ProSteel V8i AutoCAD Professional For Advanced Users TRN016920-1-0001 PDF

ProSteel V8i AutoCAD
Professional for Advanced Users
V8i
Bentley Institute Course Guide
TRN016920-1/0001
Trademark Notice
Bentley and the "B" Bentley logo are either registered or unregistered trademarks or
service marks of Bentley Systems, Incorporated. All other marks are the property of their
respective owners.
AccuDraw, MDL, MicroStation, and SmartLine are registered trademarks; PopSet and
Raster Manager are trademarks.
AutoCAD is a registered trademark of Autodesk, Inc.
Copyright Notice
Copyright ©2011, Bentley Systems, Incorporated. All Rights Reserved.
ProSteel V8i AutoCAD Professional for Advanced Users 2 Jul-11

Copyright © 2011 Bentley Systems, Incorporated
Table of Contents
Review of Introductory Training _______________________ 7
Module Overview _____________________________________ 7
Module Prerequisites __________________________________ 7
Module Objectives_____________________________________ 7
Proposed topics _______________________________________ 8
AutoCAD Template Files ______________________________ 9
Module Overview _____________________________________ 9
Creation of 3D Templates _______________________________ 10
Creation of 2D templates _______________________________ 23
Module Review _______________________________________ 28
Questions ________________________________________ 28
Answers__________________________________________ 29
Module Summary _____________________________________ 30
Project Management ________________________________ 31
Module Overview _____________________________________ 31
Opening the Project Manager and Basic Settings_____________ 32
Using Project Settings to Modify the Folder Layout ___________ 34
Module Review _______________________________________ 37
Questions ________________________________________ 37
Answers__________________________________________ 38
Module Summary _____________________________________ 39
Block Center _______________________________________ 41
Module Overview _____________________________________ 41
Opening and Understanding the BlockCenter _______________ 42
Creating a New Block to be Used in the BlockCenter __________ 43
Using the Dispatch Block Command _______________________ 48
Jul-11 3 ProSteel V8i AutoCAD Professional for Advanced Users

Table of Contents
Module Review _______________________________________ 50
Questions ________________________________________ 50
Answers__________________________________________ 51
Module Summary _____________________________________ 52
Using the Drawing Information Table ___________________ 53
Module Overview _____________________________________ 53
Using the Information Table to Export/Import to the Title Block 54
Using the Information Table Data in Report Headers__________ 62
Module Review _______________________________________ 68
Questions ________________________________________ 68
Answers__________________________________________ 69
Module Summary _____________________________________ 70
Shape Databases ____________________________________ 71
Module Overview _____________________________________ 71
Modifying how Widgets Show on 2D Plans and Elevations _____ 72
Understanding the concept of the widgets ______________ 72
Using the Maximum Length field in the Shapes Databases _____ 75
Using the Material field in the Shapes Databases ____________ 77
Module Review _______________________________________ 79
Questions ________________________________________ 79
Answers__________________________________________ 80
Module Summary _____________________________________ 80
External Data Entries ________________________________ 81
Module Overview _____________________________________ 81
Enabling and Using the EED______________________________ 82
Editing the EED File ____________________________________ 84
Module Review _______________________________________ 86
Questions ________________________________________ 86
Answers__________________________________________ 87
Module Summary _____________________________________ 88
Cranked Views ______________________________________ 89
Module Overview _____________________________________ 89
Creating a Cranked View Call Out in the 3D Model ___________ 90

Table of Contents
Detailing the Cranked View in the DetailCenter ______________ 93
Module Review _______________________________________ 98
Questions ________________________________________ 98
Answers__________________________________________ 99
Module Summary _____________________________________ 100
Anchor Point _______________________________________ 101

Module Overview _____________________________________ 101
Setting the Anchor Point ________________________________ 102
Placing a View and Modifying It __________________________ 106
Module Review _______________________________________ 109
Questions ________________________________________ 109
Answers__________________________________________ 110
Module Summary _____________________________________ 110
Automatic 2D Cuts __________________________________ 111

Module Overview _____________________________________ 111
Inserting the 2D Cut anchor into a 3D model’s group _________ 112
Enabling the Automatic 2D Cut into a group detail ___________ 119
Module Review _______________________________________ 126
Questions ________________________________________ 126
Answers__________________________________________ 127
Module Summary _____________________________________ 128
Manual Dimensions _________________________________ 129

Module Overview _____________________________________ 129
Using the Part’s Properties to Enable Extra Dimensions _______ 130
Using the Insert DimObject Tool to Add Extra Dimensions _____ 133
Enabling the Dimension in the 2D Blocks ___________________ 136
Module Review _______________________________________ 148
Questions ________________________________________ 148
Answers__________________________________________ 149
Module Summary _____________________________________ 150
Connection Detailing _________________________________ 151
Module Overview _____________________________________ 151
Enabling the Connection Detailing ________________________ 152
Jul-11 5 ProSteel V8i AutoCAD Professional for Advanced Users

Table of Contents
Creation of the 2D Detail of the Connection_________________ 154
Module Review _______________________________________ 160
Questions ________________________________________ 160
Answers__________________________________________ 161
Module Summary _____________________________________ 162
Detail Center Express ________________________________ 163

Module Overview _____________________________________ 163
The Basics: What is Needed _____________________________ 164
Creating a Titleblock ___________________________________ 165
Modifying the Control Files ______________________________ 166
Modifying the .frm file ______________________________ 166
Frame Definitions _____________________________________ 171
Modifying the .SCL File _________________________________ 173
Modifying the .MKN File ________________________________ 174
The DetailCenter Express _______________________________ 176
Prepare Detailing __________________________________ 177
Clean Up Detailing__________________________________ 178
Assign detail style to ________________________________ 178
Detail all visible Parts in Part Browser __________________ 182
Create Single Sheet 2D Detail Drawings _________________ 183
Fill Out the Title Block _______________________________ 191
Clean up Detailing __________________________________ 192
Summary Screen and Processing ______________________ 193
Module Review _______________________________________ 211
Questions ________________________________________ 211
Answers__________________________________________ 212
Module Summary _____________________________________ 212

Review of Introductory
Training
Module Overview
In this module, users will take a few minutes to go through topics covered in the
previous training in order to ensure a good comprehension of those topics or to
look at some of those topics a little bit more in depth. For this reason this chapter
does not contain any exercises or descriptions. It simply lists the topics that can be
explored.
Module Prerequisites
• Basic Windows knowledge on how to handle and manipulate folders
• A general knowledge of ProStructures file locations
• Completion of the ProSteel AutoCAD Fundamentals courses
Module Objectives
After completing this module, you will be able to:
• Better use the features learned during the introductory ProSteel
Fundamentals training.
Jul-11 7 Review of Introductory Training

Proposed topics
Proposed topics
Here is a list of topics that may be discussed during this review period.
For any documentation, refer to the manuals for ProSteel AutoCAD 3D Modeling
Fundamentals and ProSteel AutoCAD Detailing Fundamentals, since these topics
were covered in those courses.
Positioning (piece marking)
• Using the Positioning tool for Position Number or usage of the MKN file for
Shipping Number (US Mark Number)
External Bill of Materials (database driven)
• Creating and modifying templates (headers, bodies & footers)
In Drawing Bill of Material
• Creating new partlist styles
Template Management
• Locking/unlocking templates and adding templates to favorites
Configuration files
• Using the configuration file to share files over the network. More in depth
look at possibilities with FDF file.
DetailCenter
• Revising topics already covered during previous training for shop drawings of
parts, groups and erection drawings (plans and elevations)
Review of Introductory Training 8 Jul-11

AutoCAD Template Files
Module Overview
This module covers the creation of the templates (dwt) files to start a new
project. Users will be creating 3D and 2D templates containing all required
elements.
• Basic Windows knowledge including file navigation
• Previous experience with AutoCAD (creating layers, Dim Style, Text Styles,
etc.)
Module Objectives
• Create new dwt files according to different setting as required by different
clients/projects
Jul-11 9 AutoCAD Template Files

Creation of 3D Templates
This topic will cover the creation of an Imperial AutoCAD template to be used to
start building a new 3D model from scratch.
 Exercise: Creating the new file
1 Open ProSteel from the desktop icon.
2 From the AutoCAD pull down menu, select File > New.
3 Select Drawing Template (*.dwt) from the Files of type pull down
selection list and highlight acad.dwt in the file browsing area of the
window as in the image above. Then click on the Open button in the lower
right hand side of the dialog box.
4 A new drawing is created and a dialog box will open to select if this new
drawing is metric or imperial. In this case, select Imperial.
AutoCAD Template Files 10 Jul-11

5 Before going any further, make sure the drawing has the Proxygraphics
variable set properly in order to use the software in its most efficient way.
Type PROXYGRAPHICS at the AutoCAD command prompt. This variable has
a 0 (zero) or 1 (one) option only. In order to take advantage of the ProSteel
cleaning feature of the ProSteel Options as shown in the image below,
make sure this variable is set to 0 (zero).
6 To set the units properly, select from the AutoCAD pull down menu
Format > Units and apply changes as in the following image to use
Imperial units. To exit press the OK button.

 Exercise: Creating the text and dimensioning styles
1 Next, create all the text styles that may be used with ProSteel. Select
Format > Text Style from the AutoCAD pull down menu.
2 Create a new text style called Bentley using the Tahoma Font. Click on
Apply and then set it to be the current style. To close the dialog box hit the
Close button.
Note: This step can be repeated as many times as different text styles might
be needed.

3 ProSteel needs also Dim Styles to be present in the 3D model even though
the dimensioning is done in 2D. Dim Styles in the Model (3D) need to be
created at scale 1:1 and ProSteel will then use them to create the
appropriate Dim Style in each 2D drawing according to the respective
scale by simply applying a scale factor to the original Dim Style that was
created at 1:1
4 Select Format > Dimension Style from the AutoCAD pull down menu.
5 Create a new Dim style called Bentley setting all the options as needed for
color, text font, text size, arrow selections etc.
Note: This step can be repeated as many times as different Dim styles might
be needed.
6 Close the dialog box by hitting the Close button.
 Exercise: Cleaning the file
When ProSteel is loaded into any drawing file it automatically creates all the
layers assigned in the ProSteel Options (see image below). The .dwt file must be
purged from these layers before saving it.

1 In order to do so, use the AutoCAD Purge command, but before doing so,
make sure the feature to clean this file from any ProSteel style (Bolt Styles,
Welding Style, PosFlags Style, etc) is also enabled as per image below.
Note: By doing this, you can afterwards load into the template file only the
ProSteel Styles for Welding, Bolts, PosFlags, etc. that you want to have
by default.
2 From the AutoCAD File pull‐down menu select Drawing Utilities > Purge.

Notice in the AutoCAD command line how the ProSteel Purge has been
enable prior to running the AutoCAD purge due to the ProSteel Options
set previously.
3 Accept all deleting options by pressing Y at all questions. You will see the
AutoCAD Purge dialog in which you will clean out all layers and any other
element (linetypes, text styles, dim styles, etc.) you do not want to keep in
the template.

4 Once finished cleaning up, press the Close button.
 Exercise: Adding elements to the template
1 Now you can add the elements you want to have by default in your
template. Add a few linetypes by selecting Format > Linetype from the
AutoCAD pull down menu and adding linetypes as in the image below.

Hint: This operation can be also done for Text Styles, Dim Styles, Layers, etc.
that you might want to have automatically loaded into any new drawing
created with this template file. You can also add to the template
ProSteel lists, such as DisplayClasses, AreaClasses or PartFamilies.
2 The next step is to load the ProSteel Styles you might want automatically
loaded, such as Position Flags. Open ProSteel's Position Flags Dialog box by
selecting Positioning > Dialog from the ProStructures pull down menu or
the Positioning button from the ProSteel Edit tool bar.
3 Go to the Sort tab of the dialog box. Here you see the currently loaded
styles. To load two new styles so that they are available by default, click
the Append button and add the two CDN styles as shown below.

Note: This operation needs to be done for each individually; multiple
selections are impossible here.
4 Close the dialog box by pressing the check mark.
 Exercise: Saving the template
1 From the AutoCAD pull down menu select File > Save as.
2 From this dialog box, select AutoCAD Drawing Template (*.dwt) from the
Files of type pull down menu and name the template to be created
ProSteel Imperial as in the image below.

Note: As soon as you selected AutoCAD Drawing Template (*.dwt) from the
Files of type pull down menu, AutoCAD automatically took the
browsing window to the location of all the dwt files.
3 Click Save. A new dialog box appears in which you provide information as
below and press OK when done.
4 The template is now created and ready to be used.

 Exercise: Testing the new template
1 You will now create a new drawing using the template you just created.
First, change the layer assignments in the ProSteel Options to see if these
changes will be applied to the new drawings.
2 Open the ProSteel Options dialog and change the Dimension layer as per
image below.
3 Close the dialog, then close the drawing file. You do not need to save it,
since it was already saved as a dwt.
4 Select File > New from the AutoCAD pull down menu and select the
template you created.

5 Open the Positioning dialog to check if your two added styles are present.
6 Check the layers to see if the dimensioning layer is assign the new options
defined in the ProSteel Options. From the AutoCAD pull down menu select
Format > Layer.
You should see the dimension layer created with the color and linetype
assignment as shown below.

7 Reset the dimension layer options back to their original color/linetype
from the ProSteel Options. There is no need to edit the dwt file since it
only contains the 0 (zero) layer. All other layers are created on the fly at
loading following the settings of the ProSteel Options.

Creation of 2D templates
This topic will cover the creation of an Imperial AutoCAD template to be used for
the 2D drawings generated out of the 3D model.
 Exercise: Creating the new file
1 Go to File > New from the AutoCAD pull down menu.
2 Select Drawing Template (*.dwt) from the Files of type pull down
selection list and highlight the template just created for 3D ProSteel
Imperial in the file browsing area of the window as in the image above.
Then click on the Open button in the lower right hand side of the dialog
box.
3 A new drawing is created according to the settings of your 3D template.
Clean it out once again from the layers that have just been created and the
styles. Keep only the linetypes (they are not transported from the 3D
model like all other elements).
Note: Do not worry about the proxygraphics or units. They are set properly
since you used a template already set to create this drawing.

 Exercise: Cleaning the file
As soon as ProSteel is loaded into any drawing file, it automatically creates all the
layers assigned in the ProSteel Options. Therefore, clean this dwt file from these
layers as done previously for the 3D template. To do so, use the AutoCAD Purge
command once again.
1 From the AutoCAD File pull‐down menu select Drawing Utilities > Purge.
2 Accept all deleting options by pressing Y at all questions. At the AutoCAD
Purge dialog box, clean out everything except the linetypes.
3 Once finished cleaning up, click the Close button.

 Exercise: Preparing the PaperSpace
1 Here you will insert a title block and prepare the viewport.
2 Go to PaperSpace by typing Tilemode at the command prompt. The type 0
(zero)
Note: 0 (zero) = PaperSpace; 1 (one) = ModelSpace
3 In this layout view, insert a title block. Type Insert at the command prompt
and browse to C:\Program Files\Bentley\ProStructures\V8i_S3\ AutoCAD
….\Localised\USA_Canada\Format and select BENTLEY‐B‐IMP and set
options as in image below.
4 Zoom Extents and stretch the viewport to the area inside the title block.
5 Now using the layout tab set the printing area to the desired window using
the Page Setup Manager by right‐clicking on the Layout tab.

Hint: The setting in the Page Setup Manager are dependent on your own
installation (printers).
6 Once this is done, go back to ModelSpace by changing the Tilemode
variable to 1 (one).
7 Save this template drawing using the Save as option of the AutoCAD File
pull down menu and setting the Files of type field to AutoCAD Drawing
Template (*.dwt) as shown below.

An information window appears before saving the template.
8 You can now close the drawing file.

Module Review
Module Review
Now that you have completed this module, let's measure what you have learned.
Questions
1 How can you purge undesired ProSteel styles?
2 What is NOT transferred from 3D model to 2D drawings that you need to
include in both dwt templates?

Module Review
Answers
1 How can you purge undesired ProSteel styles?
By making sure the Remove References at Purge field is checked in the
ProSteel Options prior to running the AutoCAD purge.
2 What is NOT transferred from 3D model to 2D drawings that you need to
include in both dwt templates?
Linetypes

Module Summary
Module Summary
You are now able to:
• Purge elements not needed as default
• Change layer assignments by default
• Create 2D dwt templates for different projects
• Have different scale title blocks used with different dwt files

Project Management
Module Overview
This module will cover the Project Management system that comes with
ProStructures. This system lets you set up and control all file, varia, temp and style
locations. Setting up the drawing information table is also covered. See the
section on Drawing Information Table for more information on using the table.
• Basic Windows knowledge, including handling and manipulating folders
• A general knowledge of ProStructures file locations
Module Objectives
• Set up and work with drawings and other related files in an organized manner
through the use of the Project Manager
Jul-11 31 Project Management

Opening the Project Manager and Basic Settings
The Project Manager allows you to store the models, 2D drawings and related
information into specified locations. All of this information can be stored either
locally or to a mapped network drive. One configured all information pertaining to
the project will automatically be placed into the specified locations when saved.
The first exercise will entail opening the Project Manager and becoming familiar
with the interface.
 Exercise: Exploring the Interface
1 Open the Project Manager by left clicking on the Project Management
icon located on the ProSteel Edit toolbar.
The Project Management dialog appears.
Hint: This dialog will point to a default path for projects. If a path for projects
already exists that is different than the one shown, left click on the icon
that looks like a small blue folder. This will bring up a Windows
Project Management 32 Jul-11

navigation pane that can be used to select the main folder in which the
projects will be stored.
2 Navigate to the desired folder and left‐click on the Open button to accept.
Now that the appropriate folder has been selected, let's take a look at the other
features and areas on this dialog and what they do.
Available Projects. Once a project is created it will appear here. As the Project
manager is used for various projects, this area will become populated with a list of
these projects allowing you to select the project you wish to work with.
Project Description. During the project creation, you are is provided an
opportunity to enter a project description. That description will appear here
when a project is selected in the 'Available Projects' window shown above.
Actual Project. After the project is created, if it selected then the name of the
project will be displayed here as an indicator that it is being used.
Load Project at Restart. With this checked, even if ProStructures is closed, when it
is loaded again the environment will start with the last project selected loaded
automatically.
Icons. The following icons are described:
This icon will load a project that has been created so that it is being used. Projects
will have no effect until this button is used. To verify if a project has been loaded
correctly check the “Actual Project” box above it to see if the name is being
displayed. Double clicking with the left mouse button on a project name in the
“Available Projects” windows will have the same effect.
Left clicking on this icon will close a project that is currently open. You can then
load a new project or work in a general setting where no predefined folders have
been created.

Using Project Settings to Modify the Folder Layout
To create a new project, left click on this icon. Doing so will bring up the Project
Settings dialog window which is covered later on in this module. Here you can
create, define and save the projects variables.
If this icon is used, then the projects currently highlighted in the Available Projects
window will be deleted. This will not affect a project if it is already loaded. To
delete a project in this case you will first need to close the project and then delete
it.
If a project is currently loaded, this icon will bring up the Project Settings dialog
for that particular project for modification purposes. Modifying the directories
after having saved drawings and templates does not change the locations of these
files automatically. The description and project name can also be changed from
here.
Left clicking on this icon brings up the Drawing Information Table, covered in a
separate module. Titleblock information can be entered here for the purpose of
automatically populating titleblocks through ProStructures later on.
Left‐click on the Create New project icon located on the main dialog page to open
the Project Settings dialog. From here the folder layout can be defined for the
project and the project name assigned. Additionally a project description can be
given that will appear in the main dialog box whenever a project is selected.
 Exercise: Modifying the Folder Locations
1 From the Project Management dialog, set the path to point to your
Projects\Bentley folder so that it looks something like this:
...\prostructures\v8i_s3\autocad 20??\projects\bentley\
Note: If the bentley folder does not already exist you will need to create it first.

2 Left click on the Create New Project icon from the main dialog. The Project
Settings dialog should appear as shown below.
3 Enter a project name into the Project Name field at the top left.
4 Check and modify the folder locations below the Project Name. If
necessary change them so that they point to the Projects\Bentley folder.
The path should look something like this:
...\prostructures\v8i_s3\autocad 2009\projects\bentley
Note: Settings for Temp, Template, Styles and DWG Frame files can be enabled
or disabled from the Project Settings window. If enabled all files related
to the chosen selection will be initially copied from the specified
directory and then stored only with the project in question. From that
point on any changes or modifications to the options selected will not
be available for future projects or models but specific to the project it
was stored with.
To use this feature, simply enable it and point to the desired folder

location for each type. It is recommended that a specific folder be
created for each option enabled.
5 Under Project Description type in the following: Bentley Project Manager
Training Exercise.
6 Left click on the Check Mark at the bottom of the dialog box. This should
close the Project Settings dialog and a project should now be listed in the
Available Projects window of the Project Management dialog.

Module Review
Module Review
Questions
1 What is the first step in creating a new project after opening the Project
Manager?
2 Where is the control for the Template path location located?

Module Review
Answers
1 What is the first step in creating a new project after opening the Project
Manager?
Set the desired path where the new project is to be created by selecting it
from the Project Path area at the top of the Project Management dialog.
The second step is to left click the Create New project icon at the bottom.
2 Where is the control for the Template path location located?
Template path location can be controlled from the Project Settings dialog
under Template Files Project Dependant option. If enabled, templates are
stored in a specific project location. If not enabled, the templates are
created in a generalized location available to all projects and all models.

Module Summary
Module Summary
• Open an existing project
• Create a new project to handle your Models and 2D Drawings as well as other
related files
• Set project names and descriptions
• Adjust storage location and handling for Temp, Template, Style and DWG
Frame files

Module Summary

Block Center
Module Overview
This module describes how to use the Block Center to assign multiple insertion
points and orientations to a block. It also describes using the Block Distribution to
distribute one block along the direction of the extrusion of any ProSteel shape.
• Minimal knowledge of ProSteel
Module Objectives
• Create ProSteel blocks
• Distribute a block along any ProSteel shape
Jul-11 41 Block Center

Opening and Understanding the BlockCenter
Opening and Understanding the BlockCenter
This topic will explain what the BlockCenter is and how it works.
 Opening the BlockCenter
3 With any drawing open (a new drawing file would do), click the
BlockCenter icon.
4 The first time you click this icon in a new ProSteel installation, you will see
an information dialog asking you to confirm the creation of the Directory
Structure. Click Yes.
Understanding the BlockCenter’s columns
The Block Center is composed of two columns. The one on the left only serves
for navigation, whereas the one on the right serves for selection of the blocks.
Navigation Column: All block directories or groups are listed.
Selection Column: All blocks in the selected directory are listed. They are
displayed together with the drawing name and a preview.
Block Center 42 Jul-11

Creating a New Block to be Used in the BlockCenter
This topic describes how to create a new block with the BlockCenter.
 Creating the block
1 Open Girt angle.dwg found in the provided dataset.
2 Open the BlockCenter. First, create a new folder at the default location
(..\AutoCAD 20xx\Localised\USA_Canada\UserBlocks\) by right clicking on
the root of the listing called _Training.

3 Once the folder is created, highlight it and right click, then select Create
new block.
4 Name the new block Girt Support.
5 Select the angle from the opened drawing file (if there had been more
than one element in this block, you could continue to select elements) and
press Enter (or right click) to accept.
6 You are prompted to select the main insertion point of this element
followed by the direction of the X axis and finally another point to specify
the XY plane. Select the mid‐point of the back of the angle and then follow
AutoCAD’s X direction and same for XY plane.
7 A new drawing opens. This is the final block, ready to be used by ProSteel
(notice the name of the file girt support as named earlier). Save it to
confirm it and to be able to add insertion points to it.
 Adding other insertion points to the block.
1 While still in the newly created drawing (girt support.dwg), flip to an
isometric view using the first airplane icon.

2 Highlight the _Training folder in the left column of the BlockCenter. You
should see the girt support block in the right hand side column. Right click
on it and select Add Insertion Points.
3 The first point (location of the UCS) has already been assigned. Add all the
other points as shown in the image below.

 Adding more insertion points to the block using different orientations
1 Right click on the block icon again but this time select Insertion Points
with UCS.
2 You are prompted to select new insertion point as the first one when you
created the block, followed by the “x” axis direction and then the “xy”
plane. Add as many as you want (with a series of three clicks; origin, “x”
axis, “xy” plane) and finish by right clicking or pressing the Enter key.
 Testing the block in a new drawing
1 Close all drawings and create a new one using the V8i ‐ Imperial [US‐
CDN].dwt template.

2 Open the BlockCenter and highlight the _Training folder in the navigation
column, then highlight the girt support block in the selection column.
Right click and select Insert block.
3 Place the block anywhere in the new drawing. Notice that once it is
inserted, you see a prompt to pick anywhere (normal left click) to select
the next insertion point. This starts a loop of requests that stops with a
right click or by cancelling the command with the ESC key.

Using the Dispatch Block Command
This topic describes how to distribute the created block along a ProSteel shape.
 Distributing the block
1 Open 04 ‐ Block Center.dwg found in the provided dataset.
2 Distribute the block on the three columns’ external flange along axis A:
place the UCS accordingly. The Z axis should be oriented perpendicular to
the face of the object on which you want to distribute. Use the Object UCS
Centered tool to make the Z axis horizontal to the ground, pointing out of
the building to the left side of the drawing as shown on the next page.
3 Once the UCS is oriented properly, from the ProSteel Element toolbar,
select Dispatch Blocks.
4 The ProSteel Dispatch Blocks dialog box opens. Go to the ProSteel Dispatch
Blocks tab and select the block created in the previous exercise and
distribute as in the image below, then click on the highlighted button.
5 Pick one column, then repeat for the two other columns.

The result should be as image below.

Module Review
Module Review
Questions
1 What is the difference between the Add Insertion points and Insertion
Points with UCS tools?
2 What has to be done before using the Dispatch for block distribution tool?

Module Review
Answers
1 What is the difference between the Add Insertion points and Insertion
Points with UCS tools?
The first simply adds insertion point in the current orientation of the UCS,
while the second lets you create the insertion point with a different
orientation using 3 points (origin, X direction and XY plane).
2 What has to be done before using the Dispatch for block distribution tool?
It is important to remember to set the UCS to the proper orientation.

Module Summary
Module Summary
• Use the Block Center to manage and create multi‐insertion point (and
orientations) blocks.
• Use the Dispatch Block tool to distribute blocks along any ProSteel shape.

Using the Drawing Information
Table
Module Overview
This module describes how to use the ProSteel Drawing Information Table for 2D
drawings and database driven Bill of Materials.
etc.)
Module Objectives
• Automatically populate the title blocks of your 2D drawings
• Place the project information in the bill of material’s headers
Jul-11 53 Using the Drawing Information Table

Using the Information Table to Export/Import to the Title Block
This topic will cover how to fill out all the information that will be available later
on for title blocks in 2D drawings.
 Exercise 1: Filling out the information table
2 Select File > Open from the AutoCAD pull down menu.
3 Browse to where you have extracted the *.dwg files from the provided
Dataset. Select 05 ‐ Using the Drawing Information Table.dwg in the file
browsing area of the window as in the image above. Then click on the
Open button in the lower right hand side of the dialog.
The drawing opens and is all set to start using it for 2D drawing generation
or Bill of Materials extraction. You simply need to fill the table with the
required information. This information can be entered/modified at any
time by using the tool that appears next.
Using the Drawing Information Table 54 Jul-11

4 At the command prompt, type PS_DWG_INFO and press Enter. The
ProSteel Drawing Information Table should open with no information
entered as image below.
Hint: There are other ways to bring this window up (using the tools bars and
the ribbon). It will also come up automatically (only once and only the
first time) if you haven’t activated it yet when you open the External Bill
of Materials or the DetailCenter.
5 Fill the ProSteel Drawing Information Table as per image below and click
the check mark.

 Exercise 2: Assigning the Information Table to a Title Block
1 Select File > New from the AutoCAD pull down menus.
2 Select Drawing Template (*.dwt) from the Files of type pull down selection
list and highlight V8i ‐ Imperial [US‐CDN].dwt in the file browsing area of
the window as in the image below. Then click on the Open button in the
lower right hand side of the dialog box.
A new drawing is created and appears in Model Space.
3 To place a title block in paper space, type Tilemode followed by 0 (zero) in
the AutoCAD command prompt area.
4 To insert the title block to be used with the ProSteel Drawing Information
Table, go to Insert > Block from the AutoCAD pull down menus and click
the Browse button.

