Xsteel Ing.

Tekla Structures 12
Release Notes
Product version 12
June 2006
Copyright © 2006 Tekla Corporation

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Contents
1 Tekla Structures 12.0 Steel Detailing .................................................... 5

1.1 General .................................................................................................. 6
Improvements in installing Tekla Structures...................................... 6
Working with single-user and multi-user models................................ 7
Improvements in creating, opening, and saving models ..................... 7
Improvements in working with objects.inp file.................................. 10
Gradient background color in model views ..................................... 10
Icons in menus ............................................................................ 12
Templates and reports.................................................................. 12
Miscellaneous.............................................................................. 14
1.2 Modeling............................................................................................... 18
Nested assemblies....................................................................... 18
Grid line labels always visible........................................................ 23
Create, select, and modify single grid lines..................................... 24
Add surface treatment to the entire surface of a part ....................... 27
Selecting a profile ........................................................................ 28
Warping steel parts ...................................................................... 29
Points not created automatically at ends of parts ............................ 30
Object representation ................................................................... 33
Miscellaneous.............................................................................. 34
1.3 Drawings .............................................................................................. 35
Saving and freezing associative drawings ...................................... 35
Nested assemblies in drawings ..................................................... 36
Anchor bolt plan........................................................................... 38
Display large dimension values more clearly................................... 39
Improvements in level marks......................................................... 41
Release Notes 1
Define elevation level.................................................................... 42
Create plate side marks on dimension leader lines .......................... 42
Improvements in section symbols .................................................. 43
Group identical objects on the same dimension line......................... 46
Highlight changes in associative dimensions................................... 49
Miscellaneous .............................................................................. 49
1.4 Import and export................................................................................... 53
Miscellaneous .............................................................................. 53
1.5 Custom components .............................................................................. 54
Define and create connections for custom parts .............................. 54
Miscellaneous .............................................................................. 55
1.6 Components.......................................................................................... 56
Miscellaneous .............................................................................. 56
Connections................................................................................. 57
Details......................................................................................... 59
Cold rolled ................................................................................... 62
2 Release Notes
2 Tekla Structures 12.0 Precast Concrete Detailing ............................. 63
2.1 General ................................................................................................ 64
Improvements in installing Tekla Structures................................... 64
Working with single-user and multi-user models.............................. 65
Improvements in creating, opening, and saving models ................... 66
Improvements in working with objects.inp file.................................. 68
Gradient background color in model views ..................................... 69
Icons in menus ............................................................................ 71
Templates and reports.................................................................. 71
Miscellaneous.............................................................................. 73
2.2 Modeling............................................................................................... 77
Nested assemblies...................................................................... 77
Grid line labels always visible........................................................ 83
Create, select, and modify single grid lines..................................... 84
Add surface treatment to the entire surface of a part ....................... 88
Selecting a profile ........................................................................ 89
Points not created automatically at ends of parts ............................ 90
Object representation ................................................................... 93
Miscellaneous.............................................................................. 94
2.3 Drawings .............................................................................................. 96
Saving and freezing associative drawings ...................................... 96
Nested assemblies in drawings ..................................................... 97
Anchor bolt plan........................................................................... 98
Display large dimension values more clearly................................... 99
Improvements in level marks....................................................... 101
Define elevation level ................................................................. 102
Create plate side marks on dimension leader lines........................ 102
Improvements in section symbols ................................................ 103
Group identical objects on the same dimension line ...................... 106
Highlight changes in associative dimensions ................................ 108
Miscellaneous............................................................................ 109
2.4 Import and export ................................................................................ 113
Miscellaneous............................................................................ 113
2.5 Custom components ............................................................................ 114
Release Notes 3
Define and create connections for custom parts ............................ 114
Miscellaneous ............................................................................ 114
2.6 Components........................................................................................ 116
New components........................................................................ 116
Miscellaneous ............................................................................ 117
Details....................................................................................... 118
2.7 Reinforcement ..................................................................................... 120
Miscellaneous ............................................................................ 120
3 Tekla Structures 12.0 Analysis and Design ...................................... 121

Analysis model interfaces............................................................ 121
Miscellaneous ............................................................................ 122
4 Tekla Structures 12.0 Project Management ...................................... 125

Miscellaneous ............................................................................ 125
4 Release Notes
1 Tekla Structures 12.0
Steel Detailing
Tekla Structures version 12.0 is a main release and contains many new features
and fixes.
Compatibility Tekla Structures 12.0 is compatible with all previous versions. You can open and
work with existing models using Tekla Structures 12.0. Note the following
issues:
• Updating drawings created with an older version of Tekla Structures
in Tekla Structures 12.0 may cause problems. We recommend that
you complete any drawings you have started using your current ver-
sion or recreate the drawings using Tekla Structures 12.0.
• To avoid conversion problems, always open a model created with an
older version of Tekla Structures as a single-user model first.
• We recommend that you always check that custom components cre-
ated in older versions work correctly in the new version of Tekla
Structures.
When you open custom components made with an older version of Tekla
Structures in the Custom component editor, Tekla Structures asks whether
you want to update the component if the new version contains such improve-
ments which require the update. If you do not update the component, it
works in the same manner as in the version where it was originally made,
but you do not gain the benefits of the new improvements.
If you choose to update the component, you need to check and sometimes
even recreate dimensions depending on the improvements. When you delete
a dimension and create a new one (even with the same name), also the equa-
tions containing the dimension need to be edited because the dependency
created by the equation is lost when a dimension is deleted. You can recreate
the dimensions and edit the equations easily in the Custom component edi-
tor.
Release Notes 5
Tekla Structures 12.0 Steel Detailing
We suggest that you complete any models you have started using your current
version.
Once you save a model in Tekla Structures 12.0, you can no

longer open it in older versions of Tekla Structures.
Installing Tekla Structures setup creates a new subfolder for Tekla Structures 12.0.
You need Windows Administrator rights to install Tekla Structures 12.0. This
ensures that all Windows system folder *.dll files are updated.
Topics This chapter is divided into following sections:
• General (p. 6)
• Modeling (p. 18)
• Drawings (p. 35)
• Import and export (p. 53)
• Custom components (p. 54)
• Components (p. 56)
1.1 General
Improvements in installing Tekla Structures

• Your password file is installed automatically.
• When you install Tekla Structures from CD, the online help is auto-
matically installed.
• You can now install additional environments without having to rein-
stall Tekla Structures. Download the environment installation files
from the Extranet at https://extranet.tekla.com.
• Tekla Structures 12.0 installation includes new SafeNet Sentinel
driver 7.22, which allows both USB and LPT hardware locks to
work.
Sometimes you may need to install the harware lock driver manually. In
Tekla Structures 12.0, the manual installation is no longer located in the
...\nt\dongle folder. You can now start the up-to-date hardware lock driver
installation manually from the C:\TeklaStructures\License\Sentinel_setup
folder. Double-click the file C:\TeklaStruc-
tures\License\Sentinel_setup\setup.exe to start the manual installation.
6 Release Notes
Working with single-user and multi-user models
You no longer have to choose single or multi-user mode when starting Tekla
Structures.
When you create a model, use the the Model Type option in New dialog box to cre-
ate the model as a multi-user model or as a single-user model.
It is now possible to open a any model in either single or multi-user mode. Select
the mode by selecting an option on the right-click popup menu in the Open dialog
box:
You no longer need to use the variable XS_SERVER identify the

server that contains the multi-user database.
See also Improvements in creating, opening, and saving models (p. 7)
Improvements in creating, opening, and saving models

It is now easier to create and open a model, and to save a model with a different
name.
Release Notes 7
Creating a new Enter the location for the model in the Save in field, or accept the default loca-
model tion, which is the location entered when Tekla Structures was installed. (The
default location in the installation is C:\TeklaStructuresModels).
Click the Browse button to open the Browse For Folder dialog box, where you can
browse for a folder or create a new folder.
Use the Model Type field to define whether the model is a single-user or a multi-
user model. For a multi-user model, enter the name of the server in the Server
name field.
Opening a model To open a model, click File > Open. To browse for a model, click the Browse but-
ton to open the Browse For Folder dialog box. The information in the Designer
and Description columns comes from the Project properties dialog box.
To open a single-user model as a multi-user model:

1. Select the model in the Open dialog box and right-click.
2. Select the Open as multi-user model option.
8 Release Notes
3. Enter the name of the server in the Server name field. Click OK.
To open a multi-user model as a single-user model:

2. Select the Open as single-user model option.

When you open or create a model, the Open and New dialog boxes now include a
list of the most recently used models.
Saving a model To save a model with a different name, click File > Save as and enter a name in
with a different the Model name field. Click OK.
name
Release Notes 9
Improvements in working with objects.inp file
The Tekla Structures installation automatically merges any user-defined
attributes you have previously defined into the objects.inp file. It searches for the
objects.inp file in the following folders, in this order:
Folder Defined by variable

Model
Project XS_PROJECT
Firm XS_FIRM
System XS_SYSTEM
inp XS_INP
The user-defined attributes it finds are added to the user interface. If the same
attribute name exists in more than one objects.inp files, Tekla Structures uses the
attribute from the first read file, according to the search order defined above.
For more information on how to use the objects.inp file, see Adding properties.
Gradient background color in model views

Use the new option to create a gradient color background in a model view to
ensure parts drawn in a single color are visible in the view.
10 Release Notes
To set the colors for a gradient background, set the following variables in Tools >
Advanced options > Model view:
• XS_BACKGROUND_COLOR1: left-top corner.

