Note:

If you want to create a series of grid lines which form a regular or irregular, rectangular or radial grid line system, the Rectangular Wizard and Sector Wizard are the fastest options.

1. Ensure that the 2D view containing the construction level on which you want to create your grid line is active.
2. Go to the Model tab.
3. In the Grid Line list, select Grid Line.
4. In the Properties window, review the default next vertical/horizontal grid name and edit if required.
5. Select the point where you want the grid line to start.
   Tip: The tooltip views the mouse pointer's exact coordinates. If the mouse pointer has not snapped to the required point, press F2 to type the exact coordinates of the required point.
6. Select the point where you want the grid line to end.
   Tip: The tooltip views either the absolute, relative, or polar coordinates of the end point, depending on whether the ABS, REL, or POL button is selected in the Status bar.

   • To switch the display, click one of the other buttons.
   Note: The grid line does not extend to infinity. Do ensure that the grid line is sufficiently long to meet your needs.

   Tekla Structural Designer creates the grid line between the selected points.

This option creates a grid line parallel to an existing one, but of a different length. To use this option, you must have at least one existing grid line in the current 2D view.

1. Go to the Model tab.
2. In the Grid Line list, select Parallel.
3. In the Properties window, type a name for the grid line.
4. Select the grid line to which your new grid lines will be parallel.
5. Move the mouse pointer to the distance where you want to place the parallel grid line.
   Tip: The tooltip views the distance of the dotted line from the initial grid line you selected in step 3. Press F2 to type the exact distance.

   For more accuracy, you can zoom in.

6. Click to locate the new grid line.
7. Click the points where you want the new grid line to start and end.

   The construction line is now created.

8. Move the mouse pointer and place other grid lines with respect to the line you selected in step 3, or press Esc to end grid placement.
   

   Tip: To create parallel grid lines of the same length as the selected gridline, select the Parallel (quick) command.

   When you create quick parallel grid lines, you can press F2 to define the distance between successive pairs of grid lines, separating the numbers with commas. If you have a number of bays that are at the same centers, then you can specify these as a single entry.

   For example, you can specify bay centers of 18', 27' , 18' 6" , 18' 6" , 18' 6" and 27" as 18' , 27' , 3x18' 6" , 27".

To use this option, you must have at least one existing grid line in the current 2D view.

1. Go to the Model tab.
2. In the Grid Line list, select Perpendicular.
3. In the Properties window, type a name for the grid line.
4. Select the grid line to which your new grid line will be perpendicular.
5. Move the new grid line to the desired position and click to locate it.
   Tip: The tooltip views the perpendicular distance of the dotted line from the middle of the grid line you selected. Press F2 to type the exact distance.
6. Click the points where you want the new grid line to start and end.
7. Move the mouse pointer and place other grid lines with respect to the line you selected in step 4, or press Esc to end grid placement.

The Rectangular Wizard can be used to define a grid line array defined relative to the global coodinate system X and Y axes.

Note: The X direction lines can be rotated to an angle from the global X axis. While the Y direction lines are perpendicular to the X direction lines by default, this can be changed by specifying a different angle between the axes.

1. Ensure that the 2D view representing the construction level on which you want to create your rectangular grid line system is active.
2. On the Model tab, in the Grid Line list, select Rectangular Wizard.

   The Rectangular Grid Wizard opens.

3. Type a name for the grid and select a color for the grid lines.
4. Ensure that each construction level on which you want to create the grid layout is selected.
5. Click Next.
6. Define the origin of the grid line system either by clicking it in the 2D view, or by entering its coordinates in the Rectangular Grid Wizard.
7. Click Next.
8. Select if you want to create grid lines in the X direction only, in the Y direction only, or in both directions.
9. Select the style that you want to use for the grid lines.
10. Click Next.
11. On the following pages, define the layout of grids for the bays in the X and Y directions.
    Note: You can define either a regular or an irregular grid layout:

    • For a regular grid, define the number of bays you want to create and the bay centers.

    • For an irregular grid, define the distance between successive pairs of grid lines, separating the numbers by commas. If you have a number of bays that are at the same centers, you can specify them as a single entry (for example, 3x18'6").

    You can also specify the reference of the first grid line, and by how much you want to increment that reference to give the references of the other lines that you create.

    • For alphanumeric grid lines, if you specify that the first grid line reference is to be D, and specify an increment of 3, your grid lines will be referenced D, G, J, M, and so on.

12. Click Next.
13. Define the rotation of the grid either by moving the mouse over the 2D view and clicking, or by typing values into the Rectangular Grid Wizard.
    Tip: In the Rectangular Grid Wizard, you can specify the rotation with respect to either the grid line system's local x or local y direction. This is helpful if you are creating a grid line system that is not orthogonal.
14. Click Next.
15. Specify the angle between the axes with respect to either the X or Y axis system.
16. Click Finish.

1. Ensure that the 2D view representing the construction level on which you want to create your radial grid line system is active.
2. On the Model tab, in the Grid Line list, select Radial Grid Wizard.

   The Radial Grid Wizard opens.

3. Type a name for the grid and select a color for the grid lines.
4. Ensure that each construction level on which you want to create the grid layout is selected.
5. Click Next.
6. Define the origin of the grid line system either by clicking it in the 2D view, or by entering its coordinates in the Radial Grid Wizard.
7. Click Next.
8. Select whether you want to create the radial lines only, the arcs only, or both of these.
9. Select the style that you want to use for the grid lines.
10. Click Next.
11. Define the layout of the arcs that you will create.
    Note: You can define either a regular or an irregular grid layout:

    • For a regular grid, define the number of bays you want to create and the bay centers.

    • For an irregular grid, define the distance between successive pairs of grid lines, separating the numbers by commas. If you have a number of bays that are at the same centers, you can specify them as a single entry (for example, 3x10'6").

    You can also specify the reference of the first grid line, and by how much you want to increment that reference to give the references of the other lines that you create.

    • For alphanumeric grid lines, if you specify that the first grid line reference is to be D, and specify an increment of 3, your grid lines will be referenced D, G, J, M, and so on.

    You can also select whether the arc grid lines are represented as curves, or as a series of straight lines between the points where the arc intersects the other grid lines created as part of this process.

12. Click Next.
13. Define the layout of radial grid segments that you want to achieve.

    Again, you can specify the reference of the first grid line, and how you want to increment the reference to give the references of the other radial lines that you create.

14. Click Next.
15. Define the rotation of the grid either graphically by moving the mouse over the 2D view and clicking, or by typing values into the Rectangular Grid Wizard
    Tip: In the Rectangular Grid Wizard, you can specify the rotation with respect to either the grid line system's local x or local y direction.
16. Click Finish.

1. Go to the Model tab.
2. In the Grid Line list, select Arc.
3. In the Properties window, type a name for the grid line.
4. Select the point which lies at the center of the grid arc which you want to create.

   The tooltip views the mouse pointer's exact coordinates.

5. Click the points where you want the grid arc to start and end.
6. Move the mouse pointer and place other grid arcs with respect to the line you selected in step 4, or press Esc to end grid placement.