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Geometry tab

Table 2. Clipboard group
Tool name Description Shortcut


Undo

Negates the last operation.

Note: You cannot undo settings changes.

After you undo an operation, the operation previous to the negated operation can be undone. You can, therefore, undo a series of previous operations by repeatedly choosing Undo.

There is no limit to the number of undos that can be performed.

Note: Only geometry, property, support and member/plate specification operations support Undo/Redo.
<Ctrl+Z>


Redo

Negates the last undo operation.

You can redo a series of negated operations by repeatedly choosing Redo.

Each undo operation is a single re-doable operation regardless of the number of negated operations.

<Ctrl+Y>


Delete 		Used to delete selected object(s). <Del(ete)>


Cut

Used to cut selected object(s) (delete and copy to clipboard). The deleted objects may then be pasted.

The object(s) remain on the Clipboard until another Cut or Copy is performed.

<Ctrl+X>


Copy

Used to copy selected object(s) to clipboard for subsequent pasting.

The element(s) remain on the Clipboard until another Copy or Cut is performed.

<Ctrl+C>


Paste

Opens the Paste with Move dialog, which is used to specify the insertion point for pasting clipboard elements into the model.

Because the elements remain on the Clipboard after pasting, you can paste repeatedly.

<Ctrl+V>
Table 3. Structure group
Tool name Description
Grids >

Beam Grid 		Opens the Snap Node/Beam dialog, which is used to specify the grid and snap settings as well as to create members and nodes automatically by snapping to grid points.


Triangular Plate Grid 		Opens the Snap Node/Plate dialog, which is used to specify the grid and snap settings as well as to create plates and nodes automatically by snapping to grid points.


Quad Plate Grid
Solid Grid Opens the Snap Node/Solid dialog, which is used to specify the grid and snap settings as well as to create solids and notes automatically by snapping to grid points.


Structure Wizard 		Opens the Structure Wizard window, which offers a library of pre-defined structure prototypes, such as Pratt Truss, Northlight Truss, Cylindrical Frame, etc. The Structure Wizard may parametrically generate a structural model, and then transfer and superimpose it on the current structure.


Translational Repeat 		Opens the Translational Repeat dialog, which is used to make copies of portions of the structure at intervals along a linear path.


Circular Repeat 		Opens the 3D Circular dialog, which is used to make copies of portions of the structure at intervals along a circular path.


Rotate 		Opens the Rotate dialog, which is used to rotate the selected portions of the structure about the specified axis through a specified angle. The selected portions may be copied or moved.


Mirror 		Opens the Mirror dialog, which is used to copy or move the selected portions of the structure by "mirroring" about any plane parallel to one of the three global Cartesian coordinates.


Wall/Slab Connection 		Used to select a wall which will have a common boundary with a slab consisting of a previously generated finite element mesh. This tool allows the consideration of boundary conditions at the interface of the panel and any other panel on whose surface one of its edge lies.


Input Units 		Opens a drop-down list used to set the current input units for length and force. Click Apply to set the unit selection.
Table 4. Node group
Tool name Description


Move Node > 		Move Joint Opens the Move Entities dialog, which is used to specify the translational offset for moving a selection of nodes.
Move Origin Opens the Move Origin dialog, which is used to specify the translational offset for moving a the model origin. All model geometry is updated relative to the new origin location.


Merge Selected Nodes 		Opens the Select Node dialog, which is used to select a node number you want to keep in the model. Other selected nodes will be merged to this node number.


Renumber Nodes 		Opens the Renumber dialog, which is used to renumber selected nodes starting with a specified number. The numbering sequence can be in an ascending or descending order and the order can be sorted by some criteria if needed.
Table 5. Beam group
Tool name Description


Add Beam >

Add Beam 		Used to add beam by clicking start and end nodes.


Add Beam Between Midpoints 		Used to add a new beam connecting the midpoints of two existing beams. New nodes will be created at the exiting beam midpoints.


Add Beam by Perpindicular Intersection 		Used to add a beam from an existing node perpendicular to an existing beam. A new node will be created on the existing beam.


Add Curve Beam 		Used to define curved members. The curve must be a segment of a circle and the internal angle subtended by the arc must be less than 180 degrees.
Create Colinear Beams Used to create beams between selected nodes which lie along a straight path (i.e., colinear).
Set New Beam Attributes Opens the Define Member Attributes dialog, which is used to predefine member attributes such as properties, materials, beta angles, or release specifications for member attribute sets. Members which are then added to the model will have these properties by default.


Beam Layout 		Opens the Beams table.


Insert Node 		Opens the Insert Node into Beam # dialog, which is used to insert one or more nodes at specified distances along selected members.


Stretch Members 		Opens the Stretch Member(s) dialog, which is used to increase the length of a member in various ways.


Connect Beams 		Connect Beams Along X | Y | Z axis

Used for automatically creating beams connected between points which lie along an imaginary straight line parallel to the selected global axis. Members will only be created from selected nodes.