• XS_BACKGROUND_COLOR2: right-top corner.
• XS_BACKGROUND_COLOR3: left-bottom corner.
• XS_BACKGROUND_COLOR4: right-bottom corner.
Enter the colors as RGB (Red Green Blue) values. The scale is from 0 to 1. For
example, 1.0 1.0 1.0 is white and 0.0 0.0 0.0 is black. To use the traditional sin-
gle-color background, use the same value for all four variables. Close and reopen
the view to activate the changes.
To restore default values, clear the values in all four variables.
Release Notes 11
Icons in menus
Menus now include the command icons, which makes it easier to locate icons on
toolbars:
Templates and reports

Listing the main part first
The variables XS_PRIMARY_PART_FIRST and
XS_PRIMARY_PART_FIRST_PART have been removed from the Advanced
options dialog box. The variables are no longer needed in Template Editor 3.20
or 3.30 as you can define the template so that main part is listed first in part lists.
To do this:
12 Release Notes
1. In Template Editor 3.20 or 3.30, add the value field MAIN_PART to PART
row.
2. Drag the MAIN_PART field to the top of the search order in the Content
browser.
3. Select descending sort order by:
• Double-clicking the SIMILAR_TO_MAIN_PART field to open the
Value Field Properties dialog box, and
• selecting Descending in the in the Order field.
4. If desired, select the Hide in output field.
If the assembly contains more parts which are similar to the assembly main part,
use the template attribute SIMILAR_TO_MAIN_PART:
1. In the Template Editor, add value field SIMILAR_TO_MAIN_PART to PART
row.
2. Drag the SIMILAR_TO_MAIN_PART field to the top of the sort order in the
Content browser.
5. The attribute returns 1 if the position number of the given part is the same as
the position number of the main part in the assembly.
Miscellaneous fixes
• You can now use the attribute MODEL_PATH in all content types to
find the path to the current model, for example C:\TeklaStructures-
Models\New Model 1\.
• You can now also use the attributes TITLE1, TITLE2 and TITLE3 in
template rows.
Release Notes 13
Miscellaneous
New Features Tutorial
Tekla Structures 12.0 includes a New Features Tutorial, which presents features
released in Tekla Structures 11.1, 11.2, 11.3 and 12.0. Each feature contains a
description with pictures. Some features also include interactive video lessons
that show you how to use the new feature.
To access the New Features Tutorial, click Help > Learning Center > New Features
Tutorial.
Performance improvements
The following now work faster and use less memory:
• Array of objects (29) component
• Associative drawings containing objects created with Array of objects
(29).
Rollover highlight
The rollover highlight makes it easier to select objects, by highlighting each part
in yellow as the pointer moves over it. To switch this feature on, click Setup >
Rollover highlight.
To switch off the rollover highlight, click Setup and deselect Rollover high-
light..You can also use the keyboard shortcut H to turn the rollover highlight on or
off.
Log file
• The message panel now displays also the time.
14 Release Notes
• When you use the Tools > Show log file command to display the log
file, Tekla Structures now scrolls to the end of the file automatically.
Managing views
Selecting views Selecting visible and named views is now easier in Tekla Structures 12.0. The
arrow buttons you use to open and close views in the Views dialog box are now
only active when you have selected a view.
Release Notes 15
Creating views When you create a view using Views > Create view > Grid views, the grid is now
selected automatically if there is only one grid in the view. If there are several
grids, Tekla Structures prompts you to select a view:
16 Release Notes
Bringing a view Now when you select a view in the Visible views list in the Views dialog box, the
on top selected view moves to the top. If you have selected multiple views, all selected
views will be moved up, with the first one on the list on top. Also, when you
select a view in the model, it is automatically selected in the Visible views list.
Navigating in the model

Navigating in the model is smoother when you are for example rotating a large
model, because Tekla Structures now draws the model first in wire frame as you
are moving the model.
Re-displaying warning messages

Tekla Structures displays warning messages when necessary, for example when
you are about to copy or move objects outside the work area. To prevent Tekla
Structures from displaying the warning messages again, select the Do not show
this message again checkbox.
To re-display the warning messages, press Shift when the warning message
should appear, for example when you are copying or moving objects outside the
work area, and Tekla Structures displays the warning message again.
Release Notes 17
1.2 Modeling
Nested assemblies
Description You can now add sub-assemblies and parts to already existing assemblies. A
sub-assembly is an assembly that is added to another assembly to form a hierar-
chical assembly. We use the term nested assemblies to describe this type of
assembly.
Using nested assemblies is useful when you are modeling split trusses, brackets,
railings or pipe racks, for example.
A sub-assembly is treated in the same way as an assembly in Tekla Structures:
• It gets its own assembly mark
• It appears in lists of materials in templates and reports.
You can create a separate assembly drawing of a sub-assembly. For more infor-
mation, see Nested assemblies in drawings (p. 36).
18 Release Notes
Example of a nested assembly:
Selecting Activate the Select assemblies switch on the Select toolbar so that you
assemblies can select any level of a nested assembly, from the highest, through the sub-
assemblies, down to single parts and bolts. The level of the assembly you have
selected is displayed on the status bar.
With this switch active, each assembly is highlighted as you move the pointer
over it. To move to a specific level in the assembly, with it highlighted, press
Shift and scroll the mouse wheel.
Release Notes 19
To be able to select objects in assemblies, activate the Select objects in assem-
blies switch on the Select toolbar.

For more information on how to select assemblies, see How to select objects in
the Modeling manual.
20 Release Notes
Assembly To view the properties of an assembly, select it, right click and select Properties...
properties from the pop-up menu.
You can also define user-defined attribute values for assemblies in the same dia-
log box.
Modifying The right-click pop-up menu also includes several new options, which you can
assemblies use to modify assemblies:
Release Notes 21
These options are also on the main menu, under Detailing > Assembly.
You can modify assemblies by:
• Adding objects to assemblies
• Removing objects from assemblies
• Exploding assemblies
• Changing the assembly part
You can combine assemblies in the following ways:
• Add and connect parts as secondary parts to an existing assembly
• Add and connect assemblies as sub-assemblies to an existing assembly
• Join existing assemblies together without adding any loose parts
For more information on the different commands to use when working with
assemblies and cast-units, see Cast units and assemblies.
Numbering of Sub-assemblies are numbered in same way as assemblies.
nested
assemblies Define the prefix, start number and name for the assembly in the assembly prop-
erties dialog box.
22 Release Notes
Filter
In Tekla Structures 12.0 it is not yet possible to view or select
filter by assembly user-defined attributes or by nested assem-
blies.
User-defined For information about defining user-defined attributes for assemblies, see User-
attributes defined attributes.
Grid line labels always visible

Grid labels are now always visible when the grid lines are visible. This allows
you to zoom in and still know where you are in the model.
To modify the font used in grid labels, use the variables XS_DEFAULT_FONT and
XS_DEFAULT_FONT_SIZE in Tools > Advanced options > Model view.
You can now use special characters, such as umlauts, accents, and circumflexes,
as well as combined characters, such as e acute, in grid labels.
Release Notes 23
Create, select, and modify single grid lines
In addition to creating entire grids, you can now create single grid lines, and
select, modify, copy, and move individual gridlines. Gridlines now also have
handles.
Creating single To create a single grid line:
grid lines
1. Go to Points > Grid line or click the Create grid line icon.
2. Select the grid.
3. Pick the first position for the grid line.
4. Pick the second position for the grid line.
24 Release Notes
Grid and grid line Define the properties of the grid line in the Grid line properties dialog box. For
properties more information, see Grid properties in the Modeling manual.
If there are skewed grid lines in the model, setting the grid properties back to the
original settings is not possible. To revert to the original settings, delete the
skewed grid line first and then modify the settings.
Release Notes 25
Selecting grids Use the Select grid and Select grid line select switches to select
and grid lines grids and grid lines.
Working with grid For more information on creating, modifying and deleting single grid lines, see
lines Working with grids in the Modeling manual.
Magnetic grid planes

The Magnetic grid plane and Extension for magnetic area options have been added
to the Grid dialog box.
• Save the model before editing magnetic grids and grid

planes.
• Rotating a magnetic grid may not yet function correctly in
Tekla Structures 12.0.
• Avoid overlapping of magnetic grid planes. When needed,
modify the grid planes in several steps to prevent the over-
lapping.
Checking the You may sometimes need to check the location of grid planes for example to see
location of grid if parts are close enough to a magnetic grid plane that you have moved. To do
planes this:
1. Go to Tools > Advanced options > Model view and set the variable
XS_GRID_PLANES_VISIBLE_WITH_USERPLANES to TRUE.
2. Go to Properties > View...
3. Click Display...
4. In the Display dialog box,select the Construction planes checkbox in Visibil-
ity.
Improvements in grids
• Edit > Undo works on grids and grid lines.
• You can use copy and move commands on grids. For example, copy
an entire grid by selecting the grid and using the Edit > Copy > Trans-
late... command.
26 Release Notes
Add surface treatment to the entire surface of a part
You can now add a surface treatment to the entire surface of a part by using the
Create part surface treatment command. For more information, see Create
part surface treatment in the online help.
Release Notes 27
Selecting surface To select the entire surface treatment of a part:
treatment
1. Click the Select component icon in the Select switches toolbar.

2. Pick the surface treatment to select it.
To select surface treatment on a face of a part:
1. Click the Select objects in components icon in the Select switches

toolbar.
2. Pick the surface treatment.
Remove surface To remove surface treatment from faces of a part:
treatment

toolbar.
2. Pick the surface treatment on the face of a part.
3. Right-click and select Delete from the pop-up menu.
Selecting a profile
The Select profile dialog box has been improved to make it easier to select a pro-
file for a part or a component object.
• Library and parametric profiles are not in separate lists any more, but
they are displayed in the same tree structure.
• Only the relevant profiles for a steel object are displayed on the
Select profile dialog box.
For more information on selecting a profile and defining the material of profiles,
see Profile in the Modeling manual.
28 Release Notes
Warping steel parts
You can now use the warping functionality also in Steel Detailing configuration.
To warp a steel beam:
1. Double-click the beam to open the Beam properties dialog box and go to the
Deforming tab.
2. In the Start field, enter the angle of the beam at its start point, relative to the
part reference line.
3. In the End field, enter the angle of the beam at its end point, relative to the
part reference line.
For example, to warp the beam 40 degrees at the start point, enter 40 in the
Start angle field and 0 in the End angle field.
4. Click Modify to warp the beam.
5. Click OK to close the Beam properties dialog box.
Rotating by entering numeric values in the fields that define rotation in system
components still works in the same manner as before.
Release Notes 29
Points not created automatically at ends of parts
Tekla Structures no longer automatically creates points at the ends of parts. This
uses less memory and reduces processing time. It also means that you do not
have to redraw the view as often. If you need a point at the end of a part, you can
still create it manually. For more information, see Creating points in the Online
help.
You can use part handles and snapping to create and move parts. See the follow-
ing examples.
Select handles To select the handles of a part:
1. Select the part.
2. Hold down the Alt key and drag the pointer from left to right to select the
part. Tekla Structures displays the handles of the part. The handle at the end
that was the first point picked to create the part is yellow and the handle at
the other end is magenta.
30 Release Notes
Move objects By selecting handles you are able to, for example, move objects more easily.
1. Select both of the objects by pressing the Ctrl key and picking the objects.
2. Hold down the Alt key and drag the pointer from left to right to select both
parts again.
3. Select the handle in the middle of the two objects and right-click.
4. Select Move > Translate from the pop-up menu and enter coordinates to
move the two objects.
5. Click Move. Tekla Structures moves the two objects.
Release Notes 31
Snap to reference To make it possible to pick part handles, activate the Snap to reference points
points
switch on the Snap toolbar. As you move the pointer over a part handle,
the snap symbols appears. Left click to select the part handle.
Part reference When you pick two points to position a part, these points form the part reference
lines line, and handles appear at the line ends. You can snap to and pick these handles.
You can define the visibility of the part reference line in the Display dialog box.
To show the part reference line:
2. Click the Display... button to open the Display dialog box.
3. In the Advanced tab, check the box in Part reference line field.
4. Click Modify and OK.

