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GRAITEC Advantage - FAQ Pgina 1 de 285
This help file is an extract of the Advance Steel FAQs published on the GRAITEC Advantage web site.
Please visit GRAITEC Advantage on www.graitec.com for new FAQs.
The GRAITEC Advantage team.
GRAITEC Advantage - FAQ
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Software: Advance Steel

Module: Modeling
Question: What are the supported snap points for manual dimensions ?
Type: Modeling
Difficulty: *****
Answer
Starting with Advance Steel 2011, manual dimensions can be updated after any geometry change that affects their value. This
behavior applies in most situations, when certain snap points are used during the manual dimension, while other snap points are not
supported. If a snap point is not accepted by the smart manual dimension update, then Advance Steel will display the following error
message after the line is created:
"Error: Unable to recognize all points. Some Points will be deleted after detail"
The cases supported by the manual smart dimensions are the following:
A. End points - when they are taken on the object contour. Any end point on it (including the contour defined by features) is recognized by smart
dimensions, and if the model has any modifications (features change position/shape or are removed), the manual dimension will update.
file://C:\Users\USUARIO\AppData\Local\Temp\~hh2FFC.htm 14/12/2012
There are a few exceptions of end points on the object contour, which are not recognized by smart dimensions:
1) End point defined by a scewed cope.
2) End point defined by the flange visible line.
B) System line end points can be dimensioned with the snap point: Node or End point.
C) Midpoints - when they are taken on edges perpendicular on the dimension direction.
Note: after update, the snap points that were taken on the midpoint move to the closest dimension line end point of the object on
which the midpoint was initially chosen, location change does not affect the correct dimension value.
If the midpoint is taken on an edge which is not perpendicular on the dimension direction, then the dimension points are removed
after update.
D) Center snap points are used for hole/bolt dimensioning.

Using smart dimensions with center snap points on hole/bolt patterns can be done in the following two cases:
1. The dimension line is created on two holes/bolts that mark the extremities of the pattern, in the dimension direction. If there is more than one
hole/bolt at one extremity, then any of them is supported, and the dimension line does not change to a similar hole during update.
- We can take only one dimension point from the hole/bolt pattern as long as it is at one of the extremities of the hole/bolt pattern in the dimensioning
direction.
- If any of the two points is incorrectly picked, then it will be removed during the update without affecting the other dimension points in that chain.
- Any additional hole/bolt center snap points chosen from in between the extremities, as long as we do not choose all of them (see next point), are
removed during update without affecting the correct snap points.
2. The dimension line is created on all the holes/bolts forming a pattern.

In this case, if additional bolts/holes are added to the pattern, the manual smart dimension will update and dimension these bolts/holes as well, even if a
point for them was not picked during the initial dimension creation.
The holes/bolts picked must be on the same side of the pattern, otherwise the intermediary points are removed during update.
Also, the dimension direction must match the bolt/hole pattern direction; otherwise the intermediary points are removed during update.
Angle dimensions: the condition is to use an End Point snap for the start of the 0-line, while the end of the 0-line, and the dimensions points can be
created by using the "End point" snap point or the "Nearest" snap point.

Module: Modeling
Question: How are user settings migrated to a newer Advance Steel version?
Type: Modeling
Difficulty: *
Answer
When upgrading from Advance Steel 2010 to Advance Steel 2011, we can migrate almost all the user settings (drawing styles,
prototypes, newly added bolts) by performing the following steps, depending on the type of customizations:
1. Any setting made in a "User" category, like Drawing Styles, Drawing Processes, Manual label configurations, Prefix settings, BOM templates and
preferred sizes are saved in the AstorAddIn.mdb database. To transfer the settings to Advance Steel 2011, the database must be copied from its AS
2010 location,
C:\ProgramData\Graitec\AdvanceSteel\2010\User2\Data, to the equivalent folder in Advance Steel 2011, C:\ProgramData\Graitec\Advance Steel\2011
\User2\Data.
2. If the modification appeared in a different database than the AstorAddIn, for example:
- AstorBase:
newly added or modified Bolts, Anchors or Shear Studs
new materials or coatings
new model roles
symbol configurations
- AstorGratings: New or modified gratings
- AstorRules:
Configurations done to the accepted profile sizes / classes by joints like the Purlin structural element
Saved joint library entries
- AstorSettings: modifications done to the default values.
To transfer the settings made to these databases, we need to merge the databases with a tool provided by Management tools:
- Open Management Tools with the command located on the AS Tools ribbon.
- Use the Convert database option.
- Select the old version of the database (for example the AstorGratings.mdb from Advance Steel 2010, located in
C:\ProgramData\Graitec\AdvanceSteel\2010\Steel\Data) and click the Continue button. The convert tool will know automatically the equivalent AS 2011
database to which the merge is done.
The merge operation will copy any existing new entries in the source database to the destination database, and also compare all the entries that exist in
both databases and update the ones in the destination database if any differences are found between them.
3. Support dwg files like Prototypes, BoM on Drawing templates, Connection Templates, Standard part template files and Symbol dwg files can be simply
moved from their Advance Steel 2010 folder to the equivalent Advance Steel 2011 folder.
Note: even if an older file is recognized by Advance Steel 2011, it is recommended to convert the files to the newer version before
using them, to save the time that Advance Steel would require to convert them every time it tries to access or use it. For example,
during detailing, Advance Steel would require to convert the prototype each time it creates a drawing, leading to a speed decrease of
the detailing operation.
To convert a file:
- Open the file with Advance Steel.
- Use the Save as option, and select as a file format AutoCAD 2007.

Module: Modeling
Question: How is the drawing format automatically obtained in the detail file name when changing the prototype?
Type: General
Difficulty: *
Answer
Starting with Advance Steel 2010 prototypes can store information about their drawing format, allowing a detailing process to fill the
correct information about the format in the detail name, and also allowing the detail name to get updated when we change the
prototype of an already created drawing. While the new prototypes have this option configured by default, if we need to use old
prototypes we need to manually configure them as follows:
- Open the prototype with Advance Steel 2010/2011.
- Use the command: Define drawing layout on the AS Documents ribbon.
- Fill the Page size cell with the necessary information about the prototype format (e.g., A2 ).
- Save and close the prototype.

Module: Modeling
Question: How are large Advance Steel models handled?
Type: General
Difficulty: ***
Answer
During the modeling of a large structure, the user can experience speed difficulties depending on the complexity of the structure. The
work speed can be improved by using a series of commands, hardware configurations and a more coherent workflow.
In addition to the points presented in the FAQ How can the speed in modeling and detailing be improved? you can also use the
following tips:
- Run the purge and audit commands frequently to avoid or fix eventual modeling issues as soon as possible.
- Reduce the size of ACIS Solids within the model (if the model has complex Inventor parts then turn them into basic Shell (Shrink Wrap)).
- Split the model into phases and only display the required phase by using the grouping tools available in the Project Explorer.
The Project Explorer is accessible from the AS Modeling ribbon:
Right click on the "Groups" button on the "Structure" tab and select "Create New Group".
After the group appears in the list, right click on it and select "Add elements" and start adding elements from the model to the
group.
We can control the group visibility by clicking on the light bulb icon.
- Apply lot/phase marks to the model objects and then display only the necessary phase.
- Apply the lot/phase mark on the "Naming" tab in the object Advance Properties dialog box.
- Search and mark a certain lot/phase with the "Search filter" command.
- After the objects are marked, use "Show only selected objects/assemblies" to hide the rest of the model and keep only the selected lot/phase
visible.
- Create and use model views to isolate certain areas of the model: along the grid lines, particular joint views etc. You can create model views by using
the "Create new model view options" from the Project Explorer.
- Consider multi user an option even when working individually, and choose to check out only the required part from the full model.
- Split the complete structure into smaller models, and then merge them at the end by copying them from the temporary dwg to the final model.

Module: Detailing
Question: How is a user defined area locked for detail arrangement configured?
Type: General
Difficulty: ***
Answer
When arranging details on a prototype during drawing creation, Advance Steel uses all the space inside the Page Frame block
(HYPERSTEELPAGEFRAME) from which it subtracts the space occupied by the Page Header block (HYPERSTEELPAGEHEADER). In
addition to this, an additional block can be added to "reserve" space on a prototype and lock the respective zone from drawing
arrangement. The block can be invisible on the created drawing, reserving a space usable after the page is printed (e.g., space
required on the drawing for stamping) or the block can contain information like specific pictures added to the prototype or other
information over which Advance Steel does not create and arrange detail views.
To add this reserved space on a prototype perform the following steps:

- Open the prototype file required for modification. The prototype files are located in the following folder:
Windows XP: C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\ApplicationData\Graitec\Advance Steel\20xx\Shared\Support\Prototypes
Windows Vista: C:\ProgramData\Graitec\Advance Steel\20xx\Shared\Support\Prototypes
Windows 7: C:\ProgramData\Graitec\Advance Steel\20xx\Shared\Support\Prototypes
- Create the shape of the reserved area from various AutoCAD options like closed polylines, rectangles, circles etc. In the following example a rectangle
is used:
- After the area is defined transform it into an AutoCAD block with a specific name, recognizable by Advance Steel as a reserved
area. Type the following command: BLOCK.
- In the dialog box, fill the following information:
Name: ADVANCESTEEL_RESERVED_AREA
Base point: one of the area corners
Objects: select the reserved area object (in this example: the rectangle object).
Click OK and the block will be created.
- Save the prototype and close it.
When this prototype is used to create a drawing, the area in the rectangle will not be used for drawing arrangement, and the first detail view will be
created on the left side / first column, under the rectangle:
Note: the rectangle defining the user reserved area can be moved on the prototype file to a hidden layer, to avoid it appearing on the
created drawings. Moving it on hidden layer will not affect its functionality.
Module: All
Question: How is a model exported from Revit and imported in Advance Steel?
Type: General
Difficulty: **
Answer
Create a model in Autodesk Revit. You can use Autodesk Revit Structure 2009, 2010, 2011 or Architecture 2009, 2010, 2011.
For example, create a structure with two levels. A part of the structure is created from steel beams, columns and bracings and the
other part is created from concrete beams and columns. The walls and slabs over the levels are made from concrete. Some joints are
created between bracings and beams.
To export this model in the Graitec internal format with .gtc extension you need the Graitec Revit Link plug-in.
If none of the elements are selected then the entire model will be exported. If some elements are selected then you can choose to
export only those elements by clicking the "Yes" button from the "Export selection" dialog window or you can export the entire model
by clicking the "No" button.
To obtain the file with the .gtc extension use the "Graitec Export" command.
A dialog window is opened and you should uncheck the "Automatic software launch" option.
Then click the OK button.

In the "Save As" window choose the location where you want to save the exported file.
Wait a few moments until the "Create a log file?" dialog box appears. Click the "Yes" button if you want to generate a report.
The report contains information about the number of exported elements and lists the elements that cannot be exported.
Note: In Revit only the linear elements (beams, columns) and planar elements (concrete walls and stabs) can be exported. The elements
from joints (steel plate, bolts and welds) cannot be exported.
Open Advance Steel.
The file with the .gtc extension can be imported into Advance Steel using the "GRAITEC BIM import" command from the "Additional
tools" menu or from the "AS Tools" ribbon.
If one of the steel or concrete column or beam sections created in Revit has no corresponding section in Advance Steel, a dialog box
will appear where you can choose a corresponding section.
If a material does not exist in Advance Steel it may be necessary to select a suitable material for the conversion.
Finally the model is successfully imported.

Module: Drawings
Question: How is the exact surface paint determined for plates?
Type: General
Difficulty: **
Answer
The total surface or paint area of plates can be displayed in BOM lists. The surface value will take into account any contour feature,
chamfer or fillet which is present on the plate.
Step 1: Set the correct calculation method.
1. Open Management Tools.
2. Select the "Use filter" option, and enter "area" in the filter field.
3. From the "Structured BOM/NC" category select the "Calculation rule for the area" default and change it to "with inner contours". With this setting the
value will be the exact one, as all the others settings are approximations.
4. Click the "Load settings in Advance" button.
5. Close Management Tools.
Step 2: Create a model and extract the BOM list.

1. In a drawing create a 1sq meter or feet plate. Copy the plate a couple of times and on the copied plates place features (rectangular, circle, polygonal
contours, chamfers or fillets).
2. "Number" the model and create an "Extract" from it.

3. In the "BOM Template Editor" select from the User Template\Lists\Part Lists category the "Plate list" template. Click the "Use" button and create the
BOM list.
The "Surface of piece" field content must use the "Global Paint" or "Paint" token.
The surface column will display the exact total surface of each plate (every side is taken into account, even the 4 sides of the plate
that represent the thickness).

Module: Drawings
Question: How is a user section created for use in Advance Steel and in Advance Design?
Type: General
Difficulty: *
Answer
Open Advance Steel.
In Advance Steel the user section is defined as follows:

- From the "User Section" menu select the "Frame" command to define the "Hype_Frame" layer as the current layer. On this layer a
rectangular frame is created and the section is drawn inside this rectangle.
- The outer contour of the user section is created on the "Hype_OuterSection" current layer. The outer contour describes the standard
shape of the section.
- If the user section is a hollow section type then define the inner contour on the "Hype_InnerSection" current layer. The inner
contour described on this layer will define the standard shape.
- If the exact outer contour is different from the standard shape then define it on the "Hype_ExactOuterSection" current layer.
-If the exact shape of the inner contour for the hollow section type is other than the standard shape then define it on the
"Hype_ExactInnerSection" current layer.
- To find the profile it is necessary to define the section class name on the "Hype_TypeName" layer.
- Define the section name on the "Hype_SectionName" layer.
- To define the coordinate system that represents the local axis select the outer contour.
- For example, to position the reference axis in the left - top, select the command, and when the "Snap on the outer contour at the
point to insert a reference axis" message appears, press < ENTER > for placing with the help of the snap points. If you do not press <
ENTER > the point where the reference axis will be inserted will be positioned where the point is selected on the outer contour.
Verify that all contours and the section properties inside the frame are created on the "Hype_Frame" layer.
To save the section, use the "Generate selected section" command or when there are several sections, use the "Generate all sections"
command.
The following message confirms that the section was successful created.
To draw the new user section, choose a profile from the menu, then in the properties window, in the "Other section" category choose
the user section class. Select the section from this class.
Open Advance Design.
In addition to standard sections from Advance Steel, user sections can also be imported and used in Advance Design.
In Advance Design, from the Edit menu, select Used cross sections. In the properties window, click the Add button for adding a
section. In the Advance Steel category, search for the "GRAITECSECTION" user section and from the table choose the section that
appears in the preview. Next, the section can be imported.
Draw a profile from the menu and in the properties window choose the user section.

Module: Drawings
Question: How is an angle dimension added on a drawing?
Type: General
Difficulty: *
Answer
In Advance Steel you can add on an existing drawing (general arrangement drawings, single part shop drawings, assemblies etc.) an
angle dimension for the dimensioning of: sloped profiles, profile sections, drawings intersections etc.
To display the value of an angle on a drawing, access the "Dimension angle" tool from the "Numbering, drawing" toolbar.
Adding the angle dimension requires several steps:

1. Selecting a view
2. Starting point "0" of the line
3. End point "0" of the line
4. Placement point of the dimension line
5. First point for the second line
In the example below you will add an angle dimension representing the section of a tube.
1. Selecting a view:
Click on the desired view to add the dimension angle.
2. Starting point "0" of the line:

Select the origin point of the dimension angle, forming the intersection of the two lines.
3. End point "0" of the line:

Select a point situated on one of the lines forming the angle:
4. Placement point of the dimension line

Select a point that will correspond to the position of the angle information
5. First dimension point or point for the second line: Measure point_
Select a point situated on the second line forming the angle.
Press "ENTER" two times and you will obtain the angle dimension.

Module: Detailing
Question: How are Advance Steel tokens combined into one item in the Title Block?
Type: General
Difficulty: ***
Answer
Often you want to display a title on prints to show more information about the project.
For example, information about the project number, prototype name, position number, and revision index can be added in a title
block.
If this were made with common attributes, then automatic format of the text, depending on its length, would not be possible.
Using the method presented below, the formatting according to the length of the text will be done automatically. The first step is to
copy and rename the prototype that you want to change and after that open it. The new prototype must be saved in the same
location as the other prototypes.
Note: Set the Attribute display to retain the added information. This is done with the "ATTMODE" command and the value set to 1.
After opening the prototype, go to edit the "HYPERDTEELPAGEHEADER" block. This block can contain what you want. In this example,
we will use the project name and some information about the drawing such as project number, position number and revision index.
This extra information will be displayed only if defined in the model; if you define a project number, the part position will be shown if
it is numbered. The information is displayed this way because the corresponding attributes are used.
Ensure that the positioning area of the text is free. Also, the block will contain for each item in the final text one attribute. Project
number is displayed by the "PROJECT_NO" attribute, the position of the piece by the "POS_NUM" attribute and the revision index by
the "REVISION_INDEX" attribute.
Write the project name and convert the block with the "HYPERSTEELPAGEHEADER" name using the "BLOCK" command.
Select the block, right click and choose "Block Editor".
In the "Block editor" add the desired attributes using the "Attribute Definition" option. It is very important that these attributes be set
to invisible.
After adding all the attributes you want, save and close the block. In order for the last settings to be taken into consideration, insert
the block in the prototype using the "Insert" command.
After inserting the block in the prototype, assign values to the new attributes to display the appropriate information when the
prototype is used at detailing.
These values can be added as follows:
1. Insert a "text" under the title block and the "Text Editor" will open. In fact, this text does not exist.
2. In the "Text Editor", use the "Insert Field" option. The "Field" dialog box will open. Choose the field category and name and then select the object.
In the "Field category" choose the "Objects" category, in the "Field names" choose "Object" and select the object type.
The block that is defined in the prototype must be selected. After selection, the dialog
box will reopen and all the properties of the selected object will be displayed. Among
them, you will be able to see the added attributes .
3. Select the first attribute that you want to display and then click "OK".
In this example the first attribute selected is "PROJECT_NO" and this will display the corresponding information set in Project Preferences.
Using the same options, the other attributes are inserted, which will display the appropriate information.
After inserting all the attributes, the

template is saved and closed.
Every time you create a detail and use this
template, the invisible attributes, from the
block, will be displayed and updated as
model details.

Module: All
Question: How can I migrate from the 2010 to the 2011 network license?
Type: Installation
Difficulty: *
Answer
You have a network license for Advance 2010 installed on the server workstation.
Being under maintenance, you have received the 2011 DVD package and the entitlement for 2011 network license by e-mail from
GRAITEC and you would like to start using the new version.
Note: Advance 2011 network license uses a newer version of License Server software that is delivered on the 2011 DVD. Since the
new version does not prevent you from using Advance 2010, uninstall the previous version of License Server. Otherwise the network
license cannot be activated.
To activate the 2011 network license on the server workstation perform the following steps:
1. Return the 2010 network license (see Returning a network license).
2. Uninstall the License Server 2010 from the Control Panel.
If you forget to uninstall the old License Server software you will get the following error message:
3. Install the License Server 2011.

4. Activate the 2011 network license using the License Utility (see Activating a server license).
Before starting, close the active Advance sessions.

From the Windows Start menu, select Programs > Graitec > License Server > License utility and proceed as follows:
Step 1
In the License Utility dialog box, select Return server license. Click Next.
Step 2 of 3
In the next dialog box, select the application for which to return the license. Click Next.
Step 3 of 3
The next dialog box displays the confirmation message. Click Finish to complete the process.
Step 1 Step 2 Step 3

If your computer is not connected to the Internet, you can use the Offline procedure described in the Installation guide.
From the Windows Start menu, select Programs > Graitec > License Server > License utility and proceed as follows:
Step 1 of 3
In the Server License Utility dialog box, select Activate a server license. Click Next.
Step 2 of 3
Enter the serial number and the activation code. Click Next.
Step 3 of 3
Your computer contacts the activation server at GRAITEC; the license rights are written in the database. The activation server
receives the information and processes it. After clicking Finish in the last dialog box, the network license is activated.
Step 1 Step 2 Step 3

Module: All
Question: What is necessary to use Advance Steel under Autodesk Mechanical 2011?
Type: Installation
Difficulty: *
Answer
Even if AutoCAD Mechanical is not listed yet as an official platform on the Graitec website, Advance Steel does run in Autodesk
Mechanical 2011 if you follow the instructions in this FAQ. We ran several days of tests and we did not encounter any specific
problems.
1. Installation of Autodesk Mechanical: Install Autodesk Mechanical following the instructions from Autodesk and restart the system after the
complete and successful installation.
2. Start Autodesk Mechanical and go to the options by using the "op" command. Go to the profile-register and choose the < < Vanilla > > profile
and activate it. Create a new profile called "AS", save and activate it.
3. Change the workspace to "3D-Modeling", type "menubar" on the command line and change the system variable to "1". Save the workspace
and close Autodesk Mechanical.
4. Install Advance Steel 2011 following the instructions from the installation guide.
5. Choose the Icon on the desktop for Advance Steel with the right mouse button and go to properties.
Change the destination for Windows XP 64-bit to "C:\Program Files\Graitec\Advance Steel\2011\Steel\Bin\AdvanceSteel9x64.exe" /p "AS" /T
"C:\Documents and settings\All Users\Application Data \Graitec\Advance Steel\2011\Shared\Support\Templates\ASTemplate.dwt",
for Vista or Win7 64-bit change it to "C:\Program Files\Graitec\Advance Steel\2011\Steel\Bin\AdvanceSteel9x64.exe" /p "AS" /T

"C:\ProgramData\Graitec\Advance Steel\2011\Shared\Support\Templates\ASTemplate.dwt",
for Windows XP 32-bit to "C:\Program Files\Graitec\Advance Steel\2011\Steel\Bin\AdvanceSteel9x86.exe" /p "AS" /T "C:\Documents and

settings\All Users\Application Data \Graitec\Advance Steel\2011\Shared\Support\Templates\ASTemplate.dwt"
and for Vista or Win7 32-bit to "C:\Program Files\Graitec\Advance Steel\2011\Steel\Bin\AdvanceSteel9x86.exe" /p "AS" /T

"C:\ProgramData\Graitec\Advance Steel\2011\Shared\Support\Templates \ASTemplate.dwt".
6. Start Advance Steel using this changed icon.

Module: Modeling
Question: How are elliptical plates or curved beams created?
Type: Modeling
Difficulty: *
Answer
There are cases when you need to use elements with elliptical forms. In order to create a plate that has an elliptical outline or a
curved beam that follows an elliptical path you must create an elliptical polyline.
AutoCAD usually draws ellipses that are not made of polylines and cannot be used as the basis of a plate or beam. Therefore you
must tell AutoCAD to draw ellipses as polylines.
To create ellipses as polylines enter the command PELLIPSE on the AutoCAD command line. The program will ask you to enter a
value and this must be 1.
Note: The PELLIPSE setting is stored in the drawing so it needs to be set for each new model.
Once the value is set, you can make ellipses and edit them to create the form that you need.
After the editing is finished, the new forms can be converted into plates or beams using the command for each type of element.

Module: All
Question: How are AutoCAD keyboard shortcuts used?
Type: General
Difficulty: *
Answer
The keyboard shortcuts are keyboard combinations used to launch commands.

For instance, you can press Ctrl+O to open a file or you can press Ctrl+S to save a file (the effect is the same as by clicking Open and
Save from the quick access toolbar or from the File menu).
You can also directly type the corresponding keys.
For instance, you can type L to create a line (the effect is the same as when clicking the Line command from the Drawing toolbar in
the Menu toolbar).
The following list represents the main keyboard shortcuts that can be used in AutoCAD:

Type on keyboard
Existing key
1. Displaying
F2 Toggles text window on/off
Activate/deactivate the Tool Palette
Activate/deactivate the calculator window
Activate/deactivate the command toolbar
Activate/deactivate the quick properties interface
Turns object snap tracking on/off
REGEN Update (regenerate) the display
TOOLTIPS Manage the display of the tooltips on the flyout, on the toolbars
2. Managing the DWG files
Create a new drawing file
Open an existing drawing file
Save the current drawing (Qsave)
Save under a different name (Save as...)
Quit, close AutoCAD
SAVETIME Program saving operations at regular intervals
XR Open x-reference manager (XREF)
3. Managing the clipboard
Select all objects
Copy objects to Clipboard
Paste the contents of the Windows clipboard as a block object
Copy all selected objects with a base point
Cut all current drawing objects to paste them somewhere else
DELETE key Delete selection
U Return to a previous state
REDO Cancel the "Undo" command
4. Parameters
Turn AutoCAD properties on/off
Toggle coordinate display
Print current drawing
CUI Customize the user interface
PL Draw a polyline - a complex line
F3 Toggle OSNAP
F6 Toggle COORDS
F7 Toggle GRIDMODE
F10 Toggle POLAR
F12 Turn dynamic input on/off
5. Modeling
AJ Adjust
B Opens the block dialog box to make a block for the current drawing
C Draw a circle
CP Copy
Repeat the last used command
X Explode an object, a volume, a polyline, etc.
XL Straight line
M Move
S Stretch an object
SC Scale an object
I Insert
L Line
MI Mirror
OP Option
PE Edit a polyline
PELLIPSE Convert an elliptical shape into a polyline
PL Polyline
EX Extend a selection (property in AutoCAD LT)
RO Rotate a selection
REN Rename
Select a unique snap mode on a snapshot
PU Purge - open the purge dialog box to remove unused elements
WBLOC Write a block
6. Navigation
Zoom by moving the mouse wheel forward or backward
Scroll vertically and horizontally in the drawing
Enable/Disable 3D orbit in the drawing (the mouse wheel must be pressed)
F8 Toggle ORTHO MODE
ZOOMFACTOR Regulate in percentage the zoom
Note : If the CUIx file included in AutoCAD is modified with user-defined keyboard shortcuts, some shortcut keys quoted in the above list might not
work.
Identically for the mouse, if the pilot or the configuration is changed, some shortcut keys might not work.

Module: Detailing
Question: How is an isometric view added to a main part drawing?
Type: General
Difficulty: **
Answer
A 3D view of an assembly can be added to a main part drawing in order to create a better image of the element that is detailed. This
isometric view also gives the drawing a more dynamic look.
To add this view in a drawing style, perform the following steps described in the example.
In the following example we will modify the "Tie beam - AutoIntersections" drawing style to display the isometric view. Afterwards we
will create the detail drawing of a rafter beam in order to display the change.
1. Open "Drawing Style Manager" (DSM) and from the "User" category copy the drawing style, mentioned above, with the name "Tie beam -
AutoIntersections 3D view".
2. Create a new view with the name "3D assembly view".
3. For the newly created view change the view direction and model box name to "UCS". Click the "Apply" button to save the modifications. Close DSM.
4. Rotate the model in the position you want to see the rafter beam and change the UCS to "View". The isometric view is UCS dependent and is created
from the positive Z direction.
5. Open DSM and select the drawing style you have just modified and click "Use". Select the rafter that you want to detail. The model must be numbered
prior to the creation of the drawing.

