prokon users guide

PROKON User's Guide

(Win 32 Version)

March 2010

Information in this document is subject to change without notice. Companies, names and data

used in examples are fictitious.

This document may be reproduced for the sole purpose of reference by PROKON users. No part of this document may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means,

electronic or mechanical, for any other reason without the express written permission of

Prokon Software Consultants

Copyright 1988-2010 Prokon Software Consultants (Pty) Ltd. All rights reserved

PROKON is the registered trademark of Prokon Software Consultants (Pty) Ltd

Microsoft, Dos and Windows are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.

Adobe Acrobat Reader is a registered trademark of Adobe System Incorporated.

Introduction i

Introduction

This is a guide to using the 32-bit Windows version of the PROKON suite of structural

analysis and design programs. It is designed to help you be more productive by explaining

ways of integrating everyday structural analysis, design and detailing tasks.

In this manual, the basic procedures of installing and using PROKON are explained.

Components of the suite not covered in this manual include the PROKON Drawing and

Detailing System, Padds, and the geotechnical analysis modules. These are explained

separately in the following manuals:

Padds User's Guide and Command Reference: Information on using the PROKON Drawing and Detailing System.

Geotechnical Analysis and Design: Background on using the geotechnical analysis modules are given on the online help, available on the Help menu of each module.

All analysis and design modules also have complete context-sensitive help to introduce you to

the use of the system. The on-line help information is updated on a regular basis and may

occasionally contain information not included in the manual.

This manual is also available in electronic form on the PROKON Structural Analysis and

Design installation CD-Rom. The complete text can be viewed and printed for the purpose of

reference by PROKON users a PDF viewer such as Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Note: A copy of this manual is available PDF format on the PROKON installation CD-Rom.

Introduction ii

Using this manual

The manual should introduce you to both the basic and more advanced features of the

PROKON suite of programs. The various procedures relating to installing and using the suite

are discussed in sequence to gradually lead you to productive use of the system:

Chapter 1 - Installing PROKON: This chapter deals with installing and activating the software for use. The procedures for stand-alone and network installation are explained

in detail.

Chapter 2 - The PROKON basics: Essential reading for all new users and for users upgrading to the 32-bit Windows version. Subjects covered include using Calcpad, setting

preferences and customising projects.

Chapter 3 - Structural analysis: Detailed discussion of the frame, beam and finite element analysis modules.

Chapter 4 - Steel member design: Explains how you can design a variety of steel members using elastic or plastic methods. The post-processing of frame analysis results is discussed

in detail.

Chapter 5 - Steel connection design: Design and generation of drawings of typical steel connections.

Chapter 6 - Concrete design: Detailed explanation of the design and detailing of reinforcement for typical concrete members.

Chapter 7 - Timber design: Detailed discussion of the design of timber members.

Chapter 8 - General analysis tools: Overview of using the general analysis utilities.

Chapter 9 Masonry section and Masonry wall design

Introduction iii

Getting help

An important part of the service provided to PROKON users, is technical support. If you are a

registered user, you can obtain free program updates and support information from the World

Wide Web or your nearest branch of PROKON Software Consultants.

Who qualifies for support?

You automatically qualify for free software maintenance and support in the following cases:

If you are renting programs on an annual basis.

If you purchased your software less than a year ago.

If you have entered a maintenance agreement with respect to your purchased programs.

Internet support

Access answers to frequently asked questions, news on new developments, revision

information and programs updates on-line:

PROKON Home Page: Visit www.prokon.com for news on the latest developments.

PROKON Support Web: Browse www.prokon.com/support for solutions to problems and to obtain program updates and the latest versions of the help files and manuals.

Direct support

If you experience difficulties resolving your problems using PROKON, you may contact

Prokon Software Consultants directly for assistance:

South Africa United Kingdom Canada

Telephone

Facsimile

E-mail

+27-12-346-2231

+27-12- 346-3331

[email protected]

+44-20- 8780-5454

+44-20- 8788-8363

[email protected]

+1-8888-PROKON

+1-866-323-7393

[email protected]

Postal address P O Box 17295

Groenkloof

0027

South Africa

75 Lower Richmond Rd

Putney

London SW15 1ET

United Kingdom

PO Box 91693

West Vancouver, BC

V7V 3P3

Canada

Quick Reference iv

Quick Reference

Use the thumbnails alongside for quick access to the chapters in this manual.

Quick Reference v

Chapter 1: Installing PROKON

Chapter 2: The PROKON Basics

Chapter 3: Structural Analysis

Chapter 4: Steel Member Design

Chapter 5: Steel Connection Design

Chapter 6: Concrete design

Chapter 7: Timber Design

Chapter 8: General Applications

Chapter 9 : Masonry Design

Quick Reference vi

Installing PROKON 1-1

Chapter

1 Installing PROKON

This explains the procedures for installing and activating PROKON. step-by-step to help new

and experienced users alike avoid pitfalls.

Installing PROKON 1-2

Quick Reference

System Requirements 1-3

Program Installation 1-5

Updating PROKON 1-17


System Requirements

The minimum system requirements and recommended specification to run the 32-bit Windows

version of PROKON are:

Required Recommended

PC with 1RAM PC with dual CPU cores, 4GB RAM or more

1,024 x 768 SVGA display. Nvidia Quaddro FX or quivalent

graphics adaptor that supports OpenGL support.

