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The following new and enhanced features have been added since ProStructures V8i (SELECTseries 7) (v08.11.11.616).

For more information about what's new, see "What's New?" sections in the online help. To open the help in Power ProStructures V8i select Help > Contents. Also see: ProSteel > Help and ProConcrete > Help.

ProSteel

CONNECT Services

CONNECT Services is now available on all V8i applications including ProSteel. CONNECT Services provides a cloud-based technology that leverages Microsoft's Azure cloud services to connect all users (CONNECTED Users) across projects (CONNECTED Projects). These services can be used to store user account settings, project metadata, and published content.

IFC

IFC (CV2x3) for steel, concrete and rebar can now be generated/exported from ProStructures that is fully compliant with the IFC (CV2x3) standard.

Stairs

Additional types of treads are added to the Standard Stair dialog, Steps Configuration tab:

• Block treads

• You can create custom treads using ProStructures objects in a separate file and subsequently assign it to the active stair.
• You should specify bolt style and workloose (when applicable) as well as the path and file name.
• Custom treads automatically adjust to stair widths.
• Interlinked pan treads

• This option provides the ability to use parametric interlinked folded plate treads (both filled and not filled), when using the filled option only the filling space is provided.
• Separate set of parameters are provided to control the first, last and intermediate treads.
• Filled pan treads

• This option provides the ability to use parametric folded plate treads.
• Folded plate treads

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Handrails

The Standard Handrail dialog is reorganized to increase efficiency, also multiple new features and enhancements are now available in the Handrail Rail dialog. The enhancements are designed to improve the performance of the tool.

New features:

• arc shape support

• new shape selection rules

• automatic active shape and active post highlighting

• 3 different display modes
  • Full: all handrail objects are displyed in 3D including connections if any
  • Shape: only handrail shapes are displayed as 3D and none of the connections if any are displayed
  • Line: all handrail objects are represented by lines

Bolts

There are several Bolt enhancements:

• Bolt Additional Data is added to the positioning part comparison criteria, providing users the ability to compare internal bolt data/components/hardware during the positioning process.

• New boltstyle placeholders are added to provide more flexibility in composing bolt naming for partlists.

Existing:

• $(D) -> Diameter
• $(L) -> Length

New additions:

• $(KS) -> KeySize = Spanner (Wrench) size for bolt head.
• $(HT) -> HeadThick = Bolt head thickness.
• $(FT) -> FootThick = Nut thickness.
• $(DS) -> Disksize = Washer thickness.
• $(DI) -> DiskInnerDiameter = Washer inner diameter.
• $(DO) -> DiskOuterDiameter = Washer outer diameter.
• $(ST) -> SafetyNutThick = Lock nut thickness.
• $(SZ) -> SafetyNutKeySize = Spanner (Wrench) size for lock nut.
• $(KS) $(HT) $(FT) $(DS) $(DI) $(DO) $(DO) $(ST) $(SZ)

• Bolt normalization - This optional mechanism is used when users prefer to use specific hole diameters with specific bolt diameters. This method is driven by the an external user modifiable text files

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2D drawing generation and updating with hidden '***' parts

In the past, views or groups listed in the DetailCenter with “ *** ” alerted/warned you one or more object(s) of a view or group are hidden and cannot be processed or updated.

In SELECTseries 8, when one or more ProSteel or ProConcrete object(s) (this rule does not apply to rebar) either in the active view of a model or in a reference file are hidden, associated views or groups are flagged with "***" in the DetailCenter, alerting/warning you that one or more object lying within the ProStructures view or subpart(s) of a group are hidden and not visible, nevertheless they can be processed and can be updated, and it is up to you to take the appropriate action.

New dimensioning options for DetailStyle

• Omit punch holes added to the Dimensions > Common tab.
• Duplicate dimension optimization settings added to Dimensions > Common > Optimization tab.

Reference Files

ProStructures can now generate layout drawings (plans, elevations, sections, etc.) of models that have reference files attached. You have the option to see the content of the reference files in the engineering layout drawings.

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Section Property Catalog Support

Hot rolled steel shapes from Bentley Structural Property Catalog (SPC) can now be used in ProStructures.

A mix of PS and SPC shapes can be used in the same model.

Classification Sorting

Display Class, Area Class, and Part Families dialogs have a new sorting feature. By clicking on column headings, the data listed in the dialog box will be sorted in descending order. Clicking the same column header a second time will sort the content in ascending order.

Convert/Upgrade Existing ProStructures Files to SELECTseries 8

A new conversion utility is included that Converts/Upgrades DGN or DWG files to the SELECTseries 8 file format. You can do it to individual files (upon opening) or to multiple files with the new Batch Processes utility.

Note: You do not need to convert single files in order to open them. Opening a file created in a previous version of ProStructures will prompt you to convert with the option to create a backup copy.