5 Select the BENTLEY‐D‐IMP.dwg title block from the Format folder as
shown below.
6 Once the block is inserted, use AutoCAD‘s Zoom extents command to see
the result.
7 You are now ready to assign the attributes used in the block to the
ProSteel Drawing Information Table. Open the ProSteel Drawing
Information Table as in previous exercise, then select BENTLEY‐D‐IMP in
the Drawing Header Block pull down menu. Press on the Assignment
button (second to last button) to assign the block attributes to the table
fields as shown below.

8 Click the last button to see the available attributes from the block and
assign them to the appropriate field. Once all is assigned, close the dialog
with the check mark.

9 In the ProSteel Drawing Information Table, complete the Title Block using
the highlighted button as shown below.
Note: The attributes are not all used here and the names used are as an
example. You can use any attribute tag as long as it has been assigned to
the ProSteel Drawing Information Table.
In the next exercise, you will import the title block information into the ProSteel
Drawing Information Table. The first task is to change all the information already
present in the title block using AutoCAD’s attribute Editor (AutoCAD properties).
 Exercise 3: Bringing the Title Block Attributes into the ProSteel Drawing
Information Table
1 Select the title block, then right click and select Properties (AutoCAD not
ProSteel!). Change the values under the Attributes properties to
something different for each field as follows.

2 Click the Load Information button to load this new information into the
ProSteel Drawing Information Table (see image below).

The result should be as follows.
Hint: If different information is required for different title blocks, you can
always store them in ProSteel Templates using the Template button (4th
button).

Using the Information Table Data in Report Headers
This topic will cover how to fill out all the information that will be available for the
external (database driven) bill of material reports. Now, use the table to fill out
the header of the bill of materials report using the drawing used in the first
exercise.
 Exercise 4: Using the ProSteel Drawing Information Table in Bill of Material
reports
1 If the ProSteel Drawing Information Table is closed, reopen it.
The information in this table is the original one, not the one just changed
in the previous exercise. Check it by opening the ProSteel Drawing
Information Table once again by typing PS_DWG_INFO at the command
prompt.

The External report fields are associated to each line of entry with the
following variable names.
Use this information as a guide on how to complete the bill of materials
template.
2 Create the database to be used for the B.O.M. report: select ProStructures
> Additions and click on Create Partlist Database from the pull‐down
menu. Complete the dialog as shown below.
3 Click on the second button to create a database without the bolt
information.

Note: Don’t forget to press on the folder button in order to select the location
and the name of the file to create.
4 Select the entire drawing and right click or press Enter.
All elements that were written onto the database have been turned off in
the model for you to verify you did not miss anything. Notice only bolts
and welds are showing, telling you those elements are not going to be
available in the report.
5 Next, open the Report Generator/Editor to see how to assign the
information to the header. Select ProStructures > Additions and click on
Create Partlist From Database from the pull‐down menu.
6 Select File > Open and browse to where the database was saved, then
double click it to load it into the report generator as shown below.
7 From the Settings pull‐down menu, select Edit Partlist Definition and
select one of the two provided headers. Use the Vertical layout one called
BEN_UC_header_V.lst.
Note: Starting in V8i SELECTseries 3, headers are linked to report templates as
external references so that users can create one single header to be
used in different reports.

8 Now that the Header Template is open in the editor, verify/change the
assignments for each field by double clicking on it. Double click on the
blank field to the right of order name:. A new dialog opens.
9 Here you can see the variables that are currently assigned to this field. In
this case DwgHeader:OrderName which in your ProSteel Drawing
Information Table is empty. Let’s change it to assign the Project Name to
this field by double clicking on it.

A New dialog opens.
10 In this dialog, erase the variable that is currently used in the lower part
(DwgHeader.OrderName). In the upper area browse to the DwgHeader
folder and find the ProjectName variable and double click it so that it
automatically appears in the lower area where the previous variable was.
11 Click OK on the two open dialogs. The Project Name (in this case Training)
displays twice in the header, under its expected field and duplicated under
order name: as in the image below.

Hint: You can continue to experiment with the variables. It is recommended
you Save As and rename once done so you keep the original file.
Note: As mentioned before, Headers are linked with templates. To link a new
header in the editor of a template, select Project > Include from the pull
down menu while editing the template and press on the Insert button.
Browse to the desired header to include in the template as per image
below.

Module Review
Module Review
Questions
1 What AutoCAD entity is linked to the ProSteel Drawing Information Table
when filling up title blocks?
2 What has changed in the new external report procedure to include the
ProSteel Drawing Information Table's values?

Module Review
Answers
1 What AutoCAD entity is linked to ProSteel Drawing Information Table
when filling up title blocks?
The block’s attributes are the linked entity read by ProSteel Drawing
Information Table.
2 What has changed in the new external report procedure to include the
ProSteel Drawing Information Table's values?
The main partlist templates now contain their header from a linked header
template. This permits using the same header for multiple partlist
templates instead needing to edit the header individually for each
template.

Module Summary
Module Summary
• Export ProSteel Drawing Information Tables into your 2D title blocks
• Read any title block‘s information and import it to the ProSteel Drawing
Information Table
• Edit Partlist template’s headers to use the ProSteel Drawing Information Table

Shape Databases
Module Overview
This module covers the editing of the existing shape databases in order to
customize them for different usages: widget representation, maximum length
warnings and default material assignment.
etc.)
• A minimum knowledge of how to use Microsoft Access
Module Objectives
• Modify the existing widgets for each shape catalog
• Assign variable maximum shape lengths to different shapes
• Assign the default material for each shape inside its database
Jul-11 71 Shape Databases

Modifying how Widgets Show on 2D Plans and Elevations
This topic will cover how to modify the existing widget tables in the AISC catalog.
Understanding the concept of the widgets
Each shape (extrusion) has four sides that use the widget representation. Looking
at the image below, you can see the number that each side is assigned for
recognition in the database tables.
Each of these side views have a line count, line color, and line type for each line.
For example, the view assigned to 3 (top view) will need three lines (line count),
with two continuous (outer lines) and one hidden (web thickness inside) as in the
image below.
Shape Databases 72 Jul-11

Controlling these lines is done in the respective shape database. In this case you
will edit the AISC Imperial database for channels.
 Exercise: Modifying a channel’s representation for “sketch” mode
The sketch mode is the one that uses the widgets.
1 Go to the shape’s databases folder (...\Data\Shapes\)
2 Double‐click AISC_Imperial.mdb to open the file in Microsoft Access.
3 When the file opens, you can see on the left hand side all the available
tables inside the database. Look for the widget table for channels
(AISC_I_C_Widgets). Find it in the list and double‐click on it to open it in
the main area of Microsoft Access.
The goal is to change the C10x20 (C250x30 in metric values) widget
representation so that it uses different colors. You will also learn about the
other fields although you will not change them.
Each shape (in this case the C10x20) has four lines, one line per view.
Notice that the third column (VIEW) has the view number for that
particular line description. The next column (LINECOUNT) shows the
number of lines needed to represent that shape in that particular view. For
example, in view 3 or 5 (top and bottom), you only need three lines to
represent a channel. But on view 2 or 4 (front and back) you need four
lines.

The next columns are divided in groups of three. Each group of three is for
a single line. Included are its position in relation to the center of the
element; its line type (two options are available 0‐continuous or 1‐
hidden); and its color (numeric values according to AutoCAD’s color
scheme).
4 Let’s now modify the C10x20 to be represented in 1‐red for continuous
lines and in gray for hidden lines, leaving the distances and linetype
assignments untouched. To do this, on view 2 (front), change all lines to
the color red.
5 On views 3 and 5 (top and bottom), change the outer lines (lines 1 and 2)
to 1‐red and the inner line (line 3) to 8‐gray. Line4 is not used.
6 Finally on view 4 (back), change the outer lines (lines 1 and 2) to 1‐red and
the inner lines (line 3 and 4) to 8‐gray.
Note: The last four columns are used to define the edge lines of the widgets at
both ends (start and end of widget) and are not changed in this
exercise.
7 When these actions are complete, close the database to save the table
just modified.
8 Now you are ready to test your changes in a new drawing. If ProSteel was
open, close it and re‐open (remember that ProSteel reads the databases
when it load so any changes made during a working session will not be
active until you reload ProSteel). Open a new drawing and place a C10x20.
Go to its properties and under the Layout tab change its display to
“sketch” mode. You should be able to see your changes to the database
applied here now.

Using the Maximum Length field in the Shapes Databases
This topic will cover how to use the maximum length field in databases instead of
globally in the ProSteel Options.
 Exercise: Modifying the unequal and equal angles’ maximum length
1 Go to the shape’s databases folder (...\Data\Shapes\)
2 Double‐click on AISC_Imperial.mdb to open the file in Microsoft Access.
3 When the file opens, you can see on the left hand side all the available
tables inside the database. You are looking for the two angle databases
(AISC_I_EQ_L and AISC_I_UN_L). Find them in the list and double‐click on
them to open the tables in the main area of Microsoft Access.
4 Once opened, move to the right side of the open table until you find
column “BB”. This is the column in which you will put the maximum length
allowed for each L.
5 All of the equal Ls should be 22’ and the unequal Ls should be 33’, but the
values placed in these fields must be in inches. Therefore, put 264 for the
equal Ls and put 396 for the unequal Ls.
6 When complete, close the database to save the tables just modified.
7 Return to AutoCAD (close and re‐open if it was opened so the new
database records are read), create a new drawing (imperial) and activate
the Check Maximum Shape length field in the ProSteel Options.
8 You can now test the values entered in the database by inserting different
lengths for equal and unequal angles. Each time an angle is longer than

the permitted maximum length, you will get a warning dialog box like this
one.
Note: This is only a warning dialog box to let you know about the oversize. By
pressing the OK button the box will close and the inserted shape will
remain!

Using the Material field in the Shapes Databases
This topic will cover how to assign default materials to shapes directly in the
databases. These will be locked out in the shape insertion dialog box (forcing the
material assigned in the database) but can always be modified later on as usual
with the PS Properties of the shape.
 Step 1: Determining the index number to use for a specified material
1 Open the material database at ...\Localised\USA_Canada\Data\ to
determine the index numbers to be used in the shapes database.
2 Double‐click on ProStructureMaterial.mdb to open it in Microsoft Access.
3 The left hand side displays all the available tables inside the database. You
are looking for the material for steel shapes. Find “Steel” in the list and
double‐click on it to open the table in the main area of Microsoft Access.
4 The first two materials are the ones to use. Assign ASTM A36 gr.36 to all
Channels and ASTM A992 Gr.50 to all Ws. Notice that the index No. for
both of those materials are 101 and 157 respectively.
 Step 2: Assigning the Material index number to shapes in the database
1 Open the shapes database at ...\Data\Shapes\ to open those shapes’
respective tables inside the AISC Imperial database.
2 Open AISC_Imperial.mdb with Microsoft Access with a double‐click on the
file.
3 When the file open, you can see on the left hand side all the available
tables inside the database. Look for AISC_I_C and AISC_I_W in the list and
double‐click on them to open the tables in the main area of Microsoft
Access.
4 Once opened notice the eighth column in both databases is the material.
The default value is “‐1” which simply means “dialog box input”. Any other
value will be the index number of the desired default material. Enter 101
for all the Channels and 157 for all the Ws.
5 When complete, close the database to save the tables just modified.

6 Go back to AutoCAD (close and re‐open if it was opened so the new
database records are read), create a new drawing (imperial) and insert a C
and a W. Notice the material field is grayed out.
7 Insert a shape and then go to the PS properties for the shape to verify that
the material can still be changed there.

Module Review
Module Review
Questions
1 How many different views are there per shape to control for the
appearance of the widgets?
2 What is the title of the column in which you need to place the desired
maximum length?
3 Where do the material numbers for the database come from?

Module Summary
Answers
1 How many different views are there per shape to control for the
appearance of the widgets?
There are four different views: View 2 is Front, View 3 is Top, View 4 is
Back and View 5 is Bottom.
2 What is the title of the column in which you need to place the desired
maximum length?
The title of that column is “BB” and it is almost at the very far right side of
the table.
3 Where do the material numbers for the database come from?
Those numbers come from the material file. They are the index number
for each material.
Module Summary
• Control the appearance of the widgets.
• Have maximum shape length warnings dialog boxes associated with different
shapes/lengths.
• Force default materials into the insertion dialog box.

External Data Entries
Module Overview
This module show how to enable the usage of the External Data using ProSteel’s
EED and how to modify existing EED files or create new ones.
Module Objectives
• Activate the EED feature
• Edit existing EED file
• Create new EED files
Jul-11 81 External Data Entries

Enabling and Using the EED
This topic will show you how to enable the EED file provided in the DataSet for
this course to be use with any ProSteel element. This file (Bentley‐ENGLISH.EED)
should be copied from the provided DataSet into the PRG folder under
C:\Program Files\Bentley\ProStructures\V8i_S3\AutoCAD 20xx\. You will also see
how to use it inside of ProSteel.
 Exercise 1: Editing the configuration file
1 Using Windows Explorer, browse to the Config folder under C:\Program
Files\Bentley\ProStructures\V8i_S3\AutoCAD 20xx\Prg\
2 With Notepad, open the pro_st3d.cfg file. You should see two lines with
no text after the equal (=) sign: UserEED and GroupUserEED. You will be
using only the UserEED in this exercise.
3 To add the information to use the EED file, do the following: after the
equal sign (=), enter the exact path location and name of the file. It should
look something like this:
4 Save the file.
Hint: Because this file is only read at loading, you will need to close ProSteel
and re‐open it if it was open.
 Exercise 2: Using the EED information inside ProSteel
1 Open any ProSteel dwg file or create a new one and insert at least one
shape in it.
2 Select any shape and right click to get the PS Properties. Once the dialog
opens, go to the Data page under Partlist Data. Notice the new icon with
External Data Entries 82 Jul-11

the pencil. This icon became visible after you added the EED information
to the pro_st3d.cfg file.
3 Click on the pencil icon to bring up the EED dialog. Complete it as shown
below
This information should now be available for bill of materials

Editing the EED File
This topic will show you the different options available in the EED files. You will
edit the existing file and learn about some of the possible settings inside the file.
Browse to C:\Program Files\Bentley\ProStructures\V8i_S3\AutoCAD 20xx\Prg.
Using Windows Notepad, open and edit the EED file.
The file has a main header (IDENTSTRING=) which is the name that appears in the
top of the EED dialog.
The other options are all inside the header and footer of each field, with
FIELDDESCRIPTIONSTART; at the beginning and FIELDDESCRIPTIONEND; at the
end. Note that all lines must end with a semi‐colon (;).
The FIELDNAME is the title of the field in the dialog.
The FIELDLENGTH is the maximum number of characters reserved for this field’s
entries. It must be given only if the FIELDTYPE is of type Char or List. If it is set to
Int or Double, this field will be ignored.
FIELDTYPE declares the type of the entry in the Field. You can use one of the
following Types:
• Char: character string, where you can freely input any data.
• List: character string, where input is restricted to a given list appearing in a
pull down. This is explained a little further down.
• Int: integer numbers only.
• Double: decimal number, with the possibility to define the number of decimal
digits to use with the PRECISION field.

