During my last project I kept track of time lost as a result of deficiencies, bugs, outdated technology, and lack of proper tools in STAAD Pro. I estimated that approximately 32% of the total hours were wasted. This time could be saved if I were using high quality software like Scia Engineer, Dlubal RFEM, SAP/ETABS, or Midas. As I don’t have choice to use other software, I would appreciate comments, guides, links to add-on(s), etc. that can help me to resolve some of the issues listed below and use software more effectively:
Geometry/Modeling/GUI
Loads
Results
Note: Format and structure of the output file is arguably the worst I have seen among not only commercial, but also free structural software. I hope developers will do something about this.
Design (all the items relate to Canadian Steel Code):
Thanks
As I mentioned, the platform that STAAD.Pro is built on makes it difficult to enhance in terms of the CAD type tools you are asking about.
If you are looking for an alternative that is immediately available, I suggest you have a look at Bentley's AECOSim Building Designer. It is quite sophisticated from the standpoint of model generation and it can produce a STAAD file.
Kris - " Set New Member Attributes" is certainly an useful tool (that I am using very often), but what I meant was that there should be a toolbar with typical drafting tools (like line, arc, circle, polyline, polygon, rectangle, ...) to draw simple line elements. Once geometry is completed, lines are converted to actual members (beams, columns, bracings, ....). Modifying is again done on line elements level. Competitor products have included this feature long ago.
Kris,
I'm not sure you answered Ram_STAAD's question. Are the existing bugs in STAAD.Pro going to be fixed? I realize as long as you keep developing STAAD.Pro new bugs will pop up and one day you will finally pull the plug and STAAD.Pro will cease development but sasa3k has brought up some good points that have only partially been answered.
Also, I'm not sure the comparison you made particular holds water. To me STAAD.Pro is an improvement, granted a major one, to STAAD III, whereas STAAD(X) is a whole new animal. Remember STAAD Pre (I think that's what it was called), the front end GUI for STAAD III? Wow, how could we users not have been happy with a change to that stinker? The company I was with finally quit using STAAD in the mid-nineties. When I came back to using STAAD in about 2005, it was now STAAD.Pro. Still basically the same ole STAAD but with a much nicer more reliable GUI. But I digress. There are other threads where we can pick up the STAAD(X) discussion. I would like to ask that we get back on track with sasa's original question.
Thanks.
Back in the late 90's early 2000's when STAAD.Pro replaced its predecessor which was called STAAD-III, the company made a significant amount of effort to make the transition from STAAD-III to STAAD.Pro as painless as possible. Over time, users realized that STAAD.Pro was a better product than STAAD-III.
We are certain that Bentley will try to accomodate the interests of as many users as possible during the transition from STAAD.Pro to STAAD(X).
I understand that. And I appreciate the effort put in to developing a better product. My concern and question is whether or not will we be able to make use of the new package under existing product licenses.
Surely, if we have to go for a new license for STAAD (X), it is as good as purchasing a new package altogether!
That said, I am really alarmed that any new product would invalidate the support and further development of the existing product. In our case, STAAD Pro. Since we have pointed out existing issues with the package, can we expect them to be addressed in subsequent release versions of the product? Or are you going to leave us stranded in no man's land?!