Module: Detailing
Question: How is a multi-page PDF created from many drawings?
Type: General
Difficulty: **
Answer
In Advance Steel, the Document Manager (DM) provides the option to produce single sheet PDF files. Using the AutoCAD Publish
2011 command you can create a single multi-page PDF of many drawings rather than a separate PDF of each drawing. This option is
available starting with AutoCAD 2011.
Example:
1. Create or open a model in which you have at least 2 drawings.
2. Enter DM and open the drawings you want to print to PDF format.
3. From the AutoCAD menu select "Publish"; you can also type "publish" on the command line.
4. In the window that appears select "PDF" from the "Publish to:" drop-down list.
5. Enter the "Publish Options..." and specify the "Location" where you want to create the PDF file. Also select the "Multi-sheet file" and "Prompt for
name" options in the "Type" and "Naming" fields. See the following figure.
6. Select the drawings you want to print, only the ones that have "-Model" as an extension, and then click "Publish".
7. In the window that appears you must specify the name of the .pdf file. The file will be saved in the location you have specified in "Publish Options".

Module: Detailing
Question: How is an unwind drawing of an RHS profile created?

Type: General
Difficulty: **
Answer
Unfolded drawings of rectangular hollow sections and circular hollow sections can be obtained. To obtain these drawings perform the
following steps:
1. Open the AstorProfile database from "C:\ProgramData\Graitec\Data\...".
2. Open the table that contains the profile you want to unfold in a drawing and change the value in the "Reserved" column to 2. This modification will
enable (un-gray) the "Unwind profile" option in the section's "Advance Properties" dialog box.
Example: "RHS rectangular cold 90x50x2.5".
3. Create the profiles in the model and select the "Unwind profile" option for every profile you want to unfold in the single part drawing.
4. Create the single part drawings using an adequate drawing style, a drawing style that includes a "Development" or "Unfold" view.

Module: All
Question: How can I migrate to a higher package?
Type: Installation
Difficulty: *
Answer
You have Advance installed on your computer and the license activated (for example, Advance Professional 2011).
You have acquired a higher Advance package (for example, Advance Premium 2011).
The Advance Professional license was activated based on a Serial Number and Activation Code.
The Serial Number is the unique identifier of the license (network or standalone).
The Activation Code allows using the software version according to the purchased license features.
The entitlement for the new package contains:
The same Serial Number

A new Activation Code that authorizes you to use the features corresponding to the new acquired package.
(For example, you have Advance Steel Professional 2011 and you received an Activation Code for Advance Steel Premium 2011).
Since the Serial Number is unique, as long as an Advance license is active, you will not be able to activate the new package. You must
return the license to the GRAITEC License Server, and then activate the license for the new package using the Activation Code you
received.
Remember:
The license for the existing package must be returned to the GRAITEC License Server before activating the new license.
Example: To activate the license:

1. Return the license for Advance professional 2011
(see Returning a license or see the Installation guide - p. 22).
2. Activate the license for Advance Premium 2011 using the existing Serial Number and the new Activation Code (see Activating a license or
see the Installation guide - p.14)
You can use Advance Premium 2011.
If you did not return the license for Advance Professional, you will see the following error message.
GRAITEC License Server
The user purchased or received an Advance Activation ID = Activation code

Quantity of available licenses = 1
Professional license. Prof.
Activation ID = Activation code

The user activated the Professional license. Quantity of available licenses = 0
Prof.
The user received the new Premium license. Activation ID = Activation code
(Activation code for Advance Premium) Since the Advance Prof.
Professional license is still active, the Quantity of available
licenses is 0. The license is unique. If the user tries to activate Activation ID = Activation code

the new license, an error message is displayed. Premium

The user returns the Professional license. Quantity of available licenses = 1
Prof.
The license is available and can be used based on the
Activation code for Advance Premium. Activation ID = Activation code

Premium

The user activates the Premium license. Quantity of available licenses = 0
Premium
Before starting, close the active Advance sessions. From the Windows Start menu, select Programs > Graitec > Advance XXX >
License utility and proceed as follows:
Step 1
In the License Utility dialog box, select Return application license. Click Next.
Step 2
In the next dialog box, select the application for which to remove the license. Click Next.
Step 3
From the Windows Start menu, select Programs > Graitec > Advance XXX > License utility and proceed as follows:
Step 1
In the License Utility dialog box, select Activate a license. Click Next.
Step 2
Enter the Serial Number and the Activation Code. Click Next.
Step 3
Your computer contacts the activation server at GRAITEC; the license rights are written in the database.
The activation server receives the information and processes it.
After clicking Finish in the last dialog box, Advance starts automatically.

Module: All
Question: How can I migrate from Advance 2010 to Advance 2011 and use both versions on the same machine?
Type: Installation
Difficulty: *
Answer
You have Advance 2010 installed on your computer and the Advance 2010 license activated.
Being under maintenance, you have received the 2011 DVD package and the entitlement for 2011 by e-mail from GRAITEC and
you would like to start using the new version.
The 2010 license was activated based on a Serial Number and Activation Code.
The Serial Number is the unique identifier of the license (network or standalone).
The Activation Code allows using the software version according to the purchased license features.
The entitlement for the new version (2011) contains:
The same Serial Number as for 2010

A new Activation Code which authorizes you to use the same features, for Advance 2011. (If you have Advance Steel Professional
2010, you will receive an Activation Code for Advance Steel Professional 2011).
Since the Serial Number is unique, as long as the Advance 2010 license is active, you will not be able to activate the 2011 license.
You must return the 2010 license to the GRAITEC License Server, and then activate the 2011 license using the Activation Code you
received. The 2011 license allows you to use Advance 2011 and Advance 2010.
Remember:
The Advance 2010 license must be returned to GRAITEC License Server before activating the new 2011 license.
Advance 2010 and Advance 2011 can both be used with the Advance 2011 license. There will be no missing functionalities in
Advance 2010 due to the usage of the Advance 2011 license.
To activate the 2011 license:

1. Install the 2011 release (see the Installation guide - p. 10).
2. Return the 2010 license (see Returning a license or see the Installation guide - p. 22).
3. Activate the 2011 license using the existing Serial Number and the new Activation Code (see Activating a license or see the Installation
guide - p.14)
You can use Advance 2010 and Advance 2011 on the same computer.
If you did not return the 2010 license, you will get the following error message.
GRAITEC License Server
The user purchased or received an Advance 2010 Activation ID = 2010 activation

license. code
Activation ID = 2010 activation

The user activated the 2010 license. Quantity of available licenses = 0
code
The user received the new 2011 license. (Activation Activation ID = 2010 activation
code for 2011) Since the 2010 license is still active, the code
quantity of available licenses is 0. The license is unique. If the
user tries to activate the new license, an error message is Activation ID = 2011 activation
displayed. code

The user returns the 2010 license. Quantity of available licenses = 1
code
The license is available and can be used based on the
Activation code for Advance 2011. Activation ID = 2011 activation
code

The user activates the 2011 license. Quantity of available licenses = 0
code
Before starting, close the active Advance sessions.

From the Windows Start menu, select Programs > Graitec > Advance Steel > License utility and proceed as follows:
Step 1
In the License Utility dialog box, select Return application license. Click Next.
Step 2
In the next dialog box, select the application for which to remove the license. Click Next.
Step 3
From the Windows Start menu, select Programs > Graitec > Advance Steel > License utility and proceed as follows:
Step 1
In the License Utility dialog box, select Activate a license. Click twice on Next.
Step 2
Enter the Serial Number and the Activation Code. Click Next.
Step 3
Your computer contacts the activation server at GRAITEC; the license rights are written in the database.
The activation server receives the information and processes it.

Module: Detailing
Question: How is Advance Steel configured to use the first angle projection?
Type: General
Difficulty: **
Answer
The first step is to set the Default in Management Tools.

1. Open Management Tools
2. Set Drawing General>Default Drawing Projection as desired.
In order for this setting to have the desired effect, the drawing styles must be defined correctly too.
Within each drawing style the "arrangement" setting for each view must be set to "Automatic". See the following figure. Views with
Automatic arrangement will be placed according to the default projection but views with any other setting will be placed as stated in
the style.

Module: Modeling
Question: How is a feature, identified by an Audit that cannot be processed / deleted, found?
Type: Modeling
Difficulty: *
Answer
There are situations where we can get features in the model that are invalid or are overlapping an existing one. To find them we use
the Audit command. The result list will contain the object handle ID and a message highlighting the issue with it, as in the following
example:
To find the object reference perform the following steps:

1. Go to the Listing and Checking Toolbar.
2. Select and hold down the Clash Check Icon and select the fourth Icon - Mark Object.
3. On the Command Line you will be asked to choose either Handle / ID - Type H (to select Handle).
4. Type the Handle reference - e.g. AC9B
5. This marks the object with the problematic feature.
6. From the Standard Toolbar select "Search for Marked Objects".
7. Using the handle information from the Audit report we will find the object containing the invalid feature, and not the feature itself. After we have
identified the object, we will need to manually check the object and search for the actual feature based on the Audit report detail and remove it.

Module: All
Question: How is the hatch used by automatic / manual cut view in drawings configured?
Type: General
Difficulty: ***
Answer
To configure the hatch used by a manual or automatic cut view, we need to access the database corresponding to the used drawing
style category and change the hatch used by the configured style presentation.
A) Open Management Tools and go to: "Table editor".
B) Based on the category from where we use the drawing style (Advance or User), open the following database with the "Open Database (MDB)" button:
AstorDetails.mdb - C:\ProgramData\Graitec\Advance Steel\2011\Steel\Data (for drawing styles used from the "Advance" category)
AstorAddIn.mdb - C:\ProgramData\Graitec\Advance Steel\2011\User2\Data (for drawing styles used from the "User" category).
C) Open the DetHatchSettings table.
D) The various types of hatches that can be configured into an object presentation are available. The default hatch, used by both automatic and manual
cut views, is Default Front.
We can configure the following parameters:

- PatternName. We can use any pattern available in AutoCAD in addition to the ones added by the Advance Steel installation.
- Scale - scale of the pattern. Default is - 1.
- Angle - angle of the pattern. Default value is 0. The pattern is rotated counter clockwise for positive values.
- Color. In addition to the available normal color codes, we can also use two special codes:
"-255" - None
"-1" - Read code from defaults. If we use this setting, then the color will be read from a specific default value. For example, for the Default Front hatch, it
will read the color from the "Drawing-Presentation / Color of planes of intersection" default.
E) After we configure the hatch, close the Management Tools and use the "Update defaults" function in Advance Steel to include the modification.
Note: In order for the modification to take effect on detail drawings, we need to recreate them. A drawing update will not change any of the modified
settings done to the database table.
As an example, we will change the scale and color of the Default Front hatch with the following values:
Scale - 5
Angle - 90
Color - 2 (Yellow)
And obtain the following result:

Module: Modeling
Question: How are additional commands integrated into toolbar palettes?
Type: Modeling
Difficulty: **
Answer
How to integrate additional commands into toolbar palettes

It is possible to adapt toolbar palettes with a few easy steps to your own requirements. Furthermore it is possible to send the adapted
toolbar palettes to others by using the import/export commands.
To add, for example, commands to an existing palette, open the desired palette and the context menu by a right click. Then click
"Customize Commands" in the context menu.
From this command list you can select the desired commands by dragging and dropping them to the palette.
You can enter a search item at the top, for example, "UCS", to see only all commands dealing with the "UCS".
If you want to copy or move already existing commands from one palette to another, right click the desired command and choose
"copy". As you can see, there are a lot of other options.
When you have copied a command, you can right click in a free area and insert that command.
In this menu you can see that there are a lot of options to adapt palettes, for example, inserting a separation.
How to customize toolbar palettes
If you want to save your modified toolbar palettes, or if you want to import other palettes, you can do that easily by using the
"Customize Palette" command.
You can select the command from the context menu, which you can activate by right click.
In the "Customize Palettes..." menu you can define new groups for palettes or you can import/export existing groups by right click.
In addition you can import/export several toolbar palettes.
If you want to create your own palette, it is highly recommended to save the modification in a file, so that you can still reuse your
template after updates or new installations.

Module: All
Question: How is an anchor created in the new Graitec Advance Manager?
Type: General
Difficulty: **
Answer
Starting with Advance Steel 2011, anchors have their own category separate from the bolts. In the new Graitec Advance Manager
(GAM) application the user can define anchors.
To create a new anchor, perform the following steps:
1. Open the GAM application, select "Settings" and then "Anchors".
2. Open the "Anchor" list and select any of the existing anchors. Right click and select "New" or click the "New" button next to "Name".
3. On the "Parameters" page, from the "Type" drop-down list you can select one of the following options: "Normal", "Headed", "Threaded", "Hooked" and
"J". Every anchor type has a different display picture that helps when defining the dimensions. For the example in this FAQ select a "Threaded" type
anchor.
4. To create an anchor with another diameter or grade than the ones existing in the Advance Steel database, you can create one by defining a new
diameter, grade or source using the "New..." button next to each field.
If you want to define a new anchor using the existing diameters and grades from the database, they are available in the drop-down lists.
To define the name of the anchor click the "New..." button, enter "FAQ anchor" in the window and then click "Apply". For the grade select "8.8", for
the diameter select "36.00", and for the source select "Anchor".
Define the dimensions of the anchor as shown in the above figure. If you want to add more dimensions, click on a dimension field and press "Enter".
Another line with empty fields will appear in which you can enter the new dimensions.
The "Explodable" option enables the anchor to be displayed in the BOM lists separated in components; nuts, washers and anchor rods will be
displayed separately, with the part name (e.g. "FAQ anchor"). If the option is not selected then the assembly will be displayed as a whole in the lists.
5. Select the "Set" page and create a new bolt assembly with the name "FAQ bolt assembly".
Add nuts and washers as in the following figure and then click the "Apply" button to save the anchor. Close the GAM application.
The anchor will be available as a connection object, when placed manually and also in the following base plate joints: "Base
plate", "Corner base plate", "Base plate cut" and "Tube base plate".

Module: Detailing
Question: How is a drawing style configured to show the grid reference?
Type: General
Difficulty: *
Answer
In Advance Steel 2011 a new presentation rule has been created to display the surrounding grid axes of a main part profile. The
"Grid reference" can only be shown on assembly drawings for profiles. The presentation rule is named "VisibleHiddenSystemGridRef".
1. In a new drawing create a building grid, and in one direction of the building grid change the labels from number to letters. Create a frame between 2
intersection points of the grid and then place a diagonal brace. Create the necessary joints.
2. Save and number the model.
3. Open the Drawing Style Manager (DSM) and from the "User/Column" category, select the "Column - AutoIntersections" drawing style. In the "Mp
Front Vertical 1:10 CX" view got to the "Presentation" page of "Mp - Beam - All". Change the presentation rule to "VisibleHiddenSystemGridRef". Click the
"Apply" button to save the changes, and then click "Use" and detail one of the columns in the model.
If the column is present multiple times in the model then the label will include all the axes names on which the column is found (for
the example in the following figure the whole frame was copied between A3-B3 grid intersections).
If the column is not exactly placed on an intersection point then the grid reference symbol will display the axes that are closest to the
element.
Grid references can be included in the detail title. Open DSM and from the "User/Column" category, select the "Column -
AutoIntersections" drawing style. On the "Detail title" page insert the "Grid reference" token, click "Apply" and then "Use" and then
create a new drawing or update the existing drawing.
The grid reference can also be placed on the beam and brace view details, but for this you must make the same changes to the
drawing style you use to detail this element.
There is a default that controls the shape of the balloon. It can be found in Management Tools (MT), in the "Drawing-Presentation"
category and it is called "Default frame type for grid reference".
Value Balloon shape
1 None
2 Rectangle
3 Rounded
4 Hexagon
5 Circle
In the same category in MT there are 2 more defaults that control the color and the line type of the grid reference: "Color for grid
reference in details" and "Default line type for grid reference".

Module: All
Question: How is the dimension style used for leader and dimension lines changed?
Type: General
Difficulty: ***
Answer
The dimension style is specific to each prototype and contains the graphic information about the elements used by Advance Steel to
create dimension lines, leader lines etc, allowing you to configure arrowheads, primary units precision, text style and many other
parameters required to customize the dimension lines.
To configure and use a custom dimension style, perform the following steps, which include modifying the prototype and changing the
default dimension style used by Advance Steel when detailing.
1. Go to the following folder where your Advance Steel / Windows installation is located:
C:\ProgramData\Graitec\AdvanceSteel\2010\Shared\Support\Prototypes - Windows Vista / 7
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Graitec\AdvanceSteel\2010\Shared\Support\Prototypes - Windows XP.
2. From this folder, open in Advance Steel the prototype file you need to modify.
3. Once the prototype is opened, use the following command: Change dimension style, located on the "Drawings labeling & dimensions" tool palette.
4. This will open the "Dimension style manager", which is an AutoCAD option. The Advance Steel preconfigured dimension styles, which contain "DSC_"
in their names, are listed in this window.
You can add a new dimension style, or configure an existing one by using the two buttons on the right side: "New" or "Modify".
If you choose "New", then enter a new name and use one of the existing styles as a reference. We recommend using the existing DSC_ ones as a
reference for the new style.
5. Configure the dimension style by modifying the different available settings. For example:
- Change the linetype or line color used by lines in dimensions.
- Change the arrowheads of dimension lines and leader lines, or their sizes.
- Change the primary units precision used in the dimension lines to show the dimension value. This precision can be different from the precision
value used in the model. The dialog box also provides the option to change the unit format, use a prefix/suffix or change the units format for the angular
dimensions to be different from the linear ones.
There are also other settings like text style, alternative units or fit options that affect the Advance Steel dimension style.
6. After the settings are done, save the prototype. Give it a different name if necessary, to retain the original prototype.
7. After the prototype is configured, you need to change a default value that will allow the Advance Steel detailing to use this modified "Dimension style"
when creating the automatic details. To change the default, open the Management Tools and go to "Defaults".
In the Drawing - Dimensioning category there are a series of defaults that control certain dimensions used:
Dimension style for angle dimensions

Dimension style for arc dimensions
Dimension style for linear dimensions
Dimension style for radial dimensions
Dimension style for slope triangle dimensions
Note: Leader line arrow types can be configured and used with the following default: Dimension style for linear dimensions, which is
common in this case.

Module: Modeling
Question: How are workplanes created?
Type: Modeling
Difficulty: *
Answer
Advance Steel 2011 has a new feature - workplane creation. The workplanes help in the modeling of the structural elements.
Workplanes can be defined in three ways:

a) At the current UCS, in the XoY plane
b) By three points
c) By origin and Z direction.
The workplanes can be created in the Project Explorer by selecting the Workplanes tab and right clicking and selecting "Create
workplane" or from the " AS Modeling" -> "Workplanes" ribbon by selecting "Create workplanes".
After choosing the desired command, Advance Steel will display a window where you select how to define the workplane.
a) Define the workplane "At current UCS, in the XoY plane"
By selecting this method, the position of the workplane will depend on the position and orientation of the UCS, in the XoY plane.
Select a point where the workplane will be positioned and enter a name for the workplane.
The workplane will be positioned in the XoY plane and the name will be displayed next to the lines that define it and in the Project
Explorer.
b) Define the workplane "By three points"
The plane will be defined by any three points you select. When you select this option, you must consider that the new workplane is
not dependent on the position and orientation of the UCS.
You can create help-lines in order to precisely define the work plane.
Define the three points and name the workplane.
The new workplane will be created by these 3 points.
c) Define the workplane "By origin and Z direction"
Select 3 points, but take into account what each point represents.
The first point, "Select a point", will be the origin of the workplane (the center of the
square limited by the dotted lines).
This point is the origin of the plane and can coincide with the "First point for
direction" (see next step) that defines the Z direction of the workplane.
The next point, "First point for direction", will be the first point from the segment that
defines the Z direction of the new workplane.
The last point, "Second point for direction", is the second point of the segment that defines the Z
direction of the new workplane.
With these two points, a line perpendicular to the plane is created.
The last step is to name the newly created workplane.
It can be seen, that the line is perpendicular to the new plane. The position of the workplane does not depend on the position and
orientation of the UCS.

Module: Detailing
Question: How is a drawing style configured to show the top view of the cambered beam?
Type: General
Difficulty: **
Answer
With Advance Steel 2011 we can model Cambered Beams and detail them using a dedicated drawing style. The Cambered Beam
settings can be accessed in the beam's advance properties where you can set the height of the camber and the direction. If you select
the "Direction on Y" option then you will see the camber height on a Top or Bottom view of the beam. The provided drawing style
used for camber beams details the camber only in a Front view. The purpose of this FAQ is to configure the current drawing style and
add the top/bottom cambered view in addition to the current "Front view".
Perform the following steps:

1. Create a beam, enter the "Advance Properties" and on the "Cambered Properties" page select the "Is cambered" and "Direction on Y" options. In the
"Height" field enter the value of the beam deflection and in the "Start Offset" and "End offset" fields enter 200 and 350, respectively.
2. To display the cambered beam in the drawing the model role must be set to "Cambered beam" on the "Naming" page. The detail view is based on
selecting this model role.
3. Number the model.
4. Open the Drawing Style Manager (DSM) and then select from the "User/Processes" category the "Process - CamberedBeam 1:10 CO,
AutoIntersections" drawing style. Right click and deep copy the drawing style with the name "Process - Front/Top CamberedBeam 1:10 CO,
AutoIntersections".
5. Select the copied drawing style and click "Add an existing view". Select the "Mp Front 1:10 CO Cambered" view from the "Special structural parts"
category.
6. Select the previously added view and rename it to "Mp Top 1:10 CO Cambered".
7. After you rename the view change "View direction and model box" from "Object Front" to "Object Top". Click the "Apply" button to save the changes.
Next, use the style to detail the modeled Cambered beam.
8. Open the drawing from the "Document Manager". If the Top view is not available due to the Necessary view setting that does not consider it necessary
to display it due to the lack of features on its top/bottom flange, double click on the green outer frame of the details and select the "Mp Top 1:10 CO
Cambered" view, next select the "Always on" option and click "OK". The detail view will be displayed.

Module: All
Question: How are user drawing styles, processes and BOM templates integrated in 'Quick Documents'?
Type: General
Difficulty: ***
Answer
In Advance Steel 2011 the creation of project documents is much easier with the new "Quick Documents" feature. The required
steps will be described on how to integrate your own user drawing styles, processes and BOM templates in "Quick Documents".
1. Drawing Styles:
Open the "Drawing Style Manager".
Choose, in "Drawing Style Manager" (DSM), your category/categories from the user's area. The right side of Drawing Style Manager displays your user
drawing styles. By clicking the check boxes in front of the names, you can integrate your user drawing styles in "Quick Documents".
Using the same procedure you can remove drawing styles, which you do not want to use, from "Quick Documents" by unselecting the drawing style
name. Therefore you can adapt the functionality to your own requirements.
To enter user text information for the drawing style, open the category, right click the drawing style, and then choose "Properties".
Next you can enter text information.
To save it, click "OK" and click "Apply" in DSM. To add a picture to the drawing style in "Quick Documents", create a detail by using the drawing style.
Use ASDETPROTO.dwg as a template. Open the detail drawing and create a wmf file by using the AutoCAD export command.
Save the file in the following folder (Windows7, Vista):

C:\ProgramData\Graitec\Advance Steel\2011\Shared\Support\QuickDocuments\Details
For Windows XP use the following folder:

C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\ Applicationdata\Graitec\ Advance Steel\2011\Shared\Support\QuickDocuments\Details
Open the "AstorAddIn" database by using the Table Editor in Management Tools. You can find the database in the folder (Windows7, Vista):
C:\ProgramData\Graitec\Advance Steel\2011\ User2\Data
For Windows XP you can find it in the folder:

C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Applicationdata\Graitec\ Advance Steel\2011\User2\Data
Open the "DetailMasterTable" table and find the desired drawing style. Enter the name of the picture file in the "ExamplePicture" column without its
extension.
Confirm with "Enter" and close Management Tools. After updating Settings you can see your own drawing style in "Quick Documents".
2. Processes:
Open Process Management:
Look for your modified processes and choose them as you did in DSM. In their properties (right click) you can enter user text information. To add a
picture to the process, first you have to create a detail drawing with the process and export it as wmf file, which you must save in the same folder as
described above. Open the "AstorAddin" database in Management Tools using the Table Editor, and then open the "DetailProcessDefinition" table and
look for your process. In the "ExamplePicture" column enter the name of the wmf file. Update Settings and the processes are also integrated in "Quick
Documents".
3. BOM Templates
The creation of Bill of Materials, just like the creation of details, can be done by using "Quick Documents". This means that you can use your own BOM
template without starting it from the BOM Editor. First, create an extract from a model using the "Creating BOM" command and open the BOM Editor
from the dialog box. Choose and remove the used and unused BOM templates from "Quick Documents", as we did in DSM.
Create a BOM with your modified BOM template. Save the BOM as rdf file in the following folder (Windows7, Vista):
C:\ProgramData\Graitec\Advance Steel\2011\Shared\Support\QuickDocuments\BOM
For Windows XP use the folder:

C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Applicationdata\Graitec\ Advance Steel\2011\Shared\Support\QuickDocuments\BOM
After closing the rdf viewer, the BOM Editor is open again. Select your own BOM template, right click on it and choose "Properties".
Choose your created .rdf file in the dialog box; you can also add text information. Next click "OK" to save the modification.
Update Settings and all the adjustments you did are shown in "Quick Documents".

Module: All
Question: How do I reinstall Advance Steel in another language?

Type: Installation
Difficulty: *
Answer
If you uninstall Advance Steel and reinstall it in another language the menus, ribbons and tool palettes remain from the old
language installation.
To reinstall Advance Steel 2011 in another language follow these steps:
1. Before you uninstall Advance Steel open the AutoCAD (alone) platform you want to use. This helps to reset the tool palettes. Once open, close
AutoCAD.
2. Uninstall the software from the "Advance Setup" application.
3. Once the uninstall process is finished, go to the remaining Advance Steel folders and delete all the folders except for "UserDataBackup". This is where
Advance Steel creates a copy of the prototype drawings and databases that are related to the customizations made by the user to the program.
4. Reinstall Advance Steel in the language setting you want.
If you want to learn more about why these steps are necessary, please read the following FAQ:
FAQ - How is the Advance Steel CUI managed?