When using the List option, a list of values must be given. This is done using the
RESTRICTVALUE definition as many times as different selections are needed. You
can also set a default preselected entry using the DEFAULTVALUE definition.
The PARTLIST option lets you determine if the value is going to be available or not
in the bill of materials.
To influence the software’s behavior, you can define if the field is going to be
recognized or not in the Equal Part Detection using the PARTCHECK option.
These last two options can be set to either Yes or No.

Module Review
Module Review
Questions
1 How do you tell ProSteel to activate the EED feature?
2 What is the setting to have ProSteel consider the data when comparing
parts for piece marking?

Module Review
Answers
1 How do you tell ProSteel to activate the EED feature?
By creating and EED file and adding the full path and name of the file to
the UserEED field in ProSteel’s configuration file.
2 What is the setting to have ProSteel consider the data when comparing
parts for piece marking?
The EED file must have for that specific field the PARTCHECK option set to
Yes.

Module Summary
Module Summary
• Add External Data to any ProSteel element.
• Control the available values for each data field.
• Use the data as a difference marker for piece marking.
• Show the data in bill of materials.

Cranked Views
Module Overview
This module covers the creation of cranked views.
Module Objectives
• Create a cranked view call out in the model and detail it in the 2D drawing
Jul-11 89 Cranked Views

Creating a Cranked View Call Out in the 3D Model
This topic will cover the creation of the call out for a cranked view.
 Exercise 1: Opening the provided dwg file
1 From the AutoCAD menu, select File > Open and open model 08 ‐ Cranked
Views.dwg.
Notice this model has on the floor level two AutoCAD polylines already in
place to guide you in the creation of the cranked view call out. The green
polyline is the front of the view and the red polyline is the back (or depth)
of the view to be created. In this case both lines are one (1) foot in front
(and in back) of the grid lines they follow to create a two (2) foot clip plane
in your final 2D view.
 Exercise 2: Creating the call out in the model
You will now use these lines to guide you in the creation of the cranked view call
out. They are not required; they are simply here to guide you during the exercise.
Cranked Views 90 Jul-11

1 Select Insert Cranked View from the ProSteel Utilities tool bar or ribbon to
open the cranked view creation.
You are now prompted to select the path of the front of the view. This is
the green polyline.
2 Pick the endpoint of the green polyline near Axis A, close to Axis 1. Next,
pick the endpoint of that line parallel to Axis 1 where it collides with Axis
B.
3 The third point is where to make the break. Move in the direction of the
cut, going towards Axis 3 but without moving out of Axis B, and place a
point. The last point should be the length of the last view, which ends
outside of Axis C along Axis 3. After placing this last point, you are done
tracing your view. Click the right mouse button or press Enter to complete
the action.
You are prompted to give the depth of the view by picking a new point in
the direction of the depth.
Note: ProSteel is expecting the depth of view point to be two things: the depth
direction and the distance. This has to be given on the first segment of
the polyline and the reference is to the mid point of that segment. The
distance can always be modified in the dialog afterwards.
4 Pick the midpoint of the first segment of the red polyline between Axis A
and B so that the direction is perpendicular to the reference point. The
distance will automatically be 2’‐0.
5 In the dialog that opens, name this view and give it a height. You can also
change its depth and color and change the way it displays by using the

check boxes. Enter the same values as used in the image below and then
click on the check mark button to close.
The view is now created and ready to be used in the DetailCenter for detailing.

Detailing the Cranked View in the DetailCenter
This topic will cover the creation of the 2D cranked views through the
DetailCenter.
 Exercise 3: Creating the 2D block for insertion into 2D drawings
1 From the ProStructures > 2D pull‐down menu, select DetailCenter.
2 In the DetailCenter dialog, select DetailCenter Standard and click the
check mark.
The DetailCenter console opens up, docked to the left hand side of your AutoCAD
window. Notice there is already one DetailStyle loaded called Bentley ‐ Cranked
Views. This is the style you will use.

3 If you do not see the newly created view in the lower area of the Parts tab
of the DetailCenter, it might simply be that your display settings are set for
parts or groups. Make sure your settings are set as below.

4 You should see the cranked view now. Drag and drop it on the DetailStyle
in the upper area of the DetailCenter so it gets assigned as shown below.
5 Moving to the next tab (Views), you can take a look at the preview and
explore the relevant pages for the control of this output in the DetailStyle.
Highlight the view and right‐click to get the context menu. Select Preview,
then select Edit Style.

6 Once the view is satisfactory you can close the DetailStyle dialog and the
preview. Then you can send it to the next tab to process the 2D block by
dragging it to the 2D icon.
You are now in the final steps of the process, where you will create a new
dwg file in order to insert this view.
7 Select New from the AutoCAD File pull‐down menu and select the
template you created earlier in this training manual.

8 Select Save from the AutoCAD File pull‐down menu. In the dialog that
opens, browse to where you want to save the 2D dwg file and give it a
name: an example would be 2D‐Cranked View.
9 You can now proceed to the Insert tab and highlight the model’s name (08
‐ Cranked Views) in the upper area of the DetailCenter so the lower part
display shows you all the available block for insertion in this model. In this
case only the view you just created is available (Cranked View 1). Expand
the view by clicking on the + sign in order to see the date of creation of the
block and right‐click on it. Then select Insert 2D from the context menu
and drop the block into the newly created 2D dwg file.
10 Save the drawing. The update process is the same as any other 2D.

Module Review
Module Review
Questions
1 From where is the depth and direction of the view measured when placing
it on the 3D model?
2 What are the important fields to verify in the dialog of the cranked view as
soon as you have finished placing it in the 3D model?

Module Review
Answers
1 From where is the depth and direction of the view measured when placing
it on the 3D model?
It is referenced to the midpoint location of the first segment traced while
defining the cut line (in this exercise, the 1st segment of the green line).
2 What are the important fields to verify in the dialog of the cranked view as
soon as you have finished placing it in the 3D model?
The Name is the only field that you definitely have to check. The height is
probably going to have to be checked too. The other fields either depend
on the way you created the view or on your personal preferences.

Module Summary
Module Summary
• Insert cranked view callouts into the 3D model
• Use those callouts in the DetailCenter to create the inserting block for 2D

Anchor Point
Module Overview
This module will cover the placement and use of Anchor Points. Anchor points can
be used to hold a views position in place inside of a2D drawing when updating.
This process begins in model space and continues to the DetailStyle.
• Minimal knowledge of ProSteel
Module Objectives
• Know how to place hold points and use them to their advantage while
arranging engineering drawings (Plan and Elevation views)
Jul-11 101 Anchor Point

Setting the Anchor Point
In order to set an anchor point in your 2D drawings, you must first go to the
model itself. Under the 2D icon fly out on the ProSteel Utilities Toolbar, there is an
icon that looks similar to an anchor which, when hovered over, says Set Anchor
Point. This will be the tool that is used in the following exercise.
 Setting the Anchor Point in the 3D Model
1 Open the provided model 09 ‐ Adding Anchor Point for 2D output.dwg
using File > Open from the AutoCAD menu.
2 Click on the Set Anchor Point icon found on the Utilities toolbar as shown
in the image above.
Anchor Point 102 Jul-11

3 An anchor point location must now be set in the model. This can be done
anywhere, but it is best to use an outer column line. Here you will use the
A1 axis intersection.
4 Select a point in the model to set the anchor point. It must now be
activated from the DetailStyle and used while inserting views into the 2D
drawing.
 Modifying the DetailStyle
1 With the model prepared for 2D drawing generation, open the
DetailCenter by clicking on the 2D icon on the Utilities toolbar.

2 Select the Bentley_Y_1 View and place it onto an Elevation Detail Style.
Next, do the same thing by taking the Bentley_Z_10'‐0" and placing it onto
a Plan View Detail Style.
3 Ensure that these views have been brought over to the Views tab and
proceed to this tab.
4 Highlight, then right‐click on “Bentley_Y_1”. From here left click on “Edit
style”.

5 Once the DetailStyle has been opened, go to the Default Settings/
Common section and look at the Insert Position drop‐down box. Verify
that it is set to Use Anchor Point.
6 Save the style by left clicking on the Save button at the bottom of the
dialog box. The DetailStyle is ready to be used with the anchor point set in
the model.

Placing a View and Modifying It
The final step is to take the views that have been prepared so far and place them
into a 2D drawing. There are no special steps to this and everything should be
carried out as normal from here. Below are examples of the same views inserted
and then modified.
Original Drawing in Both Cases Before Modification
This first image shows the structure before editing. Notice how everything is lined
up along the work line to the left.

Without Anchor Point
This image shows what will happen if the structure is shortened and the default
insert point was used when placing the views into the 2D drawing.

With Anchor Point
When an anchor point is used the results shown below are obtained. Only the
anchor point setting has changed otherwise the same process and update is used
as the image above. Notice that the views in this case remain in line with one
another and with the point selected when inserted.

Module Review
Module Review
Questions
1 What needs to be done first when using the Anchor Point system?
2 Where is the Anchor Point option located in the DetailStyle?
3 What is the purpose of using the Anchor Point tool?

Module Summary
Answers
1 What needs to be done first when using the Anchor Point system?
An anchor point must be specified in the model itself by using the Anchor
Point tool from the Utilities toolbar.
2 Where is the Anchor Point option located in the DetailStyle?
The Anchor Point option can be found in the Default Settings Common
area in the Insert Position drop‐down box.
3 What is the purpose of using the Anchor Point tool?
The Anchor point tool is used to avoid the shifting of views in the 2D
drawing during the drawing updates caused by model resizing.
Module Summary
• Place an anchor point in your model
• Adjust your Detail Style setting to enable the Anchor Point functionality
• Create 2D drawings that do not shift during updates

Automatic 2D Cuts
Module Overview
This module covers the creation of the 2D cut anchor in 3D. If it is used properly in
the DetailStyles, ProSteel will automatically generate that cut along with the
other views of the group being detailed.
• Basic Windows knowledge including file navigation etc.
• Minimal knowledge of how to use the DetailCenter and DetailStyles
Module Objectives
• Place 2D cut anchors in the 3D model
• Use those anchors to generate 2D cuts along with the other views of those
groups
Jul-11 111 Automatic 2D Cuts

Inserting the 2D Cut anchor into a 3D model’s group
This topic will cover how to insert the 2D cut anchor into the group to be detailed
inside the model.
 Inserting the 2D Cut anchor into the group
2 Go to File > Open from the AutoCAD pull down menu.
3 Browse to where you have extracted the .dwg files from the provided
dataset. Select and highlight 10 ‐ Automatic 2D cut.dwg in the file
Open button in the lower right hand side of the dialog.
4 The drawing opens and is all set to start inserting the 2D cut anchor. Zoom
into the left hand side beam in the front part of the structure on axis “A”
(W21x44).
Automatic 2D Cuts 112 Jul-11

5 Place the 2D cut anchor so that when you detail this group, ProSteel will
automatically create a section cut to see the shear plate as per image
below.
6 Go to a top view of this group using the Object View tool to place the
anchor in a easier orientation view. Once you look at this group from the
top, you can insert the anchor using the Insert Automatic Cut tool from
the ProSteel Utilities tool bar.
7 Once the command is triggered, you will be prompted to select the shape
you want to apply the 2D cut on. Choose the main part of the desired
group, in this case the W beam.

8 Next you will be prompted to select from where you want the cut to begin.
This means you will only see elements between this point and the next
point you will pick.
9 Finally you will have to pick the depth of the cut, which will also determine
the direction of the cut.
10 This creates a new property (and 3D representation of the cut) into the
main part (the W21x44) that you cannot see if the feature is not turned
on. To do so, go to Shape Properties and enable 2D Section as shown
below.
Hint: In the Modifications page of the Shape Properties (not shown here),
there is a new property called 2D‐Cuts, which is what you would want
to delete if you wanted to get rid of this Automatic cut.

This has turned on two rectangles along the shape’s direction showing the
depth of the cut. The direction of the cut is from the large rectangle to the
smallest.
 Preparing the template to be used in 2D detailing
The template for 2D detailing is used to represent the 2D cut according to
your rules. This topic covers how to create the template.
1 Click on the Create 2D section tool from the ProSteel Utilities tool bar.

2 The ProSteel Manual 2D Cut dialog box opens. Set the Options tab as
shown below:
Label: Enter the text without the cutting code that has to be used as
designation. For example, enter Cut.
Sign: Enter the desired cutting code, for example the letter A.
Text Style: Select an AutoCAD text style for the labels.
Layer: Select the AutoCAD layer on which the text and the cutting symbols
will be created.
Line Type: Select the line type to be used for the depiction of the cutting
line.
Detailing Style: Select the detailing style to be used for the depiction of
the component parts (e.g. shadings etc.)
Color Symbol/Text: In the input fields for Symbol and Text you enter the
color of the cutting arrow and of the text. You can either specify the color
directly by entering the AutoCAD color number, or you click on the desired
input field and then on the Select button. Then, the AutoCAD dialog for
color selection is displayed where you can select the color directly.
Text Size: Here, you enter the size of the label text.
Create Block: A common block is formed consisting of the cutting arrows
and the codes. Otherwise, they are still single lines and text.
Complete Groups: If this option is activated, always the complete group
will be selected even if only a single component part of the group has
been selected.