CD-Rom drive or access to one over a

network

Any version of Windows XP, Windows

Vista, or Windows 7 (32-bit or 64-bit). Windows 7(32-bit or 64-bit).

Internet connection required for activation

The suite often needs to save temporary information on your hard disk. For this purpose, the

Windows temporary folder, e.g. ' C:\Users\YourName\AppData\Local\Temp', is used. When

analysing large structures, a significant amount of disk space may be required.


Program Installation

You can install PROKON on a stand-alone computer, or on a network for access by multiple

computers on your network. Setting up your system PROKON consists of the following steps:

1. Install PROKON on your computer or on your network.

2. Activate PROKON.

3. Set up the design codes and section and material databases. This is explained in Chapter 2.

PROKON uses a sophisticated licensing scheme that allows a lot of flexibility in your choices:

The software is modular: No need to pay for features you don't use; order only the modules you need.

Short-term license available: In addition to the conventional way of purchasing software, you can rent PROKON modules on an annual basis. You may have a special project, for

example, that requires certain design modules that you would not normally use.

Network use: PROKON software can be installed on stand-alone computers or on a network server. When installing on a network server, multiple workstation computers can

access the software (the number of concurrent users is limited to the number of

workstations including in the license). No special network license is required to use

PROKON software on a network.

License portability: You can deactivate and activate your programs (storing your license on the PROKON license server) at any time. Moving your license between computers at

the office (and even your home computer) is simple.

Note: When not activated, e.g. directly after the initial installation, the PROKON suite will

function in 'demo mode' a special mode with reduced functionality meant for evaluation purposes.


PROKON installation tree

Before installing PROKON, please take a moment to study the folder tree that will be created

during installation. The main components are:

The main suite folder: This is the folder enclosing all program folders and is always called 'Prokon'. You can

locate this folder on the root of your hard drive, i.e.

'C:\Prokon', or elsewhere, e.g. 'C:\Program

Files\Prokon'.

The main program folder: The 'bin' folder that contains all the executable programs and other files that make up the system. The folder has a child folder

'Updates' that is used for storage by the PROKON Live

Update utility.

The default data folder: This is the folder used for data storage. Directly after installation, the working

folder is set to '\Prokon\Data\Demo'. When you start to

use the suite, you will be creating new working folders

where input and output data will be stored. Working

folders can be created anywhere on your computer or

on your network.

The license folder: When you activate PROKON, the 'Prolock' folder is created and your license key stored in it. Please do not remove this folder without first deactivating your

programs; doing so will destroy your license.

User folders: Each user's preferences, e.g. favourite design codes and on-screen layout of each program, are automatically stored in a dedicated folder.

Note: When installing PROKON on a network, you need to adjust some folder permissions

to enable network users to access PROKON. See page 1-12 for more information.


PROKON licence structure

Below are some key concepts regarding your PROKON license:

License key: A special file that contain your license information. Your license key is supplied either on your CD-Rom or made available via electronic download.

Expiry date: Annual rental license have a fixed expiry date 12 months after order. Purchased licences allow perpetual use of the programs, but software maintenance

(program updates and technical support) expires after 12 months. Both annual rental and

software maintenance of purchased programs can be renewed.

Sets: The modules that you order is grouped in a set. Your license can include up to two sets. Here is an example: You have a group of engineers that specialise in steel design, and another group that specialises in concrete design. Both groups use the Frame Analysis

module to calculate forces in building frames. Your PROKON license can be configured

with two sets. Set 1(Steel) will contain the Frame Analysis module and some steel member

and connection design modules. Set 2 (Concrete) will also contain the Frame Analysis

module and some concrete design modules. The two sets form part of the same license

key, and can be activated and used separately. When combining two sets in the same

license key, a substantial discount is applicable to modules that are included in both sets.

Workstations: A workstation is one set of programs that is accessible on a standalone computer or network. Each set of modules in your license key has a number of

workstations assigned to it. The number of workstations determine the number of times the

set of programs can be used simultaneous. Simultaneous use can either be standalone computers that have been activated individually, or users accessing PROKON on a

network at the same time. Expanding on the example above, imagine that Set 1 (Steel) has

three workstations and Set 2 (Concrete) two. The license key therefore allows five users to

access PROKON at the same time: three using the steel design modules, and two using the

concrete design modules. All five users will be able to access Frame Analysis that is

included in both sets.

Activation: You have to activate your programs in order to access their full capacity. When you activate your programs, you can choose the number of workstations for Set 1

and Set 2 to activate. The number of available (for activation) workstations is decremented

accordingly. In the above example, Set 1 can be activated on three standalone computers,

or on a network for simultaneous use by three engineers.

Deactivation: You can deactivate an active set of programs at any time. The number of available workstations is incremented accordingly.

Note: The PROKON license server (an internet service) keeps track of the number of

workstations that have been activated and the number of workstations available for

activation. An internet connection is required to activate or deactivate your programs.


Installing on a standalone computer

You can install PROKON on a stand-alone computer or on a network for sharing between

multiple users. This section describes the installation procedure for a standalone computer.

Note: Your PROKON license proper functioning is sensitive to your computer's date and

time. To guarantee error-free operation, ensure that the date and time is correct.

Installing the program files to your hard disk.

Depending on your system settings the PROKON Setup application will auto-run automatically when you insert the PROKON CD-Rom. If it does not, explore the CD-Rom contents and

launch Setup.exe manually.

