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Version: 18

Import Center

Starting with Consteel 18, the primary import functionalities have been relocated to the new Import Center, enhancing coordination between models from different sources and unifying the model import workflow.

Accessing the Import Center​

To begin, go to the File menu and select Import Center, or press the Ctrl+Shift+I hotkey to open the window.

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Steps to Import a Model​

1. Select File for Conversion​

  • In the Select Folder field, click the Browse button to choose the folder containing the importable files (.ifc, .xlsx, .smadsteel).
note

While browsing, files will not be visible in the folder. The browser only searches for folders and does not display files with other extensions.

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2. File Selection​

After selecting the folder, all the convertible files will appear in the main window:

  • The files can be organized alphabetically (A-Z) or by recent use. The view can be switched between grid or list formats.
  • The eye icon next to each file indicates whether the model can be previewed. Clicking on the model will activate the View Model button. Currently, only .ifc and .smadsteel files can be previewed.
  • The Import Center can identify the source of the files, indicated by icons in grid view and listed in the table in list view.
  • After selecting the file from which the model should be imported, press Next.

3. Conversion Process​

The conversion takes place at this step, as indicated by the top bar. Please note that the process may take a few seconds, especially for more complex models.

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The conversion method converts each format into .smadsteel using a multi-level approach:

  • A user-defined tabular file matches cross-sections by name.
  • If no match is found, the cross-section is created based on the parametric section macro from the source model.
  • If still unsuccessful, the section is replaced with a placeholder.

4. Review Conversion and Import​

  • By activating the Show Previews option, the converted model can be viewed in the Consteel workspace.
  • The position of the imported model can be adjusted by pressing Change and defining the new origin coordinates, which will specify the position of the bottom-left corner of the bounding box. This can be done either by clicking in the Consteel workspace or by setting the coordinates manually. When finished, press Set.

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Importing the Model​

  • After setting the origin, the imported model can be placed by pressing the Import button.

5. Documentation Tab​

At the Documentation tab, a comprehensive log will provide a detailed summary of the conversion process.

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This feature is not yet available but is planned to be implemented soon.