Working with the Configuration Setup
The ProStructures product delivery includes several workspaces that reflect the structural modeling and detailing practices of a country or region. A minimal workset is included in each workspace. While this setup is sufficient to run ProStructures, tailoring it for your organization will be beneficial.
Take Advantage of WorkSets
One way to think of a workset is as the complete configuration setup for a design and its outputs.
The names of the current workspace and workset are recorded in the design file so the setup can be verified the next time the design file is opened. When the verification fails, an alert box is opened so that you must make a deliberate decision to open the design file with a different configuration.
The default folder layout for a workset includes a subfolder for design files and a subfolder for output files. (See the end of the table in Appendix E - Default Configuration Folder Layout.) The default layout demonstrates a good practice-keep a workset's design and output files together yet separate from all other worksets' design and output files.
Creating a New WorkSet
WorkSets are best created within ProStructures from the Work page. See the help on the Work page for more information.
After a workset is created, you can extend it for ProStructures.
- Create an empty ProStructures subfolder in the Standards folder, e.g. workSetName\Standards\ProStructures\.
- Create an empty text file named application.cfg in the ProStructures subfolder. This .cfg file is where ProStructures-specific configuration variables are set for the workset.
Customizing a WorkSet
The default ProStructures output folders are subfolders of the workset output folder. To change an output folder name and/or its location, add the related configuration variable to the ProStructures-specific configuration file for the workset—typically, workSetName\Standards\ProStructures\application.cfg.
Using the Delivered WorkSpaces
If you work in the delivered workspaces, be aware that all files delivered with the product-modified or not-are removed by the uninstaller and are overwritten by a reinstall and by new releases. You will need to back up and restore modified files if you want to preserve your changes.
Creating a New WorkSpace
Best practice is to create your own ProStructures-extended workspace(s). The easy way to start is to copy a delivered ProStructures-extended workspace.
- In configurationInstallationFolder\Configuration\WorkSpaces\, copy existingName.cfg to newName.cfg to create the workspace .cfg file.
- Also in the WorkSpaces folder, create a subfolder named newName. This is the root folder for the new workspace.
- 4. Copy the WorkSpaces\existingName\Standards\ folder and its contents to the newName folder. The result is a populated WorkSpaces\newName\Standards\ folder that includes ProStructures data files.
- Create an empty WorkSets subfolder in the newName folder. This is the root folder for all worksets in the new workspace.
- See Creating a New WorkSet for creating worksets in the new workspace.
Customizing a WorkSpace
What you did to customize a dataset (localization) and Rebar detailing project in V8i is still part of customizing a ProStructures-extended workspace in the CONNECT Edition-creating or modifying
- Text files for part, plate, and process descriptions and user EEDs.
- Databases for materials, bracing, various connection types, and dispatch cells.
- Templates for sets of default values for dialogs.
- Styles and style lists for bolts, welds, details, and position and elevation flags.
- Custom symbols and assemblies for workframe labels, position and elevation flags, handrail posts, stair steps, and many others.
- Specifications for details.
- Defaults for rebar detailing.
- Templates for partlists/bill of materials.
Overriding Product Data Files
The common data files in the product folder are available to all workspaces through the default setting of the related configuration variables. Customizing a workspace includes overriding or supplementing the common data files when the common files are inadequate.
| Type | Description |
|---|---|
| File Type | When the related configuration variable is a File
type, put the replacement file in the workspace and add statements like the
following to
workSpaceName\Standards\ProStructures\application.cfg:
|
| Directory Type | When the related configuration variable is a
Directory type, put the replacement files in a workspace folder and add a
statement like the following to
workSpaceName\Standards\ProStructures\application.cfg:
|
| Directory List Type | When the related configuration variable is a
Directory List type, put the replacement and/or supplemental files in a
workspace folder and add a statement like one of the following to
workSpaceName\Standards\ProStructures\application.cfg:
|
| File List Type | When the related configuration variable is a File
List type, the default variable setting typically involves a wild card, e.g.
*.mdb. The file list can be trimmed using a statement like the following in
workSpaceName\Standards\ProStructures\application.cfg:
|
| Enhanced Directory List Type | When the related configuration variable is an
Enhanced Directory List type, the default variable setting typically includes a
wild card for the leaf folder, e.g. …/xxx/*/. The
directory list can be trimmed using a statement like the following in
workSpaceName\Standards\ProStructures\application.cfg
|
Overriding Default Behaviors
Some aspects of ProStructures are controlled through configuration variables, e.g. should shape profiles be loaded form the Structural Property Catalog? Customizing a workspace may include overriding the default values for Boolean and Keyword type configuration variables.