Creating Template Files

Templates can be created and then reused from project to project. This eliminates the need to recreate combinations for every project. It is not always necessary, however, to create templates. A number of templates are included with the RAM Structural System. Before creating template files, first determine if the desired template has already been supplied or not. If not, determine if a new template should be created, or if custom combinations should simply be entered manually.

When to Create Your Own Template File

In situations where you will repeatedly use a set of combinations (in several projects), it is useful to create a template.

For example:

You often design to a building code that has combinations that are not provided with the program.
The design philosophy employed by your office is such that it is not satisfied by the combinations provided with the program, so some modification to the combinations is necessary.

When Not to Create Your Own Template File

You should not create a template file if one has already been provide with the program that creates the combinations you need. You should not create a template file for a model with specific peculiar conditions that require special combinations that will not be used again for future models. That is, the combinations are used only for that one project and not reused. For this situation you should use the Custom Load Combinations command and create the combinations manually within the program rather than create a template to generate your project-specific combinations.