Export to Tekla Structural Designer allows you to export the entire Tekla Structures model or a selected subset of the model. The exported .cxl file can be uploaded to Tekla Structural Designer to update the model, or to create a new Tekla Structural Designer model based on the Tekla Structures model.

1. Open the Tekla Structures model from which you want to export.
2. On the File menu, click Export > Tekla Structural Designer.
3. In the Export to Tekla Structural Designer dialog box, either enter the path of the export file in the Export file box or click the ... button at the end to browse to a folder and enter a name for the file.

   If you have a compatible version of Tekla Structural Designer installed, the .tsmd file type is automatically selected.

   Once you have selected a valid file, the Export button and the Conversions section will be enabled.

4. In the Grids list, specify which of the Tekla Structures grids you want to export: All, Selected, or None.

   With Selected, select the grids in the model.

5. In the Model objects list, specify which objects you want to export.

   To only export certain objects, select Selected, and then select the objects in the model.

   The use of selection and view filters is recommended to ensure that only the structural part of the model or objects requiring design are exported.

6. To process the model and display all the proposed profile and material grade conversions to be used, open the Conversions section and click the preview buttons.

   The export uses an internal conversion list containing the standard profiles and grades. If the profile or material of any object cannot be converted using the internal conversion, the export name will be replaced with the text –-- NO MATCH –-- in the Conversions tables.

7. If the text –-- NO MATCH –-- is displayed, you can convert the profiles and materials in the following way:
   1. Create a profile and/or material conversion file in a text editor using the file name extension .cnv.

      The conversion files can also be used to override the standard conversion.

   2. In the text file, enter the .cxl/.tsmd profile or material name, for profiles the # symbol and the profile code, then the equal sign (=), and the corresponding Tekla Structures name.

      You may need help from your local Tekla support with this.

   3. In the Export to Tekla Structural Designer dialog box, in the Profile conversion file and Material conversion file boxes, specify the conversion files that you want to use for mapping profiles and material grades.

   If the conversion files are not used, the objects with profiles or materials that cannot be converted will still be created but they will use the export file profile or material that may be invalid.

8. Click Export.

   The Process log section will show you the result of the export.

   A .cxl file is created in the folder you specified using the file name you specified. Also with the .tsmd export file type, a .cxl file is created first and a timestamp is added after the file name.

9. If you have a compatible version of Tekla Structural Designer installed and .tsmd selected as the export file type, the BIM Integration : Structural BIM Import wizard appears. Do the following:
   1. Review and modify the settings in the wizard as needed, and then click Next in each step.

      For example, you can set the building code, and select whether this is a first-time transfer from Tekla Structures to Tekla Structural Designer, or an update to an existing model.

      For more information about the options, see 'Import a project from a Structural BIM Import file' in the Tekla Structural Designer product guides.

   2. When you are happy with the settings, click Finish in the final step of the wizard.

      A Tekla Structural Designer model file (.tsmd) is created in the folder you specified using the file name you specified.

      Tekla Structural Designer will open, and you can start working with the model in Tekla Structural Designer.