Note: If the Setup program appears to freeze while copy program files, it may be because of

your anti-virus software scanning the program files. For a faster installation, we recommend

you temporarily disable your anti-virus software.

Follow the prompts to copy the program files to your computer:

Read and accept the license agreement before you can continuing with the installation.

Enter an installation folder. By default, PROKON is

installed in the 'C:\Prokon'

folder. Optionally click

Change to choose a

installation folder. If you

browse to 'C:\Program Files',

for example, the suite will be

installed in 'C:\Program Files\Prokon'.

Choose whether you want to set up program shortcuts for

the current logged in user

(you) only, or for all users that

uses the computer..

Allow the Setup program to complete the installation


Activating the programs

The above installation procedure copies all necessary program files to your computer. To

access the full capability of your licensed modules, you need to activate them. If you do not

activate your software, all modules will function in 'demo mode' a special mode with reduced functionality meant for evaluation purposes.

To activate your PROKON software:

Run PROKON.

On the Tools menu, choose Activate Programs, and then choose one of the displayed activation methods:

Direct Internet activation: This is the preferred method, and instructs your PROKON software to

communicate directly with the PROKON license

server for instantaneous activation. In some situations,

e.g. restrictive corporate firewalls, the direct

communication may not work and you have to use to

one of the other methods below.

Browser: This method uses your web browser to exchange a Report Code and Return Code with the

PROKON license server.

E-mail: This method is similar to the browser method, except that it uses your email client, e.g. Microsoft Outlook, to exchange a Report Code and Return Code. Even

though the PROKON license server responds to activation emails, possible delays in

email communication and spam filters make this method less desirable.

Phoning Prokon: If all else fails, use this option to call a Prokon branch for activation assistance.

Enter the number of workstations to activate in Set 1 and Set 2. For a standalone installation, you would typically not enter '1' workstation for Set 1 and/or Set 2.


Click Ok to process the activation:

If using the Direct Internet activation method, the result will be displayed within a few seconds.

If using the Browser activation method, your web browser will display a page with a Return Code that you should enter.

If you using the E-mail activation method, open your email client and send the activation request message. The PROKON license server will reply automatic reply to

your message with a Return Code that you should enter.

When using the option to Phone Prokon, a Report Code will be displayed. Contact your local Prokon branch and request a matching Return Code.

Note: For the Direct Internet activation method to work, your firewall should allow

communication on TCP port 80 (HTTP) as well as 20 and 21 (FTP).

Deactivating an active workstation

Deactivation is a procedure similar to activation described on the previous page:

Run PROKON Structural Analysis and Design.

On the Tools menu, choose Deactivate Programs, and then choose one of the deactivation methods. As with activation, the Direct Internet deactivation method is the

preferred method for a instantaneous result.

If using one of the indirect methods, submit the Report Code to the Prokon license server (via your web browser, e-mail, or phoning Prokon). This step is essential to ensure that

your deactivation workstation(s) is correctly credited back to your license key on the

Prokon license server.

After deactivation, PROKON will operate in 'demo mode' a special mode with reduced functionality meant for evaluation purposes.

Note: Deactivating does not delete any files. Instead, all program and data files are left in position to enable you to later activate the workstation again. To completely remove

PROKON from a PC, you must uninstall the software 1-15


Activating a deactivated workstation

To reactivate a deactivated workstation, simply follow the activation procedure described on

page 1-9.

Installation, activation and deactivation suggestions

Here are a few suggestions to consider for simplifying your license management:

Use the Direct Internet method for activating and deactivating whenever possible. This allows for direct communication with the PROKON license server and instantaneous

results. Note that firewall restrictions on your company network may prevent this method

from working.

You can install PROKON on any number of standalone computers. However, activation of the programs will be limited to the number of available workstations. You can any time

deactivate an active workstation (storing it the PROKON license server) and then activate

your programs on another computer.

If you find that you have to deactivate and activate PROKON very often, consider installing your PROKON a USB memory stick (instead of a hard drive on your computer),

and moving the memory stick from between computers.

If you have about five or more engineers using PROKON on a regular basis, consider a network installation instead of separate installations on standalone computers. Doing so

can save you money (more optimal use of fewer licensed workstations) and will make

upgrading PROKON more convenient (only one instance requires updating).


Installing on a network

PROKON can be installed on a network for simultaneous use by more than one person. The

number of simultaneous users will be limited to the number of workstations ordered, e.g. if

Set 1 has three workstations, then a maximum of three engineers can use that set at a time.

The network installation procedure has three steps:

1. Copying the program files to the server.

2. Activating the programs for simultaneous use.

3. Configure folder permissions for network access

4. Configuring each workstation that will use PROKON.

You do not need a dedicated file server to be able to install PROKON on your network. Any PC on the network, even an ordinary PC connected to a peer-to-peer network, can be identified

as the 'server' for the purpose of sharing PROKON on your network.

Note: To install PROKON on a server version of Windows, you may need to be seated at

the server (or accessing its desktop remotely) and logged in as an administrator.

Copying the program files to the server

The procedure for installing the program files to the server is the same as described from

page 1-8 for installing on a standalone computer. The only difference is that the target folder

should be located on the server, i.e. a shared drive or folder on the network. (If seated at the

server when performing the installation, this will off course be a local folder.)

