Open the Bars dialog, which lets you define bar elements within structures, using any of the following methods:
- Click Geometry menu > Bars.
- Click
. - the BAR layout (you can select layouts from the selection list on the Standard toolbar).
The method for defining a bar depends on the mode of the cursor. Depending on its type, options shown in the dialog permit:
- Dragging to grid mode (snap=grid) - Defines the coordinate grid points (analogous to snap-free mode)
- Dragging to already existing structure points or nodes (snap=node) - Defines the point or node numbers
- Dragging to already existing lines (snap=line) - Defines the line number.
Also, you can define the following bar properties:
- Bar type
- Bar cross section
In addition, the default material is displayed for the selected bar.
The Name field displays the name according to the syntax selected in the Names of Bars/Objects dialog. By default, the name of a bar is defined by the variables: %t_%n and %t_%s, where:
%t - Name of the bar type
%n - Object number
%s - Section name.
Clicking 
opens the Names of Bars/Objects dialog, which lets you define a new syntax for names.
next to the Bar type and Section fields. They are added to their respective lists of active bars types or sections.
Axis position lets you select an offset, that is, the displacement of the center of the cross-section with respect to the bar axis. After you assign an offset to a bar, it is not modified after changing the section of the bar.
You can select Upper flange or Lower flange offsets. For example, if you select upper flange, the bar axis is shifted towards the center of the upper edge of the section, regardless of the cross-section type defined for the bar. Clicking opens the New Offset dialog, where you can define a new offset type to add to the active list.
You can define a bar element using any of the following methods:
- Enter the bar number and the coordinates of its beginning and end in the dialog or select bar properties and click Add.
- Click Beginning in the dialog, and move the cursor to the graphic screen, and click the point depicting the beginning of the bar element and then the endpoint.
- Use a method which uses a combination of the methods above.
See also: