REPORT EXTRACTION IN FRAMEWORKS PLUS

Self Study Presentation by Bhushan Patil

Introduction

FrameWorks Plus automates structural engineering and design with both linear
and solid member layout and modelling functions, integrated with popular third-
party analysis and design programs. It also includes extensive tools for what you
see is what you get production of take-off reports and engineering and
construction drawings. FrameWorks Plus provides a familiar 2-D interface to its
3-D modelling structure, allowing you to work in 2-D, 3-D, or both at the same
time. It is MicroStation powered and designed to run on the Windows NT
operating system and Intel-based computers. FrameWorks Plus addresses a
wide range of projects, spanning different light and heavy industries like process
and power.
At any point in the design process, FrameWorks Plus can generate an analytical
model for input to finite element analysis programs like GTSTRUDL and STAAD-
III are supported. Results from these programs can be loaded back into
FrameWorks Plus for immediate update of the 3-D model and associated
drawings. In addition to finite element analysis interfaces, FrameWorks Plus also
supports Intergraph’s Steel Detailing Neutral File Format, linking structural
models to leading third-party applications for fabrication drawing and steel
detailing. It also provides a full set of functions for automatically generating and
composing complete drawing views within standard drawing sheets. Drawings
are composed using plan, elevation, and isometric views defined in the modelling
phase of a project. A drawing is automatically annotated from member attributes.
The software allows you to specify both the contents and location of labels in
drawings. Additionally, the software automatically extracts material reports,
performs gross weight and surface area calculations, and generates a variety of
general-purpose reports for cost and material estimates.

Report Extraction

FrameWorks Plus includes a complete set of linear material, solid material,

center of gravity, and analytical reporting tools. The software automatically
extracts material reports, performs gross weight and surface area calculations,
and generates a variety of other general-purpose reports for cost and material
estimation. You can readily modify reports to meet your office standards or client
requirements using what you see is what you get report dialog boxes.

Reports

Reports are an essential part of the construction documentation for a project.

There are three types of report.
(1) Material Report. In material report there are 2 types
(a) Linear
(b) 3Dsolid
(2) Analytic Report
(3) Centre Of Gravity Report

Creating a report requires read-only access to the model database, so you can
report on members in attached model partitions as well as members in the local
(active) model database. A report can be generated for a selected portion of a
model, the whole model, or an entire project (by attaching all project models to
the local model).
You control the contents; width, pagination, and format of the report using the
report format dialog boxes. These format dialog boxes include what you see is
what you get informational area that displays a portion of an actual report as it is
currently formatted. This feature provides instant and exact verification of how
changes made to the format parameters affect the resulting report.

Material Report

Material Report lists quantities, sizes, lengths of the structural members used in
model.

Procedure for extracting reports:

1. From Main menu bar select utilities > Reports > Material >Linear.
2. Select a Report Width.
3. Turn on the report option that is required.
4. Specify which member to include.
5. Click OK.

FrameWorks Plus builds an ASCII (text) file that contains the specified
information and writes it to the project report directory (\rpt) using the file name
designated. When the report is completed, an Alert Box displays asking if you
want to review the report. Click OK to display the report in a dialog box. The
procedure for extracting report is same for remaining types but options are
different that we will discuss later.

3D Solid Report

Solid report lists volumes, weight, surface area, and other attributes of the
members used in a structural design.

Analytic Report

This report creates reports on loads, supports, and releases defined in the
model.
Centre of Gravity Report

As the name implies this type is a centre of gravity report for the structure.

