1. To edit the catalog definition files, set the XS_COMPONENT_CATALOG_ALLOW_SYSTEM_EDIT advanced option to TRUE.
2. In the Applications & components catalog, click Access advanced features > Catalog management > Edit mode, then select the catalog definition file that you want to edit.

   The list of files shows all the environment folders, the project and firm folders if defined, and the model folder. You can define the catalog definition file folder paths in XS_SYSTEM.

   If XS_COMPONENT_CATALOG_ALLOW_SYSTEM_EDIT is not set to TRUE, a small warning icon is shown next to the files in the XS_SYSTEM folder locations. The image shows warning icons next to the files that appear dimmed.

   

   Files that appear dimmed do not exist, but you can create the files by selecting them, and clicking Yes in the Edit mode message box.

   

   You can remove an existing file by clicking the button next to the file.

   

3. Select the file that you want to edit.

   The check mark in front of the folder name shows the file that is currently being edited.

   

4. Create new groups and subgroups to organize the catalog content, right-click in the catalog and select New group....
5. Move the content from Ungrouped items to the new groups, or to other predefined custom groups.

   To move an item to another group, right-click the item, select Add to group, then select the target group.

   

   It is important to keep the Ungrouped items group empty because all items downloaded from Tekla Warehouse are placed in that group. When you place an item to a predefined group, it is automatically removed from the ungrouped items.

To keep the Applications & components catalog structure and content clear and in order, keep the groups up to date and organized, and remove the unnecessary items from the catalog definition files.

1. Click in the bottom-right corner in the Applications & components catalog to display the message log:

   

   If an item defined in a catalog definition file is removed from the Tekla Structures software, the removed item will be included in the Applications & components catalog error message log.

2. If the log contains references to missing items, edit the relevant ComponentCatalog.xml file to remove the references manually.

   We recommend that you make a back-up copy of the file before you start editing.

   

3. Thoroughly test that these changes do not create any further errors, or cause problems in the group structure in the Applications & components catalog.

   Check at least the Ungrouped items and Legacy catalog groups.

4. If there are new items in the group, move them from the Ungrouped items group to the appropriate predefined groups, and hide them from specific roles, if needed.
5. Add suitable thumbnails to the items, if needed.

Usually, only a few different connections and components are used in a project. To ensure that everyone in the project uses the same components and finds the components faster, we recommend that you create your own component folder.

1. Click the Applications & components button in the side pane to open the Applications & components catalog.
2. To create a new group for the project, right-click in the catalog, then select New group.
3. Add components to the group.
   1. Select the components in the catalog, right-click, then select Add to group.
   2. Select the group to which you want to add the components.

      You can also drag the selected components to another group.

4. To hide the groups that you do not need, select the group, right-click, then select Hide/Unhide.

You can collect content, such as macros, extensions, and system and custom components to a group that you create in the Applications & components catalog. You can then publish the group as a catalog definition file to make it available for other Tekla Structures users. For the published content to work correctly in another Tekla Structures installation, the content must also exist in that installation.

1. Click the Applications & components button in the side pane to open the Applications & components catalog.
2. Create a new group:
   1. Right-click in the catalog and select New group.
   2. Enter a name for the group.
   3. Select the group and click the small arrow on the right to add a description to the group.
   4. Add content to the group.

      Some content in the Applications & components catalog may be hidden. To publish the hidden content, select the Show hidden items checkbox at the bottom of the catalog.

      Note that the model-specific items you add to the group are visible in the modeling mode and the drawing-specific items in the drawing mode.

   5. Add the needed information to the items in the group: description, tags, and additional thumbnail images.

      Use a thumbnail image from the \Tekla Structures\<version>\Bitmaps folder to ensure that the image is available for other Tekla Structures users.

3. Right-click the group and select Publish group to create a catalog definition file.

   The file contains the following information:

   • Name and description of the published group
   • Names and descriptions of the subgroups
   • References to the items that you have added to the group

     The file does not contain the actual items. When other users use the group, they must ensure that the referenced items exist in their Tekla Structures installation and model.

   • Descriptions, tags and thumbnail references of the items in the group

     The file does not contain the actual thumbnail image files.

4. Add a unique prefix to the filename in the Publish group dialog.

   The filename format must be <prefix>_ComponentCatalog.ac.xml.

5. Click Save.

   The file is by default saved to the model folder.

6. Make the group available for other Tekla Structures users by moving the <prefix>_ComponentCatalog.ac.xml catalog definition file to an appropriate folder:
   • Project, firm or system folder defined in XS_PROJECT, XS_FIRM, or XS_SYSTEM.
   • \attributes folder under the current model folder
   • Extensions folder in \Tekla Structures\<version>\environments\common\extensions, or to any of the folders defined in XS_EXTENSION_DIRECTORY.

     The Applications & components catalog also searches the subfolders of these folders. We recommend that you use the extension folders if you have created your own extensions and have included them in the group.

7. Check that the catalog definition file works correctly:
   1. Delete the published group from your Applications & components catalog.
   2. Click > Catalog management > Reload catalog to load and view the published group.

If a component or group in the Applications & components catalog is not working as expected, you can generate a troubleshooting dump file that shows the data used to construct the component or group.

1. In the Applications & components catalog, click Access advanced features > Catalog management > Show dump command for selected component or group.
2. In the catalog, select the component or group, then right-click and select Dump troubleshooting data.
3. In the dialog that opens, select the target file path and enter the file name, then click Save to save the file.

   By default, the file is stored in the \local\temp folder for the model.