Icon	Description
	Modeling sloping framing is done by specifying deviations of the tops of columns and walls, or bottoms of hanging columns, from the story height. When a deviation is specified for a column or wall, the elevation of the ends of the beams that frame into these columns and walls are automatically modified, as are the elevations of the ends of the beams that frame into those beams, etc. The tops of standard columns and the bottoms of hanging columns are modified by invoking the Layout – Columns – Modify Elevation command. Note: The dialog title heading says Top of Column or Bottom of Column based on the Column Type. The option to Extend or Shorten is then selected, and the offset relative to the Story height is specified. The top of a standard column or bottom of a hanging column can be reset to the Story height by selecting the Use Story Height option. Individual columns can be modified by selecting Single and then selecting the column, or rows or areas of columns can be modified by selecting Fence, and then fencing the columns to be modified. Note that this command is dependent upon the current Material selection – only those columns of the current Material type will be modified. It is also dependent on the Column Type – only those columns of the selected Column Type will be modified. Also note that if a column is modified on a Layout Type that is used at more than one story level, the top or bottom of column is modified at each occurrence of that layout type.
	The tops of walls are modified similar to columns by invoking the Layout – Walls – Modify Elevation command. One end of a wall may be offset different than the other end. When in Single mode, select the wall and then select the end of the wall that is to be raised or lowered.
	The top-of-footing elevation may also be modified. The effect of this is to raise or lower the base of columns and walls. This is done by first assigning Spread or Continuous footings to the columns and walls and then modifying the footing elevation using the Layout – Foundations – Spread – Modify Elevation and Layout – Foundations – Spread – Modify Elevation command. The option to Extend or Shorten is then selected, and the offset relative to the base of the structure is specified. Note that in models where some columns terminate at levels other than the Base, such as for buildings with a partial basement, the offset is measured from the Story height of the partial story below. The top of footing can be reset to the Base or Story height by selecting the Use Base/Story Height option.

When modeling braces, some options require input of distances along beams at which the braces will connect. These commands allow the user to specify that the distance be measured either along the actual length of the beam or else along the projected (horizontal) length. If the slope of the beam is subsequently changed after a brace has been modeled, the brace will automatically be repositioned to maintain its connection to the beam. Regardless of how the beam was originally modeled, it will be repositioned to maintain its relative position with regards to the horizontal projection (that is, its global X- and Y-coordinates will not change, only its Z-coordinate will change). When a brace frames into a column at a location other than the top or bottom of the column (e.g., knee braces), the vertical distance between top of column and the brace is maintained when the column is extended or shortened.

Care should be taken when using these commands not to create any zero or negative length columns. The DataCheck will detect such conditions and give an Error message.