License &
Copyright iii
Table of Contents. v
About this Manual 7
Chapter 1 Introduction. 9
Automation. 9
VBA. 9
Object Models. 10
Uses of Automation. 10
What can’t I automate?. 10
Terminology. 11
Speed. 11
Code Samples. 11
Early and Late Binding. 12
Object Browser 13
Further Reading. 13
Chapter 2 The Multiframe Object Model 15
Collections, Objects and Lists. 15
Application Object 17
Preferences Object 17
Sections Library Object 17
Frame Object 18
Nodes and Elements. 19
Members. 19
Springs, Restraints and NodeMasses. 19
NodeLinkGroups. 20
LoadCases and the Loading objects. 20
GroupSets and Groups. 20
ProjectInfo. 21
The Analysis Objects. 21
Results Hierarchy. 21
Indices, Numbers and ID’s. 22
Common Properties and Methods. 22
Arrays. 24
Variant Parameters in Methods. 24
Chapter 3 Getting Started. 27
A Simple Macro. 27
A Basic Multiframe Script 27
Creating a Portal Frame. 28
Applying Loads. 31
Running an Analysis. 32
Units. 33
The Final Script 33
Chapter 4 Modelling the Frame. 35
Frame Object 35
Nodes. 38
Elements. 43
Restraints. 53
Springs. 55
Node Linking. 57
Node Masses. 60
GroupSets. 63
Groups. 64
Members. 67
Project Details. 71
Improving performance with lists. 72
Chapter 5 The Load Objects. 75
Load Cases. 75
Node Loads. 78
Prescribed Displacements. 80
Element loads. 81
Thermal Loads. 85
Deleting Loads. 87
Expression Parsing and Variants. 88
Chapter 6 Automating Analysis. 89
Linear Static Analysis. 90
Non-linear Static Analysis. 90
Modal Analysis. 92
Time History Analysis. 93
Chapter 7 Results Objects. 95
The Results Object 95
Result Cases. 96
Linear and Non-linear Results. 97
Modal Results. 98
Nodal Results. 99
Element Results. 101
Member Results. 107
Chapter 8 Sections Library. 109
SectionsLibrary Object 109
SectionGroup Object 111
Sections Object 113
Chapter 9 Preferences and Units. 119
Sign Conventions. 119
Units. 119
Chapter 10 Collections and Lists. 121
Collections. 121
Lists. 122
The Find Method. 126
Chapter 11 User Interface. 127
Selection Object 127
Chapter 12 Examples. 131
Reproducing Multiframes Data Window in Excel 131
Reproducing Multiframes Result Window in Excel 137
Customised Reporting using Word. 137
Appendix A Object Model Summary. 141
Objects. 141
Enumerated Types. 142
Index. 147