Combinito: Load Combinations tool for CSI software (SAP2000, ETABS and SAFE) opinions needed!

[Noobless]

Hi everyone,

I have been working on a load combinations tool for CSI software. The purpose of this tool would be to make the creation, modification and checking of load combinations a very easy and non-time consuming task. This tool will be open source and free.

I have already laid down all the pipe work (API calls etc) and most of the functionality but wanted to take people's opinion on the features they would like to see.

Current features include but not limited to:
[ul]
[li]Modification of a single or group of load combinations easily. Add several load cases or load combinations with a button click (think of adding a group of load cases to an envelope load combinations which is a very time consuming task).[/li]

[li]Import load combinations from any CSI software. This allows you to drag any CSI software file and have the load combinations imported which includes mapping the load cases (with different naming) to your model and creation of any extra load cases required.[/li]

[li]Generate automatic load combinations. This allows the user to define load combination (load cases with factors) for a certain code and have the "config" file saved to auto generate load combinations easily. The user would be able to control what load combinations are considered for "Dead", "Live" etc.[/li]

[li]Print load combination details. This allows you to print load combinations into a clean pdf to be included in your report or to review when checking a model.[/li]

[li]Check load combinations. This includes doing quick customizable checks like checking for certain load factors if they are outside a certain range or checking your load combinations against defined load combinations.[/li]

[/ul]

The plugin has an improved interface to view your load combinations list with the ability to filter your view or search (Main Window GUI).

What features would you like to see? What issues do you face when creating and modifying load combinations? You can provide text explanation or mention a feature in other software you would love to have when working with CSI software.

The tool is built using Visual Studio + C#. The GUI is built using WPF. If you would to like to contribute and have the skills to work with C# and WPF, please reach out. The project is hosted on github and is private until the release.

Thanks!

 

[ggcdn]

Hi Noobless,

That's great to see you're eventually making it open source. I'm curious why are you keeping the project closed while its under development?

Here's three suggestions to think about:

I would like to be able to auto-rename selected combos so the name describes the contents. For instance, a combo called "Combo1" containing D, L with factors 1.25, 1.5, respectively would be renamed to "1.25D+1.5L".

I would like to easily generate the different 'signs' on seismic or wind cases. For instance, if I define a combo 1D+1Ex+0.3Ey, I wish I could hit a button to also generate the three other permutations 1D+1Ex-0.3Ey, 1D-1Ex+0.3Ey, and 1D-1Ex-0.3Ey.

I would like a spreadsheet-like interface to view and edit all the combos in a compact format. The format would be something like rows=combo name, columns=load cases, and the cells=factors

-JA
try [link calcs.app]Calcs.app[/url] and let me know what you think

 

[Noobless]

Hi Sonofatkins,

Thanks alot for your suggestions. The reason I currently have it as private is that I dont want to release a "half baked" product. There are some features and interface clean up I would like to do before its publicly available. I want it to be as "perfect" as possible initially to not scare away initial interest (think of it as first impression). I am opening to adding contributors if they reach it out to me. I intend to make it available very soon (before all features are added but the final look is achieved).

The rename feature is actually on my list and almost implemented. I am glad that someone found a use for this feature aswell!

I really like the idea of being able to quickly modify combinations in an excel format. I will need to think of how to implement this in a user friendly way. Added to my to do features list.

I also really like the idea of generating other permutations of a current load combinations. Also added this feature to my to implement list.

 

[ggcdn]

Cool. With regards to the table interface, I believe there is a control called a datagrid which facilitates this.

-JA
try [link calcs.app]Calcs.app[/url] and let me know what you think

 

[Noobless]

Correct, I am familiar with it its just a matter of tracking the changes and portraying them back to ETABS.

Thanks!

 

[hotmailbox]

Don't forget Sds, Omega, Rho as the input.

 

[rscassar]

Great stuff to see that you are using the developer tools for plug ins. I've been meaning to get into that myself. I like to create the combinations as load cases so that way can set the non-linear analysis. When doing as a load combination to be used as part of the design module I call the combination "ULT: 1.25DL+1.6LL" etc. If it has the "ULT:" written in the combination name than that is what get's used in the design modules.