Module: All
Question: How is the Advance Steel user interface managed?
Type: Modeling
Difficulty: ****
Answer
Workspaces are CUI dependent and therefore the following FAQ applies:
http://www.graitec.com/en/FAQ_view.asp?FAQID=854
Autodesk made the "Profiles" functionality obsolete.
Since AutoCAD 2006, Autodesk implemented the workspaces and recommended no longer using the profiles.
Custom workspaces must be created with Advance Steel running in AutoCAD.
If workspaces are created in AutoCAD (without Advance Steel), they will not be available when running Advance Steel.
To preserve a workspace between different versions of Advance Steel this workspace must be created in all installed Advance Steel
versions and must have the same name.
Creating a custom workspace in one version of Advance Steel does not make this workspace available in other Advance Steel versions
or AutoCAD.
The Advance Steel startup component always tries to set an active workspace after changing the CUI file, in the following sequence:
First it tries to activate the workspace with the name of the active workspace in the last AutoCAD (of the same version) session.
If this workspace does not exist in the current CUI, then it tries to activate a backup workspace in the Advance Steel registry
settings.
If this workspace does not exist in the current CUI, then it activates the first workspace in the current CUI's list of workspaces.
The following scenarios will be presented for a better understanding of the workspace mechanism:
1. A "3D modeling" workspace in AutoCAD is active -> Advance Steel will use the "3D modeling" workspace.
2. A custom workspace (e.g.: MyACADWK) in AutoCAD is active -> Advance Steel tries to activate a backup workspace in the Advance Steel registry
settings (if it does not exist then Advance Steel activates the first workspace in the current CUI's list of workspaces).
3. The ideal scenario is to set the workspaces with the same name in Advance Steel and AutoCAD.
Note:
Any customization of any workspace must be saved.

Module: All
Question: How is the Advance Steel CUI managed?
Type: General
Difficulty: ****
Answer
Until Advance Steel 2011 we have used the following method to customize AutoCAD:
The Advance Steel CUI files were loaded out as partial CUI files in ACAD.cui(x).
While loading a partial CUI file AutoCAD, unfortunately, modifies the "main" CUI file.
This lead to many problems:
- Main CUI file corruption
- Problems working with 2 versions of Advance Steel (e.g., Advance Steel 2009 and Advance Steel 2010)
- Problems working with AutoCAD standalone and Advance Steel.
Knowing all these problems we decide to implement a new mechanism.
The mechanism is implemented as follows:
- An Advance Steel startup component is always loaded in AutoCAD (via the AutoCAD registry settings) regardless if an Advance Steel version is loaded
or AutoCAD is alone.
- It determines the Advance Steel version loaded (if any) and the AutoCAD version that was started.
- If Advance Steel is not loaded then ACAD.cui(x) will be set as the main CUI file for AutoCAD.
- If Advance Steel is loaded then it determines which file must be the main CUI file. The file name will be a combination between the Advance Steel
version and the AutoCAD version and also the Advance Steel Language Code. This way, the CUI will be unique per Advance Steel Version + Advance
Steel Language + AutoCAD version combination.
(Example: For Advance Steel 2011 English Europe + AutoCAD 2011 we will have AS11_9_ACAD2011.cui(x) and it will be located in the corresponding AS
version's support folder.)
- If the CUI file with the determined name exists then the startup component sets it as the main CUI file for AutoCAD.
- If the CUI file does not exist then the startup component creates it by copying the originally installed ACAD.cui(x), and then it loads this
newly created CUI file as the main CUI file for AutoCAD.
- Next, Advance Steel loads its own customization files as partials in this CUI file and not in the ACAD.cui(x) file.
This new mechanism affects all Advance Steel versions installed on a machine where Advance Steel 2011 is installed (the startup
component is a common component between Advance Steel installations and its version is always the newest version of installed
Advance Steel).
Note:
There is one small weak point that may occur in a scenario like the one in the following example:
- Run Advance Steel 2011 in AutoCAD 2011.
- Uninstall Advance Steel 2011.
- Delete the "data" folders that remain on the hard disk after uninstall.
- After running AutoCAD 2011 you will get an error (warning) message that the Advance Steel CUI file is missing.
Despite this message, everything still works. This problem occurs because AutoCAD activates the last used main cui file before loading
our startup components and gives Advance Steel a chance to inform it that it needs to load another cui file instead of the
uninstalled/deleted one.
Module: Detailing
How do you create a drawing of the element's axes, with labels that include the section name, length and dimensions
Question:
that measure the distance between the nodes and extremities?
Type: General
Difficulty: *
Answer
Axes drawings are usually used for truss, joist assemblies or models with a great number of linear elements in which a simpler
drawing is needed. Because these drawings are usually used before the design of the assembly or building, between the architect,
designer, and draftsman, only overview information is represented in them:
- Extreme dimensions of the assembly
- Dimensions between nodes
- Profile sections obtained from the designer's calculations
- Section lengths
Example:
Create a truss using the joint from the "Structural elements" panel, and configure the joint.
Rotate the UCS until the XOY plane is parallel with the truss plane. Open "Drawing Style Manager" and select the "Statics plan without position,
complete" drawing style from the "Statics" group. Use the drawing style to create the axes drawing of the truss.
With the standard setting of the drawing style the result should be very similar to the above figure, in which the axes of the elements are represented
and the section names placed aligned above the axis.
Usually additional information, like element length and dimensions between the nodes must be found in this type of drawing.
Label information and placement:

To include the axis length of the element in the label perform the following steps:
1. Open the Drawing Style Manager (DSM) and then go to the drawing style used to create the detail. Select the same drawing style but from the "User"
category, because this one can be modified.
2. Go to the "Labeling strategy" item in "Object presentation\Beam - All".
3. Create a new labeling strategy and give it a name that is easy to understand (e.g. Section Name Object Length)
4. Create a new label content and then add the "Axis Length" token to the labeling information
If the drawing is needed for calculations to determine the sections to use for the Top Chord, Bottom Chord, Diagonals and Verticals
then the designer will need the distance between the nodes to determine the buckling length, thus the "Axis length" token must be
used in the drawing style.
5. The space between the axis and the label is controlled from "Arranger control". Here you can change the minimum and maximum distance between
the label and the line and you also have the possibility to place the label in the center of the object. First select "New arrangement method" from
"Labeling strategy" and then go to "Arranger control" and set the "Min. distance" to 1.00.
There is also a default that controls the same distance called "Minimum distance between labels and the other objects". It can be found in MT in the
"Drawing-Presentation" group. For the default value to be considered in the drawings the value must be set between the "Min. Distance" and "Max
Distance". If the value is not set between these limits then the labels will be placed with the "Min. Distance" value.
If you want to place the label on the line then select the "Arrange in object center" option, the min. and max. distances will be grayed
if this option is selected. The label will start from the center of the line.
In the example the default value is set to 1.00 and the minimum distance to 1.00.
The drawing was created with a 1:20 scale on an A0 prototype.
After these modifications on the labels the drawing should look as follows:
Dimensions:
To create 2 dimension chains, one on each direction, between the nodes of the structure perform the following steps:
1. Open DSM and go to the drawing style you used to create the detail.
2. Go to the "View dimensions" item and add a new dimension strategy (e.g. "Dimensions X,Y - Nodes").
3. Create 2 "linear, relative" dimension chains and in the dimension definition column enter for one dimension chain "View X - Beam system GBA" and for
the other dimension chain "View Y - Beam system GBA".
4. The second point selection rule is not needed so it can be deleted. Select every view dimension and then click on the "Ref. Grid" selection of dimension
point rule and remove it.
5. For every view dimension click on the remaining selection of dimension point rules and in the drop-down list change the "Point selection name" from
"Mp - Beam System" to "Mp - System".
After these changes click the "Apply" button to save them. Close DSM and number the model with single part and assembly number, and the reopen DSM
and select the drawing style, click "Use" and create the detail drawing. The result should be similar to the figure below. Labels that contain the section
name and axis length arranged on the line center with 2 linear, relative dimension chains, one on each direction, that measure the distance between the
nodes.

Module: Modeling
Question: How are elements attached in Advance Steel?
Type: Modeling
Difficulty: **
Answer
For easier modeling of structures Advance Steel has a new option for attaching elements.
An element can be attached geometrically by one or two work planes depending on the type of the element and relative to one level.
A level is defined by two work planes; one defines the base of the level and the other one defines the upper part of the level.
When you create a structure with levels in the "Project Explorer", each created element will be attached to the active level.
A level is active when the name is highlighted (in bold). It can be activated either by double clicking it or right clicking it and
selecting "Activate".
When the level is active, the work planes that define the level will become active.
To see the elements that are attached to a level, right click on the level and select "Mark elements". The elements that are attached
to the level will be marked.
If you forget to activate the level when defining an element, you can later attach it to the desired level.
The wall and column, whether they are concrete or steel, will always attach to the work planes that define the level and then to the
level where they belong.
The slab and beam, whether they are concrete or steel, will always attach to the work plane that defines the upper part of the level
and then to the level where they belong.
In the next example you can see that the wall and beam are elements that are not attached to Level 2.
To properly attach elements to the desired level, you must follow two steps:
1. First the elements will be attached to the work planes of Level 2.
Activate Level 2 and then "turn on" the work planes that define the level so you can easily see them.
Right click on the base work plane, "Level1", and select "Attach elements".
Advance Steel will then ask you to select the objects to bind on the work
plane. In this case we will choose the wall, because the wall, as a structural
element, is defined also on the height of the level, so the wall must be bound to
the lower and upper work planes.
After the selection press "Enter" and then you must choose the points of the element that will bind it to the work plane.
Select the points on the base of the wall and then press "Enter".
To check if this element is attached to the "Level 1" work plane, right click on
the plane and select "Mark elements" and you will see that the wall will be
marked.
The same applies to bind the top part of the wall to the "Level 2" work plane, but this time you will select the upper points of the wall.
Attach the beam using the same method, with the difference that it will only be attached to the upper work plane of "Level 2".
Note that both elements are attached to the upper work plane.
2. The second step is to attach the elements to the corresponding level.

This can be done from the properties of each element.
After selecting the level where each element will be attached you can check if the elements belong to the right level.
Note: The same principle applies to elements made of steel.

Module: NC files
Question: How does the scribing option work for NC and DXF files?
Type: General
Difficulty: **
Answer
This FAQ is an addition to the existing FAQ "How does the scribing option work for NC?".
Scribing is a feature available since Advance Steel 2010 for NC and DXF files and upgraded in Advance Steel 2011 by adding the
"Attached pieces contour place in NC" default.
In the following example a main beam with attached parts is used.
Scribing information will appear in the NC file in the block called PU (powder) or KO (punch) according to the "Attached pieces contour
place in NC" default. The difference between block names will be recognized by the NC machine, as the information inside the block is
identical in both cases.
When the default is set to 0 the main part and attached part contour is described in the PU block and when the default is set to 1 the
pieces contour is described in the KO block.
In DXF there will be no difference between the two settings, and the contour will appear with a red line describing the scribing on the
attached part on the main part.
In addition, there is also a default available to display information (based on tokens) about the attached part only in the NC file. The
default is called "Text for attached object contours in NC".
The tokens that can be used for this default can be one of following:
%PROJECT - to display the project name

%PROJECT_NO - to display the project number
%CLIENT - to display the client name
%BUILDING - to display the building name
%BUILDING_LOCATION - to display the building location
%CONTRACTOR - to display the contractor name
%DATE_ORDER - to display the data order
%DESIGNER - to display the designer name
%DATE_CONSTR - to display the data
%DETAILER - to display the detailer name
%MODEL_DWG - to display the model .dwg name
%DRAWING_DWGs - to display the drawing name which the elements are detailed
%DRAWING_NO - to display the drawing number
%SinglePartPosNum - to display the single part mark
%SPDRAWING_NO - to display the single part drawing number
%NCPOS_NUM - to display the NC part mark
%POS_NUM - to display the part mark
%ASSEMBLY - to display the Lot/Phase
%UserAttr1 - to display the value from User Attribute 1
%UserProjAttr1 - to display the user project attribute 1
%Material - to display the display the material
Below is the result in the NC & DXF files:

Module: Modeling
Question: How is a new profile added for the 'Side rails' joint?
Type: Modeling
Difficulty: *
Answer
Advance Steel allows users to add to the profiles library, which is used in the "Side rails outside" joint.
To add new profiles to the library, access the "Astor Rules.mdb" database from
C:\ProgramData\Graitec\AdvanceSteel\2010\Steel\Data\AstorRules.mdb.
In the "AstorRules.mdb" database select the "SideRailCProfiles" table.
In this table enter data in the 3 columns: "Key", "RunBezeichnung" and "Profile".
The "Key" column represents the index of the profile. This index is not very important and can be any number as long as it is unique.
The "RunBezeichnung" column is the name of the profile that appears in the interface.
The "Profile" column must contain the profile type and the section class. This can be done using the following rules:
For example, to add a profile HEA 200, type "HEA nach DIN#@@#HEA200".
HEA nach DIN#@@#HEA200 represents:
HEA nach DIN is "Type Name Text" and this information can be found in "Profile Master Table" in the "Astor Profiles.mdb" database;
#@@# is an operator needed in the table to link the two strings;

HEA200 is the name of the section. This exact name can be taken from the profile table in the "Section Name" column in the "Astor
Profiles.mdb" database.
Each section class has a table and the name of this table can be taken from "Profile Master Table" in the "Astor Profiles.mdb"
database.
The new section will appear in the joint properties.

Module: Detailing
Question: How is the hole symbol configured?
Type: General
Difficulty: *****
Answer
In Advance Steel we can configure drawing styles to display a hole using a symbol instead of its real shape from the model. The
symbol used can be configured using a series of dwg files storing its shape made from AutoCAD lines, which are then assigned to a
specific hole diameter or a series of identical holes of a given type.
The size of the elements in the symbol representation (dwg storing the symbol which are to be exactly correlated with the hole
diameters in the drawing) must be exactly 10 units in size and be centered in the drawing WCS origin.
To configure a hole symbol, we need to access the database called: AstorBase.mdb - table: Symbols.
- Open Management Tools.
- Go to Table Editor.
Click the Open database (MDB) button and load AstorBase.mdb located in:
C:\ProgramData\Graitec\AdvanceSteel\2010\Steel\Data (Windows Vista / 7)
C:\Document and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Graitec\AdvanceSteel\2010\Steel\Data (Window XP)
Open the Symbols table.
- Add a new row.

KEY: use any number that is unique in this table.
NAME : This contains a string created with the following format which configures a specific hole symbol.
The format is the following:

hole_[DIAMETER]_[HOLE_TYPE]_[VIEWDIRECTION]_[VISIBILITYSTATUS]
[DIAMETER] -> the hole diameter. It can have any value or it can be "Any".
[HOLE_TYPE] -> the hole type. It can be one of the current available hole types or "Any".
Available values :
- Any
- Hole
- Slotted
- CounterSunk
- Blind
- Thread
- SunkBoltD
- PunchMark.
[VIEWDIRECTION] -> the direction of the view (the geometric restriction of the hole). It can have the following values:
- Fr -> means the hole is seen from Front.
- To -> the holes are seen from Top (the z-axis of the hole is the same as the z direction of the view).
- Bo -> the holes are seen from Bottom (the z-axis of the holes is in the opposite direction of the z direction of the view).
- ToBo -> the holes are seen from Top or Bottom.
The search for a corresponding symbol is done using the following priorities regarding the view direction, To, Bo and ToBo:
- First it will search for a symbol with the exact view direction (means with the direction Top or Bottom).
- If a corresponding symbol was not found in the first case (no symbol is configured for the specific view direction top or bottom), the search will
continue for a symbol with the [VIEWDIRECTION] ToBo.
[VISIBILITYSTATUS] -> The hole visibility status in the drawing.
- V -> the hole is visible.
- H -> the hole is hidden.
- VH -> the hole is visible and/or hidden.
The search for a corresponding symbol is done using the following priorities:
- First it searches for a specific status of the hole: Visible or Hidden.
- If a corresponding symbol is not found in the first case, the search will continue for a symbol with the VH (Any) visibility status.
Example :
hole_Any_Slotted_ToBo_VH - all diameters for slotted holes, with a top / bottom view direction and VisibleHidden visibility status.
hole_26_Any_Fr_H - any type of hole with the diameter = 26, viewed from a front view and with the Hidden visibility status.
Drawing name association.
As mention above, the size of the elements in the symbol representation must be exactly 10 units in size and be centered in the
drawing WCS origin. In order to use this symbol dwg file, we need to store it in the following folder:
C:\ProgramData\Graitec\AdvanceSteel\2010\Shared\Support\Symbols (Windows Vista / 7)
C:\Documents and Setting\All Users\Application Data\Graitec\AdvanceSteel\2010\Shared\Support\Symbols (Windows XP)
We have two hole symbol cases which are configured in a different way:
To, Bo or ToBo symbols. The symbol is created by one part (dwg file). The file name is stored in the DwgName1 column
corresponding to the respective hole name configuration, in the form: filename.dwg. The other columns: Scale1, Translation1 and
Rotation1 remain with a value = 0.
Fr symbol. This symbol is defined with the following rules:
1) The symbol is created from three parts (dwg) :
- The middle part that corresponds to the hole body.
- The top part that corresponds to the "exit" of the z-axis of the hole.
- The bottom part that corresponds to the opposite side of the z-axis of the hole.
2) The middle part of the symbol is "scaled" in order to have the correct height (which is based on its length, the actual "system" representation of the
hole).
3) The columns used for these three parts are the following:
- Top part: DwgName1
- Middle part: DwgName2
- Bottom part: DwgName3
In addition, the component parts of the hole symbol are identified by their "Scale" value:
- For the top part -> the scale value must be = -1
- For the middle part -> -2
- For the bottom part -> -3
If the scale is not specified, the drawing will not be used for symbol creation.
Below is an example of what each symbol part represents on a created drawing:
Example with the completed lines of the two examples of hole symbol names presented above:

Module: Modeling
Question: Enhanced Visual Appearance of Advance Steel Models
Type: Modeling
Difficulty: **
Answer
Question:
How do I improve the appearance of my models when working in Advance Steel? For example nice background, transparent beams,
brickwork that looks like bricks etc.
For example:
Instead of:
Answer
There are various steps and things to set as desired. These are described below and may be used or skipped in any combination.
Realistic View Style
You need to set your view style to realistic. How this is done depends on what configuration you have.
1. Select the Realistic visual style from the View group on the Home tab of the 3D Modeling ribbon.
2. ...OR... Select Realistic from the Visual Styles toolbar.
3. ... OR ... Enter the command Visualstyles to activate the Visual Styles Manager. Right click on the Realistic style and select "Apply to Current
Viewport".
Set the Background
1. Enter the command Background.
2. Select "Gradient" from the Type drop down.
3. Click on "Bottom Color" box.
4. Select a suitable, fairly dark color for the bottom of the screen (keep "Color Model" set to HSL) and note the Hue, Saturation and Luminance values.
5. Repeat for Middle and Top colors ensuring that you set the same Hue and Saturation values and a higher luminance value for each in turn.
Materials
AutoCAD has a number of pre-defined materials that you can assign simply to your objects.
1. Turn on the Tool Palettes by pressing CTRL+3.
2. Select one of tabs called "???? - Materials Sample" or "???? - Materials Library" (right click on the bottom of the stack of tabs and select the tab you
wish.)
3. Select the objects you want to assign a material to.
4. Right click on the desired material and select "Apply Material to Objects".
Custom Materials
If the material you want is not on a tool palette you can create your own. (For example a generic semi-transparent material for the
Advance Steel steelwork).
1. Enter the command "Materials" to activate the Materials tool palette.
2. Select a material from the top of the box that you want to base your new material on (chose the one closest to what you want).
3. Click on the Create New Material button.
4. Give the new material a name e.g. "Semi-transparent" and click OK.
5. Edit the material properties as desired.

a. To have a material that changes the style of a part but not the color select the "By Object" tick box next to Color.
b. To make a material transparent reduce the Opacity. (70-80% works well for steelwork)
c. If you want to apply a pattern to the material like brickwork or rust click "Select Image" under the Diffuse Map option. Any jpg image can be
used. Autodesk provide a wide variety of suitable images in the folder
C:\Program Data\AutoDesk\AutoCAD 2010\R18.0\enu\textures if using Vista or Windows 7 or
C:\Documents and Settings\user.name\Applciation Data\AutoDesk\AutoCAD 2010\R18.0\enu\textures if using Windows XP.
6. You can apply your new material directly to an object by selecting the object then right clicking on the material in the palette and selecting "Apply
Material To Objects".
Apply Materials to Layers
It is possible to apply a material to a layer so that all objects on that layer automatically get the material assigned to them.
1. Enter the command MaterialAttach
2. Drag the material from the left list to the layer in the right list to assign it.
3. The "Global" material is effectively not assigning anything to a layer.
4. To clear an assignment, click the X by the layer name.

Hence in this case I have assigned the material "Sections" to the layer "Beams" resulting in all elements on that layer using that
material. Since the material is defined as color = byobject and the opacity is 70% all my beams are now semi-transparent.

Module: NC files
Question: How are tubes represented in NC files?
Type: General
Difficulty: ***
Answer
We can represent tube profiles in NC files two ways: as a normal beam, when we use its profile name (e.g. RO323.9X8) or as an
unfolded profile where it is described as a plate, and the name used can be customized using two defaults.
In order to switch between the two behaviors, we need to change the value of a default in Management Tools.
- Start Management Tools and go the Defaults section.
- Find the "Use the unwind beam name as profile code in NC files header" default located in the Structured BOM/NC category.
Default value set on 0

This will represent the tube in the NC file as a normal beam, as in the following example:
The other blocks containing holes, internal contours, etc. are represented with coordinates on the developed tube.
Default value set on 1
This setting will give the unfolded beam name and describe it as a plate in the NC file. This means the outer contour will no longer be
described by the saw cuts, but by an AK block (outer contour block).
Setting the name:
We have two defaults for it:
Profile code for unfolded beams in NC: This default sets the code profile - line 8 in the ST block.
Profile name for unfolded beams in NC: This default will write the profile name in the ST block (line 7). It creates the name using 4 tokens and any
user text. The 4 tokens are:
- %ProfCode - This is the profile code, and it reads the value used by the Profile code for unfolded beams in NC default.
- %Length - the length of the plate described by the unfolded profile. This length is calculated based on how the "Create wrap-around
templates" default is set. If we set, for example, Inner contour, and the profile has a shorten cut at a certain angle, the inner contour will be
shorter than the outer one (which is the actual profile length), so that value will be used by this token, which will be different than the profile
length found in the ST block.
- %Width - the width of the plate described by the unfolded profile.
- %Thickness - thickness of the plate described by the unfolded profile.
Example of how the tube is represented in the NC file with this setting:

Module: Detailing
Question: How can the speed in modeling and detailing be improved?
Type: Modeling
Difficulty: *****
Answer
Advance Steel speed can be improved by a coherent workflow, several commands or hardware configurations.
Modeling:
1. For computers that run on a 32-bit Windows platform the virtual memory can be increased from 2Gb to a maximum of 3Gb. This hardware
configuration affects the speed of very large models that use a large amount of memory. To make this change to your system please follow the steps in
the following FAQ.
2. For computers that run on a 64-bit Windows platform the default 32-bit database access driver can be changed to a more appropriate 64-bit database
access driver. To make this change please read the following FAQ.
3. "Quick draw" is a command developed especially to decrease the modeling time. Setting the "Quick draw" mode to ON will decrease the render of the
elements and will no longer display the holes made by the features, thus increasing the speed of the modeling in shade mode. To read more about this
command please read the following FAQ.
4. Another speed improvement can be obtained if the connecting elements are displayed in the "Standard" representation. There are two defaults in
Management Tools (MT) in the "Connecting elements" category, "Representation type for bolts" and "Representation type for shear studs", that control
how the bolts and shear studs will be displayed on creation. If these defaults are set to "Standard" then bolts and shear studs will be displayed only by
their axis.
5. A model in which the elements are displayed in the "Standard" representation requires less RAM memory than a model in which elements are
displayed in the "Feature", "Exact" or "Exact with weld preparation" representations.
6. Create bolts/studs/anchors in the least number of patterns as you can. Group as many bolts/studs/anchors as you can in a pattern. Advance Steel
performs faster when it has to display a pattern than when it displays every connection object individually.
7. Create the least number of welds that you can. To do this select as much as you can the "Continuous" option in the weld properties window, to try to
group as many welds as you can in one; welds that are the same thickness and type.
8. Be aware of the warning messages and repair them. One example of such a message is: "The cope 2D76C4 can not be processed." Sometimes the
parameters of the cope features cannot be calculated automatically. In this case the created cope must be deleted and a manual one must be placed with
the parameters inserted manually.
To repair this situation, follow the next steps:
1. Press F2 to display a text window with all the warning messages. Select the handle code of the error and copy it (Ctrl+C).
2. Use the "Mark object" command and select the "Handle" option; the following message will appear: "Please specify the object handle". Paste the
copied handle code (Ctrl+V)
3. Click the "Select all marked objects" command and then either "Search marked objects" or "Zoom to marked object".
4. Delete the cope feature and then create a manual one with the parameters you need.
9. When Advance Steel elements are copied from one model to another, a clone element is created in the model beside the copied element. If, in your
workflow, you use a lot of copying from other models, then you need to delete the clone elements from time to time.
To do this you have to type, on the command line, "Purge", and then "Close" the dialog. A message will display how many clone elements have been
deleted.
Detailing:
1. When creating a drawing with a "user drawing style" the time that Advance Steel takes to create the drawing can be decreased if the style is defined
strictly for the elements that the user needs in that drawing, and no more. This option can be selected in the "Object presentation" category.
For instance, if a user needs to represent the "bolts", there is no need to display the "holes" which are hidden under the bolt shape.
2. When defining a process use strictly the scales in which you need to create the drawing. Advance Steel creates the drawing starting with the first scale
selected and continues to change the scale until the drawing fits the prototype chosen. Selecting more scale types creates more attempts and thus
increases the time in which the drawing is created.

Module: Detailing
Question: What is the purpose of the '.upd' files?
Type: General
Difficulty: *
Answer
When details are generated ".upd" files are automatically created by Advance Steel. Each detail has a corresponding ".upd" file.
These files contain information about the model and are used for a faster update of the details, when necessary.
When a detail is deregistered, it will automatically be moved with the ".upd" file to the "DeRegistered" folder.
There are 2 cases when registering the details:

1. The user has the ".upd" files;
2. The user has erased or lost the ".upd" files.
Case 1
Before a register, the user must copy the ".dwg" and ".upd" files to the "Details" folder, where the details will be registered.
In this case, in the "Document Manager", the status of the details will be update only if, in the model, changes were made.
Case 2
When the registration is made without an ".upd" file, a new file will be created automatically. This new ".upd" does not have
information about the model or about BOMs from drawings.
To have information in the ".upd" file about the model, the user must "force update" the registered details.
To complete the file with information about the BOMs from details, the user must open the detail and use the "Update list" command.
These two cases are the steps to view the real condition of the details in the "Document Manager".

Module: Modeling
Question: How is the ribbon profile customized in Advance Steel?
Type: Modeling
Difficulty: ***
Answer
Users of Advance Steel can customize the Ribbon menu with the commands that they require. Start Advance Steel and type
"CUI" (Customize User Interface) on the command line.
In the "Customization" menu extend the "Ribbon" branch, right click on the "Tabs" branch and choose "New Tab". Enter a name for
the new tab.
In the "Transfer" window (1) transfer (drag and drop) the new tab into the custom file (2). Save the new file in any folder (3). It is
recommended that the file name is the same as the name of the new tab.
Look in:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Graitec\Advance Steel\2010\Steel\Support\Images
Copy the "AstBasic.dll" file in the folder with the new CUI. After copying the file, rename it to match the name of your CUI file.
In Advance Steel open the "Load/Unload Customizations" window using the "CUILOAD" command.
Find the CUI profile and load it into the group using the "Load" button. After the window is closed, a new tab will be displayed in the
menu.
In Advance Steel, every command menu has a corresponding .dll file, which contains the attached images of the
commands of a menu. The link between the menu and the .dll file is made with the name. For example, for the joints
commands the "AstJoints.dll" file is used.
The commands will be added in the panels. To create the panels use the CUI command. In the "Panels" branch right click and create a
new panel.
In each panel add the desired commands. A panel can have multiple rows of commands.
From the commands list, select a command and drag and drop in the desired panel and row.
After you drag and drop all the commands, select the "Transfer" tab.
- From the main file (left side) drag and drop the panel in the custom file (right side).
- From the panel branch, the commands will be transferred to the Tab branch.
- Save the profile and click "Apply" to load the new modifications.
For the changes made in the "Customization Main Page" main file to appear in the custom file, they must to be added trough the
transfer window, and the profile must be saved and applied.
Any row above the "SLIDEOUT" separator will be displayed in the panel, and everything that is arranged under the separator will
be hidden. This separator can be placed by inserting it to the desired position by drag and drop.

Module: Modeling
Question: What are the calculation differences for bolt grips according to DIN 6914 and DIN EN 14399-4?
Type: General
Difficulty: *
Answer
Bolt grips according to DIN 6914 and DIN EN 14399-4 have specific definitions.
Bolt grip according to DIN 6914
The grip length according to DIN 6914 is calculated taking into consideration the thickness of the connected elements and the
elements used for the connection.
The lk value appears in the properties window of the connection on the "Length" tab (e.g., 2x Bl10, HVM12 DIN 6914).
The connection washer thickness and the nut thickness are calculated using an integrated calculation method, by taking into
consideration the bolt diameter, so that the correct bolt length are obtained.
Bolt grip according to DIN EN 14399-4
The grip length according to DIN EN 14399-4 is calculated taking into consideration the thickness of the connection elements and the
thickness of the washers.
t represents the grip length according to the modified form of DIN EN 14399-4.
On the "Length" tab in the properties window of the connection, for a bolt according to DIN EN 14399-4, only the thickness of the
connection elements will be specified (e.g., 2 x Bl10, HVM12 DIN EN 14399-4).
The bolt grip length will be correctly specified because, as shown above, the thickness of the corresponding washers and the nut
height are taken into consideration through the usual calculation method.
Conclusion
Although the norm has been modified, by correctly specifying the bolt grip length, the final result remains correct.

Module: Modeling
Question: How are custom shape compound profiles created in Advance Steel?
Type: Modeling
Difficulty: ***
Answer
Advance Steel provides an element that helps the user to create any compound profile.
It is called "Generic compound beam" and can be found in the "Compound beam" category:
It shares the same properties with any compound/welded profile, but the user has the added ability to set what profiles and how
many it contains and how they are arranged. You can also save any profiles created and reuse them in other models.
Take for example the following profile, made of Flat sections, and model them using the Generic compound beam.
Insert in a model the Generic compound beam element.

Access the "Sections" tab.
The controls that are used to create custom compound beams are on this tab. You can add or remove beams, change their section
class / section and the position relative to the compound system axis with a set of 2D controls.
Before you start editing the current compound, you should delete the present beam indexes (2-6) using the "Remove the current
section" command.
Set the section class to "Flat" (check "All section types" first) and choose FL280X10.
The profile is added centered with respect to the compound reference line, in a vertical orientation. You need to rotate it 90 degrees
and eventually offset it (on Y). For this example, do not offset it.
Add a new beam and choose the FL275x10 section. While positioning it on a center offset, set the distances for X to 105 and for Y to -
142.5. Add another FL275x10 beam with X = 105 and Y = 142.50.
The last beam will be a FL 200X10. Also rotate and center it, and then apply an offset of -205 mm on Y.
After the profile is created, you can save it on the "Section" tab. The created compound profile is saved in the database:
AstorProfiles2010.mdb, table: CP_ALUSystems.

Module: Detailing
Question: How is a grating added to a drawing style?
Type: General
Difficulty: *
Answer
In Advance Steel, to detail a grating in the overview drawings, it needs to be added to the drawing style. We need to:
1. Start the Drawing style manager.
2. Select a drawing style in which you want to add the grating representation, for example, Intersection V - FR500 - Gr Mp PosSmGuid. Then, go to the
Object presentation.
3. Add a new object presentation using the "Add a new object presentation" button.
4. Configure this new presentation with:

- Model object: Select "Grating".
- Geometrical restrictions: All
- Depth position: Any
- Presentation: Visible (to represent only the grating contour) or Visible HatchVisible (to represent the hatch as well).
- Labeling: Off, or any other label if the grating mark needs to be displayed.
5. Click "Apply" to save the drawing style.

Module: Detailing
Question: Which colors will be used to display the elements in a drawing?
Type: General
Difficulty: *
Answer
In Advance Steel there are two categories of drawings, general drawings and workshop drawings.
If the "Use color ByLayer in overview drawings, for visible lines" default is set to 1, then the color of visible lines display in general
drawings will be the same as the color used from the layer corresponding with the model.
If the default "Use color ByLayer in overview drawings, for visible lines" is set to 0, then the color of visible lines of the elements in
workshop drawings will be set according to the "Color of visible lines" default.
The other line types that appear in drawings will be set similar with the default for visible lines. The defaults are:
Color of hidden lines in details

Color of system lines
Color of median lines
Color of single lines
Color of grids in details
Color of weld symbols
Color of bolt symbols in details
Color of the symbol presentation for hidden bolts
Color of visible hole symbols
Color of hatch for visible holes
Color of hidden hole symbols
Color of hatch for hidden holes
Color of grating hatch
Color of helper lines
Color of clipping lines in details
Color of planes of intersection
Color of detail title text
Color of object labels in details
Color of level symbols

Module: Modeling
Question: What is the shrink option used for?
Type: Modeling
Difficulty: **
Answer
The "shrink" field is used for any kind of profile that gets longer or shorter by deformation during site assembly (e.g. pressed tubes).
The length of the beam is calculated considering the "shrink" and the weight is calculated without the "shrink".
This field is in the "Beam" properties on the "Behavior" tab and represents the length of the deformations that the part will suffer on
installation.
As an example we will consider 3 round hollow sections, each 1000 mm in length, one without a shrink, one with a positive shrink of
100mm and one with a negative shrink of 100mm. The 3 beams will be numbered and detailed in a drawing using a beam drawing
style. A BOM list will be created and a BOM list on drawing will be added on the created detail drawing.
"Weight" and "Length" values in a "BOM list", "BOM list on drawing" and in the "Detail drawing":
The length of the beam in detail drawings and BOM lists is calculated considering the shrink value, thus the length of the single part
will be the final one, with the deformations added on site to include the part in the assembly.
The weight of the beam in detail drawings and BOM lists does not consider the shrink value because the total weight of the part is the
same in both cases, before and after the deformations made on site.
Note: This option does not create any kind of shorten/extend feature on the beam.

Module: Bill of Material
Question: How are user-defined templates for material lists created?
Type: Creation of documents
Difficulty: ***
Answer
In Advance Steel user-defined material lists can be created from existing BOM templates.
The first step is to copy an existing template and rename it (in this example: Material list summary is renamed My Material list
summary).
After confirming your selection by clicking "OK", a new list is created. The list becomes immediately available and can be later
modified.
Inserting your own Logo
Click in the field with the GRAITEC logo. The source file of the logo will appear in the bottom left part of the BOM Editor, in the "Image" field.
By clicking the button with the 3 points, Explorer will open. Select the corresponding directory with the new logo and confirm your
selection by clicking "OK". The new logo will be inserted.
Note: All normal image formats can be used. The files should not be larger than 200 KB.
Modifying the "Company" text field

Click the "Company" text field and right-click to open the contextual menu. Then select "Content".
The following window will appear:
Since the text field starts with the "User Text" property, the desired text can be inserted in the corresponding field (e.g., company
description, address, contacts, etc.).
By confirming the inserted information, the new text will appear in the material list templates.
Inserting a new text field (for example, in the header)

New text fields with additional information can be inserted in the header of the list.
Use the command for inserting a new text field by clicking the button from the left side of the BOM Editor.
You can place a new text field in the header of the list by tracing a rectangle with the mouse.
All information for the newly inserted text field is available in the bottom left part of the BOM Editor, in the contextual menu. The
information can be edited, if necessary:
- Alignment (Text position)
- Back Color (Background color)
- Font (Text style and text size)
- Location (Location of the text field, in this example in the BOM header)
- Size (Width and height of the field)
- Text (Content of the text field)
Note:
The coordinates in "Location" refer to the upper left corner of the text box. The coordinates can be overwritten, and, thus the text box can be later
modified. Correspondingly, the width and the height of the text box can be modified by overwriting the values in the "Size" row.
Click in the new text field, then right-click and go to "Content" to select the information that will appear in the text box.
The following options are available:
Note:
The steps with errors can be undone by pressing < Ctrl> < u >.
Inserting a new column
Follow the same steps as when inserting a new text field. When introducing a new column, the required space must first be created.
This can be done by reducing the size of the existing columns and by merging the existing columns in the "Location" field.
Example for the creation of a new column (for instance, Painting):
Before:
After:
1 = In this case new text fields must be inserted. The text that will be inserted will be user-defined. Right-click and select <
Borders > to set the borders of the text field.
Each page border can be selected individually.
2 = In "Detail", by right-clicking and going to "Content", the corresponding information can be selected (in this example, Painting).
Note:
For the content of the "Detail" area, several options are available (see the Appendix).
Adding new objects of the model to the content of the list
In addition to the visual adjustment of the list, it is also possible to add or to remove objects of the model from the list by using the
"Report Content" function. This can be done by selecting or unselecting the corresponding options.
To access the dialog box, click the button from the menu on the left side of the BOM Editor.
Report content:
Defining sorting functions:

Each list is provided with predefined sorting. To modify the existing sorting or to change the importance of the elements, go to the
"Detail" row and right-click. Then, select "Sorting" from the contextual menu.
The following window will appear:
The left area of the window contains variables defined as sorting criteria. The corresponding criterion (for example: material) will be
selected and moved to "Result" by clicking the "Right Arrow" button.
By clicking the "Up Arrow" button, the criterion becomes more important (for instance, the second in importance after "Name").
The newly created sorting criteria will sort individual elements from the lists by name, quality of the material (S235 before S355) and
part marks. To confirm the selection click < OK >.
By clicking < Save template >, information is saved in the user-defined list.
Structure of the material lists

Each list consists of several areas (see the following figure):
1) ReportHeader: (List header). The fields appear only on the first page of the list.
2) PageHeader: (Page header). The fields appear at the top of each page of the list and under the header of the first page of the list.
(Header of the group X). A group header can be used for structuring a list. The easiest way for structuring it is by sorting it
after main parts (see template - structured BOM). It is possible to define several group headers. Right-click in the
GroupHeader area and, then, "Add rows...".
3) Groupheader X:
A group header requires a corresponding group footer. This way a new structure can be added to the lot.
4) Detail: (Part Lists). The elements from the model corresponding to the selection are listed here.
(Footer of the group X). This row represents the ending of a group. In the group footer certain calculations of the group
5) GroupFooter X:
are possible.
6) PageFooter: (Page footer). This row appears at the bottom of each page of the list.
7) ReportFooter: (Footer of the list). Numerous combinations of the parts described above are available.
Structure of the list

Most material lists are created in landscape format for the DIN-A4 sheet. To change the format, go to "Setup of Page". Modifications
can be made in the Printer Settings (see following figures):
Appendix:

Module: Detailing
Question: How is the drawing process suite used?
Type: General
Difficulty: **
Answer
The drawing process suite allows running several processes in one shot to automatically get workshop drawings in a quick way.
The drawing process suite can be customized by opening the "Drawing process suite" manager.
In the "Drawing process suite" manager, go to the User branch for customization.
Using the icons on the top-left of the dialog box, you can rename the existing (process) suite, copy it or create a new one.
Once a process suite is selected, using the icons on the top-right of the dialog box, you can insert a new process, delete a process or
change the order of processes.
Note: The processes that you select must be based on a "Selection" (e.g. Selected SP Plate - AutoPage)
Then for each process, you need to select the objects from your model for this process; this can be done by clicking the blue button
(called "Select objects for process") in the dialog box and then graphically selecting the elements in your 3D model and then pressing
Enter.
You will notice that once your selection is done, the blue icon has a bit of yellow.
Note: If you made a mistake in your selection, you can reset your selection by clicking the red button (called "Reset selection") in the dialog box.
To start the drawing creation, click the "Use" button and your process will run in the defined order, and the workshop drawings will be
automatically created.

Module: Joints
Question: How is a user tread added to the spiral stair joint?
Type: Modeling
Difficulty: **
Answer
Advance Steel allows adding custom treads to the spiral stair macro.
To create a user tread for a spiral stair you must follow these steps:
1. Create the step, in a newly created drawing, using the UCS located in the centre of the central post, on the top level of the step, and the X-axis
parallel to the step nose.
Note: The tread can be created with several parts of different materials.
2. Save the drawing in the following folder:

(...)\Graitec\AdvanceSteel\2010\Shared\Support\Symbols
3. To import the tread into the joint you must:

- Select "User defined" from the "Tread type" drop-down list (see the first figure).
- On the "Tread dimensions" tab enter the name of the drawing in which you saved the created tread (see the following figure).

Module: Modeling
Question: How do the compound profiles behave during numbering?
Type: Modeling
Difficulty: *
Answer
During numbering, the compound profiles in Advance Steel behave in 2 ways:

1. As one profile (compound profile) and it will have one number.
2. As split profiles - depending on the number of profiles that define the compound section - 2, 3, 4, etc.
Compound profiles behaving as one profile

The default is that the compound profiles behave as one profile. This behavior is available in lists, drawings and numbering.
The behavior as one profile involves receiving a single part mark number (1002) and an assembly number (2). The single part
number will appear in lists and drawings as the number of the compound profile. Also the representation type of the compound profile
must be "Complete".
Note: The name of the section that will appear in the BOM and drawings will be the one that is saved by the user. The name must be
assigned before the numbering and can be set from the properties of the section.
Compound profiles behaving as split profiles

Advance Steel allows the user to choose the behavior of a compound profile such as split profiles.
The behavior as split profiles involves that the numbering proceeds as follows: each one of the profiles that define the compound
section will receive a single part number and the same number for the assembly mark. For example, the assembly number is 1 and
the single part numbers are 1000 and 1001. Also the representation type of the compound profile must be "Separated".
This behavior is available in lists, drawings and numbering.

During numbering, this compound profile as a whole will receive a single part number and an assembly number. These numbers will
have negative sign, for example, -10004 for assembly and -10001 for single part. To see these negative numbers, the representation
type must be "Complete".
Advance Steel numbers the compound section to identify it, but the negative sign disallows the display of this profile as a compound
section in drawings and lists.

Module: Modeling
Question: How are welds copied in Advance Steel?
Type: Modeling
Difficulty: **
Answer
Welds in Advance Steel can be copied using both the AutoCAD copy command and Advance Steel's commands.
A) AutoCAD copy command: This command can be used to both copy the welds individually or a group of elements containing welds.
1) Copy a weld individually: the particularity of this copy is that it will make a raw copy of the weld, in any point in the model. The new weld will not have
any connected objects to it, but it will keep the settings like type and thickness. You are able to add elements to this weld point using the "Add
connection objects" command.
2) Copy a weld and the elements it connects. This will keep the link between the weld and the corresponding elements it connects. If the copy is made on
less connected elements than in the original reference, then only these objects will be linked by the weld.
B) Advance Steel's copy commands: Advance Copy can be accessed from the Design Assistance toolbar or using the _ASTransformAndConnect
command. Welds can be copied by two methods using this function: by copying the elements it connects and Advance Copy creates the weld between
them, or by copying the weld and then inputting its connecting elements.
1) Element copy with "Include additional connection". This will copy the elements and create the weld correspondingly.
Example:
We have two elements connected with a weld. Open the Advance Copy dialog box, select one of the beams and input a defined
copy distance. The object selection should be done without the weld.
Check "Include additional connections".
After you click OK, the copy is done. If at the copied position, the element finds the other connected object in the same relative
position, this tool will also copy the weld, and make the required connection. If not, then you will be asked to input a new support
element for the weld to be created.
Or, if the copy distance is too big and it generates the element outside the support beam:
C) Weld copy using Advance Copy command.

The feature can be used to copy the weld object. This does not require the "Include additional connection" option to be checked. The
two options this copy has are:
If the weld is copied to a position where it can find a similar beam configuration, the weld will connect them.
See the following figure. All the instances where the weld is copied (500 distance on X, same distance as the one between the beams)
have a beam configuration as in the initial case. This means that the weld will be copied and the link between the objects will be done.
A weld is copied to places where it cannot find the support beams. In this case, the "Select corresponding entity [Skip]" option will
appear, asking you to assign connected elements to each weld.

Module: Modeling
Question: How does Quick Draw work?
Type: Modeling
Difficulty: *
Answer
Starting with version 2010, Advance Steel provides a setting that, when active, will improve working speed while modeling in shade
mode. This option is called Quick Draw and can be found on the Standard toolbar.
It has two settings:

- Quick Draw OFF. This is the normal shade representation without any speed improvement. All objects or features will be represented normally.
- Quick Draw ON. When this setting is turned on, Advance Steel will run faster when modeling in shade mode. This is due to two representation
modifications made to AS objects, which improve the shade speed, specifically for large models. These modification are:
A) Holes will no longer be visible on the element. The feature will still be displayed, but the hole will not. This does not affect the detailing, and the bolt
even if apparently collides with the plate/beam, it will not, as the hole still "exists", it simply is not displayed.
B) Round surfaces on tubes lose the smooth curved surfaces appearance. See the comparison in the following figure:
Switching between the two representation of Quick Draw can be done by simply clicking the button, the model does not require a
regen, which makes it possible to use this option for fast modeling in shade mode and then switching quick draw off to view the model
at the maximum rendering capabilities of AutoCAD.

Module: Detailing
Question: How are documents registered in the model?
Type: General
Difficulty: *
Answer
Advance Steel offers users the possibility to register documents in a model if they were deregistered for some reason. The
commands for registration and deregistration are available on the "Numbering, drawings" toolbar.
The "Cancel documents from model" command is used to deactivate the connection between the documents and the model.
Start the command and the program will display a window from where you must select the documents and click "Open".
Note: For the registration or deregistration of documents, the model, from where the documents were generated, must be loaded in Advance Steel.
You can register or deregister the details, lists and NC files.
If you open the "Document manager" you can see that the deregistered documents cannot be viewed.
The documents were moved to the "DeRegistered" directory that was automatically created in the directory with the same name as
the model.
There is a possibility that after the documents were generated, you forget to save the model and the connection between the
documents and the model is lost.
The deregistered documents can be registered in two ways.
1. Use the "Register documents to model" command.
Start the command and the program will open a window where you must choose what to register. The selected documents are in the
"DeRegistered" directory but this registration does not move them to the directory where the files were first created.
2. Move the documents from the "DeRegistered" directory to the directory where they were originally created. To register the details,
the files must be moved from the "DeRegistered" directory to the "Details" directory. To register a list you have to move it to the
"BOM" directory.
After registering the documents by either of the two methods, you can open the "Document manager" and you will see that and the
documents can be viewed.
There are situations when you may receive the model and the generated documents. The documents were deregistered when they
were sent individually. To restore the connection between the documents and the model, perform the following steps:
- The model and documents are in a certain location. There, create a directory with the model name.
- In this directory create several subdirectories with the names: Details, BOM or DSTV. They correspond to the type of document: a detail, a list or
a NC file.
- In the DSTV subdirectory, create another subdirectory with the name "NC".
- After creating these subdirectories copy the documents to the appropriate subdirectories.
- Open the "Document manager" and verify that you can view the documents.
- If one of them cannot be viewed, use the register command.
Note: After registration of the documents, the model must be saved.

Module: All
Question: How can Virtual memory allocation be extended to 3 Gigabytes on a 32 bit operating system?
Type: General
Difficulty: *****
Answer
Computers that run on a 32-bit Windows platform are limited to use 2 gigabytes of virtual memory. This limitation can be reached by
Advance programs (Advance Steel, Advance Design and Advance Concrete) when using a very large model that uses a large
amount of memory. This can be avoided by extending the virtual memory of the operating system to a maximum of 3 gigabytes. The
initialization file, "Boot.ini", that windows uses when booting must be modified with a new line containing the parameter /3GB in the
"OS Load Option" sector.

1. From the Windows start menu, select "Run".
2. Type "cmd" and click OK. This will display the Command Prompt dialog box.
3. First, make a copy of the original line.

Command: bootcfg /copy /d "Microsoft Windows XP Professional 3GB" /id 1
The name between the brackets is only informative.
4. Next, add the 3GB parameter to the new line.

Command: bootcfg /raw "/noexecute=optin /fastdetect /3GB" /id 2
5. Set the new line as the default.

Command: bootcfg /default /id 2
6. You can verify the modifications by running the command: bootcfg

The results should look like :
This modification is available only on systems that run 32-bit Windows.

Warning : Any modifications to boot.ini that are not correct or according to this FAQ may cause problems with the operating system
and prevent Windows from loading.

Module: All
Question: How to extend Windows Virtual memory allocation up to 3 gigabytes on computers with 32 bit Operating System?
Type: General
Difficulty: *****
Answer
This procedure is valid for Windows Vista and Windows 7 (32-bit operating system)
1. Disable UAC (User Account Control).
For Windows Vista - Control Panel -> User Account -> Turn User Account Control On or Off and uncheck the box.
For Windows 7 - Control Panel ->User Accounts and Family Safety -> User Accounts -> Change User Account Control settings and
decrease the level to "Never notify".
2. Restart the system.

3. Click Start, select Run, and enter cmd and click OK.
4. On the command line type: BCDEDIT /Set IncreaseUserVa 3072

5. Restart the system.

Module: Detailing
Question: How are the cut views automatically renumbered on a drawing?
Type: General
Difficulty: *
Answer
The following example shows a beam that has been created with a secondary beam attached to it, and then an assembly drawing was
generated, in which the section cut name is A-A.
A second beam is attached to the primary beam, with the same joint and the assembly drawing was "Force updated". The 2 identical
sections were given the name B-B.
For the automatic renumbering to take place the "Cut view names always fill the gaps" default must be activated (set to 1). This
default is in the Defaults of MT in the "Drawing-Labeling" category.
If this default is activated then the section cut views labeling will start from the first available name and will fill the eventual gaps
between already existing cut names.
In our example, the force update of the assembly drawing labels the cut view sections to A-A.
The "Renumber cut views" command, on the "Numbering, drawing" toolbar, has the same functionality as the default, but this
command can only be used on individually opened drawings.
Module: Management Tools

Question: How is a new material added to the database?
Type: General
Difficulty: ***
Answer
To add a new material in the database you must open the "Table editor" in "Management Tools".
Click "Open database (MDB)" and then open "AstorBase.mdb" in: C:\ProgramData\Graitec\AdvanceSteel\2010\Steel\Data.
Open the "Material" table, add a new row at the bottom of the table and fill the information requested in each column.
The columns consist of:
Key: internal name of the material used for mapping to other databases/tables.
RunName: the name that appears in the interface
3
Weight: specific weight per volume unit. The value must be in Kg / mm .
System: used to set priority if the material is preferred.
HatchPattern: attached hatch pattern to the material. Not used anymore.
OwnerText: who added the material to the database.
Drawing: name used in detail drawings. You can have, for example, one name for the interface, and another name in the detail
for the same material. In most of the cases this name is the same as RunName.
Fy: Yield stress (Mpa)
Fu: Tensile stress (Mpa)
2
E: Modulus of elasticity (N/mm )

Module: Joints
Question: How does Advance Steel calculate the system diameter of the tension rods?
Type: Modeling
Difficulty: *
Answer
The "Tension Rods" or "Bracing with bar armature" joints can be found in the "Joints" Advance Steel menu.
Or in the connection vault
The Tension Rods can be used in two situations:

1. On beams
When the user creates the joint on beams, the system diameter can be selected from the options of the joint.
In this case Advance Steel creates the plate.
2. On plates
When the user creates the joint on plates, the system diameter will be influenced by the thickness of the plates; therefore, the option
to choose the diameter is disabled.
The diameter is calculated as follows:

Module: All
Question: How can Advance Steel performance be improved on 64-bit machines?
Type: General
Difficulty: *****
Answer
In order to improve the performance Advance Steel has when running on 64bit machines, we need to install a new database acess
driver from Microsoft and configure it to work with Advance Steel.
The database driver is called : "Microsoft Access Database Engine 2010 Redistributable" and can be found on Microsoft webpage at
the following link :
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?displaylang=en&FamilyID=c06b8369-60dd-4b64-a44b-
84b371ede16d
Here, download the file called : AccessDatabaseEngine_X64.exe
After the driver is installed, we need to configure Advance Steel to use it instead.
Database configuration file:
- Open DatabaseConfiguration.xml found in C:\ProgramData\Graitec\AdvanceSteel\2010\Configuration with a text or xml editor.
- Replace all:
Value="DRIVER={Advance ODBC Driver};
with
Value="DRIVER={Microsoft Access Driver (*.mdb, *.accdb)};
- Save the file and close the editor.
Registry modifications:
- Go to Windows registry editor, key : HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\ Graitec\DatabaseConnections
- Here modify the entries :

AstorProfiles2010 : DRIVER={Advance ODBC Driver} to DRIVER={Microsoft Access Driver (*.mdb, *.accdb)}
GTCMapping 2010 : DRIVER={Advance ODBC Driver} to DRIVER={Microsoft Access Driver (*.mdb, *.accdb)}
Notice:
At the time when Advance Steel was released (September 2009), a 64 bit ODBC driver for Microsoft Access databases did not exist. For this
reason Advance Steel used a component called "Advance ODBC Driver" to redirect 64 bit Advance ODBC calls to the 32 bit Microsoft Access driver.
Now that Microsoft released a 64 bit driver, is better to use it instead of the 32 bit driver. By doing this you will get a better Advance Steel
performance.

Module: Detailing
Question: How is a new camera type created in the camera list and added to a process with its own drawing style?
Type: General
Difficulty: ****
Answer
Using cameras, sections, views and details are quickly generated. These commands are on the Standard toolbar.
Step 1. Create a new camera type.

