Save and load object properties

Tekla Structures
2021
Tekla Structures

Save and load object properties

The property pane and many dialog boxes have the possibility to save the property information in property files. You can load these saved properties later on when you create new objects.

For example, you can define the properties for each object type you plan to create before you start modeling, and then use these user-defined property files when you are creating new objects. Tekla Structures stores the user-defined property files, including the properties of sub-dialog boxes, in the current model’s \attributes folder.

You can save and load object properties either in the property pane or in a dialog box, depending on the object type.

Save and load properties in the property pane

Use the property pane to save and load the properties of

  1. Click a model object to view the current properties in the property pane.
  2. In the property pane, modify or enter the properties you want to save.
  3. In the box next to the button, enter a name for the property file in which the properties are saved.

    For example, MyProperties.

  4. Click to save the properties in the property file.

    The property file is now saved in the current model folder:

  5. When you want to load the saved properties, select the property file from the list.
    • If you select an object in the model and load a property file in the property pane, the properties and the user-defined attributes (UDAs) are loaded immediately. Changed values are highlighted in yellow in the property pane. Click Modify to apply the new values.

      If there are changes only in the UDA values in the UDA dialog box and not in the values in the property pane, the Modify button in the property pane does not become active. Click Modify in the UDA dialog box to active the UDA values.

    • If you start an object creation command in the model and load a property file in the property pane, the properties and the user-defined attributes (UDAs) are used immediately and Tekla Structures creates the object using the loaded values.

    Note:

    If the UDA dialog box is open when you load a property file in the property pane, the UDA dialog box updates and shows the values of the UDAs that are saved in the property file. However, if you first select an object and load a property file and only then open the UDA dialog box, the dialog box shows the UDA values of the selected object.

    To check which UDA values are saved in a property file, you need to open the UDA dialog box first, or load the property file again after opening the UDA dialog box.

  6. If you want to make changes to an existing property file:
    1. Load the property file you want to change.
    2. Modify the properties.
    3. Click .

      Tekla Structures saves the changes in the property file shown in the list, overwriting the old property file.

      Tekla Structures uses the new properties the next time you create an object of the same type.

      If you want to create an object using the standard values instead of the saved properties, load the standard file.

Save and load properties in a dialog box

Use this method with properties that are displayed in a traditional dialog box. For example, with drawing object properties.

  1. Open the properties dialog box.
  2. In the dialog box, modify or enter the properties you want to save.
  3. In the box next to the Save as button, enter a name for the property file in which the properties are saved.

    For example, MyProperties.

  4. Click Save as to save the properties in the property file.

    The property file is now saved in the current model folder:

  5. When you want to load the saved properties, select the property file from the list, and click Load.
  6. If you want to make changes to an existing property file:
    1. Load the property file you want to change.
    2. Modify the properties.
    3. Click Save.

      Tekla Structures saves the changes in the property file shown in the list, overwriting the old property file.

Remove existing properties

You can remove user-defined property files manually by removing them from the model's \attributes folder.

  1. Remove the selected property file from the model's \attributes folder.

    The property files may have different file name extensions, depending on their type.

  2. Restart Tekla Structures.
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