SCALE USER’S MANUAL CONTENTS INTRODUCTION USE OF FILES THE LIBRARY OF PROFORMAS UNDERSTANDING A PROFORMA DRAWING BM & SF DIAGRAMS USING A PROFORMA Buttons and menu bars Editing data Scrolling Selecting an option Responding to the prompts Saving calculations and input data BM DIAGRAMS FOLLOWED BY A PROFORMA1. INTRODUCTION SCALE is a computer program for producing neatly composed pages of structural engineers’ calculations for the design of a variety of components such as beams, columns and slabs SCALE incorporates a library of proforma calculations, any of which may be selected for use when SCALE is run. The content of this library is continually under review, proformas being added or modified as codes of practice develop and change. A typical proforma calculation is shown in figure 1. The proforma itself has the same logical form but with question marks in place of numbers. When a line with question marks is displayed on the screen the user of the proforma enters a number from the keyboard to replace the question marks. In addition to proforma calculations SCALE can be made to draw bending moment and shear force diagrams with values at intervals along the length of a beam or column. An example of such a diagram is shown in figure 2; it is made on a conventional printer, requiring no special plotter. Whereas data for proforma calculations are entered from the keyboard (to replace question marks), data needed to draw bending moment and shear force diagrams are abstracted automatically from two disk files. The first of these would contain data prepared for analysis by program NL-STRESS; the second would contain the arrays generated by NL-STRESS whilst making this analysis For a few calculations (for example the design of a beam to a British Standard) SCALE employs a combination of both methods of acquiring data discussed above: the length of beam and the forces and moments induced at its ends are abstracted from a disk file; the remaining data are prompted by question marks in a proforma displayed on the screen SCALE also gives access to LUCID and SPADE which are computer programs for producing reinforced concrete details and structural steelwork details respectively. Both programs work in the same way as SCALE except that the output is an Ad drawing which may be sent directly to a Laserjet printer which supports HPGL (Hewlett Packard Graphics Language) or printed on a variety of other printers using the DOTMAT utility of LUCID. Prior to printing, the details may be edited using TAPE (Translator And Plot Editor) or translated into DXF (AutoCad's Drawing eXchange Format) for inclusion in any other CAD system.NG NEERS & RK TECTS CO PARTNERSHIP Page: 1 101 HIGH STREET PEVERILL DORSET Made by: DNB Jot NEW CIVIC CENTRE Date: 12.6.91 ANCILLARY BUILDING Ref No: 91234 Location: Bdge trimmer to Ist floor -2 Section properties of channel 1 1 i i i i i i i I i i 1 i i 1 i i i 1 i i i 1 Depth of section i Width of section ‘i i Thickness of web 8.6 mm 1 i i i i i i 1 i 1 i i 1 i I I i i i 1 i i i 1 i i i Thickness of flange 113.3 mn Part area a2=2*BAT =2488.9*13.3 364.7 mm2 Part area D=2¥T) At (228..6-2*13.3)*8.6 737.2 mm2 Area of section tan! 364.7+1737.2 =4101.9 mm2 Shear area in y dirn AY=DKE, -228.6*8.6 1966 m2 Shear area in z dirn Al=a2*5/6 364. 7*5/6 970.6 mm2 Neutral axis depth n= (az4B/2+az"*t/2) /AX (2364.7*88.9/2+1737.2*8.6/2) /4101.9 27.446 mm Inertia about yy axis TY=(D#N83+2#T* (Bon) 93- (not) *3* (D-2 1/3 (228. 6*27.44673+2*13.3* (88.9 27.446) *3- (27.446-8. 6) “3* (228.6 =2*13.3))/3 3182541 mn4 Figure 1. Typical proforma calculationNG NEERS & RK TECTS CO PARTNERSHIP 101 HIGH STREET PEVERILL DORSET Job: NEW CIVIC CENTRE ANCILLARY BUILDING MEMBER 1: Moments about axis Z 1: B.M.scale 2 end 267.990 1 203.291 123 1 143.991 2 3 1 105.961 21 3I 35.328 2a 1 66.495 ie 49.462 A] 34.229 21 20.796 i 9.163 i £000 2 +000 12 +000 12 +000 12 +000 12 1000 12 000 12 +000 12 +000 12 +000 1213 ‘000 1 start MEMBER 1: Shear forces in direction ¥ : $.F.sc; 2 end -000 +000 1 1000 i 000 i +000 1 +000 i +000 i +000 i +000 12a i i i 3 Piast 31 31 :000 1000 1000 6.223 24.223 3112 42.223, 312 60.223 a 2 78.223, ieee 96.223 31 21 114.223 132.223 150.223 1 start Figure 2. Typical BM & SF diagrans ale 31 31 31 2 DWE: 12.6.91 91234 -000=1 om -000 2000 2000 1000 29.872 68.505 101.738 329.871 152.004 169.037 180.670 186.903 187.736 183.169, 173.202 157.835 137.068 110.901 79.334 42.367 2000 50.000=1 cm 224.665 206.665 188.665 170.665, 152.665 134.665 116.665 98.665 80.665, 62.665, 44.665 26.665 47.777 41.777 5.777 000 +000 7000 2000 £000 20002. USE OF FILES Tn general, the SCALE program prompts for a file name which has the extension :DAT and creates a new file of the same name but with .CAL as its extension. For example if SCALE were given the name GEORGE.DAT the calculations would be found in a new file named GEORGE.CAL. The pages of results in the calculations file (.CAL) are given headings copied from the data file (.DAT). The sole purpose of the data file is to provide such headings. (The page numbering, however, is not copied from the data file but given independently as later described.) After selecting the Scale button, respond with the name of a data file e.g. 702.DAT. An existing data file may be nominated, or a new one created. The information is stored on on disk, a typical data file C702.DAT - as supplied ~ contains: STRUCTURE NG NEERS AND R K TECTS CO PARTNERSHIP STRUCTURE 101 HIGH STREET PEVERILL DORSET STRUCTURE JOB: NEW CIVIC CENTRE STRUCTURE ANCILLARY BUILDING MADEBY DWB DATE 27.10.02 REFNO 98123, once the name of a data file has been given to the program, pressing RETURN in response to the prompt for the name of the data file tells the computer to use the previous name again. When SCALE is terminated in a normal manner, the responses typed in by the user to replace the prompts are not lost; but are saved in a file of the same name as the proforma file but with extension .STK (standing for Stack of values). For example after running the proforma $C210.PRO, the stack of values last used Would be found in a new file named $C210.STK. When SCALE is restarted and proforma 210 is again requested, then providing the user has responded 0 to suppress the example defaults, those values previously given will be offered. The .STK file thereby saves the user the need to retype loading and material properties which are standard for the job. In summary: - on entering SCALE a file must be nominated, its name having .DAT as its extension. This file should contain headings for the calculations to be produced by the SCALE program - if a DAT file is not already present, give a new name in response to the prompt and type the page heading = anew file is created by the SCALE program as a destination for calculations or error messages; this new file has the same name as that described above but with .CAL as its extension - when SCALE is terminated normally, the responses typed in for loading and material properties etc. are saved in a .STK file and are available the next time SCALE is run.3. THE LIBRARY OF PROFORMAS on entry to SCALE the screen displays options numbered 1) 2) 3).... with a few words against each option. Option 1 is special, the words being 'BM 6 SF diags only’. Selection of option 1 causes the SCALE program to ask for a range of members in a structure previously analysed, then to draw the bending moment and shear force diagrams for each member in the given range. An example is shown in figure 2. This manual does not list available proformas because the library is always changing. However, the reader may print the current lists by selecting option 966. The proformas are files having the names SC070.PRO, SCO71.PRO, SCO72.PRO, where the digits (always three) following SC constitute the option-number discussed above. As a further example, option 210 signifies a proforma stored in the file named SC210.PRO. (LUCID and SPADE proformas are stored in files which commence with LU and SP respectively.) The reader may display any proforma from within the program by giving the switch /P following the option number. The proforma may then be printed. The complete list of proformas - as supplied - may be found in the SCALE Reference Manual. The SCALE program automatically looks for proformas in four different directories viz: = the current directory, and if not found then = the \SAND directory, and if not found then = a directory called \FORM, and if not found then Hy Thus the user may keep the issued set of proformas in directory \FORM or \SAND, and his edited version in his working directory (the current directory) which will be accessed firstly. s. UNDERSTANDING A PROFORMA SCALE is an ensemble of over 400 programs for structural design. Each takes the form of a text file - written using a simple notation for control (ref: The Computer Journal, Volume 33, No 4, 1990 entitled ‘PRAXIS: A Program for Reproducing Proforma Design Calculations’ by Alcock § Brown). This chapter gives a description of the main features of the PRAXIS notation. Engineers who Wish to write their own profozmas should run option 968 in SCALE to print out the full PRAXIS manual. A proforma is a 'form' with empty spaces (signified by question marks) for the substitution of numbers. When the missing numbers are entered from the keyboard the computer performs the arithmetic specified by plus signs, brackets etc. and 30 completes the calculation. ‘The proforma is copied to the calculation file as each line is completed. The concept is simple, most proformas being self explanatory as a result, but less obvious features are explained below. Many codes of practice provide tables in which values have to be looked up. Such tables may be included in proformas. They are introduced by the word STORE. In general, three numbers follow the word STORE; the table reference number, number of rows, number of columns. Then follow the tabulated values,including