Define automatic drawing settings

Tekla Structures
2023
Tekla Structures

Define automatic drawing settings

Drawing settings tell Tekla Structures what the drawing should look like and what it should include. Automatic drawing settings are defined before drawings are created.

Automatic drawing settings

Automatic drawing settings are settings that are defined through:

  • Drawing, view and object properties in various drawing types. The properties are stored in property files. Properties can be defined separately for each drawing that you create, but it is advisable to save the most commonly used settings in property files for future use, for example, in Master Drawing Catalog. When creating a new drawing, always start by loading automatic drawing properties that you think contain the best settings for the drawing you are creating, and then adjust the settings as required before creating the drawing. Properties can be adjusted also after you have created the drawing.

    You can open the drawing properties dialog boxes for setting the automatic drawing properties by going to the Drawings & reports tab, selecting Drawing properties and then selecting the drawing type.

  • Drawing settings that are defined through various options and advanced options in Options and Advanced options dialog boxes.
  • Additional settings files, such as rebar_config.inp for setting reinforcement, and hatch_types1.pat for setting hatch patterns.

Single-part, assembly and cast unit drawing properties

Single-part, assembly and cast unit drawings have two types of automatic properties: drawing specific and view specific.

Drawing-specific properties apply to the whole drawing: coordinate system, coordinate system rotation, drawing titles, drawing layout, user-defined properties, and some detail and section view properties. In assembly drawings and single-part drawings, there are also some weld and bolt settings that are common for all drawing views. You can find these settings in the Common settings for all views area on the View creation page.

View-specific properties are defined separately for each view that you select to create. For example, you might want to show marks in one view, dimensions in another, and surface treatment in the third one. You may also want to define different protection settings for each view. You can create as many views as you need.

To specify the drawing views to create and the properties to use, follow the numbered path shown in the image below. First go to the View creation page, and select the views to create, and then select view properties to be used for the views. If you need to adjust view properties, click View properties and adjust the view properties, including protection settings, dimensions, filters, marks and objects. Always use Save to save the view properties, otherwise your changes are not saved.

Drawing-level and view-level properties in single-part, assembly and cast unit drawings can be modified in an open drawing by double-clicking the drawing background or the view frame, respectively. The available properties are the same as in the dialog boxes shown above.

General arrangement drawing properties

Automatic drawing properties for general arrangement drawings can be defined on drawing level before creating the drawing. You can modify the drawing level properties in an open drawing by double-clicking the drawing background.

You need to select the drawing views that you want to create after you start the creation of a general arrangement drawing. You can adjust the view-level properties in an open drawing by double-clicking a view frame.

Individual dimension, mark and object properties

You can modify the dimension, mark and object properties manually in an open drawing and save the changed properties in property files to be use later on for different purposes.

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