To create a new camera type for the camera properties drop-down list, you must access the "AstorBase.mdb" database in:
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Graitec\AdvanceSteel\2010\Steel\Data. In the "CameraTypes" table add a row
with the field name you want, for example, "Test".
Step 2. Create a new camera, "Model objects".
For this new camera to appear in the "Process/Objects selection/Model Objects" field it, access the "AstorDetailsBase.mdb" database
in: C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Graitec\AdvanceSteel\2010\Kernel\Data. In the "DetailProcessSelection"
table add a row according to the process you want to use: "Selected cameras" or "All cameras".
For the new camera type named "Test":
- For "selected cameras process" enter "Selected Cameras Test" in the "RunName" field and "SELECTIONSET CLASS(CAMERA) TYPE(Test)" in the
"Text" field.
- For "all cameras process" enter "All Cameras Test" in the "RunName" field and "ALL CLASS(CAMERA) TYPE(Test)" in the "Text" field.
Step 3. Create a new drawing style.
If this camera type should have its own drawing style, create a drawing style with the "New" command, or modify a copied drawing
style, using the "Copy" command, in the "Drawing style manager". Create this drawing style in the "Camera" category. For this
example, a drawing style, named "Test", is created.
Step 4. Create a new drawing process.

Create a new process with the "New" command, or modify a copied process, using the "Copy" command, in the "Drawing Process
Manager". Create this process in the "Cameras-All" or "Cameras-Selected" category according to the camera selection.
In the "Model objects" field choose the camera selection (filter) you created in the database in Step 2.
In the "Drawing styles" properties select the drawing style you created in Step 3.

Module: Detailing
Question: How are views on a drawing filtered?
Type: General
Difficulty: *
Answer
The "necessary views" engine controls the views that appear on a drawing according to the filters that are activated in the "necessary
views configuration".
This engine can be activated or deactivated using the "Use the necessary views verifications" default, which is in Management
Tools / Defaults / Drawing - General. If the default is deactivated (i.e., the value is set to 0), Advance Steel will stop checking if
a view is needed or not on a drawing, and it will show all views which are configured in the associated drawing style.
If the default value is set to 1, Advance Steel will use the default filter configuration. Other filter configurations can be created and
saved using the "Necessary View Wizard" command which is accessed from the "Numbering, drawing" toolbar.
To create a configuration complete the following steps :

1. Launch "Necessary View Wizard" from the "Numbering, drawing" toolbar.
2. Right click on the "User" folder and set it to current.
3. Apply the filters you want in the view using the drop-down lists.
4. Click "Apply" and then "OK".

Question: How are results grouped based on categories in the new BOM on drawings?
Difficulty: **
Answer
When configuring a BOM template used for creating a BOM on a drawing, we have the option to group the results based on a user
assigned category. To do this we need to:
Have the drawings made before the model extract is created and registered to the model.
Insert a new field in the BOM template. This can be very small, as it will not appear when the template is used on a drawing.
To make this a field which controls the grouping, we need to first add in the BOM text dialog box the token: "Group" - %GroupBy
Add another token after the "Group" to set the group rule. For example, this can be:
- Assembly Number (%MNum). This is usually used in the "Structure list" template type. It will group all the elements
belonging to a main part, instead of having all the elements strictly in the order set by the list sorting.
- Object Class Id (%ClassId). This token will group based on the class of the elements. For example, if we have beams and
plates detailed on a drawing this will group the beams and plates separately.
After the field is added, we must add this to the group field that it controls. Using the "Group Fields" command, select the group (for
example, in most cases this is DETAILS), click "Add", and select the "Group by" field.
Save the template.
Example
For this example the following steps are performed:

1. Model a warehouse, number it and create the drawings with a "All main parts with single parts" drawing process style.
2. Create a BOM on a drawing list. For more information read the following FAQ:
3. After you create the list as you want add a new field with the "Create list fields" command in GROUPHEADER. Insert the token %GroupBy and %
Object Class Id in the field.
4. Click the "Group fields" command and add the newly created field to GROUPHEADER, as mentioned above.
5. Save the BOM template and close it.
6. Open a drawing from the "Document Manager" and insert the newly created list. Next, update the list.
Because the list is created with the token "GroupBy" and "Object Class Id", the parts should be grouped separately by their class
(beam, plate, purlins, etc.).
If, in the same list, the token is changed to "Group By" and "Assembly Number" then the parts will be grouped by the main part from
which they belong.

Question: How is a drawing list created?
Difficulty: *
Answer
Advance Steel can create lists of the existing drawings made from a model. There are multiple templates available, with different
settings to sort the results.
In order to create a drawing list, you need to:
1. Have the drawings made before the model extract is created and registered to the model.
2. Open the "Create lists" dialog box.
3. In the "Selection of model objects for the list" dialog box that appears, check "Include created project documents" (e.g. drawings).
4. Create the list.
5. In the BOM editor, use a template to get the drawing name list with this model extract.

Question: What is the difference between length and saw length for saw cut beams?
Difficulty: *
Answer
To show the difference between the length and the saw cut length for beams, this example will use a beam with saw cuts at both
sides. In case of double cuts at one beam end, the saw cut lengths is defined by the cut that creates the shortest beam.
The length of the beam is in the Advance properties.
The saw cut length can be used and viewed in the "Saw cut list".
To see the saw cut length of this section, in the saw cut list you must change the report contents.
The default for the report contents is set to "Beams with saw cuts", but this option is available only for elements that have no more
than 2 saw cuts.
For elements that have more then 2 saw cuts, like in our example, the report contents must be set to "Profile".
Next, create the saw cut list:

Module: Detailing
Question: How can labels be combined depending on the distance between objects?
Type: General
Difficulty: **
Answer
If there are multiple elements detailed which have the same label, we can set in Advance Steel a maximum distance at which the
labels will be combined, resulting in one label with multiple leader lines to the elements. This setting is done from the label
configuration in the drawing style, so that each label can have a different setting.
The option can be found in the label strategy section for each label:
This value is in mm and is measured in real distance on the drawing file. It is not subject to the scale at which the view is made.
If the value is set to 30mm, for example, we see the following results:
The two labels for the stiffeners are combined into one.
When the maximum distance is set to a smaller value, like 25mm in this case, the two labels will no longer respect this rule so they
will not combine and each of the stiffeners will receive an individual label.

Module: Joints
Question: How can the handrail of a non-linear railing be made into a poly beam ?
Type: Modeling
Difficulty: *
Answer
When the railing joint is made on a series of non-linear support beams, the joint will automatically be created from a series of straight
parts connected with welds.
By default, the handrail is created from a series of profiles connected with welds. In the joint dialog box we can set the handrail to be
a poly beam by selecting the "Use poly beams" option on the Handrail / End of handrail tab.

Module: Detailing
Question: How does the DELETE command work for drawings in Advance Steel 2010?
Type: General
Difficulty: *
Answer
In Advance Steel 2010 the "DELETE" command will completely delete an element from a drawing. After using the "DELETE"
command, a grey box will appear in order to draw attention to the user to update the drawing.
In the case below, the hidden lines located behind the deleted element become visible after updating the drawing. Also, the labels will
appear for the elements that have become visible.
To restore the deleted elements you should select the "Restore user - erased parts" option in the properties dialog box of the drawing.

Module: Detailing
Question: How is a detail drawing header modified?
Difficulty: **
Answer
In order to change the detail drawing header you must complete the following steps:
1. Open the desired prototype. This is stored in the following path:
C:\Documents and Settings\AllUsers\Application Data\Graitec\AdvanceSteel\2010\Shared\Support\Prototypes.
2. Type "BEDIT" on the command line and press "Enter". A dialog box, as shown in the following figure, will appear where you should select
"HYPERSTEELPAGEHEADER" and click "OK".
3. Make the desired modifications.
4. "Save and exit" the editing.
5. Type "ATTSYNC" on the command line and press "Enter". Choose "select" and pick the block that you modified, and then press "enter" when asked for
"HYPERSTEELPAGEHEADER".
The header is updated with the modifications.
These modifications do not apply to the existing drawings; the existing drawings must be recreated with the edited prototype.

Module: All
Question: How can I get the convert drawing command to work in Advance Steel 2010 on the AutoCAD 2010 platform?
Type: General
Difficulty: *
Answer
In Advance Steel 2010 on the AutoCAD 2010 platform, when launching the "Convert Advance Steel drawings" command from the
Additional Tools toolbar, the following error message will appear on the command line:
"Command: ; error: Automation Error. Problem in loading VBA"
This command batch converts the drawings from one version to another including backups. The problem is that this functionality
requires VBA (Visual Basic for Applications) technology. AutoCAD 2010 no longer installs VBA tools by default. Thus, it is necessary
to download and install them separately.
To install the VBA tools on AutoCAD 2010, go to the following link :
http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/ps/item?siteID=123112&id=12900036&linkID=9240617

Module: Modeling
Question: How are connection objects highlighted?
Type: Modeling
Difficulty: *
Answer
In Advance Steel there are functions that allow highlighting rapidly the connected objects, by marking them with red. These
functions allow:
- Displaying objects connected in the shop;
- Displaying objects connected on the building site;
- Displaying the connection elements.
On the "Grid, section, plate, structural element" toolbar, select the "Sub-Check Connection" flyout.
Number Description of the function

"Display connected object". This function allows displaying objects connected through bolts or welds. Select the function and, then, select a
1
connection of the model and validate. All connected elements will be highlighted with red.
"Delete the marking + display connected elements". This function allows deleting the previous marking and making a new marking of the
2 objects connected with bolts or welds. Select the function, then select a model connection and validate. All connected elements will be
highlighted with red.
"Display object connected in the shop". This function allows displaying the object connected in the shop. Select the function and, then, a part
3
of the model, and validate. All elements connected in the shop will be highlighted with red.
"Delete the marking + display object connected in the shop". This function allows deleting the previous marking and making a new marking of
4 the object connected in the shop. Select the function and, then, a part of the model and validate. All elements connected in the shop will be
highlighted with red.
"Display assembly parts". This function allows displaying the elements that connect the parts between them (welds and bolts). Select the
5
function and then a part of the model and validate. All the elements of the connections will be highlighted with red.
"Delete the marking + display the signification of a connection". This function allows deleting the previous marking and displaying the
6 elements that connect the parts between them (welds and bolts). Select the function and, then, select a part of the model and validate. All the
elements of the connections will be highlighted with red.

Module: NC files
Question: How is the default safety distance for holes set in NC files?
Type: Results
Difficulty: *
Answer
During the creation of a NC file, an error message may appear on the command line, and the NC file is saved with the 'err.' extension.
In this case, the NC file is functional, but the distance at which the holes should be drilled is not correctly displayed.
This error is due to the default safety distance in NC for holes, meaning that the distance between the edge of the bolt hole and the
plate margin is smaller than the default distance.
The default safety distance in NC for holes can be modified as described below:
Launch the Management Tools.

In "Structured BOM/NC", select "Safety distance in NC for holes".
Enter the desired value in the field at the right side of the dialog, and then press < Enter >.
Click the 'Load settings in Advance' icon to save the modifications in Advance Steel.
This value is the minimum distance between the margin of the plate and the edge of the hole, with a default of 2 mm (or 1/16"). If
the distance is greater or equal to the default distance, the NC file will be created without a warning. If the distance is smaller than
the default value, the error message will appear at the creation of the NC file.

Module: Modeling
Question: How are the filter functions for snap points used?
Type: Modeling
Difficulty: *
Answer
The "X Filter", "Y Filter", "Z Filter" and "XY Filter" commands are available on the Design assistance toolbar.
These commands are used for displacing a snap point of an object on one of the 3 UCS directions (X, Y, Z), or in the XY plane.
To use these commands:
1. Select the desired snap point.
2. Activate one of the 4 filters.
Once a filter has been activated, it is not possible to change it.
Translating a snap point on one direction (X, Y or Z)
Click on the desired object and select the snap point that you want to move.
Select one of the 3 filters (X Filter, Y Filter or Z Filter) on the Design assistance toolbar. Once the filter is activated, the selected
point will move only in the filter direction.
Click on any point in the workspace and notice that the object is moving on the projection of the second point, following the filter
direction.
Example: Moving the upper snap point of a beam in one direction

- Select upper snap point of a beam created on the Z-axis.
- Activate the "X Filter".
- Select a point in the workspace with the coordinates 4000, 5000, -3000 relative to the top of the beam. In this case, the top of the beam is moved
4000 units in the X direction.
Translating a snap point in a XY plane using "XY Filter"
The "XY Filter" command moves the snap point only in its XY plane.
Click on the desired object and select the snap point that you want to move.
Select "XY Filter" on the Design assistance toolbar. Once the filter is activated, the selected point will move only in its XY plane.
Click on any point in the workspace and notice that the object is moving on the projection of the second point in the XY plane.
Example: Moving the upper snap point of a beam in the XY plane

- Select upper snap point of a beam created on the Z-axis.
- Activate the "XY Filter".
- Select a point in the workspace with the coordinates 2000, 2000, 3000 relative to the top of the beam. In this case, the top of the beam is moved 2000
units in the X direction and 2000 units in the Y direction, following the projection of the selected point in the XY plane.

Module: All
Question: How to use databases from a network computer?
Type: Methodology
Difficulty: ***
Answer
Advance Steel databases are usually stored locally on the PC, in a folder related to the Advance Steel installation. For companies
which have more than one computer with Advance Steel is useful to store the databases on a server computer, and make all the
computers to read this common database.
The server computer doesn't need to have Advance Steel installed on it, only the local computers need to have it.
The operating system for the server needs to be Windows 2000 or newer.
How to share the databases on the server computer
1. Create a folder on the server computer (for example: "data") and set for it full access rights for all user. The folder needs to be on a NTFS partition.
2. Copy the databases which you need to share (for example: AstorSettings.mdb) in this folder and verify if the database in not read-only.
3. Open the file properties dialog for this database (right click on the file > Properties). Then go to "Security" tab to change the security settings for
this file (please see the image below).
It's necessary to have checked the option: "Include inheritable permissions from this object's parent". If this option is turned off then all the users added
to have access to this file will be automatically removed from the allowed access list for this file.
How to configure the local Advance Steel installation to read the network databases.
Open DatabaseConfiguration.xml file located in: Graitec\AdvanceSteel\2010\Configuration on a user computer and change the path
for AstorSettings.mdb according to the folder on the server:
The location for the others databases in Advance Steel:

Database Location in Windows XP Location in Windows Vista and Windows 7
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application C:\ProgramData\Graitec\AdvanceSteel \2010
AstorAddin
Data\Graitec\Advance Steel\2010\User2\Data \User2\Data
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application C:\ProgramData\Graitec\AdvanceSteel\2010
AstorBase
Data\Graitec\Advance Steel\2010\Steel\Data \Steel\Data
AstorDetails
AstorRules
AstorSettings
For AstorProfiles database, in order to access it from a network address the user needs to change a registry entry.
AstroProfiles can be found at the following address:
Database Location in Windows XP Location in Windows Vista and Windows 7

C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application
AstorProfiles2010 C:\Program Files\Graitec\Data
Data\Graitec\Data
To change the registry entry you need to:
- Open Registry Editor tool from Windows ( press START > Run > type regedit)
- To the registry: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE / SOFTWARE / Graitec / Database Connections.
- Here change the folder target for the AstorProfile2010 entry with the network address.
This registry configuration needs to be done independently for each computer, but the DatabaseConfiguration.xml file can be replaced for each computer.

Module: All
Question: How are databases configured on a central computer?
Type: Installation
Difficulty: **
Answer
The Advance Steel databases are usually installed locally on the computer on which Advance runs.
Companies with several Advance licenses can store them centrally on a server computer, so that all users work with the same
databases. Please, also take into account the Notes at the end of this FAQ.
Requirements:
Advance Steel must be installed on all local computers (it is not necessary to install Advance Steel on the server). The operating
system on the server computer must be at least Windows 2000.
This FAQ presents the necessary steps to make the local databases accessible on the network for several users.
Securing the databases on the network
1. Create a directory on the server computer (e.g. Data) and save it with full access permissions for all users. The directory must be created on a
partition that uses NTFS.
2. Copy the first database (e.g. AstorDetails.mdb) in the directory and make sure that the database is not write protected.
3. Open the file properties of the database (e.g. AstorDetails.mdb) to change the security settings. Go to the "Security" tab and, then, select
"Advanced" (see the following figure).
First, deactivate the "Inherit from parent the permission entries that apply to child objects. Include these with entries explicitly defined here" option.
This option must be deactivated because the directory in which the file is stored specifies complete access permissions, which should not apply for
the database. When this option is deactivated, the user "all" is automatically removed from the list that specifies the permissions to this file.
- Next, click Add, to allow users (depending on your company / construction office) the access and the editing of the file. The following figure
illustrates the process described above (the user "Mihaela" may read the database).
4. Open the DatabaseConfiguration.xml file from the Graitec\AdvanceSteel\[Version number]\Configuration directory on a user computer and change
the path of the AstorDetail file to the directory on the server (see the following example).
- Steps 2 to 4 must be performed for all Advance Steel databases, which are stored centrally on the server.
- The databases are listed below:
Database Storage location on Windows XP Storage location on Windows Vista

C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Graitec\ C:\ProgramData\Graitec\AdvanceSteel \[Year]
AstorAddin
AdvanceSteel \[Year]\User2\Data \User2\Data
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\ Application C:\ProgramData\Graitec\AdvanceSteel\[Year]
AstorBase
Data\Graitec\ AdvanceSteel\[Year]\Steel\Data \Steel\Data
AstorDetails
C:\Dokumente und Einstellungen\All Users\ C:\ProgramData\Graitec\AdvanceSteel\[Year]
AstorRules
Anwendungsdaten\Graitec\ AdvanceSteel\[Jahr]\Steel\Data \Steel\Data
AstorSettings
5. To store the Astorprofiles[Year] - database for network access it is necessary to change the corresponding entry in the registry.
AstorProfiles[Year] C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Graitec\Data C:\ProgramData\Graitec\Data
First, store a copy of the database in the directory listed above on the server. Then, click on the User-PC and then
"Run". Next, enter "regedit". Go to the HKEY_LOCAL_Machine / Software / Graitec / DatabaseConnections directory and
change the corresponding value.
Check the changes made on operability on the customized computer. Then copy and, respectively, replace the
DatabaseConfiguration.xml file on all other user computers.
Note
1. It can be meaningful (and, also, recommended) to assign writing permissions for one or several users in the case of specific databases! This way, for
example, the table defaults of the connection functions in the AstorRules.mdb database are stored. By using the writing permission for this file, a user
has the option to create other connection templates and to give them to other users. User permissions should be decided by your company.
2. It should be mentioned that through the relocation of the databases on the server and the often access of several users to the database, a certain
delay of the work with Advance Steel can occur. These delays are dependent of your system and cannot be attributed to Advance Steel.

Module: All
Question: How is the Multi-User Function used?
Type: General
Difficulty: *
Answer
1. Preparing to work in "Multi-User" mode
The model should be saved in a place accessible for all users.

Before starting to work in Multi-User mode, open an empty template and save it locally, for example, as "User-dwg".
2. The "Multi-User" toolbar
After activating the "Multi User" button on the "Advance Steel" toolbar, the following toolbar appears on the screen:
3. Connecting to the Master Model and "checking out" the model objects to work on
After activating the "Connect to the master model" button on the "Multi User tools" toolbar, a tree with directories and sub-directories will appear in
which the storage space of the master model is controlled.
Note:
The master model can be controlled in a local network, as well as on a ftp server (via Internet). The storage space for the master model must be
available as a drive in the structure of directories.
The connection must not be a user-to-user connection.
Then, the model can be opened. Pay attention that at this point, when selecting a part of the model, like a normal AutoCAD block, the model reacts as a
unit.
There are four selection options available for "checking out" model objects:
1) Checking out the objects completely by manual selection.
2) Checking out the objects completely using search and filter criteria.
3) Checking out the objects partially by manual selection.
4) Checking out the objects partially using search and filter criteria.
Note:
Completely checked out model objects are locked for any further use in the master model. The complete access to the properties of these model objects
is available in the "Advance Properties" dialog box (Profile, Material etc.).
Model objects can be several times partially checked out.
This aspect is important for the definition of the transition area and of the transfer points between users. Partially checked out model objects can be
completely modified, but the access to the object properties in the "Advance Properties" dialog box is restricted.
Red: Axes A-B completely checked out by User 1

Blue: Axes C-D completely checked out by User 2
The model objects in the area between axes B and C can be partially checked out by User 1 and User 2 for full processing.
After selecting the model objects and confirming the selection with "Enter", the selected model objects are highlighted with contrasting colors. It is not
relevant whether the model objects were partially or completely checked out. The layer-configuration of the objects is identical.
By clicking the "Turn off other objects" button, model objects that have not been checked out can be hidden.
At this point the constructive editing of the selected model area can be started.
By clicking the "Turn on all objects" button, the hidden model area becomes visible again.
4. Transferring the constructive editing from a user to the master model
If the "Check in & keep checked out" button is activated when editing the checked out model area, the effect is similar to a buffering when working on
the model. The construction elements added meantime by using parameter connections are transferred to the model and are immediately visible for
everyone.
By clicking the "Check in" button, the model objects checked out from the master model are restored.
Note:
For both described cases a connection to the master model should be created (local network or via Internet).
The new unconnected model objects must be first transferred to the master model before checking them in, by clicking the "Add objects" button.
The particularity of the checking in procedure is that the elements presented in the standard layers receive the same color structure like the rest of the
elements of the master model. See the following presentation.
If model objects are checked out from the master model by several users, the current editing status can be made visible on the local computer by
clicking the "Reload Master model" button.
5. Final indications for the work with the master model
If the master model is opened while editing it, the following warning message appears, saying that for the moment the model contains objects checked
out and modified by other users.
By using the "Mark checked out objects" button, the checked out model objects can be displayed in the master model.
You have the option to immediately mark all checked out model objects and, also, to search model objects by user:
When selecting "All Users", the completely checked out model objects are marked (the objects colored red in the model).
The selection of a specific user can be made in the following dialog box:
In case a specific user has a computer crash, the administrator responsible for the master model can cut the connection to the user in question by
clicking the "Cancel check out" button. It is a very powerful tool that should be used only in emergency situations.
The same dialog box appears as when selecting a user by considering the checked out model objects.
By selecting the corresponding users and by confirming the selection with OK", the checking out for the selected user is terminated.
Final note:
All work that has as purpose the creation of fabrication documents from the model (Numbering, material lists creation, NC-files generation, drawing
creation) should finally succeed exclusively for the master model. The necessary changes in the model can succeed through the user that, according to
the definition of the working area, is responsible for the corresponding part.

Question: How are material lists with selected elements created?
Difficulty: *
Answer
In Advance Steel there are many options to create material lists with elements of the model. This FAQ presents how material lists
with selected elements are created. The example will be a list of elements plated with zinc.
First, define in the model, the coating for all elements relevant to the list. Create in the BOM Editor a material list in which the coating
is listed. Next, number the model and save it.
1. Using the Advance Steel "Search filter", it is very easy to select individual elements in the model. Click the "Search filter" button on
the Advance Standard toolbar.
2. In the opening menu you can refine your search. In this case you will search for "complete drawing" and "mark new". On the
"Objects" tab select all elements that can be plated with zinc.
On the "Properties" tab select the desired coating mode ("Zinc") and begin the search by clicking "OK".
3. In the model, the elements with "Zinc" coating mode are marked with red. By clicking "Select all marked objects" the elements are
selected.
4. Next, by clicking "Create lists", you can create an extract containing only the selected
elements.
5. Make sure that in "Selection of the model objects" the "Complete model" and "Based on assembly" options are not selected. If this
is not possible, then a new model selection must be created using the corresponding button (on the upper left part). Then, click
"Apply" and "Next".
6. In the next window, add a descriptor in the name of the extract about the contained elements. Next, click "Create list" and the list
editor will open.
7. Select the desired list template and click "Use". In the next window select the newly created extract and a list will appear in which
only the elements plated with zinc are listed.

Module: Detailing
Question: How are environment elements on a workshop drawing represented?
Type: Views
Difficulty: **
Answer
Since Advance Steel 2009 the drawing styles for the environment structural elements have been changed. This FAQ describes the
required steps to represent the environment structural elements on a workshop drawing.
Configuration:
1. Creating new model objects:
To present environment structural elements on a workshop drawing differently than as main parts and attached parts, you must add
other model objects ("environment beam", "environment plate", "environment special part") besides the existing ones ("additional
beam", "additional plate" etc.).
Create the new model objects in the Drawing Style Manager.
2. New "View direction and model box" - defining entries

In the "View direction and model box" list, the new "environment" element is added.
The settings for the new element are as follows:
"View direction on object":

It depends on what you would like to see with this definition (front, top, rear or bottom).
"Z viewport":
Select "Relative to the xy view plane", no setting is necessary for front or rear.
"XY viewport":
Select "Automatic".
"Automatic environment viewport":
Select "Enlarge viewport to partially include environment elements" and set a minimum visible size of environment elements.
"Enlarge the viewport for additional parts present":
Do not select this option.
If you wish to use the environment structural elements in other view directions, you must specify new definitions for them.

Module: Modeling
Question: How is the bolt grip length calculated in Advance Steel?
Type: Modeling
Difficulty: **
Answer
In a bolt assembly, the bolt length that is taken from an already existent standard needs to cover:
The thickness of the washers and nuts that are part of the assembly
The projection length
The grip length
Advance Steel stores the mapping between intervals of grip length a bolt can cover, and the actual length of the bolt used.
To automatically calculate the length we need to:
1. Open the Management Tools > Bolt editor
2. Select a bolt assembly
3. Go to the "Length" tab. On this tab, the grip length, bolt length and projected lengths can be configured.
4. In order for Advance Steel to calculate the bolt and grip lengths for a bolt assembly, we need to add rules for the automatic
length calculation.
To set a rule we need to select the Rule box (first rule needs to be Rule 1) and then complete the fields with:
Bolt length: we need to add, from the bolt table standard, the first bolt length for the respective bolt diameter.
Delta of the bolt length: This is defined for each rule, and is the length increment for the bolt. Advance Steel will create a line
in the bolt list by taking the first bolt length set on the previous tab, and then add this increment for the next lines. If the bolt has
more than one value for this increment, then more rules must be created.
Minimum and maximum bolt grip: These values are taken from the bolt standard, but do not include the grip package
thickness, which must be calculated by taking the thickness for each nut and washer included in the assembly. This value is
subtracted from the minimum grip length for the bolt. The maximum grip length is calculated in the same way, but the value, from
the table from which we subtract the thickness of the grip package, is the maximum grip length corresponding to the bolt length rule.
5. After the rule information has been added to the fields, click "Save". The Management Tool will automatically calculate the grip for
the other bolt lengths, for this rule. It will add enough lines based on the increment to reach the maximum grip length and then it will
stop.