an extra row and column of ‘headings’ by which values may be looked up. Values in a table of rows and colunne aze abstracted by two-way interpolation if look-up values do not precisely match those in the headings The tables, if any, precede the word START. After the word START the proforma is copied line by line to the calculations file, with numbers substituted, values looked up in tables, arithmetic performed as appropriate. But certain special symbols (namely ! % ? / +) specify special actions as explained below. An exclamation mark signifies that the rest of its line (including the exclamation mark) is not to be copied to the calculations file. This symbol is used to precede comments which are nat to be reproduced among the results. A percentage sign at the start of a line signifies that the line is to be copied to the screen but not to the calculations file. In other words the line is to serve as a prompt to the user of SCALE. A group of one or more question marks causes the line to be displayed on the screen and stops execution until a response is typed. What is typed then replaces the question marks, the updated line being displayed for verification. This is the fundamental mechanism for providing a proforma with data from the keyboard. A slash or oblique stroke at the start of a line followed by a number (e.g. /10) signifies that a new page is to be started if there is not sufficient space on the current page to print the given number of lines (10 in the example). This mechanism thereby provides a means to prevent diagrams from being split between two pages in the finished calculations. A proforma is characterised by equations with ‘variables’. An example is +x-2 in which x names a variable. A variable may be thought of as a box which has a name and a content. In this case the box is named x; the plus sign in the above formula tells the program, whilst processing this line, to put the value 2 into the box named x for subsequent use. A plus sign in front of an ‘expression' tells the program to substitute values found in the nominated boxes and do the arithmetic. for example +x*3 would cause 6 to be sent to the calculations file in place of +x*3 (assuming x still contained 2). In general a plus sign precedes an ‘equation’ in which there is a variable on the left and an expression on the right. For example: tne (az4B/2+az'*t/2) /AX The plus sign tells the program to evaluate the expression as described above and also to assign the resulting value to the variable on the left. These operations are performed in stages. The following three lines are typical of what would be sent to the calculations file: az*B/2taz"*t/2) /AX = (2364. 7*88.9/2+1737.2*8.6/2) 4101.9 27.446 In simpler cases there would be fewer than three steps. Names of variables (b, alpha, betai, x') always start with a letter and are limited in length to six characters, The characters allowed are letters, digits and apostrophe.Arithmetical expressions may involve functions, The following functions aze available: ABS, INT, SGN, LOG, EXP, SOR, DEG, RAD, SIN, ASN, COS, ACS, TAN, ATN, SNH, CSH, TNH as defined in the NL-STRESS user's manual. Arithmetical expressions comprise terms (a term is the name of a variable, a number or a function) bound together with operators * * / + -. These operators are shown in order of precedence but this precedence may be overridden by Including brackets; for example 2*3+4 reduces to 10 but 2*(3+4) reduces to 14 as would be expected. Lines of the proforma beginning with the word IF, REPEAT or DEFINE are not copied to the calculations file, they introduce ‘control structures’ which determine which line is to be copied next. These control structures are now explained. TP, ELSE, ENDIF: Each of these words occupies a line of the proforma. Following the word IF comes a Boolean expression; for example IF x>3. The result of such an expression is true or false. If the result is true, lines of the proforma between IF and ELSE are copied, those between ELSE and ENDIF being ignored. (Phe word ELSE may be omitted, in which case it may be assumed to come inmediately before the word ENDIF.) REPEAT, UNTIL, ENDREPEAT: Each of these words occupies a line of the proforma. The line beginning UNTIL may be placed anywhere between REPEAT and ENOREPEAT. After the word UNTIL comes a Boolean expression; for example UNTIL a>=3. The action is as follows: Lines between REPEAT and ENDREPEAT are copied in the usual way. When the UNTIL line is met the Boolean expression is evaluated. If the result is true the remaining lines down to ENDREPEAT are ignored; the program goes straight to the line following ENDREPEAT. If the result is false the lines down to ENDREPEAT are copied, then the lines following REPEAT. In other words control goes back round the loop. Lines of the loop are copied again and again until the Boolean expression becomes true. DEFINE, ENDDEFINE: After the last line to be copied should come a line containing