Preface

This is the TplEd Users Guide, a guide for creating and editing template definitions for Tekla
products. In this chapter you will find instructions on how to use this guide and information on new
features in this version of TplEd.
Topics
Audience
Using this guide
New in this version
Related documentation
Style conventions
Organization
Audience
This guide is for those who want to create or customize template definitions in their Tekla products.
You should be familiar with your specific Tekla product.
Using this guide
This guide is meant to be both a textbook and a reference guide depending on your needs and level of
familiarity with TplEd. In all cases, you should be familiar with your Tekla product and how templates
are used in it.
If you are new to TplEd, start with Introduction to Templates. Proceed with Using TplEd to learn more
In some Tekla products TplEd is also referred to as Template Editor or TempEd.
Refer to your Tekla product documentation for more on using templates in your
product.
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about the TplEd interface.
If you are familiar with the previous versions of TplEd, start with Related documentation. Refer also to
your Tekla products release notes to review any changes in template usage since the previous
version.
If you have the basics and want to get started with creating and editing templates, go to Working with
Templates.
If you want information about TplEd menu commands, see Menu Reference.
New in this version
Changes in TplEd versions 3.0-3.3 are listed below:
Feature For details see...
New user interface Introducing the TplEd user interface
Multi-document viewing and editing Work with multiple templates
New template file format Template Conversion
Picture file use Symbols and pictures
AutoCAD and MicroStation file use AutoCAD and MicroStation files
Improved access to Tekla product data Using data from a Tekla product
Row editing extension: you can filter
unwanted data out by using row content
types
Content types,
Filter unwanted lines out from output
Row editing extension: you can create
hierarchical listings by using subrows
Use row hierarchy
Improved row rule editor Rule Contents dialog
New functions for row rules Data functions,
Control functions,
Mathematical operations
Value field formulas Get data from your Tekla product database,
Get data from other value fields
Integrated HTML Help Help menu commands
Free attributes Free attributes
CopyField function CopyField
Rules wizard Rule Wizard dialog
Automatic template conversion upon
opening an old template
Convert old template file
Crop template components Crop template components
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Related documentation
You need to be familiar with your Tekla product documentation with regards to using templates.
If your Tekla product uses Symbols or Presentation files, you may also be able to use them in
templates. In this case you may find useful background information in:
z the SymEd Users Guide (the guide for symbols)
z the PresEd Users Guide (the guide for presentations)
Style conventions
Typefaces
Additional output options for page headers
and page footers
Edit the output options of component
Change component type and retain the
information in the component
Change the component type
Specify line length and angle with the
number pad when inserting
Draw a line
Preview an object position before you
accept the new settings
Move an object
Save rules for later use Predefined rules
BMP pictures can be used in TplEd File formats TplEd can use
You can use BMP pictures in templates if your Tekla
product supports them.
Create HTML reports Creating simple HTML reports
You can create HTML reports out of TplEd templates if
your Tekla product supports it.
Set sort order of a value field Set sort order of a value field
Additional information and an example have been
added to clarify the operation.
New toolbars See Toolbars
Error messages for DXF, DWG and DGN
import.
Import AutoCAD or MicroStation file
Users can resolve errors more quickly with some
explaination fo the errors that may occur during file
import.
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Different typefaces mark special items in this guide:
z User interface items and how to use them are in the following format:
Select File > New... means that you should open the File menu and select the New... option.
z User input appears in "quotation marks". This is any text that you type into the user interface. For
example:
Type "romsim" into the Font name field.
z Function names appear in the following format:
Use the GetValue function to get values. You can click the function name to jump to its definition.
z New terms appear in italic bold, and other information that needs to be emphasized in italics.
Terms and concepts also appear as links, for example:
Each Value field in the template must contain a formula. You can click the underlined words to jump
to the definition.
All terms are defined in the Glossary.
Noteboxes
Noteboxes denote information that is important for you to know for one of several different reasons:
Tips introduce a shortcut or an alternative way of doing things.
Notes draw your attention to details that you may overlook and also remind you that
information is in other areas of the document.
Read important notes and warnings because they help you avoid making time-
consuming mistakes.
Highly technical information is usually for advanced and technically-oriented users.
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Organization
This document is divided into the following chapters:
Chapter 1: Introduction to Templates
This chapter provides an overview of graphical and textual template types. It presents template
components and objects and provides examples of templates in Tekla products.
Chapter 2: Using TplEd
This chapter introduces TplEd and the user interface. It also discusses setting TplEd drawing options
and program preferences.
Chapter 3: Working with Templates
This chapter covers the use of template files and setting template properties.
Chapter 4: Working with Template Components
This chapter discusses the use of template components, starting from inserting the template
components and progressing to editing the output of the template. Most of the sections discuss the row
component, as it has the most versatile set of output options.
Chapter 5: Working with Template Objects
This chapter covers inserting and editing template objects.
Chapter 6: Working with Formulas and Rules
This chapter covers using TplEd functions in value field formulas and row rules. It also provides
examples of common tasks accomplished with formulas and rules.
Chapter 7: Template Conversion
This chapter gives instructions on converting old templates to the new template format. This chapter
also covers dealing with possible conversion warnings and errors.
Chapter 8: Menu Reference
This chapter covers the menu commands in TplEd. Pop-up menus are also presented.
Glossary
The glossary provides definitions for the central terms and concepts used in this guide. You might find
it useful to look through the glossary before consulting other parts of this document.
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