The program will automatically detect which nodes are collinear and lie along the global axis selected. Beams will be generated along the nodes that satisfy those requirements. The following figure shows a group of nodes selected for this particular operation.



Move Beam 		Opens the Move Selected Beams dialog, which is used to specify the translational offset for moving a selection of beams.


Intersect Beams > 		Highlight Intersect Beams Used to scan the model and locate members which cross each other in space, but are not necessarily connected to each other at the intersection point.
Intersect Selected Beams Splits members at detected intersection points and creates an addition node at this intersection point such that the members are now connected.


Merge Selected Beams 		Opens the Merge Selected Beams dialog, which is used to join two collinear beams and replace them with one beam.


Renumber Beams 		Opens the Renumber dialog, which is used to renumber selected beams starting with a specified number. The numbering sequence can be in an ascending or descending order and the order can be sorted by some criteria if needed.


Break Beams at Selected Nodes 		Splits a beam into separate beams at any selected node(s) which are located along that beam. This is useful when some new nodes are created on the line of the member and you want to split the beams at these newly created nodes.
Table 6. Plate group
Tool name Description
Add Plate >

Add Quad Plate 		Used to add Quadrilateral plates.

To create new elements, simply click on the existing nodes in the right sequence. A rubber-banded area shows the boundary of the plate being generated.



Add Triangle Plate 		Used to add triangular plates.

To create new elements, simply click on the existing nodes in the right sequence. A rubber-banded area shows the boundary of the plate being generated.



Create Infill Plates 		Used to automatically generate plates from a selection of beams bounding panels.  Panels bounded by beams on all sides are filled with plates. Typically used for floor slabs, this method significantly reduces the modeling time for generation of floor slabs in multi-storied framed structures.

If no closed polygon can be found of the enclosed shape is not planar, then an error message will be displayed.

Note: Depending on the node order, some or several plates may be facing opposite directions. The Plate Reference Point dialog can be used to remedy this. This will orient all the plates in the same direction. Also, check for plates, whose boundary nodes do not align themselves with other connecting plates. The Structure Tools > Check Beam/Plate Connectivity on the Utilities ribbon tab can help identify these problems.
Set New Plate Attributes Opens the Define Plate Object Property dialog, which is used to define the property, material and releases to each new plate element as it is created.


Plate Layout 		Opens the Plates table.


Parametric Models 		Opens the Parametric Models dialog, which is used to create and edit wall, slab, and panel meshes.
Generate Mesh

Create Mesh 		Used to create a collection of plates by selecting node points and then defining mesh parameters.


Plate Mesh 		Used to generate a finite element mesh for an existing plate element.

The polygon can be meshed into quadrilateral or triangular elements. You have control over parameters like number of divisions along each side of the polygon. Polygonal holes can also be defined within the surface during the meshing process for polygonal meshing.



Move Plate 		Opens the Move Selected Plates dialog, which is used to specify the translational offset for moving a selection of plates.


Renumber Plates 		Opens the Renumber dialog, which is used to renumber selected plates starting with a specified number. The numbering sequence can be in an ascending or descending order and the order can be sorted by some criteria if needed.
Table 7. Solid group
Tool name Description


Add Solid > 		Add n Noded Solid





 Click to add a solid of 8, 7, 6, 5, or 4 nodes, respectively.


Solid Layout 		Opens the Solids table.


Move Solid 		Opens the Move Selected Solids dialog, which is used to specify the translational offset for moving a selection of solids.


Renumber Solids 		Opens the Renumber dialog, which is used to renumber selected solids starting with a specified number. The numbering sequence can be in an ascending or descending order and the order can be sorted by some criteria if needed.
Table 8. Physical Member group
Tool name Description


Physical Member Layout 		Opens the Physical Members table.


Toggle Physical Member Mode 		Sets the analytical modeling mode to assign sections, properties, and design parameters to physical members.


Form Members 		Used to manually form a physical structural member from a selection of one or more connected analytical beam segments.


AutoForm Members 		Used to automatically generate multiple physical members from a group of selected analytical beams.
Table 9. Composite Deck group
Tool name Description


Composite Deck Layout 		Opens the Composite Deck dialog, which is used to define and assign composite floor deck systems.
Paste with Move dialog
Translational Repeat dialog
3D Circular dialog
Rotate dialog
Snap Node-Beam dialog
Mirror dialog
Move Entities dialog
Move Origin dialog
Select Node dialog
Renumber dialog
Define Member Attributes dialog
Insert Nodes into Beam # dialog
Insert Node / Nodes dialog
Stretch Member(s) dialog
Merge Selected Beams dialog
Parametric Models dialog
Define Meshing Region dialog
Select Meshing Parameters dialog
Define Plate Object Property dialog
Composite Deck dialog
Parent topic: Ribbon Control Reference