the word STOP. After STOP may come more lines of the proforma between the words DEFINE and ENDDEFINE. Such a group of lines is called a "procedure' and is given a name after the introductory word DEFINE; for example DEFINE myproc. Anywhere in the proforma between START and STOP there may be a Line consisting of the name of a procedure (e.g. myproc). then the progran meets such a line it effectively replaces the name of the procedure with the Lines of the procedure declared between DEFINE and ENDDEFINE. The last line of a proforma is always FINISH. s. DRAWING BM & SF DIAGRAMS The dialogue below makes the SCALE program draw bending moment and shear force diagrams for selected members of a structure. This is possible only if that structure has already been analysed by NL-STRESS. In this example the file of data used for the analysis was named C702.DAT. The analysis produced an ‘arrays’ file named C702.ARR. Here is the dialogue:SCALE *** Structural CALculations Ensemble *** Name of data file? (8 to stop) 702. DAT {amend page headings if necessary) 1) BM & SF diags only The list of options is not reproduced for reasons already explained. (Your current list may be printed by executing, from DOS, the command COPY \SAND\SCALE.MNU PRN). The dialogue continues with the selection of option 1 which Ls special: Option number from above list? 1 First member? (RETURN for 1) 6 Last member? (RETURN for highest numbered) 7 Start page number? (RETURN for page number displayed) 20 The program would now create a calculations file named C702.CAL and start the page numbering at 27. Page headings would be copied from C702.DAT. Forces and other data needed for the plots would be abstracted from C702.ARR. A typical plot of envelopes is shown in figure 2. In addition to the values plotted, values of maximum and minimum deflection, dimensions and properties of the member, and maximum and minimum axial loads are tabulated. In space frames two plots are made per member so as to show results relative to the local 2 axis as well as to the local y axis The diagrams define envelopes; a worst positive and worst negative result at each point along the member. The lines of the diagram are seen to be composed of digits. Digit 1 signifies that this value arises from loading case 1, digit 2 that the value arises from loading case 2 etc. (for load cases 10-35 the letters A-Z are used and for load cases 36 onwards the letters a-z). s. USING A PROFORMA Most proformas start with the word ‘Location’ followed by 2727?. The purpose of this prompt is to enable you to type in a response such as ‘Beam on grid line B1-B3' and thereby locate the calculation. If you wish, you may press RETURN alone to omit the location information and fill it in by hand at a later date. If you choose to type in some information, you will type it below the highlighted prompt line. On pressing RETURN or Enter, the prompt line is then reproduced for reassurance and with the highlight switched off. If you have a colour screen, the prompt lines are boxed and are shown in blue text on a whit background? on completion the reproduced lines have yellow text on a blue background. Generally yellow text on a blue background denotesinformation used to build the detail; black text on a green background denotes help information only. The second prompt is usually the offer of a set of default values. Default values are values which are provided so that you can go through the calculation and see what information is needed without having to type in sensible values yourself. The default values are often taken from some published work. Accept the default values by pressing RETURN (or Enter) as many times as necessary to get you through the calculation to the end. If you wish to change one of the default values, type a replacement beneath the value offered before pressing RETURN. 6.1 Buttons and menu bars SCALE includes ‘buttons' which may be ‘clicked on’. SCALE may be controlled by mouse and keyboard or by keyboard alone. Tf a mouse is installed, the screen shows the mouse cursor positioned near the bottom right corner of the screen. As you move the mouse over a horizontal surface the cursor moves correspondingly over the surface of the screen. To select a button, or to locate the cursor in a field, move the cursor to the entity concerned and ‘click’ the mouse. ‘Click’ means press one of the mouse buttons. If no mouse is installed SCALE may be controlled entirely from the keyboard The currently selectable button, or the currently selectable menu option, is ‘highlighted’. The highlight may be moved to another location as later described. Unless you are responding to a prompt, a ‘menu bar' is ranged across the bottom of the screen, each button in the bar being labelled dependent on the stage of the calculations. A ‘button’ is a small box containing a label such as Continue or Stop. Selecting a button causes something to happen, such as displaying the calculation, accepting the