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Base points

Tekla Structures
Modified: 16 Jan 2023
2023
Tekla Structures

Base points

The base points (control points) allow you to use a coordinate system based on the civil origin or other coordinate system for interoperability and collaboration. For example, you can use base points when inserting reference models, exporting IFC models, in drawings, in Layout manager, and in reports and templates.

Civil origin is the datum point or fundamental benchmark point of the national land survey network.

When you use base points, you can keep the coordinates small and locate the model wherever needed. You can create as many base points as you need, and select one of those to be the project base point.

Note the following:

  • Reference models should not have any additional lines to the origin.
  • Reference models should not include objects that are very far from each other because otherwise using the model may get difficult.
  • Tekla Structures native objects, including reference models, should not be inserted very far from the Tekla Structures model origin.

Define a base point

You can define base points in Project properties. In case you need to import or export a reference model, you need to know the coordinates of the reference model that you are importing, or the coordinates that you want to use in the resulting IFC export file.
Tip: You can inquire the point coordinates in Tekla Structures: On the ribbon, click the down arrow next to , and then select Point coordinates. For more information, see Inquire object properties.
  1. Open a Tekla Structures.
  2. Click File > Project properties > Base points to open the Base point dialog box.
  3. Fill in the needed information:

    You can load existing base point settings. To do this, copy your settings file <settings name>.basePoint.json from the \attributes folder under the model where you have the base point settings you want to use to the \attributes folder under the current model folder. In the Base point dialog box, select the base point settings from the list.

    Note that base point settings also work with project and firm folders: Copy the base point settings file to the \attributes folder under the firm and project folders.

    Name, Description Enter a name and a description for the base point. Giving a name is obligatory.
    Coordinate System Enter the name of the coordinate system you are using.
    East coordinate (E) Enter the East coordinate (E) that represents the X coordinate related to the civil origin.
    North coordinate (N) Enter the North coordinate (N) that represents the Y coordinate related to the civil origin.
    Elevation Enter the Elevationthat represents the Z coordinate related to the civil origin.
    Latitude,Longitude

    Enter the Latitude and Longitude of the base point to be used in the IFC export.

    Latitude and Longitude is additional information, which some software can use. In the IFC file, this is written to IFCSITE information.

    If the total number of digits in Longitude is more than 15, the value is rounded up to the nearest if it is > 99.999999999999999999.

    To convert Latitude and Longitude information between decimal format and degree/minute/second (DMS) format, see Convert Latitude/Longitude to decimal.

    Location in the model

    Pick or enter a location for the base point in the Tekla Structures model. The distance is measured from the model origin.

    The base point location in the model can have a maximum value of +/- 10 km from the model origin. Modeling is meant to be done near the model origin, and the offset is to be given with East coordinate and North coordinate values.
    Angle to North Pick or enter the Angle to North, which is the angle between Y and North directions. The maximum number of decimals for the angle is 13.
    Project base point If you want to set a coordinate system as the project base point, select a base point from the list at the top and then select the Project base point check box.
  4. To save the base point settings, type a unique name for the settings and click Save.
    To use the same base point settings in another model, copy your settings file <settings name>.basePoint.json from the \attributes folder under the current model folder to the \attributes folder under the model where you wish to use the same base point settings. The settings also work with project and firm folders: Copy the base point settings file to the \attributes folder under the firm and project folders.
  5. To avoid unwanted changes by others working in the same model, lock the base point by clicking the Lock/Unlock button next to the base point name.
    The button changes to . To unlock the base point, click the button again.
  6. Click Modify to save the base point.

    A blue symbol is added in the model.

    If you later on make changes to the base point, the base point location in the model changes according to the location or rotation changes you make in the Base point dialog box when you press Enter or click another input field, and there is no need to click Modify. Note that if the base point is locked, you cannot modify it.

    Now you can insert a reference model, or export an IFC model using the defined base point, for example.

Set a coordinate system as the project base point

One base point can be set to be as the project base point. Model origin is the default project base point value if the model does not contain any base points, or if none of the existing base points has been set to be the project base point. You can check and change the current project base point through File > Project properties > Location by.

Note that it is not recommended to change the project base point temporarily during a project.

  1. Click File > Project properties.

    You can see the current project base point in the Location by box.

  2. To change the project base point, click Edit, and select a new project base point from the Location by list.
  3. Click Apply.
Tip: You can also set a base point as the project base point in the Base point dialog box by selecting a base point from the list at the top and then selecting the Project base point check box.

Insert a reference model using a base point

Before you can insert a reference at the base points, you need to create a base point in your model. To create the base point, you need to know the coordinates of the reference model that you are importing.

  1. Open the Reference Models list by clicking the Reference Models button in the side pane .
  2. In the Reference Models list, click the Add model button.
  3. In the Add model dialog box, if you have any previously created reference model properties files, load the desired file by selecting the file from the properties file list at the top.
  4. Browse for the reference model by clicking Browse....
  5. In Group, select a group for the reference model, or enter a name for a new group.

    If you do not enter a name for the group, the reference model is inserted in the Default group.

  6. In Location by, select the base point you want to use.
  7. Click the Add model button.
    Tekla Structures inserts the reference model relative to the selected base point by using the coordinate system values, elevation and angle in the base point definition in the model Project properties. For example, both IFC2x3 and IFC4 reference model inserting support base points.

Export an IFC model using a base point

Before you can export an IFC file using a base point, you need to create a base point in your model.

  1. Click File > Export > IFC to open the Export to IFC dialog box.
  2. In Location by, select a base point that you have created.
  3. Fill in other necessary IFC export information.
  4. Click Export.
    The base point option exports the IFC model relative to the base point using the coordinate system values, elevation, latitude, longitude and angle in the base point definition in the model Project properties.

Base points in drawings

It is possible to use base-point-defined coordinate system values in drawings. If you change the project base point Z or the elevation value, the level value will change accordingly when a drawing is opened.

  • Base point data can be used in drawing and view level to set the coordinate system. The base point can be used instead of datum offset.
  • When the base point is set, level attributes and template attributes in marks provide values in the specific base-point-defined coordinate system.
  • This setting affects level marks and attributes that end with _BASEPOINT.
  • When the base point is set at the drawing level, the _BASEPOINT template attributes can be used in drawing templates.

You can set Location by in drawing view properties to use model origin, project base point or any base point defined coordinate system. Location by uses the project base point as the default value.

The datum level only affects the attributes TOP_LEVEL and TOP_LEVEL_UNFORMATTED when Location by is set to Model origin or to the project base point that is in the model origin.

To change the Location by value:

  1. In an open drawing, double-click the drawing view frame to open the View Properties dialog box.
  2. On the Attributes 2 tab, set Location by to a new base point, or to the model origin.
  3. Click Modify.

Example of base point usage in a drawing

In the following example, do the following:

  1. Create a slab with a thickness of 200 mm with the slab's top at the level 0 in the model.

  2. Create a new base point "Control point 1" with elevation 20000 mm.

  3. Create a GA drawing in plan view.

  4. Open the GA drawing, double-click the view frame to open the View properties dialog box.

  5. On the Attributes 2 tab, you set Location by to the new base point (Project base point) "Base point 2" and click Modify.

  6. Add a level mark using the following template attributes:

    • COG_Z
    • COG_Z_PROJECT
    • COG_Z_BASEPOINT

  7. Reopen the drawing.

    Note that changing the value does not update the template attribute automatically but after reopening the drawing.

Base points in Layout manager

You can use base points in Layout manager when defining the location of layout points.

  • You can use base points as location coordinates when exporting and importing layout points.

  • When you add, modify or delete base points, you need to reopen or refresh Layout manager to make the changed base point data available in Layout manager.

Base point in reports and templates

You can inquire project base point and current base point value in reports and templates.

The following table lists the template attributes where you can use _PROJECT and _BASEPOINT at the end, for example, ASSEMBLY_BOTTOM_LEVEL_PROJECT or ASSEMBLY_BOTTOM_LEVEL_BASEPOINT. Note that _BASEPOINT uses the current base point in the same way as the workplane uses the current workplane. If there is no current base point defined, _BASEPOINT provides values relative to model origin (Global).

Content type Attributes

ASSEMBLY, CAST_UNIT and PART

ASSEMBLY_BOTTOM_LEVEL

ASSEMBLY_BOTTOM_LEVEL_UNFORMATTED

ASSEMBLY_TOP_LEVEL

ASSEMBLY_TOP_LEVEL_UNFORMATTED

BOTTOM_LEVEL

BOTTOM_LEVEL_UNFORMATTED

BOUNDING_BOX_MIN_X

BOUNDING_BOX_MIN_Y

BOUNDING_BOX_MIN_Z

BOUNDING_BOX_MAX_X

BOUNDING_BOX_MAX_Y

BOUNDING_BOX_MAX_Z

BOUNDING_BOX_X

BOUNDING_BOX_Y

BOUNDING_BOX_Z

COG_X

COG_Y

COG_Z

START_X

START_Y

START_Z

END_X

END_Y

END_Z

TOP_LEVEL

TOP_LEVEL_UNFORMATTED

LOCATION_BREAKDOWN_STRUCTURE.LBS_FLOOR_ELEVATION

ASSEMBLY.LOCATION_BREAKDOWN_STRUCTURE.LBS_FLOOR_ELEVATION

REFERENCE MODEL, REFERENCE OBJECT and REFERENCE_ ASSEMBLY

BOUNDING_BOX_MIN_X

BOUNDING_BOX_MIN_Y

BOUNDING_BOX_MIN_Z

BOUNDING_BOX_MAX_X

BOUNDING_BOX_MAX_Y

BOUNDING_BOX_MAX_Z

LOCATION_BREAKDOWN_STRUCTURE.LBS_FLOOR_ELEVATION

POUR OBJECT

BOTTOM_LEVEL

BOTTOM_LEVEL_UNFORMATTED

TOP_LEVEL

TOP_LEVEL_UNFORMATTED

LOCATION_BREAKDOWN_STRUCTURE.LBS_FLOOR_ELEVATION

CONNECTION

ORIGIN_X

ORIGIN_Y

ORIGIN_Z

HIERARCHIC OBJECT

LOCATION_BREAKDOWN_STRUCTURE.LBS_FLOOR_ELEVATION

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