M. To add beams by drawing on a grid
-
On the Geometry ribbon tab, select the tool in the Structure group.
The Snap Node-Beam dialog opens and the current grid is displayed in the active View window.
- (Optional)
Either:
click Edit to edit the currently selected grid
or
click Create to create a new custom grid (radial and irregular grids must be custom)
- (Optional)
Set the Snap to existing nodes too
Note: Existing nodes have precedence over grid intersections, in order to prevent creating duplicate nodes.
- If it is not already active, click Snap Node/Beam in the Snap Node/Beam dialog.
-
In the Active view window, click any grid intersection or existing node (if the option was set) to select the start point of a new beam member.
A cross icon "snaps" to the nearest grid line intersection or existing node to the mouse pointer. This indicates the tentative point for placing a beam end. Once the start end is selected, a red circle indicates the start point and a line is rubber-banded to the snap point nearest the mouse pointer.
- Click the end point of the beam.
- Repeat steps 5 and 6 until you are finished drawing beams.
-
To stop drawing beams, either:
press <Esc>
or
click Snap Node/Beam in the Snap Node/Beam dialog