Tom Pallister's Communities Activities

How to add a reference load with a load factor to a load case using openSTAAD commands

Tom Pallister — Mon, 17 Apr 2023 16:23:55 GMT

Hi,

I have the below code which interfaces with a matrix i have created in excell/VBA.

I want to create the loadcase, this code works, and then add the reference load say "R1" to the load case with a load factor as per the image below. The reference loads have already been created successfully. How can I achieve this?

'Define Load Cases

Dim RefLoadNo As Double
Dim RefLoadName As String
Dim RefLoadType As Long

Dim LoadCaseName As String
Dim LoadCaseType As Long
Dim LoadCaseNo As Double
Dim LoadFactor As Double

For j = 2 To UBound(Load_Matrix(), 2) 'i=2 at start as i=0 is the loacombination row and i=1 is loadcombination name row

LoadCaseName = Load_Matrix(1, j)
LoadCaseType = 22 ' Type "NONE"
LoadCaseNo = Load_Matrix(0, j)
ObjOPENSTAAD.Load.CreateNewPrimaryLoadEx2 LoadCaseName, LoadCaseType, LoadCaseNo ' in form LoadCaseName, LoadCaseType, LoadCaseNo

For i = 2 To UBound(Load_Matrix(), 1)
RefLoadNo = CDbl(RemoveFirstChars(CVar(Load_Matrix(i, 0)), 1)) ' this results in a reference load case number of 1 rather than R1.
LoadFactor = Load_Matrix(i, j)
ObjOPENSTAAD.Load.AddLoadRefEx2 LoadCaseNo, RefLoadNo, LoadFactor ' in form LoadCase, Node, Factor
Next i

Next j

Best Regards,

Tom

Let me Help You

Tue, 18 Apr 2023 06:20:54 GMT

Answer a question that is verified as helpful or correct.

OpenSTAAD Get_Member_Max_Deflections

Anthony Morrison — Wed, 06 Nov 2019 14:38:56 GMT

Hello,

I'm working thru making some Excel files to perform different tasks with using OpenSTAAD code and I'm running into issues with some of the commands not working properly.

In this case, I cannot seem to get GetMemberMaxDeflections to work properly. There are (3) problems that I can't quite resolve that I'm seeing:

The dMax (deflection) value returned seems to be unaffected by the strDir (global direction) variable
1. I can change this from 1 to 3 and not get any different results even though there should be.
The results always appear to be GLOBAL +Z direction regardless of strDir value and only sometimes are the same as the results in the individual beam deflection tab
The results occur at arbitrary distances along the beam length.

It's hard to tell, but my assumption is that in my English Unit model the results are being given to me in inches for both dMax and dMaxPos, but I can't be 100% sure.

Below is a code snippet that I used - basically I just copied from the OpenSTAAD Reference manual:

Private Sub test_click()
'Get maximum section displacements in GLOBAL Y-direction
Dim memb As Long
Dim Lcase As Long
Dim objOpenSTAAD As Object
Dim RetVal As Variant
Dim strDir As Double
Dim dMax As Double
Dim dMaxPos As Double
''Launch OpenSTAAD Object
Set objOpenSTAAD = GetObject(, "StaadPro.OpenSTAAD")
'Get maximum section displacements
memb = 96 'Member ID
Lcase = 102 'LoadCase
strDir = 2 'Direction = 2 'GLOBAL: X = 1, Y = 2, Z = 3.
RetVal = objOpenSTAAD.Output.GetMaxSectionDisplacement(memb, strDir, Lcase, dMax, dMaxPos)
Cells(30, 5) = dMax
Cells(30, 6) = dMaxPos
Set objOpenSTAAD = Nothing
End Sub

This code yields:
dMax = .047
dMaxPos = 45.27

It should yield something very close to 0 (0.001" deflection) since my LC 102 is only +X Loading. The 0.47 matches up quite closely, however, with the Global +Z deflection = 0.44".

Any help would be appreciated!