Module: Modeling
Question: How are joint objects automatically created on specific layers?
Type: Modeling
Difficulty: **
Answer
1. Configure the settings in the "ObjectLayerAssignment" table.
Open the Management Tools - Table editor.
Click the "MDB" icon and open the AstorBase.mdb database, and then open the "ObjectLayerAssignment" table.
Close your drawing and go to the 3D model.
Key A unique number

ModelRole The model role given by the joint to the created object in the 3D model.
ObjectType Type of object (e.g. Beams, Plates, etc.)
LayerName Name of the layer created in the DWG file
OwnerText Author name
2. Activate the functionality.
Open the Management Tools - Defaults.
Go to the "Layer assignment" branch, and set the "Default layers used for AS objects based on object role" to "1".
Result:
Next time objects are created by a joint (e.g. cladding macro, portal frame macro, railings, etc.), these objects will be automatically
placed on the layers according to the user configuration.

Module: Detailing
Question: How is the drawing page header content updated after the Project information has changed?
Difficulty: *
Answer
When you create a drawing, you may get a drawing page header like the following:
Close your drawing and go to the 3D model.
Click the "Definition of the project data, units and preferences" icon on the Advance Steel "Standard" toolbar. Then enter your data
in the dialog box and click OK.
Click the "Update page header" icon on the Advance Steel "Numbering, drawing" toolbar.
All the drawings created from this model will have their page header updated with the info entered in the "Project data" dialog box.

Module: All
Question: How can I define the units and precision for a single label?
Type: General
Difficulty: ***
Answer
In Advance Steel the units are defined for each model, drawing and list. This means that a drawing contains a certain setting for the
units and precision.
There are certain cases where it is necessary to have a different precision or unit setting for a single item. This is possible in Advance
Steel by defining, for just a label, a different unit and precision setting.
To do this, you need to add a [1,2,3] to the token, for example, for a %Length token it has to look like %[1,2,3]Length
While the 1, 2, 3 must be replaced by the required keys from the unit tables in AstorBase.
The first number is the unit key from the tables in AstorBase.mdb starting with UnitOf... (e.g., for a distance it is from
UnitsOfDistance).
The second number is the unit type from the UnitsType table in AstorBase.mdb.
The third number is the unit precision from the UnitsPrecision table in AstorBase.mdb
In the above example we used [3,3,1], which means:
Key 3 from AstorBase.mdb UnitsOfDistance table: Millimeter
Key 3 from AstorBase.mdb UnitsType table: Decimal
Key 1 from AstorBase.mdb UnitsPrecision table: no decimals
Result: Even with the model units set to display 2 decimals (2643.68) we can have a shown length rounded to full millimeters
(2644).

Module: All
Question: How is the customization from a previous Advance Steel version merged?
Type: Installation
Difficulty: **
Answer
The installation of Advance Steel 2010 does not affect previous releases (8.1 or 2009); if you choose the typical installation
(recommended) Advance Steel 2010 will be installed in a new path C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application
Data\Graitec\AdvanceSteel\2010.
After installing Advance Steel 2010, enter your serial number and activation code to activate the product.
After the activation is complete, to use in Advance Steel 2010 the previous customizations (e.g., adding new coating, drawings styles,
lists, modifying prototypes, etc.) done in Advance Steel 2009, you need to do a few steps to bring the settings into the new version.
These steps are described below.
All the information regarding the previous customizations is saved in the databases. We need to import the information from the
old databases into the new databases using the Management tools. Open the Management Tools in Advance Steel 2010, and click
the Convert Database icon:
In the next dialog box click the icon which is below "Convert what" and select the 2009 version of the files which you need to
convert (AstorBase, AstorProfiles, AstorRules, and AstorSettings).
Click Continue.
In the "Result of the comparison" window, click Convert to proceed with the conversion.
Finally, click OK to finish the conversion.

Another database that we need to update to the new version is the AstorAddIn.
The process to update it is different from that used for the previous databases.
For an AstorAddIn from 2009, you need to copy the AstorAddin from the 2009 folder (e.g., C:\Program
Files\Graitec\AdvanceSteel\2009\User2\Data) to the 2010 folder (e.g., C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application
Data\Graitec\AdvanceSteel\2010\User2\Data)
In addition to the database conversions, you also need to convert your existing Prototypes to Advance Steel 2010 and Standard
Part Templates. To do this, copy them to the right location in the Advance Steel 2010 folder, and then open and save the files in
Advance Steel 2010.
Also if you created or modified symbols in 2009 you need to copy them to the 2010 symbols folder:
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Graitec\AdvanceSteel\2010\Shared\Support\Symbols)
Warning: If in the previous version the Author was not change to other than "DSC", the merge functionality will not work.

Module: Detailing
Question: How are orientation marks used?
Type: Views
Difficulty: **
Answer
In order to use the orientation marks we need to:

1. Create the compass in the model.
The compass can be created in the XY plane corresponding to the current position of the UCS. The compass can be moved using the
grip points. You can define its orientation in its properties window. Only one compass can be added to a model.
2. For main part / single part details, you need to activate the compass from the advance view settings. These settings are available
in the detail drawing and can also be configured in the current drawing style.
a. Configuring the drawing style
Open Drawing Style Manager and select the style to which the compass will to be added.
Select one of the views and then open the Compass position tab. You can define the compass display in the details created by
this style. You can also define the compass position (to the four corners) and the compass representation (arrow or symbol).
b. Adding the orientation mark on the detail drawing.
Right click on a detail and choose "Advance View".

Select the Orientation tab and check "Show compass". You can also define the compass position and representation.
3. To show the compass in an overview drawing, you need to:
Open the Drawing Style Manager and select a view detail.

Go to "Object presentation" and add a new presentation.
In the "Selected model objects", click on "Rename model object" and enter the name "Compass".
In the model object list, select "Compass". Set the model role to "All model roles" and the filter to "None".
Define the Presentation as "Symbol".
Using the "Compass position in overviews" options, you can define the corner where the symbol is placed.

Module: Detailing
Question: How are holes in overview drawings displayed?
Type: Views
Difficulty: **
Answer
Overview drawings can also display holes and bolts, and not only the main elements (beams and plates).
In order to display bolts and holes in overview drawings, you need to:
Configure the drawing style for bolts and holes

Enable the display of these entities in the overview drawings
1. The drawing style

By default, the display of holes is disabled in the drawing styles for a faster detailing process.
You can configure the drawing style to display bolts and holes as follows:
Open the Drawing Style Manager.
Choose an overview drawing style. For example: ViewV - NoDim NoLab.

Select "Object presentation".
Check if a model object named Ho exists. If it does not, create one by clicking the "Add a new object presentation" icon.
The model object will be added at the end of the list. To configure this model presentation for holes, perform the following steps:
- In the "Model objects" window, select Ho located in the "Holes" category.
- Geometric Restriction: All
- Depth position: Any
- Presentation: Visible (to display only the visible holes) / VisibleHidden (to display the hidden holes as well)
- Labeling: Off
The hole model object should look as shown below:
2. Enable the bolts and holes display in overview drawings

After you have configured the drawing style, you need to enable the default value allowing the detailing of bolts and holes in the
overview drawings.
Open Management Tools:
Select the defaults tab and find "Holes in erection drawings" in the "Drawing-Presentation" category.
Set the value of this parameter to 1.
Save the database and close Management Tools.

Module: Modeling
Question: How are custom treads added to the stair macro?
Type: Modeling
Difficulty: **
Answer
Advance Steels allows adding custom treads to the stair macro. The tread types 22, 23 and 24 are available for custom treads. The
only difference between these tread types is the connection type to the stringer.
New treads can be added using the User Sections creation tool.
To be recognized by the macro, the section class must be "User defined treads" while the section name can be any name.
Once the profile is added, it can be used by selecting the tread type 22, 23 or 24. On the Tread dimensions 1 tab, the "Tread profile
size" list contains the created user section.
Note: New tread sections can be added only with the User Section tool. Already existing profiles cannot be used for the stair
structural element.

Module: All
Question: How can the drawing filename definition be changed in a detailing process?
Type: General
Difficulty: ***
Answer
The detail drawing filenames are issued based on a setting in the drawing process manager. This name can be changed and tokens
can be used to customize it. To change the drawing filename, you need to:
Open the Drawing Process Manager:
Select the process with the filename to change and click the "Properties" icon in the "Detail drawing(s)" section.
In the "Drawing name" field you can define the filename for the detail drawings created by this process. Any name can be used; in
addition tokens can be added to this name, extracting various model information (as the part mark of the detailed objects).
These tokens are:

1. Flat (%Flat). This token is a counter for the pages detailed by the process. It requires a parameter that defines the maximum digits for the
number of pages. For example, if this token must be used for more then 100 pages, then the token should look like %Flat(03) meaning that the
counter will start with 001, 002... and end with 999.
2. Position number (%PosNum). This token will add the position number of the element. It works for processes that detail assemblies or only
single parts on a page. It displays the Main Part mark if the detailed element is a main part or the single part mark for the others (if the file contains
an assembly, then this token will always display the MP number).
3. Sequence Number (%SequenceNumber). This token is used together with other tokens. It creates a sequence of other tokens attached to
the name to differentiate them. It can be used, for example, together with Position Number, for instances when two or several drawings contain
the same MP number, for example 1000. In this instance, both drawings will have the Position Number 1000, but the sequence number will be 1 and
2.
4. Single part number (%SinglePartPosNum). This token will only show the single part mark regardless if the element is a main part or single
part.
5. Model name (%ModelName). This token writes the name of the model in the detail drawing filename.

Module: All
Question: How is the BIM transfer between Advance Design and Advance Steel done?
Type: General
Difficulty: **
Answer
For a correct data exchange between Advance Design and Advance Steel, starting from a model created in Advance Steel, several
details must be taken into account:
1. If the Advance Steel model uses profiles which are not available in the Advance Design cross section libraries, before importing the
gtc model in Advance Design, you must add the "Advance Steel Profiles" library in Advance Design. Launch the Edit > Cross
sections... command to display the cross sections manager of Advance Design.
2. Advance Steel elements are defined by the "Structural member" property. When importing an Advance Steel model in Advance
Design, all the elements with a disabled "Structural member" property will be ignored.
If an Advance Steel element is defined as a "Structural member", then this element will be imported in the Advance Design model
through the BIM transfer.
Example: The model below is a steel structure created with Advance Steel that includes side-rails (horizontal beams), which must not
be imported in Advance Design.
1. In Advance Steel, uncheck the "Structural member" option for the side-rail beams.
2. Export the Advance Steel model in gtc format.
3. Import the gtc file in Advance Design.

Module: Modeling
Question: How can I modify the dimension line color?
Type: Modeling
Difficulty: *
Answer
The dimension line color can be modified within the prototypes.

1. Open the prototype file in Advance Steel. The prototype files path is:
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Graitec\AdvanceSteel\2010\Shared\Support\Prototypes
2. Launch the Change dimension style command.
3. In the Dimension Style Manager window click Modify.
4. Select the Lines tab. Several options are available for changing the dimension line colors or other dimension style parameters.
5. Save the prototype. The changes are available only for drawings using the modified prototype. These changes can also be applied
to the current drawing using the same command described above.

Module: NC files
Question: How does the scribing option work for NC files?
Difficulty: **
Answer
Scribing is a new feature available since Advance Steel 2010. Several details regarding how this feature works:
1. Scribing works for beams, and recognizes any element attached to them (beams or plates). It does not work for tubes or round
elements because they do not have straight surfaces.
2. The attached elements must touch the profile on the NC surfaces. Generally, the NC surfaces are the main sides of a beam. For
example, the NC surfaces of an I-profile are the sides of the web and the outer side of the flanges, thus only the elements attached to
those surfaces generate data for the scribing option.
3. Scribing is obtained only for the Main Parts. In the NC settings dialog box, the behavior must be defined as NC Based on Main Part
Numbers.
4. Scribing information will appear in the NC file in the block called PU and as a text in the SI block. Also there will be a contour
detailed in the NC-DXF file.

Module: All
Question: How can I modify the name of a section from a profile class ?
Type: General
Difficulty: **
Answer
The names of profiles sections can be modified in the AstorProfiles2010.mdb database. To do this you need to perform the following
steps:
1. Launch the Management tools.
2. Go to Table editor and click on Open database (MDB).
3. Open AstorProfiles2010.mdb from its default location on the disk: C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application
Data\Graitec\Data
4. Open the table corresponding to the profile for which you want to modify a section name (e.g. EXT_IPE which corresponds to the
IPE profile).
5. Each record in the table corresponds to a section from the IPE class. The name of a section can be modified in two locations:
a. In the available languages columns. Scroll the table to the right until you find the columns with the section names translated in the available
languages. Modify the section name in the cell corresponding to the current language of the Advance Steel interface.
b. If the current language column is empty, you can find the section name in the "Standard Name" column.
Warning! Do not modify the entries in the "SectionName" column, as these entries represent the internal names of the profiles, which are used by
Advance Steel.
6. Close the table and the Management Tools window. Use the "Update Defaults" function to apply the modifications.

Module: Joints
Question: How are new profiles added to the Purlin macro ?
Type: General
Difficulty: ***
Answer
1. Launch Management Tools and go to Table Editor.
2. Use the Open MDB command and open AstorRules.mdb, located in:
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Graitec\AdvanceSteel\2011\Steel\Data
3. Open the JointsGUIAllowedSections table
4. To add a new profile to the macro, a new record must be added, with a consecutive value in the KEY column with respect to the
key of the last record.
5. The columns for the new line needs to be filled with the following information:
JointName :SEPurlin
JointControl : Eaves or Purlin, depending to which of those two joint controls we add the new section
AllowedSectionType :The value here mention how we add the section : as a whole shape class (O, U, I etc), or individually per
section type (HEA nach DIN, UltraZed Section etc)
0 corresponds to "Section Shape"

1 corresponds to "Section Class"
AllowedSection: Based on the value used in AllowedSectionType, here we fill with either the section shape or the section class.
A. Section shape. The name of the available shapes can be read from the following location :
- Open AstorProfiles2011.mdb database, located in C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Graitec\Data
- Open the ProfileShapeRunName table. The shape names usable in the "AllowedSection" column can be found on the "ProfSubType" column.
B. Section class. The class names can be read from the following location:
- Open AstorProfiles2011.mdb database, located in C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Graitec\Data
- Open the ProfileMasterTable table
- Find the profile in this table, and use the corresponding value from the TypeNameText column
6. Enter those values in the JointsGUIAllowedSections table and close it.

Module: Detailing
Question: How do I set a new default prototype used by a process ?
Type: General
Difficulty: **
Answer
1. The new prototype must be stored on your disk in the following location: C:\ProgramData\Graitec\AdvanceSteel\2009
\Shared\Support\Prototypes\
2. Launch the Drawing Process Manager.
3. Go to User > Assemblies - All > All Assembly PageFullA0 (or any other process for which you want to change the default
prototype).
4. In the "Detail drawing(s)" section, click the Properties icon. Then, in the "Filename Selector" dialog box, click the Copy icon.
5. After making a copy of the selected prototype, assign a new name to it:
6. Click Apply, then close the dialog box.

Module: Modeling
Question: How are multiple tubes cut at a single node?
Type: Modeling
Difficulty: *
Answer
In order to cut multiple tubes at a single node, use the "Element contour - Exact cross section" command.
We need to:
Align the tubes with their system axes meeting at a single node.
Select the tubes in pairs. First, use the command on Tube 1 and on Tube 2. Then, use it on Tube 2 and Tube 1, to obtain a
symmetrical cut between the two tubes.
Repeat for all the tube pairs. This example contains 5 tubes and requires 10 cuts in order to avoid collisions between the tubes.

Question: How do I create an external BOM from a drawing?
Difficulty: **
Answer
Starting from a drawing containing single part or main part details, Advance Steel can create an external BOM, based on a template
chosen by the user. This external BOM will contain only the elements from this drawing.
To create an external BOM, a single part / main part / main part with single part details drawing is required. This feature cannot be
used for overview drawings.
1. Launch the "Define Drawing Layout" command.
2. Select "External drawing list", then check the "Create an external list for this drawing" option. Choose a BOM from the list below.
3. Click OK to apply the settings and close the dialog box.

4. Update the lists using the "Update lists" function.
The external BOM file (in .rdf format) is saved in the same folder with the drawing, with the same name as the .dwg file. You can
obtain an external BOM and a BOM from the drawing using different templates. The "Update lists" function will apply to both files at
the same time.

Module: Detailing
Question: How to change the tolerance used for numbering?
Type: Modeling
Difficulty: *
Answer
In Advance Steel you can set a tolerance value under which almost identical parts are considered as identical. This default is called:
"Tolerance for identical parts identification" and can be found in Management Tool > Defaults > Numbering.
This takes into consideration:
Differences in beam length. If the difference between two beams is smaller or equal to the default value, then the two beams will
get the same part mark.
Difference in width / length for a plate. You can have both width and length difference between two plates, but both values should
be smaller or equal to the "Tolerance for identical parts identification" value. This default is not considered for plate thickness.

Question: How are Anchors added to lists?
Difficulty: *
Answer
In order to have anchor bolts in lists we need to add them to the report contents that the template is using. For this, we need to add
a content called "Tie Bolts" to the list in which the anchor bolts are required.
1. In the BOM editor, browse to the list you want to modify.
2. Right click, for example, on "Material List" - "Report Contents".
3. In the "Report Contents" window, check "Tie bolts".
4. Click OK and save the template.

Question: How to modify a BOM on drawing template in Advance Steel 2010?
Type: General
Difficulty: *
Answer
In Advance Steel 2010, the BOM on drawing templates are saved in ".dwg" format in the "BOMTemplates" folder from
"...\Shared\Support\".
The templates can be modified in the existing ".dwg" or new ones may be created. To insert a text box into a new template, use the
"Create list fields" command from the "Listing and checking" menu.
This command adds all necessary text boxes to the BOM template context (as much for the page header as for the list content fields).
After inserting the necessary text in the template, the text boxes should be grouped using the "Group fields" command.
The name of the groups should be:
"DETAILS" (line of the BOM template that contains the information),

"REPORTHEADER" (the first line from the BOM template),
and "REPORTFOOTER" (the last line from the BOM template that contains the summaries).
More groups may be added at the beginning and at the end of the BOM template named "GROUPHEADERx", GROUPFOOTERx" (where
x is a number ranging from 1 to 10).
After finishing the group configurations, "List sorting & content" command is used to continue the BOM template configuration.
After the BOM templates has been configured and saved in the "Shared\Support\BOMTemplates" folder the "Insert a list" command is
used to insert the newly created BOM template in the drawing.

Module: All
Question: How is an Advance Steel model opened in pure AutoCAD?
Type: General
Difficulty: **
Answer
To open an Advance Steel DWG model in pure AutoCAD, you need to explode the model to ACIS. Prior to this, all the elements
that cannot be exploded need to be manually deleted using the "Quick Select" function.
Open the "Quick Select" dialog box (Tools > Quick Select...).
From the "Object type" drop-down list you must select the type of elements you want to delete.
All the types with names containing the "AST" prefix are Advance Steel objects.
You need to keep the following types: ASTGRID, ASTBEAM, ASTBEAMFEATURE, ASTPLATE, ASTSCREWBOLTPATTERN,
ASTPLATEFEATURE, ASTBEAMHOLEPATTERN, ASTPLATEHOLEPATTER.
All the other Advance Steel object types must be deleted manually.
From the "Operator" drop-down list, choose "Select All"
Click "OK" to select the corresponding elements in the model.
Press the "Delete" key to delete the selected objects from the model.
Once you have deleted all elements that cannot be exploded, select the remaining elements in the model, right click and use the
"Explode to ACIS" command.
Save the dwg and close it.
In a new dwg file, use the function: "Delete all AS objects from external dwg".
Select the dwg you want to explode and click "Open".
Close Advance Steel and open AutoCAD.
Enter "demandload" on the command line and set the value to 2.
Open the exploded DWG file.
Save it, then re-use "demandload" and set the value to 3.
The file can now be opened in pure AutoCAD on any computer and it cannot be rolled back to the Advance Steel model.

Module: Detailing
Question: How do I change the color for different detail line types?
Type: Views
Difficulty: **
Answer
In order to plot different line types with specific line weights, AutoCAD uses a plot style editor in which we can assign line weights
and line colors.
In Advance Steel, to change the line type color for different lines in details (e.g., system line, hidden line) we need to:
A) Open Management Tools.
B) Go to the Drawing-Presentation group.
C) There are multiple defaults that control different line types (visible line, cross section, helper lines, level symbols, etc.).
D) Select one of the color items (e.g., color of visible lines).
E) Change the color using the drop-down list. Then, click in the "Current" box for the new color to take effect (the value in the current
box will change from the original color (which in this case was 50) to the new color value).
F) Update the changes in Advance Steel using the Load Settings in Advance Steel command.

Module: All
Question: What can I do when the GRAITEC license fails to activate by internet on Windows Vista?
Type: Error #
Difficulty: ***
Answer
Problem: Fail to activate by internet the GRAITEC license on Windows Vista
Possible cause: After choosing to activate the GRAITEC license by internet, the client operating system automatically checks for the
server certificate revocation list, while the Certifying Authority for GRAITEC license server (Thawte / Verisign) does not provide such a
list. The result is that the client operating system will refuse the connection to the GRAITEC server and the license activation is not
performed.
Internet Explorer provides an option which is not just a browser setting but rather a policy setting for the entire computer related to
accessing certified web servers. To access this option, from the Internet Explorer menu, select:
Tools / Internet Options / Advanced / Check for server certificate revocation
For Windows Vista, this option is checked by default (enabled), while for Windows XP it is not checked. As a result, Windows Vista
automatically checks for the server certificate revocation when the client application tries to connect to a certified web server.
In the case of GRAITEC License Activation by internet, the License Wizard tries to access the GRAITEC license server (which is a
certified server). For the Windows Vista operating systems, the client web browser will automatically check at the Certifying Authority
(Thawte / Verisign in our case) that the current certificate was not revoked in the meanwhile.
If the Certifying Authority does not provide such a revocation list or cannot be accessed for some reason the client will refuse to
connect to the server.
Solutions
On the Thawte website, there is a support answer for this issue: https://search.thawte.com/support/ssl-digital-
certificates/index?page=content&id=SO1227
Basically, there are two solutions to the problem:
1. Disable the option "Check for Server Certificate Revocation".
2. Manually download and install on the Client computer the certificate revocation list.

Module: Modeling
Question: How is a tube cut with another tube?
Type: Modeling
Difficulty: *
Answer
The command to cut a tube with another tube is called "Element contour - rule" and can be found on the "Grid, section, plate,
structural element" toolbar, or can be accessed using the "_AstM4CrConByVB ContourNotch" command.
The tool will first request the selection of the tube to cut at a reference end, and then the tube at which to cut.
After creating the notch, a joint properties window will appear and allow the user to configure the parameters for the cut. Welds can
be added to the connection and the rule can be saved into library.

Module: Modeling
Question: How do I find (with the Advance Steel search tool) a beam that has a single part mark B1?
Type: Modeling
Difficulty: *
Answer
In your 3D model, there is a beam that has the single part mark "B1".
To find where it is, you can use the Advance Steel search tool ("Search filter" icon on the Advance Steel "Standard" toolbar). Then
in the "Search and mark objects" dialog box, you have to:
Select "Complete model" on the "General" tab.
Select "Section" (if it is a beam you are searching for) on the "Objects" tab.
Select "Single part mark" and enter "1" on the "Number" tab.
Select "Prefix" and enter "B" on the "Number" tab.
Click OK.
The command line shows if such a section has been found in the model.
And the found beam has a red color.
Comment 1: you can have an arrow pointing to the found section by using the "Search marked objects" icon (available on the
"Standard" toolbar) so that you can better find it (e.g. in a big model).
Comment 2: to remove the red color of the beam, just click the "Clear marked objects" icon.

Module: Detailing
Question: How do I get access to Drawing Styles from other countries?
Type: Installation
Difficulty: *
Answer
When you install, for example, the "English Europe" Advance Steel version, you get the corresponding Drawing Styles.
If you wish to install Drawing Styles from other countries, you need to modify your installation.
Insert the Advance Steel 2009 Installation CD in the CD Drive.

Go to Start - Control panel - Add / remove programs.
Go to "Graitec - Advance Steel 2009" program and click the "Change" button.
Click "Next" and then click "Change".
Select the countries of the Drawing styles you want to install.
Click "Next" and then "Modify" to install them.

Click "Finish" and close the control panel dialog box.
Start Advance Steel 2009.
Click the "Country settings " icon on the "Standard" Advance Steel toolbar.
Select the country of the Drawing styles (e.g. UK) you wish to access and click OK.
When you go to the Drawing Style manager ("Drawing style manager" icon in the "Numbering, drawing" toolbar), you can see in the "Advance" branch all
the UK Drawing Styles.
You can select them from here, and click the "Use" button to use them.
Or you can display the "UK Drawing Styles" toolbar, with a right-click on the gray background and choose "ASTORDETAILUK", and then select the desired
sub-toolbar.
If you choose the "UK Drawings", the toolbar is displayed and you can use any icon from it to create your drawings with a "UK" presentation.

Module: Modeling
Question: How do I define the I-section used by default when creating a beam ?
Type: Modeling
Difficulty: *
Answer
When creating an I-section beam, the section, by default, is for example an HEA100 (depending on the installation).
In order to change the default , you need to go to the Management Tools ("Start the Management Tools" icon from the "Standard"
toolbar), go to the "Default sections" category and search for the "Default section for I - Sections" default.
As an example, we would like to define the UB203X133X25 as the default "Section" (this section belongs to the "SA Universal beams"
section class).
This means that we have to modify the following expression: HEA nach DIN#@@#HEA100
Instead of HEA nach DIN, we have to enter the (internal) table name of the "SA Universal beams".
To determine the internal name, open the "AstorProfiles2009.mdb" database and go to the "ProfileMasterTable" table, then note the
name in the "TypeName text" column.
Note: you can copy-paste it.

In our case, it is SA_Universal_Beam
Keep the "#@@#" as the separator.
Instead of HEA100, we have to enter the UB section name (of the SA Universal beams).
Close the "ProfileMasterTable" table and go to the "EXT_SA_UniversalBeam" table, then copy (or enter) the section name (in the "SectionName" column)
you want to use.
In our case, it is UB203X133X25.
At the end, for the "Default section for I-section" default, you should have:
SA_Universal_Beam #@@#UB203X133X25
Then click "Load settings in Advance" to save the changes and go back to Advance Steel.
The next time you create an I-section beam, the default "Section" will be UB203X133X25 as we just defined.