Note: The Position Flags tab is not needed here.
3 Click the Symbol tab and set as shown below:
Symbol: The cutting code is created as a symbol consisting of cutting arrow
and code.
Continued: The two partial lines are connected through the cut part.
By Side: The cutting code is written beside the cutting arrow; otherwise it
is written above the cutting arrow.
Arrow Size: Specify the size of the arrow.
Distance/Length: Here, you specify the distance of the cutting lines, from
their beginning to the utmost bordering edge (e.g. the dimensioning), and
what has to be the length.
Block: A freely selectable block is used for the cutting code instead of a
cutting arrow. In the input fields Top Block and Down Block you see the
selected block path.
Block Path: Here you indicate the directory with the files containing the
block definitions for the cutting arrows. Select the directory via the
neighboring button.
Block Top: Here you select the block for the upper cutting arrow.
Block Bottom: Here you select the block for the lower cutting arrow.

4 Click the Hatch tab and set as shown below:
Angle: Set the angle for the hatch pattern t be used in the cut sections.
Path for PAT file: Indicate which PAT file to use.
Note: The default location for AutoCAD’s PAT files is “C:\Users\*UserName*\
AppData\Roaming\Autodesk\AutoCAD 20XX\R18.0\enu\Support\”.
Plane: The layer the hatch should be place on.
Label: Select the desired hatch pattern from the PAT file selected above.
Scaling factor: The scale at which the pattern will be placed.
5 Click the Template button to create the template you will use in the
DetailStyle.

Enabling the Automatic 2D Cut into a group detail
This topic will cover how to use the Automatic 2D Cut anchor placed in the 3D in a
shop drawing for a group.
 Enabling the Automatic 2D Cut in the DetailStyle.
1 Open the DetailCenter under “Standard” mode. Notice there is already a
DetailStyle (Bentley ‐ Group with Cut) assigned to the group (GR Pos 14).
2 Move to the Views Tab and make sure your display filter is set to As
Groups structure in order to see the group you are going to detail.
Note: You are now going to go through the different pages of the DetailStyle’s
settings reviewing only the options needed for the 2D cut to show up
properly. You have disabled all dimensions to the parts and the group
for a clearer drawing with only the 2D cut information showing.
3 With the focus on the Views tab, right click on the GR Pos14 group.
The pop‐up menu appears, showing the Preview and Edit Style options of
the Views tab with the right click while hovering over the group.
4 Click Preview to open the preview of the group.

5 The first page to look at is the Groups page under 2D Display. Here you
need to activate the Display Sections option. The available options are
described below.
Display Sections: 2D‐cuts (manual or automatic at e.g. stiffeners) inserted
into the main part are added as additional view to the group. Here you
have to differentiate between 2D‐cuts in the model and 2D‐cuts in the
details. 2D‐cuts that are inserted in the model only define whether and
how a detail has to be cut at detailing process.
• Only manual: Only manually added cuts are displayed. Cuts
automatically determined by the program are not depicted.
• Equal only once: Cuts having an identical display are only depicted
once.
• Align Beneath: The cuts are not depicted on the left and/or on the
right of the main view (mostly the front view), but beneath the last
views, one beside the other.
• Symbol Outside: Cut arrows are displayed outside of the last
dimensioning chains. Otherwise, they are fixed directly at the part
even in front of the dimensioning chains.
Section symbol Template: Select a template describing the display of cut
labeling. These templates can be defined within the command “Insert 2D
cut”.
Descriptions: Indicate the cut designation (without the code letter for cut)
that has to be used for labeling the cut views (the prefix)
Section marker: Enter the code letter (or number) that has to be used to
describe the first cut of a group. All other cuts of this group will be
counted accordingly in increasing order.
6 The next page to look at is the Groups page under Dimensions. Here you
will activate the Sub parts in sections option. This automatically adds a

new page to the Reference Points below called Section. The available
options are described below.
Main Part dimensions: The main part of the component part group is
dimensioned with the most important dimensions like a single part.
• Main Part First: The first dimension chains in the global dimensioning
area of the component part group are the dimension chains of the
main part; otherwise the dimension chains of the subpart.
• Direct at the Part: The dimension chains of the main part are attached
directly to the component part. Normally, they are also attached in the
global area. In case of very extensive groups it is however reasonable
to select this option.
Subparts in elevation view: The position of subparts in the group is
dimensioned.
• Repeat Part: Within a view, identical part dimensions are dimensioned
only once in transversal direction. Otherwise, each subpart is again
dimensioned redundantly.
• Include main part: The main part will use as a sub part as well.
Sub parts in section: The additional cut details are dimensioned like a
single part as well.
End plate dimensions: The additional tilt endplate details are dimensioned
like a single part as well.
Reference Point Assignment: The dimensioning of subparts is related to
the reference point of the main part unless no other defaults were made
at the corresponding places. Otherwise, it is related to the outside edges
of the main part.

7 The next and last page to look at is the Section page under Dimensions >
Groups > Reference points. See the description of the features to enable
for this particular section below.
8 Right click in the window area in the middle of the dialog box and select
Add dimension group in the pop‐up menu.
9 In the Add group dialog box, select the kind of element you want to be
recognized by this rule. In this case it will be a Connection part group,
since the plate was placed with the shear plate connection of ProSteel.
Using the Basic group option will also work, since this option will recognize
any type of group type (shape, plate, connection, etc.). Also, change the

Group name field from Basic group to something more representative for
this particular rule, in this case Shear plates.
10 Right click on the Shear plates just created and select Add parts to assign
the parts that will be used for this rule.

11 In the Assign parts dialog, select All types and use the Description filter to
recognize only parts with the part description set to Shear plate.
12 Because the shear plates in this model have been assigned Shear plate
(East‐West) and Shear plate (North‐South), add the wildcard (*) at the end
of the description to recognize both instead of adding both descriptions
one by one.
13 Click the third button (arced arrow to the right pointing down) to accept
the entry. You will be back at the DetailStyle window and place the

settings as below. This is exactly the same concept as all other dimension
rules used in group detailing.
You can now see the result in the preview and it should look like this:

Module Review
Module Review
Questions
1 How can you tell if a specific group has an Automatic 2D Cut assign to it?
2 What controls the display of the 2D cut in the DetailStyle?
3 How do you activate the 2D cut (Section) dimension page in the
DetailStyle?

Module Review
Answers
1 How can you tell if a specific group has an Automatic 2D Cut assign to it?
By going to the shape’s PS Properties and noticing if a 2D‐Cut page appears
under the Modifications page, or look for the yellow rectangles in the 3D
by enabling the 2D Section feature in the Layout tab.
2 What controls the display of the 2D cut symbol in the DetailStyle?
It is controlled by the template created in the Create 2D section dialog box
in the model.
3 How do you activate the 2D cut (Section) dimension page in the
DetailStyle?
You have to activate Sub parts in sections in the Dimensions/Groups page
of the DetailStyle.

Module Summary
Module Summary
• Insert Automatic 2D Cut anchors into groups for automatic section cuts.
• Show 2D cuts automatically from the model information in your shop
drawings.
• Dimension elements in those 2D section automatically via the DetailStyle.

Manual Dimensions
Module Overview
This module covers the utilization of manually added dimensions to elements in
two different ways: using the Part’s “Dimension Points” property and using the
“Insert DimObject” tool.
Module Objectives
• Place manual dimension anchors on parts and groups
• Use these anchors to get the manual dimensions to show in the shop drawings
Jul-11 129 Manual Dimensions

Using the Part’s Properties to Enable Extra Dimensions
This topic will cover how to activate manual dimension for any ProSteel part.
 Enabling the anchors
4 Go to File > Open from the AutoCAD pull down menu.
5 In the Select File dialog, browse to where you have extracted the .dwg files
from the provided Dataset and Select and highlight “11 ‐ Manual
Dimensions.dwg” in the file browsing area of the window as in the image
above. Then click on the Open button in the lower right hand side of the
dialog.
6 Start by isolating the object to work with: use the Hide Except tool on the
beam located on axis line 1. Notice this beam has some extra cuts already
performed on it in order to better demonstrate the manual dimensions.
Manual Dimensions 130 Jul-11

7 Next, select the beam and go to its PS Properties, then select the
Dimension Points page.
From here you have three different type of dimension anchors you can
place.
• Dimension Points: These are individual points that can be referenced
to while dimensioning a subpart of a group in a group detail. This has
to be activated in the DetailStyle which you will see later on in this
chapter.
• Local Reference Points: These are individual points that can be
referenced to while dimensioning a part. Utilisation in the DetailStyle
will also be covered further down this chapter.
• Local Reference Areas: These are reference zones (2 points) that can be
referenced to while dimensioning a part. Activation of this
dimensioning will be covered further down this chapter too.
The other options (to the left) are to select on which detailed views to
show the dimensions and the buttons (bottom area) are:
Used to add a new dimension anchor for the type of selection made in the
Apply for selection field
Used to delete existing anchors, by selecting the anchor itself in the 3D
element after clicking on this button.
This is used to move an existing anchor to another location. First the point
must be active (red color vs. blue color for all non selected anchors). You
can cycle through all the anchors with the two arrows at the bottom right
hand side of the dialog.
This button is used for the active anchor (red color one) if you want to
change the type of anchor (dimension or reference) and in which views it

will be active for the 2D. Once the changes are done in the dialog, press
the button and the changes are saved.
8 As you can see, the points have already been added to this beam, and are
ready to be used with the detailing block of the element which will be
covered later in this chapter.
LRP1‐2‐3 : Local Reference Points
DP1‐2‐3 : Dimension Points
LRA1: Local Reference Area

Using the Insert DimObject Tool to Add Extra Dimensions
This module will demonstrate how to insert the manual dimensioning using the
Insert DimObject tool.
 Enabling the anchors
1 If the previous exercise file is closed, open it. Otherwise simply turn
everything back on using the ProSteel Regen tool.
2 The anchor points have already been placed, but they are on a layer that
has been turned off. Using AutoCAD’s layer manager, turn layer
Bentley_Dim on.
3 These anchors were placed using the Insert DimObject tool located on the
Utilities toolbar.
This is the dialog and the following are the tools available in it.

Warning: The orientation of the UCS (XY plane) prior to using the tool is critical in order to
define the view (front, top, back, etc) in which the dimension anchor will be
applied.
• View: Here, you specify how the dimensioning anchors will be seen in
the 3D‐model.
Only Points: Only the two anchor points and a short connecting line
will be shown.
Only Line: Apart from the anchor points, the connecting line between
them is displayed as well.
Line with Text: The directly measured dimension is additionally
displayed as check text along with the anchors and connecting lines.
Note: These default settings do not have any influence on the display in the
2D‐plans. The anchor objects there are subsequently replaced by a
standard dimension of ProSteel.
• Only Points: Here, you specify the size to be used for display of the
anchor points in the 3D Model.
• Layer: Here you specify on which layer the objects will be inserted.
• Options:
Horizontal: A measure is created in dimensioning direction of the
group or of the overview that runs from the first to the second point.
Vertical: A measure is created perpendicular to dimensioning direction
of the group or of the overview that runs from the first to the second
point. When there is more than one target point, the dimensioning
direction is determined by the first added target point.
Direct: A direct (e.g. diagonal) measure is created in the group or
overview, running from the first to the second point.
Baseline Dimensioning: When you have seized a reference point with
several target points, each target point will get its own dimension
(starting from the reference point). Otherwise, reference point and
target points are created as continuous dimension chain.
In Groups: The dimensioning object is evaluated in the group to which
it has been assigned.
In Views: The dimensioning object is evaluated in the overview
drawing where it is included.
ECS Axes: The coordinate system of the dimensioning object is
displayed in the model so that you can check the position.
• Insert in current XY plane: The picked points are projected onto the
current view plane.

• Execute in Loop: The command is carried out as a loop. You can insert
several manual‐dimensioning objects one after the other without
having to call the function again each time.
The buttons (bottom area)
Click on this button to add a single dimensioning object consisting of the
start and target point. You first have to click on the group this
dimensioning object is to be assigned to. Then, you click on the start and
afterwards on the target point of dimensioning.
Click on this button to add a dimensioning object with a reference point
and several target points. You first have to click on the group this
dimensioning object is to be assigned to. You then click on the base point
of dimensioning and afterwards the other dimension points. Pressing ESC
key ends adding further dimension points.
As mentioned before, the points have already been added to this beam,
and are ready to be used with the detailing block of the element which will
be covered in the next topic of this chapter.

Enabling the Dimension in the 2D Blocks
In this topic you will see how to activate the use of the anchor dimension points
used in the first half of this chapter within the DetailStyle.
Both tools (Dimension Points & Insert DimObject) are controlled by the
DetailStyle’s setting. You will see each tool separately.
 The Dimension Points tool.
1 If the previous exercise file is closed, open it. Otherwise simply turn
everything back on using the ProSteel Regen tool.
2 Open the DetailCenter in standard mode. Notice a DetailStyle is already
present and assigned to the part and group (you will use the same
DetailStyle for both tools). If your listing is showing the groups, go to
Display Filter and change it to parts only since the first tool you are looking
at is for parts only.
3 Go to the Views tab and repeat if necessary.

4 Next, click Preview and open the DetailStyle using Edit Style.
5 All features for the view are preset except for the dimensioning you want
to look at which is in the Dimensions/Single Parts/Reference Points page.
Browse to that page and add a new dimension group for modifications as
shown below.

6 Assign the manual dimensions point to the holes dimensions: add the
Holes as Top View group and assign the features as below.
Normally the options here would have been Start of part for Referenced in
order to get the start dimension from the far left side of the part. However in
this case you will use the first reference point (at the edge of the part) and
also use the manually added reference zone to each side of the middle holes
on the web; therefore, use the Edge Reference zone option instead.
In the Additional dimensions you normally would have used None but in this
case you will add the two points to the middle of each cut in the bottom of the
beam (Local Reference Points) by using the Reference Points.

This should be the final result of the 2D block:
The three other points (Dimension Points) in the middle of the hole
patterns to each end and in the middle of the beam are only available in
the group detail which you will look at now.
7 Change the display filter to As Group Structure as shown below.

8 Open the Preview and the DetailStyle for the group (Views tab) and
navigate to the Dimension groups for the Reference Points page. There you
will add a new dimension group.
9 Select Shape group and rename to Manual Dimensions as below.

