RAM DA - Trouble getting GetMemberForces to work

Question

I'm attempting to retrieve the design forces for the start/end of the member from RAM structural systems using VBA and running into a problem with the GetMemberForces command. 
 Below is an example of how I'm attempting to extract the strong shear at the start of the beam: 
 Dim lMemberID As Long Dim lAnalysisCaseID As Long Dim bApplyLLReduction As Long Dim dMx_maj As Double Dim test As SForce 
 Set IForces = RamDataAcc1.GetDispInterfacePointerByEnum(IForces2_INT) r1 = test.dVx_maj startMajShear = IForces.GetMemberForces(lMemberID, eStart, lAnalysisCaseID, RAMGravityResultType, bApplyLLReduction, r1) 
 What am I misunderstanding?

Eric Helmueller · Accepted Answer

The DataAccess manual installs with RAM Structural System under the Manuals folder. Take a look at the GetMemberForces method in the IForces2 interface. 
 startMajShear is a return argument for the method. This is a COM code to see if the method call passes or fails for some reason. lMemberID is an input argument. Make sure you are passing in a valid member unique ID. lAnalysisCaseID is an input arguement. Make sure you are passing in a valid analysis case ID. bApplyLLReduction is an input arguement. Make sure you are passing in 0 or 1. r1 should be changed to test since the last argument is a return argument with type SForce. After test is set by the method, then you can use the command r1 = test.dVx_maj 
 You appear to be looking for RAM Gravity forces for steel beams. I prefer to use the GetGravBeamForcesLeftAt method in the IForces1 interface. The attached Excel VBA example uses that method, so use it as a reference. The macro finds gravity steel beam reactions a little differently than RAM Steel Beam. When there are cantilever beams, it reports the reaction on both sides of the support rather than a single reaction at the support. . DA Gravity Steel Beam Reactions.xls