Technical Information
How to use User EEDs (User extended entity data)
ProStructures has the ability to add, maintain and utilise User defined database Fields.
Through this technology, any Type on non graphical Information, like Price, Producer and so
on, can be added to each part, and can be used in the Positioning and in the Partlist.
There are three Steps to use User EEDS.
1. Declare the Use of User EEDs in the central Configuration.
2. Define the Type, Form und Format of the required Data fields.
1. Declare the Use of User EEDs.
In the Main Configuration file, a line must be defined, which tells the system which USEREED
Definition file to use. (Exampleed file Pro_st3d.eed is delivered with the software but not
activated)
Example activated by using the entry (ProStructures S2 is installed in D: with AutoCAD2009):
DATAPATH=D:\Program Files\Bentley\ProStructures\V8i_S2\AutoCAD 2009\Data
TEMPPATH=D:\Program Files\Bentley\ProStructures\V8i_S2\AutoCAD 2009\Temp
TEMPLATEPATH=D:\Program Files\Bentley\ProStructures\V8i_S2\AutoCAD 2009\Varia
DETAILPATH=D:\Program Files\Bentley\ProStructures\V8i_S2\AutoCAD 2009\Detail
NCPATH=D:\Program Files\Bentley\ProStructures\V8i_S2\AutoCAD 2009\Nc
UserEED=D:\Program Files\Bentley\ProStructures\V8i_S2\AutoCAD 2009\Pro_St3d.EED
GroupUserEED=D:\Program Files\Bentley\ProStructures\V8i_S2\AutoCAD
2009\Pro_st3d.EED
BLOCKCENTERPATH=D:\Program Files\Bentley\ProStructures\V8i_S2\AutoCAD
2009\Localised\English\UserBlocks
FACTORYSETTINGSPATH=D:\Program Files\Bentley\ProStructures\V8i_S2\AutoCAD
2009\FactorySettings
USERSHAPES=D:\Program Files\Bentley\ProStructures\V8i_S2\AutoCAD
2009\Data\UserShapes
ROOFWALLPANELS=D:\Program Files\Bentley\ProStructures\V8i_S2\AutoCAD
2009\Data\RoofWall
COMBISHAPES=D:\Program Files\Bentley\ProStructures\V8i_S2\AutoCAD
2009\Data\CombiShapes
WELDSHAPES=D:\Program Files\Bentley\ProStructures\V8i_S2\AutoCAD
2009\Data\WeldShapes
Note that you can use only one definition of UserEEDs at the same time. It is possible to add
several Definitions of UserEEDS to parts, but you can use only the ones, which definition is
declared. The File USEREED.EED is an ASCII Field, containing Format and Field
descriptions for the UserEED. The Format is explained later.
2. Define the Type Form and Format of the UserEEDS
The File, to which the entry in the Configuration points to, is an ASCII File, which contains the
Description and Format of the Fields, and Predefined Values.
The First definition must be the Declaration of the UserEED Name. This name should be
carefully chosen to make sure, it will not be Doubles. The EEDS inside AutoCAD are
identified by this Name. If a double Definition with different Formats will occur, the EEDS will
be destroyed. The Name must not be longer than 30 Chars, and must not contain any special
Characters or Blanks.
IDENTSTRING=MyOwnPersonalUserEEDDefinitions;
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Following are Blocks of Field descriptions, which must follow the outlined Rules here.
An example for a simple Char Field Definition.
FIELDDESCRIPTIONSTART;
FIELDNAME=Field1;
FIELDLENGTH=22;
FIELDTYPE=Char;
PARTLIST=Yes;
PARTCHECK=No;
FIELDDESCRIPTIONEND;
Each Block starts with a FIELDDESCRIPTIONSTART; and end with a
FIELDDESCRIPTIONEND;
The FIELDNAME declares the Name of this Field. The Length is limited to 30 Chars, and
must not include any Blanks or special Characters.
The Field Length tells the system how much space is reserved for this field. It must be given
only at FIELDTYPE Char, and List. At Type Int and Double, this field will be ignored.
FIELDTYPE declares the Type of the required Field.
You can use one of the following Types:
Char
A Character string, where the User can freely Input any Data
List
A Character string, where input is restricted to given List Items
Int
Integer Variable like 1023
Double
Floating Point Variable like 1023.456
The Type of the Field must be given exactly in this form. The Field is case sensitive.
A Field Type Double, there is additionally the possibility to define the Number of Subzero
Digits via the PRECISION Definition
For List Fields, a List of Restricted Values must be given, where the User can choose from.