Module: Modeling
Question: How to change the column and rafter sizes in the Portal Frame macro ?
Type: Modeling
Difficulty: *
Answer
When you create a Portal Frame, the column size proposed by default is a HEA200 and the rafter is a IPE200.
In order to modify e.g. the "Column size", you need to go to the Management Tools ("Start the Management Tools" icon from the
"Standard" toolbar), go to "Default sections" category and search for the "Default section for structural element (Column)" default.
If you want to define a IPE360 (instead of the HEA200), just change
"HEA nach DIN#@@#HEA200" by "IPE nach DIN#@@#IPE360".
Remark: the default for the rafter size is "Default section for structural element (Tie Beam)"
Then press" Load settings in Advance" to save the changes and go back to Advance Steel.
Next time you will create a Portal Frame, the proposed "Column size" will be IPE360 as defined.

Module: Drawings
Question: What are the different expansion methods for unfolding?
Type: Methodology
Difficulty: ***
Answer
The different expansion methods for the unfolding are available in the Management Tools - Defaults. The following methods are
available:
1. By table
2. By DIN
3. By inner contours
4. By outer contours
5. Pure median line
1. By table:
The calculation method "By table" uses for the unfolding an internal table called "UnwindingElongation" from database AstorAddIn.mdb located in
the ...User2/Data folder. The table is used either for customer specific unfolding calculations or for thicknesses that exceed the DIN method (thickness
over 20 mm).
To use the table calculation method, information is required like the material expansion with the corresponding radius and bending angle.
The known values must be entered in the six columns of the table:
The table acts like a filter, while the software checks first in the line from left to right and then in the following lines from top to bottom. The existing
values are test / example values and can be removed by the user.
Key: Line counter; must be unique

MaterialClass: Material class number from table "MaterialClass" in AstorBase.mdb
Thickness Plate thickness
Radius: Radius of the folding at the plate median line

Folding angle measured in RAD [An angle in RAD = angle in degreed x /
Angle:
180]
Elongation: The difference of the required expansion to the median line expansion.
Example:
The 2 plates with material S235JRG2, length of 100 mm and thickness of 30 mm should be folded by 60 degrees at the outside contour with a radius of
100 mm. Field tests resulted in an expansion of 30 mm so the required expansion is set to 170 mm.
The result in the table is:
Key: e.g. 10
MaterialClass: 1 (from table MaterialClass in AstorBase.mdb for S235JRG2)
Thickness 30
Radius: 85 [ = 100 mm - 30 mm / 2]
Angle: 1,047197551 [ = 60 x / 180]
Elongation: - 3,5 = 170 - 173,5
2. By DIN
This method calculates the unfolding according to the German norm DIN 6935. The norm is valid for plate thicknesses up to 20 mm.
3. By Inner contours
This method unfolds according to the inner contour.
4. By outer contours
This method unfolds according to the outer contour.
5. Pure median line

This method unfolds according to the median line.

Module: All
Question: How to use Advance Steel with databases in a shared network environment?
Type: General
Difficulty: *
Answer
Since Advance Steel 6.1 SP2 version, users that are not administrators are allowed to work on the network with shared databases.
Advance Steel automatically creates and configures all data sources needed for the program to run. All data sources created by
Advance Steel are, by default, using local databases (e.g. AstorDetails is configured to use C:\Program
Files\Graitec\AdvanceSteel\Steel\Data\AstorDetails.mdb).
The following are all the steps necessary to configure AdvanceSteel to use a shared database on the network.
Requirements
Advance Steel must be installed on the local user computer (it is not necessary to install Advance Steel on the server computer).
The operating system for server computer must be Windows 2000 or higher.
This tutorial will show the steps of sharing a single database by multiple users on the network. In order to share all Advance Steel databases use the
same process as described below.
Sharing a database over the network
1. Create a folder on the server computer (e.g., Data) and share it with full access rights for everyone. This folder must be created on a partition using
the NTFS file system.
2. Copy the database to share (e.g. AstorDetails.mdb) into the folder previously created (Data) and make sure the database is not read-only.
3. Open the AstorDetails.mdb file properties in order to change its security settings.
First, disable "Allow inheritable permissions from parent to propagate to this object" option (a dialog box will appear and the Remove button should be
clicked). This is necessary because the folder in which this file is located has full rights and the database should not inherit them. Once the option is
disabled, user "Everyone" will be automatically removed from the list of users allowed connecting to the file.
Next, click the "Add button" to add users allowed to connect to the database and set permissions for each of them. The following is an example of the
process described above (user "user_name" is allowed to read the database):
4. a) For Advance Steel 6.1 to 7.1:

Run the AstorDSNConfigurator.exe tool on every user computer and set the AstorDetails datasource path to point to the folder on the server, as
shown in the following figure.
Steps 2 - 4 must be repeated in order to share other Advance Steel databases.
4. b) For Advance Steel 8.1 and newer:

Open the file DatabaseConfiguration.xml in the Graitec\AdvanceSteel\[Version number]\Configuration folder on every user computer and set the
AstorDetails path to point to the folder on the server, as shown in the following figure.

Question: How is a new grating created?
Type: Modeling
Difficulty: **
Answer
The version 2009 of Advance Steel has a new object type, GRATING. By default Advance Steel has a grating library to which you
can add new gratings or modify the existing gratings.
The new grating object has a new database, which you need to modify. This new database is called AstorGratings.mdb and is
located in C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Graitec\AdvanceSteel\2009\Steel\Data.
The grating has 2 options. The first option is a standard grating, which is a grating type with defined dimensions, and the second
option is a variable grating with variable dimensions.
Example - Creating a new grating
1. Start the Management Tools by selecting MANAGEMENT TOOLS on the start menu of Advance.
2. Start the 'Table Editor' application.
3. Click the OPEN DATABASE ODBC icon and select AstorGratings (C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application
Data\Graitec\AdvanceSteel\2009\Steel\Data).
4. As you can see there are 2 types of tables, Standard and Variable. Depending on what type of grating you need to create the title
of the table should have one of these words.
5. To create a new table we suggest starting from a similar existing one. For example we will create a new table starting from the
"McNichols_Standard_GBB_19P2". Select the table, right click and choose "Copy table with data".
6. A dialog box appears.
Enter the name of the new table, "Ohio_Standard_19_SG-2", and click OK. The table is created.
7. Next, modify the data in this table to match your standards. Look for the table and open it (double click it). The information for the
copied grating is in the table. You can erase all the rows except the first one, to have it as an example.
The first column, "Name", is the internal name of the grating and should be entered without spaces and should contain the description of the grating.
Example: Ohio_19SG2_1x1/8_39x16bar
Where:
Ohio is the supplier name
19SG2 is the type of the grating
1x1/8 is the bar size
39 the span
16bar is the number of bars for this particular grating.
This information should be taken from each supplier's catalogs.

The second column, "RunName", contains the name you will see in Advance Steel and in the drawings. This name can have
spaces.
The third column is the "Length". This is the span of the grating (you can find it in the catalog). This dimension should be in mm. In
our case we have 39 inches (990.6 mm).
The fourth column is "Width". If you create a bar grating this value is dependent on the number of bars you require. This is why, in
the name of the grating, the last information is referring to the number of bars. In the catalogs you can find this width according to
the number of bars. In our example for 19SG2 with 16 bars the width is 18 inches (457.2 mm).
The fifth column is "Thickness". This is the thickness of the grating, which in our case is 1 inch (25.4 mm).
The sixth column is "Hatch". This is the column where you can choose what type of hatch is shown in the model and in the drawings.
These names are the names from AutoCAD or you can create your own hatches.
The seventh column is "ConnectorName". This is where you can enter the name of the connectors for each type of grating or you
can leave it as "Standard connector".
The eighth column is "ConnectorQuantity". In this column you need to enter a number for how many connectors you need for each
grating.
The ninth column is "Material". This column should be completed with the grating's material. This material should exist in AstorBase.
The tenth column is "Coating". This column should be completed with the grating's coating (Galvanized). This material should exist
in AstorBase.
The eleventh column is "Weight". In this column you need to put the grating's weight (you can find it in the catalog). In the catalog
the information is in Lbs/sf, in the table you need to use kg/sm (kg/square meter). In our case the weight is 1.71 Lbs/sf (8.34822
kg/sm).
The twelfth column is "System" and you can enter 0.
The last column is "OwnerText" which should be your author, different than "DCS" (e.g., "My Company"). So the row we create
should look like this:
After you create all the combinations you need, you can erase the first line, which is not part of this grating, and you can close the table.
To be able to work with the new grating we need to complete another table called "GratingStandardMaster". There are two tables called "Master". The
first one, "GratingStandardMaster", is for all the gratings that are standard (where we need to add our grating) and "GratingVariableMaster" for all the
variable gratings.
Open "GratingStandardMaster".
In the last row you need to add the new grating.

The first column is "ClassName". It is the internal name of the grating and should be entered without spaces and should contain the
description of the grating (e.g. "Ohio_Standard_19_SG_2").
The second column, "ClassRunName", contains the name you will see in Advance Steel when you create the grating. Because we
are already in "GratingStandardMaster" the word standard can be erased from ClassRunName (e.g. Ohio 19-SG-2).
The third column is the "TableName". This name should be the same with the table name we created earlier
(Ohio_Standard_19_SG_2). If it is not the same with the name of the table the new grating will not work.
The forth column is "System" and you can enter 0.
The last column is "OwnerText" should be your author, different than "DCS" (e.g., "My Company").
Now you can close the MANAGEMENT TOOLS and you can open Advance.

Module: Detailing
Question: How to unfold user sections on workshop drawings?
Type: Views
Difficulty: *
Answer
If you create a user section without any radius at the corners, like the one below, you cannot unfold it afterwards and the option
"Unwind profile" is grayed.
In order to unfold a user section, correct radius values have to be defined at the corners, like sample below:
When you now create a beam with this section shape ("User section 2" in our case), the option "Unwind profile" is available and can be selected in the
"Beam" properties dialog.
To unfold a user section on workshop drawings, you just need to use a specific drawing style, like the one mentioned in the print-screen below:
The created drawing could look like the following example.

Module: Detailing
Question: How can I easily modify the beam color in all the views of a General Arrangement drawing?
Type: Views
Difficulty: *
Answer
Open the General Arrangement drawing.

In the example below, the color of the visible lines is yellow and we would like to change it to orange in all the views.
Type "qselect" on the AutoCAD command line.

In the "Quick Select" dialog box, choose "Layer" for Properties and "Beams" for Value for the layer name.
(In our example, all the beams are on the "Beams" layer, which also exists in the 3D Model.)
Then click OK. All elements in the "Beams" layer are selected.
Use the contextual menu and select "Advance Beam Properties".
Change the "Visible line color" to, for example, "Orange" (color 30), and press Enter.
All the visible lines of the "quick-selected" elements are changed to orange.

Module: Detailing
Question: How to modify the length precision inside the detail title of a workshop drawing?
Type: Views
Difficulty: *
Answer
You may get a drawing with a detail title showing some values behind the coma, like example below:
In case you would like to remove values behind the coma, you just have to go to "Project data" dialog-box, and set the Precision to
"0", like shown in print-screen below.
Then if you create other drawings or update existing ones (from the Document manager) you will get the wished result.
Comment: in case you have plates with e.g. a thickness of "2.5", the detail title will display "2".

Module: NC files
Question: How to decide if Advance Steel has to create a hole or a circular cut in the NC-DSTV file?
Type: Miscellaneous
Difficulty: *
Answer
Depending on the size of the hole diameter, Advance Steel will define a hole as a hole (Block BO) or like a circular cut (Block SI) in
NC-DSTV files.
To control this issue, you can go to the Management Tools and check the "Maximum holes diameter for NC" default.
In our example above, this default is set to "200", which means that if the size of the hole diameter is less than 200, the hole will be
described in a BO Block (for holes), and if the hole diameter is exceeding 200 the hole will be described in a IK Block (for circular cut).
As a result, for the beam having a hole diameter 40 on its web, you will get such NC-DStV file content:
And for the beam having a hole diameter 225 on its web, you will get such NC-DStV file content:

Question: How are the AutoCAD display settings configured ?
Type: General
Difficulty: *
Answer
Depending on the graphics card and AutoCAD settings some customers experience problems with shaded / rendered display (Visual Style).

1. Start the _3DCONFIG command:.
2. Click Check for Updates.

3. Follow the instructions found on the Autodesk website.
If the results are still not good go to the next step.

1. On the "Adaptive Degradation and Performance Tuning" dialog box click Manual Tune.
2. Click Reset to recommended values.
If the results are still not good, disable the Hardware acceleration. Now the display should be correct in all situations but slower then before.

Module: Modeling
Question: How are Advance Steel objects removed from a DWG file?
Type: Miscellaneous
Difficulty: *
Answer
If you open and save an AutoCAD DWG file with Advance Steel, you might want to remove the Advance Steel objects that were
saved with this DWG file.
To remove the Advance Steel objects, perform the following steps:
Open Advance Steel.

Click on "Remove AS objects from external DWG files icon located at "Additional tools" toolbar
Select the drawing from which you want AS objects to be removed

Open the drawing
Say YES to remove AS objects
Close Advance Steel
Open plain AutoCAD. (Don't open any drawing)
At the command line type demandload & set the value to 0 (zero), normally the value is 3
Now open the drawing which AS objects were removed
Save the drawing
Exit AutoCAD
Re-open AutoCAD without any drawing
At the command line type demandload and set the value to 3
Now open previous drawing. It will be opened without AS objects
Your drawing will no longer contain Advance Steel objects and can be opened in "pure" AutoCAD.

Question: How are the special unfolding values defined in a table used?
Type: Miscellaneous
Difficulty: ****
Answer
Open the Management Tools - Defaults and filter "unfold".
There are different ways on how Advance Steel calculates the expansion for unfolding. One of these options is to define the expansion by a table.
The table is "UnwindingElongation" in AstorBase.mdb database.
The columns mean the following:

Key A unique number
The number refers to the MaterialClass table in AstorBase.mdb, where groups of materials are defined. The defined unfolding
MaterialClass
will work on the specified materials in this group.
Thickness Thickness of the unfold object
Radius Radius at the bent corner; " - 1 " means default radius
Angle Bent angle [measured in radian]
Elongation Expansion for the unfold
Attention:
The defined expansion is only used for objects that match exactly the defined criteria. If the model object does not match exactly the criteria then the
expansion is calculated according to the closest match defined in the table.

Module: Detailing
Question: How to remove clipping on skewed parts for assembly drawings?
Type: Description
Difficulty: *
Answer
In case you have an assembly with some skewed parts, (depending on the Drawing Style configuration) you can get an assembly
drawing where the skewed part(s) get clipped (like shown on picture below for the right-side haunch).
In case you do not want to get such a clipping, you need to adjust the Drawing Style in the Drawing Style Manager.
In the " Clipping properties " tab of the concerned view (e.g. Font view), you need to unselect the " Clip oblique line " option.
When you will use this Drawing Style for the next time, you will get a drawing without any clipping on skewed parts, like shown on picture below:

Module: All
Question: How is a toolbar icon changed for a customized list template?
Type: Description
Difficulty: *
Answer
Start the BOM Editor.
Note the key number of the customized list you want to use and in what branch (User Template branch or Project Template branch) it is in.
Close the BOM Editor.

Enter "CUI" on the command line to open the ACAD "Customize User Interface" to change the toolbar icon.
In the "Customize User Interface" dialog box, go to "Partial CUI files", "ASTCHECK", "Toolbars", "Sub - BOM" and select, for
example, "Beam list" (if this is the list you want to replace with your customized list).
Replace the Command Macro name (on the right side) with the new one.
Example: ^C^C_Astm4CommBomNew 22006 1
(In this case: key = 22006 and branch = 1 (for User Template branch)).
Then click " Apply " and " OK ".
On the Advance Steel "Sub - BOM" toolbar, click the icon for the new key number. The created list is according to the customized template:

Module: Modeling
Question: How is a part that has no visible edges labeled?
Type: Description
Difficulty: *
Answer
When you have a part in the middle (e.g., stiffener without chamfers) that you would like to label on a side view (in the figure on the
right):
Before creating the cut view, you must activate the "Enable annotations on elements invisible in details" default (in Management Tools - Defaults):
The cut view contains a point in the part that has no visible edges (see inside the cloud in the figure below):
Label the part by selecting the point during the "Insert label" command:
A label for a part without visible edges is created:
Important: The view, where you want to label the invisible part, must have been created with a presentation (drawing style) where visible and hidden
lines are switched on (see figure below):

Module: Modeling
Question: How to remove the display of the beam treatments?
Type: Views
Difficulty: *
Answer
If you have a model where all treatments are displayed like in the picture below:
Select the complete model, then go to "Standard" toolbar and press the icon "Filter selected objects"
then press the "Beam" icon.
All beams are selected. Then right-click and choose "Advance Properties".
In the Beam properties dialog box, select "Standard".
You will get the following result:

Module: All
Question: How to view Advance Steel models exported to IFC?
Type: General
Difficulty: *
Answer
1. Download the IFC viewer
Go to website http://www.ifcbrowser.com/
Download (and install) the IFC Viewer:
2. Export an Advance Steel model to an IFC file
Choose from the Advance Steel toolbar "Import / Export" the "Export IFC".
3. View the IFC model in the IFC viewer
Choose "File" / "Open" and select the IFC file.
It is possible to rotate, zoom, ...

Module: Modeling
Question: How is a new weld symbol created in Advance?
Type: Description
Difficulty: *
Answer
Advance Steel can create new weld symbols, finishing surfaces, etc. We will create a staggered fillet weld example. Advance Steel
uses symbol drawings that can be modified or created by the user.
There are two ways to create a new weld symbol:
1. Modify an existing symbol.
The modification is quick and easy but it will overwrite the existing symbol.
2. Create a new weld symbol.
This option offers many advantages but the process must be strictly followed.
There are 5 tables in the AstorBase for weld options:

- Symbols: to create / modify the link between a weld and the symbol drawing.
- Welddesign: to create / modify an entry for a design (e.g., G for grind)

- Weldshape: to create / modify an entry for a finishing (e.g., flush-convex)
- Weldtype: to create/modify a weld symbol (e.g., fillet-butt-bevel)
- Combiwelding: to combine two existing welds for automatic near side and far side weld (e.g., bevel ns / fillet fs)
Example 1 Modify a weld symbol
For this example, we are going to change the position of the finishing symbol to create a larger gap between the weld symbol and the
finish symbol.
1. Start the Management Tool by selecting MANAGEMENT TOOL on the start menu of Advance Steel.
3. Click the OPEN DATABASE ODBC icon and select AstorBase.
4. Open the 'Symbols' table.
5. Search in the description for the element to change: (concave - convex - flat).
6. In the "drawing name 1" column, find the current symbol drawing.
7. Open the folder with all Advance Steel symbols: Program files / Graitec / Advance Steel / Shared / Support / Symbols. Search for
the 3 drawings.
8. The letter "o" or "u" before the .dwg means u=fs and o=ns (because a symbol is necessary for both sides of the weld).
9. Open one of the symbols to modify (Important: The symbol drawings can only be modified in plain AutoCAD, make sure that
Advance Steel is not loaded).
10. The symbols (AutoCAD lines and attributes) are related to the zero point of the World Coordinate System. You have to move the symbol position to
increase the gap between the two symbols. Save and close the drawing.
11. You should repeat this process for all drawings you want to modify.
12. This applies to all other weld symbols. Note that the "MASS" and "LOWERMASS" attributes are automatically filled with the weld thickness from
Advance Steel.
Example 2 - Create a new weld symbol
For this example, we are going to create a staggered fillet weld.
1. Start the Management Tool by selecting MANAGEMENT TOOL on the start menu of Advance Steel.
3. Click the OPEN DATABASE ODBC icon and select AstorBase.
4. Open the 'WeldType' table.
5. Fill the description for the new weld on the last free line: (Key = next available number) (Name = the desired name, for example,
Staggered Fillet) (system = 0). Remember the key number.
6. Open the "Symbols" table.
7. Go to the last line and define a new key. In the "Name" field, you must enter the reference weld. "Weld_Upper" is the name for
upper welds and "weld_lower" is the name for lower weld symbols. Next, you must enter the key from the "WeldType" table and then
"_4_1:10" (e.g., weld_Lower21_4_1:10).
8. In the "Description" field, enter the description (e.g., "staggered").
9. The "Scale1", "Translation" and "Rotation1" fields can be set to "0".
10. In the "DwgName1" field, enter the name of your AutoCAD symbols drawing from the folder: Program files / Graitec / Advance
Steel / Shared / Support / Symbols.
11. Repeat the same process for the upper weld.
12. Create the corresponding symbol drawings with plain AutoCAD. You can also copy and modify (the copy) existing symbol
drawings.
Using this process you can create any weld symbol, surface shape, weld preparation or combination of weld symbols.

Module: All
Question: What are the different numbering options in Advance Steel?
Type: General
Difficulty: *
Answer
Numbering in Advance Steel

Prefix settings
Define the prefix settings in the following dialog box of the _AstM5PrefixConfigurationExplorer command.
Selecting "Use prefix" will activate the prefix settings.
Numbering methods
Available numbering methods:
The first 3 numbering methods assign fixed numbers to the objects. There will not be a link between the assigned element number and the drawing the
piece is detailed on.
The numbering methods "With drawing number..." assign first an "internal" number to each object. During the detail creation the internal number will be
changed to the drawing number the piece is detailed on.
Important: First detail the single parts and then the assembly parts.
Single part / Assembly numbering
Each object in Advance Steel has two part marks, a Single Part number and an Assembly Part number.
The numbering will detect identical pieces and will assign the same piece mark to them.
The numbering can be performed for both, single part and assembly, in one step by selecting the two check boxes.
Post numbering
There are currently four "post numbering" methods available.

These settings will influence the single part marks of the assembly.
The numbering runs first the single part detection, then the assembly part detection. If there is a setting for the "PostNumberingMethod" then there is an
additional iteration to equal the single part marks to the assembly marks according to the settings.
None:
No special setting and the numbering works as in previous Versions of Advance Steel
SP Number (for main part) = Assembly Number:

This setting will assign the same mark for the single part mark and assembly mark of the main assembly piece.
For example, the biggest piece in an assembly is the main piece; this piece will get the same number information for the single part and assembly.
SP Number (for standalone part) = Assembly Number:

Assembly pieces, which have nothing welded to them in shop, will get the same piece mark as the single part and assembly number.
This applies only to the standalone pieces, not to other assembly pieces.
Assembly Group:
This setting will assign the single part marks relative to the assembly part.
The single part mark will include the assembly number and refers to the assembly where it was first detailed.
For example, an attached plate of Column C1 gets the piece mark pa - C1.
Important: First detail the assembly parts and then the single parts.
Standard part template
In Advance Steel, standard pieces can be linked to the current project. Parts from the current project get the same piece mark as defined in the
standard part template if they match the properties.
How to create a standard part template

Simply copy the elements from you project into a new dwg file; set the model role of the pieces to "none" and define the required
piece mark.
Select the standard part template in the Numbering dialog box and check "Single Part".
This standard part template will then be considered during the numbering in this project.
The standard part template can be reused for any other project or new standard part templates can be created if necessary.
Post numbering solution

Counter
The counter can be modified in:
AstorBase.mdb - > IncrementalCounter
Key Token Start Init Range CharsToBeExcluded Counter OwnerText

0 CounterStrLC a a 28 -1
Token: Can be any name
Start: Defines the start value for the counter (nothing would mean that the second piece starts with "a")
Init: Initialized value should be the same as for the Start value
Range: Defines how many characters are used (alphabet has 28)
CharsToBeEx: Defines the excluded characters, for example, if you don't want to use e, i, u, etc.
Counter: Internal value has to be always "-1"
OwnerText: Defines the Author and is necessary for merging into future Versions of Advance Steel
Post numbering method

The part marks are affected by:
AstorBase.mdb - > PostNumberSolution
Available token:
%PreSPPrefix
%PreMPPrefix
%PreSPNr
%PreMPNr
MainSPPrefix MainSP
PerElement Detailing MainSPPrefix MainSP
Key RunName Template Template
Settings Behaviour Template Template
ForAll ForAll
0 None 0 0 %PreSPPrefix 0 %PreSPNr 0
1 SP Number (for main part) = Assembly Number 1 0 %PreMPPrefix 0 %PreMPNr 0
2 SP Number (for standalone part) = Assembly Number 2 0 %PreMPPrefix 0 %PreMPNr 0
3 Assembly Group 1 1 %PreMPPrefix 0 %PreMPNr 0
SPPrefix MPPrefix
SPPrefix SPTemplate MPPrefix MPTemplate
Template Template SPTemplate ForAll Template
Template MPTemplate
ForAll
ForAll
ForAll
%PreSPPrefix 0 %PreSPNr 0 %PreMPPrefix 0 %PreMPNr 0
%PreSPPrefix 0 ~CounterStrLC-%PreMPNr 0 %PreMPPrefix 0 %PreMPNr 0
Key: Has to be unique

RunName: Anything possible
0 nothing special
PerElementSettings: 1 SP = MP for main parts
2 SP = MP for standalone parts
DetailingBehavior: 1 for the influence on the drawing name
MainSPPrefixTemplate: Defines the prefix for the single part number of the main assembly piece
MainSPPrefixTemplateForAll: 0 in most cases, only new and modified pieces will be renumbered
MainSPTemplate: Defines the single part number of the main assembly piece
MainSPTemplateForAll: -- see above -
SPPrefixTemplate: Defines the prefix for the single part numbers that are not the main assembly
SPPrefixTemplateForAll: -- see above -
SPTemplate: Defines the single part numbers that are not the main assembly
SPTemplateForAll: -- see above -
MPTemplate: Defines the assembly number
MPTemplateForAll: -- see above -
Important:
To create the link between the single part and the assembly you have to modify the "SPTemplate" column. For example, "~CounterStrLC--%PreMPNr" =
[counter] [separator] [assembly number].

Module: Modeling
Question: How is the numbering by phase performed using various schemes?
Type: General
Difficulty: *
Answer
Case A: Single parts from the first phase starting at 1000 and main parts from 100 with second phase single parts starting at 2000
and main parts from 200.
Case B: All single parts start at 1000 and main parts by phase starting with 100 for phase 1, 200 for phase 2, etc.
When the model is finished, you are ready to number by phase using one of the following workflows.
Case A
- After creating the phases in the object properties, select the first phase (by using the Search Filter) and perform the numbering
making sure to select proper start values for single part marks (e.g., 1000) and main part marks (e.g., 100).
- Create the drawings for the first phase.
- Select the second phase and perform the numbering but do not forget to change the start values for the single part marks (e.g.,
2000) and for main part marks (e.g., 200).
- Create the second phase drawings.
- Follow the same procedure for all subsequent phases.
Case B
- After creating the phases, perform the numbering only for all single parts by selecting "Process single part" in the "Numbering"
dialog box. Create the drawings for the required single parts (e.g. plates, angles).
- Select the parts from the first phase using the Search filter and start the numbering. Select "Process assemblies" and "Start" with
the correct starting number for main parts in this phase (e.g., 100). Once numbered, drawings for the main parts from the first phase
can be created.
- Select the parts from the second phase using the same filter. Select objects and start the numbering. Select "Process assemblies"
and "Start" with the correct starting number for main parts in this phase (e.g., 200). Once numbered, drawings for the main parts
from the second phase can be created.
- Follow the same procedure for all subsequent phases.

