User Tool: Extract Design Parameter List from STAAD
Created by: Surojit Ghosh
Description:
This is an excel based OpenSTAAD macro which can extract design parameter values directly from STAAD model. If you open any complete STAAD model with design parameters assigned under a design block and run this excel macro, then depending on the selected inputs, design parameter values are extracted in the excel for selected or all members with specific material.
This User Tool can extract design parameter values for –
- Selected design block
- All or selected members
- Default and user defined parameter values are extracted.
Pre-requisites:
- You need MS Excel to open and run this macro.
- This macro is supported only in STAAD.Pro CONNECT Edition V22 or higher version. It is locked for all other STAAD.Pro versions.
- Before using this user tool, check whether a single STAAD model is opened or not. If multiple STAAD files are opened, then from the first instance of STAAD, design parameters will be extracted. If no STAAD model is opened, then process terminates with error message.
- At least one design block must be present in the model with design parameters assigned to one or multiple members. If no design block is added in the model, then extraction process terminates with warning.
- OpenSTAAD functions work with Base unit setup. Check and select Base unit from STAAD for the unit of extracted parameter values.
How to Use:
Step 1: Open a STAAD.Pro model first.
Step 2: Open the Design Parameter Table_v1.2.xlsm file (macro enabled excel file). If prompted, enable the macro, and enable the content.
Step 3: In the user tools interrace (see figure), first provide the inputs in the Input Block, then click on the Get Design Parameter tab to extract all the design parameter values from a specific design block.
You can clear the extracted results before the next run using Clear Results tab.
For more information about this user tool, click on the Help tab.
Video Tutorial:
Check the following video tutorial to know more about this code and about different inputs and output values.
User Tools: Extract Design Parameter List from STAAD
Check the following video tutorial to know more about excel based macro.
Linking STAAD to Excel: An Overview
Help document file is uploaded in the following location.
Help Manual
Warnings:
Several warning messages have been included in the code to inform the user about any possible incorrect input values. Check the warning and accordingly specify input values or modify STAAD model.
Note that, if any incorrect inputs are provided, then extracted parameter values will be incorrect.
Revision History:
Version 1.0 – Publish date: 29th June 2021.
Version 1.1 -- Publish date: 1st July 2021. (Minor update -- If any user defined parameter value is assigned to any member, that will be highlighted in RED color)
Version 1.2 -- Publish date: 21st July 2021.(Major update-- STAAD file name and unit system is now reported along with the elapsed time for result extraction. A table is also generated for the design parameter list.)
Disclaimer:
This macro is not a part of the standard Bentley implementation process and has not gone through the standard QA procedures. This macro has been created by technical team for their own purposes and sharing for the benefit of the Bentley Structural Users. User of this tool should validate the results produced by the macro with their own test cases and responsibility of results produced by this macro does not rest with the technical team.