In this document, we are going to learn how to display various parameters of steel and rebar in the tooltip.
First of all, we need to enable the ProStructures tooltip. The object tooltip can be activated via Global Settings or Options either right click and then click to Options or going via File > Settings > User > Global Settings. Now, under Snaps page one need to check the box for Enable ProStructures tooltip.
One can also switch it on or off via PS Toggle buttons.
There are two ways to access the tooltips.ini file. The first way is by going to the default location and access the file. And the second is from Global Settings, for that first you need to activate the Expert Mode under the Dialog Settings page and this will then brings a new File page. And under this File page, you can find the Object ToolTips button that will opens the tooltips.ini file.
Please follow the below steps to customize tooltips.ini file.
1. Go to the following path and copy the tooltips.ini file on desktop because files under Program Files are write protected.
Path: C:\Program Files\Bentley\ProStructures CONNECT Edition\ProStructures\Default\appl\Data
2. Open the copied tooltip.ini file. In the below image you can see the default Display of the various parameter for ‘Display’ and ‘RebarDisplay’. Display is basically for steel elements and second one RebarDisplay is for rebar elements.
3. There are two ways to define the display of tooltips. See the following examples.
i. \n%LABEL – POSNUM% %POSNUM%
By using this syntax, the default name of the above parameter will display in the model and these default labels are provided for only the more commonly used properties.
ii. \nAreaClassName=%AREACLASSNAME%
By using this syntax, you have the ability to display the required parameter of your choice. In the above example ‘AreaClassName’ will be displayed in the model for AREACLASSNAME property. You can give any name for example.
\nAreaClass=%AREACLASSNAME%.
4. In the same way you can display the rebar parameters also.
5. After customizing tooltip file save and close, then copy and replace this file in the same location from where we have copied this.
6. Now, launch the ProStructures application and place any element, hover over on that element and you can see the newly added display tooltip.
In this manner, we can add our required parameters in the tooltips file to display those in the model.