Each unique floor framing plan in a building is represented by a Layout Type. A Layout Type describes a flooring configuration for one or more identical levels of a structure, consisting of beams, columns, decks, loads, etc.

A multi-level structure may consist of several Layout Types. A Layout Type is defined for each unique flooring configuration, and the level or levels at which each Layout Type is located are described in the Story Data. Although modeling is done with two-dimensional Layout Types for ease of modeling, Layout Types are "stacked" automatically by the program using the Story data, thereby providing the three-dimensional representation of the structure (See Story Data ).

When a structure has a floor level or levels that are identical to another level, the same Layout Type can be assigned to each level that is identical. Identical layout types must be located on adjacent stories; otherwise, a different layout type must be created.

Because several Layout Types may be nearly identical in a structure, the Layout > Copy command is available to copy the data in one Layout Type to another, making it unnecessary to re input similar Layout Types from scratch. Layout Types thus created can then be modified to reflect the conditions of that particular level.

Initially, in the Layout > Type > Select command the layout types are listed in the order that they are created. After layout types have been assigned to the Story Data the layout types are listed in the same order as they appear in the Story Data, in bold font. Layout types not currently included in the Story Data are listed in normal (not bold) font.

RAM Modeler tags the most recently used layout type inside the model file when the model file is saved. That layout type will automatically be selected the next time Modeler opens the model.