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Place Column
Used to place structural columns.

Note: Placement is completed using the controls found on the Placement ribbon tab and the Property Panel which is loaded with the active
Building element catalog items and properties.

Accessed from:

• Ribbon: Building Design > Structural > Place Structural Elements > Column

Placement tab

Placement tab - Steel

Placement tab - Concrete/Timber

Note: The Placement tab opens on the ribbon when placing Building elements. The Placement tab contains settings specific to the Building
element being placed that are used to define the position, orientation or dimensions of the Building element being placed. Also available on
the Placement tab, are a collection of Building common tools selected specifically because of their relevance to the Building element being
placed.

Setting Description
Placement Defines the location of the baseline relative to the member section by selecting from the drop list items. The
attachment point dynamically updates on the pointer as the Placement icons are selected.

Note: The Centroid placement point is enabled only if the section is fully symmetric (wide flange I beam) or if the
section properties include a valid centroid.

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Setting Description
Offsets: • Local Y / Local Z Offsets – Moves the physical member's placement points in the Y and Z axis directions relative
to the section definition orientation . The attachment point dynamically updates on the pointer as the offset
values are entered.

Local Y/Z Offsets: With no offsets, the cursor is on the Center, Center placement point (left). With offsets
defined, the cursor is offset from the Center, Center placement point (right).

• Base Offset – Enabled when a floor is selected in the Floor Manager as a reference plane. Sets the Z axis
distance between the elevation of the active floor ACS plane and the elevation of the component being placed.
The value defines offsetting structural members from the active floor, there by allowing to route at an
appropriate elevation relative to the active floor. Base Offset can be a negative value.

Interactive When on (highlighted), an additional data point is required to place the member. The member appears to spin about
the member line as the cursor moves around the screen. Rotation angle is calculated from the input point and the
member is created with that angle. The contextual Placement tab settings is updated with the calculated angle and the
Interactive option is disabled to place the next member with the same Rotation angle.

Mirror Typically used for member sections whose axis is not symmetric about its Y axis (for example, angles, channels, or
zees). When on, an identical member is constructed, but in a mirror-image/flipped orientation. When off, mirroring
already applied is removed.

Rotation: Keyed in directly or selected from a drop down list of common angles between minus 180° and plus 180°.

Note: The specific entries are defined in the Design File Settings Dialog 's Locks settings category

Place by Determines the method of placement.

• Two points - Data points for the start and end are required. This option is automatically selected when placing
linear members like beams and horizontal bracing.

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Setting Description
• Length at end 1 | 2 | midpoint - A single data point defines the location of the member, and the entered value
determines the member length. The Length field is enabled below the Place by setting when any of the three
Length at options are selected.

Note: These options are automatically selected when placing columns.

• Select path - Members are placed along existing path elements. Fence and selection set contents are supported
with an additional prompt. The following elements are valid:

Lines Complex strings

Line strings Complex shapes
Shapes Curves – planar only
Arcs B spline curves – open, planar only
• Grid - Places members along (Beams) or at intersections (Columns) of selected grid system grid lines.

Selection options are:

Action Description
Click Selects individual grid line segments. Gridlines are treated as separate
segments when they are intersected by other grid lines. A data point (to
select) places the component immediately.

Click + <Ctrl> Selects multiple grid line segments. The grid line segments can be
disjoined or be adjacent to one another.

Click + <Ctrl> + <Shift> Selects an entire grid line regardless of how many segments it is divided.

Fence drag crossing (left to Selects all grid line segments that intersect the fence box (depicted with
right) dashed lines).

Fence drag inside (right to Selects all grid line segments wholly inside the fence box (depicted with
left) solid lines).

Fence drag + <Ctrl> Selects all grid line segments that intersect (fence drag left to right) or are
wholly inside (fence drag right to left) the fence box plus any other
selected segments.

Fence drag + <Ctrl> + Selects all grid lines (entire grid line) that intersect (fence drag left to right)
<Shift> or are wholly inside (fence drag right to left) the fence box plus any other
selected segments.

Length Used to enter values for the various Place by methods.

When on, enables automatic coping as steel members are placed connected to other steel members. When off, the
Coping Options and Inside Corner options are also disabled.
Automatic
Coping

Fits the member using the coping settings Flange Clearance, Web Clearance, Inside Corner and Radius Corner
Cope around the selected connecting member.
to member
connected
by
AccuSnap

Fits the member using the coping settings Flange Clearance, Web Clearance, Inside Corner, and Radius Corner
Cope around all members in the vicinity of the member end.
to any
interfering
member

Copes the end cut on a connecting member perpendicular to the member's center line. Selecting Cope normal to
Cope member line changes the settings available on the Placement > Coping Options tab:
normal to

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Setting Description
member
line

Inside
Creates a relief on the inside corners of the cope. The available types are illustrated on the split button: Plain,
Corner

Round, or Rathole.

Flange Maintains a space between the placed member web and the connected member flanges (for I beams). The clearance
Clearance amount is entered in the available value field.

Web Maintains a space between the placed member web and the connected member web. The clearance amount is
clearance entered in the available value field.

Radius Sets the size of the round Inside Corner treatments.

Corner

Mode Enabled when Coping Options > Cope normal to member line is selected.

• Minimum Clearance – Trims the member back from the center line of the connected member if the distance
exceeds the Planar Cut Clearance value.
• Absolute Clearance – Trims the member back from the center line of the connected member by the Planar Cut
Clearance value.

Planar Cut Enabled when Coping Options > Cope normal to member line is selected.
Clearance
• Sets a gap between the planar surfaces of the two connected members.

When on, enables automatic trimming as concrete/timber members are placed connected to other concrete/timber
members. When off, the Trim Options are also disabled.
Automatic
End Trim

Fits the member around the selected connecting member

Trim
to member
connected
by
AccuSnap

Fits the member around all members in the vicinity of the member end.
Trim
to any
interfering
member

Column Properties

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Setting Description
Catalog Type Used to select from available Catalog Types. Selections made here updates the Catalog Item Selector combo box.
Selector

Catalog Item Used to select from available Catalog Items. The Catalog Item Selector combo box contains several options and settings
Selector designed to make it easier to find the exact catalog item you need to place/change.

A generic example of Catalog Item selector options for searching, grouping and navigating

The Catalog Item list also includes user defined assemblies, and RFA catalog items, if any.

• Search - Used to search for catalog items by name. Results are dynamically updated in the catalog items list. The
searched text is also highlighted in the results.
• Group By: - Used to list catalog items in groups based on values assigned to specific catalog item properties. Groups
can be collapsed and expanded by clicking the down/up arrows on the group name headers. For instance, selecting
Group By: > Type for a wall catalog type creates groupings with Schematic, Partition, WallComponent, etc headings.

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Setting Description
Catalog items which have Type defined as Schematic, Partition, or WallComponent will be listed under those headings.
You can also select Group By: > Do Not Group to create a flat list with no grouping. (Exemption Mechanical).
• (Large Icons) - Displays a representative icon for each catalog item listing.
• (List) - Displays catalog item listings without any icons.
• (Float) - When selected, the Catalog Item Selector combo box is detached from the placement/modify dialog, and
becomes a separate dialog. You may prefer to have the floated dialog docked and always open over clicking the
Catalog Item Selector in the placement/modify dialog for each catalog item selection.

Note: The main dialog remains open and refreshes the thumbnail and preview in response to the selected catalog
item.

Click the Dock icon to close the floated dialog.

• Recently Used - Lists catalog items that were recently selected in a "Group". This is useful because when you need to
repeatedly place or modify the same catalog items, you do not need to repeatedly browse or search the main catalog
items list.

Note: When you make your catalog item selection, it becomes the active part the Family/Part Toolbar.

Catalog Tools A split button located to the right of the Catalog Item Selector contains tools to assist with managing catalog data prior to
placement of selected catalog items.

• ( Match Element Properties) - Sets the current active placement/modify dialog settings to match the parameters of
an existing, selected catalog item instance in the model. This saves a good amount of time when placing catalog items
that need to identically match those that already exist.

