1. Tekla Structures User Meeting 2008
Templates
By: Glen Hutchinson

2. Templates Agenda .CSV User Defined Attributes Create a .CSV
What is .CSV
Why .CSV
User Defined Attributes
Create a .CSV
Sales Takeoff Example
Tips and Tricks

3. What is .CSV? Comma-Seperated Values
CSV is a delimited data format that has fields/columns separated by the comma character and records/rows separated by newlines.
What is a .CSV?
What is a CSV?

4. Why .CSV Importing Data to Other Systems
Microsoft Access
Excel Spreadsheets
Importing Data to Tekla Structures
Dates
Shipping
Pouring
Status
Poured
Shipped
Erected
.CSV is used out of Tekla Structures as a means to get Data out and into another program that has import .csv capability
Some of the other programs are Microsoft Access and Excel
.CSV is also used as a way to import data into Tekla Structures
Some examples of that are Dates and Status

5. User Defined Attributes
2. Confirm, Default or Custom
1. Identify Attributes
3. Modify Objects.inp
4. Map New Variables
User Defined Attributes
1. Identify Attributes
2. Confirm, Default or Custom
3. Modify Objects.inp
4. Map New Variables

6. Identify Attributes 1. Identify Attributes
2. Confirm, Default or Custom
3. Modify Objects.inp
4. Map New Variables
The first thing to do is to Identify what Attributes you want to track.
Whether that is:
Plant Status
Shipping Status
Bar Coding Information
Or Dates
After you have those pinned down

7. Confirm UDA’s Scheduled 2 ways Cut In Assembly Galvanizer Painted
1. Identify Attributes
Confirm UDA’s
2. Confirm, Default or Custom
3. Modify Objects.inp
4. Map New Variables
2 ways
Objects.inp
Tekla Structures UDA’S
Scheduled
Cut
In Assembly
Galvanizer
Painted
You need to confirm what UDA’s are needed vs. what already exsists.
There are 2 ways to do this. *
First is by opening the objects.inp and search through it *
Second is by looking in a Tekla Structures Model at the UDA’s *

8. Confirm UDA’s Look what is already there 1. Identify Attributes
2. Confirm, Default or Custom
3. Modify Objects.inp
4. Map New Variables
Look what is already there
Look at what is already in Tekla Structures before making anything new.

9. Modify Objects.inp Objects.inp
1. Identify Attributes
Modify Objects.inp
2. Confirm, Default or Custom
3. Modify Objects.inp
4. Map New Variables
Objects.inp
C:\TeklaStructures\14.0\environments\usimp\inp

10. Modify Objects.inp Value types Float = Numbers String = Text
1. Identify Attributes
Modify Objects.inp
2. Confirm, Default or Custom
3. Modify Objects.inp
4. Map New Variables
Value types
Float = Numbers
String = Text
Option = Lists
Date = Small Calender
Field Format
%s = String
%D = Number
attribute or unique_attribute
attribute name
prompt
value types
format
affects numbering
check switch
max value, min value
label and default value
0 not a default value
1 default written to database
2 default not written to database

11. Create Objects.inp Part User Defined Attribute Setup Program Extranet
1. Identify Attributes
Create Objects.inp
2. Confirm, Default or Custom
3. Modify Objects.inp
4. Map New Variables
Part User Defined Attribute Setup Program
Extranet
Downloads>Extended Applications

12. Modify Objects.inp When creating these new Attributes
1. Identify Attributes
Modify Objects.inp
2. Confirm, Default or Custom
3. Modify Objects.inp
4. Map New Variables
When creating these new Attributes
Great for UDA’s for all Part Types
Create a different objects.inp for different Part Types

13. Map New Variables Import_macro_data_types.dat
1. Identify Attributes
Map New Variables
2. Confirm, Default or Custom
3. Modify Objects.inp
4. Map New Variables
Import_macro_data_types.dat
Used in importing attributes
C:\TeklaStructures\14.0\environments\usimp\system

14. Creating a .CSV Commas to create columns
Rows are automatically created

15. Creating a .CSV
Example
_Precast_Product_List.rpt

16. Create a .CSV Demo

17. Recap Creating a .CSV
_Precast_Product_List
Insert “Commas”

18. Recap Creating a .CSV
Save as “.csv.rpt”

19. Recap Creating a .CSV Select report Notice .CSV
Show Report with associated viewer

20. Recap Creating a .CSV
Save in new location
Opens Excel automatically

21. Sales Take Off Process
Fill in Attributes in Model

22. Sales Take Off Process
Produce .CSV Report
Format if needed

23. Sales Take Off Process Import .csv to existing estimating products
Use other .xls templates to get data and produce an estimate
Import .csv into Microsoft Access

24. Template Tips and Tricks
HTML can be produced out of Tekla.
Easier approach
.csv
Run a Format Macro
Saveas HTML

25. Templates Tips and Tricks
Sort Order, Tree View
Drag the Attribute

26. Templates Tips and Tricks
Summary Rows
When you want to sum field values on a summary line rather than output individual field values each on their own line, you can easily turn a value field into a summary field.

27. Templates Tips and Tricks
Set default text color for new Texts
Same for steps for Value Fields

28. Templates Tips and Tricks
Right Click > Crop

29. Templates Tips and Tricks
Use Characters to create lines
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30. Templates Tips and Tricks
Use the Preview Pane

31. Templates Tips and Tricks
Hide Fields in Content Browser

32. Tips and Tricks Show grid location of Cast Units
CAST_UNIT_POSITION_CODE

33. Thank You