Tekla Structures - Inputting information

You can use dialog boxes to enter and view information in Tekla Structures. If you click any command or button that has three dots in its name, e.g. Select…, Tekla Structures displays the appropriate dialog box. This section describes the components of dialog boxes. The following illustration also identifies the most common components:





	MJ List box for saved properties (2J Tabs f3J Modify filter check-boxes f4J Retains the properties and closes the dialog box f5J Retains the properties without closing the dialog box f6j Modifies the selected object(s) without retaining the properties f7J Fills the dialog box with the properties of the selected object fSJ Toggles all the modify filter check-boxes on and off •£ Closes the dialog box without retaining the properties or modifying
		objects



	(10) Buttons *(tf)* Fields

	Components in dialog boxes

	Dialog boxes may have following components for described purposes:

	Component		Is used to

			Display, enter, and modify information. To select the field, point to it and click. An I-shaped blinking cursor appears at the beginning of the field and marks your typing position.
	Field

			Group related settings that allow only one selection at a time. To select an option, click the appropriate button.

	Radio buttons

			Group settings that can be set in any combination, and are usually displayed as small square buttons.

	Checkboxes

			Present a collection of options in a list. To select an option, point to the list you want to display, click, drag the pointer to highlight the desired option, and then single-click.
	List box

			Run a command immediately.

	Button

			Select options from a list. A list can have both horizontal and vertical scrollbars for scrolling the visible portion of the list items. When you select a list item, it is highlighted. There are two ways to select an item on the list: • Point to the item you want to select and click. • Use the Down and Up arrow keys to move the highlight to the item you want to select, and press Enter.
	Multiple selection list

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Tabs

Information in some Tekla Structures dialog boxes has been divided up on several tabs. This makes the dialog boxes easier to use. Moving from tab to tab does not affect the information they contain. The common buttons located at the top and bottom of a dialog box affect all the tabs in the dialog box. For example, when you click Save before closing the dialog box, Tekla Structures saves all information on all tabs.

^	Press Ctrl+Tab to switch between tabs.

Common buttons

Most of the Tekla Structures dialog boxes contain common buttons. These buttons mean the same thing in all dialog boxes. The common buttons are:

Button	Description

	Retains the properties in the dialog box and closes the dialog box. Tekla Structures uses these properties the next time you create an object of this type.

Apply	Retains the properties in the dialog box without closing the dialog box. Tekla Structures uses these properties the next time you create an object of this type.

	Closes the dialog box without retaining the properties in the dialog box or modifying objects.

	Modifies the selected object(s) using the properties in the dialog box, but does not retain the properties in the dialog box.

	Fills the dialog box with the properties of the selected object. When you select several objects, Tekla Structures takes the properties at random from one of the selected objects.

	Creates a new object using the properties in the dialog box.

	Toggles all the modify filter checkboxes in the dialog box on and off.

Save, Load, Save as, Help

Many Tekla Structures dialog boxes have the Save, Load, Save as, and Help… buttons. You can use these buttons to save the information from the dialog box to a file, and reload it later from the file.



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Button

Description

Save as Stores the dialog box properties with the name given in the

field. The Save as button also updates the Load list box. This is important if you add or delete files manually.

Tekla Structures stores the properties files in the model folder. The files also include the properties in subdialog boxes. The file extensions are different for different dialog boxes. See Appendix D, File extensions, in the online help.

Load Loads all previously stored properties to the dialog box. Tekla

Structures also loads the properties of subdialog boxes, even if they are not open. You can select the name of the file you want to use from the list box.

Save Stores the modifications of properties. Tekla Structures saves

the properties in the file shown in the list box.

Help… Displays the help topics for the dialog box.

Modify filter checkboxes

The checkboxes located in front of the dialog box fields are modify filter checkboxes. They indicate the properties Tekla Structures modifies when you click the Modify button. When a checkbox is selected, Tekla Structures changes only the corresponding value.

This means you can modify a single property common to several objects. For example, to change the material of all parts in the model:

• Select all the parts.

• Open a part properties dialog box, e.g. Beam properties.

• Check only the Material field.

• Click Modify.

Special keys

You can use the keyboard to enter and modify text in dialog boxes, and to move the pointer in dialog boxes.


	Key	Description
	Arrow keys	Move the pointer within fields.


	Key	Description
	Tab	Moves the pointer to the next field or button in the dialog box. You can also scroll through lists using Tab.
	Del, Backspace	Delete characters.

See also Appendix E, Reserved shortcuts, in the online help.

Tekla Structures – Inputting information

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