The Project Manager screen is the central workpoint for the Structural Engineering Library. After you have selected or created a project file this screen displays the calculations within that file in the list area shown below (left side, white background). There are several main areas to this screen:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Current Project File Name

In the upper-left corner of the screen you will see the name of the project file currently loaded and available for calculating editing.

 

 

 

 

File management and system access buttons

 

The file management buttons enable you to perform various tasks:

 

Print : This selection displays a screen where you can select multiple calculations in your project to print. Here is the screen:

 

 

SaveAs : This selection enables you to save the complete current Project File as a totally new file. This is useful when you want to start a new project and use all or part of the existing project's calculations as a basis for starting.

 

New : This selection allows you to begin a new Project File. After specifying your new project file name the current project is closed, the new project file is created, and then the new file is displayed in the Project Manager.

 

Open Project : This selection allows you to select another different project file to work with.

 

Close project : This selection closes the current project file and returns to the main window that shows just the background and Main Menu.

 

Tools & Settings : This selection gives you access to various items that provide useful features in the Structural Engineering Library.

 

               

 

Help : This item gives you access to the help system, fax and email support, release notes, and version information.

 

               

 

 

Unit Selection Buttons

 

These buttons allow you to change the system of units being used in the Structural Engineering Library. When changing units the currently highlighted calculation is also modify and the results and graphics to the right will display the new units selected.

 

 

NOTE: The internal calculations and variables entered are always stored and processed in inch-pound units. What you see on the screen for input, calculated values, and graphics notations are converted from the internal units to "display" units.

 

 

Project Info and Project Calculations Tabs

 

These two tabs control the display of the contents of the project file. The Project Calculations tab will be discussed in the section below titled "Project Calculation List". When selecting the Project Information tab you will see the screen change to show the following:

 

 

On this tab you can enter some information particular to the project file that you are working on.

 

 

 

Project Calculation List

 

When you have created or opened a Project file, the screen displays the main working area for the Structural Engineering Library. On the left side of the screen you will see the tree-structured listing of the calculations in your project file, along with buttons to perform required tasks. On the right side will be a summary area that displays information about whatever calculation is being highlighted in the calculation list.

 

 

When a calculation is chosen for editing (double-click the item or press Edit) the screen will change and display the calculation.

 

Calculation Tree Diagram

The project list is a tree-structured diagram. You can use this simple system to organize your calculations by type, group, floor, section, or however you choose. In this reference we will call the major sections Divisions . Clicking the "+" icon to the left of a division will expand and display all the calculations in that division. When so expanded, the "+" icon will have changed to a "-", and clicking the "-" will collapse the calculations and again just display the division title.

 

 

To ADD a Division

Click on the topmost item "Project Calculation Tree" and then select the New button. A dialog will display requesting the title of the division to be added. The division will be added at the end of the list.

 

To ADD a Calculation into a Division:

If the Division has no calculations, which will mean there will NOT be a "+" icon showing for it, highlight the division and select the New or Copy button

If the Division has calculations already, with a "+" or "-" icon showing, highlight the location where the new calculation should be inserted and select the New button.

When the New button is selected, you will be presented with the typical calculation choice window which is described later. When the Copy button is selected, you will add a new calculation of the same type using the same data as the one currently highlighted.

 

 

Expand, Contract Tree & Calculation Movement Buttons

       These buttons control the display of the project list and enable you to move calculations around in the project file.

 

 

Expand

Expands all divisions to show all the calculations contained. This is equivalent to clicking on all the "+" icons in the list to make all calculations in all divisions visible

 

Contract

This hides all the calculations and just shows the divisions.

 

Up & Down Arrow

Only active for calculations   Moves the highlighted calculation up or down in the calculation order. When it is the top calculation in a division it moves the calculation to the bottom of the division above. Ditto for moving calculations down.

 

Project Control Buttons

These buttons control the addition, removal and printing of the calculations (and divisions) in the current Project file.

Edit : Selects the highlighted item for editing:

 

 

 

Print Calc : This prints the highlighted calculation in the list. If you want to print all or multiple selected calculations in the project use the [Print] button in the "File and System Management" buttons area.

 

Copy :  Uses the calculation type and data from the highlighted item to create a new calculation. The calcsheet is displayed, and when OK is selected to save the calculation, it is inserted at the current highlight location in the project list.

 

Delete : Will erase the highlighted calculation from the project.

 

Add Calc : Use this button to add a calculation to your project. After pressing [Add] the following screen will appear and allow you to selection the calculation module to use.

 

 

Edit Calc

This button brings the data for the highlighted calculation from the project file into the program and then displays the appropriate calculation module to allow you to edit the calculation data.

 

Export Calculation

This selection enables you to make a copy of the currently highlighted calculation into another project file. After pressing you will be prompted for the project file to have the calculation placed in. After the file is selected a miniature list will be displayed that shows all the calculations in that file and lets you select into which position (or division) the calculation should be placed. Here is the "mini" project manager calculation list for the "Export Calculation" selection:

 

 

Import Calculation

This selection enable you to bring in a individual calculation from another project file. This item is useful when you are building a new set of calculations and you wish to use previously prepared calculations. One very common user practice is to have a Project File called "StandardCalculations.ECW" where they have saved dozens of typical calculations for their area of practice. When creating a new project set the can simply use this "Import Calculation" feature to bring in the standard calculations.

 

Here is the screen displayed after you select which file to use:

 

 

 

You will notice that this Import screen allows you to tag multiple calculations for importing!

 

 

Individual Calculation Summary & Sketch

 

On the right hand side of the Project Calculations tab you will see information in both text and graphics form. What is given here is a summary of the calculation that is highlighted to the left.

 

For the current calculation that you highlight in the calculation lit the program gives you a summary of the input and calculated results plus a sketch showing what the calculation represents. This is provided so you can quickly scroll down your calculation list and locate what you need.  Here is a screen image of the summary and sketch area: