When you wish to add beams or columns to an existing frame, you may find it easier to use the Extrude command rather than drawing the new members with the mouse.  The Extrude command allows you to project a member or group of members in any of the global axis directions from existing joints.  For example, you could draw a floor plan and then extrude the columns up from it or you could extrude the beams out from a wall frame you have drawn.

To extrude members from the frame

§    Select the joints in the frame to be extruded

§    Choose Extrude… from the Geometry menu

A dialog box will appear with fields for the direction and dimension of the extruded members.

§    Enter the length of the extruded members in the appropriate direction

§    Click the OK button

If you leave the Connect to existing check box checked, Multiframe will automatically create a connection between the selected joints and the extruded members.  It will also connect the extruded members to any existing members in the frame if they lie within a 0.2 in (5mm) tolerance of the ends of the existing members.