Tip No.2 - Updating shape names (i.e. W360x32.9 to W14x22)

When placing steel members with ProStructures/ProSteel, you have to specify if the shape description (name) is going to be Imperial (W14x22) or Metric (W360x32.9) in the Shape Catalog dialog box (Automatic uses the systems' units).

This is simply telling ProSteel which column from the database's table to use. This is a column of entries inside the table that has been assign specifically for this in the North American tables (AISC & CISC). The Mexican table (IMCA MX) has the AISC imperial definition in one column (W14x22) and the Mexican metric equivalent in the other (IR356x32.9). All other databases (Britain, DIN, Australia, China, SouthAfrica, etc.) have the same description under both metric & imperial). 

The shapes take their name at the moment of insertion into the drawing. Their name is assigned according to the Shape Catalog setting at the moment of insertion. Which means you can have the same shape inserted twice, once with metric definition and once with imperial definition if the Shape Catalog settings were changed between both insertions.

What this tool does (in this particular case) is change the "NAME" field to the value found in the database under the column selected (metric/imperial). Which means it can also be used when importing a whole structure from another application which might have the names written in a different way from the way we want to have them in ProStructures. 

We are now going to look at the method to use in the case we would need to change all shapes description for a drawing from one unit system to the other. The method is the same for both the MicroStation & AutoCAD versions of ProStructures but there is a little difference in the way to trigger the tool.

In AutoCAD, we simply need to type at the command prompt "PS_RELOAD_REFERENCES".

In MicroStation we have to use the Key-in to select "ProStrcutures + Reload + References"

Once it is triggered, a dialog box will open for each shape that needs to be "renamed". You will have to "remap" each and every different shape size found in the drawing in order to tell ProSteel which is the database to be used (which actually means you could completely change a shape; i.e. from being a W12x53 to becoming a C10x20). This method unfortunately means you need to know what each single shape's name is (knowing a W360x32.9 is a W14x22) in the other measurement system.

 

Once all shapes have been mapped, the last dialog box to appear will be asking you to confirm you want to change the names.

All shapes should now be using the new names and Bill of Materials & 2D drawings should be reading this new name from now on.

WARNING:
Please keep in mind this tool is more "powerful" than what we used it here for. It can completely change a structure if you map the shapes the wrong way, for example changing all L3x3x¼ to WT3x4.5 

 

Cheers,


TgL