Note: The existing catalog item instance must be of the same catalog type selected with the Catalog Item Selector for
the parameters to be matched.

• (Reset to Defaults) - Resets the selected catalog item property values to the default state as defined in the catalog
library.

• (Edit Catalog Item) - Used to edit the selected catalog item. Opens the Catalog Editor, where you can create and
edit new catalog types and catalog items. Catalog Editor can also be used to edit existing data and to view catalog item
instance properties and values by definition.

• (Catalog Item Manager) - Used to manage catalog items library into organizational dataset. Opens the Catalog
Item Manager, where you can copy or move catalog items into the dataset, and promoting current catalog items by
moving then across workset levels.

• (Save Catalog Item) - Updates the active catalog item in the DataGroup System catalog library with the values
currently shown in the Properties list box permanently changing the defaults for the catalog item.

• (Save Catalog Item As...) - Used to save a copy of the selected catalog item as another catalog item (the default
name adds the prefix " Copy of " <current catalog items name>). Opens the Save As dialog where catalog item
definitions can be named before saving them to the DataGroup System.

Note: The Save Catalog Item and Save Catalog Item As... tools perform administrative tasks on DataGroup System
catalogs. Administrators and users may want to hide the tool icons to avoid incidental or unwanted changes to their firm's
dataset by setting the user configuration variables BB_CATALOGITEM_ADMIN_IN_PLACECMDS and
BB_CATALOGITEM_SAVEAS_IN_PLACECMDS to "0", respectively.

Preview Displays the selected catalog item in the preview window. This display changes and the preview updates as various options
are chosen. The preview also changes dynamically with some of the prominent settings on the Placement tab, e.g Height,
Rotation angle, etc. A right-click in the Preview opens a Show/Hide Viewing Tools option menu:

• Zoom In - Zooms in about center of preview.

• Zoom Out - Zooms out about center of preview.

• Pan - Moves the preview following the pointer. Click again to stop panning.

• Fit - Fits the object to the extents of the preview.

• Rotation - Sets the orientation of the selected item in the preview to one of the standard orientation options:

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Setting Description
◦ Isometric
◦ Right Isometric
◦ Top
◦ Bottom
◦ Left
◦ Right
◦ Front
◦ Rear
• Display Mode - Sets the display of the selected item in the preview to one of the standard display modes.
◦ Solid
◦ Wire Frame
◦ Visible Edge
◦ Filled Visible Edge

For Place workflow, the Hide/Show Preview controls displaying preview of the element currently selected for placement.

Properties list Used to manage catalog item properties during placement or modification. Catalog item properties define the catalog item
- toolbar instance in the model, and are accountable in the DataGroup System data management tools. You can place a catalog item
with its default property values or you can change property values as needed, place an instance in the model, and optionally
save the changes to the catalog.

The Properties combo box contains tools for sorting and searching the properties list:

• (Categorize) - When on, catalog item properties are grouped in categories based on the catalog type definitions.
When off, the properties are listed alphabetically without grouping.

• (Alphabetical) - When on, catalog item properties are listed alphabetically without grouping. When off, the
properties are listed in categories.

• (Description) - Toggles a description field at the bottom of the placement dialog listing information about the
highlighted catalog item property. The information listed includes the property definition display name, internal name,
and type definition.
• Search - Used to search for catalog item properties by name. Results are dynamically updated in the properties list.

Structural
• Section Name - Sets the section definition for the structural member using a section picker. A selection made here
Parameters
overrides the Structural section defined for the selected Structural component type.

◦ Recent - Choose from the Section Name drop down list of recently used sections.
◦ Library - Choose a section from the loaded Structural section files. Narrow your search by selecting from the
Code, Type and Section Name drop downs. The Manage File button opens the Section File Manager dialog,
where you can to load and upload section definition files in the library to use.
◦ New - Allows you to add custom sections for round and rectangular shaped sections:
1. Select the library to add the custom section to from the Code drop down.

