The Process > Copy Design command allows the user to assign the same reinforcement from one column line to another. This is useful when it is desired to make similar column lines identical. To use the Copy command, first design a column line using either the Process - View/Update command or Process - Design All command. Once a beam line has been designed, the corresponding design can be copied to other column lines provided the copy-from column line and the copy-to column line have stories in common. The design for the columns on the stories the two column lines have in common will be copied.

Once the Copy is performed, the reinforcement from the initial column line is assigned to the new column line(s) and the resulting design is checked. The check is the same as performing an Analyze in the View/Update dialog box. Upon completion of the check, the screen will be updated to reflect the current design status of each column. When a copy is performed, the column lines that are updated are automatically frozen, the same as if a Process - Freeze is performed. The beams in the column line are now considered User Defined and will be painted dark blue on screen if the design is successful.

When the Copy Design > Single to Single command is issued, the cursor changes form the arrow cursor to a target cursor. First select the designed column line (the Copy From column line), then select the column line to which the designs are to be copied (the Copy To column line). The target cursor changes, alternating between a Copy From cursor to a Copy To cursor, to help identify the current step in the copy process.

When the Copy Design > Single to Fence command is issued, the cursor changes from the arrow cursor to a target cursor. First select Copy From column line. The cursor will then change to a fence cursor. Fence one or more Copy To column lines. After the Copy command is complete, the cursor will return to the target cursor and a new Copy From column line can be selected.

When the Copy Design > Single to All command is issued, the cursor changes from the arrow cursor to a target cursor. After selecting a Copy From column line, the copy will be performed on all column lines in the model having one or more stories in common with the Copy From column line. No warning will be given for those column lines that are not updated.

The Copy command does not create a link between the Copy From column line and the Copy To column line; a subsequent change in the design of one is not automatically made to the other. The command merely copies the current reinforcement from one column line to the other.