10 In this newly created dimension group you now need to add the parts to
be recognized.

11 Since you are only concerned here with the main part you will add I‐
Shapes (Ws).

12 You will use the User Dimension points as the main association in order to
get those dimensions showing in your group as below, along with the
previously created dimensions for the beam itself.
 The Insert DimObject tool
1 Within the same model where you just activated the Dimension Points,
activate the DimObject dimensions. If the drawing was closed, simply
reopen it.
2 Using the AutoCAD Layer control, turn on layer Bentley_Dim which is
turned off by default. This layer contains already entered DimObjects,

three in total, and includes one that has relative dimensioning starting
from one end of the beam as shown below.
3 The other two are local dimensions as shown below.
4 These dimensions were placed and grouped already using the information
shown previously in this chapter. To activate these DimObjects in the 2D
drawings, open the DetailCenter in Standard mode once again and set the

Group Display to As Group Structure as shown in the previous exercises
for both tabs (Parts and Views).
5 In the View tab, click Preview to preview the group and also open the
DetailStyle using Edit Style.
6 Once the Preview and the DetailStyle are open, navigate to the
Dimensions/Groups on the Reference Points page. Click Add Special Group

and in the Type group field, enter Manual Dimension points as shown
below.

7 Set all the pages of the DetailStyle as required to get the proper display;
here you are only concentrating on the topic at hand, which is the Manual
Dimension points, which is controlled in this page.
8 The result (for the Manual Dimension) should be like this.

Module Review
Module Review
Questions
1 How many different ways of adding user dimensions are there available in
ProSteel?
2 When is it that the manually added dimensions only appear in Group
detailing?

Module Review
Answers
1 How many different ways of adding user dimensions are there available
with ProSteel?
There are two methods: One method is using the built‐in dimension
options inside the shape’s properties, the other method is using the
DimObject tool to add points to a group detail.
2 When is it that the manually added dimensions only appear in Group
detailing?
If using the shape’s properties to add dimensions, the “Dimension Points”
added will only be available in a group detail reference rule.
If using the Dim Object tool, dimensions will only be available under the
group detail.

Module Summary
Module Summary
• Add extra dimensions to any element through its properties and enable them
in the DetailStyles.
• Add dimensions using the DimObject tool to any group of elements.

Connection Detailing
Module Overview
This module covers the creation shop drawings for connections. You will cover the
settings needed in the 3D model as well as the options in the DetailCenter and
DetailStyle.
Module Objectives
• Place the information in the 3D for connection detailing
• Use those connections to generate 2D drawings with multiple views
Jul-11 151 Connection Detailing

Enabling the Connection Detailing
This topic will cover how to activate ProSteel’s connection detailing.
 Enabling the connection detailing
1 Go to File > Open from the AutoCAD pull down menus.
2 Browse to where you have extracted the dwg files from the provided
Dataset and Select and highlight 12 ‐ Connection Detailing.dwg in the file
Open button in the lower right hand side of the dialog box.
3 The drawing opens. Zoom to the top of the column on axis B‐3.
4 Before you can use the connection detailing you need to make sure the
feature is enable in ProSteel’s option. Go to ProSteel’s option and browse
to the LogLink page to make sure the Allow additional data feature is
checked as below.
Connection Detailing 152 Jul-11

Note: There is now another tab added to the connection dialog boxes (such as
ProSteel Endplates) as seen below.
 Adding the Connection information
1 To edit the current Endplate connection at this location, select the plate.
With the plate highlighted, right‐click and select PS Change Connection.
Browse to the Connection Data tab as above.
2 You need to provide a Label and Identification to this particular connection
in order to recognize it in the DetailCenter. Let’s label it My 1st Connection
and identify it with 001.

Creation of the 2D Detail of the Connection
This topic will show the options needed in the DetailCenter and DetailStyle in
order to detail connections.
 Enabling the connection loading of the DetailCenter
1 Open the DetailCenter under Standard mode and go to the Settings tab.
Verify that the Scan Joints feature is enabled as shown below.
Note: If you just now enabled the Scan Joints feature, you must reload the
DetailCenter for it to recognize the connection.
2 Going back to the Parts tab, you should be able to see the prepared
connection for detailing as in the image below.

3 You will assign it to the existing DetailStyle Bentley ‐ Connections with a
drag and drop. Then, go to the Views tab to preview the detail and edit the
DetailStyle.
Go through the DetailStyle’s pages relevant to the connection detail
options.
In the Common page, enable only the Position flags and the Descriptions.

4 In the Partial Views page, use the following options:
Under the 2D Display, jump directly to the Connection node which is the
page that tells ProSteel how much to show (cut‐out) of the elements
around the connection page.

Here the first part determines the length up until which you will be able to
see other objects from the location of the LogLink in x (left and right), y
(up and down) and z (front and back).
The second part can be activated so that you control the depth of the cut
in the same directions if different than the depth of the view.
5 The next step is something already seen in standard training. It is shown
here to get the desired result. Set up the position flags to show up only
with the group information as below.


6 The result should be something like this.
7 The rest of the steps are the regular steps used to insert a 2D block into a
new 2D drawing file going through the Insert tab of the DetailCenter.

Module Review
Module Review
Questions
1 How do you activate the connection detailing options in the 3D?
2 What controls the display of the connection details in the DetailCenter?

Module Review
Answers
1 How do you activate the connection detailing options in the 3D?
In the ProSteel Global Options, under the LogLinks page, you need to
make sure the Allow additional data feature is enable.
2 What allows the DetailCenter to load the connections for detailing?
It is controlled by the Settings tab of the DetailCenter, where the Scan
Joints feature must be enabled prior to loading the model.

Module Summary
Module Summary
• Activate the Connection Detailing feature of ProSteel in your models
• Use the extra features in the DetailCenter/DetailStyle to produce a 2D of the
connections

Detail Center Express
Module Overview
This module covers the utilization of the DetailCenter Express which will allow you
to automatically generate shop drawings using pre‐prepared control files and title
blocks.
• Basic Windows knowledge including file navigation, notepad, etc.
• Good knowledge of the DetailStyle settings and the DetailCenter environment
Module Objectives
• Edit the configuration files required to run the DetailCenter Express
• Create automatically a multitude of shop drawings at once in individual sheets
• Automatically gather sheets containing a few details per sheet
Jul-11 163 Detail Center Express

The Basics: What is Needed
The Basics: What is Needed
Before you begin, let’s identify the components that will be needed when working
with the DetailCenter Express. The following is a list of files and items that will
need to be created, modified or edited before this tool can be used.
The Titleblock file. A titleblock is required for proper generation and placement of
the drawings. This will need to be generated ahead of time and independently for
all required scales. The titleblock needs to be created as a Block and the filename
it is saved as must be identical to that of the block name for this to function
correctly with the DetailCenter Express. Some example titleblocks are located in
..\<install dir>\localised\<country folder>\format\ folder.
The control files. The control files are also located in the ProStructures installation
folder under ..\<install dir>\localised\<country folder>\format\ which, by default,
includes pr_st3d.frm, pro_st3d.mkn and pro_st3d.scl. You will be working with
these default files. Be sure to make a backup first of any file that is to be edited.
Detail Styles. Any required detail styles will need to be generated prior to using
the DetailCenter Express. It is assumed that users taking this course already know
how to create and edit detail styles.
Templates. All templates should be created before using the DetailCenter Express.
It is assumed that users taking this course already know how to create and save
templates for the following items:
• Drawing Information Table
• In‐Drawing Partlist
• Containment List
• Position Flags and Distribution Settings
Detail Center Express 164 Jul-11

Creating a Titleblock
Creating a Titleblock
The titleblock is necessary when using the DetailCenter Express and must be
generated in a specific fashion in order to work. This does not mean that the user
is limited in the way it can look; after all it is still possible to generate any size of
frame, place the header area as needed, even add some artistic embellishments if
desired. However, when it comes to the tags that get used and how the file is
saved, if it not done correctly, then the DetailCenter Express will not function
properly.
 Exercise 1: Making a Titleblock
1 The first item to look at is what tags are going to be used. Tags placed
when generating the titleblock should match the variables used in the
Drawing information Table. (For more information see the section on
Drawing Information Table.) Take a moment to retrieve any predefined
tags or to define a common set of tags at this point.
Once the areas have been determined and the same variables are being
used for both the Drawing Information Table and the Titleblock Tags, it is a
simple matter of placing these block tags where the desired information is
to be called out.
2 Draw a titleblock border as needed and add tag attributes where the
information from the Drawing Information Table is to be called out.
3 Next make a block using the AutoCAD block command.
Note: It is extremely important to remember that when the block is named,
this name must also be used for the filename of the .dwg as well.
4 Save the drawing using the same name as the block.

Modifying the Control Files
Now that the titleblock has been created, let's look at modifying and editing the
control files. There are three files that need to be modified and set up before the
DetailCenter Express can be used: the .frm file, the .scl file and the .mkn file.
Modifying the .frm file
The .frm file is used to control the placement of 2D elements into the pre‐created
drawing border as well as the block attributes.
This file contains several sections, each controlling different aspects of
information that get passed through to the final drawing. The sections are as
follows:
• Header
• Titleblock
• Drawing Number
• Description of available keywords
• [Titleblock Name and Settings]
Header
This section by default offers three variables. Placeholder names on the left side
of the equal sign should not be changed. This holds true throughout the entire
file. Names appearing to the left of the equal sign are recognized and used by the
program in various ways.
The values on the right hand side of the equal sign are variable and in the case of
the Header section can be determined by the user. Both the Name and
Description values should be set up in a way that the user will recognize later on.
However, the Version value should be left alone.
Titleblock
The same attributes used in the titleblock and Drawing Information Table need to
be set here. The values on the left hand side of the equal sign in this area are
recognized by the program. You need to enter a value on the right hand side of

the equal sign only if you are using the field. Otherwise, you can leave it blank or
even omit the entry entirely.
Titleblock text Description
[TITLEBLOCK]
FileName=FILE_NAME complete path of the created 2D‐drawing (Express)
Customer=CLIENT_NAME client (Express)
ProjectName=PROJECT_NAME project name of the model
ProjectNumber=PROJECT_NO project number of the model
JobName=ORDER_NAME order (Express) or order name of the model
JobNumber=JOB_NO order number (Express or number of order of the model.
DrawingName=DRAWING_NAME component part description with position number (Express) or
drawing name of the model.
DrawingNumber=DRAWING_NO drawing number (Express or drawing number of the model.
DrawingPage=PG sheet number (Express).
DrawingIndex=REV drawing index (Express) or drawing index of the model.
DrawingScale=SCALE scale (Express).
DoneBy=DRAWN_BY ‘done by’ (Express) or ‘signed by’ of the model.
Date=D_DATE ‘done on’ (Express) or ‘signed on’ of the model.
CheckedBy=CHECKED_BY ‘checked by’ of the model.
CheckedDate=C_DATE ‘checked on’ of the model.
ClearedBy=APROUVED_BY ‘cleared by’ of the model.
ClearedDate=A_DATE ‘cleared on’ of the model.
Specification1=TITLE_1 ‘LV Pos 1’ of the model.
Specification4= ‘LV Pos 4’ of the model.
Note1= ‘comment 1’ of the model.
DetailPosNumber= position number of the detail.
DetailShipNumber= shipping number of the detail.
DetailName= designation of the detail.
DetailMaterial= material designation of the detail.
DetailLength= length of the detail.
DetailWeight= total weight of the detail.
DetailCount= total number of the detail.
DetailNote= note field 1 and 2 of the detail.
DetailFamilyClass= component part family name of the detail
DetailAreaClass= component part area class of the detail.
Drawing Number
There is a significant difference with the Drawing Number section when
compared to the Titleblock section mentioned above. In the Drawing Number
section, results are predefined and combined using the values selected from this
area and/or taken directly from the information passed over from the software. In
the Titleblock section, the user defined variables of the Drawing Information Table
are used. Also, the Drawing Number section is used to determine the naming and
numbering structure of the file, rather than the values displayed in the Titleblock.

One important similarity is the fact that the values on the left hand side of the
equal sign in this area are recognized by the program. Only if you are using the
field do you need to fill in a value on the right hand side; otherwise you can leave
it blank or even omit the line entry entirely.
Now it may seem that this entire area is just a complete series of prompts for
information, but in fact there are three distinct areas in the Drawing Number
section that interact with each other.
Definition lines. The Definition lines take and use the information provided by the
other two sections to determine the naming/numbering structure.
Definition Lines consist of the following three lines:
• DrawingNameTemplate: definition for the drawing name
• DrawingNumberTemplate: definition for the drawing number
• FileNameTemplate: definition for the file name
Note that these options all end with the word template.
Variable section. Variables used in the definition lines above can be defined.
Users will define which variables they want to use to represent each form or field
of information. All lines pertaining to the Variable fields end with the word
Symbol.
Text section. Depending on what elements are actually placed in the drawing, the
Variable above will use that to call the proper designation from the Text section.
For example if the Variable is looking for the DrawingType, then in the Text section
there may be different fields defined for each possibility such as single part or
group, etc. The variable section will then look for the appropriate text here and
use it in the naming and numbering structure.
The list of options below shows how these components work and what they have
to offer.
Definition Lines
DrawingNameTemplate Definition for the drawing name using text and variables.
DrawingNumberTemplate Definition for the drawing number using text and
variables.
FileNameTemplate Definition for the file name using text and variables.

Variables used here are defined by the symbols and types below. Define the symbols
and types first and then return to these lines to define the name and number you want
to use.
Variable Lines
ProjectNumberSymbol Variable for the project number
JobNumberSymbol Variable for the order number
DrawingNumberSymbol Variable for the drawing number of drawing information
DrawingPageSymbol Variable for the continuous sheet number
DrawingIndexSymbol Variable for the modification index
DwgNumberCodeSymbol Variable for the frame code of the frame definitions
PositionNumberSymbol Variable for the position number of the detail
GroupPositionNumber Variable for the position number of the parent group
Symbol
ObjectNameSymbol Variable for the component part name
*ObjectTypeSymbol Automatically reads the text line from the 'Object Type' as
listed below and places the appropriate part type.
YearSymbol Variable for the current year
MonthSymbol Variable for the current month (numeric, 1‐12)
DaySymbol Variable for the current day (numeric, 1‐31)
*DrawingTypeSymbol Automatically reads the text line from the 'Drawing Type'
as listed below and places the appropriate drawing type.
UserVarSymbol Variable for the free text from the fill frame field dialog
Text Lines
DefaultObjectType Text for component part type used when the following
types are not applicable. ("Others")
ColumnObjectType Text for component part type, Support
BeamObjectType Text for component part type, Horizontal support
StiffenerObjectType Text for component part type, Stiffener
WebAngleObjectType Text for component part type, Web angle
StandardPlateObjectType Text for component part type, Poly‐plate

ConnectionPlateObject Text for component part type, Head‐plate
Type
BasePlateObjectType Text for component part type, Base plate
MainPartDrawingType Text for drawing type, single part drawing for main part of
group
SubPartDrawingType Text for drawing type, single part drawing for sub part of
group
GroupDrawingType Text for drawing type, group drawing
SinglePartDrawingType Text for drawing type, single part drawing without group
OverviewDrawingType Text for drawing type, overview drawing
An example use of these lines would be as follows. If you want to obtain a drawing
number containing your company's name "ABC", the year, the drawing type "GR"
for groups or "SP" for single parts as well as the position number; each one
separated by points, such as 'ABC.2011.GR1000', then you would need to define
the following fields similar to this:
DrawingNumberTemplate=ABC.#J#.#DWG##POS#
FileNameTemplate=ABC.#J#‐#DWG##POS#
PositionNumberSymbol=#POS#
YearSymbol=#J#
DrawingTypeSymbol=#DWG#
MainPartDrawingType=SP
SubPartDrawingType=SP
GroupDrawingType=GR
SinglePartDrawingType=SP
It can be seen in the end result how the #DWG# variable calls the 'GR' value from
the type section and passes this to the template section.
Note: Variables defined in the 'Symbol' section can be defined as need. It is
recommended however that the use of special symbols is incorporated in order
to better identify the variable and in order to avoid a wrong replacing of text.
(EG: #POS# instead of only POS). The type of special symbol used is up to the
user.

