Form: Draw Slabs/Areas
Toolbar button:
Use the Draw menu > Draw Slabs/Areas command to add polygonal area objects to the model in the model datum plane that can be assigned slab properties, openings, soil properties, or surface loads.
Click the Draw menu > Draw Slabs/Areas command to access the floating Draw Slabs/Areas form, which displays the parameters for the area to be added. There is a Type of Object ((previously defined slab property or Opening), a Property drop-down list (Drop, None, previously defined slab property, Stiff for slab and Unloaded for Opening) as well as a drop-down list for Line Drawing Type (Straight Line, Arc-3 Points, Arc-Center & 2 Points, Multilinear, Bezier, Spline).
If needed, modify the displayed data by selecting from the drop-down lists before drawing areas. If the area object is being used for some reason other than defining a slab or opening, such as for adding soil properties or loads, select None from the Property drop-down list and then select the area object at a later time and use the Assign menu to assign the desired property.
To place an area object with straight edges in the model, click on a grid intersection or at any other location on the datum plane to draw the first corner. Click again, or type the length and angle directly into the L,theta edit box that appears in the lower left-hand corner of the display when the mouse is moved and hit the Enter key, to place any other points that define the perimeter of the area object. The area object must have at least 3 points. Areas with arcs and curves for edges are drawn in a similar manner. Slabs/areas can be drawn on the datum plane only, so working in a plan view is usually best. This command can not be used to draw walls or ramps; use the Draw menu >Draw Walls command for those objects.
To complete the area without exiting the draw mode, double left click at the last corner point or hit the Enter key. To exit the draw area object mode completely, click the button 
or hit the Esc key to activate the select mode. Data associated with an area object can be reviewed and modified by right clicking on the area to access the {Type Area} Object Information form.
See Also