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PS Toggles Tools

A new PS Toggles tool box has been added to the ProStructures task group which contains toggles for commonly used ProStructures snaps and tooltips settings. These can prevent having to repeatedly open the ProStructures Settings dialog.

Multiline Notes in External MDB and Reports

The external partlist supports multiline text for both part and group note1 and note2, as long as the corresponding field Data Type is defined as Long Text or Memo.

In Drawing Partlist Enhancements

Group Header List has been added to the List Type drop-down selection. This type will list only the group main part along with group-related values, such as length, weight, etc.

Mathematical formulas are now supported in the Column settings dialog values. Clicking the button adjacent to the Formula field will open the Windows Text Editor, which is useful for working on long formulas.

Several new preset formulas are added to the Field Name list for working in imperial design files:

• LENGTH_FEET, only feet integer portion of the value is displayed
• LENGTH_INCH, only the inch portion of the value is display in decimal
• WIDE_FEET, only feet integer portion of the value is displayed
• WIDE_INCH only the inch portion of the value is display in decimal
• HEIGHT_FEET, only feet integer portion of the value is displayed
• HEIGHT_INCH only the inch portion of the value is display in decimal

Line weight values have been added to the Format dialog for Frame (outside border), Hor Line (horizontal separators), and Ver Line (vertical separators).

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Multiline Notes for Parts and Groups

You can add multiple lines of text to both part and group Note1 and Note2 fields of PS shapes. The option to open the field input in a text editor is also included in the Sahpe Properties dialog by clicking the button adjacent to these fields.

Inverse Boolean Subtraction for Hollow Shapes

A polycut feature has been added to the Element Modification dialog Common tab specifically for straight, hollow shapes. This polycut tool allows you to subtract portions of straight shapes or plates outside the hollow shape.

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Key-ins for EED Functions

New key-ins have been added for EED functions that work on both steel and concrete elements in ProStructures. These functions work on multi-selects across geometric class types (e.g., shape, plate, bolt, concrete, etc.).

Summary of new keyins and there functionality:

• PROSTRUCTURE EED ADD
  • Add/attach EEDs to existing parts that have no EEDs
• PROSTRUCTURE EED ADDGROUP
  
  • Add/attach EEDs to existing groups that have no EEDs
• PROSTRUCTURE EED DELETE
  
  • Delete all data associated to EEDs both on parts and groups
• PROSTRUCTURE EED EDIT
  
  • Add or change existing EED data to the selected part.
• PROSTRUCTURE EED EDITGROUP
  
  • Add or change existing EED data to the selected group.
• PROSTRUCTURE EED MULTIEDIT
  
  • Add or change existing EED data on all parts in the selection set irrespective of object types (i.e. shape, plate, concrete etc.).
• PROSTRUCTURE EED MULTIEDITGROUP
  • Add or change existing EED data on all groups in the selection set irrespective of object types (i.e. shape, plate, concrete etc.).
• PROSTRUCTURE EED TAKEOVER
  
  • Pick a source object and then select any number of target objects to copy all EED data from the source object to the target objects.

Units Formats in Item Browser

Some new formatted equivalent values for length, wide, height, weight, area and volume are added. Formatted values are as follows:

• Length, width, and height:
• Metric values are in mm for values less than 999 and in meters for 1,000 mm and greater.
• Imperial values are in inches for values less than a 12 and in feet for 12 in and greater.
• Weight:
• Metric values are in kg for values less than a 1,000 and in tons for 1,000 kg and greater.
• Imperial values are in lbs for value less than 2,000 and in tons for 2,000 lbs and greater.
• Area:
• Metric values are in mm2 for values less than 1,000,000 and in m2 for 1,000,000 mm2 and greater.
• Imperial values are in in2 for values less than 144 and in ft2 for 144 in2 and greater.
• Volume:
• Metric values are in m3.
• Imperial values are in cubic feet for steel and cubic yards for concrete.

The labels in the Item Browser as well as those on the Properties tab of the search filter have also been improved.

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Weight Values for Bill of Materials

New options are available for the weight values included on in-drawing partlists and external .mdb bill of materials. These are described in the help.

Anchor Bolt Layout Enchantments

The method for rectangular and linear anchor bolt patterns has been enhanced to allow for irregular spacing along either direction. Now you can type in a comma separated list of number * dist values.

Revised NC Data Dialog

The NC Data generation workflow has been updated with an improved dialog.

some newly added capabilities as per DSTV:

• Ability to write multiple outer contours (AK blocks).
• Enhanced attached part scribing data with attached part stenciling.
• User has flexibility to create its own:
  • Hole sorting
  • Converting holes as inner contour.
  • NC output file name.
  • NC output folder structure
  • Header information:
    • Part count
    • Drawing identification
    • Order identification
    • Part identification
    • Piece identification
    • Qualified comments
  • Unit handling
  • Text stenciling
  • Attached part stenciling
• Addition of powdering (PU) block.

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• MS Level freeze or MS Level display off
• Objects hidden using MS isolate are not supported.