Question: How are material names modified (e.g., A36 instead of ASTM A36)?
Type: Description
Difficulty: *
Answer
To modify material names, the AstorBase.mdb database must be modified.
Step 1 - Open the Database
- Start the Management Tools by selecting MANAGEMENT TOOLS on the start menu of Advance Steel.
- Start the 'Table Editor' application.
- Click the OPEN DATABASE icon and choose AstorBase
You can also open it with Microsoft Access in the folder:

...\Program Files\Graitec\AdvanceSteel\Steel\Data\AstorBase.mdb
Step 2 - Modify the Database

Bolts:
- Open the 'Source' table.
- Search for the material names to modify (e.g., ASTM A325).
- Change the material name to the required one (e.g., A325).
- Change both columns.
- Open the 'Standard' table.
- Change the second column "RunName".
- Do not change the Key column.
- This will change the BOLTS material.
Profiles:
- Open the 'Material' table.
- Change ONLY the columns: "RunName" and "Drawing".
- Do not change the Key column.
- This will change the Profiles material.
Step 3 - Reload Advance Steel
- No Save is required in the Management Tools.

- You must reload the information by clicking the last icon on the "List And Checking" toolbar called "Update Default" or by simply
closing and re-opening Advance Steel.
From now on, your changes will be available in the model and reflected on the detail drawing as well as the lists. Drawings already
created will not be changed.

Module: All
Question: How are objects modified after drawing creation and what are the numbering consequences?
Type: Description
Difficulty: *
Answer
The two most frequent issues new users run into are:
- Forgetting to weld single parts to a main part. This results in single parts being incorrectly identified as main parts.
- The second is incorrectly modifying a single part located on several main parts. This results in an incorrect numbering scheme.
This document explains how to resolve these issues without changing main part marks not affected by the modifications. Both issues
have similar solutions to correct part numbering and drawings.
1. Forgetting to weld single parts to a main part
When you forget to weld single parts to a main part, the single parts are recognized as main parts during drawing creation. Follow
these steps to correct this issue.
a. Erase the assembly drawing for the single part recognized as a main part in the "DOCUMENT MANAGER".
b. Erase the incorrect numbering:
Set the Advance Steel numbering toggle to assembly parts by clicking the first icon on the Numbering toolbar so that it becomes
completely blue (orange in 5.1). Next, select the single part and use the second icon (Delete Parts Numbers) on the second flyout of
the numbering toolbar. Select the single part again and click the last icon (Ungroup identical parts) on the second flyout of the
numbering toolbar.
Warning: Before clicking the modification icons (i.e., ungroup and delete numbers) the object(s) must be selected or it will erase the entire numbering.
c. Next, weld the pieces together.
Repeat the numbering (for assemblies) for the entire model.

If the single part drawing was created, in the Document Manager, an update should be required for the main part. Update the assembly drawing and the
single part should be welded to the main part.
If the single part drawing was not created, create it and then, in the Document Manager, update the assembly drawing.
2. Modifying a single part located on more than one main part

There are two possible cases:
- When identical single parts are on non-identical main parts

- When identical single parts are on identical main parts
For the first case, a change will affect the single parts. For the second case, you must follow the correct procedure or the assembly numbers will not
correspond.
When identical single parts are on non-identical main parts
a. Modify the single part.

b. Set the Advance Steel numbering toggle to single parts by clicking the first icon on the Numbering toolbar so that it becomes blue
and yellow (Orange and blue in 5.1). Then ungroup identical single parts to separate the modified single parts. Select the modified
single part and click the last icon (Ungroup identical parts) on the second flyout of the numbering toolbar. The modified piece is
tagged with a single part mark of "Not defined".
c. Perform a numbering over the entire model to assign a number and prefix to the new single part.
d. Select the modified piece and create the single part drawing by selection.
e. In the Document manager, update the assembly drawing.
When identical single parts are on identical main parts
The difference from the first case is the main part also requires a modification because the assembly numbers change due to
modifications on the single parts.
a. Modify the single part.

b. Set the Advance Steel numbering toggle to single parts by clicking the first icon on the Numbering toolbar so that it becomes blue
and yellow (Orange and blue in 5.1). Then ungroup identical single parts to separate the modified single parts. Select the modified
single part and click the last icon (Ungroup identical parts) on the second flyout of the numbering toolbar. The modified piece is
tagged with a single part mark of "Not defined".
c. After modifying the single part, the main part mark must be changed. Click the first icon on the numbering toolbar so that it is
entirely blue (Orange in 5.1).
d. Ungroup identical main parts to separate the modified single parts from the initial group. Select the modified main part and click
the last icon (Ungroup identical parts) on the second flyout of the numbering toolbar. Verify that it worked by checking that the main
part mark is tagged as "Not defined".
e. Perform a numbering over the entire model to give a number and prefix to the new single and main parts.
f. Create the drawing for the new single and main parts. Select them and create the drawing by selection.
g. In the Document manager, perform an update.
h. Verify that the drawings have different main part marks.
Module: All
Question: Why is it important to use model roles in Advance Steel?
Type: Modeling
Difficulty: **
Answer
In Advance Steel, the "model role" defines how members are used and influences many different settings. One example is that the
part mark prefixes are assigned according to model roles.
The most important effect of the "model role" is the drawing presentation. Based on the "model role", Advance Steel objects are
presented, labeled and dimensioned in different ways. The association between "model roles" and their drawing presentation is the
subject of this document.
Object Model role Process
Single part Angles Angle, Angle cleat Sp - Angle front 1/8 = 1 CX

Sp - Angle front, top 1/8 = 1 CX
Single part Beam Beams, Columns Sp - Beam front 1/8 = 1 CX

Sp - Beam front, top 1/8 = 1 CX
Single part Plate All model roles for plates except gusset plate Sp - Plate 1/8 = 1 CX
Gusset Plates Gusset plates Sp - GussetPlate 1/8 = 1 CX
Single part folded beams Folded sections Sp - FoldedBeam 1/8 = 1 CO

(created by user section)
Stiffeners Stiffeners Sp - Plate 1/8 = 1 CX
Base plates Base plates Sp - Plate 1/8 = 1 CX
End plates, cap plates End plates, Cap Plates Sp - Plate 1/8 = 1 CX
Shear plates Shear Plates Sp - Plate 1/8 = 1 CX
MP Beam Beam Process - Tie Beam (Front-Bottom),

AutoIntersections
MP Column Column Process - Column Verical,

AutoIntersections or
Process - Column Horizontal,
AutoIntersections
MP Angle Bracing Angle Bracing Angle Bracing - Front, Top

MP Angle Angle
MP Flat Bracing Flat Bracing Flat Bracing - front

MP HSS Bracing Compression pipe - front, bottom
MP Compression pipe Vertical Bracing
Roof Bracing
Wind Bracing
Compression pipe
MP Girts and Purlins Cold rolled Purlins Girts - front, right

Cold rolled Side Rails
Cold rolled C sections
Recommended system line position:

- W profile: middle-top
- C, L: in the back of the profile
Module: Modeling
Question: How is the gauge line changed in Advance Steel?
Type: Description
Difficulty: *
Answer
Advance Steel has a standard gauge line for different profiles that can be modified by the user. Advance Steel automatically finds
the gauge line in the database (Astorprofile.mdb) and creates it to the corresponding entry.
Step 1 Management Tools
- Start the Management Tools by selecting MANAGEMENT TOOL on the start menu of Advance Steel.
- Start the 'TABLE EDITOR' application.
- Select "Open database (ODBC)". You will see the next window :
- Open the AstorProfiles.

- Open the table of the profile to modify (e.g., "EXT_AISC_angle_unequal").
- Select the profile to modify (e.g., 5 x 3 x 5/16).
Change the gauge in the "w1" - "w2" - "w3" fields according to the following figure:
- Note that the entries must be in metric (e.g., 3 1/2" = 88.9 mm).
- This process must be repeated for each profile.
Step 2 Advance Steel Modeling
Insert the modified PROFILE and select Exact on the representation type tab. From now on, whenever you activate the exact
representation in Advance Steel, it will use the new gauge line.

Module: Modeling
Question: How is a main part changed to a single part?
Type: Description
Difficulty: *
Answer
Transforming a main part into a single (attached) part can create numbering problems. The following steps are performed to fix this
problem.
- Fix the modeling problem.
- Run another numbering.
- Update the Single Part drawing.
- Erase the assembly drawing.
- Re-detail the assembly.
Step 1. Fix the modeling problem
- Fix the assembly problem in your model.

- For example, add a missing weld between a column and a clip angle.
Step 2. Run another numbering
Run another numbering on the entire job or by phase as it was previously performed.
The result will be:
- The single part number will be kept.

- The new single (attached) part will get the main part number of the assembly.
- The main part of the assembly will get a new assembly number or one according to an equal existing assembly.
Step 3. Update the Single Part drawing
In the Document Manager, update the single part drawing for the attached piece (angle).
Step 4. Erase the assembly drawing
In the Document Manager, delete the assembly drawing (column).
Step 5. Re-detail the assembly
The last step is to detail the assembly drawing (column).
From now on, the assembly will be back to normal with one assembly number (on the column) and a single part number for both pieces (column and
angle).

Module: All
Question: How is the content of drawings updated when Project Data information has changed?
Type: General
Difficulty: *
Answer
If you created your drawings without entering any information in the Project Data dialog box, the title block of the drawings will not
contain any information about the Project (as shown in the figure below).
Information can be entered in the Project Data dialog box at any time (even after your drawings have been created). Click the Project Data icon on the
"Standard" toolbar.
The Project Data dialog box appears. Enter the project information.
The drawings (from the model) can be updated using the "Update page header" icon on the "Numbering, drawing" toolbar:
Result: The content of your drawings is updated and contains the latest information entered in the Project Data dialog box:

Module: All
Question: How is additional Project Data, such as the Coating of a Project, specified and used on drawings and lists?
Type: Methodology
Difficulty: *
Answer
As there is no available field for Coating (of the project), users can use a "User Attribute" field in the Project Data dialog box, and
then use a token to display this information in drawings and lists.
User attribute:
Open the Project Data dialog box by clicking the Project Data icon on the Advance "Standard" toolbar.
Select the "User Attributes" tab, enter the coating (e.g., Galvanized) to use in the User Attribute 1 field, and then click OK.
This User attribute can be displayed in the title block of your Prototypes (for drawings) and in the BOM template of your lists.
For Prototypes:
Open the prototype where you want to add the Coating information in the title block. (Usually prototypes are located in: \Program
Files\Graitec\AdvanceSteel\Shared\Support\Prototypes).
Next, explode HYPERSTEELPAGEHEADER, purge it, and use the token "USERPROJATTR1" as shown below:
Recreate the HYPERSTEELPAGEHEADER block, save and close this Prototype. Next time you use this prototype, the result will look like this:
For lists:
Open the List template tool by clicking the Lists icon on the "Sub - BOM" toolbar.
In the "User" branch, select the list where you want to add the User Attribute 1 (i.e., the Coating). Right click the cell and use the "UserProjAttribute 1"
token in Content as shown in the figure below.
Save your modified template list. Next time you use the template list, the result will look like this:

Module: All
Question: How are Advance Steel drawings converted to PDF files ?
Type: Modeling
Difficulty: *
Answer
Open the Document Manager using the icon on the "Numbering, drawing" toolbar (or using "Document manager" on the Advance
Steel menu).
Select the drawings to convert to PDF files and then click "Add to batch plot".
The drawings are (temporarily) copied to a branch called "Batch plot". Right click "Batch plot" and select "Choose a plotter".
Select the "DWG To PDF.pc3" option (as shown in the figure below) and click the next three OK buttons.
Result:
Your drawings are converted to PDF files and they are in the "Work" folder.
Comment:
This option is only available for users who have AutoCAD 2007 or 2008.

Module: All
Question: How to calculate the weight for straight beams, curved beams and plates?
Type: Calculation assumptions
Difficulty: **
Answer
Weight calculation
I. Straight beams:
1. Standard weight:
We calculate the standard weight as follows:
G = L * mweight,
where L is the length of the beam calculated as the difference between the extreme points of the beam body along the direction of the
beam axis, taking into account all features except holes.
mweight = wpm * mg / pg
wpm is the weight per meter, taken from the profile table in AstorProfiles.mdb if present (the area value must also be filled in and
greater than 0.1 in order for the weight per meter value to be considered), or calculated by Advance Steel as the area of the profile
simple section (without radii) * pg * 1000.
Exception: for user profiles, wpm is always calculated by Advance Steel as the area of the profile exact section (with radii) * pg
*1000.
mg is the specific gravity of the material, taken from the Material table in AstorBase.mdb.
pg is the specific gravity for the profile, taken from the ProfileMasterTable table in AstorProfiles.mdb. If not present or less than 1e-
15, it is taken as the specific gravity of the material "St37".
Exception: Haunches
A beam is considered as a haunch if:
- the model role is "Haunch"
- it has an I profile;
- it doesn't have any 3d cuts (contours and / or end notches).
For haunches, the weight is calculated as follows:
G = Lh * mweight, where
Lh = S - h / 2 * tan(a)
S is the saw length of the beam.
h is the profile height.
a is the largest angle formed by a saw plane with the beam web (less than PI / 2).
mweight is calculated as above.
2. Exact weight:
The exact weight is calculated as follows:

Gx = V * wpm, where
V is the volume of the beam body, all features considered.
wpm = mweight / A
A is the section area, calculated by Advance Steel from the exact section (with arcs).
II. Curved beams
1. Standard weight:
The standard weight for curved beams is computed as follows:

G = L * mweight, where
L is the length between the extreme points of the beam body (all features except holes considered) along the beam physical arc
(offset taken into account)
2. Exact weight:
The exact weight for curved beams is computed as follows:

Gx = G0 - Vf * wpm, where
G0 = L0 * mweight
L0 is the length between the extreme points of the beam body (no features taken into account) along the beam physical arc (offset
taken into account)
Vf = Vwof - Vwf
Vwof is the volume of the beam body without taking into account any feature.
Vwf is the volume of the beam body with all features taken into account.
For both Vwof and Vwf we take the body with a very fine discretization, in order to minimize its effects.
wpm = mweight / A
A is the section area, taken from the profile table in AstorProfiles.mdb if present and greater than 0.1, or calculated by Advance
Steel from the simple section (without radii). Exception: for user profiles it is always calculated by Advance Steel from the exact
section (with radii).
III. Plates
1.Standard weight:
The standard weight for plates is calculated as follows:

G = A * t * mg, where
A is the plate area, calculated according to the default "CalcMethod", as follows:
if CalcMethod is 1, A is the area of the smallest enclosing rectangle; the rectangle is calculated on the plate body taking into account
all features, except holes;
if CalcMethod is 2, A is the area calculated on the plate body without inner features;
if CalcMethod is 3, A is the area calculated on the plate body taking into account all features, except holes;
if CalcMethod is 4, A is the area calculated on the hull body of the plate.
t is the plate thickness.
2.Exact weight:
The exact weight for plates is calculated as follows:

Gx = V * mg, where
V is the volume of the plate body, taking into account all features.

Module: All
Question: How are typical plate sizes automatically converted (mapped) into flat bars in Advance Steel ?
Type: Modeling
Difficulty: *
Answer
Advance Steel can map any element from the 3D model to the drawings, lists/BOM and NC files. This means a plate in the 3D model
can be shown as a flat bar on the drawings and lists/BOM's.
Advance Steel has standard plate-flat sizes that can be modified by the user.
Advance Steel automatically recognizes elements from the database (AstorAddIn.mdb; "MapInternToExtern" table) and maps them
to corresponding entries.
- Change the defaults in the Management Tools.
- Create/modify entries in the database.
Step 1 - Management tools
- Start the 'DEFAULTS' application.
- Select the 'RECODING' default in the 'PLATE' group and set the value to "1" to switch the plate mapping to ON.
- Select 'RECODING PLATE PRIORITY' in the 'PLATE' group and enter the following:
- Priority 1: Thickness and width
- Priority 2: Thickness
- Priority 3: Off
To make these settings active in Advance Steel:
- Close the Management Tools.

- Restart Advance Steel.
Step 2 - Database adjustment
This is only necessary for creating a new table or modifying the existing one.
Warning: The entries in the database have to be in metric (millimeter) with a precision of 0 millimeter...Do not use decimals after
the column. For example, for a plate thickness of 1/2 inch (corresponding to 12.7 mm) you must enter 13.
- Start the Management Tools by selecting MANAGEMENT TOOLS in the start menu of Advance Steel.
- Start the 'Table Editor' application.
- Click the OPEN DATABASE ODBC icon and select AstorCurrentAddIn.
- Open the 'MapInternToExtern' table (Which can also be opened with Microsoft Access in the folder ...\Program
Files\Graitec\AdvanceSteel\User2\Data\AstorAddIn.mdb.
- Modify or create new entries. Enter the object name from the model in the "Internal" column (e.g, PLT13X152)
- Change the name in the "External1" column to the new mapping name. (e.g, FL1/2X6)
- Modify or delete an existing property, as required. You can also use the "MapInternToExtern_CA_Metric" to map objects in metric.
To use this mapping table you must rename the existing "MapInternToExtern" table to any name and rename the
"MapInternToExtern_CA_Metric" table to 'MapInternToExtern'.
From now on, whenever you create a typical mapped object, Advance Steel is going to recognize the part and detail it using the
mapped name.

Module: All
Question: How to add a new cladding profile in database?
Difficulty: *
Answer
Is your cladding profile a user section?
If the answer is YES, then you should generate it in your database.
It is created a table in AstorProfiles.
After that you should add a new line in the table "RULE_Cladding_ProfileClasses".
And to add the rules in teh table "RULE_Cladding_ProfilesInfo".

Module: All
Question: How to define drawing explode options ?
Type: Description
Difficulty: *
Answer
Before explode selected drawings you can set the explode options.
You can define profiles for drawing explode settings. This user configurations can be stored in order to be reused in future projects.
1. Select the detail drawing(s) and click on the "Add to explode" button. A new branch named "Batch explode" appears in the
Document Manager tree and the selected detail drawings are copied there.
2. Click on the "Batch explode".
You can remove the detail drawings from this branch using the button .
3. Click on icon. The Detail explode dialog appears.
4. Enable details explode by clicking the corresponding check box. When you call explode on a detail element the whole detail and all related elements
are exploded as it's currently.
If "Enable Detail Explode" is not checked, the objects from detail(s) are drawn with the detail colour and linetype of the object. If "Enable Detail Explode"
is checked the current selected profile and Advance Steel settings will be used.
5. Click on the icon . In the "New profile" dialog box type the name of the profile and click OK.
An easier way to create new settings is to copy categories from an already created profile and modify them.
6. Select the category and click the copy icon . Select from the list the destination profile and click OK in order to confirm.
The category has been copied to the new profile.
You can copy the other categories and / or settings using drag and drop.
In the right side of the window define the explode settings: Object / SubObjectType ON or OFF, layer, colour, linetype. While exploding the detail(s) the
explode settings will be used.
To set one profile as current: right-click on the profile and select "Set as current profile" from the context menu. While exploding the detail, for each
object / sub-object a corresponding setting will be searched in the " Current Profile ". If there is no setting, the explode settings will be used from
Advance Steel category.
To use the settings click the "Apply" button. In the Document Manager window click on the explode button . The details are exploded into another
folder "...\DetailsExploded" so the drawing can be modified separately while the original detail is still linked to the project for eventual future
modification.

Module: All
Question: How is a checker plate created in Advance Steel?
Type: Description
Difficulty: **
Answer
Answer
In Advance Steel, special objects (e.g., checker plates) are created by modifying standard Advance Steel objects. Advance Steel
has standard plate-flat sizes that can be modified by the user. There are two methods available for creating checker plates:
A. Mapping
The advantage of this solution is:
- The plate is handled like a plate; it is detailed like a plate and shown on the PLATE LISTS.
The disadvantage is:

- The mapping must be turned ON for all plates and may affect other plates.
B. Create a checker plate from an existing flat profile

The advantage of this solution is:
- Only the defined checker plates are used.
The disadvantage is:

- The plate is handled like a beam; it is detailed like a beam and shown on the BEAM LISTS.
Step 1 - Management Tools
- Start the 'TABLE EDITOR' application.
- Select "Open database (ODBC)".
The following will appear:
- Open the AstorProfiles.

- Open the table "EXT_AISC_FLAT".
- Select the last line.
- Enter your plates (e.g., create a checker plate of 1/4" thickness and 38" width).
- In the StandardName field, enter the name of the checker plate (e.g., ChecherPlate1/4X38").
- In the SectionName field, enter a name that does not already exist in this list and it must begin with "Flat" (e.g., Flat 1).
- In the STANDARDS, SYSTEM, and RESERVED fields, enter the same values as in the row above.
- In the "h" field, enter the equivalent in metric for the imperial plate width (e.g., 38"x25.4=965.2).
- In the "b" field, enter the equivalent in metric for the imperial plate thickness (e.g., 1/4"x25.4=6.35).
- Repeat this process for every plate size.
Step 2 - Advance Steel Modeling
- Insert a FLAT PROFILE and select the new "CheckerPlate 1 / 4 x 38" entry.
From now on, whenever you create a checker plate, Advance Steel is going to recognize the part and detail it using the given name.

Module: All
Question: How to calculate the body for collision check for a bolt?
Type: Calculation assumptions
Difficulty: **
Answer
For the collision check the body is calculated in the following way:
- get the middle point of the bolt

- get the body at the middle point.
The body is composed from 6 bodies:

- topSet,
- bottomSet,
- topTool,
- bottomTool,
- topBolt,
- bottomBolt.
Top Tool Diameter = it is taken from the database (AstorBase - Tools) if it exists, otherwise is calculated based on the formula:
bolt diameter * DataBase Default( Pattern_ToolDiameter
Bottom Tool Diameter = is taken from the database (AstorBase - Tools) if it exists, otherwise is calculated based on formula:
bolt diameter * DataBase Default ( Pattern_ToolDiameter
Binding length = grip length (Bolt - Advance Steel Properties - Length).
Top Bolt Diameter and Bottom Bolt Diameter are equal (= bolt diameter).
In case a collision between a bolt and any other object is found, try to revert the bolt direction and check again. It is possible that the bolt does not
interfere anymore with the object.
Calculated Body of the bolt is used for intersection with every body of the object from the model. If it is intersected with another body, it calculates the
intersection body.
The dimensions (height, diameter) of the washers and nuts are in AstorBase - SetNutsBolts, and for Tool are in AstorBase - Tools. These dimensions
depend on the definition of the bolts (AstorBase - SetOfBolts).

Module: All
Question: How to avoid a crash in the BOM component ?
Type: General
Difficulty: **
Answer
Problem description:
Creating drawings with lists on them continuously increases the required memory (this only concerns drawings with lists).
If the user attempts to create too many drawings in one shot then it could lead to a crash in the BOM component (3rd party software
integrated into Advance Steel).
The error results in a message but the user can continue the process by confirming the warning (continuously click on OK).
In order to avoid subsequent slower performance you should restart Advance Steel after creating these drawings.
Recommendations:
1. The amount of physical memory will increase the batch quantity of drawings; this means the more memory, the more drawings
you can create. Also shutting down all other Windows Applications during drawing creation, helps.
A recommendation for larger models and more than 200 drawings in one shot would be to have at least 2GB of memory.
2. After creating drawings save the model then close and restart Advance Steel. This will set back the used memory to a normal
level. Please make sure that all drawings are registered. If not then register them afterwards.
3. For bigger projects, please split the projects into smaller Lot/Phases. Then detail the assembly and single part drawings by phases
(with selection).
4. Or create the drawings by selection (in a process). For point 3 and 4 please still have in mind point 2, saving the project and
restarting Advance Steel is highly recommended.
As soon as we receive the 3rd party fix we will notify all users to download the Service pack from our website.

Module: All
Question: How do I export from Advance Design to Advance Steel?
Type: Methodology
Difficulty: *
Answer
The Advance Design model presented here consists of reinforced concrete and steel elements. We will export the framework to
Advance Steel.
First, the reinforced elements must be selected. Use the "by materials" selection type to select the elements.
A dialog box displays the list of all materials within the model.
The elements of S235 are automatically selected.
Next, launch the "File - Export -GTC" command.
In this case it is recommended to export only the current selection.
After the GTC file import, the steel structure is loaded in Advance Steel.

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GRAITEC Software Demos

Software: Advance Steel

2) End point defined by the flange visible line.

D) Center snap points are used for hole/bolt dimensioning.

2. The dimension line is created on all the holes/bolts forming a pattern.

Software: Advance Steel

- AstorGratings: New or modified gratings

- AstorSettings: modifications done to the default values.

- Use the Convert database option.

Software: Advance Steel

- Save and close the prototype.

Software: Advance Steel

Software: Advance Steel

To add this reserved space on a prototype perform the following steps:

Click OK and the block will be created.

- Save the prototype and close it.

Software: Advance Steel

Then click the OK button.

Open Advance Steel.

Finally the model is successfully imported.

Software: Advance Steel

Step 2: Create a model and extract the BOM list.

2. "Number" the model and create an "Extract" from it.

Software: Advance Steel

Open Advance Steel.

In Advance Steel the user section is defined as follows:

- Define the section name on the "Hype_SectionName" layer.

Open Advance Design.

Software: Advance Steel

Adding the angle dimension requires several steps:

2. Starting point "0" of the line:

3. End point "0" of the line:

4. Placement point of the dimension line

Software: Advance Steel

Select the block, right click and choose "Block Editor".

After inserting all the attributes, the

Software: Advance Steel

3. Install the License Server 2011.

Before starting, close the active Advance sessions.

Step 1 Step 2 Step 3

Software: Advance Steel

for Vista or Win7 64-bit change it to "C:\Program Files\Graitec\Advance Steel\2011\Steel\Bin\AdvanceSteel9x64.exe" /p "AS" /T

for Windows XP 32-bit to "C:\Program Files\Graitec\Advance Steel\2011\Steel\Bin\AdvanceSteel9x86.exe" /p "AS" /T "C:\Documents and

and for Vista or Win7 32-bit to "C:\Program Files\Graitec\Advance Steel\2011\Steel\Bin\AdvanceSteel9x86.exe" /p "AS" /T

6. Start Advance Steel using this changed icon.

Software: Advance Steel

Software: Advance Steel

The keyboard shortcuts are keyboard combinations used to launch commands.

F2 Toggles text window on/off

Activate/deactivate the Tool Palette

Activate/deactivate the calculator window

Activate/deactivate the command toolbar

Activate/deactivate the quick properties interface

Turns object snap tracking on/off

REGEN Update (regenerate) the display

2. Managing the DWG files

Create a new drawing file

Open an existing drawing file

Save the current drawing (Qsave)

Save under a different name (Save as...)