value displayed, going back a stage in the calculations, or other such action. What the program does should be obvious from the context. To ‘select’ a button: = type its higlighted letter, if any, on the keyboard, or = click the button with the mouse, or - highlight the desired button as below and press RETURN. The highlight may be moved as follows: = to move it to the right in a row of buttons press the grey right arrow key or the Tab key, or = to move it to the left in a row of buttons press the grey left arrow key or Shigt+Tab keys, ox - to move it with the mouse, locate the mouse cursor over the button. When a character is typed on the keyboard but is not recognised as the initial letter of 2 button, SCALE assumes that data is being given in response to the prompt for a text field The actions caused by selecting a button are now described. The button name is followed by 2 description of the action. LUCID: causes the LUCID program to he invoked, click on SCALE when in LUCID to return to SCALE.SPADE: causes the SPADE program to be invoked, click on SCALE when in SPADE to return to SCALE. Continue: causes SCALE to use the data displayed. Edit data: the menu bar at the foot of the screen disappears and the cursor is positioned at the start of each prompt for the user to edit the data (as described below) or to press RETURN to accept any displayed value. Quick data: the menu bar at the foot of the screen disappears and the cursor is positioned at the start of each prompt for the user to edit the data (as described below) or ta press RETURN to accept any displayed value. The two special responses i.e. D for display or < to go back a stage in the calculations are available at all times when responding to the SCALE prompt. Display: displays the calculation produced so far. Control of the display may be by the grey cursor movement keys for scrolling up or scrolling down and the PageUp and PageDown keys, or by clicking the mouse on the scroll bar or clicking on the buttons at the foot of the display, or by typing D for Down, U for Up or 8 to Stop the display. When ‘Display’ is selected, a sub menu bar appears at the foot of the screen containing the buttons ‘Down', 'Up' or ‘Stop’. Selecting "Stop" causes the sub-menu bar to be replaced by the main menu bar. Edit: the sub-menu bar shown when Display is selected contains an Edit button. Select this button to add to or edit the current calculation. The editing deliberately prevents you from adding or deleting lines which would upset the Paging; the facility allows additional notes and explanations to be added in the ‘white space’ available and thereby to 'particularise’ the calculation for the job. Press the ‘Escape’ key to leave Edit mode When the calculation is complete: Return: returns control to the start of the SCALE program. Stop: stops SCALE and returns control to the invoking program. File: give a valid pathname e.g. A:C702.CAL to file the current calculation under that name. Print: select this button to print out the current calculation. Changes: causes a sub menu to appear offering: Normal cale produces normal calculation. Condensed. vss condensed . : summary seeeeees summary SA0GH Proforma displays Proforma to view or print. variables displays table of variables and line numbers. 6.2 Editing data The first typed character appears at the current cursor position, the cursor stepping one place rightwards to make room for the next. Move the cursor by Pressing either of the grey left or right arrow keys, or by locating the mouse cursor at the desired position and clicking one of the mouse buttons. To delete the character under the cursor, press Delete. To delete the character to the left of the cursor (and drag the rest of the item one positionleftwards), press Backspace. (The label on this key is typically a backwards arrow but do not confuse with the left arrow key.) When the cursor is a flashing rectangle, the characters you type are inserted into the field at the cursor position, the rest of the item is shunted to the right. When the cursor is a flashing underscore, each character you type obliterates the character under the cursor. The cursor then ateps one position to the right. Change from overstrike mode to insertion mode and vice versa by pressing Insert. Ctrl+U pressed at any position in a field clears all characters to the right of cursor position, including the character under the 6.3 Scrolling Most usere will instinctively know how to operate the scroll bars. If you are new to Windows you can view the contents of any list box by pressing the page up and page down keys or cursor up and cursor down (grey) keys. The size of window on the screen is too small to show all the SCALE menu or pages of calculations at once. Such windows have a ‘scroll bar’ along their right vertical edge. In general, a scroll bar has a shaded portion at the top, a small contrasting portion in the middle denoting location in the file being displayed, and