Activating the programs for simultaneous use over the network

The procedure to activate the network instance of PROKON is the same as described on

page 1-9 for a standalone computer. There is one difference though, and that is that you would likely want to activate not only one, but all the available workstations on the server.

Once activated on the server, PROKON is ready for use from multiple PCs on the network. No

further steps are required to make the license activation network-aware.

Note: When not activated, e.g. directly after the initial installation, the PROKON will operate

in 'demo mode' a special mode with reduced functionality meant for evaluation purposes.


Configure folder permissions

To allow network users to access PROKON on the server, you need to adjust some folder

preferences. All installed folders may have read-only access except for the following folders

that require full control:

The 'User' folder and sub-folders where each user's preferences are saved.

The 'Prolock' folder contains the PROKON installation status and keeps a log of users accessing the system.

The 'Data' folder is the default location for saving program input and output data. You will likely have a different project storage location set up elsewhere on your network. To

change the default storage location, set the Working Folder. See Chapter 2 for more information.

Refer to page 1-6 for more detail regarding the PROKON folder tree.

Configuring the network workstations to use PROKON

After successfully installing and activating PROKON on your server, configuring the individual workstations is a simple case of creating a shortcut on each station.

To create a shortcut on a workstation:

Seated at the workstation, use Windows Explorer to browse to the

PROKON prorgam folder on the

network, e.g. \\server\prokon\bin

Locate the file, 'Prokon32.exe' within the main program folder.

Right-click the file, select Sent To in the context menu to appears, and then

choose Desktop (create shortcut)

Optionally rename the shortcut from 'Prokon32.exe' to 'Prokon Structural

Analysis'.

Note: For a network installation it is not necessary to install the PROKON CD on each

individual workstation.

Deactivating your network installation

The procedure to deactivate is identical that that for a standalone installation described on page

1-10.


Switching between Set 1 and Set 2

If your license key contains workstations on both Set 1 and Set 2, then you can switch between

them while using PROKON (assuming both sets have been activated on the computer or on the

network).

In the example used before, your license

key may contain some steel design

modules in Set 1 (Steel) and some

concrete design modules in Set 2

(Concrete). To switch between the two

sets, run PROKON, open the Settings menu, and select Username. You can then

edit your username and select the set of

programs you want to use.

You set selection will remain active until

your change it againMore detail regarding

the setting of a user name are in given in

Chapter 2.


Uninstalling PROKON

To remove PROKON from a PC or network, follow the steps below:

Deactivate your PROKON license as described on page 1-10. Failure to deactivate your license before uninstalling PROKON may result in your license being destroyed.

Seated at the PC where PROKON is installed (or at the server in the case of a network installation), open the Windows Control Pane.

Choose Uninstall or Change a Program (Add/Remove Programs in some versions of Windows).

Select PROKON from the list and follow the steps to uninstall.

As a safeguard, PROKON data is not erased during the uninstall procedure. If you wish to remove PROKON data as well, then manually delete the PROKON installation tree see page 1-6 for more information.

Note: Before uninstalling , please deactivate the software first as discussed on page 1-10.


Precautionary measures to protect your license

The activation status of your PROKON programs may be damaged in some instances. The

following situations require the programs to be deactivated first and activated again afterwards:

Moving the programs to another folder on a local or network drive. You are free to move or copy data folders though.

Converting the hard disk file structure, e.g. from to FAT32 to NTFS.

Upgrading of hardware, e.g. replacement of the hard disk.

Note: Disk defragmenting utilities can be used safely with PROKON.

To deactivate the PROKON suite, follow the procedures described on page 1-10.

The importance of dates and times

The date are recorded as part of the suite's copy protection system. To prevent unnecessary

errors, it is important that all relevant computers should have the correct date and time.


Updating PROKON

The PROKON development team is continuously working at improving the software. Changes

in design codes, support for additional design codes, new program features and occasional bug

fixes make for regular program updates.

Upgrade Eligibility

You are eligible for free program updates in the following cases:

If you have an annual rental agreement.

If you have a maintenance agreement for your purchased PROKON software.

If you do not have a maintenance agreement but have purchased or upgraded your PROKON software less than 12 months ago.

Upgrading your Programs

You can use either of the following methods to update your PROKON programs:

PROKON Live Update: An automated utility that downloads the latest versions of your programs and installs them for you. This is the preferred method if you are already using

the current major version of PROKON.

PROKON Service Pack: A package that contains all program modules for manual installation. This is the preferred method when upgrading from one major version of

PROKON to another, i.e. from an older version to the current version.

Tip: For up-to-date version information and update instructions, please refer to the following web page: www.prokon.com/updates.


Using PROKON Live Update

The Live Update utility allows to you easily update all your PROKON modules to the latest

versions. To use Live Update:

Close all running PROKON programs except Calcpad. Launch Live Update from the Tools menu in Calcpad. Alternatively, launch it from the PROKON group on the

Windows Start Menu.

Live Update will automatically connect with the PROKON update server to retrieve the latest version information. After a few moments, it will show which modules have updates

available.

Download and install the updates. Depending on your internet connection speed and anti-virus scanning, the process should complete in a few minutes.

Note: Firewall restrictions on your network can prevent Live Update from communicating

with the PROKON server. Please refer to the following web page for alternative update

options: www.prokon.com/updates.

