Create and add pattern lines in drawings

Tekla Structures
2020
Tekla Structures
linie wzoru
linie sformatowane
linie złożone
złożone typy linii

Create and add pattern lines in drawings

You can easily apply special and complex lines to drawings by using pattern lines. You can create new pattern lines and modify existing pattern lines in Pattern line editor, and add the created pattern lines in drawings using the Pattern line command. Pattern lines may include symbols, lines and spacings. You can create pattern lines to indicate cut lines, foundations, weld paths, or electrical wiring, for example.

Create a pattern line

  1. In the model or when a drawing is open, on the File menu, click Editors > Pattern line editor.

    If you have not defined a pattern line earlier, all Pattern line editor fields and containers are empty.

  2. Click Browse... to browse for an image to be used as a sample for the pattern line.

    If you do not select an image, the default image will be used.

    The selected image is also shown later on when you select a pattern line in the Pattern line properties dialog box.

  3. Enter a name for the pattern line in Create new.
    If you want to modify a pattern line, select the desired pattern line from the list first.
  4. In the Start element area, click New on the right to create a new start element. The start element starts the pattern line (marked with red in the dialog box example below).

    If you select Symbol as the Element type:

    • Select the symbol file from the File list.
    • In the Index list, enter the number of the symbol. To select a symbol in a separate window, click Select... and double-click the desired symbol.
    • In Space, enter the space allocated for the element in millimeters.
    • In Size, enter the size of the element in millimeters.
    • In Spacing type, select the spacing type for the elements on the pattern line:

      Fixed: The unoccupied space will not be distributed.

      Variable: The unoccupied space will be equally distributed to the elements with this spacing type.

      Infinite: The blocks will occupy all the space between the two points. The space will be distributed to fixed elements, and the rest will be equally distributed to the infinite elements.

    • In Color, select the element color.
    • In Vertical offset and Horizontal offset, enter offsets for the elements in millimeters.
    • In Rotate, define a rotation angle for the element.

    If you select Line as the Element type:

    • Select a line type from the Line type list.
    • In Space, enter the space allocated for the element in millimeters.
    • In Size, enter the size of the element in millimeters.
    • In Spacing type, select the spacing type for the elements:

      Fixed: The unoccupied space will not be distributed.

      Variable: The unoccupied space will be equally distributed to the elements with this spacing type.

      Infinite: The blocks will occupy all the space between the two points. The space will be distributed to fixed elements, and the rest will be equally distributed to the infinite elements.

    • In Color, select the element color.
    • In Vertical offset and Horizontal offset, enter offsets for the elements in millimeters.

    If you select Spacing as the Element type:

    • In Space, enter the space allocated for the element in millimeters.
    • In Spacing type, select the spacing type for the elements:

      Fixed: The unoccupied space will not be distributed.

      Variable: The unoccupied space will be equally distributed to the elements with this spacing type.

      Infinite: The blocks will occupy all the space between the two points. The space will be distributed to fixed elements, and the rest will be equally distributed to the infinite elements.

  5. In the End element area, click New to create a new end element in the same way as you did for the start element.

    The end element is marked with red in the editor dialog box:

  6. On the Repeating and continuous elements tab, define the elements that are repeating on the pattern line (marked with red in the editor dialog box):

  7. On the Repeating and continuous elements tab, define the elements that are drawn continuously on the pattern line (marked with red in the editor dialog box):

  8. You can check your pattern line definitions and how the line looks by clicking the Preview button :
    • If you have the Automatic preview option active, Tekla Structures automatically opens a drawing preview that shows the created pattern line with different spacing options taken from the Pattern line properties dialog box. If you already have a drawing open, Tekla Structures will ask if you want to save and close the drawing before the preview is opened.
    • To update the preview by clicking the button , select the preview option.
    • You can also see previews of other saved pattern lines by selecting a pattern line from the list at the top.
    • To close the preview, click the Preview button again.
  9. Save your pattern line by clicking the Save button .
    The pattern line is saved in a .clp file in the \attributes folder under the model folder.

Now you can open a drawing and create a pattern line using the pattern line that you defined.

The symbols in the following example are taken from the PatternLineSymbols symbol file.
  • The symbol at the left end is the start element, symbol #49.
  • The symbol at the right end is the end element, symbol #48.
  • Blue color is defined for the start and end elements.
  • Symbol #51 in red is used as a repeating element.
  • Two SolidLines are used as continuous elements with vertical offsets 2.0 and -2.0.

Tip: If your pattern lines are jumping like in the example below, try using continuous elements instead of repeating elements.

Add a pattern line in a drawing

You may select among predefined pattern lines, or create your own in Pattern line editor.

Limitations

  • Pattern lines are not included in a 2D Library detail unless the pattern line has been exploded.
  • You cannot rotate or mirror created pattern lines.
  • You cannot clone pattern lines.
  1. In an open drawing, hold down Shift and click Drawing > Line > Pattern line.
  2. In the Pattern line properties dialog box, select the pattern line that you want to use from the Pattern line list.
    You can also load other pattern line properties by selecting a properties file from the list at the top and clicking Load.
  3. Select whether to show the Start element and/or the End element in the pattern line.
    The start and end elements are defined in the Pattern line editor.
  4. Select how the elements are aligned and spaced in Spacing options:

    Left aligns the elements to the left.

    Right aligns the elements to the right.

    Centered centers the elements.

    Distributed uses the same space in between the elements.

    Best fit tries to fit as many elements as possible with minimal distortion. This setting affects both element size and space.

  5. Set the Size of the pattern line.
  6. Select the desired Scaling option:

    View draws the line and elements scaled down to the view.

    Paper draws the line and elements scaled down to the scale of the paper.

  7. Enter the Vertical offset in millimeters if necessary.
    A positive value moves the whole pattern line upwards and a negative value downwards.
  8. Select the Color of the pattern line.

    The color depends on how you set the colors in Pattern line editor and Pattern line properties:

    • If you select Default as the color both in Pattern line editor and in Pattern line properties, all elements will be black.
    • If you select the Default color in Pattern line editor, and you select another color in Pattern line properties, the color selected in Pattern line properties will be used.
    • If you select some other color than Default in Pattern line editor, and you select another color in Pattern line properties, the color selected in Pattern line editor properties will be used.
  9. If you want to save the pattern line properties in a properties file, enter a name for the file and click Save as.
  10. Click OK, pick the points for a polyline, and end the line by clicking the middle-mouse button.
    Note that you can select the handles in the added pattern line and move the sections of the polyline by dragging.

Pattern line elements

A pattern line consists of one or several blocks of elements. These element blocks are arranged between two given points.

The illustration below shows a pattern line consisting of two repeating symbol elements in three blocks.

The symbol elements have the following settings:

Space = 1.5

Spacing type = Fixed

Size = 1

Color = 1st element is blue, and the 2nd element is red

1. Block size

2. Unoccupied space, which is the space that is left when the blocks are arranged between two points. This space is redistributed to the elements which have the spacing type Variable.

The following illustration describes the different element settings. The letter E inside a circle is an element:

1. Size of the element

2. Origin

3. Horizontal offset from the origin

4. Vertical offset from the origin

5. Space

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