how can I draw a cross for sections on structural timber

[Anonymous]

For my structural timber members that are not face timber, I would like the section to be represented just by drawing a cross (from the corners of the section of the piece of timber).

any one know how I can do that easily? ........ or is it just done by hand on the sections?

[Anonymous]

You don't say how your timber members are created.

If they are scripted library parts, it is a simple matter to script some crossing rectangles which will show as crossed lines in section.

If they are modeled from other elements you could get the crossing lines by using zero-thickness roofs inside the timber, but this is probably more trouble than just drawing the lines.

[Anonymous]

so far, I am just using beams to create my timber members.

So what is the easiest way to script my timber members? Do I create one as a beam, then "save as GDL object", then play with it?

[Anonymous]

The simplest way would be to start from scratch with a Block statement.

Something like:

! set variables to standard parameters (otherwise create user parameters)

beam_lg = A
beam_wd = B
beam_dp = ZZYZX


! model of beam

Block beam_lg, beam_wd, beam_dp

Plane 4,
0, 0, 0,
beam_lg, 0, 0,
beam_lg, beam_wd, beam_dp,
0, beam_wd, beam_dp

Plane 4,
0, beam_wd, 0,
beam_lg, beam_wd, 0,
beam_lg, 0, beam_dp,
0, 0, beam_dp

The Plane statements form the "x" in the beam section.
Rect also works, but requires rotating the coordinate system, as follows:

Block beam_lg, beam_wd, beam_dp

rotx atn(beam_dp/beam_wd)

Rect 0, 0, beam_lg, sqr(beam_wd^2 + beam_dp^2)

del 1
addy beam_wd
rotx 180 - atn(beam_dp/beam_wd)

Rect 0, 0, beam_lg, sqr(beam_wd^2 + beam_dp^2)