The Required End Position - Method 1

Because the beam is to be horizontal, its End Position can be constrained to have the same elevation as its Start Position. To do this, the Explicit Positioning window (refer to To Position Elements) is used, but now the coordinates are entered in the window by graphical picking rather than by typing them in.

You may, if required, mix the different ways to define positions (use the Section, Positioning Control and Define section end windows) to suit the current circumstances.

1. From the Section window, click Define End a Given Distance and Direction from Start to display the Define section end window.

   The latter initially shows the coordinates of the last point picked, namely the top of the first column.

2. Select the Lock checkbox next to the Up field, as shown:

   

   

   Note: The Up coordinate is greyed out to show that it cannot be changed.

3. You can now pick any part of the end column to specify the beam’s End Position, since the elevation of the snap point is ignored in favour of the constraint that the End Position must be at the same elevation as the Start Position; only the East and North coordinates of the pick are used.

4. Click OK in the Define section end window.

5. Click Reject in the Section window to cancel the creation.