Linear Material Report Options

General

1. Report Width
This defines the number of columns in the report. The available options are 132
columns in Landscape and 80 columns in Portrait. There is also an option called
Specify which allows the user define any number of columns, up to 132.
2. Items per page
If the Paginate toggle is on, this.specifies the number of items (rows) on each
page,
3. Page Header
If this is kept on, the report lists a page header at the top of each page of the
report.
4. Paginate
If this is kept on, the report is divided into separate pages, each containing the
number of items defined in Items per page.
5. Condense Like Items
If on, members with the same section size and equal member lengths are
combined to a single output item. The quantity field specifies the number of
identical pieces. If off, all members are listed individually in the report.
6. Use Cut Lengths
If on, FrameWorks Plus reports the length of the member including the defined
cutback values, if any. If off, the center-to-center length (full length of the member
line) is reported, regardless of cutbacks.
7. Totals
If on, FrameWorks Plus computes and outputs information on total length,
weight, and number of pieces at the end of the report.
8. Use Weight Class
If on, you can create reports on individual member weight classes. You can
specify the range for each weight class.
9. Report File
Defines the name of the report file. This file is placed in the \rpt directory of the
active project. The name is limited to ten characters with a three character
extension.

Weight Class

1. Units
Displays the units for defining the weight class range.
2. Light To
Specifies a Light Weight Class member’s maximum weight.
3. Medium From / To
Specifies a Medium Weight Class member’s range.
4. Heavy From / To
Specifies a Heavy Weight Class member’s range.
5. Extra Heavy From
Specifies an Extra Heavy Class member’s range.

Contents

1. Report on
Specifies whether the entire model should be reported or a selected portion. The
options are All Members and Selection Set.
2. Use Selection Filter
Specifies whether the FrameWorks Plus Selection Filter should be used to filter
out members to be reported on. If on, all members are filtered, regardless of the
value of the Report on parameter. (Both All Members and Selection Set members
are filtered.)
3. Included Attached Models
If on and other model partitions are attached to the active model, these members
can be included in the material report. This item is disabled if no partitions are
attached.

Formatting Material Take-off Report

The format of the report is broken down into three sections as below

 Header
 Data
 Totals

The format of each section is controlled using a separate dialog box. These
dialog boxes are accessed by the Format pull down menu on the create Linear
Material Report dialog box. Each format dialog box provides an interactive visual
feedback area to show you the report format as it is currently defined.
Format Specifiers

In the dialog boxes that define the format, there are Format fields for each
reported attribute. These key-in fields are used to define a format specifier which
is used to generate the output characters for the specific attribute in the report.
These format specifiers use "C" language syntax for formatting the output. There
is a minimum required syntax for each specifier, which depends on the type of
data being formatted.
If the attribute data is numeric and integer for example the Item Number, Quantity
and ID attributes, your specifier must include the characters %d, which creates
an integer number for each item number.
If the attribute data is textual (a character string), as for the Name, Type and
Material attributes, the required format specifier is %s, which simply reports the
character string information from the model database.
For floating point (decimal) numeric data, such as your format specifier must
include some form of the %f specifier. This creates character output from a real
number. The accuracy or precision of the resulting output can be controlled by
inserting a precision qualifier in this format. For example, %0.3f creates character
representation of the real number with accuracy to three places to the right of the
decimal point, i.e.: 65.123. Similarly, a format specifier of %0.1f would result in
output of 65.1. As with the other specifiers, you can add an alphanumeric prefix
or suffix to the floating point specifiers.

Linear Report Header Format

The Formats > Header command is used to review or modify report header
format. If pagination is on the header section is the information printed at the top
of each page, or else it is printed once at the beginning of the report. The report
header can include up to 4 lines (rows) of information and has 6 possible report
fields that can be positioned anywhere on the 4 lines.
If the Report Width is large (greater than 85 columns) only part of the report is
visible in the list box at the bottom of the Report Header Format dialog box.
In order to see the remainder of the sample report output, select the <Left or
Right> buttons at the bottom to shift the display to the left or right.

Title

If the title option is on, the key-in field to the right is used to specify the title to be
used for the report. Any alphanumeric string up to 80 characters in length can be
given for the title.
Line Number
This specifies which line (row) of text in the report header section would include
the title. Possible line numbers are 1 through 4.
Starting Column
This gives the column in which the first character of the title is going to be placed.
Linear Report Data Format

The Formats > Data command is used to review or modify the format of the
report data. The report data section is the actual member information. Each
member attribute can be independently formatted and positioned on the report
line. The report data can be sorted by one or more sort keys in ascending
(increasing) or descending (decreasing) order.
In addition to the actual data output, this dialog box defines the Column Heading
for each attribute. The column heading is displayed at the top of each page and
can be one or two lines in length. Two line headings are specified by using a
backslash character (\) between the text for the first and second lines. For
example, Item\ No displays as Item No

Item Number

Turns on or off the item number field. This field sequentially numbers each line of
output information in the report. If this option is off, the three items to the right on
the dialog box which control the item number field and its position are disabled.
l. Format - Defines the format of the item number in the report. The minimum
required is %d, which creates an integer number.
2. Heading - Defines the column header for the item number attribute . Use a \ to
break the header to a second line.
3. Col - Specifies the position (column) of the first character in the item number.