a shaded portion at the bottom. At the top of the scroll bar is a little box with an upward pointing arrow; similarly there is a downward pointing arrow at the bottom. An absence of shading at the top of the scroll bar indicates the absence of rows above the window; similarly for shading at the bottom of the scroll bar. To reveal lines hidden above the top edge of the window: click the mouse in the Little box with the upward pointing arrow, or press the Page Up key on the keyboard. Take similar, but converse, actions to reveal lines hidden below the bottom edge of the window. To get to the start of the menu or calculation, click the mouse just below the top arrow in the scroll bar. Take similar, but converse, action to get to the end of the menu or calculation. Clicking within the scroll bar at some proportion down from the top arrow positions the display at that proportion from the start of the file. 6.4 Selecting an option Select option 70 which implies the proforma stored in the file named SCO70.PRO. Locate the option by pressing the Page Up or Fage Down keys or cursor up or cursor down (grey keys) or by Scrolling - see above. When the highlight is on option 70, press RETURN to select it. (Option 70 is a special proforma for test purposes ~ it computes the section properties of a channel. The library of proformas is continually being updated.) In the dialogue below the option number is followed by the switch /C to request Condensed printout. Option number or filename of proforma? ($ to Stop) o70/¢ Start page number? (RETURN for page number displayed) qAssuming you have given the name C702.DAT as the data file containing page headings, then the program would now create a new file named C702.CAL for the calculations and give the starting page number as 1. The program would then open the file SCO70.PRO and process this proforma line by line, copying each completed line to C702.CAL. The option requested may be followed by a switch selected from the following: /C to provide a Condensed printout - typically 70% of the length of a full printout /8 to provide a Summary - typically half a page (the summary is only available for certain options) JN to reset the output to Normal mode after it has been changed to Condensed or Summary mode /® to display the Proforma itself on the screen. The page number may be changed to any integer number or it may have an upper case letter prefix e.g. FCS/3, which would cause pages to be numbered FCS/3, FCS/4, FCS/S or it may be given as 0 which will omit page numbering, leaving it for later manual insertion. For those who wish to use SCALE & NL~ STRESS with their own preprinted stationery, enter the ‘Start page number’ as f. The # causes the top four lines of each page to be left empty. 6.5 Responding to the prompts Processing a proforma has already been explained, but briefly each line is copied from proforma to calculations file, stopping when the line to be copied contains question marks. When you go through a proforma for the first time (providing you refuse any example data), you should respond by typing a number, expression or string of characters on the keyboard. On pressing RETURN the typed characters replace the question marks and copying continues. Typing a less-than sign (and pressing RETURN) makes the program go back to a greater-than sign in the proforma. This action is useful when a mistake is spotted. If the proforma does not contain a greater-than sign, typing a less-than sign makes the program go back to the start of the proforma. After typing < (as many times as necessary to get back to the suspect line) the previous responses are redisplayed. Any of these may be changed by typing the revised value and pressing RETURN, or accepted as it stands by pressing RETURN alone. when filling in a proforma, pressing RETURN generally signifies 'I accept". When the proforma has been completed the screen displays: Changes, Print, Return, Display, Stop? (C,P/R,D,S) with a corresponding menu bar ranged across the bottom of the screen. Pressing: © means return to start of the detall for checking or changing as described above; the C may be followed by one of the switches /N or /P as described above, or /V to give a list of the variables used in the proforma and line numbers in which they are used, or /E to edit the stack of values (the data you have entered) after which the calculation is automatically reproduced P means print the calculation file (make sure the printer is switched on and correctly positioned first)R means return to the opening prompt for a possible change of name of data file or option. If the name of the data file does not change press RETURN alone; SCALE will then use the sane data file as before and overwrite the .CAL file D makes the first screenful of the calculations file appear, together with the menu bar: Down Up Find stop Edit which offers facilities for appraising the complete .CAL file on the screen or editing it before sending it