Making Assignments in Plan Mode
This section is only relevant when a model has multiple levels and a given layout type is used on more than one level. It is not relevant if every level is represented by a different layout type.
When a layout type is used on multiple levels, any assignment (such as member size or end fixity) made to a particular member while in Plan mode affects every occurrence of that member. For example, suppose the "Typical" layout type has been assigned to three levels in the Story Data, and beam number 1 is a lateral frame beam in that layout type. Any assignment made to beam number 1 is assigned to all three occurrences of beam number 1 (one at each level where the "Typical" layout type is used).
- For Gravity steel beams this is always true; Gravity steel beams in a given layout type will always be identical in every occurrence of that layout type. For concrete beams the assignments can be overridden in the RAM Concrete module and so may be different on different occurrences of the same layout type.
- For Gravity columns this is always true except as modified by the RAM Steel Column or RAM Concrete Column Design modules.
- This is true for assignments to lateral frame members made in Plan mode, but those assignments can be overridden in Elevation mode, where assignments can be made to an individual member, irrespective of layout types. Thus an individual member's data may diverge from the data stored in the layout type (this is acceptable). Subsequent assignments made in Plan mode will remove any previous divergence. This holds true for the following commands:
- Layout - Frame Numbers
- Layout - member type - Change Properties
- Layout - member type - Change Material
- Layout - member type - Assign Sizes
- Layout - member type - Clear Sizes
- Layout - member type - Assign Frame Fixity
- Layout – Beams – Brace Points
The Show commands are useful in determining the current assignments to such members.