Property name edit box. Use the suggested default, or specify another name for the section definition in this edit box.
Base Material drop-down list. Choose the base material for the section. The selection made here determines the availability of the options in the Design Type and Concrete Column Check/Design areas of the form. Click the 
button to access the Define Materials form and add a new material definition to the model file.
Display Color. The display color box identifies the color that will be used to display the section. Click on the box to access the Color form; use that form to change to a different coloring by clicking on it and then clicking the OK button to close the form.
Notes - Modify/Show Notes button. Click this button to access the Frame Property Notes form where comments can be recorded and reviewed.
Design Type options.
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If the Base Material is a steel material definition, the No Design/Check option, the General Steel Section option, and the Composite Column option are available.
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If the No Design/Check option is selected, any frame section assigned this property is not designed by any postprocessor.
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If the General Steel Section option is selected, any frame section assigned this property is designed by the Steel Frame Design postprocessor as a general section.
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If the Composite Column option is selected, any frame section assigned this property is designed by the Composite Column Design postprocessor.
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If the Base Material is a concrete material definition, the No Design/Check option, the Concrete Column option, and the Composite Column option are available.
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If the No Design/Check option is selected, any frame section assigned this property is not designed by any postprocessor.
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If the Concrete Column option is selected, any frame section assigned this property is designed by the Concrete Frame Design postprocessor.
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If the Composite Column option is selected, any frame section assigned this property is designed by the Composite Column Design postprocessor.
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Concrete Column Check/Design: This area is active only if the Concrete Column option has been selected in the Design Type area.
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Reinforcement to be Checked option. Use this option to specify that the concrete column is to have its specified reinforcing checked when it is run through the Concrete Frame Design postprocessor.
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Reinforcement to be Designed option. Use this option to specify that the concrete column is to have its new longitudinal reinforcing designed when it is run through the Concrete Frame Design postprocessor.
Define/Edit/Show Section area and the Section Designer button: After the preceding items have been appropriately specified, click the Section Designer button in this area to launch the Section Designer utility and draw the section. Exiting the Section Designer utility will redisplay the Section Designer Section Property Data form.
Section Properties
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Properties button. This button becomes enabled after the a section has been drawn using the Section Designer utility. Click this button to access the Frame Section Properties form. Use the form to display the section properties. These data are automatically calculated by ETABS on the basis of the dimensions specified using Section Designer. The data are informational and cannot be changed on the form. Brief explanatory hover text displays when the mouse cursor is placed (not clicked) on a row in the Item column of the form.
Property Modifiers
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Set Modifiers button. Click this button to display the Property/Stiffness Modification Factors form. Use the form to specify modification factors for the analysis of section stiffnesses of the Section Designer section.