Adding a standard section

To add a new I-section, for example, press I to access the current list of I-sections. Enter thesection dimensions and then press F2 to have the section properties calculated and added to thedatabase.

Typical examples include:

I-shaped plate girders can be added with the other standard I-sections.

Older steel structures built with imperial sections can be checked after first adding therelevant sections to the database.

A haunch in a portal can be conservatively modelled as an I-section with an increaseddepth.

Tip: The normal text editing commands apply when entering sections. Refer to Chapter 2for detail on copying, deleting and inserting lines.


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Configuring the Section Database 2-59

Adding a non-standard section

Sections with non-standard shapes should be entered as User-defined sections. Press U toenter the sections properties. These properties can be calculated manually or using Prosec .

Tip: Some modules, e.g. Steel Member Design for Combined Stress , support certainsection types only. Therefore, it may in some cases be better to simplify a non-standardsection and then add it as a standard shape. That way, the simplified version of the sectionwill be available to the relevant design modules.


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Configuring the Section Database2-60

Configuring the Material Database

Use the Material database command on the Tools menu to edit the database. The MaterialDatabase utility is a base component for all frame analysis modules. The database initially liststhe properties of a number of typical building materials. These can be expanded to includemore materials.


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Using the material database

The material database is accessible from all the frame analysis modules. Before using anyuncommon materials, you may wish to first configure the database to your requirements.

Adding your own materials

Materials in the database are organised in categories for steel, concrete aluminium and all othertypes. If you frequently use material that are not listed, you can add them to the database foreasy reference from the frame analysis modules.

The following properties are required for all material types:

Grade: Strength classification.

E: Modulus of elasticity.

Poisson: Poissons ratio.

Density: Unit weight.

Expansion coefficient: Thermal expansion coefficient

Additional properties for steel and aluminium:

fy: Yield strength

fu: Ultimate strength.

Special properties for concrete:

fcu/fci: Concrete cube strength or, in the case of ACI 318-95, cylinder strength.

Copying and deleting materials

The normal table editor functions apply. You can thus mark blocks of materials to copy anddelete. Refer to the beginning of Chapter 2 for detail.

Opening and saving the material database

Use the File menu commands (refer to beginning of Chapter 2 for detail) to save your changesto the database or open another database. The default database is called Defaults.mtl andresides in the User folder.

prokon user guide - chap 02

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