IES ShapeBuilder User's Guide
Database Customization
Custom Shape Databases are XML files which store custom shape data that is used by various IES programs to defined the cross-sections for member elements. For convince, Custom Shape Databases can be added, edited, and deleted directly in ShapeBuilder as outlined below and as discussed in the Database Customization training video.
To add a new Custom Shape Database, right-click in the white space of the tab and select Add Database. The name and image path for the database are defined in the dialog box that appears. Right-click on an existing Custom Shape Database to edit or delete the database or to add a category to the database.
To add a new Shape Category to a Custom Shape Database, right-click on the database and select Add Category. The shape type, name, and image path for the category are defined in the dialog box that appears. Note: The shapes in a category can only contain a single shape type (e.g. both I-shapes and channels cannot exist in the same category). Right-click on an existing category to edit or delete the category or to add a shape to the category.
To add a new Shape to a custom shape database category, right-click on the category and select Add Shape. The name, default material, dimensions, and cross-section properties can be set in the dialog box that appears. Note: The cross-section properties can be entered manually or the Calculate Properties feature can be use to automatically generate all possible section properties from the specified dimensions. Right-click on an existing shape to edit or delete the shape.
To export all of the shapes in a category, right click on the category and select Export Shapes to Clipboard. The shape information can then be pasted into a spreadsheet or text file. Note: Even if the shape category is empty, the Export Shape to Clipboard option will copy the header information to the clipboard for the shape type of the category. This makes it easy to learn the format for a particular shape type that should be used for the Import Shapes from Clipboard feature. Note: When shapes are imported from the clipboard, some of the section properties are generated automatically. Right-click on an imported shape to manually adjust the section properties as needed.