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LPI Scripts: What are they, and how do I start with Visual Basic Scripting for LUSAS?
The LUSAS Programmable Interface
(LPI) provides the means of customising LUSAS and of automating a
sequence of user specified actions, potentially giving dramatic
time savings and increased efficiency. For example, scripts
may be used to automate repetitive modelling and post-processing
tasks which will not only save an engineer or analyst time, but also help to
ensure consistency and quality.
The LUSAS Programable Interface
(LPI)
The LPI is a powerful tool for
customising and automating LUSAS operations. By using VBScript (or
any ActiveX compliant scripting language, such as Jscript, Perl,
Python, C++, C# etc. ) to access LUSAS facilities and
functionality, you can:
- Create user-defined menu items,
dialogs and toolbars
- Interrogate all aspects of a
LUSAS model
- Customise modelling operations
- Automate repetitive tasks
- Import CAD geometry and
properties
- Create parameterised models
- Make direct links to Word and
Excel for import and export of data.
- Calculate reinforcement
quantities
- Perform simple design checks
- When used with automated
iterative analysis, optimise structural member sizes and
configurations
A macro recording facility in LUSAS
generates VB scripts for customising. A dialog editor is provided.
The use of Visual Basic Runtime means that any VB script can be
run in LUSAS.
Note: LUSAS also supports .NET
framework.
Writing
scripts
A
Visual Basic script file can be written in a text editor such as
Notepad and saved with the extension .vbs, this file should then be saved locally. This
command language incorporates variables, loops, conditions,
subroutines, arrays and many other high-level programming
concepts.
LUSAS vbs script files should start
with $ENGINE=VBScript line and followed by the main script
body.
$ENGINE=VBScript
{script body}
{procedures and functions}
VBScript
files can be written or recorded:
File > Script >
Start Recording...
and
then run as and when required by going to:
File > Script >
Run Script...
There is also a full LPI specific Help for creating
VBScripts which can be accessed via:
START
> All Programs > LUSAS1x.x > LUSAS Help
> LUSAS LPI Help.
You can also access the help through the installation
folder:
Lusas1xx\Programs\LPIHelp\index.html
There
are also some example scripts
provided with LUSAS that can be found in the folder:
Lusas1xx\Programs\scripts\LPIExamples
Often,
one of the easiest ways of establishing how to write a script in
VBS is to perform the required actions in Modeller and then look
at the session file, filename.ses (after closing or saving the model), or at the
recovery file, filename.rcv (whilst the model is open). These files will
contain VBScript for most operations performed in Modeller.
For
more information on writing your own VBScript macros please see
the Microsoft Windows Script help documentation. A copy of
this is included on the LUSAS Installation disk in the folder:
Lusas1xx\Third
Party\Scripting\VBScripting\VBScript
If you double-click on the "scrdoc56en.exe" file, this will
install the help documentation on your PC and will be accessible,
by default, through:
START
> All Programs > Microsoft Windows Script > Windows
Script V5.6 Documentation
Further documentation and run-time libraries for VB scripting can be installed by running the following executables.
Debugging
scripts:
You
can debug your script by printing some text messages at different
stages in Modeller text window. To see how you can write in Modeller
text window see some of the general examples at this page Example
Visual Basic Scripts to Download.
In more advanced
cases you may use a VBS editor (say VBEdit) to
debug your VBS code.
The basic process for running a script through a VBS editor is as follows:
-
Open the script in the VBS editor
-
Open the LUSAS model
in Modeller
-
Ensure that the usual $ENGINE=VBScript command is removed from the top of the script (this can be commented out)
-
Add the command “set modeller = GetObject( ,
"Lusas.Modeller.1x.x")” to the top of the script,
replacing "1x.x" with the appropriate LUSAS version
-
Ensure that all LUSAS commands start with “modeller.” e.g. “GeometryAtts=modeller.db.getAttributes("Geometric","All")”
and that the particular . This is required because the editor does not recognise Modeller as a global object. In the VBS editor set any break points that you wish.
-
Save the script and click the Start button in your VBS editor to run the script
Note that if you
later wish to run the script directly through LUSAS modeller again
(i.e. using File->Script->Run Script), then it is necessary to do the following:
-
Re-add the command “$ENGINE=VBScript” at the top of the
script
-
Change “set modeller = GetObject( ,
"Lusas.Modeller.1x.x")” to “set modeller =App”
You may notice that scripts run more slowly through VBS
editor rather than directly though LUSAS Modeller.
Advanced
Customisation:
In
advanced customisation of Modeller, VBS
commands can also be run as macros stored in a VBScript file or
by directly entering single lines of commands straight into the
LPI command bar:
View
> LPI Command Bar
If
a script file of macros has been written, then the code in these
files can be loaded through the Advanced button on the LPI Command bar and will be available
in any model you create. These macros are then called via
the LPI Command bar. You can modify this VBScript and add
your own VBScript macros by right-clicking on the vbs file and
selecting Edit.
For
more information, search for "Command Bar" in Help >
Help Topics.
See also
Documentation available
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