This is done via several RESTRICTVALUE Definitions.
An Example for a List Field:
FIELDDESCRIPTIONSTART;
FIELDNAME=Field2;
FIELDTYPE=List;
FIELDLENGTH=4;
DEFAULTVALUE=RAL;
RESTRICTVALUE= ;
RESTRICTVALUE=RAL;
RESTRICTVALUE=E6;
RESTRICTVALUE=FEVZ;
PARTLIST=Yes;
PARTCHECK=No;
FIELDDESCRIPTIONEND;
Note that the Default value can be given by using the DEFAULTVALUE Definition.
An Example for an Int Field:
FIELDDESCRIPTIONSTART;
FIELDNAME=Field3;
FIELDTYPE=Int;
PARTLIST=Yes;
PARTCHECK=No;
FIELDDESCRIPTIONEND;
An example for a Double Field:
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FIELDDESCRIPTIONSTART;
FIELDNAME=Field4;
PRECISION=2;
FIELDTYPE=Int;
PARTLIST=Yes;
PARTCHECK=No;
FIELDDESCRIPTIONEND;
You can define maximal 128 Fields. The Fieldname must be unique; it’s not allowed to use a
name twice or more.
The Order of the Fields is optional. The Order of appearance in the Data Entry mask depends
not on the Order given here.
To influence the System behaviour, on how to utilise the UserEED Fields, You can define if
the Fields are recognised in the Equal Part Detection. You use the following Definition:
PARTCHECK=No;
You can give either Yes or No. If the Field is Yes, the System checks the content of this field
to decide if the Parts are equal or not.
To use these Fields in the Partlist, you can define the following:
PARTLIST=Yes;
You can give either Yes or No. If the Field is Yes, the User can select this Field for Partlist
Output.
Note that you must declare the Fieldname here for the required Field to enter. These Names
must match, and the Definitions are Case Sensitive.
3. Example
The following Example produced the following Results.
3.1The entry in the Configuration file.
USEREEDPFAD= D:\Program Files\Bentley\ProStructures\V8i_S2\AutoCAD
2009\Prg\Example.eed
3.2 The content of the EED File.
FIELDDESCRIPTIONSTART;
FIELDNAME=Partnumber;
FIELDLENGTH=15;
FIELDTYPE=Char;
PARTLIST=Yes;
PARTCHECK=Yes;
FIELDDESCRIPTIONEND;
FIELDDESCRIPTIONSTART;
FIELDNAME=Drawingnumber;
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FIELDLENGTH=8;
FIELDTYPE=Char;
PARTLIST=Yes;
PARTCHECK=Yes;
FIELDDESCRIPTIONEND;
FIELDDESCRIPTIONSTART;
FIELDNAME=Articlenumber;
FIELDLENGTH=15;
FIELDTYPE=Char;
PARTLIST=Yes;
PARTCHECK=Yes;
FIELDDESCRIPTIONEND;
FIELDDESCRIPTIONSTART;
FIELDNAME=Unitprice;
FIELDLENGTH=10;
FIELDTYPE=Double;
PRECISION=2
PARTLIST=Yes;
PARTCHECK=No;
FIELDDESCRIPTIONEND;
FIELDDESCRIPTIONSTART;
FIELDNAME=Supplier;
FIELDLENGTH=12;
FIELDTYPE=List;
DEFAULTVALUE=ABC-Steel;
RESTRICTVALUE=ABC-Steel;
RESTRICTVALUE=US-Structural;
RESTRICTVALUE=Ara-Lor;
RESTRICTVALUE=Steel-Mil;
PARTLIST=Yes;
PARTCHECK=Yes;
FIELDDESCRIPTIONEND;
Start of the System
At Start-up, the following message appears, to indicate the Ueeds had been recognised,
initialised and are ready to work.
Read Part User Ueeds = D:\Program Files\Bentley\ProStructures\V8i_S2\AutoCAD
2009\Prg\Example.eed Success
Read Group User Ueeds = D:\Program Files\Bentley\ProStructures\V8i_S2\AutoCAD
2009\PRG\Example.eed Success
The Data Entry mask
At the Property Dialog, the UEED Button is open, and pressing results in the following
additional Dialog.
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1. The Partlist Editor Data Entry Mask is only available inside ProSteel (text based Partlist
editor).
2. The EED Partlist data are appended to the rows in the Partlist file. You can make use of
the fieldnames defined above to build up your Partlist definition: (see the column in the
middle with the field names Partnumber, .. Supplier )
3.
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