See also Handles in the online help.
32 Release Notes
How to select objects in the online help.
Snapping in the online help.
Object representation
To create customized presentation of objects in Tekla Structures 12.0, use object
representation settings.
You can use the object representation settings in the following ways:
• Modify the color of objects in the model view. The Object representa-
tion dialog box replaces the Colors dialog box, which was available in
previous versions.
• Modify the visibility of objects in the model view.
• Create customized presentation of defined object groups.
To open the Object representation dialog box, click Setup > Object representa-
tion...:
For more information on how to use the object representation settings, see
Object representation settings and Object representation example in the
online help.
Release Notes 33
Object groups are set of rules with which you group objects by selected proper-
ties and conditions. Use the object groups:
• In Object representation dialog box to control the visibility and color-
ing of objects in all views.
• In 4D tool, in the Project Manager configuration.
For more information on object groups, see Object groups and Object group
rules in the online help.
Miscellaneous
Numbering
• When you use the Clear numbers command, Tekla Structures now
displays a message after numbers have been cleared.
Views
• If you try to open more than nine views, Tekla Structures now displays
a warning message.
• Curved parts with profiles that had small values for size were dis-
played as straight lines in rendered views. This has been fixed.
Surface treatment
• The Select button next to the Material option in Surface treatment
properties dialog box is now grayed out when it is not possible to
select a material.
Lotting
• When you used the Lotting dialog box to create lots, Tekla Structures
displayed weight in kilograms, regardless of the unit set in Tools >
Units and decimals dialog box. This has been fixed.
34 Release Notes
Sketching
• Opening and closing the sketch editor sometimes took a long time in
large models. This has been fixed.
Numeric snapping
You can now start entering the coordinates in the Enter a numeric location dialog
box by pressing the decimal key on the numeric pad first.
1.3 Drawings
Saving and freezing associative drawings

When you have frozen a drawing in Tekla Structures 12.0, the
changes that you make to associative objects afterwards in the
model are will no longer appear in the drawing.
When you change a drawing and then save it, Tekla Structures asks you whether
you want to keep the changes. To prevent the drawing from being updated auto-
matically, select the Disable automatic updating checkbox:
You can still open a general arrangement drawing, unfreeze it, and then re-open it
to automatically update the drawing with recent changes.
Release Notes 35
To re-enable automatic updating in a frozen drawing:
1. Go to Drawing > List... to open the drawing list.
2. Select the drawing.
3. Right-click and select Freeze > Off from the popup menu.
Previously when you updated an assembly, single-part or cast unit drawing with-
out freezing the drawing, the drawing was re-created. Now the drawing is no
longer re-created. This means that you must know whether the changes should be
shown when you are updating the drawing.
To recreate the drawing:
2. Select the drawing you want to recreate.
3. Right-click and select Recreate from the popup menu.
See also Highlight changes in associative dimensions (p. 49) in the Release notes.
Nested assemblies in drawings

You can create assembly drawings of sub-assemblies. Creating sub-assemblies in
the model allows you to produce less complicated drawings, which are easier to
read and to understand. This reduces the risk of errors in the shop.
36 Release Notes
This assembly drawing of a truss is This assembly drawing of part of the
complicated and hard to read. same truss was created using a sub-
assembly. It is much easier to read.
Marks You can define the visibility, content, and appearance of marks for sub-assem-
blies in assembly drawings. You can also use part marks to display the assembly
hierarchy in general arrangement drawings. For more information, see Mark
content in the Drawing manual.
Bolts and welds You can define the visiblity of bolts and welds separately for sub-assemblies in
the Bolt properties and Weld properties dialog box.
Dimensioning You can also define the dimensioning properties for sub-assemblies in assembly
drawings. For more information, see Dimensioning nested assemblies in the
Drawing manual.
Sub-assemblies With Tekla Structures you can produce templates and reports that show the hier-
in templates and archical structure of nested assemblies. For more information, see Producing
reports reports on nested assemblies.
Release Notes 37
Anchor bolt plan
An anchor bolt plan is a type of general arrangement drawing that displays the
the layout of anchor bolts for a structure.
You can automatically create anchor bolt plans in Tekla Structures 12.0. For
more information, see Creating anchor bolt plans in the Drawing manual.
You can create both enlarged views and detail views in anchor bolt plans. Tekla
Structures groups together identical detail views, so that they only appear once in
a drawing. If detail views are not included in a drawing, Tekla Structures displays
bolt sizes in the enlarged view.
38 Release Notes
Display large dimension values more clearly
You can now use different number formats for dimensions to make large dimen-
sions easier to read in shop and erection drawings. For example you could format
15432 to appear as 15,432 or 15 432.
To do this, select the Use grouping checkbox in the Dimension properties dialog
box and select a format.
Release Notes 39
Use the variables XS_DIMENSION_DIGIT_GROUPING_CHARACTER to
define the separator and XS_DIMENSION_DIGIT_GROUPING_COUNT to
define the number format (in Tools > Advanced options > Dimensioning: general).
40 Release Notes
Improvements in level marks
The General tab in the Level mark properties dialog box now includes fields that
enable you to define the appearance of level marks:
For information, see Create > Level mark in the online help.
Release Notes 41
Define elevation level
You now have the option to define the elevation level in general arrangement
drawings and in drawing views also according to the view plane.
The datum point for general arrangement drawings is set automatically when cre-
ating floor plan views. This saves your time and avoids errors during drawing
creation.
To define the datum level:
1. Go to Properties > Drawing...
2. Click View... to display the view properties dialog box.
3. In the Attributes tab, do one of the following:
• To set a specified datum level, select Specified in the Datum point
for elevations field. Then enter a specific value in the Datum level
field.
• To set the datum level according to the view plane, select View
plane in the Datum point for elevations field.
Create plate side marks on dimension leader lines

You can now create plate side marks on dimension leader lines. Plate side marks
indicate whether the dimension point is to the face or center of, for example, a
plate, web or flange. This is particularly useful:
• In complex drawings
• In large-scale drawings, where it can be difficult to see which part a
leader line is pointing to.
To create plate side marks:
1. Click Properties > Dimension... to open the Dimension properties dialog box.
2. In the Plate side marks section of the Marks tab, set Type to Specified.
3. Define the properties of the plate side marks if required.
42 Release Notes
For more information, see Marks in the Drawing manual.
Improvements in section symbols

New options in the Section symbol properties dialog box allow you to define
arrow head size, arrow length, and the distance between the symbol and the sec-
tion:
Release Notes 43
Define the appearance of the arrow head symbol
You can now also define the appearance of the arrow head symbol in the Tools >
Advanced options > Drawing properties dialog box using the following variables:
• XS_SECTION_SYMBOL_LEFT_ARROW_SYMBOL
Modify the value for a different appearance, for example sections@0.
• XS_SECTION_SYMBOL_RIGHT_ARROW_SYMBOL
If you do not set these variables, Tekla Structures uses the traditional style arrow
head symbol in the drawings.
In the example above, the variables

XS_SECTION_SYMBOL_LEFT_ARROW_SYMBOL and
XS_SECTION_SYMBOL_RIGHT_ARROW_SYMBOL have been set to sections@2.
This section view symbol includes the location of the section view.
If the arrow length is equal to zero, Tekla Structures places the text in the middle
of the arrow symbol. Otherwise Tekla Structures places the text along the cut
line.
44 Release Notes
Aligning section symbols
The variable XS_ALIGN_CUT_SYMBOL_BY_VERTICAL_LINE in the Tools >
Advanced options > Drawing properties dialog box only works on when you open
drawings created with Tekla Structures 11.3 or older in Tekla Structures 12.0.
Set the variable to TRUE, to position the cut symbol on the vertical line. Leave the
variable blank to offset the symbol from the vertical line by the size of the arrow
multiplied by 1.25.
Here the variable is set to

TRUE. Use this option to indi-
cate the exact location of the
section view.
Here the variable has been

left blank. This is useful
when the direction is more
important than the location.
The variable XS_ALIGN_CUT_SYMBOL_BY_VERTICAL_LINE is

effective now only when you are converting a drawing created
with Tekla Structures 11.3 or older into Tekla Structures 12.0
(or greater).
You no longer have to restart Tekla Structures to activate changes to this variable.
Release Notes 45
Group identical objects on the same dimension line
You can now group identical parts, bolts, components, and cuts or shapes on the
same dimension line. You can choose to automatically create dimension line
tags, or to define the contents of tags manually.
To group identical objects on one dimension line:
1. In the drawing, right-click and select Properties... from the pop-up menu to
open the drawing properties dialog box.
2. Click Dimensioning... to open the dimensioning properties dialog box. Go to
the Dimension grouping tab. You have the following options:
• Activate dimension grouping: Select which objects you want to
group.
• Grouping properties: Indicate the elements that must be identical.
• Automatic tagging: Indicate the information to include in dimen-
sion line tags that are created automatically.
46 Release Notes
The dimension line tag indicates the quantity of objects included in the dimen-
sion line. To define the symbol that is displayed between the quantity and the
automatic tag text, use the variable
XS_DIMENSION_GROUPING_COUNT_SEPARATOR in Tools > Advanced options >
Dimensioning: general. The default value is x.
To define what information to include in a dimension line tag:

1. Double-click the dimension line whose tag you want to modify.
2. In the Dimension properties dialog box, go to the Marks tab.
3. In Tags, replace the << Automatic >> value with the required text.
4. Click Modify.
Release Notes 47
48 Release Notes
Highlight changes in associative dimensions
To have Tekla Structures highlight the dimension text that has been changed and
dimension points that have been moved when you update associative drawings,
set the variable XS_HIGHLIGHT_ASSOCIATIVE_DIMENSION_CHANGES to TRUE
in Tools > Advanced options > Dimensioning: general.
For more information, see Highlight changes in associative dimensions in the

Drawing manual.
Miscellaneous
New part mark leader line type
There is a new part mark leader line type, which allows you to align a part mark in
the center of the face of a part.
Release Notes 49
Dimensions
• Occasionally adding or removing dimension points removed the
whole dimension. This has been fixed.
• The RD symbol was sometimes omitted from running dimensions.
This has been fixed.
• When you create a dimension with three or more points using the
Create > Dimension > Free command and end the command on the
same point as the previous dimension, the dimensions are now on the
same line.
50 Release Notes
Drawing views
• Drawing views no longer overlap templates in assembly drawings.
• To rollback the Copy > Translate and Move > Translate command to
work as it did in Tekla Structures 11.1 and earlier, set the variable
XS_DRAWING_NO_SCALING_FOR_COPIED_OR_MOVED_OBJECTS to
TRUE.
With this variable set, when you copy or move drawing objects from one
drawing view to another, they change size according to the scale of the view.
Associativity
• Now associative symbols are also created correctly for level marks.
• When you changed the profile of a part, the hatch pattern did not
always adjust to fit the shape of the new profile. This has been fixed.
• The y coordinate for assembly overall dimension was sometimes cal-
culated incorrectly which caused associativity not to work. This has
been fixed.
• Associativity works now correctly also when the start and end point
of a reference line are in the same location.
Intelligent cloning
• Sometimes part marks in single-part drawings were incorrect when
you cloned single-part drawings and the variable
XS_INTELLIGENT_CLONING_ALLOWED was set to TRUE in Tools >
Advanced options > Drawing properties. This has been fixed.
Release Notes 51
Plotting and printing
• You can now define plot origin offset separately for each plotter in
the Plotter catalog dialog box.
The new options replace the variables XS_PLOT_ORIGIN_MOVE_X and

XS_PLOT_ORIGIN_MOVE_Y. However, setting the variables in Tools >
Advanced options > Plotting will override the settings in the Plotter catalog
dialog box.
• Using the variables XS_PLOT_ORIGIN_MOVE_X and
XS_PLOT_ORIGIN_MOVE_Y also affected the scale of the plot. This
has been fixed.
Part marks
Merged part marks are now placed correctly when you change the part mark
leader line type.
52 Release Notes
1.4 Import and export
Miscellaneous
Location of the origin in DXF and DWG drawings
In Tekla Structures 12.0, when a view on a Tekla Structures drawing is moved
the origin for the Xref is calculated differently than before. This makes sharing
Tekla Structures drawings much easier: you no longer need to adjust the origin
when you export to DWG or DXF. In previous versions you sometimes had to
adjust the origin when the view had been moved during the modeling process.
Exporting round tubes to NC files

• Bolt holes in unwrapped round tubes are now ignored when you
export to an NC file.
• When the variable XS_DISABLE_NC_FACET_FIX was not set, the xy
coordinates of skew edges were calculated wrong in some cases, for
example when the end of the tube was cut with a perpendicular round
tube.
IFC
• Tekla Structures 12.0 supports the IFC 2X3 schema in IFC exports.
• Arc-shaped walls are now displayed correctly in IFC reference
imports.
Web Viewer
• If you try to publish a model as a web page with Web Viewer using
the Selected parts option in Publish as Web page dialog box without
selecting any parts, Tekla Structures displays a warning message does
not publish the model.
Release Notes 53
DSTV
• The DSTV file header was not correct when you used the variable
XS_USE_NEW_PLATE_DESIGNATION. This has been fixed.
CHS profiles with cuts

• The variable XS_TUBE_UNWRAP_WITH_CUT_HOLES is now set to
FALSE by default. Set the variable to TRUE to include cut holes in
workshop drawings or NC files of unwrapped CHS (circular hollow
section) profiles.
1.5 Custom components
Define and create connections for custom parts

You can now define a custom connection, seam or detail so that when you use
component in a model, you can pick custom parts as the main and/or secondary
parts. You do not have to pick each part within the component. This is useful
when modeling window details in a multi-layer panel when the panel is a custom
part, for example.
To define a custom connection, detail or seam for custom parts, use the custom
component wizard and pick the custom parts as main or secondary parts.
For more information on defining custom components, see Defining custom
components in the online help.
When you are using the custom connection, Tekla Structures

accepts only custom parts as input parts if you have defined the
connection with a custom part as an input part.
Use the Custom component editor to edit the properties of custom parts. For
more information, see Editing custom components in the online help.
54 Release Notes
Miscellaneous
Improvements in the usability of custom components
• Now you only have to click the Modify button once in any custom
component dialog box to apply changes. In previous versions, you
sometimes had to click Modify repeatedly if a component had many
dependencies.
To define how many loops Tekla Structures makes to solve dependencies in
custom components, use the variable XS_CYCLIC_SOLVER_MAX_LOOPS in
Tools > Advanced options > Modeling properties. The default is 2.
• When a custom component is not working correctly and the problem
is with the equations, Tekla Structures now displays error messages
in the log file that help you recognize the problem source. To see the
log file, click Tools > Display log file > Log file...
Fixes
• When you selected a custom seam, its handles were not displayed.
• When you selected a nested custom detail, the handles of the custom
detail were not displayed. This has been fixed.
• The Variables dialog box in the Custom component editor includes a
new value type, Factor. This is a decimal value without type. You can
set the number of decimals for the value type in Setup > Units and
decimals dialog box.
• Now when you create custom components, the custom component

objects get the current phase number.
Release Notes 55
• Occasionally, adding a custom component in a skewed position gen-
erated an application error. This has been fixed.
• You can now automatically import a set of custom components and
sketches when you create a model. To do this, edit the variable
XS_UEL_IMPORT_FOLDER in the Tekla Structures batch file to point
to the folder that contains the custom components and sketches.
• Now when you reopen the Variables dialog box, all the equations are
shown even if the result of the equation cannot be calculated.
• If the reference points you picked for a custom part were not at the
center of the bounding box, the custom part was not positioned cor-
rectly.
Now when you define a custom part, its coordinate system is in the center of
the bounding box. Offsets are calculated from the center of the bounding
box.
When you edit a custom part created in an earlier version of Tekla Struc-
tures, Tekla Structures asks if you want to use this new method of position-
ing custom parts. If you do, you will also need to open any nested custom
components in the custom part and select to use the new method.
1.6 Components
Miscellaneous
Component catalog
• It was not possible to use the Paste command on the right-click pop-
up menu in the thumbnail view of the component catalog. This has
been fixed.
Error flags in connection lists

• Connection lists now also list connection flags correctly for Excel
design also when the result is 4.
56 Release Notes
Connections
Gusset plate connections
In gusset plate connections you can now define the distance of the first bolt for
brace2 and brace3.
This new option is available in:

• Bolted gusset (11)
• Tube gusset (20)
• Corner tube gusset (56) and (57)
• Wraparound gusset (58)
• Hollow brace wraparound gusset (59)
• Wraparound gusset cross (60)
• Gusseted cross (62)
• Corner wrapped gusset (63)
Tapered Column-Beam Stub (150)

• You can now create a splice connection for a haunched built-up stub.
• The lower flange is now aligned properly at the splice also when you
are not using a haunch.
• The lower flange backing bar occasionally clashed with the dia-
phragm, column or panel part. This has been fixed.
US Splice connection (77)

• The connection now also works with beams that are over 2000 mm
high.
• When you do not specify a part mark series for the non-welded splice
plates, the default options are now taken from the Pos3: Loose parts
option in the Options dialog box.
• The splice is now also created correctly when the primary beam is
haunched at the opposite end from the splice.
Release Notes 57
• There is a new option for the location of the splice gap: to fit the pri-
mary part.
Column with shear plate (131)

• When a two-sided shear plate connection was created, the length of
the two plates differed by the length of the taper extension entered on
the Picture tab. This has been fixed.
• When you use double shears with a hollow tube, the gap is now cor-
rectly offset to the outside.
Weld preparation (44)

• Weld preparation angles are now read from the correct fields and cre-
ated correctly.
Welded shear plate (43) and Stiffened shear plate (17)

• If the stiffener was thicker than the flange of the connecting beam,
there was a gap between the plate and the flange. This has been fixed.
Shaped valley cleat (8)

• The connection now works correctly regardless of the profile of the
secondary part.
58 Release Notes
Winbrace connection (110)
• You now have the option to enlarge the slot made in the tube bracing.
Portal bracing (105)

• The connection now takes the correct part prefixes from the Setup >
Options dialog box.
Apex haunch (106)

• The default profile name is now haunch.
Stiffened shear plate (17)

• Tekla Structures now creates the slots in the correct locations.
Details
Handrailing (1024)
The toe plate created could not be included in an assembly. This has been fixed.
Release Notes 59
Stiffeners (1003) and Multiple stiffeners (1064)
Previously, when you re-ran these details without making any changes to them,
you had to update the single-part drawing of the stiffener. Now if nothing has
been changed, the update is not needed.
Box column base plate (1066)

• Various issues concerning weld preparation, height of ribs, hole type
and size and column fittings have been fixed in the Japanese environ-
ment.
• One side of the column was weld prepped at 45 degrees regardless of
what angle you specified. This has been fixed.
Inner diaphragm (1059)

• Double bevel cut weld preparation is now created correctly for each
side of the primary column and the angle of the lower bevel cut is
now taken from the correct field.
U.S. Base plate (1047)

• When you change bolts to anchor rods or anchor rods to bolts, the
bolts are now created and rotated correctly.
• When you use the option Square cut corners (1-4) Tekla Structures
now cuts the correct corner of the base plate.
• You can now create oversized holes in the cast plate.
• In the details, plate washers are now part of the anchor rods assembly.
Stiffened base plate (1014)