ObjOPENSTAAD.Load.AddElementTrapPressure code format and variable types?

Tom Pallister — Tue, 14 Feb 2023 12:58:49 GMT

Hi,

The OpenSTAAD line in the code below is not working properly and the reference guide does not seem to clarify the requirements. The line has 4 inputs stated then uses 5 inputs in the example. Please can you clarify the issue?

Dim GlobalX As Long
Dim GlobalY As Long
Dim VaryInX As Long
Dim VaryInY As Long

GlobalX = 1
GlobalY = 2

VaryInX = 1
VaryInY = 2

For j = 0 To UBound(Plate_Array_Index(), 2)
k = 0
If Plate_Array_Index(0, j) <> 0 Then
For i = 0 To UBound(Plate_Array_Index(), 1)
If Plate_Array_Index(i, j) <> 0 Then
ReDim Preserve PlateList(k)
PlateList(k) = Plate_Array_Index(i, j)
k = k + 1
Else
End If
Next i

ObjOPENSTAAD.Load.AddElementTrapPressure PlateList(), GlobalY, VaryInY, CDbl(-2), CDbl(-5)
Else
End If

Next j

Assign Plate thickness to Plate Element

Tom Pallister — Mon, 13 Feb 2023 18:29:49 GMT

Hi,

I'm applying a material to an element and trying to apply a plate thickness to the element. The Material seem to apply ok but the plate thickness does not get applied to the element. Please can you explain the issue. VBA Code is below, green is working red is not.

CreateGroup Plate, PlateList(), ("Plate_Type_" & CStr(j))
SectionNo = ObjOPENSTAAD.Property.CreatePlateThicknessProperty(CDbl(Plate_Section(j - 1, 0)))
ObjOPENSTAAD.Property.AssignMaterialToPlate CStr(Steel_Name), PlateList()

ObjOPENSTAAD.Property.AssignPlateThickness PlateList(), CLng(SectionNo)
Plate_Section(j - 1, 1) = "Plate_Type_" & CStr(j)
k = 0
SectionNo = SectionNo + 1

ObjOPENSTAAD.Command.CreateSteelDesignCommand Command not functioning as expected

Tom Pallister — Mon, 06 Feb 2023 18:18:12 GMT

Hi,

I am trying to use the ObjOPENSTAAD.Command.CreateSteelDesignCommand command to assign the UNB, UNT, LZ and LY values to members.

I believe it is an issue with the CInt(0) and CStr(0) values I am putting into the command as the UNB etc. get generated but they do not get populated with beam elements or the UNB values, see image below.

Relevant parts of the code below:

Dim BayLength As Double

Dim STAADDesignCode As Long

Dim UNB As Long ' To be set as the Length of each Bay - Unsupported Length of Bottom extreme Fibre for Lateral Torsional Buckling
Dim UNT As Long ' To be set as the Length of each Bay - Unsupported Length of Top extreme Fibre for Lateral Torsional Buckling
Dim LZ As Long ' Full Length of Rafter x End restraint factor, previously 0.85 for primary rafters and 0.9 for secondary and tertiary rafters - Length of local Z Axis for slenderness checks
Dim LY As Long ' To be set as the Length of each Bay - Length of local Y Axis for slenderness checks

STAADDesignCode = 1002

UNB = 9660
UNT = 9650
LZ = 9140
LY = 9130

RafterGroups(0) = Primary_Rafters()
RafterGroups(1) = Secondary_Rafters()
RafterGroups(2) = Tertiary_Rafters()

BayLength = 4

ObjOPENSTAAD.Command.CreateSteelDesignCommand STAADDesignCode, UNB, CInt(0), BayLength, CStr(0), RafterGroups(i)

Please advise.