Frame Definitions
Frame Definitions
The Frame definitions are where you will specify the drawing frames and the
areas within the frame where details will be placed. Each available frame obtains
its own group name. The group names will then be displayed in the selection lists
of the DetailCenter Express.
Note: The keywords 'Path', 'SizeX', 'SizeY', 'Area1' and 'Area2' have to be assigned
with current values; otherwise the frame will not be accepted for selection.
(Correct location of frame dwg and Size and Area specifications in the
appropriate units, Metric or Imperial.)
• Path ‐ Complete path of drawing frame; If no path is given, the file will be
expected in the associated default folder of ProSteel. (Typically this would be
the '…\Format' folder of the chosen localized area.)
• SizeX ‐ The dimensions of the drawing frame in X‐direction using the
appropriate units.
• SizeY ‐ The dimensions of the drawing frame in Y‐direction using the
appropriate units.
• Area1 ‐ The insertion area of details as 2D‐points; specify the lower left and
the upper right corner of the area in the format (x1,y1)‐(x2,y2) using the
appropriate units.
• Area2 ‐ The area of the title block of the drawing as 2D‐points, using the same
method as outlined in Area 1.
The following entries describe the position of the parts list and must be defined if
a parts list is to be used:
• ListStyle ‐ A default In‐Drawing Parts list template needs to exist in ProSteel in
order for the list to be inserted during the DetailCenter Express process.
• ListScale ‐ Scale of the drawing parts list
• ListInsertPoint ‐ Insertion point for the drawing parts list as 2D‐point; enter
this point in the format (x, y).
• ListType ‐ Type of drawing parts list (Variables allowed: group, single,
released)
Note: The last two entries below describe how the list is to be placed in
relation to the point defined by 'ListInsertPoint'. Basically the defined
point can represent the Bottom‐Left or Top Right, etc. insertion point
for the In‐Drawing Partlist.

Frame Definitions
• ListHorizontalStart ‐ Description of the position of the parts list's insertion
point in horizontal direction. (Variables allowed: left, right)
• ListVerticalStart ‐ Description of the position of the parts list's insertion point
in vertical direction. (Variables allowed: top, down)
More options can be found in both the .frm file and the ProSteel Help Manual. For
the sake of this exercise and to become familiar with the functionality of this file,
the settings shown here will suffice.
Note: If you define your own frames, please note that the lower left point of the
drawing frame has the world coordinates (0, 0) and that you store the drawing
in top view on the frame. The positive X‐axis is showing to the right, the
positive Y‐axis to the top. Enter the frame field as a block with the same name
as the drawing file (e.g., the block must be named 'Bentley1' if the drawing is to

Modifying the .SCL File
Modifying the .SCL File
The .SCL file is used to control the placement of 2D elements into the pre‐created
drawing border as well as the block attributes only if the Optimized Scale option is
selected during the DetailCenter Express process. The scale selection of the
program is then based on the entries in the scale file.
An example scale file would look like this:
; ProSteel ‐ Drawing scale template file
; ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐
; Version=V8i
; Imperial settings
1:1
1:3
1:6
1:12
1:24
1:48
1:96
1:192
Items that are preceded with a ';' are considered notes and have no affect on the
scale process. Following this the file should contain a list of preferred scale sizes
that will be made available during the DetailCenter Express process.
Each scale is entered one per line and no specific order is required.

Modifying the .MKN File
The .MKN file is used to control the custom numbering system of parts. This
numbering system is often used in the generation of US Mark Numbering values
during the manual insertion process but can be used for other custom numbering
systems as well. The values that are generated are written back to the model and
placed in the 'Shipping Number' field of each of the corresponding parts. In this
section you will look at the .MKN file.
The .MKN file can be separated into four parts, shown below. Note that all items
shown in single quotes are static and cannot be changed. The quotes themselves
are not written with the value itself.
[HEADER] ‐ General information that does not affect the output.
[MARKNUMBERTEMPLATE] ‐ This is where the arrangement for the automatic
numbering is handled for both single parts and grouped parts. The values defined
here are what will be written back to the parts themselves and called out in the
2D drawings. These values are defined in the variables section below.
The Variable Section includes the following. The values shown are examples:
[SHEETNUMBER]
'Symbol=' $SHEET$ (Consists of the variable name (user defined))
'CharacterSet=' NUMERIC (Numeric, Lowercase, Uppercase)
[PARTNUMBER]
'Symbol=' $PART$ (Consists of the variable name (user defined))
'CharacterSetSinglePart=' LOWERCASE (Value for Single Parts (Numeric,
Lowercase, Uppercase))
'CharacterSetGroup=' NUMERIC (Value for Grouped Parts (Numeric,
Lowercase, Uppercase))
[PARTDESCRIPTION]
'Symbol=' $DESC$ (Consists of the variable name (user defined))
'Default=' Value for items not described below. When done manually, if
left blank, this field will prompt the user for a value. No prompting is
offered during the DetailCenter Express.

'Column=' example is C
'Beam=' example is B
'Stiffener=' example is s
'WebAngle=' example is a
'StandardPlate=' example is p
'ConnectionPlate=' example is p
Note: All the variables shown in this section are user defined and used to describe the
corresponding parts. The list cannot be added to or lengthened to include other
parts.
[FLOORDESCRIPTION]
'Symbol=' $FLOOR$ (Consists of the variable name (user defined))
'CharacterSet=' INPUT (When Input is used the field will remain blank but
prompt the user for a value. Note that for this to occur though the
Variable needs to be included in the MarkNumberTemplate section.
[LOCATIONDESCRIPTION]
'Symbol=' $LOC$ (Consists of the variable name (user defined))
'CharacterSet=' INPUT (When Input is used the field will remain blank but
prompt the user for a value. Note that for this to occur though the
Variable needs to be included in the MarkNumberTemplate section.
For the Character Set Definitions, whenever Lowercase or Uppercase is used in
the variable section, the corresponding Character Set option below is used. These
can be defined with any characters the user chooses so long as the characters are
separated by a comma. For example:
[LOWERCASE]
UsedCharacters=a,b,c,d,f,g,h,k,m,n,p,t,v,x,z,aa,ab,ac
[UPPERCASE]
UsedCharacters=A,B,C,D,F,G,H,K,M,N,P,T,V,X,Z
Note how some of the letters are missing, while at the same time, in the
Lowercase Character Set the values continue beyond the standard alphabet.
When used, these values will automatically increment until there are no more
values or until a new page / title block is used at which time they will reset to their
initial value.

The DetailCenter Express
Now that everything is in place, let's have a look at the DetailCenter Express itself.
The screen captures here are not representative of what would typically be used
but rather checked off in a way so that all the screens would appear and could be
captured. Basically what occurs during this process is that some screen will only
appear based on the settings or options that have been chosen; in this case
everything was selected.
Note: The initial screen is very important, and the Prepare Detailing and Clean Up
Detailing options should be enabled.
The options on the screen are as follows:
• Prepare Detailing
• Assign detail style to:
• Single parts
• Groups
• Assemblies
• Views
• Detail all visible Parts in Part Browser
• Automatically create Single Sheet 2D Detail Drawings
• Clean Up Detailing

Each of these options is described below.
Prepare Detailing
The Prepare Detailing option is used to prepare the environment prior to
assigning styles through the DetailCenter Express.
The Prepare Detailing screen will only appear if in the initial screen the Prepare
Detailing option is selected.
Here certain functions can be setup prior to processing of the elements.
Cancel Write Protection and display hidden parts ‐ This option will ensure that
all parts are showing and are available to be processed regardless of their current
status.
Delete all Current detail style Assignments ‐ When enabled, this will look at the
list of elements on the 'Parts' tab of the 2D DetailCenter and if any of the
elements/views have already been assigned to a detail style then this option will
remove that manually assigned style so that the style assigned within the
DetailCenter Express can used and placed instead.
Reset all modify flags in model ‐ Elements/views can been at various states
within the DetailCenter. Either up to date (green) or in need of an update (red) are
two examples. This option will reset and thereby ignore all current drawing states,
recreating the drawing from scratch during the DetailCenter Express process.

Delete all links to existing 2D drawings ‐ Previously created drawings will no
longer be linked to the model if this option is selected. The newly created drawing
from the DetailCenter Express process will be the only drawings linked to the
model.
Delete all existing 2D detail blocks ‐ When generating drawings, blocks for each
element/view are automatically created prior to being inserted into a drawing.
Using this option, all the old blocks will be erased and only the newly generated
blocks will exist.
Clean Up Detailing
The Clean Up Detailing option (at the bottom of the screen) is similar to the
Prepare Detailing option in that it will display a screen on which the user can
select various functions. This option however is used to clean up the environment
after the processing has taken place.
The options between these two settings will determine which elements are
processed and how.
Assign detail style to
These four options allow for the assignment of detail styles in different scenarios.
The user will decide which scenario best suits their needs. 2D drawings for Single

Parts, Groups, Assemblies and Views can all be generated and the types required
will be the ones selected.


Generally, the user will be presented with screens that allow them to assign detail
styles based on the type of element/view they want to generate drawings of.

To assign a detail style it must first be selected from the drop‐down box at the top
of the screen. The selected detail style will then be attached to the element/view
selected in the pane on the left hand side when the green arrow is left clicked on.
To removed an assigned style just select the assigned object from the pane on the
right and then left click on the x button.
This styles that get assigned here will be used to control the output. It is
important to have the styles created and saved ahead of time. It is also
recommended that the styles to be used be loaded into the DetailCenter prior to
choosing them here. Like this, the detail styles can be saved with the model and if
moved to, or used from, another machine there will be no issues with missing
styles.
Link Detail Style…More
If during the modeling process the user assigns detail styles through the part
family feature then these assignments can be used instead. This feature is
available for single parts and/or grouped parts only.
To use these predefined styles the user need only check off the appropriate
selection box.
The Keep existing style assignment option will consider any element/view that
has already been assigned to a detail style and use this instead. However if the
'Delete all Current detail style Assignments' is checked off in the 'Prepare
Detailing' screen then all previously assigned detail styles will have already been
removed and this will not have style assignments to consider.

Detail all visible Parts in Part Browser
This option will bring up a screen that allows for a little more control over what
gets detailed. For example, perhaps you wanted to detail only the Groups Main
Parts but not the Sub‐parts; this window will provide that type of control to the
user.
On this screen the user can decide which elements are to be detailed. In the
previous screens the detail styles were assigned, however this does not mean that
they will automatically be detailed only that, if selected, the style to be used will
have been selected.
Here however the user must decide which elements/views will be generated.
Typically Single Parts, Groups and/or Assemblies would be selected however
other variations and combinations are possible by selecting the option in the left
hand Not Assigned pane and then left clicking on the green arrow to bring that
selection over to the Detailing pane on the right hand side.
Anything listed in the Detailing pane on the right hand side will be processed.
Detail Position Number Only Once ‐ This option will ensure that only one detail
block is created for each position number. It is important to ensure that the
automatic positioning has been run on the model and is up to date prior to
selecting this option.
Overwrite existing Detailblocks ‐ If a detailblock with the same name already
exists, when this option is enabled, the current detailblock will be overwritten
and replaced. Keep in mind however that on the 'Prepare Detailing' screen, the
option to delete all 2D blocks exists and if enabled then there will remain no
blocks to overwrite or protect with this switch.

Automatically create Single Sheet 2D Detail Drawings ‐ Enabling this option will
provide a screen that allows for the definition of the output drawings. The screen
that appears will allow the user to decide things like should item per drawing be
generated or should the titleblock be filled out. Do the elements get placed with
Scale as priority or with the actual element size as priority.
Create Single Sheet 2D Detail Drawings
From this screen the user can select whether they would like to dispatch one
element per drawing or continuously dispatch selected elements until the
titleblock is filled before going on to a new drawing. There are also options to
determine what additional information should be added when the drawing is
created.
The radio buttons at the top is where the type of dispatch will be selected.
Automatic Single Sheet Details ‐ If the Single Sheet option is selected, then there
is the additional option of determining if the drawing should be generated with
the output focused on the element scale, in which case the .SCL file, mentioned in
the previous section, is used to determine the scale of the element in order to fit
inside the title block. If the Size option is selected, then the element focus is on its
actual size and it is placed into the drawing as is.
The Single Sheets option is discussed further in this module.
Dispatch Details on the Drawing ‐ If the dispatch option is selected then the
elements are placed into the drawing according to their defined size as
determined by the detail style. As many elements as will fit into the title block will

be placed and once the titleblock has reach it limit, a new drawing will be
generated and the same process will begin again.
The check boxes are all independent and allow the user to determine what
additional information can be placed at the same time.
The Dispatch option is discussed further in this module.
Fill out Title Block ‐ If enabled, will take the information previous entered in the
Drawing Information Table and place it automatically into the new dwg.
Add containment list ‐ Optionally the containment list can be added to the 2D
drawing. The location of the containment list is handled in the .FRM file. (See
previous section.)
Add Partlist ‐ Optionally the part list can be added to the 2D drawing. The location
of the part list is handled in the .FRM file. (See previous section)
US mark number ‐ US mark numbering is control by the .MKN file (see previous
section) and can be included here if enabled.
Dispatch Settings ‐ Single Sheets
At this point the process can go in one of two directions, either Single Sheet (One
element per sheet) or Dispatch (Multiple elements per sheet). For the sake of
clarity the Single Sheet process will be covered first. In this process only one

element/view is placed onto a sheet at a time and a new drawing is generated for
each element/view.
The first of the Single Sheet output screens is the Dispatch Settings. On here the
user selects exactly which type of elements should be placed into drawings. The
basic items can be selected as shown or more specific parts of a group or
assembly can be used instead of displaying the entire item.
For example, on this screen the Groups were selected, but if just the main part of
the group was required and not the parts attached to it, then Group ‐ Main parts
could have been selected instead. Multiple items can be used at the same time as
well so if a drawing of a group and the groups main part were required then both
options could have been selected.
To select what will be placed in a drawing, select the item on the left hand side
and then left click on the arrow in the center. To remove a selection, select it on
the right hand side and left click on the red 'x'.