to the printer. Pressing S brings back the previous menu bar. Tt is expected that a calculation will be printed by responding P as above after the calculation has been displayed and appears to be satisfactory. When a printer is not directly available, the calculation may be stored on disk by clicking on the File button and typing any file name e.g. GEORGE1 in response to the prompt; or stored on floppy disk by typing A:GEORGE1. Subsequently the calculation may be printed. SCALE permits viewing of the calculation when part way through; invoked by pressing D in response to the prompt or clicking on the 'Display' button in the menu bar. This brings up a menu bar containing 'Down', 'Up' and 'Stop'. You can press the PageDown, PageUp, or Esc or End keys if you prefer, rather than the D, U or S keys. The calculation you can view by this device is that written to the .CAL file i.e. inclusive of page headings but exclusive of help (displayed with a green background on a colour screen). N.B. options 560-600 do not produce a .CAL file until the very end, so if you try to display the .cAL file in the middle of inputing joint coordinates, you will not see anything SCALE pages the screen display highlighting the button ‘Continue’ at the foot of the screen, once again it is permissible to view the partially completed calculations by pressing D or clicking on the ‘Display’ button in the menu bar as described above 6.6 Saving calculations and input data The general use of files is described in Section 2. SCALE assumes that each :CAL (CALculations) file will be printed out during the session and to avoid filling the hard disk, overwrites the last .CAL file. Thus if the .DAT file (where the page heading were stored) was C702.DAT, then on exit from SCALE, the last calculation produced by SCALE would be found in the file C702.cAL. It is expected that a single .DAT file will suffice for many different sets of calculations e.g. columns in steel, concrete, timber or masonry. ‘The .STK file, on the otherhand, will only be appropriate to the proforma selected e.g. the values input for designing a steel column will be different from those input for a masonry column. If SCALE option 410 were selected then on exit from this option, the stack of numbers input, would be found in SC410.STK. For most proformas, there are no more than a dozen numbers to be input, and it would be more trouble saving them to a named file, than typing them in again. For a few options, such as the bar schedule, where it is essential to keep the .STK file (which holds the STack of numbers) in case the data needs to be amended, SCALE simplifies the filing and retrieval.After running the proforma, click on the File button in the bottom right corner of the screen and give a filename in response to the prompt e.g. if you type MYFILE the current .ST file will be stored in MYFILE.STK. When you require then input data back, give the name MYFTLE (or MYFILE.STK) in response to the long description which follows the ‘Start page number’ prompt, refuse any default values offered by the proforma, and your saved values will be displayed for you to accept or edit. >. BM DIAGRAMS & PROFORMA Proformas concerned with beam and column design generally need data derived from a previous analysis by NL-STRESS. For such proformas it is possible to combine the kinds of use illustrated in 5 and 6 so that the .CAL file contains bending moment and shear force diagrams and calculations produced from a proforma. Here is the dialogue for 2 column design where we assume the proforma required is option 104 and the column is member nurber 6 of a completed NL-STRESS analysis: SCALE *** Structural CALculations Ensemble *** Name of data file? ¢702.DAT (given and headings filled out) (then select option 104 from menu of options) Option number or filename of proforma? ($ to Stop) 104 Member number? (RETURN if BM diagrams not required) 6 Start page number? (RETURN for page number displayed) 24 The program would now create a new calculations file named C702.CAL and start the page numbering at 24. Page headings would be copied from C702.DAT. Forces and other data needed for the plots and for column design would be abstracted from C702.ARR. The program would first create the bending moment and shear force diagrams, sending then to C702.CAL. The program would then open the file named SC104.PRO and begin to process it. However, the first few items required by the proforma would be seen to have default values which may be accepted by pressing RETURN or rejected by typing a different value in each case. The first default value Le the member number. The next four default values are abstracted automatically from the file C702.ARR and are: Maximum bending moment Maximum shear force Maximum axial load Length of menber The other default items concern dimensions of the cross section which may or may not be recorded in file C702.ARR. If they are recorded they are offered as default dimensions.