OpenSTAAD Units

Steven Vicha — Tue, 08 Nov 2016 19:02:02 GMT

How do I programatically determine the units returned by OpenSTAAD when retrieving the moments Mx,My,Mxy for plates. I have included the functions like "etOutputUnitForMoment", and "GetOutputUnitForStress", but they return a number is there a table that documents the numbers that are returned. I can change the "Force Units" in the file and get different results, but know way to understand what units are returned without coing into STAAD to check.

OpenTSAAD ObjOPENSTAAD.Output Results function not working

Tom Pallister — Tue, 24 Jan 2023 16:43:54 GMT

Dear sir,

I am trying to develop a VBA macro in Excel in order to retrieve Member end displacements from Staad Pro (v20.07.11.82).

The following code is used, with OpenSTAAD functions Shown in Red not working properly.

Public Sub Check_Deflection()

Dim Input_Worksheet As String
Dim Output_Worksheet As String
Dim Input_Row_P1 As Integer
Dim Input_Row_PA As Integer

Dim BeamNumsCount As Long
Dim BeamNums() As Long
Dim MemberEndDis(6) As Long
Dim MemberForces(6) As Double
Dim MemberNo As Long
Dim MemberEnd As Long ' 0 is start, 1 is End
Dim LoadCase As Long
Dim TempDis(6) As Long

Dim i As Integer
Dim j As Integer
Dim k As Integer
Dim L As Integer
Dim m As Integer
Dim n As Integer
Dim Count As Integer
Dim ObjOPENSTAAD As Object
Dim PrimaryLCs As Integer, LoadCombs As Integer, totalLoads As Integer

Dim STAAD_Path As String
Dim STAAD_Name As String
Dim WB_Path As String
Dim WB_Name As String
Dim stdFile As String

Input_Worksheet = "Results"
Output_Worksheet = "Results"

Worksheets(Input_Worksheet).Activate

STAAD_Path = Range("B1").Value
STAAD_Name = Range("B2").Value

'Get OpenSTAAD Libary and set the file name of the STAAD Document to be interporated.
Set ObjOPENSTAAD = GetObject(, "StaadPro.OpenSTAAD") ' Must have STAAD Model open for this line to work
ObjOPENSTAAD.openstaadfile STAAD_Path & STAAD_Name

'Wait for the STAAD File to load
Application.Wait (Now + TimeValue("0:00:10"))

'Load your STAAD file - make sure you have successfully run the file
ObjOPENSTAAD.GetSTAADFile stdFile, "TRUE"

If stdFile = "" Then
MsgBox "This macro can only be run with a valid STAAD file loaded.", vbOKOnly
Set ObjOPENSTAAD = Nothing
Exit Sub
End If

'check brace and chord member numbers exist in model
BeamNumsCount = ObjOPENSTAAD.Geometry.GetMemberCount()
ReDim BeamNums(BeamNumsCount - 1)
ObjOPENSTAAD.Geometry.GetBeamList BeamNums

'Find out how many primary load cases and load combinations you have:-
PrimaryLCs = ObjOPENSTAAD.Load.GetPrimaryLoadCaseCount()

MemberNo = 6
MemberEnd = 0
LoadCase = 1

ObjOPENSTAAD.Output.GetMemberEndDisplacements MemberNo, MemberEnd, LoadCase, MemberEndDis

For i = 0 To UBound(MemberEndDis()) - 1
Cells(4 + i, 1) = MemberEndDis(i) * 1000
TempDis(i) = MemberEndDis(i) * 1000
Next i

ObjOPENSTAAD.Output.GetMemberEndForces MemberNo, MemberEnd, LoadCase, MemberForces

For i = 0 To UBound(MemberForces()) - 1
Cells(4 + i, 2) = MemberForces(i) * 1000
TempDis(i) = MemberForces(i) * 1000
Next i

'Release OpenSTAAD object
ObjOPENSTAAD.closestaadfile

' Type the following statement to close the instance of the OpenSTAAD object
Set ObjOPENSTAAD = Nothing
End Sub

Ask A Question I

Tue, 24 Jan 2023 05:41:19 GMT

Ask a question in a forum.