Stair & Rail Auto Drafting + Calculator for AutoCAD

 

 

 

Play Movies:

Stair with Rail.exe

Calculations1.exe

Calculations2.exe

DrawStair1.exe

DrawStair2.exe

RedefineRiser.exe

Slope&StairCalc.exe

New Features

Overview

AcadCalcStair:  the program for calculations in AutoCAD (any formats of numbers) and Stair & Rail drafting. With this program you can do mathematical operations; calculations of triangles, slopes and stairs. Results of calculations can be used directly for performing AutoCAD commands: move, copy and others. Options: copy and paste numbers (decimal or architectural formats) in AutoCAD MText or Text editor; write calculations and add comments in Protocol, copy and paste contents of Protocol in any Text editor (Word or Notepad); get distances from AutoCAD and use them in calculations; set parameters and draw stair (plan and elevation view).

Main Form

Rail Parameters

Installation and Setup

After auto installation is complete you will find the new folder on your workstation:

C:\AcadCalcStair

Start AutoCAD and configure your support file search path information to include the directory C:\AcadCalcStair.

To do this type at the command prompt: preferences. Then in “Options” dialog window press tab “Files”,

select “Support File Search Path”, press button “Add…”, then “Browse…” and select folder C:\AcadCalcStair

Next include files AcadCalcStair.lsp and AcadCalcStair.dvb (found under C:\AcadCalcStair directory) in ACAD Startup Suite. To do it:

·         Type "appload" at the command prompt

·         Press button “Contents…”

·         Click on “Add…” button and browse to find files: AcadCalcStair.lsp and AcadCalcStair.dvb. Select both files and Press ‘Add’

·         Close dialog windows

  

1. Start Application

 

Enter shortcut 00 (double zero) at the AutoCAD command prompt. The form (shown above) pops up

 

2. Using the Program

 

2.1 Mathematical operations

 

Enter number in 1st number text box. Use Any Format (10'-1 3/4; 10'1-3/4; 3/4; 0.75; 14 1/2; 1'5.25; 30.55'; 13/139; 12/256).

Remark: there is no need to place at the end of fraction or architectural format’s numbers.

Next steps for operations:

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+

press TAB, enter any number in text box ‘2nd Number’ and type + at the end

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*

press TAB, enter any number in text box ‘2nd Number’ and type * at the end. To get correct value of area (Sq.Ft.) use decimal format of numbers.

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/

press TAB, enter any number in text box ‘2nd Number’ and type /  at the end

Remark: you can use that way for numbers with fractions only (like 1/8 or 1’-2 1/16). Otherwise after ‘2nd Number’ is complete you have to press TAB and type /  

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-

press TAB, enter any number in text box ‘2nd Number’ and type - at the end.

Remark: you can use that way for numbers with - only (1’-2 1/16). Otherwise after ‘2nd Number’ is complete you have to press TAB and type -  

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sqr (square root)

select from combo box (between ‘1st Number’ and ‘2nd Number’) sqr or place cursor in combo box and enter s

 

Remark: As a number for performing of square root operation the value in text box ‘1st Number’ is used

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pow (power)

select from combo box (between ‘1st Number’ and ‘2nd Number’) pow or place cursor in combo box and enter p

Remark: As a number for performing of power operation the value in text box ‘1st Number’ is used.

 

2.2 Convert numbers

 

Enter in text box ‘1st Number’ any number and double click

 

2.3 Perform ACAD commands

 

Make calculation. Result will be placed in the text box ‘Distance’. Select direction (click on any of 4 arrows). Select the command from combo box. Enter number in text box ‘Times’ (for Array command only). Press the button ‘Go’

 

Follow AutoCAD prompts.

Remarks:

Array is linear (one row or one column).

You can enter any number in text box ‘Distance’.

Value in text box ‘Distance’ is used also for scaling of AutoCAD objects (button ‘Scale’).

 

2.4 Using of Clipboard

 

Click on button  to place the corresponding contents into clipboard.

 

2.5 Clean

 

Press the button ‘Clean’, if you don’t need the results of previous calculations.

 

2.6 Get Distances

 

Press the corresponding button. Pick 2 points in ACAD. The distance taken from AutoCAD will be placed in textbox ‘1st Number’ (or ‘2nd Number’).

 

2.7 Triangle Calculations

 

Press the button ‘Triangle calc.’ to get the bevel, hypotenuse and angle (the legs of triangle are the values of ‘1st Number’ and ‘2nd Number’).

 

2.8 Slope Calculations

 

Enter distances AB, AC, AD and CF and click on ‘Slope calc.’ button. The results will be placed in ‘Protocol’

Remarks: AB can be entered as a negative distance (actual location of BE line – to the left from AD) and can be bigger than AC (actual location of BE line – to the right from CF).

 

2.9 Stair Calculations

 

Enter parameters of stair and click on ‘Stair calc.’ button. The results will be placed in ‘Protocol’

 

 2.10 Draw Stair

 

Enter parameters of stair, dimscale value, Visible (in front of wall) or Hidden (behind the wall) option button and click on ‘Draw Stair’ button. The results will be placed in ‘Protocol’.

New drawing will be created (location of drawing: C\:AcadCalcStair\Stair\).

Stair drawing preferences: Before using of this program you can set up your preferences for stairs:

·         Open the drawing C\:AcadCalcStair\AcadCalcStair.dwg

·         Set your preferable text style. DO NOT change text height 0”

·         Set your preferable dimstyle.

·         Change colors and linetypes of Layers. DO NOT change the names of Layers

·         Modify multiline colors. To do it enter the command mlstyle. Select VIS-HID style.

 

Press the button Element Properties…

 

 

Set colors for both lines. DO NOT change the other properties. Click OK, next click on the button Save in ‘Multiline Styles’ dialog window and browse to find file:

C\:AcadCalcStair\AcadCalc.mln. Click Save to close ‘Save multiline style’ window and OK to close ‘Multiline Styles’ dialog window.

Save and close the drawing C\:AcadCalcStair\AcadCalcStair.dwg

Next time you create the drawing of stair it will be drawn as per your setting.

Stair features:

The riser on elevation view is a block. You can redefine it.

Stringers and treads are multilines. You can explode them to convert to lines any time you wish.

Stair Plan and Elevation are the blocks you can incorporate in your current drawing using clip board or insert as a block or XReference.

All entities are placed on separate layers. You can freeze the layers (e.g. dimensions’ layers).