Hand Rail member

Overview Tab

Piecemark: Blank or a system piecemark or a user-entered character string (of up to 61 characters ) which identifies this member as having an unique design distinct from other members that have been assigned different piecemarks. This is the member piecemark of the handrail member.

Blank instructs SDS2 piecemarking to assign a system piecemark to the handrail member when you press " OK " to close this window. " Piecemark " is, by default, left blank when you first add a new handrail.

A system piecemark ( system piecemark ) is assigned automatically if " Piecemark " is blank when you press " OK ." SDS2 piecemarking uses the prefix that is entered to " Piecemark " on the Hand Rail Setup window.

A user-entered string is a user piecemark . SDS2 piecemarking will not assign new members that user piecemark, nor will piecemarking remove that user piecemark from members to which it has been assigned. It is your responsibility to ensure that the same user piecemark is not used for another distinctly different member.

Tip: If you have assigned a user piecemark to the handrail member, clearing that piecemark and leaving " Piecemark " blank will result in piecemarking assigning a system piecemark to the member when you press " OK ."

Setup For Add Flat Rail:Hand Rail Setup
Display Options:Member piecemarks
Status Display:General status options > Piecemark
Advanced Selection:m.Piecemark
Advanced Selection:m.SystemPiecemark

Sequence: Any sequence name from the Sequence Names setup list can be selected here.

Add toe plate: or . Same as " Add " under the " Toe Plate " tab.

If this box is checked ( ), then " Add " is checked under the " Toe Plate " tab and the options shown above are enabled.

If the box is not checked ( ), then " Add toe plate " is not checked and the options shown above are not enabled.

Remove main section toe plate: or . This option is enabled when " Add toe plate " is checked. It is disabled when " Add toe plate " is unchecked.

If this box is checked ( ), toe plate is removed from the Main Section. If there is a Return on either end of the Hand Rail member, the toe plate remains on the Return(s). The " Return toe plates " tab is enabled.

If the box is not checked ( ), toe plate remains on the Main Section. The " Return toe plates " tab is disabled.

Add grab bar: or . Same as " Add " under the " Grab Bar " tab. This option is disabled (grayed out) when the post " Type " is ' Angle '.

If this box is checked ( ), then " Add " under the " Grab Bar " tab is checked, and you get the options shown here:

If the box is not checked ( ), a grab bar is not included as part of the handrail.

Grab bar only: or . This applies when " Add grab bar " is checked.

If this box is checked ( ), then only the grab bar, including supports and return fittings, is generated in the model.

If the box is not checked ( ), the entire stair, including the grab bar, is generated in the model.

Style: Empty or Mesh or Pickets . These options apply when the post material " Type " is ' Pipe ' or ' Tube '. You cannot apply mesh or pickets when the post " Type " is ' Angle '.

' Empty '

' Mesh '

' Pickets '

If ' Empty ' is selected, mesh or pickets do not get added.

If ' Mesh ' is selected, mesh is added per the " Mesh " tab.

If ' Pickets ' is selected, the " Max clearance " and " Type " and " Grade " settings under the " Pickets " tab will be applied to the pickets that are generated. Picket length depends on the midrail " Count ."

Walk side: NS (near side) or FS (far side). This sets the side of the " Toe plate " and the " Grab bar . For angle handrails, it sets the leg orientation. Click here for information on how to determine the near side and far side of a member.

' NS '

' FS '

' NS '

' FS '

On an angle handrail (as shown in the example immediately above), the heel of the top rail (and angle midrails) align with the work line regardless of the choice made here. ' NS ' sets the direction of the horizontal leg of the top rail away from the near side , and the angle posts align in that same direction. ' FS ' sets the horizontal leg direction toward the near side.

Left end: P-End or Post or Return or Splice . This sets the main section end " Condition " for the " Left End " under the " Ends " tab.

Left return end: P-End or Post or Splice . This applies when the main section end " Condition " for the " Left End " is ' Return '. The end " Condition " for the return is set under " End Information ."