The PROKON Basics 2-1

Chapter

2 The PROKON Basics

The basic principles of using PROKON are discussed in this chapter. Starting with the issues

you 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 chapter

ends with explaining advanced procedures like creating an equation library and customising the

page layout for your projects.

The PROKON Basics 2-2

Quick Reference

Using PROKON for the First Time 2-3

Using the Analysis and Design Modules 2-11

Using the Table Editor 2-15

Using the PROKON Calculator 2-23

Working with Pictures 2-25

Adding Text and Graphics 2-31

Working with Equations 2-37

Customising the Page Layout 2-47

Configuring the Section Database 2-53

Configuring the Material Database 2-57


Using PROKON for the

First Time

Depending on the shortcut options chosen during the installation procedure, you will be able to

run PROKON by double-clicking the shortcut on the Desktop or selecting it from the Start

Menu.


Configuring PROKON

On launching PROKON, the main program, called Calcpad, is displayed. From here, you are

able to launch the individual analysis and design modules. Calcpad is also the application that

you 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 project's appearance.

Note: When running PROKON for the very first time, the default design codes and units of

measurement are automatically set to match your current Windows Regional Settings. To

check 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 to working 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 saving

your 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. The

user folder resides under the main PROKON program folder. If you use the system on a

network, you will be able to select your user folder regardless of which workstation on the

network you use.


If you are using multiple sets on a network

Your license key may include two sets of programs. You may, for example, have set 1

configured with mainly steel design modules and set 2 with mainly concrete design modules. If

configured this way, different users can use the respective sets simultaneously.

The set selected is saved as part of the

user preferences. In other words, using

the example of separate steel design and concrete design sets, a steel

designer needs to select the steel

design set only the first time he uses

PROKON. The next time he uses the

system, he will automatically be

presented with the steel design set.

More details regarding the activating license keys and individual sets are in given in Chapter 2.

Selecting your preferences

During program installation, the default design

codes and units of measurement are automatically

set according to your PC's regional settings, i.e. the

information 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 the Settings menu.

The design modules use the selected preferences to

determine the default values for design codes and

relevant design parameters. You can however

temporarily override these setting using the Design

code, Units or Preferences command on a design

module's File menu.

If a particular preference is not available in module,

e.g. the preferred design code is not supported, the

module will automatically make a next-best

selection.


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 accustomed to

using the suite, it is

recommended that you create

a new working folder for each project you are working

on. Working folders can be

created in any convenient

location, be it on you own

hard disk or on the network.

To create a new working

folder or select another

existing folder, open the

Settings menu and choose

Working Folder. When

naming a new working folder, you should use a valid

Windows folder name:

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

A folder name may not contain any of the following characters: \ / : * ? " < > |.

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 limitations

apply 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 images will necessarily look well.


Working with project files

Apart from acting as a launch platform for the analysis and design modules, you can use

Calcpad to group analysis results and design calculations and then save all the information in a

project 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 the module's Calcsheets page from where you send it to Calcpad. For an explanation of the

procedure, refer to page 2-13.

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

You can then use Calcpad to supplement the results from the analysis and design modules with additional design notes and pictures. Refer to page 2-31 for more detail.

Links are retained with each individual analysis via data file objects. These objects are visible in the right-hand margin as yellow folders. Double-clicking a data file object recalls

the original input data in the relevant analysis or design module.

To perform calculations not covered in the scope of the design modules, you can use equations a feature built into Calcpad. The use of the Equation Editor is explained on page 2-37.

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 the

Edit menu or double-

click the header in Calcpad.

Type the information for each field.

To insert the current date, click Insert date.

If you use similar headers for your different projects, you can save retyping information by

saving the header information. Click Save as default to save the information and Load default

to retrieve it.


Click OK to apply the new header to the active project. The new header will apply to the

current and following pages. This allows you, for example, to use different people's names in

the 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 page

template. For more details, refer to the customisation procedures explained from page 2-47.

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 is

referred to as the active project. All results sent to Calcpad from the analysis and design

modules 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 other

location 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 file, 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 the document you want.

By default, the file list is filtered to show only project files created by Calcpad. You can

change this by selecting All files in the Files of type box, e.g. when wanting to open a text

file. You can also type a filter File name box; for example, type 'p*.*' to find all files

starting with the letter p.

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


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 file names if you want. The program will automatically add an appropriate file extension.

5. Click Save.

Customising your project's appearance

Once you get accustomed to using PROKON, it is recommended that you use the procedures explained from page 2-47 to load another page template or create your own template.


Using the Analysis and Design

Modules

To run a PROKON analysis or design module, click its icon on the shortcut bar or select it

from the Program menu. If a particular module's shortcut icon or menu item is dimmed, it

means that the module is not included in your workstation.

A number of discontinued modules, notably Plastic Frame Analysis and Design and Finite

Element Slab Design are available on the Program menu only.


Using the analysis and design modules

The analysis and design modules follow a similar pattern. By familiarising yourself with a few

concepts, 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 and

parameters 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 data files. The commands are similar to those described on page 2-8.

The Input page: All input data is entered on this page.

In the case of some of the

larger analysis modules, e.g.

the frame analysis modules,

this page will itself contain a

number of tabbed input pages. Some modules also

allow specialised input

trough a separate Settings

page or button.

The Analysis or Design page: Selecting this page

typically starts the analysis

and displays the results.