• Welds are now created in the correct position.
60 Release Notes
Stair base detail (1043)
• The detail includes new options to define the distance between the
beam and the plate for top, left, and right sides.
Stairs (S71)
We suggest that you always use the Stairs (S71) detail instead of Stairs (S82) to
create stairs in Tekla Structures.
• The Stairs (S71) detail includes all the options available in Stairs (S82)
and also some additional options. It also includes fixes for deficien-
cies found in Stairs (S82).
• You can now create steps using custom parts or seams with Stairs
(S71). This will enable you to model accurate stairs with grating, end
plates and bolts.
Release Notes 61
Cold rolled
Fixes
• The Cold Rolled Overlap (1) component now also works correctly
when used with columns with a profile of WB900 or larger.
• The Ayrshire Diagonal Tie - Column (81) component has been renamed
Ayrshire Diagonal Tie - Column/Rafter (81). The component now also
works correctly with rafters.
• Now when you use the Metsec panel connection rail (31) component,
you no longer receive unnecessary file transfer warnings.
62 Release Notes
Precast Concrete
Detailing
Tekla Structures version 12.0 is a main release and contains many new features
and fixes.
Compatibility Tekla Structures 12.0 is compatible with all previous versions. You can open and
work with existing models using Tekla Structures 12.0. Note the following
issues:
• Updating drawings created with an older version of Tekla Structures
in Tekla Structures 12.0 may cause problems. We recommend that
you complete any drawings you have started using your current ver-
sion or recreate the drawings using Tekla Structures 12.0.
• To avoid conversion problems, always open a model created with an
older version of Tekla Structures as a single-user model first.
• We recommend that you always check that custom components cre-
ated in older versions work correctly in the new version of Tekla
Structures.
When you open custom components made with an older version of Tekla
Structures in the Custom component editor, Tekla Structures asks whether
you want to update the component if the new version contains such improve-
ments which require the update. If you do not update the component, it
works in the same manner as in the version where it was originally made,
but you do not gain the benefits of the new improvements.
If you choose to update the component, you need to check and sometimes
even recreate dimensions depending on the improvements. When you delete
a dimension and create a new one (even with the same name), also the equa-
tions containing the dimension need to be edited because the dependency
created by the equation is lost when a dimension is deleted. You can recreate
the dimensions and edit the equations easily in the Custom component edi-
tor.
Release Notes 63
Tekla Structures 12.0 Precast Concrete Detailing
We suggest that you complete any models you have started using your current
version.
Once you save a model in Tekla Structures 12.0, you can no

longer open it in older versions of Tekla Structures.
Installing Tekla Structures setup creates a new subfolder for Tekla Structures 12.0.
You need Windows Administrator rights to install Tekla Structures 12.0. This
ensures that all Windows system folder *.dll files are updated.
Topics This chapter is divided into following sections:
• General (p. 64)
• Modeling (p. 77)
• Drawings (p. 96)
• Import and export (p. 113)
• Custom components (p. 114)
• Components (p. 116)
• Reinforcement (p. 120)
2.1 General
This section describes the following new features and fixes:
Improvements in installing Tekla Structures

• Your password file is installed automatically.
• When you install Tekla Structures from CD, the online help is auto-
matically installed.
• You can now install additional environments without having to rein-
stall Tekla Structures. Download the environment installation files
from the Extranet at https://extranet.tekla.com.
64 Release Notes
• Tekla Structures 12.0 installation includes new SafeNet Sentinel
driver 7.22, which allows both USB and LPT hardware locks to
work.
Sometimes you may need to install the harware lock driver manually. In
Tekla Structures 12.0, the manual installation is no longer located in the
...\nt\dongle folder. You can now start the up-to-date hardware lock driver
installation manually from the C:\TeklaStructures\License\Sentinel_setup
folder. Double-click the file C:\TeklaStruc-
tures\License\Sentinel_setup\setup.exe to start the manual installation.
Working with single-user and multi-user models

You no longer have to choose single or multi-user mode when starting Tekla
Structures.
When you create a model, use the the Model Type option in New dialog box to cre-
ate the model as a multi-user model or as a single-user model.
It is now possible to open a any model in either single or multi-user mode. Select
the mode by selecting an option on the right-click popup menu in the Open dialog
box:
Release Notes 65
You no longer need to use the variable XS_SERVER identify the
server that contains the multi-user database.
See also Improvements in creating, opening, and saving models (p. 66)
Improvements in creating, opening, and saving models

It is now easier to create and open a model, and to save a model with a different
name.
Creating a new Enter the location for the model in the Save in field, or accept the default loca-
model tion, which is the location entered when Tekla Structures was installed. (The
default location in the installation is C:\TeklaStructuresModels).
Click the Browse button to open the Browse For Folder dialog box, where you can
browse for a folder or create a new folder.
Use the Model Type field to define whether the model is a single-user or a multi-
user model. For a multi-user model, enter the name of the server in the Server
name field.
Opening a model To open a model, click File > Open. To browse for a model, click the Browse but-
ton to open the Browse For Folder dialog box. The information in the Designer
and Description columns comes from the Project properties dialog box.
66 Release Notes
To open a single-user model as a multi-user model:
2. Select the Open as multi-user model option.
3. Enter the name of the server in the Server name field. Click OK.
Release Notes 67
To open a multi-user model as a single-user model:
2. Select the Open as single-user model option.

When you open or create a model, the Open and New dialog boxes now include a
list of the most recently used models.
Saving a model To save a model with a different name, click File > Save as and enter a name in
with a different the Model name field. Click OK.
name
Improvements in working with objects.inp file

The Tekla Structures installation automatically merges any user-defined
attributes you have previously defined into the objects.inp file. It searches for the
objects.inp file in the following folders, in this order:
68 Release Notes
Folder Defined by variable
Model
Project XS_PROJECT
Firm XS_FIRM
System XS_SYSTEM
inp XS_INP
The user-defined attributes it finds are added to the user interface. If the same
attribute name exists in more than one objects.inp files, Tekla Structures uses the
attribute from the first read file, according to the search order defined above.
For more information on how to use the objects.inp file, see Adding properties.
Gradient background color in model views

Use the new option to create a gradient color background in a model view to
ensure parts drawn in a single color are visible in the view.
Release Notes 69
To set the colors for a gradient background, set the following variables in Tools >
Advanced options > Model view:
• XS_BACKGROUND_COLOR1: left-top corner.

• XS_BACKGROUND_COLOR2: right-top corner.
• XS_BACKGROUND_COLOR3: left-bottom corner.
• XS_BACKGROUND_COLOR4: right-bottom corner.
Enter the colors as RGB (Red Green Blue) values. The scale is from 0 to 1. For
example, 1.0 1.0 1.0 is white and 0.0 0.0 0.0 is black. To use the traditional sin-
gle-color background, use the same value for all four variables. Close and reopen
the view to activate the changes.
To restore default values, clear the values in all four variables.
70 Release Notes
Icons in menus
Menus now include the command icons, which makes it easier to locate icons on
toolbars:
Templates and reports

Listing the main part first
The variables XS_PRIMARY_PART_FIRST and
XS_PRIMARY_PART_FIRST_PART have been removed from the Advanced
options dialog box. The variables are no longer needed in Template Editor 3.20
or 3.30 as you can define the template so that main part is listed first in part lists.
To do this:
Release Notes 71
1. In Template Editor 3.20 or 3.30, add the value field MAIN_PART to PART
row.
2. Drag the MAIN_PART field to the top of the search order in the Content
browser.
If the assembly contains more parts which are similar to the assembly main part,
use the template attribute SIMILAR_TO_MAIN_PART:
1. In the Template Editor, add value field SIMILAR_TO_MAIN_PART to PART
row.
2. Drag the SIMILAR_TO_MAIN_PART field to the top of the sort order in the
Content browser.
5. The attribute returns 1 if the position number of the given part is the same as
the position number of the main part in the assembly.
Miscellaneous fixes
• The attributes PREFIX and SERIAL_NUMBER have been added for
REBAR content type.
• You can now use the attribute MODEL_PATH in all content types to
find the path to the current model, for example C:\TeklaStructures-
Models\New Model 1\.
• You can now also use the attributes TITLE1, TITLE2 and TITLE3 in
template rows.
72 Release Notes
Miscellaneous
New Features Tutorial
Tekla Structures 12.0 includes a New Features Tutorial, which presents features
released in Tekla Structures 11.1, 11.2, 11.3 and 12.0. Each feature contains a
description with pictures. Some features also include interactive video lessons
that show you how to use the new feature.
To access the New Features Tutorial, click Help > Learning Center > New Features
Tutorial.
Performance improvements
The following now work faster and use less memory:
• Array of objects (29) component
• Associative drawings containing objects created with Array of objects
(29).
Rollover highlight
The rollover highlight makes it easier to select objects, by highlighting each part
in yellow as the pointer moves over it. To switch this feature on, click Setup >
Rollover highlight.
To switch off the rollover highlight, click Setup and deselect Rollover high-
light..You can also use the keyboard shortcut H to turn the rollover highlight on or
off.
Log file
• The message panel now displays also the time.
Release Notes 73
• When you use the Tools > Show log file command to display the log
file, Tekla Structures now scrolls to the end of the file automatically.
Managing views
Selecting views Selecting visible and named views is now easier in Tekla Structures 12.0. The
arrow buttons you use to open and close views in the Views dialog box are now
only active when you have selected a view.
74 Release Notes
Creating views When you create a view using Views > Create view > Grid views, the grid is now
selected automatically if there is only one grid in the view. If there are several
grids, Tekla Structures prompts you to select a view:
Release Notes 75
Bringing a view Now when you select a view in the Visible views list in the Views dialog box, the
on top selected view moves to the top. If you have selected multiple views, all selected
views will be moved up, with the first one on the list on top. Also, when you
select a view in the model, it is automatically selected in the Visible views list.
Navigating in the model

Navigating in the model is smoother when you are for example rotating a large
model, because Tekla Structures now draws the model first in wire frame as you
are moving the model.
Re-displaying warning messages

Tekla Structures displays warning messages when necessary, for example when
you are about to copy or move objects outside the work area. To prevent Tekla
Structures from displaying the warning messages again, select the Do not show
this message again checkbox.
To re-display the warning messages, press Shift when the warning message
should appear, for example when you are copying or moving objects outside the
work area, and Tekla Structures displays the warning message again.
76 Release Notes
2.2 Modeling
Nested assemblies
Description You can now add sub-assemblies and parts to already existing assemblies. A
sub-assembly is an assembly that is added to another assembly to form a hierar-
chical assembly. We use the term nested assemblies to describe this type of
assembly.
Using nested assemblies is useful when you are modeling split trusses, brackets,
railings or pipe racks, for example.
A sub-assembly is treated in the same way as an assembly in Tekla Structures:
• It gets its own assembly mark
• It appears in lists of materials in templates and reports.
You can create a separate assembly drawing of a sub-assembly. For more infor-
mation, see Nested assemblies in drawings (p. 97).
Release Notes 77
Example of a nested assembly:
Selecting Activate the Select assemblies switch on the Select toolbar so that you
assemblies can select any level of a nested assembly, from the highest, through the sub-
assemblies, down to single parts and bolts. The level of the assembly you have
selected is displayed on the status bar.
With this switch active, each assembly is highlighted as you move the pointer
over it. To move to a specific level in the assembly, with it highlighted, press
Shift and scroll the mouse wheel.
78 Release Notes
To be able to select objects in assemblies, activate the Select objects in assem-
blies switch on the Select toolbar.

