Tekla Structures 2019 US environments Release Notes
- Folder Structure Reorganization
- Common to all US Roles
- Steel Detailing Role
- Partner Developer Notes
- Administrator Release Notes
1. Folder Structure Reorganization
1.1 Environment folders
We have modified the environment to now contain both US Imperial and US Metric within one environment. See image below for reference, the environments have now been combined into one environment called USA.
Within the USA environment, we have 3 main folders, one which contains shared files between both US Imperial and US Metric called “Common” and then specific folders for settings that are different between US Imperial and US Metric. These folders are called Imperial and Metric.
1.2 Specific Environment folder structure breakdown
Within each main folder (i.e. common, imperial, and metric) there is a breakdown of folders. In the old environment we had a folder called “us_roles” and now the comparable folder would be the main folders. For example, within “Common” we have the breakdown below. These are not all files but specific files to a role such as precast, steel, etc.. Also here is "General" which compares to the older "system" folder and now contains General items all roles share within common, imperial, and metric.
If we start to look in these folders we have new folders here also. The reorganization includes renaming files and spreading out folders into more appropriately named folders for the function of the settings within. For example,
before we had an "inp" folder and now we have "Catalogs" and "UserDefined" to contain files that "inp" used to contain.
If we look at this on a larger scale, files that were in metric and imperial but were common (meaning the binary file is no different) are now placed in usa\common. Which means files in the older version in folders like system, profil, template, etc... have some settings in usa\common\general and some in usa\imperial\general.
1.3 Installing environments in version 2019
After you run the exe for the environment you will need to launch Tekla Structures to complete the installation process. Upon starting Tekla Structures for the first time after you run the exe the Tekla Structures File Dispatcher will launch and finish installing the environment. Please allow this to run so the environment will install, do not hit cancel on the screen show below or else the environment will not be completely installed.
1.4 Startup login screen
Now that we have combined the environments you will now see Role files for each environment. There are separators also to help distinguish between Imperial and Metric roles.
2. Common to all us roles
2.1 Environment ini updated
New Advanced options added for new folder structure. These options link to XS_SYSTEM, therefore any directory added to these options will string with XS_SYSTEM when Tekla starts.
- XS_COMMON_CIP
- XS_COMMON_ENGINEERING
- XS_COMMON_GENERAL
- XS_COMMON_PRECAST
- XS_COMMON_STEEL
- XS_USIMP_CIP
- XS_USIMP_ENGINEERING
- XS_USIMP_GENERAL
- XS_USIMP_PRECAST
- XS_USIMP_STEEL
- XS_USMET_CIP
- XS_USMET_ENGINEERING
- XS_USMET_GENERAL
- XS_USMET_PRECAST
-
XS_USMET_STEEL
Role ini files such as Role_Imperial_Steel_detailing.ini now have added directories for XS_MACRO_DIRECTORY. This directory now reads %XS_MACRO_DIRECTORY%;%XSDATADIR%environments\usa\Common\General\Macros\
%XS_MACRO_DIRECTORY% now equals %XSDATADIR%environments\common\macros\
XS_ATTRIBUTE_FILE_EXCLUDE now also includes exclusions for common/system settings:
assembly_back_view;assembly_bottom_view;assembly_undeformed_view;custom_object_editor_perspective_view;part_undeformed_view;A_Assembly;B_Bolt;B_Stud;C_Cast;D_Drawing;I_IFC;IFC-QTO;P_Profile;P_Main;P_Material;P_Part;P_Select;W_Weld;
2.2 Catalogs
A few profile catalog changes have been made
- Irregular beams added to work with Geometry Detailing Strip component.
Image
- Folded Plate profile FLDPL has been removed
2.3 Components
Framing Components have been removed and Partial Pour Stop component was removed. These components are still available in the system location (i.e. environments/usa/Imperial/CustomComponents) and are labeled WoodConnectors.UEL and Pourstop-Partial.UEL.
2.4 Extensions
In version 2019 we will now be including a set of predefined extensions with the environment installation. Please note that these extensions are updated each environment release, if an update to an extension comes before a new environment you can download the update by clicking on the tool below that you want to update and download the updated installer directly from the warehouse. These extensions include the following:
- Beam Marks
- Compare Objects
- Drawing BreakLine
- Formwork Tools - Slabs
- Formwork Tools - Walls
- Grid From Parts
- Handrail Dimensioning
- Layout Point Applicator
- Multi Converter
- Plan Level Mark
- Publish 3D PDF
- Rebar Export
- Rebar RDX Export
- Reference Model Scale Tool
- Spiral Staircase
- US Custom Variables
- Z Pan Dimensioning
3. Steel Detailing Role
3.1 Steel Detailing Role
The Steel Detailing Role was created to include only the items needed to use Tekla Structures for Steel Detailing and Steel Fabrication. The Role_Imperial_Steel_Detailing.ini (Role_Metric_Steel_Detailing.ini) file located in the usa folders runs after the env_US.ini file is run.
3.2 Drawings
Assembly drawings out of the box will now default to 11x17 layout sizes. Other sizes are still available.
4. Partner Developer Notes
Environment changes for US Imperial and US Metric in version 2019 have the potential to affect extensions and their installers. These changes include an extensive restructuring of the folders into a single USA environment (see the section 1.1 above). Extensions might utilize these folders for supporting files either supplied with the environments or by the extension installer.
This primary difference is that the usimp and usmet folders are being replaced by a single USA folder and that the folders do not correspond old to new. This affects:
- extension installers that are looking to place their files in the old environment location such as TSEPs that indicate future compatibility through their manifest files;
- extensions utilizing hard coded paths for accessing supporting files within the US environments.
- Custom roles that might read in existing files from old usimp or usmet environment directories
Another difference is that the new USA environment has been set up to read from the Common environment that installs with Tekla Structures. In previous versions, needed content from this environment was replicated within the US environments for various reasons. Since the introduction of the TSEP delivery, all extensions have been installed to this common environment. Released extensions that took this into account and also supplied their support files within this common environment should not be affected. They may still generate an error within the installation log for not being able to place files into the now non-existent usimp and/or usmet folders.
Additionally, the new USA environment has been set up to read from the same macro directory for both imperial and metric. This allows for one copy of the application starting macros to be sufficient for the extension to be started from the Applications & Components Catalog and/or ribbon.
New locations now read are environments\common\macros and evironments\common\system.
5. Administrator Release Notes
For changes in all evironments related to components, drawings, etc... Please see the administrator release notes here You can also find full release notes for 2019 here