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

The Drawings or Bending Schedules page: Most design modules are capable of generating a detailed drawing or bending schedule of the designed element. Drawings and bending 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 to

move forward and back between the pages.


Data input

Except when using Padds for graphical input, e.g. for frames, all data is entered in tables. Data

is normally evaluated immediately as entered. If invalid input is detected, a list of errors is

normally displayed.

Entered data is typically shown in Pictures that interact with the Table Editor to automatically update 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 by

right-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 2-15 and the manipulation of

Pictures on page 2-25.

Sending analysis results to Calcpad

After a successful analysis or design, you can group the results in a calcsheet. You can then

choose to print or send the information to Calcpad. To send results to Calcpad:

Access the relevant module's Calcsheets page.

Use the Settings function to select the components to include in the calcsheet. You can optionally 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 need to 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 input

You can use the File menu of a module to

save and open input data files. However, if

you enable the Data File option before

sending a calcsheet to Calcpad, you can

later recall the input data by double-clicking

the relevant object in Calcpad. A data file

embedded in Calcpad is saved as part of a

project and does not need to be saved in the relevant module as well.

If you do save a data file in an analysis or

design module, the file name extension will

automatically be set to the program number

for easy recognition, e.g. '.A03' for Frame

Analysis.


Using the online help

You can access context-sensitive help by pressing F1. Alternatively use the Help menu to

display an overview of the program.

It is easier to update electronic information than printed manuals. Therefore, you may

occasionally find that the on-line help is more up to date that the manual.

Updated help files are published regularly on the PROKON Website. Additional information

not given in either the manual or Help, e.g. answers to frequently asked questions and details

of program revisions, is also available on the PROKON Support Web. Refer to the

introduction of this manual to read more about support service included with your purchase of

PROKON software.


Using the Table Editor

You can edit text in tables using the standard Windows functions, i.e. as employed by most

spreadsheet applications such as Microsoft Office Excel. The standard Windows functions are

supplemented with a number of special functions that speed up table editing.


Moving around and editing text

You can move around in tables and edit cells in very much the same way as you do in your

favourite 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 the

next row. Pressing Tab moves one cell to the right and Shift+Tab one cell to the left. If you

press 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 screen

up 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 of

the 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, up or 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 the specific application, you may be able to select common values from the list or optionally

type 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 the

left 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 to

replace the text in the cell rather than change it, simply retype the text without first pressing F2.


Deleting text

Press Del or Backspace to clear the current cell's contents. While entering or editing text in a

cell, 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 can

be especially handy when working with

large tables, e.g. when entering nodes for a frame analysis.

To repeat the last search without first

opening the dialog box, press F3.


Working with blocks

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

two steps:

Marking a cell or block of cells you can choose between using the normal Windows methods 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 the

extended 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 following

procedures:

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 arrow keys 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 selected even 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 move to 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 and then 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 press Ctrl+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 cells are selected, you are free to move the cursor without the block being de-selected.


Copying, moving or deleting cells

A selected cell or group of cells can be copied, moved or deleted using the standard Windows

functions 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 and choose 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 current

cursor 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 to the 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 new position.

To delete one or more selected cells, select and Cut them. Alternatively press Del to delete the 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 text without using the Windows clipboard.

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

To move a persistent block, use Ctrl+M.

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


Advantages of using persistent blocks

The normal block selection functionality offered by Windows allows you to quickly mark an

area with the mouse or keyboard. However, the selection is cancelled as soon as you move the

cursor. In contrast, persistent blocks offer the following advantages:

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

selection.

You do not need to first Copy or Cut information to the Windows clipboard - while a persistent 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 PROKON

table (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.


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.


Ctrl+L : Mark the first or last line of a block.

Ctrl+U : Unmark the current block.

Clipboard commands

Ctrl+C : Copy the block to the clipboard.

Ctrl+X : Cut the block to the clipboard.

Ctrl+V : Paste the clipboard to the cursor position.

Persistent block commands

Ctrl+V : Copy the persistent block to the cursor position

Ctrl+M : Move the persistent block to the cursor position.

Ctrl+D : Delete the block.


Using the PROKON Calculator

Use the PROKON calculator for basic calculations. You can copy a result to the Windows

clipboard and then paste it into Calcpad or an input table of a design module.


Using the Calculator

Use the PROKON calculator for basic calculations. You can copy a result to the Windows

clipboard 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 Windows

starts. If so, the calculator will be visible in the Windows system tray that is typically located

in the bottom right corner of the screen, i.e. next to the clock.

Clicking its icon or pressing Ctrl+1 can display the calculator. To

close the calculator, click Exit or press Esc. On closing, the

calculator will return to its idle status in the system tray.

To close the calculator and remove it from memory, right-click its icon 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 another

program:

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 the Paste 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 the result back to the module's input table.


Working with Pictures

The analysis and design modules often have pictures linked to the input tables to make data

entry interactive and more intuitive. Pictures are also often used to present analysis results.


Zooming and panning pictures

You can 'zoom in' to get a close-up view of a picture. Some pictures have Zoom buttons for

this purpose. If a picture does not have such buttons, you can still zoom it by right-clicking the

picture 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 the background.

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 to

save the picture in the following file formats:

PAD: Fully editable Padds drawing.

PIC: Prokon picture file.

EMF: Enhanced Windows metafile, readable by many graphics and presentation 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 available

for adding a picture to the Calcsheets.