Left corner post: None or Main section or Return . Documentation in progress . This applies when the main section end " Condition " for the " Left End " is ' Return '. This also sets the " Corner post " on the corresponding " Left Corner Post " tab. Choosing either ' Main section ' or ' Return ' gives the corner post connection settings that match that section. For example, a ' Base Plate ' post connection will get the same " Top of support distance " the section you chose. Choosing ' Main section ' or ' Return ' also adds an entry for that member on that section's Intermediate Posts table.

Right end: This sets " Condition " for the " Right End " of the main section (under the " Ends " tab ).

Right return end: This applies when the " Condition " for the " Right End " of the main section is ' Return '. It sets the end " Condition " for the return, which can also be set under " End Information ."

Right corner post: None or Main section or Return. This applies when the main section end " Condition " for the " Right End " is ' Return '. This also sets the " Corner post " on the corresponding " Right Corner Post " tab. Choosing either ' Main section ' or ' Return ' gives the corner post connection settings that match that section. For example, a ' Base Plate ' post connection will get the same " Top of support distance " as the section you chose. Choosing ' Main section ' or ' Return ' also adds an entry for that member on that section's Intermediate Posts table.

Graphical : or .

If the box is checked ( ), this means the member has had a modification made to the member outside of the member edit screen. This can be made graphical by doing a Cut Layout , Exact Fit , Mitre , Cope , Notch , Cut on Plane , Chamfer or Edit Material on a material generated by the system or by deleting any attached materials. Edit Hole on a system-generated hole or erasing a hole in the main material also makes the member graphical, but Add Hole does not. Create Solids will not alter graphical members ( exception : Create Solids does match holes and generate bolts through matching holes). On the General Information window for member main material that is graphical, you will find that the material is tagged as " User modified main member material ."

If the box is not checked ( ), this means that the member has not had a modification made to the member outside of the member edit screen. If this is unchecked, when you press "OK ", the member will be regenerated to the settings that are in the member edit screen. This means, for example, if the main material has been cut into using the Cut Layout command, the cut will disappear after you press " OK " .

Note: Add Material or Add Hole or Add Bolt does not change the member to graphical ( ). Materials, bolts and holes added to main material are preserved through Create Solids regardless of whether the member graphical checkbox is checked or unchecked.

Model complete date: Read-only . The " Model completed " status of this member can be set using Update Attributes . You cannot set the " Model complete date " here, on this window.

**NOT SET** ' indicates that this window is fully editable.

month day year ' indicates that all fields on this window are in a disabled , read-only state due to the " Model completed " date having been set on this member, using Update Attributes , not necessarily on the reported date.

Also see: " Model complete date "

Surface finish: None or Sandblasted or Red oxide or Yellow zinc or Gray oxide or Blued steel or Galvanized or Duplex Coating or Undefined 1 or Undefined 2 or Undefined 3 or Red oxide 2 or Any user added surface finish. This affects the colors of 'Solid ' members on erection views in the Drawing Editor . This also sets the color when "Output material color " is set to 'Surface finish ' for a VRML Export or a DWG/DXF Export . The "Color " ( not "Surface finish ") sets the color of this material in Modeling .

To assign a different surface finish, you can drop-down the current surface finish and select the one you want, or you can press the "file cabinet" browse button ( ) and double-click any surface finish that is on the list.

Auto or .

If this box is checked ( ), the material surface finish follows what is set on the member level.

If the box is not checked ( ), the material surface finish can be changed to whatever is available in the list of surface finishes. If the surface finish changes from what the member level has set, the auto checkbox will be unchecked automatically. When the auto check box is unchecked, the member edit window shows an information tag which notifies the user that an attached material is not following what was set on the member level.