Type

l. Sort - The Type field is a sortable attribute. This option lets you turn on or off
the sort feature for the type attribute. If on, sort specifies whether the types
should be sorted in increasing or decreasing order.
2. Key - If the Sort option is on, this field indicates the order of precedence that
the field takes during the sort procedure. A sort key value of 1 indicates that this
field is sorted first. The sort key values for all fields to be sorted must be
sequential (1, 2, 3, and so forth) and unique.
3. Format - Defines the format of the type field. The minimum required is %s,
which creates a character string that contains the member type (for example,
Beam, Column, and so forth).
4. Heading - Defines the column header for the type attribute. Use a \ to break
the header to a second line.
5. Col - Specifies the position (column) of the first character in the type number.
Linear Report Totals Format

The Formats > Totals command is used to define the format of the totals
information of the report. The totals are output at the end of the report, and can
optionally list the different weight classes, total number of members, and their
total length and weight. FrameWorks Plus does not track or calculate the weight
of fireproofing material (the same member with and without fireproofing will weigh
the same). Therefore, the total weight of a model does not include the weight of
fireproofing material.
Total Light Weight
Turns on or off the total weight display of Light Weight Class members.
1.Format - Defines the format specifier for the total weight value. The required
component of the specifier is %f, which outputs the total weight as a floating point
value.
2. Starting Column - Defines the position (column number) in the report output
line where the total light weight field will begin.

Customizing Report with the help of Preference Editor

The Preference Editor command defines dialog box preferences in a central

location. Using this command, you can create your own preference files, or edit
the two deliveried preference files to meet your company’s needs.
The delivered preference files are D:\win32app\ingr\fwplus\data\fw.rsc which is
used for models created using Imperial units and
D:\win32app\ingr\fwplus\data\fwm.rsc which is used for models created using
metric units.
From main pull down menu select File__ Preference Editor
File:
This displays the name of the resource file you want to edit. You can select an
existing resource file by using the Select button. You can create a new resource
file by using the Create button.
Name:
This displays the name of the preference.
Type:
This displays the type of preference. There are six preference types: View,
Material Report, Analytic Report, Plan Grid, Elevation Grid, and Material Report
(Solid).
New
This activates the Create Preference dialog box, which is used to create new
preferences in the active resource file.
Edit
Depending on which type of preference you have selected in the list, the edit
button activates one of these ten dialog boxes.
We will create one preference for material report
1. Select preference file fwm.rsc from D:\win32app\ingr\fwplus\data\.......( for
Metric Units).
2. Click on New key in preference Name Test and type Material Report, click
create.(Test will appear in the file list)
3. Select Test and click Edit to set the preferences. Now you are able to edit
options and change the settings.Save the changes you have made in the
Test.
4. Goto Utilities ___ Report___Linear___Material , Linear Material Report form
will open.
5. From file click on load list of preferences will appear select Test and click ok
6. You will find that the options you have selected in the preference file Test will
set in the present form.

Drawbacks

1. FrameWorks Plus does not calculate the weight of fireproofing material.

2. 20 database files generated during Frameworks project creation cannot be
edited. However we can customize within the delivered options.
3. The units specified for length need to be checked. The model units should be
checked and the same units should be selected for extracting reports. ( Select
proper source file as described earlier).

Conclusion

From the above the following is concluded

1. It possible to generate reports in any format .
2. It is easy to customize the report format by using format specifier.
3. It is possible to generate reports of identical items .
4. It is possible to generate report of the whole project within active model.