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Setting Description
2. Select the Type of section to add (Rectangular Shapes or Round Shapes).
3. Enter Dimensions for the custom section (diameter or length x width).
4. Optionally enter a Section Name. Section name is automatically generated using the following syntax:
RECT/ROUND[dimensions]
5. Click Add to complete the process.

Note: Only rectangular or round custom sections can be added this way.

• Structural Finish - Sets the finish to be applied to the structural member.

Materials
• Part Definition - Lists the default family/part definition assigned to the structural member being placed.

Structural linear members are Building forms. All forms are associated with a part definition. Similar parts are grouped
together into a family. The referenced datasets delivered with OpenBuildings Designer use material as the family
(steel) and member function (beam) as the part. Part definitions include default symbology values for displaying the
form in the drawing output, and information for quantifying the form in a schedule, etc. Parts defined as Structural
parts also include section orientation, end treatment and extended Structural data. Associated analytical members are
handled in the same way. The active family and part information is displayed in the Family/Part Toolbar. If the active
part (and/or family) is changed during placement, the Property Panel dialog is updated.

The Part Definition property is a link to the Family/Parts system. Placement tools use the Part Definition value to
access the part information and to set the default values for section orientation, end treatments, extended data, and
associated analytical members. Selecting another catalog item updates the entire Property Panel dialog including
DataGroup properties and part related properties. Similarly as the Part Definition property value is always
synchronized with the active part definition, changing the value also updates the Family/Part Toolbar. That is, that
whenever and however part names change, all the part-related values get updated.

The handling of the relationship between DataGroup catalogs and Family/Part systems also enables catalog types for
Structural linear members to include the ObjectMaterial catalog schema. This schema contains the Section Name
property. Placement tools retrieve the default section data value from the Section Name property. The Section Name
property value in the Properties list is synchronized with the Placement contextual ribbon tab's (End 1) section name.
Changing the value in either tab updates the data on the other.

Identification Lists identification properties for the active catalog item type.

Fire Lists fire rating properties based on agency fire safety tests and classifications.
Resistance

Thermal Lists the thermal properties to apply to the active catalog item.
Transmittance

Construction Lists design and construction phase properties for walls such as New Construction, Future Construction, and Items to be Moved.
Phase

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Setting Description
Structural Used to identify the location of Structural column members in your model. The included Structural property Column
Location Location allows you to query and report locations of columns relative to active grid systems. The locations of columns are
reported in the Schedules dialog.

For instance:

• A column placed at the intersection of two grid lines E and 3. Column Location is reported as E-3.
• A column placed on a grid line F, but at a certain distance away from grid line 3 (in the negative Y direction). Column
Location is reported as F-3 [0:0, -14:2 1/2].
• A column placed at a location that is not directly on any grid line. Column Location is reported relative to the nearest
grid line intersection (grid lines F and 3) as F-3 [10:8 13/16, 12:0 3/4].

IFC Override Lists IFC properties not automatically mapped to DataGroup System properties that can be manipulated for export.

Classification Building Classification Systems are supported by the DataGroup System. MasterFormat, OmniClass, and UniFormat property
values can be associated with any Building element. Click the Value cell to open the Classification System selection combo
box. The combo box is populated with selected classification system property values. It can be resized by clicking on the
combo box's bottom right corner. Search for properties by name. Search results are displayed in the classifications
hierarchy. Double click a property to select it. This action also closes the selection menu. The selected property displays in
the selected classification system property value (on the Properties list).

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Setting Description

LEED Lists several common Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design properties used to identify compliance of the active
Properties catalog item.

