Template Management

Template Management


The “Settings Center” is displayed by selecting “Template Management".
It can be used to:
  1. Establish the initial settings in a new project
  2. Review and modify settings in the current project
  3. Swap settings between projects
  4. Save preferred settings as templates
Settings are divided into two main categories in ProtaStructure:
  1. System based settings
  2. Project based settings
System based settings can be displayed by selecting "ProtaStructure Environment" in the "Setting Center". Other settings are considered as project based settings and can be shared between projects.

To establish the initial settings in a new project

Whenever you create a new project the “Settings Center” form will be displayed so that initial settings can be defined by importing from another “Project” or from a “Template”.
  1. Select the project or template to import from. (If you choose the former, you can navigate to a different "Data Folder" to locate the project required.)
  2. Click the “Import” button.
  3. All the settings from the chosen project or template are then imported.
Once imported, the settings are permanently saved with the model. They can subsequently be reviewed/modified by redisplaying the “Settings Center”.

To review and modify settings

You can use the “Settings Center” to review/modify all the settings in the current project.
  1. Select the settings group to review.
  2. Make any changes as required.

To swap settings between projects

You can use the “Settings Center” to replace settings in the current project by importing from another project or template.
  1. Select the project or template to import from.
  2. Choose individual setting groups to be imported, by checking the appropriate box, or boxes. Unchecked settings are retained.
  3. Click the “Import” button.
  4. After settings have been imported the “Current Project” text is replaced with the name of the project/template used in the import.

To save preferred settings as templates

If you have adjusted the settings (possibly to establish a set of company defaults) you can select to “Export” them permanently to a template so that they can be easily applied to future projects.
  1. Open the project that contains the settings to be exported.
  2. Display the “Settings Center”.
  3. Click the “Select All” button if all the settings are to be exported. Alternatively, select the individual setting groups to be exported by checking the appropriate boxes.
  4. If you want to overwrite the settings in an existing template, ensure the “Template” option is selected, and then select the template name from the list on the left.
  5. Alternatively, if you want to create a new template, ensure the “Template” option is selected. Click the “New Template” button and type the template name in the box provided.
  6. Click the “Export” button to copy the selected settings into the template.
Refer to the video "export a new template" in the attachment .

To reset/reimport project templates

You can use the “Settings Center” to reset or reimport the initial settings in the current project by importing from the same design template. This is important when the project has corrupted settings during modelling.
  1. Go to Building Setout tab > Project Templates
  2. Select your project template.
  3. Click on "Select all" to select all the project settings
  4. Untick "Slab Additional Loads" and "Partition Wall Loads" project settings.
    (These options are the manual created loading library and normally unrelated to the corrupted setting issues. Therefore can be unticked.) 
  5. Click "Import" to start import the template.
  6. Click "OK" to close the dialogue.
  7. Adjust the analysis and design parameters accordingly (e.g. remove earthquake parameters, material, design parameter).
  8. Regenerate load combinations if necessary.
  9. Rerun Building Analysis
Program will always have its bug fixes or enhancement from time to time in some templates (e.g. additional or removed parameters, etc.). Reimport templates will refresh all the parameters to default settings which take the advantages of these bug fixes or enhancement. If you have your own templates (or project templates), it is recommended you always update your own templates when there is new version is released. 

Project Template Folder Directory in Windows

Project Templates are automatically installed in following folder (note this is hidden folder) : 
C:\Users\<Username>\AppData\Roaming\Prota\ProtaStructure\R?\Templates
"?" denotes the number of the version. For example, R5 = PS2021, R6 = PS2022, R7 = PS2024, R8 = PS2025

If template files are missing or corrupted, it can be restore by reinstalling ProtaStructure :  How to perform a Clean Reinstallation

    • Related Articles

    • Project & Model Management

      A structure modeled in ProtaStructure is saved with its related settings and parameters as a “Project”. Once you have a project open, ProtaStructure’s automatic backup system can periodically make a copy of it to prevent accidental loss of data. Open ...

    • Managing Project Model via File Menu

      Once a project is started, project management can be done via the the “File” pull down at the top menu. In addition to “New Project” & “Open Project, the following are the available project tools : Save Project As You can create a copy of the active ...

    • Project Settings / Parameters

      Project Preferences Title This page controls the project information settings. Statistics This page provides the summary of members used in the project. Notes This page allows user to take note for the project. Unit and Format This page controls the ...

    • Linked Model Manager with Examples

      User can find "Linked Building Model" from Building Setout > Linked Model Manager. Function of Linked Model Manager is to manage link connectivity between merged model project and imported model project. It will only work when two models are merged ...

    • Program and Project Directory

      Program Directory The ProtaSteel program is automatically installed with the ProtaStructure suite setup. The directory of default installation is currently "C:\Program Files (x86)\Prota\ProtaStructureXXXX\ProtaSteel" The "db" sub-directory will hold ...