Reinforcement symbols consist of graphic elements (lines, circles), texts (separators like slash or hyphen, the "-, /" Symbol) and attributes.
The attributes read the corresponding values from the reinforcement elements (bars and distributions) and allow placing reference marks on the distribution bars.
For example:
Attributes are inserted as normal text between angle brackets: "< Attribute >".
For example, attributes corresponding to the symbols shown above:
The most important attributes for the reinforcement symbols are the following:
| Attribute name | Function |
| < PositionNumber > | Position number |
| < Elementquantity > | Element quantity (with multiplication factor) |
| < RepartElementQuantity > | Quantitative distribution (without multiplication factor) |
| < DiameterName > | Diameter name |
| < ElementDistances > | Distances between the distribution elements |
| < Length > | Bar length |
| < MultiplicatorFactor > | Multiplication factor of the distribution (for example 2x) |
| < Label > | Label text for additional data. It is inserted in the bar definition and can be analyzed together with the label (for example, by location, deviation etc.) |
| < Label 2 > | |
| < Label 3 > |
The input mask for the attribute "Label*" can be found in the properties dialog of the bar definition:
The easiest way to create user-defined symbols is by modifying the existing ones. The existing reinforcement symbols are grouped by country and are available on the Windows drive, in the following folder:
\Documents and Settings\User\Application Data\Graitec\Advance Concrete\2010\Support\Symbol\Reinforcement\
In the selected folder, open one of the existing symbol templates and make the desired changes (e. g., the color). Save the modified file under a different name.
You can also create a new folder and save the new symbols under the name of the design office:
After creating the folder with the new symbols, you can access it from the Smartbar:
In Advance you have the option to create user-defined symbols using a specific function. This way you can create new symbols without accessing and modifying the existing ones.
Click the "Insert an attribute..." button. A new dialog box is displayed with all the attributes available in Advance. Creating a symbol using the "Create a symbol" tool is similar to the creation of a block in AutoCAD.