Structural
• Mark - Sets the identification mark for the structural member. Members are typically marked with a prefix. For
Data
instance:
B-1 for Beams
C-1 for Columns
P-1 for Purlins, etc.
You can edit the field to set a relevant Mark, if it differs from your standards.
• Type - Sets the type of structural member. Types are typically the identification of the member category. For instance:
Beam for Beams
Column for Columns
Purlin for Purlins
Handrail for Handrails, etc.
You can edit the field to set the relevant Type.
• Material - Sets the type of material for the structural member. For instance:
Steel
Timber
Concrete, etc.
You can edit the field to set the relevant Material.
• Grade - Sets the grade for the structural member. Grade indicates material specifications standard, and is added as an
attribute to the member.
A36, A50 for Steel
4000psi, 5000psi for Concrete, etc.
You can edit the field to set the correct gradation.
• Status - Sets the status for the structural member. For isnatnce:
New
Old
You can edit the Status from New to Old when over the time the member gets older.
• Class - Sets the class for the structural Member. Class indicates the member order, usually stated as the following:
Primary
Secondary
Framing, etc.
You can classify the member to suit as appropriate.
• User1 .. User 4 - Sets the user defined variables 1 through 4 for the structural member. You can set and alter the
name of the variables to be unique to manipulate parts externally in 3rd party applications.
• End1 / End2 Action - Sets the end 1 and end 2 actions for the structural member. For instance: 12.0 K / 14.0 K.

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Setting Description
• End1 / End2 Detail - Sets the end 1 and end 2 detail for the structural member. For instance: Type I / Type II.

Analytical
Note: Due to low utilization and future plans to integrate ProStructures, Analytical Features are on a path of deprecation. If
Data
you require Analytical Features in the interim, an Internal Only configuration variable can be provided to temporarily reinstate
them. Please contact Bentley for more information.

The Analytical data is enabled when the ( Analytical Features ) toggle is active, and the active part includes analytical
information.

• Prefix - Adds the prefix for identification of the analytical member. The same prefix is displayed on the analytical
member in analytical view of the model.

Tip: You can add or alter the prefix containing text considering the analysis product supports text Id's.

• Id - The number value defines the beginning Id of the analytical member. When the physical member of the part is
placed the first time in the model, the same Id reflects for the analytical line segment seen in the analytical view.
• Line Location - Defines the line location that determines where the analytical member is drawn.

Note: You can alter the analytical line location as needed; for example, if your physical member was placed at Top of
Steel, then changing the value of analytical lines location from At centroid to At placement points would align the
analytical line with the top/center of the member.

◦ At placement points - Assigns the placement location of the analytical line to the placement points of the
physical member.
◦ At centroid - Assigns the placement location of the analytical line to a member's centroidal axis.
• Member Type - Defines the type for the analytical element for the analytical model's purposes (not the physical model
member). Based on the expected characteristics of your analytical member, you can choose appropriate type for the
analytical element.
◦ Beam - Treats the member as a beam and applies flexural and/or axial stress to it.
◦ Truss - Treats this member as a truss and applies tension or compression stress to it.
• Releases – End 1 & End 2 - Defines the member's end releases. Releases can only be edited for Beam type analytical
elements. For the Truss type, the end release values are automatically overridden and preset. The releases determine
the support / boundary condition for the nodes in the analytical model.
◦ X/Y/Z - Sets the restriction for the linear movement of the node moving in X, Y, and Z direction.
◦ RX/RY/RZ - Sets the restriction for the rotational movement of the node rotating in X, Y, and Z direction.

Note: An analytical member can never be created with a duplicate name even if the Prefix & Id combination indicates it has.
The Id is (silently) incremented until the name is unique.

CAUTION: The end releases for a truss type analytical member are predefined and cannot be modified.

Note: Information in the Value column rows can be completed by selecting the applicable cell to activate an editor field, an option menu, or
a pop up dialog. This data is written to the element properties. Properties displayed with grey text are read only. Some of these are set in the
placement tool's Placement tab, and can be modified there. The dividing bar between the Property, and Value columns can be moved to
change the width of either area, or resize the dialog. A vertical and horizontal scroll bars are available to scroll and adjust Properties panel
viewing and the display of data.

Key-in: STFPLACE FORM COLUMNS [ catalog_item ]

Use the Catalog_Item argument to directly key-in the desired catalog item saved in the active DataGroup System catalog to pre-populate the
tool settings. For instance STFPLACE FORM COLUMNS Main Column where Main Column is the catalog item name.

Note: The Catalog_Item argument is case sensitive. Be sure to key it in exactly as it appears in the catalog.

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