Note 1: Submaterial piecemarks can be split apart by surface finish. All surface finishes that do not have the 'Break Marks Material' checked on can be applied to any like material with out the material splitting. If the 'Break Marks Material' is checked on then only like materials with that specific surface finish can have the same piecemark, and because the submaterial marks differ so would the member's piecemark.

Note 2:When exporting a KISS file using "model" as the "Data source " surface finish data on the materials are compiled into the KISS download as follows, with a few exceptions (G=galvanized, N= none or sandblasted, P= others). Those exceptions are:

• If the box for "Finish" routing in KISS export setup is set to a user routing

• If the user has adjusted the Abbreviation for any of the default provided surface finishes

• If you are using a user added surface finish

In these cases you will get what is provided in either the User routing, or the abbreviation field. For other exports it will always provide the abbreviation in the 'surface finishes' settings page.

Tip 1: "Surface area" is reported on the General Information window -- and this can be used to estimate the amount of coating required and its cost.

Tip 2: Changing "Steel grade " "Color " and "Surface finish " do not cause the plate to be regenerated. This means that, if you change those settings only, material fit operations such as a Fit Exact may, optionally, be preserved.

Report Writer:MemberMaterial.Material.SurfaceFinish
Setup:Surface Finish Settings

"Properties" opens the Edit Properties window, on which you can make entries to custom properties . If your current Job was set to use a legacy flavor when it was created, the window that opens is named Custom Properties , not Edit Properties .

Tip: The Edit Properties window can also be used to read " Log " entries or review or type " Notes ."

Tip: The Member Properties command is an alternative to this button. It opens the Edit Properties window directly, without your first having to open a member edit window.

" Status " opens the Member Status Review window, which can give you additional information about the member, and which you can use to enter status information or designate a member as an existing member .

Note: This button shows if one or more " Repeat " check boxes on the Member Status Review window do not match the checked-unchecked state of same-named fields in User and Site Options > Site > " Member status items to copy/repeat ." On the Status Review window, the fields that do not match User and Site Options are plotted in red .

" OK " (or the Enter key) closes the edit window and saves any changes you have made on the window to the member file.

Solids on "OK" : If the appropriate choice is made to User and Site Options > Modeling > " Automatically process after modeling operation ," then this member will automatically be regenerated (Create Solids will take place) after your press " OK ." Otherwise, you will have to manually Process and Create Solids in order for changes you made on this window to be fully updated in the 3D model.

Change all: If you Edit Member (one member only) and make a change that potentially triggers the " Do you want to change all ... " dialog and the 3D model contains more than one member of the same type that has the same piecemark as the member you changed, a yes-no dialog opens. On it is the question, " Do you want to change all (members with this piecemark). " Press the " Yes " button to change all the members; press the " No " button to change only this member.

" Cancel " (or the Esc key or the button) closes the edit window without saving any changes that you have made. " Cancel " does not undo a " Detail Member " operation.

Note: If you opened this window while adding a member, " Cancel " brings you back to the work point location step of adding a member.

Tip: Any time you use Edit Member just to review a member (and you do not want to set the defaults for to-be-added members), the best way to close this window is to " Cancel. "

" Reset " undoes any changes made since you opened this window.

Exception: " Reset " does not undo changes made using the " Add View " " Delete View " " Detail Member " " View detail " buttons.

Copy, Paste, Save, Load buttons:

• The position of these "form" buttons on the window tells you what settings they apply to. Click here for more information.
• You can Copy ( ) the settings on this window, then Paste ( ) those settings to a different edit window of the same type.
• Save ( ) saves a file to a global folder ( ) that is used by your current version of SDS2. Give the file a name that will help other users identify its purpose. Load ( ) replaces the settings on this window (except Piecemark) with the settings that are stored in the file that you select.
• When editing multiple windows at the same time, Paste and Load replace mixed entries to a single field with a single entry. Copy and Save ignore fields with mixed entries, treating them as if they have no entry or do not exist.