Once the object types are selected, the Single Sheet Output screen will appear.
Except for the title, this will be identical to the screen which appears when using
the dispatch mode.
The Single Sheet Output screen controls which drawing borders will be used.
From here different borders can be selected for 'Drawing Frame', 'Portrait Border',
'Plates', 'Base Plates' and 'Groups'. It is important to note however that these
drawing borders need to be created ahead of time and placed in the
'..\Localised\<localized type>\Format\' directory from where ProStructures was
installed in order for them to be available here.
This option is used when only a single item is placed on a sheet by itself. If
multiple items per sheet are required then the dispatch settings will be used
instead.
On this screen the first thing appearing are the checkboxes.
Don't Scale Parts ‐ When available (depends on previous selections), this option
will force the parts to be placed into the final drawing at a 1:1 scale.

Use different Borders for Plates and Groups ‐ This option will allow the user to
choose their preferred border style for the plates and groups. The following
screen will then have the drop‐downs enabled and the user can select from here.
Use alternative Borders for portrait drawings ‐ This option will allow the user to
choose their preferred border style for the portrait drawings. The following screen
will then have the drop‐downs enabled and the user can select from here.
Dispatch Settings ‐ Insertion Options
The first step required when using the dispatch settings is to set the Insertion
options.
On this screen the user will decide how they would like to have the detail blocks
inserted. By selecting one of the radial button options, that option will take
precedence in determining the order that the detail block get inserted into the
drawing. The options are as follows:

By Assemblies ‐ This will look at the drawing and place all the Assembly items
first.
By Group ‐ Grouped items will take precedence over everything else and detail
blocks will come in according to their Group.
By Increasing Position Numbers ‐ The program will check to see if the
components have been positioned using the automatic positioning tool and if so,
place the detail blocks into the drawings based on their position number.
Insert Separated by Single, Group, View ‐ Single parts, group details and
overviews are inserted separately on different drawings.
Dispatch Settings ‐ Dispatch on Sheet
Apart from single sheet output, it is also possible to arrange several finished detail
blocks in a drawing. The program tries to place as much details as possible
according to determined guidelines. Generally, the sheet is created with a scale of
1:1 and the component parts are inserted in a scaled way ‐ the functions for parts
list and containment list are not available when using this method.

Optimize Dispatch
From this dialog the user can define how the detail blocks are placed. Options
include the direction they are inserted, amount of attempts to place a block,
spacing and more.
In Columns or In Rows ‐ The first option here requires the user to choose either In
Columns or In Rows. By selecting In Columns the program will placed the blocks
one after another from top to bottom and them shift right and continue in the
same pattern until the assigned titleblock is filled or the detail block does not fit in
the remaining space. If In Rows had been selected, the same thing would occur
but it would insert the detail blocks left to right instead and then shift down.
Max. failed Insertions ‐ The program will attempt to place the next block if the
current one is to large for the space remaining. If this fails then it will try the next
block and so on. How many times it will try to place a block is determined by this
setting.
Increment in X/Y direction ‐ Grading values in either direction. The larger the
value, the faster the blocks are dispatched.
Distance of Detail Blocks ‐ Controls the spacing left between inserted blocks.

Dispatch Settings ‐ Multi Sheet Output
Once the optimization settings are selected, the Multi Sheet Output screen will
appear. On this screen the first thing appearing are the checkboxes:
Don't Scale Parts ‐ When available (depends on previous selections) will force the
parts to be placed into the final drawing at a 1:1 scale.
Use Different Borders for Plates and Groups ‐ This option will allow the user to
choose their preferred border style for the plates and groups. The following
screen will then have the drop‐downs enabled and the user can select from here.
Use Alternative Borders for Portrait Drawings ‐ This option will allow the user to
choose their preferred border style for the portrait drawings. The following screen
will then have the drop‐downs enabled and the user can select from here.
Below the check boxes are the paths pointing to the control files and the output
path. The directory locations can be selected from here.
Depending on the previously selected items, some or all of these areas will be
available.

Dispatch Settings ‐ Drawing Output...Drawing Border
From this dialog window the drawing border to use with the dispatched items
needs to be selected. A simple drop‐down box is provided and drawing borders
will appear.
The borders listed here will be borders that have been defined in the '*.frm' file
which is located in the <ProStructures Install Dir>\localized\<localized type
used>\format directory.
Fill Out the Title Block
Once the drawing border has been selected in the previous step, the user can now
define how the borders will be filled out. For this screen to appear, the Fill out

Title Block option must be enabled on the Create Single Sheet 2D Detail Drawings
dialog which came previously.
Use Drawing Information Table Values ‐ Values from the Drawing Information
Table can be brought over and placed automatically into the appropriate spots in
the drawing border if all of the variables from the drawing information table have
been defined correctly in the tag fields of the drawing border initially.
Save as Drawing Number ‐ This will set the current drawing number of the
drawing border according to the amount of drawings that have been processed.
The current drawing number will then be placed into the drawing border as
reference. If this option is unchecked then the position number of the inserted
component will be used as the drawing number instead.
Additional Options ‐ The variables below these check boxes control the page
number and name. Each of these can be manually defined or controlled through
the *.frm file located in the <ProStructures Install Dir>\localized\<localized type
used>\format directory. The Drawing Number and Drawing Name will pull the
information for these fields from the variables defined in the [DRAWINGNUMBER]
section of the *.frm file.
Clean up Detailing
The final step will set what actions should be taken after the drawings have been
completed.

Remove Unused Detail Styles from Parts Tab ‐ If detail styles were loaded initially
but then unused during the drawing creation process, any styles that were unused
will be removed from the Parts tab and no longer listed.
Delete Views from Views Tab in Browser ‐ Any view listed in the Views tab of the
2D DetailCenter’s browser will be removed and no longer listed there.
Delete Inserted 2D Detail Blocks ‐ Once the drawings have been generated, all of
the automatically created 2D blocks used to make the drawing initially will be
deleted. Be cautious of using this option. See note below.
Note: When the detail blocks are deleted here, the insertion information cannot be
transferred into the model and an automatic update of the 2D drawing would
not be possible any more.
This will be the final screen of the DetailCenter Express and the user will need to
Left‐Click on the icon that resembles an arrow pointing downwards. This will
launch the application and generate the drawings according to the settings
defined in the previous dialog windows.
Summary Screen and Processing
At this point, the following summary screen may appear, or a similar one
depending on the settings used.
If the user agrees to what is listed, simply left‐click on the OK button to continue;
otherwise select the Cancel button and modify the settings before continuing.
When the OK button is selected, the processing screen will appear and complete
the drawing generation.

At the close, you will see a Completed screen. Click OK to dismiss it.
 Exercise 1: Dispatching Views onto 2D Drawings
Start by creating all the views (plans & elevations) into D‐size sheets.
1 Open the detailcenter training.dwg file.
2 Open the DetailCenter. You will open it the normal way with the Standard
option, but keep in mind you can also select it directly from the pull down
menu of the initial opening sequence as seen below).
3 By opening in the Standard mode, the docked DetailCenter is ready to
work with at the same time. From there you can start the DetailCenter
Express by clicking on the flag icon in the Parts tab.

For the preparation of the views, the DetailStyles have already been
assigned to each view to be processed. Follow the dialog boxes below to
get the 2D drawings automatically generated.
4 To go to the next page of the DetailCenter Express settings, press on the
carat (>) button.





5 From here you can save the setting for later use using the Template
button. Once ready to process, press the last button (arrow pointing
down) and click OK on the dialog box that follows, shown below.
All the views with preassigned DetailStyles should now be inserted into 2D
drawings.

 Exercise 2: Dispatching Groups onto 2D drawings
You will now create all the group drawings, one per sheet.
1 Open the file detailcenter training.dwg.
2 Open the DetailCenter in the normal way with the Standard option, but
keep in mind you can also select it directly from the pull down menu of the
initial opening sequence as seen below.
3 By opening in the Standard mode you have the docked DetailCenter to
work with at the same time. Start the DetailCenter Express by clicking on
the flag icon in the Parts tab.
4 For the preparation of the groups, the DetailStyles have already been
assigned to each group to process. Follow the dialogs below to get the 2D
drawings automatically generated.
5 To go to the next page of the DetailCenter Express settings, press on the
carat (>) button.




down) and click OK in the dialog box that follows, shown below.

The groups with preassigned DetailStyles should now be inserted into 2D
drawings.
 Exercise 3: Dispatching Parts onto 2D drawings
You will now create all the single parts, one per sheet.
1 Open the detailcenter training.dwg file.
2 Open the DetailCenter in the normal way with the Standard option, but
keep in mind you can also select it directly from the pull down menu of the
initial opening sequence as seen below.
3 By opening in the Standard mode the docked DetailCenter is ready to
work with at the same time. From there, start the DetailCenter Express by
clicking on the flag icon in the Parts tab.
4 The DetailStyles have already been assigned to each part to be processed.
Follow the dialogs below to get the 2D drawings automatically generated.

5 To go to the next page of the DetailCenter Express settings press on the
carat (>) button.



down) and click OK on the dialog that follows, as shown below.
All the parts with preassigned DetailStyles should now be inserted into 2D
drawings.

Module Review
Module Review
Questions
1 What is the purpose of the .FRM file?
2 What is the purpose of the .SCL file?
3 What is critical in the naming of the title block to be used via the
DetailCenter Express?

Module Summary
Answers
1 What is the purpose of the .FRM file?
The .FRM file has multiple purposes:
• Assign attributes to the title block
• Generate the drawing & file names
• Define the available title blocks to be used and their features
2 What is the purpose of the .SCL file?
The .SCL file provides the available scales to be used by the DetailCenter
Express.
3 What is critical in the naming of the title block to be used via the
DetailCenter Express?
The .dwg file needs to contain the title block in a "block" state inside of
this .dwg file. The name of this block must be the exact same name as the
.dwg file itself.
Module Summary
• Create shop drawings for single parts, groups and assemblies automatically
• Customize the title blocks to be used
• Automatically place the bill of materials on the drawings


ProSteel V8i AutoCAD Professional For Advanced Users TRN016920-1-0001 PDF

Diunggah oleh

Informasi Dokumen

Judul Asli

Hak Cipta

Format Tersedia

Bagikan dokumen Ini

Bagikan atau Tanam Dokumen

Opsi Berbagi

Apakah menurut Anda dokumen ini bermanfaat?

Apakah konten ini tidak pantas?

Hak Cipta:

Format Tersedia

ProSteel V8i AutoCAD Professional For Advanced Users TRN016920-1-0001 PDF

Diunggah oleh

Hak Cipta:

Format Tersedia

ProSteel V8i AutoCAD

ProSteel V8i AutoCAD Professional for Advanced Users 2 Jul-11

Jul-11 3 ProSteel V8i AutoCAD Professional for Advanced Users

ProSteel V8i AutoCAD Professional for Advanced Users 4 Jul-11

Anchor Point _______________________________________ 101

Automatic 2D Cuts __________________________________ 111

Manual Dimensions _________________________________ 129

Jul-11 5 ProSteel V8i AutoCAD Professional for Advanced Users

Detail Center Express ________________________________ 163

ProSteel V8i AutoCAD Professional for Advanced Users 6 Jul-11

Jul-11 7 Review of Introductory Training

Copyright © 2011 Bentley Systems, Incorporated

Review of Introductory Training 8 Jul-11

Jul-11 9 AutoCAD Template Files

Copyright © 2011 Bentley Systems, Incorporated

AutoCAD Template Files 10 Jul-11

Jul-11 11 AutoCAD Template Files

AutoCAD Template Files 12 Jul-11

Jul-11 13 AutoCAD Template Files

AutoCAD Template Files 14 Jul-11

Jul-11 15 AutoCAD Template Files

AutoCAD Template Files 16 Jul-11

Jul-11 17 AutoCAD Template Files

AutoCAD Template Files 18 Jul-11

Jul-11 19 AutoCAD Template Files

AutoCAD Template Files 20 Jul-11

Jul-11 21 AutoCAD Template Files

AutoCAD Template Files 22 Jul-11

Jul-11 23 AutoCAD Template Files

AutoCAD Template Files 24 Jul-11

Jul-11 25 AutoCAD Template Files

AutoCAD Template Files 26 Jul-11

Jul-11 27 AutoCAD Template Files

AutoCAD Template Files 28 Jul-11

Jul-11 29 AutoCAD Template Files

AutoCAD Template Files 30 Jul-11

Jul-11 31 Project Management

Copyright © 2011 Bentley Systems, Incorporated

Project Management 32 Jul-11

Jul-11 33 Project Management

Project Management 34 Jul-11

Jul-11 35 Project Management

Project Management 36 Jul-11

Jul-11 37 Project Management

Project Management 38 Jul-11

Jul-11 39 Project Management

Project Management 40 Jul-11

Jul-11 41 Block Center

Copyright © 2011 Bentley Systems, Incorporated

Block Center 42 Jul-11

Jul-11 43 Block Center

Block Center 44 Jul-11

Jul-11 45 Block Center

Block Center 46 Jul-11

Jul-11 47 Block Center

Block Center 48 Jul-11

Jul-11 49 Block Center

Block Center 50 Jul-11

Jul-11 51 Block Center

Block Center 52 Jul-11

Jul-11 53 Using the Drawing Information Table

Copyright © 2011 Bentley Systems, Incorporated

Using the Drawing Information Table 54 Jul-11