Import and export custom components

You can import and export custom components as .uel files between models.

Note:

You can also share and store your custom components in Tekla Warehouse, and also download custom components made by other users.

Before sharing custom components with others, note the following:

Provide essential information with the custom components. If you distribute your component to other users, remember to list the profiles it works with.
Use fixed profiles whenever possible. If your custom component contains user-defined cross sections, remember to include them when you copy the custom component to a new location.

Export a custom component

You can export custom components in a .uel file.

Click the Applications & components button in the side pane to open the Applications & components catalog.
In the catalog, select the custom components you want to export.
Right-click the selection, and then select Publish.
Browse for the folder where you want to save the file.
Enter a name for the export file.

The file name extension is .uel. Do not change the file name after exporting the custom component. If the file name differs from the name in the Applications & components catalog, it may be difficult to find the right component later on.

The data files that are used by the custom component are included in the exported .uel file. The data files need to be located in the model folder or in the CustomComponentDialogFiles subfolder to be exported. Only files specified directly in fVF functions are exported. For example: =fVF("myData.dat", ...) directly specifies the file, but =fVF(P1, ...) does not.
Click Save to export the custom components.

Tip:
If you want to export custom components as separate files, select the custom components in the Applications & components catalog, right-click, and then select Publish separately.

You can import previously made custom components to another model.

Click the Applications & components button in the side pane to open the Applications & components catalog.
Click the Access advanced features button , and then select Import.
Browse for the folder that contains the export file.

The location depends on where you saved the file when you exported the custom component.
Select the export file.
Click Open to import the custom components.

Tip:
You can import custom components to a new model automatically by using the XS_UEL_IMPORT_FOLDER advanced option. Export all custom components to certain folders and enter these folders as the value for the XS_UEL_IMPORT_FOLDER advanced option to easily import the custom components to new models.