For more information on how to select assemblies and cast-units, see How to
select objects in the Modeling manual.
Release Notes 79
Assembly or cast To view the properties of an assembly or cast-unit, select it, right click and select
unit properties Properties... from the pop-up menu.
80 Release Notes
You can also define user-defined attribute values for assemblies and cast units in
the same dialog box.
Modifying The right-click pop-up menu also includes several new options, which you can
assemblies use to modify assemblies:
Release Notes 81
These options are also on the main menu, under Detailing > Assembly or Cast unit.
You can modify assemblies by:
• Adding objects to assemblies
• Removing objects from assemblies
• Exploding assemblies
• Changing the assembly or cast-unit main part
You can combine assemblies in the following ways:
• Add and connect parts as secondary parts to an existing assembly
• Add and connect assemblies as sub-assemblies to an existing assembly
• Join existing assemblies together without adding any loose parts
For more information on the different commands to use when working with
assemblies and cast-units, see Cast units and assemblies.
Numbering of Sub-assemblies are numbered in same way as assemblies.
nested
assemblies Define the prefix, start number and name for the cast unit or assembly in the cast
unit or assembly properties dialog box.
82 Release Notes
Filter
In Tekla Structures 12.0 it is not yet possible to view or select
filter by assembly user-defined attributes or by nested assem-
blies.
User-defined For information about defining user-defined attributes for assemblies, see User-
attributes defined attributes.
Grid line labels always visible

Grid labels are now always visible when the grid lines are visible. This allows
you to zoom in and still know where you are in the model.
Release Notes 83
To modify the font used in grid labels, use the variables XS_DEFAULT_FONT and
XS_DEFAULT_FONT_SIZE in Tools > Advanced options > Model view.
You can now use special characters, such as umlauts, accents, and circumflexes,
as well as combined characters, such as e acute, in grid labels.
Create, select, and modify single grid lines

In addition to creating entire grids, you can now create single grid lines, and
select, modify, copy, and move individual gridlines. Gridlines now also have
handles.
Creating single To create a single grid line:
grid lines
1. Go to Points > Grid line or click the Create grid line icon.
2. Select the grid.
3. Pick the first position for the grid line.
4. Pick the second position for the grid line.
84 Release Notes
Grid and grid line Define the properties of the grid line in the Grid line properties dialog box. For
properties more information, see Grid properties in the Modeling manual.
If there are skewed grid lines in the model, setting the grid properties back to the
original settings is not possible. To revert to the original settings, delete the
skewed grid line first and then modify the settings.
Release Notes 85
Selecting grids Use the Select grid and Select grid line select switches to select
and grid lines grids and grid lines.
Working with grid For more information on creating, modifying and deleting single grid lines, see
lines Working with grids in the Modeling manual.
Magnetic grid planes

The Magnetic grid plane and Extension for magnetic area options have been added
to the Grid dialog box.
• Save the model before editing magnetic grids and grid

planes.
• Rotating a magnetic grid may not yet function correctly in
• Avoid overlapping of magnetic grid planes. When needed,
modify the grid planes in several steps to prevent the over-
lapping.
Checking the You may sometimes need to check the location of grid planes for example to see
location of grid if parts are close enough to a magnetic grid plane that you have moved. To do
planes this:
1. Go to Tools > Advanced options > Model view and set the variable
XS_GRID_PLANES_VISIBLE_WITH_USERPLANES to TRUE.
3. Click Display...
4. In the Display dialog box,select the Construction planes checkbox in Visibil-
ity.
Improvements in grids
• Edit > Undo works on grids and grid lines.
• You can use copy and move commands on grids. For example, copy
an entire grid by selecting the grid and using the Edit > Copy > Trans-
late... command.
86 Release Notes
Release Notes 87
Add surface treatment to the entire surface of a part
You can now add a surface treatment to the entire surface of a part by using the
Create part surface treatment command. For more information, see Create
part surface treatment in the online help.
88 Release Notes
Selecting surface To select the entire surface treatment of a part:
treatment
1. Click the Select component icon in the Select switches toolbar.

2. Pick the surface treatment to select it.
To select surface treatment on a face of a part:

toolbar.
2. Pick the surface treatment.
Remove surface To remove surface treatment from faces of a part:
treatment

toolbar.
2. Pick the surface treatment on the face of a part.
3. Right-click and select Delete from the pop-up menu.
Selecting a profile
The Select profile dialog box has been improved to make it easier to select a pro-
file for a part or a component object.
• Library and parametric profiles are not in separate lists any more, but
they are displayed in the same tree structure.
• Only the relevant profiles for a concrete object are displayed on the
Select profile dialog box.
For more information on selecting a profile and defining the material of profiles,
see Profile in the Modeling manual.
Release Notes 89
Points not created automatically at ends of parts
Tekla Structures no longer automatically creates points at the ends of parts. This
uses less memory and reduces processing time. It also means that you do not
have to redraw the view as often. If you need a point at the end of a part, you can
still create it manually. For more information, see Creating points in the Online
help.
You can use part handles and snapping to create and move parts. See the follow-
ing examples.
Select handles To select the handles of a part:
1. Select the part.
2. Hold down the Alt key and drag the pointer from left to right to select the
part. Tekla Structures displays the handles of the part. The handle at the end
that was the first point picked to create the part is yellow and the handle at
the other end is magenta.
90 Release Notes
Move objects By selecting handles you are able to, for example, move objects more easily.
1. Select both of the objects by pressing the Ctrl key and picking the objects.
2. Hold down the Alt key and drag the pointer from left to right to select both
parts again.
3. Select the handle in the middle of the two objects and right-click.
4. Select Move > Translate from the pop-up menu and enter coordinates to
move the two objects.
5. Click Move. Tekla Structures moves the two objects.
Release Notes 91
Snap to reference To make it possible to pick part handles, activate the Snap to reference points
points
switch on the Snap toolbar. As you move the pointer over a part handle,
the snap symbols appears. Left click to select the part handle.
Part reference When you pick two points to position a part, these points form the part reference
lines line, and handles appear at the line ends. You can snap to and pick these handles.
You can define the visibility of the part reference line in the Display dialog box.
To show the part reference line:
2. Click the Display... button to open the Display dialog box.
92 Release Notes
3. In the Advanced tab, check the box in Part reference line field.

See also Handles in the online help.
How to select objects in the online help.
Snapping in the online help.
Object representation
To create customized presentation of objects in Tekla Structures 12.0, use object
representation settings.
You can use the object representation settings in the following ways:
• Modify the color of objects in the model view. The Object representa-
tion dialog box replaces the Colors dialog box, which was available in
previous versions.
• Modify the visibility of objects in the model view.
• Create customized presentation of defined object groups.
Release Notes 93
To open the Object representation dialog box, click Setup > Object representa-
tion...:
For more information on how to use the object representation settings, see
Object representation settings and Object representation example in the
online help.
Object groups are set of rules with which you group objects by selected proper-
ties and conditions. Use the object groups:
• In Object representation dialog box to control the visibility and color-
ing of objects in all views.
• In 4D tool, in the Project Manager configuration.
For more information on object groups, see Object groups and Object group
rules in the online help.
Miscellaneous
Numbering
• When you use the Clear numbers command, Tekla Structures now
displays a message after numbers have been cleared.
94 Release Notes
Views
• If you try to open more than nine views, Tekla Structures now displays
a warning message.
• Curved parts with profiles that had small values for size were dis-
played as straight lines in rendered views. This has been fixed.
Surface treatment
• The Select button next to the Material option in Surface treatment
properties dialog box is now grayed out when it is not possible to
select a material.
Lotting
• When you used the Lotting dialog box to create lots, Tekla Structures
displayed weight in kilograms, regardless of the unit set in Tools >
Units and decimals dialog box. This has been fixed.
Sketching
• Opening and closing the sketch editor sometimes took a long time in
large models. This has been fixed.
Numeric snapping
You can now start entering the coordinates in the Enter a numeric location dialog
box by pressing the decimal key on the numeric pad first.
Release Notes 95
2.3 Drawings
Saving and freezing associative drawings

When you have frozen a drawing in Tekla Structures 12.0, the
changes that you make to associative objects afterwards in the
model are will no longer appear in the drawing.
When you change a drawing and then save it, Tekla Structures asks you whether
you want to keep the changes. To prevent the drawing from being updated auto-
matically, select the Disable automatic updating checkbox:
You can still open a general arrangement drawing, unfreeze it, and then re-open it
to automatically update the drawing with recent changes.
To re-enable automatic updating in a frozen drawing:
2. Select the drawing.
3. Right-click and select Freeze > Off from the popup menu.
Previously when you updated an assembly, single-part or cast unit drawing with-
out freezing the drawing, the drawing was re-created. Now the drawing is no
longer re-created. This means that you must know whether the changes should be
shown when you are updating the drawing.
To recreate the drawing:
2. Select the drawing you want to recreate.
3. Right-click and select Recreate from the popup menu.
See also Highlight changes in associative dimensions (p. 108) in the Release notes.
96 Release Notes
Nested assemblies in drawings
You can create assembly drawings of sub-assemblies. Creating sub-assemblies in
the model allows you to produce less complicated drawings, which are easier to
read and to understand. This reduces the risk of errors in the shop.
This assembly drawing of a truss is This assembly drawing of part of the

complicated and hard to read. same truss was created using a sub-
assembly. It is much easier to read.
Marks You can define the visibility, content, and appearance of marks for sub-assem-
blies in assembly drawings. You can also use part marks to display the assembly
hierarchy in general arrangement drawings. For more information, see Mark
content in the Drawing manual.
You can now specify the part mark properties for the main and secondary parts of
sub-assemblies in cast unit drawings.
To do this:
1. In the Drawing Editor, go to Properties > Drawing...
2. Click Part mark...
Release Notes 97
3. On the Content tab, select Sub-assembly main part or Sub-assembly second-
ary part depending on the part mark properties you want to define.
4. Select the elements to be contained in the part mark.