Top Rail/Post/Midrail Overview

Type: Angle or Flat Bar or Pipe or Tube . This also sets the top rail " Type " under the " Rails " tab. The heel of an ' Angle ' top rail aligns with the workline. ' Flat Bar ', ' Pipe ' and ' Tube ' top rails are centered on the workline.

Section size: Any section size of the specified material type that is in the local shape file . You can type in the section size that you want, or you can press the "file cabinet" browse button ( ) and double-click any section that is on the list of available materials in the local shape file. Validation only lets you enter a material that is listed in the local shape file. Also, if you enter a section size that is not available, validation brings up a yes-no dialog with the warning, " The section size is not available from suppliers. Are you sure you want to use it? "

Material Type	Typing in a size	Material Window
angle	naming convention	" Section size "
HSS round (pipe)	naming conventions	" Section size "
HSS rectangular (tube)	naming conventions	" Section size "
round bar	naming conventions	" Section size "
W tee	naming convention	" Section size "
Also see : Click here for information on the handrail parts that these material types are used for.

Setup:Hand Rail Setup ( Home > Project Settings > Job > Plugin Defaults ...)

Width: The width of the top rail or midrail when its " Type " is ' Flat Bar '.

Thickness: The thickness of the top rail or midrail when its " Type " is ' Flat Bar '.

Finished floor distance: The actual or vertical distance that the member line (" Reference line ") is above the " Floor thickness ."

solids form

stick form

Midrail Count: The number of midrails.

Main Section/Left Return/Right Return

Floor thickness: The actual distance that the finished floor is above the work points established when the hand rail was added .

Post Spacing Method: Auto or Semi Auto or User or Semi User . Spacing between pipe and tube posts is measured center to center. Spacing between pipe posts is measured heel to heel.

Auto: instructs the Hand Rail program to first calculate the minimum number of posts that can be spaced less than the " Maximum spacing " apart from one another. Hand Rail then determines the number of spaces between posts. Hand Rail then divides the total distance between the end posts by the number of spaces to determine the spacing between posts.

Maximum Spacing: A maximum distance applied to the spacing between all of the posts in the main section, including the end posts.

Round Up: If a value other than zero is entered here, the Hand Rail program rounds up the " Left End Distance " to the next increment of the round up value.

Semi Auto: lets you enter a " Left end to 1st intermediate " and a " Right end to 1st intermediate " distance to set the exact spacing from the outside (end) posts to the intermediate posts nearest to them. The Hand Rail program then uses the " Maximum spacing " to determine the spacing between any posts that are between these outside posts.

Max left end to 1st intermediate: A maximum distance to set the exact spacing from the outside (end) posts to the first intermediate post from the left end.

Max right end to 1st intermediate: A maximum distance to set the exact spacing from the outside (end) posts to the first intermediate post from the right end.

Maximum Spacing: A maximum distance applied to the spacing between the intermediate posts only.

Round up:If a value other than zero is entered here, the Hand Rail program rounds up the " Left End Distance " to the next increment of the round up value.

User: lets you specify exactly in the model where you want the intermediate posts located.

Post count: The total number of intermediate posts that you want between the two end posts.

Locate : Hand Rail add window closes and provides you Locate- Pan -Return mouse bindings for locating points on the workline of the handrail where you want the posts.

Semi User:

Left end to 1st intermediate: A distance to set the exact spacing from the outside (end) posts to the first intermediate post from the left end.

Right end to 1st intermediate: A distance to set the exact spacing from the outside (end) posts to the first intermediate post from the right end.

Maximum spacing: A maximum distance applied to the spacing between the intermediate posts only.

Connection: ' Angle Bracket ' or ' Base Plate ' or ' Bent Plate ' or ' Bolted (Angle) ' or ' Clip angle ' or ' Continuous Bottom Plate ' or ' L Shaped Plate ' or ' Plain End ' (see ' Welded ') or ' Rectangular Plate ' or ' Shear Tab ' or ' Shear Tab (Angle) ' or ' Welded ' or ' W Tee '.