February 22, 2008 [VB MACRO USING OPENSTAAD]

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VB Macros in STAAD.Pro using OpenSTAAD
Contents
VB Macros in STAAD.Pro using OpenSTAAD ................................................................ 1
Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 1
What is the difference between an OpenSTAAD Results Object and an OpenSTAAD
Application object? ......................................................................................................... 1
How To Create a new VB Macro ................................................................................... 2
How To edit a predefined VB Macro ............................................................................. 2
To add a shortcut button on the toolbar .......................................................................... 3
What functions are available with the OpenSTAAD objects? ........................................ 5
Example of a Using a VB Macro with an OpenSTAAD Application Object in
STAAD.Pro ..................................................................................................................... 7
Structure Wizard ............................................................................................................. 8

Introduction
OpenSTAAD is the name for a set of functions that have been produced to allow users of
STAAD.Pro to obtain results from a STAAD analysis (using the OpenSTAAD Results
Object) or create STAAD.Pro model data (using the OpenSTAAD Application Object).

This document describes how the objects can be created and used



What is the difference between an OpenSTAAD Results Object
and an OpenSTAAD Application object?
STAAD.Pro supports two types of OpenSTAAD object.
1) Results Object. This is used to obtain data from a specific STAAD file from
inside another application such as Excel. Data such as the forces or displacements
can be obtained so that it can be used in the Excel calculations. An OpenSTAAD
Results object is created with the command:-
Set (objectname) =CreateObject("OpenSTAAD.Output.1")

This will need to be followed by a command to point to the STAAD.Pro data file
from which the results are to be extracted:-
(objectname).SelectSTAADFile "STAAD filename and path"

2) Application Object. This is used to work with a specific working instance of
STAAD.Pro and can be used to both read data and also create STAAD.Pro data.
An OpenSTAAD application object is created with the command:-
Set (objectname) =GetObject(,"StaadPro.OpenSTAAD")
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How To Create a new VB Macro
From the Edit menu, select, Create New VB Macro
This opens a dialog box to define the name and location to store the file.
Chose a folder location, enter a name and click on the New button.



This will start the file ready for the Macro to be written:-


The code should be written and saved.

How To edit a predefined VB Macro
From the Edit menu, select, Edit Existing VB Macro
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This opens a dialog box which should be used to navigate to the required VB Macro and
it is opened by double clicking on it or selecting it and clicking on the Open Button.


To add a shortcut button on the toolbar
The File toolbar has an icon called User Tools that can have items added:-


This is configured from the menu item, Tools>Configure User Tools. This opens a
dialog box thus:-



Begin by clicking on the New (Inset) button,
Enter a description that will appear in the User Tools menu and toolbar button.

February 22, 2008 [VB MACRO USING OPENSTAAD]


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Then either type in a full path to the VBS file or click on the button at the end of the
Command line and navigate to the file and click Open to enter the data onto the
Command line, thus:-


This will add the shortcut on the Tools menu, in a User Tools sub-menu, thus:-



As well as adding an icon that pops up when clicking on the User Tools toolbar icon,
thus:-


Selecting either option will launch the VB macro, Sample.VBS in this example.

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What functions are available with the OpenSTAAD objects?
The list of functions can be shown in the Object Browser icon:- , but first the
Reference needs to be added. This is done by right clicking to the right of the menu bar
and selecting the option, Edit>References:-


Each object has the list of available functions listed in these separate files:-
1) Results Objects, OpenSTAAD 1.0 Type Library (1.0)
2) Application Objects, OpenSTAADUI(1.0)

To view the functions, then click on the Browse Object Button and select the Library
for which the list of functions are required.

1) Results Objects, OPENSTAADLib (Select the data type output)
2) Application Objects, OpenSTAADUI

The list of functions are displayed in the Methods/Properties list. Selecting any of these
displays the parameters that are required including the data type.

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Example of a Using a VB Macro with an OpenSTAAD Application
Object in STAAD.Pro
This example shows how the application object can add a beam to a model 10 length
units vertically from the last node defined in the model.

1) Create a New Macro file as outlined above

2) Create an instance of an OpenSTAAD application object called oStd(see above)

Set oStd =GetObject(,"StaadPro.OpenSTAAD")

3) Check that STAAD.Pro is running by defining a string which will be used to contain
the name of the STAAD file and display the name is a messagebox:-

Dim stdFile as String
oStd.GetSTAADFile(stdFile,"TRUE")
If stdFile ="" Then
MsgBox "This macro can only be run with a valid STAAD file
loaded.", vbOkOnly
Set oStd =Nothing
Exit Sub
Else
MsgBox stdFile, vbOkOnly
End If

4) Get information about the current data in the file
Dim pnLastNode as Integer
Dim noMemb as Integer
Dim dX as Double
Dim dY as Double
Dim dZ as Double

pnLastNode =oStd.Geometry. GetLastNodeNo ()
noMemb =oStd.Geometry. GetLastBeamNo ()

oStd.Geometry.GetNodeIncidence pnLastNode, dX, dY, dZ

5) Add a new node 10 length units above the last node in the model
oStd.Geometry.CreateNode pnLastNode+1, dX, dY+10, dZ

6) Add the new beam
oStd.Geometry.CreateBeam noMemb +1, pnLastNode, pnLastNode+1

7) Close the OpenSTAAD object and end
Set oStd =Nothing
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End Sub
Structure Wizard
The Structure Wizard has the ability to add models which are defined parametrically
using a VB macro such as the two that are included


This is controlled by creating a Structure Wizard Application object
Set StwApp =GetObject (,"StWizard.Application")

Define the model nodes, beams, plates and solids and then passing the model to
STAAD.Pro with the commands:-

Where
Nodes are defined in sequence using an array of X-coordinates (as doubles), an array of
Y coordinates (as doubles) and an array of Z coordinates (as doubles). The node number
is assigned automatically be the sequence.

Beams are defined with a 2 dimensional array. The number of rows is determined by the
number of beams and there are three columns starting from column 0. Column 0 is beam
number (as an integer). Column 1 is the start node number (as an integer). Column 2 is
the end node number (as an integer).

Elements as defined in a similar way to beams, but the two dimensional array has 5
columns starting from column 0. The number of rows is determined by the number of
elements. Column 0 is element number (as an integer). Column 1 is the node A number
(as an integer). Column 2 is the node B number (as an integer). Column 3 is the node C
number (as an integer). Column 4 is the node D number (as an integer). For triangular
plates, this is a repeat of node C.
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Bricks also defined in a 2 dimensional array, but have 9 columns.


'Interface with Structural Wizard
StwApp.InterFace.AllocateMemory
StwApp.InterFace.SetModelName("name")

StwApp.InterFace.SetNoOfNodes(NumOfNodes)
StwApp.InterFace.SetNodes NodeX, NodeY, NodeZ

StwApp.InterFace.SetNoOfMembers(NumOfMembers)
StwApp.InterFace.SetMembers MembData

StwApp.InterFace.SetNoOfElements(NumOfElements)
StwApp.InterFace.SetElements ElementData

StwApp.InterFace.SetNoOfBricks(NumOfBricks)
StwApp.InterFace.SetBricks BrickData

StwApp.GenerateUserModel

The object should then be cleared up thus:-
Set StwApp =Nothing