Bolts and welds You can define the visiblity of bolts and welds separately for sub-assemblies in
the Bolt properties and Weld properties dialog box.
Dimensioning You can also define the dimensioning properties for sub-assemblies in assembly
drawings. For more information, see Dimensioning nested assemblies in the
Drawing manual.
Sub-assemblies With Tekla Structures you can produce templates and reports that show the hier-
in templates and archical structure of nested assemblies. For more information, see Producing
reports reports on nested assemblies.
Anchor bolt plan

An anchor bolt plan is a type of general arrangement drawing that displays the
the layout of anchor bolts for a structure.
98 Release Notes
You can automatically create anchor bolt plans in Tekla Structures 12.0. For
more information, see Creating anchor bolt plans in the Drawing manual.
You can create both enlarged views and detail views in anchor bolt plans. Tekla
Structures groups together identical detail views, so that they only appear once in
a drawing. If detail views are not included in a drawing, Tekla Structures displays
bolt sizes in the enlarged view.
Display large dimension values more clearly

You can now use different number formats for dimensions to make large dimen-
sions easier to read in shop and erection drawings. For example you could format
15432 to appear as 15,432 or 15 432.
To do this, select the Use grouping checkbox in the Dimension properties dialog
box and select a format.
Release Notes 99
Use the variables XS_DIMENSION_DIGIT_GROUPING_CHARACTER to
define the separator and XS_DIMENSION_DIGIT_GROUPING_COUNT to
define the number format (in Tools > Advanced options > Dimensioning: general).
100 Release Notes

Improvements in level marks
The General tab in the Level mark properties dialog box now includes fields that
enable you to define the appearance of level marks:
For information, see Create > Level mark in the online help.
Release Notes 101

Define elevation level
You now have the option to define the elevation level in general arrangement
drawings and in drawing views also according to the view plane.
The datum point for general arrangement drawings is set automatically when cre-
ating floor plan views. This saves your time and avoids errors during drawing
creation.
To define the datum level:
1. Go to Properties > Drawing...
2. Click View... to display the view properties dialog box.
3. In the Attributes tab, do one of the following:
• To set a specified datum level, select Specified in the Datum point
for elevations field. Then enter a specific value in the Datum level
field.
• To set the datum level according to the view plane, select View
plane in the Datum point for elevations field.
Create plate side marks on dimension leader lines

You can now create plate side marks on dimension leader lines. Plate side marks
indicate whether the dimension point is to the face or center of, for example, a
plate, web or flange. This is particularly useful:
• In complex drawings
• In large-scale drawings, where it can be difficult to see which part a
leader line is pointing to.
To create plate side marks:
1. Click Properties > Dimension... to open the Dimension properties dialog box.
2. In the Plate side marks section of the Marks tab, set Type to Specified.
3. Define the properties of the plate side marks if required.
102 Release Notes

For more information, see Marks in the Drawing manual.
Improvements in section symbols

New options in the Section symbol properties dialog box allow you to define
arrow head size, arrow length, and the distance between the symbol and the sec-
tion:
Release Notes 103

Define the appearance of the arrow head symbol
You can now also define the appearance of the arrow head symbol in the Tools >
Advanced options > Drawing properties dialog box using the following variables:
• XS_SECTION_SYMBOL_LEFT_ARROW_SYMBOL
• XS_SECTION_SYMBOL_RIGHT_ARROW_SYMBOL
If you do not set these variables, Tekla Structures uses the traditional style arrow
head symbol in the drawings.
In the example above, the variables

XS_SECTION_SYMBOL_LEFT_ARROW_SYMBOL and
XS_SECTION_SYMBOL_RIGHT_ARROW_SYMBOL have been set to sections@2.
This section view symbol includes the location of the section view.
If the arrow length is equal to zero, Tekla Structures places the text in the middle
of the arrow symbol. Otherwise Tekla Structures places the text along the cut
line.
104 Release Notes

Aligning section symbols
The variable XS_ALIGN_CUT_SYMBOL_BY_VERTICAL_LINE in the Tools >
Advanced options > Drawing properties dialog box only works on when you open
drawings created with Tekla Structures 11.3 or older in Tekla Structures 12.0.
Set the variable to TRUE, to position the cut symbol on the vertical line. Leave the
variable blank to offset the symbol from the vertical line by the size of the arrow
multiplied by 1.25.
Here the variable is set to

TRUE. Use this option to indi-
cate the exact location of the
section view.
Here the variable has been

left blank. This is useful
when the direction is more
important than the location.
The variable XS_ALIGN_CUT_SYMBOL_BY_VERTICAL_LINE is

effective now only when you are converting a drawing created
with Tekla Structures 11.3 or older into Tekla Structures 12.0
(or greater).
You no longer have to restart Tekla Structures to activate changes to this variable.
Release Notes 105

Group identical objects on the same dimension line
You can now group identical parts, bolts, components, and cuts or shapes on the
same dimension line. You can choose to automatically create dimension line
tags, or to define the contents of tags manually.
To group identical objects on one dimension line:
1. In the drawing, right-click and select Properties... from the pop-up menu to
open the drawing properties dialog box.
2. Click Dimensioning... to open the dimensioning properties dialog box. Go to
the Dimension grouping tab. You have the following options:
• Activate dimension grouping: Select which objects you want to
group.
• Grouping properties: Indicate the elements that must be identical.
• Automatic tagging: Indicate the information to include in dimen-
sion line tags that are created automatically.
106 Release Notes

The dimension line tag indicates the quantity of objects included in the dimen-
sion line. To define the symbol that is displayed between the quantity and the
automatic tag text, use the variable
XS_DIMENSION_GROUPING_COUNT_SEPARATOR in Tools > Advanced options >
Dimensioning: general. The default value is x.
To define what information to include in a dimension line tag:

1. Double-click the dimension line whose tag you want to modify.
2. In the Dimension properties dialog box, go to the Marks tab.
3. In Tags, replace the << Automatic >> value with the required text.
4. Click Modify.
Release Notes 107

Highlight changes in associative dimensions
To have Tekla Structures highlight the dimension text that has been changed and
dimension points that have been moved when you update associative drawings,
set the variable XS_HIGHLIGHT_ASSOCIATIVE_DIMENSION_CHANGES to TRUE
in Tools > Advanced options > Dimensioning: general.
108 Release Notes

For more information, see Highlight changes in associative dimensions in the
Drawing manual.
This feature is not yet available for reinforcing bar marks in

Miscellaneous
New part mark leader line type
There is a new part mark leader line type, which allows you to align a part mark in
the center of the face of a part.
Release Notes 109

Dimensioning
• Embedded objects are now dimensioned correctly by the reference
points of the object.
Dimensions
• When you use the By reference point option in the Dimensioning prop-
erties dialog box, dimensions are now also associative to the middle
points of objects.
110 Release Notes

• Occasionally adding or removing dimension points removed the whole
dimension. This has been fixed.
• The RD symbol was sometimes omitted from running dimensions.
• When you create a dimension with three or more points using the
Create > Dimension > Free command and end the command on the
same point as the previous dimension, the dimensions are now on the
same line.
Reinforcing bar marks

• Merged reinforcing bar marks no longer move when you update a
drawing.
Drawing views
• Drawing views no longer overlap templates in assembly drawings.
• To rollback the Copy > Translate and Move > Translate command to
work as it did in Tekla Structures 11.1 and earlier, set the variable
XS_DRAWING_NO_SCALING_FOR_COPIED_OR_MOVED_OBJECTS to
TRUE.
With this variable set, when you copy or move drawing objects from one
drawing view to another, they change size according to the scale of the view.
Updating drawings
• In some occasions Tekla Structures did not add the P flag to a drawing
in the drawing list when a cast unit had been changed. (The P flag
indicated that parts have been changed.) This has been fixed.
Associativity
• Now associative symbols are also created correctly for level marks.
• When you changed the profile of a part, the hatch pattern did not
always adjust to fit the shape of the new profile. This has been fixed.
• The y coordinate for assembly overall dimension was sometimes cal-
culated incorrectly which caused associativity not to work. This has
been fixed.
• Associativity works now correctly also when the start and end point
of a reference line are in the same location.
Release Notes 111

Intelligent cloning
• Sometimes part marks in single-part drawings were incorrect when
you cloned single-part drawings and the variable
XS_INTELLIGENT_CLONING_ALLOWED was set to TRUE in Tools >
Advanced options > Drawing properties. This has been fixed.
Plotting and printing

• You can now define plot origin offset separately for each plotter in
the Plotter catalog dialog box.
The new options replace the variables XS_PLOT_ORIGIN_MOVE_X and

XS_PLOT_ORIGIN_MOVE_Y. However, setting the variables in Tools >
Advanced options > Plotting will override the settings in the Plotter catalog
dialog box.
• Using the variables XS_PLOT_ORIGIN_MOVE_X and
XS_PLOT_ORIGIN_MOVE_Y also affected the scale of the plot. This
has been fixed.
Part marks
Merged part marks are now placed correctly when you change the part mark
leader line type.
112 Release Notes

2.4 Import and export
Miscellaneous
Location of the origin in DXF and DWG drawings
In Tekla Structures 12.0, when a view on a Tekla Structures drawing is moved
the origin for the Xref is calculated differently than before. This makes sharing
Tekla Structures drawings much easier: you no longer need to adjust the origin
when you export to DWG or DXF. In previous versions you sometimes had to
adjust the origin when the view had been moved during the modeling process.
Web Viewer
• If you try to publish a model as a web page with Web Viewer using
the Selected parts option in Publish as Web page dialog box without
selecting any parts, Tekla Structures displays a warning message does
not publish the model.
DSTV
• The DSTV file header was not correct when you used the variable
XS_USE_NEW_PLATE_DESIGNATION. This has been fixed.
Release Notes 113

