BuildingTcl -- Initialize Input

Source BuildingTcl and BuildingTclViewer Program Files

The BuildingTcl and BuildingTclViewer procedures need not included into the Tcl interpreter before they can be used. This is done by the installation files myBuildingTcl.tcl and myBuildingTclViewer.tcl. All the user needs to do is source one of these files:

OpenSees.exe : source myBuildingTcl.tcl

OpenSeesTk.exe : source myBuildingTclViewer.tcl

Because these files specify the path of the program files, myBuildingTcl.tcl and myBuildingTclViewer.tcl can be copied and pasted into the working directory where your input files are located. At the OpenSees prompt, all the user has to do is source the file.

Specify Simulation Data Directory

The setDataDir command is usedto define the subfolder where simulation data will be placed (optional, Default: Data):

setDataDir $DataDirectoryLabel

All output files will be placed in a tree structure within the set folder. The subfolders will be laid out in the following order:

• $DataDirectoryLabel
  • $MainInputFilename.tcl
    • $ModelLabel1
      • $LoadCombination1
        • $ProcessedData
      • $LoadCombination2
        • $ProcessedData
    • $ModelLabel2
      • $LoadCombination1
        • $ProcessedData
      • $LoadCombination2
        • $ProcessedData

Set Units

Set up basic units:

setUnits -Length $BasicLengthUnit -Force $BasicForceUnit -Time $BasicTimeUnitAll OpenSees-Recorder and ProcessedData output will be in the basic units, or combinations of them.

User input can be in any of the Available units. However, the units are handled by Tcl as variable and the corresponding $-symbol must be used in defining the unit, as well as the arithmetic symbols. No “[expr ]” is necessary in the input, as the program evaluates the expression internally.

Examples:

addMaterialData fY 68.3*$ksi

addMaterialData phiY 1e-4/$in

$BasicLengthUnit: cm m meter dm ft inch mm in

$BasicForceUnit: kgf kip lbf kN lb N kNewton Newton

$BasicTimeUnit: msec sec

All Units Available for Input: mm cm dm meter m inch in ft Newton kNewton kN N lbf lb kip kgf sec msec g Pa MPa kgm lbm ksi psi pcf psf plf in2 in3 in4 ft2 ft3 ft4 m2 m3 m4 cm2 cm3 cm4 PI pi Ubig Usmall mm cm dm meter m inch in ft Newton kNewton kN N lbf lb kip kgf sec msec g Pa MPa kgm lb m ksi psi pcf psf plf in2 in3 in4 ft2 ft3 ft4 m2 m3 m4 cm2 cm3 cm4 PI pi Ubig Usmall

• BuildingTcl --

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