Introduction

Tekla Base Tools is the software that transfers a large amount of data from Tekla Structures to IMPACT, including element properties and geometry. If you would like to know more about the possibilities of transferring data into IMPACT for planning, then visit our website: https://strusoft.com/products/impact

This is a guide for the completely renovated and boosted with functionality Tekla Base Tools. New workflow, new icons, improved performance and many more features that will be analyzed in this page. If some of your questions are not answered through our guide please check out our FAQ page. Otherwise contact the support department of your country.

New User Interface

A whole new data grid is implemented with technology borrowed from our flagship applications. It is now possible to search, group and categorize entire projects in a similar manner to our other applications.

Performance

This update improves performance and speed by more than 500% of the previous application.  The core of the software has been replaced leading to an entirely new program.

Cast-Unit/Assembly orientated

The new application will actively search for Objects Parent Assembly or Cast-Units when linking data from Tekla. This means that there is no longer a need to swap selection mode when selecting objects in Tekla Structures. Preferably, you select everything as Assemblies. By doing this, TBT no longer needs to do so much guesswork and it also allows us to reach data in Tekla which was previously not available to us. 

Improved log system

Some of the log items are now clickable and will select the corresponding item in the grid that the log message refers to.

New Workflow

The new workflow is linear and contains three steps.

Link

Map

Tell TBT what your linked Tekla object should be represented as in IMPACT. This step is similar to the old ‘Profile Mapping’.

Save

This command interprets, converts and save data to the IMPACT database. This command replaces the old ‘Put’ command.

New Ribbon Commands

Linking

In order to link elements, press the Link icon in the ribbon. This is the equivalent to the ‘Get’ command from the previous Tekla Base Tools versions. Always remember to have selected the assemblies that you want to Link from Tekla. When pressing Link, the following window will pop up.

The highlighted window from above illustrates where the selected elements will be assigned on Floor, Building and Phase in IMPACT.

The highlighted grid above allows you to preview the Tekla items that you are about to link into IMPACT. The new interface allows to remove unwanted items easily by right-clicking and removing them along with their corresponding groups (if necessary).

If you accidentally erased some of the items in the Tekla, then the command "Retake Tekla selection" will refresh the grid with the selected items from Tekla Structures. When you are sure that all the correct items are left on the grid, then select command "Link" in order to finish with the first step.

Mapping

There are two ways of mapping components in the new Tekla Base Tools and a new way of mapping element marks. Mapping refers to what item X in Tekla should be represented as in IMPACT.

Automatic Mapping

Automatic profile mapping works as before. Select any profiles in your project and choose an IMPACT component to use with it. Simply click the assign button to complete the mapping. You can even save the mapping for later use by sending the mapping to a common mapping. The common mapping is saved per computer and can be used in all TBT projects.

P.S. Click inside any of the grids and press CTRL + F to search. Tip: You can freely search in almost all grids across the software using CTRL + F.

Element Mapping

Items are normally given IMPACT element marks when they are saved to the IIMPACT database. You can override this by manually assigning items element marks. This is a requirement if you want to use manual component mappings. The reason is that if you don’t, you may have items overriding each other’s element data, and you don’t want that. It’s a built-in safety.

Component Mapping

For items with manual element marks its possible to assign a specific IMPACT component (such as linked, hollow core, solid wall, etc.) that is overriding the automatic profile mapping. Use this if you have multiple objects with the same profile in Tekla but you want them to represent two different components in IMPACT.

Saving

Saves items to IMPACT. Same as the old ‘Put’ command, but with interpretation and conversion transformed into one.

Updating

Use this command to check for changes in Tekla and IMPACT.

Refresh does not check for any updates, it just rereads data into the main grid. Users of Project Manager will recognize this feature.

Other

Opens the settings dialogue.

Shows the About dialogue with build and version numbers. If you call the support, they will likely kindly ask you to show them this.

Data Grid

You will feel right at home with this new grid as it is built on the same technology used in our other applications. Remember to explore the context menu by right-clicking in the grid to access additional features.

The statuses above are explained in the following table

Data Grid Settings

You can show/hide data columns in the data grid settings dialogue. You access it by clicking the spanner icon in the upper right of the data grid. These settings are saved per computer and are remembered between sessions.

Data Grid Properties

Displays the properties of the selected item. If the item contains changes, these are shown in bold text with a yellow colour patch. Note that the new system also accounts for Teklas object and IMPACT model history. This way you can detect changes even if they are not part of the standard comparison set.

Teklas History is a live value, but if you modify the Tekla model without saving it, the Tekla History will not be updated. Thus, you may see at times that the properties differ, even if the modified time remains the same.

Menu Commands

Main 

Opens the folder in which all TBT project files, backups and logs are stored.

Edit

Settings - general

Settings - CIM

Settings - Reinforcement

Settings - File transfer 

Settings - Status transfer

Tools

These execute the same commands as described in the Ribbon commands chapter.

The backup command creates a backup, which will be stored inside your Tekla model folder. 

You can, of course, reset a Tekla Base Tools project. Do this if only if know what you are doing. Please note that resetting the project ONLY affects the Teaka <-> IMPACT connection. It will not touch either your Tekla or IMPACT project. This command will give a second warning before It executes. Once committed, it will wipe the TBT project and restart itself, allowing you to start from scratch.

P.S. From this version and onwards, the old folders named IMPACT.SyncModel is no longer used.

Help

Takes you to our online support page with telephone numbers and email addresses to our different support divisions. If you want support for Tekla Base Tools, call or email the IMPACT support.

Shows the About dialogue.