Dumitru BERTEANU Graitec ROMANIA

Twisted folded plate length is calculated on the inner/outer/centre radiuses based on the state of the following default : Expansions method for unfold, found in GAM / General / General.

Curve beams have two lengths that can be displayed in BoMs : System length, which represents the length of the red axis. The system line position can be centred on the beam, or offcentred - based on the respective modelling, and also Section length. The value of this length is either the outer length, or a centre radius(not related to the system axis, the centre radius in this case will always reffers to the beam positon). To control this value, you need to check or uncheck the following default : "Curved beam length calculation method" (GAM/Beam/General).

Another good way to improve the speed is by using model views to isolate sections of the model (but without having to use XREFS or blocks). Informations can be found in the following FAQ : http://www.graitec.com/en/FAQ_view.asp?FAQID=959&Language=EN&Name=How+are+large+Advance+Steel+models+handled%3F

The hardware used fits the AS requirements. Other ways to improve the speed is also to have a model with no errors / few collisions. An error that can appear in the model and slows it down is specifically mentioned in the initial FAQ mentioned by Mihai, at point 8 (the cope can't be processed message). Try to avoid having this type of errors.

With the use of model views the speed of modelling will be greatly improved. When the whole model is visible, based on its size and the amount of objects, the speed can decrease as the objects are rendered real time. A good way to decrease the rendering time is to turn off the presentation of bolts (set them to system line only).

To force Advance Steel 2013 to always start with AutoCAD 2013, you need to add a new parameter to the program shortcut, in the "Target" field.

This parameter has the following format : /AcadVer R19.0\ACAD-B001:407.

The ACAD-B001:407 string is not common between different AutoCAD 2013 installations (it may vary based on language installation and package distribution), therefore you will need to identify which AutoCAD version do you have installed.

To do this, open "Windows Registry Editor" (type regedit in Windows Start menu), and browse to the registry :  HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Autodesk\AutoCAD\R19.0. Inside this folder you will have one or multiple folders with the names ACAD-B followed by numbers. If you have only one (like in this case, ACAD-B001:407), then you can use it in the shortcut parameter format. But, if you have multiple AutoCAD 2013 installations, then you need to identify which one is the one you want to use. You can do this by clicking on the respective folder, and checking in the right side if the paths for the various registries here target the folder where your AutoCAD 2013 is installed.

To add additional scales to be used by Drawing Style Manager, you need to add a new definition line in Scale table, as follows :

- open AstorBase table with a table editor (GAM / Table editor will also work). The table is found in C:\ProgramData\Graitec\Advance Steel\2013\Steel\Data\

- Open the table Scales

- Add a new line with the following parameters :

          Key - internal unique name. It can be the name of the scale as well.

          RunName - the name it appears at the interface, in your case 1/16"=1'

          Value - the value to which views are divided to obtain the correct scale. A 1/16"=1" scale will need the value 0.0625

          OwnerText - any of the existing owners.

          Drawing - the scale name that will appears in drawing labels and titles.

          Imperial - check this box to get the new scale avaliable on Advance Steel instalations that uses imperial units.

http://www.graitec.com/en/forum_post.asp?software=2&category=16&topic=1448&page=-1#3294.

The size of the dimension text is modificable from the dialog highlighted in the attached picture (the text size box is editable so you can input any value needed), while the precision set in Primary Unit tab can go down until 0 1/256"

To see the "Insert special part" button on the tool-palette, you need to scroll down in the respective tab, which is larger then the standard sized palette can display. On the right you can notice a small scroll bar.

Attachment: specialpartbutton.jpg

You can print to PDF the drawings with Document Manager / Batch plot.

For more information you can check the following FAQ : http://www.graitec.com/en/FAQ_view.asp?FAQID=489&Language=EN&Name=How+are+Advance+Steel+drawings+converted+to+PDF+files+%3F

If you are using Advance Steel on the Advance CAD platform and you don't have a PDF creator "printer", you can download and install PDFCreator.

If the respective dwg doesn't have AS objects, you can do the following :

- start AutoCAD alone.

- set the system variable "demandload" to value 2. This will not allow AS to load, when you open the respective dwg.

- copy/paste the whole dwg contents (you can select it with "Ctrl+A") to a new dwg, created with AutoCAD. Save that dwg.

- set "demandload" back to 3, and close AutoCAD.

- open AS 2012 and then open the dwg.

Make sure before you copy the contents of the dwg to the new one to not have any objects in it that have a name that starts with "AST". You can check the objects inside the dwg by using the CAD command : Quick Select.

In order to get the tool palette back, please do the following :
-    Close Advance Steel.
-    Open Registry Editor (type “Regedit” in Windows start menu dialog)
-    Browse to the following registry key : HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Graitec\AdvanceSteel\2013\Settings\Dialogs\GrPalette
-    Delete the “GrPaletteData” registry key inside this folder.
-    Start Advance Steel.
The GrPaletteData folder you’ve just deleted will be recreated during Advance Steel startup, with default values for the palette size, which will allow AS to display it correctly when started. With AS 2014 this issue will no longer appear.

The model will be investigated by the development team as the two plates in this case should get the same part mark. We'll get back to you with more information about this issue as soon as possible.

Also, for future notice : please add forum threads on the English section of Graitec Forum in English. Thank you.