Change unit settings for marks

Tekla Structures uses the contentattributes_global.lst attributes file for setting the default unit settings for various mark elements. This file defines, for example, the unit used, and the number of decimals. You can change the unit and format for the length, height, diameter, and spacing elements in the mark, associative note and dimension mark properties dialog box. One additional way to change the unit is to add individual settings at the end of the contentattributes.lst file.

The contentattributes_global.lst file also defines default values for attributes in templates created in Template Editor.

If you change the unit and format, save the changes for future usage in a property file if necessary.

Warning:

Do not edit contentattributes_global.lst.

For user-defined attributes in mark elements, the default unit settings are taken from the contentattributes_userdefined.lst file. You can use contentattributes_userdefined.lst also when you want to configure settings of your own. By default, this file is located in ..\Program Files\Tekla Structures\<version>\nt\TplEd\settings, but often the location depends on your environment. The files are read from different locations in a certain search order.

The container file contentattributes.lst lists all the files that contain the actual attribute definitions. The order of the files included in contentattributes.lst defines the reading order of the files.

Tip:

You can add in the mark a template that changes the unit and number of decimals. This affects all drawings that have marks containing the changed template.

Example 1

This first example shows how you can change the unit and format of a length element in the part mark, save your changes in a property file and apply the changes in a part mark.

Double-click the background of an open drawing to open the Drawing Properties dialog box.
Click Part mark.
Add a Length element in the part mark.
Select Length from the Elements in mark list and adjust the unit and format as required. For example, select mm and ###.##.

The unit and format settings only become available when you select the Length element in the Elements in mark list.
Give a name to the property file next to the Save as button and click Save as.

Now you can load this file later on when you need to use the same unit and format again.
Click Modify.

All the part marks in your drawing now have the new unit and format setting for the length element.

Example 2

This second example shows a situation when you want a certain project to have certain individual settings. In this case, you can add contentattributes.lst under the model folder, and add this individual setting at the end of the contentattributes.lst. See the example below showing the included global attributes and user attributes files, and the added DIAMETER setting.