Reuse files and settings from previous projects or Tekla Structures versions

You can transfer customized files and settings from a previous project or Tekla Structures version to reuse them in a new project or Tekla Structures version.

If you use project and firm folders to store customized settings, the settings are used automatically when you start a new project or upgrade to a new Tekla Structures version.

If you do not use project and firm folders, you must manually transfer the customized settings to the new project or the new Tekla Structures version.

Check advanced options for the project and firm folders

If you use project and firm folders to store customized files for a model, check that advanced options point to the folders where the customized files are located.

On the File menu, select Settings > Advanced Options.
Check that the XS_FIRM, XS_PROJECT and XS_COMPANY_SETTINGS_DIRECTORY point to the correct folders.

Manually transfer files and settings to a new project

You can copy many types of files using a local or private online Tekla Warehouse collection. See the Tekla Warehouse instructions for more information.

You can also copy some information automatically to the new version using the Migration Wizard tool.

Check at least the following files and settings:
- Advanced options
- Files related to templates, reports and drawings
- Catalog files: profile catalog, material catalog, bolt catalog, bolt assembly catalog, rebar shape catalog
- Conversion files
- NC export settings
- Printer catalog settings
- User-defined attributes
- Saved model object properties
Re-install extensions for the new Tekla Structures version.

Import Tekla Structures model and drawings into another model

You can use the Import model command to import a Tekla Structures model and drawings to another model. If the imported model is later updated, you can re-import the updated model.

You can use the Import model command if you want to:

Import the model into a new blank model due to some issues in the model, such as when:
- The model is corrupt.
- There are corrupt parts in the model.
- The model will not open.
- A specific function causes an application error, such as numbering or creating a drawing.
Merge models.
Bring an older project into a new Tekla Structures version.

Some things to consider before importing:

The import only works in one direction. It cannot be used for two-directional data exchange. For that we recommend using Tekla Model Sharing.
If you import into an existing model, fix the possible numbering conflicts by adding prefixes in the numbering series.
You cannot import models from older versions of Tekla Structures directly into a newer version. You must open the model for upgrade.
You can use the Import model command as a replacement for the old model dump import. Import the model into an empty Tekla Structures model created without a model template.
It is not possible to import a model or parts of it directly into the same model (for example, if the model folder has been copied in the file system and then worked on separately). You can work around this, for example, by first importing the model into a new empty model or by using the Save as command to create a copy of the model.
The Import model command only imports the model and the drawings. It does not import attribute files, or database files, because those files might be the cause for the problems in the model.

Open the Tekla Structures model into which you want to import the other model.
Go to Quick Launch, start typing import model, then select the Import model command from the list that appears.
Select a model folder to import, then click OK.

If you open a model from a previous Tekla Structures version, the following message is shown:

To open and save the model in the new version, click Open for upgrade.

The model objects and drawings are imported, and the changes are shown using the same listing as is used in Tekla Model Sharing.

With default settings, the Locked attribute is set to Yes in the imported objects. Locking is controlled by the advanced option XS_MODEL_IMPORT_LOCK_OBJECTS in the Import category of the Advanced options dialog box.