ProtaStructure Environment

ProtaStructure Environment - General & Display Settings

Item based settings can be modified in this form. These settings may be different for another ProtaStructure installation on a different computer.

General

General settings of the ProtaStructure can be controlled in the General page under ProtaStructure Environment.

  1. General :
    1. Don’t Check Model During Member Insertion : To  check overlapping between different member type (except column) during insertion. For example, beam to wall, wall to slab, beam to slab.
    2. Angle Step :  While dragging two points during modelling, “Angle Step” will be effective when “Ctrl” key is pressed. The rubber band line will snap to the multiples of the value entered in this field.
For example, while dragging two points for inserting an axis, if “Angle Step” is defined as 30, then the rubber band line will snap to directions like 0, 30, 60, 90, 120 etc.
    1. Length Step :  While dragging two points  during modelling  , “Length Step” will be effective when “Ctrl” key is pressed. The rubber band line’s length will snap to the multiples of the value entered in this field.
For example, while dragging two points for inserting an axis, if “Length Step” is defined as 1000 (with units set to millimeters), then the rubber band line’s length will snap to values like 1000, 2000, 3000 etc.
    1. Member Section Eccentricity Step :  Modify the member eccentricity values of a member using arrow keys on the keyboard when the member properties window is visible.  The member eccentricity value along that direction is modified by the amount provided in this field.
  1. Language Settings :
    1. Display Language : To change the default language of the program. 
    2. Report Language : To change the default language of the generated report in ProtaStructure.
  2. Plan View Direction (Project Based) : To set the view direction of plan view either from the top or the bottom.
  3. AutoSave : 
    1. Automatic Save Interval  : To preset autosave interval time in minute.
    2. Prompt For Automatic Saving  : To allow program to prompt a project saving option/reminder based on the autosave interval time.
    3. Backup Structural Model  : To allow program to backup current project in hourly basis. This is done automatically in the background without user intervention.  
      1. Number of Backups to Save : - To limit the number of backup file to be stored. If the number of backups  has been reached, the oldest backup file will be overwritten and replaced by the latest backup file.
      2. To restore the backup, refer to Open Previous Backup
    4. Return License on Shutdown : To allow auto return of license when shutting down ProtaStructure.
  4. Tooltip Preferences : 
    1. Show Tool Tips : To allow to show tool tips when mouse hover on to a tool icon.
    2. Show Detailed Tool Tips : To allow to display the usage and tips of the pointed member. 
    3. Tool tip Delay (sec) :  Delay can be set for tool tip to be appeared. 
  5. Member Tooltip Window : To control the visibility of the content of the member tooltip window.
  6. Theme Selection : To modify the theme of Graphical User Interface (GUI) of ProtaStructure.
  7. Export to ProtaSteel : To allow ProtaSteel to be launched without completing Building Analysis. This will import ProtaStructure model to ProtaSteel without valid analysis result.
  8. Structure Tree : 
    1. Display Section on Structure Tree : Display section labels in structure tree.
    2. Display Materials on Structure Tree : Display material labels in structure tree.


Display Settings

View and display settings of the ProtaStructure can be controlled in the  Display Settings  page under ProtaStructure Environment.

  1. Colors : Options to modify color for background, selection, insertion point and line and so on. 
  2. Grid : Options to adjust the background grid.
    1. Grid Step : To set the background grid to grid distance.
    2. Major Lines at Every : To set the interval of the major lines.
    3. Major/Minor Line Color : To set the color of the major/minor line.
    4. Automatic Grid in New Views : To display background grid when a new view is created/opened.
  3. Object Snap : To preset the object snap to specific object location.
  4. Graphics Performance : 
    1. Axis Indicators at View Edges : To allow user to see the label of axis while zooming in or zooming out in the graphic user interface. (refer to the image below)
    2. Display Member End Labels : To display the start end "I" and the finish end "J" of the member (i.e. beam and frame only).
    3. Use SHX Fonts : To  customize the font type of ProtaStructure by checking this option. (e.g. Roman.psf, Simplex.psf or TXT.psf)
    4. Line Type Scale :  Different line types displayed on the graphical user interface can be scaled by this factor. Smaller values will result in finer (smaller) display of line types.

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