Working with 3D pictures

Because of their nature, some analysis and design modules need to display

3D 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%.


Pan: Drag the project in any direction to view an adjoining portion. You can also click and drag the picture using the middle mouse button.

Print: Print the current view of the structure.

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

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

Rotate left: Rotate the structure to the left about the Y-axis. The rotation angle is 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.

Orbit: Rotate the image freely about the centre of the model. Alternatively, hold the Shift key, and rotate the image with the picture using the middle mouse

button.

Detailed settings

Some modules allow detailed configuration of pictures. In the frame analysis

modules, for example, you can access the Graphics Options to enable or disable

display of node numbers, global axes etc. Pictures can also be rendered in 3D or

shown as simple line diagrams.


View point control

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

View point: Imagine viewing the structure through a camera lens. The view point is then

defined as the position of the camera. Enter the

view point coordinates or use the Walk function

to move the camera by the distance defined as

the Step size.

View direction: The direction in which the camera is aimed. The default position is the centre of the structure. Enter the view direction

or use the Turn function to rotate the camera

through the angle defined as the Turn angle.

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

situation.

Projection: Choose between using an orthogonal or perspective projection. The latter gives a more realistic view of the structure. However, you may get a distorted picture when

using 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 negative X, Y or Z-elevation.

Perpendicular on view-plane: If a view plane is set, you can move the view point to be perpendicular to it.

Default: Moves the view point to a position that looks down at the centre of the model with a view direction of equal amount along the positive X, Y and Z-axes (i.e. dX, dY and

dZ all equal to -1.00) and zooms to the model extents.

Tip: The default view angle of 50 works well with perspective projections of structures. If

you cannot see the complete structure, the view point is probably to near to the structure.

Reset the View Point using the Default button or 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 can

also use the zoom and pan functions while the dialog box is open.


View plane control

When viewing a complicated 3D structure, you may often find it difficult to identify points in

the 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 indicate three nodes that describe a plane. The plane

does not need to vertical or horizontal.

Axis: Define a view plane perpendicular to the X, Y, or Z-axis. Enter the position along

the indicated axis.

Coordinates: Enter three 3D coordinates to describe a plane.

Enter a view plane thickness to define how much of the

structure should be visible.

Click Clear to restore the

settings to displaying the whole

structure. Click Apply to make

the entered view plane take

effect. Click Close to close the dialog box

The View Plane Control dialog

box can be left open while you

work in the program. You can

also use the zoom and pan

functions and the View Point

Control while the dialog box is

open.

Tip: If your PC's screen resolution permits, you may move the View Point Control and View Plane Control dialog boxes to one side so as not to clutter the display of the

underlying program.


Saving and recalling views

You can use viewpoints and view planes to display

the whole structure or portions of it in convenient

ways, e.g. a plan view of a floor of a multi-storey

building. You can save each combination of view

point and view plane as a view for later re-use.

Some pictures display the name of the current

view and allow you to select another saved view by

clicking the view name.


Adding Text and Graphics

The analysis output generated by the various analysis and design modules will provide

normally sufficient detail of your designs. However, you may want to enhance your project

files by adding additional design notes, pictures and even additional calculations.

The procedure to write and edit text and to insert and manipulate pictures in Calcpad is

described in the following text. Equation writing is explained from page 2-37.


Writing and editing text

You can use Calcpad as a simple word processor to write and edit text. You may possibly find

that you can use the exact same or similar editing and formatting commands as in your

favourite 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 will

replace 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 the

Insert menu. You can also insert a character or symbol by typing the character code on the numeric 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 a

portion of a text file instead:

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

2. Select and copy the relevant text using the procedures described on page 2-35.

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.


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 new

text from the cursor position and further.

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

or 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.

Check spelling

Click the Check Spelling button in the toolbar to check the spelling of text in the document.

The built-in dictionary includes terminology commonly used in structural engineering.

Note: Prior to version 2.5, the spell checker required Microsoft Office to be installed. This is no longer the case in the current version.

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.Using graphics in your project

Graphics can be used to supplement text and serve to enhance your projects. Inserted graphics

can 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 by clicking it.

2. Drag it to the new position.

To resize a graphic:

1. Select the graphic.

2. Drag the graphic's edge to change its horizontal or

vertical size.

3. Drag one of the graphic's corners to proportionally

change its horizontal or

vertical size.


Moving and copying text and graphics

You can move or copy text and graphics within a project, between projects, or between

Calcpad 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 and

graphics 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 moves

the 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.


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 a

reduced size. Use the Zoom buttons or right-click the project for a pop-up menu with zoom

commands:


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

Page: Display the whole page.


In: Zoom in by 50%.


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

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

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


Working with Equations

You can use the Equation Editor to create your own equations in Calcpad. The Equation

Editor is also used to edit existing equations or save equation objects for re-use in future,

e.g. create a library of equations


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 from the 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, this page is displayed first.

Variables: Assign a value to each variable used on the Equations page. When editing an exiting 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 as

a unit, called an equation object.


Entering equations

Enter one or more lines of equations on the Equations page. Equations are written in 'normal

English' 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 the equation is automatically formatted for you. For example, if you want to enter the equation

y = a x2 + b x + c, enter 'y=ax^2+bx+c'.

