The Settings main menu selection allows you to specify settings that will effect the entire Structural Engineering Library. As the system evolves you will see additional items and tabs on this screen.

 

General Tab

 

 

 

System of Units

Allows you to select between standard U.S., System International Metric, and classic Metric units. This setting effects all calculations in all files. Of interest is the fact that ALL calculations are stored internally as pounds and feet. Only the display of units is changed.

 

This can be used when just viewing the project listing or when editing a calculation. If you change units while editing a calculation, the change is made immediately and your calcsheet will be updated to display the new system of units. (The actual calculations and data file are in U.S. Units, and the values are converted as required for screen display and printout. Therefore, if many thousands of changes are made to a calculation, it is possible that input data could change slightly due to round off error. Conversion factors are typically 3 to 7 significant digits).

 

Automatic Recalculation

When checked the programs are recalculated immediately after one of the input items is changed.

 

Show "Start Up Wizard"

Allows you to suppress the initial start-up wizard screen.

 

Load Default Values at Calculation Startup

Checking this box automatically reads the "default values" from the file DEFAULTS.ECD into the calculation that is being created.

 

Project file directory

This is the location where the software will automatically look for your project files when a File | Open, File | New, or Files | Save As selection is used.

 

Database, Defaults, and Help file directory

This specifies where the additional system components are located. This is typically ALWAYS the same directory the EC.EXE and supporting DLL files are located.

 

 

Display Tab

This tab enables you to select the display resolution to use for the Structural Engineering Library.  You can let the program detect which screen resolution you are using and resize to the largest practical size.  Alternately you can select the display resolution of your computer monitor and the program will scale it accordingly.

 

 

The [Restart Program] button will exit the Structural Engineering Library and restart it in the new chosen display size.

 

 

Printing & Title Block

 

 

Print Graphics with Text

Many programs create sketches and diagrams to clarify the meaning of input data. If you select this checkbox those graphics will automatically print along with the text calculation results.

 

Always Display Windows Printer Selection Box

When you select to print a calculation you must have a printer selected to print to. If you want to use the default printer setup for the computer you are using you can leave this box unchecked.  To have the program display a printer selection box each time a printout is requested then be sure to "check" this box.

 

What to Print

These selections control what to print in the title block area at the top of the printout page.

 

Title Block

This tab provides you with the entries for defining your own custom title block area on all printouts in the Structural Library.

 

Title Block

These five entries correspond to the five lines in the upper-left corner of the printout.

 

Logo File

When specified the graphics file you choose will be printed at the LEFT edge of the title block and the 5 lines of "Title Block" information will be moved to print immediately to the right of the logo. Logos can be Windows BMP, JPEG, GIF, and WMF formats.

 

When a logo is specified the height is adjusted to fit into the title block area and the right-side "floats" according to the width of the image.