Excel spreadsheets in connection design
You can use Excel spreadsheets in connection design for all steel connections that have the Design or Design type tab in the connection dialog box.
You can link connections to Excel spreadsheets by selecting Excel in the External design option on the Design or Design type tab. The connection information is transferred to the connection type-specific spreadsheet where the needed calculations are made. The calculated properties are saved to an output file and the modified component property values are transferred back to the connection. The connection is modified according to the changes.
You can create an Excel spreadsheet for a connection type using the component_template.xls file available in the ..\Tekla Structures\<version>\Environments\common\exceldesign folder, or use a predefined file.
Files used in Excel spreadsheet connection design
The following files are used in the connection design with Excel spreadsheets:
File | Description |
---|---|
Visual Basic script file | The Excel.vb file links Tekla Structures with the external software and defines the Excel spreadsheet file names and the locations. The file is located in the ..\Tekla Structures\<version>\Environments\common\exceldesign folder. |
Component type-specific Excel spreadsheet | The component type-specific spreadsheet contains predefined
calculations. When you run the connection design, the connection
properties and information of the main and secondary parts are
transferred to the Input and
Component sheets of the Excel spreadsheet. Excel searches for the relevant spreadsheet file in the following order:
|
Connection specific result file |
The result file contains the modified connection properties.
|
Template spreadsheet | The ..\Tekla Structures\<version>\Environments\common\exceldesign folder contains a component_template.xls spreadsheet you should use to create your own spreadsheet applications to use with Tekla Structures components. |
Example of an Excel spreadsheet in connection design
The images in this example show the Excel spreadsheet that is used for the End plate (144) connection.
The sample spreadsheet has the following sheets:
The Calculation sheet contains a report of the calculations.
The Inputs sheet contains the properties of the connection from the connection dialog box.
The Outputs sheet contains the design results. These values are transferred to the connection and the connection in the model is modified accordingly.
The Component sheet contains calculations, information on the connection geometry, and on the main part and the secondary parts. The component attributes in the spreadsheet are the same as in the corresponding .inp file. See more about .inp files in Input files (.inp files) for configuring Tekla Structures.
The following sheets are also included:
- Data shows catalog information.
- Norm shows the code selection and references to codes.
- Language shows translations.
Example of visualizing the Excel connection design process
You can define in the Excel.vb file how the Excel connection design process is visualized. The Excel.vb file links Tekla Structures with the external software and defines the Excel spreadsheet file names and the locations.
Showing connection status in Excel connection design
When you use Excel spreadsheets in connection design, you can have Tekla Structures use different colors in component symbols to show the status of a component in the model.
You can do this by including an error attribute on the
Outputs sheet of the component's Excel spreadsheet. The type of the attribute is
int
.
The possible values are:
Value | Color | Status |
---|---|---|
1 |
Green |
Bolt edge distances are sufficient.
The connection passes the connection design check using the UK and US design codes embedded in the system. |
2 |
Yellow |
Bolt edge distances are insufficient according to the value defined in the Components settings in . |
3 |
Red |
Tekla Structures cannot calculate the component properties. The possible reasons are:
|
The component symbol color can only be controlled for system components, not for custom components.