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Set up groups in Layout manager

Tekla Structures
Modified: 9 Oct 2025
2025
Tekla Structures

Set up groups in Layout manager

You can create groups in Layout manager to organize layout points, layout lines, and layout arcs suitably.

Base points in Layout manager

You can use base points in Layout manager when defining the location of layout points. You can use the base points that have already been defined in the model, and you can define new base points in File > Project properties > Base points. Layout manager uses the Location in the model coordinates that you define for base points, and the East coordinate, North coordinate, and Elevation coordinates.

When you add, modify, or delete base points in File > Project properties > Base points, check that the base point data is up to date in Layout manager.

  • The base points that you add are shown in the Group local coordinate system list for the groups in Layout manager.
  • If you delete a base point that is linked to a group in Layout manager, Tekla Structures recreates that base point so that it can still be used in Layout manager.
  • If you modify a base point that is used in Layout manager, Tekla Structures shows a message about the base point use in Layout manager. You can either use the modified coordinates in Layout manager, or you can select not to use them. If you select not to use them, the coordinates of the base point will then be different in Tekla Structures and in Layout manager.

When you open an existing model in a Tekla Structures version where Layout manager uses the base point functionality, Layout manager creates base points based on the group local coordinate systems that are not in the model origin [(0,0,0) & no rotation]. The created base points are added to the groups in Layout manager and shown in the Group local coordinate system list. The base points are also shown in the list of base points in File > Project properties > Base points. The description text in the Base point dialog shows that the base point has been created by Layout manager.

Define a default coordinate system for groups

You can define a default base point to set the default coordinate system for all new groups that you create in Layout manager. You can use the groups in Layout manager to organize layout points, layout lines, and layout arcs.

  1. On the Manage tab, click Layout manager.
  2. In Layout manager, select Layout Manager Object Group to show the available Group local coordinate system for new groups list.
  3. Select from the list the base point that you want to use, the model origin, or the current work plane.

The base points that have been defined in the model are available in the list. If you have added new base points to the model since you opened Layout manager, check that the new base points are available in the list.

You can change the group default coordinate system at any time by selecting another option from the list. Note that the default coordinate system only applies to new groups. The existing groups are not changed.

Define numbering settings for groups

You can define that all groups in Layout manager have the same numbering settings. When you change the settings, the changed settings are used in all groups that you create after the change. The settings in the existing groups are not changed.

  1. On the Manage tab, click Layout manager.
  2. Click the Settings button.
  3. In the Settings dialog, click Group.
  4. Define the numbering settings.
    1. Enter a prefix in the Prefix box.

      You can also leave the prefix empty to create the layout point, layout line, and layout arc names without a prefix.

    2. In the Start number box, enter a start number.
    3. In the Number max length box, enter the maximum length for the number.
    4. In the Delimiter box, enter a delimiter, either a hyphen or an empty space, to separate the prefix and the number.
    5. From the Fill leading space list, select whether the leading space in front of the number is filled with zeroes, for example, PFX 00001 or PFX 1.
  5. Click Save.
Note:

You can modify the numbering settings of an individual group if you do not want to use the default settings. Right-click the group, select Auto naming, and change the settings in the dialog. To restore the default settings, click Reset.

Set units for Layout manager

Use the XS_IMPERIAL advanced option to control which units are used in Layout manager. Set the advanced option to TRUE to display imperial units, otherwise metric units are used.

You can modify the distance accuracy settings of units in the Layout manager Settings , under the General section.

Create a group in Layout manager

  1. On the Manage tab, click Layout manager.
  2. Click the New group button.

    You may want to set up several groups so that you can organize the layout points, lines, and arcs into groups as they are modeled.

  3. Enter a name for the group in the New group name dialog and click Create.

    A group name can have 79 characters.

  4. Enter a description for the group, if needed.
  5. Select the Group local coordinate system.

    The coordinates are immediately applied when selected.

    If you do not want to use the default base point, you can select some other suitable base point, the model origin, or the current work plane.

  6. Check the numbering settings of the group.

    The groups that you create use the default numbering settings defined in the Layout manager Settings. If you want to change the numbering settings, right-click the group and select Auto naming. Then change the settings in the Auto naming dialog.

Layout manager may show an Unassigned group in the tree structure. The Unassigned group shows layout points and layout lines that have inadequate group information. Such points and lines have usually been created in an earlier Layout manager version.

Manage and view the contents of Layout manager groups

You can do any of the following:

To Do this

Add a layout object to a group

Do one of the following:

  • Select the object in the model, then right-click the desired group in Layout manager and select Add selected.

  • Double-click the object in the model and select a group from the Group Name list.

Change the order or group of layout objects

Select one or more layout objects in a group, and drag the objects to the desired group. You can also change the order of groups by dragging.

To select more than one object or group, hold down the Ctrl or Shift key.

View location coordinates of points

When you have selected a coordinate system for the group and added layout points to the group, you can view the location coordinates of the points in Layout manager. Select a point in the group to show the coordinates of the point.

  • Location in the model shows the point location compared to the model origin.
  • Location in the group shows the point location compared to the group local coordinate system.
  • East, North, Elevation shows the coordinates that represent the corresponding X, Y and Z coordinates.

Highlight the layout points, lines and arcs in the model

You can highlight the contents of a group in the model. Select a group in Layout manager and click the Auto highlight button. Click in the model background to remove the highlighting.

You can also highlight only part of the contents in a group. Select a group, hold down the Ctrl or Shift key and select the points, lines, and arcs you want to highlight.

If you want to highlight the contents of all groups in the model, select Layout Manager Object Group in Layout manager and then click the Auto highlight button.
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