2.5 Custom components
Define and create connections for custom parts

You can now define a custom connection, seam or detail so that when you use
component in a model, you can pick custom parts as the main and/or secondary
parts. You do not have to pick each part within the component. This is useful
when modeling window details in a multi-layer panel when the panel is a custom
part, for example.
To define a custom connection, detail or seam for custom parts, use the custom
component wizard and pick the custom parts as main or secondary parts.
For more information on defining custom components, see Defining custom
components in the online help.
When you are using the custom connection, Tekla Structures

accepts only custom parts as input parts if you have defined the
connection with a custom part as an input part.
Use the Custom component editor to edit the properties of custom parts. For
more information, see Editing custom components in the online help.
Miscellaneous
Improvements in the usability of custom components
• Now you only have to click the Modify button once in any custom
component dialog box to apply changes. In previous versions, you
sometimes had to click Modify repeatedly if a component had many
dependencies.
To define how many loops Tekla Structures makes to solve dependencies in
custom components, use the variable XS_CYCLIC_SOLVER_MAX_LOOPS in
Tools > Advanced options > Modeling properties. The default is 2.
• When a custom component is not working correctly and the problem
is with the equations, Tekla Structures now displays error messages
in the log file that help you recognize the problem source. To see the
log file, click Tools > Display log file > Log file...
114 Release Notes

Fixes
• When you selected a custom seam, its handles were not displayed.
• When you selected a nested custom detail, the handles of the custom
detail were not displayed. This has been fixed.
• The Variables dialog box in the Custom component editor includes a
new value type, Factor. This is a decimal value without type. You can
set the number of decimals for the value type in Setup > Units and
decimals dialog box.
• Now when you create custom components, the custom component

objects get the current phase number.
• Occasionally, adding a custom component in a skewed position gen-
erated an application error. This has been fixed.
• You can now automatically import a set of custom components and
sketches when you create a model. To do this, edit the variable
XS_UEL_IMPORT_FOLDER in the Tekla Structures batch file to point
to the folder that contains the custom components and sketches.
• Now when you reopen the Variables dialog box, all the equations are
shown even if the result of the equation cannot be calculated.
Release Notes 115

• If the reference points you picked for a custom part were not at the
center of the bounding box, the custom part was not positioned cor-
rectly.
Now when you define a custom part, its coordinate system is in the center of
the bounding box. Offsets are calculated from the center of the bounding
box.
When you edit a custom part created in an earlier version of Tekla Struc-
tures, Tekla Structures asks if you want to use this new method of position-
ing custom parts. If you do, you will also need to open any nested custom
components in the custom part and select to use the new method.
2.6 Components
New components
Tekla Structures 12.0 includes the following new components:
Component Icon Description

3D cut (10) Creates a 3D cut to a concrete part.
Anchor (10) Connects two concrete parts, for exam-

ple two walls or a column to a wall.
Border rebar (92) Adds reinforcing bars to panel or slab

edges.
Border rebar (93) Adds reinforcing bars to an edge of

panel or slab.
Column - beam (14) Creates a connection between a con-

crete column and a concrete wall or
panel.
Concrete beam-beam Creates a connection between a main
(112) concrete beam and one or two second-
ary beams.
116 Release Notes

Component Icon Description
Concrete console (110) Creates a connection between a con-
crete column and a concrete beam.
Concrete console (111) Creates a connection between a con-

crete column and one or two concrete
beams.
Concrete foundation Creates a pad footing, piles and anchor
(1030) bars and/or grouting tubes.
Inbedded (1008) Creates embeds in concrete parts.
Opening in wall (40) Creates an opening in a concrete wall or

panel.
Parts at beam (82) Adds concrete profiles or cuts to a

beam.
Precast found block Creates a concrete foundation block.

(1028)
Rebar in beam (90) Adds reinforcing bars to concrete

beams.
Wall teeth (12) Connects two perpendicular concrete

panels with a teeth connection.
Miscellaneous
Component catalog
• It was not possible to use the Paste command on the right-click pop-
up menu in the thumbnail view of the component catalog. This has
been fixed.
Release Notes 117

Details
Handrailing (1024)
The toe plate created could not be included in an assembly. This has been fixed.
Stiffeners (1003) and Multiple stiffeners (1064)

Previously, when you re-ran these details without making any changes to them,
you had to update the single-part drawing of the stiffener. Now if nothing has
been changed, the update is not needed.
Box column base plate (1066)

• Various issues concerning weld preparation, height of ribs, hole type
and size and column fittings have been fixed in the Japanese environ-
ment.
• One side of the column was weld prepped at 45 degrees regardless of
what angle you specified. This has been fixed.
Inner diaphragm (1059)

• Double bevel cut weld preparation is now created correctly for each
side of the primary column and the angle of the lower bevel cut is
now taken from the correct field.
U.S. Base plate (1047)

• When you change bolts to anchor rods or anchor rods to bolts, the
bolts are now created and rotated correctly.
• When you use the option Square cut corners (1-4) Tekla Structures
now cuts the correct corner of the base plate.
• You can now create oversized holes in the cast plate.
• In the details, plate washers are now part of the anchor rods assembly.
Stiffened base plate (1014)

• Welds are now created in the correct position.
118 Release Notes

Stair base detail (1043)
• The detail includes new options to define the distance between the
beam and the plate for top, left, and right sides.
Stairs (S71)
We suggest that you always use the Stairs (S71) detail instead of Stairs (S82) to
create stairs in Tekla Structures.
• The Stairs (S71) detail includes all the options available in Stairs (S82)
and also some additional options. It also includes fixes for deficien-
cies found in Stairs (S82).
• You can now create steps using custom parts or seams with Stairs
(S71). This will enable you to model accurate stairs with grating, end
plates and bolts.
Release Notes 119

2.7 Reinforcement
Miscellaneous
Slab bars (18)
• You can now add reinforcing bars outside the slab by entering nega-
tive values in Cover thickness on sides options.
120 Release Notes

Analysis and Design
Tekla Structures 12.0 Analysis and Design module contains the following new
features and fixes:
Analysis model interfaces

• Tekla Structures 12.0 contains an Analysis & Design interface, which
allows Analysis & Design vendors or in-house application develop-
ers to integrate their software to Tekla Structures. The integration is
similar to the existing STAAD.Pro integration.
• You can now use also an IFC analysis model format as an analysis
engine. This utilizes the new Analysis & Design interface.
• The analysis engine installations are now separate from the full
installation of Tekla Structures, including the STAAD.Pro installa-
tion. You must run the analysis engine installations separately.
• When the analysis engine installation is complete, select the interface
to the analysis engine you want to use.
Release Notes 121

Tekla Structures 12.0 Analysis and Design
Miscellaneous
Fixes
• When you are using the Analysis tab in the dialog box of a component
to define the analysis profile settings, you can now access the differ-
ent options even when you have selected No in Use analysis
restraints.
• You can now use multiplication in the values for Buckling length or
Length factor for Buckling options in the Design tab of the part proper-
ties dialog box.
• Area load was not distributed correctly for beams also with varying
pressure and in some geometric circumstances. This has been fixed.
• If the model changes after you use the Optimize command, Tekla
Structures now marks the analysis results correctly as not up to date.
• You can now create a simpler analysis model of slabs and panels,
where cuts and holes are not considered. To do this, select Yes in the
option Simple plate on the Analysis tab of the attributes dialog box.
122 Release Notes

• When you create an analysis model of slabs and panels, you can now
define offsets for individual vertices of the slabs and panels. The off-
sets are defined as user-defined attributes on the Analysis offsets tab
in the attributes dialog box.
After you have run the analysis or created an analysis model, use the Inquire
> Object command to query the vertices. The vertex indices and their coordi-
nates are listed in the Inquire object dialog box. To define the offset for an
individual vertex, enter the offset distances as X Y Z (in current length units,
values separated by spaces) in the appropriate field, according to the index
of the vertex.
Release Notes 123

124 Release Notes
Project Management
Tekla Structures 12.0 Project Management configuration contains the following

new features:
Miscellaneous
• The status of an object is automatically updated in the model when
you:
• Modify the user-defined attributes of an object
• Modify the user-defined attributes of assemblies.
Release Notes 125

Tekla Structures 12.0 Project Management
126 Release Notes
Tekla Structures 12.0 Project Management

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Tekla Structures 12

Copyright © 2006 Tekla Corporation

1 Tekla Structures 12.0 Steel Detailing .................................................... 5

3 Tekla Structures 12.0 Analysis and Design ...................................... 121

4 Tekla Structures 12.0 Project Management ...................................... 125

Once you save a model in Tekla Structures 12.0, you can no

Improvements in installing Tekla Structures

You no longer need to use the variable XS_SERVER identify the

See also Improvements in creating, opening, and saving models (p. 7)

Improvements in creating, opening, and saving models

To open a single-user model as a multi-user model:

To open a multi-user model as a single-user model:

2. Select the Open as single-user model option.

Folder Defined by variable

Gradient background color in model views

• XS_BACKGROUND_COLOR1: left-top corner.

Templates and reports

Navigating in the model

Re-displaying warning messages

blies switch on the Select toolbar.

Grid line labels always visible

Magnetic grid planes

• Save the model before editing magnetic grids and grid

1. Click the Select component icon in the Select switches toolbar.

1. Click the Select objects in components icon in the Select switches

1. Click the Select objects in components icon in the Select switches

4. Click Modify and OK.

Saving and freezing associative drawings

Nested assemblies in drawings

Create plate side marks on dimension leader lines

Improvements in section symbols

In the example above, the variables

Here the variable is set to

Here the variable has been

The variable XS_ALIGN_CUT_SYMBOL_BY_VERTICAL_LINE is

To define what information to include in a dimension line tag:

For more information, see Highlight changes in associative dimensions in the

The new options replace the variables XS_PLOT_ORIGIN_MOVE_X and

Exporting round tubes to NC files

CHS profiles with cuts

1.5 Custom components

Define and create connections for custom parts

When you are using the custom connection, Tekla Structures

• Now when you create custom components, the custom component

Error flags in connection lists

This new option is available in:

Tapered Column-Beam Stub (150)

US Splice connection (77)

Column with shear plate (131)

Weld preparation (44)

Welded shear plate (43) and Stiffened shear plate (17)

Shaped valley cleat (8)

Portal bracing (105)

Apex haunch (106)

Stiffened shear plate (17)

Box column base plate (1066)

Inner diaphragm (1059)

U.S. Base plate (1047)

Stiffened base plate (1014)

Once you save a model in Tekla Structures 12.0, you can no

Improvements in installing Tekla Structures

Working with single-user and multi-user models

Improvements in creating, opening, and saving models