Preferences

Set all types of initial preferences for general operation of midas Civil.

The preferences set by the command are listed below. Use the Tree Menu located to the left of the dialog box to check or modify the defaults.

Environment

General: Provide the user's name, company logo, directory for temporary files and temporary file saving requirements

View: Defaults for the working window

Tolerance Data: Tolerance assignment for merging nodes or intersecting elements

Property: Data Base assignment for material properties and member properties

Load: Predefine the magnitudes of floor loads in the database.

Design: Assign applicable design standards for different material types and material properties for structural steel

Notice: Check the latest news uploaded on the MIDAS User web site.

Graphics: Specify the Print Out option.  

Output Formats

Formats - Dim. & Others: Assignment of format for numerical values to be used for producing model data and analysis results

Formats - Forces

Formats - Loads

From the Main Menu select Tools > Setting >  Preferences.

Display the following Preferences dialog box:

Select the items in the Tree Menu to the left of the dialog box to display the corresponding features to the right.

Check Save Changes Upon OK and click to immediately effect the current settings and save the changes in Window Registry for subsequent uses of midas Civil.

Default All: Set all the preferences Settings as default.

Set Default: Set the current preferences Setting as default.

Details Setting

Environment > General

Company: User's name

Logo BMP: Specify a file containing the company logo that will be printed in various analysis/design results.

Temp Dir: Assign a directory in which temporary files are created and deleted during the execution of MIDAS/Civil.

Note
Temp Dir shall be assigned to a drive with sufficient disk space. If the disk space is insufficient, the execution will be slow and may also cause problems.

Auto Save: Auto-save the project file at a given time-interval.

Make Backup File (.bak): Save a backup file (.bak) whenever the file is changed and saved.

Recently Used Project List: List the prescribed number of files recently used at the bottom of the File Menu

Working Directory: Display the directory when opening and closing a file.

Default Dir.: Basic directory provided by Windows is used.

User Input Directory: Working directory defined by the user

Environment > View

Set the default working window when creating a new project file or opening an existing file.

Initial Model Boundary Size: Assign the size of the default window when creating a new project

Initial Point Grid

Grid Space X: Point Grid spacing in UCS x-direction when creating a new project. It can be temporarily modified using Set Point Grid.

Grid Space Y: Point Grid spacing in UCS y-direction when creating a new project. It can be temporarily modified using Set Point Grid.

Grid on: Check in the option to display the Point Grid on the screen when creating a new project file or opening an existing file (refer to "Grids").

Initial View Point

Check in the option to display the model window in ISO View or Top View when creating a new project file or opening an existing file (refer to "View Point").

Snap

Check in the option to activate Snap for Point Grid, Line Grid, Node and Element when creating a new project file or opening an existing file (refer to "Snap").

Environment > Data Tolerances

Regard as Zero under

Treat the values less than the specified as "0"

Node Duplication Tolerance

Specify a tolerance for merging more than one node into a single node. The tolerance is applicable when combining or copying nodes.

Intersect Tolerance

Specify an intersect tolerance for merging contiguous nodes and elements or between elements when executing Intersect.

Environment > Property

Specify data bases for material and section properties.

Environment > Load

The floor loads predefined in the database can be recalled from Load >Define Floor Load Type.

: Enter the loads per unit area using the floor loads predefined in Tools>Preferences- Load.

Environment > Results

: If the method of load combination of analysis results is Envelope, and this option is selected, the values in "Text Output" are produced with signs instead of the absolute values of max and min.

Environment > Design/Load Code

Select the design standard and rebar material to be used in Design. Especially, the user can select a language to be used for Word/Excel report produced after executing Design.  

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Environment > Notice & Help

Show Notice : When midas Civil is executed, the latest program upgrade information on the homepage of MIDASoft, Inc can be checked.

Use Local Help : Check on to use the Local Help (CVLw.chm) as a default manual. If this option is checked off, the web-based online manual is invoked.  

Environment > Graphics

Output Formats > Formats - Dim & Others

Specify the number of decimal points when producing analysis results.

If Auto is checked in, the number of decimal points for each numerical value is auto-fitted by the program according to the pre-defined format as per the selected unit system. If Auto is unchecked, the user may specify the number of decimal points for each item.

If Exponential is checked in, the specified numbers of decimal points are ignored and all the numerical values are produced in exponentials.

Output Formats > Formats - Forces

Output Formats > Formats - Loads

Specify an output format for displaying loads.

General: The number of significant digits

Fixed: The number of decimal places

Exponential: The number of decimal places of load values to be displayed in exponentials