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

Use parenthesis to simplify an equation, e.g. for dc

ba

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

multiple lines for a sequence of equations. Variable values are inherited by equations that

follow. Refer to page 2-44 for more detail on using a series of equations.


Defining variables

A variable can be a single letter or several letters and/or numbers, e.g. a, a2 and ab. The

program 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 the same meaning.

When entering a variable, the second and following characters are used as sub-scripts, e.g.

enter 'abc' to get abc.

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 number and 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 hash

before 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 values are 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 by

enclosing or preceding them in double quotes, e.g. "Comments" or "Comments without a trailing quote.


Using mathematical functions

You can use the built-in mathematical functions as necessary, e.g. 'sqrt(...)' to determine the 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 and

other roots as follows: cba can be entered as 'a=sqrt(b+c)' or

'a=(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 = cot(), type 'a=1/tan(#h)' or 'a=(tan(#h))^(-1)'.


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 to them are listed first.

Calculated variables: Variables denoting equation results are listed last. The values for these items are typically shown as 'EqX:Y', where X is the relevant row number in the

table 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 to page 2-42 for more information on using images with equations.


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 in Calcpad. The image is also displayed on the Variables page.

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

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


Advanced techniques

Once you have mastered the basic functions of the Equation Editor, you may want to proceed

to creating more sophisticated equation objects.

Using units of measurement

You may enhance your equations by adding units of measurement. Units are designated by

enclosing them in curly brackets.

The following rules apply:

The unit should be written in curly brackets immediately after the variable.

You may use a mathematical operator to create derivatives of units, e.g. use 'm^2' for m2.

You may use either Metric or Imperial units.

Examples:

To determine the circumference of a circle in feet, you may enter 'Circ{ft}=#p*r{ft}'. The result in Calcpad will be:

To calculate the area of a circle in square meter, you may enter 'A{m^2}=#p*r{m}^2'. The result will be:

r = 2.5m

=A p r2. = 19.635 m2

Note: The program does not evaluate the consistancy of units within equations.

Using a series of equations

When entering multiple lines of equations, all assigned and calculated values of variables are

carried over to equations down the list a characteristic referred to as inheritance. This allows you to break complex equations into smaller pieces, making them a lot easier to write and

verify. It also allows you to use multiple inter-dependent equations in a complex calculation.


Conditional branching

You can use the inheritance characteristic of equations to your further advantage. By

combining inheritance with conditional branching, you can create equation objects that can

intelligently adjust for different values of the variables.

To create a conditional branch:

Define the condition using the 'if' statement, e.g. 'if a>b' will do something only if a is greater than b. For comparison, you may use the operators , =, >= and K'"

z=d*(0.5+sqrt(0.25-K'/0.9))

x=(d-z)/0.45

A's{mm^2}=(K-K')*fcu*b*d^2/(0.95*fy*(d-d'{mm})

As{mm^2}=(K'*fcu*b*d^2)/(0.95*fy*z) + A's (end of second branch)

In the example, the first conditional branch causes K' to determined differently for different

values of the percentage of redistribution, %RD. Further, by comparing the values of K and K',

additional compression reinforcement is calculated when necessary.


Creating an equation library

You can use the File menu commands to save and recall all

useful equations.

The advantages of saving equation objects in a library will

become obvious once you have created a number of intelligent

equation objects comprising multiple equations and conditional

branching.

You are free to save your equations in any folder on your PC or

on the network. Using a dedicated and well-structured

folder 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. When

working with an existing equation, the Variables page is displayed automatically, i.e. the

program 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 with

equations, 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 in

a multi-user environment. Refer to page 2-42 for information on equation titles and pictures.


Customising the Page Layout

By default, projects are displayed on a framed page with the PROKON logo. The top portion of

the 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.


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 Setup

command 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 to replace 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.


Creating your own template

A template is defined using a simple scripting language that has been derived from the Padds

macro language. In essence, the script is a series of two-letter commands similar to the

keyboard shortcuts used in Padds. Several new commands have been introduced to for special

effects 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 box or 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 separated

with spaces or commas.

The template script commands can be categorised as follows:

Global page layout:

XO Xleft and YO Ybot : Define the origin, or reference point, from where all entities are

measured, e.g. 'XO 5' and 'YO 7.5' . The position of the origin is measured from the bottom left corner of the page. In fact, if you do not enter an origin the bottom left corner

of the page will be used. You may repeatedly redefine the origin the last definition is used for subsequent lines in the script.

MA Mleft,Mbot,Mright,Mtop : 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 not

draw any lines.


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 other comments.

Graphics:

BM Xleft,Ybot,Xright,Ytop,filename : Insert a Bitmap image and stretch it between the

coordinates Xleft,Ybot and Xright,Ytop , e.g. 'BM 5,261,34.6.5,2779.5,LOGO.BMP'. The Bitmap is assumed to reside in the same folder as the template file. For the best printing

results, the bitmap should be sized so that it can be placed at true size, e.g. an image of 700

pixels wide by 300 pixels high, placed 29.6mm wide by 12.7mm high should print well at

600 dpi.

Line drawing:

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

LL X1,Y1,X2,Y2: Draw a line from the coordinate X1,Y1 to X2,Y2, e.g. 'LL 5,10,5,110' to draw a vertical line 100mm l

prokon users guide

Documents

prokon structural analysis

prokon drawing

prokon basics

prokon users guide

prokon suite of programs

prokon installation

rights reserved prokon

design modules