Navigation:  Model Geometry > Constructing Model Geometry > Adding Members

As was the case with Nodes, Members can be added to a model in at least a few ways.  

 

Adding Members Graphically:

 

With a grid displayed on the screen, click Create > Members.  Notice that the cursor changes to a pen.

 

 

Hover over the grid and notice the triangle that tracks the pen movements and automatically snaps to grids.  Note that the Status Bar displays the X, Y and Z coordinates of every location where the cursor snaps to the grid.  This is useful for orientation.

 

•To add a member, just click anywhere on the grid and then move the cursor to see that a dark, bold dot remains at the click location and that a blue line stretches from the first click location to the cursor location.  

•That dark, bold dot is the starting node of the member.  

•Click a second time on a different grid location to specify the end of the beam, and you will have created the first member.  

•Notice that the blue line continues to stretch from the last click, so the program can quickly add many beams connected with common nodes.  

•To stop drawing, right-click the mouse.

 

If member numbers are not currently displayed, they can be toggled on by clicking View > Display Options > Member Display Options > Member Number.  Notice that there is also an icon on the Quick Access Toolbar that makes this process possible without leaving the Create tab:

 

Click View > Query, and then click on any Member to display the Member Info dialog.  At this time, the dialog will list the starting and ending nodes of the selected member, along with some basic info about the member's properties.  But it won't have much additional info, because no loads have been assigned and no analysis results are available.  Keep this Query function function in mind, because it can be an extremely useful way to get info about a model entity at any time.

 

Close the Member Info dialog if it is still open.

 

 

Adding Members with the Member Data Table:

 

Make sure that the grid has at least two nodes displayed.

 

Click Tables > Members to open the Members table.

 

Notice that the table lists all members that have been defined (if any), and it displays their starting and ending nodes, along with some properties for the selected member.

 

To add another member in the current model, use the New Rows button in the lower left corner of the Members table to add one new row.  Then enter the desired start and end nodes for the new member, and then click OK.

 

Note:  The methods of adding members that we have discussed here can be thought of as the "explicit" methods.  There are also methods of creating new members that can be thought of as the "implicit" methods, such as generating members in a pattern or splitting members or duplicating members.  But we will cover all of those topics shortly.