Preview: Scripting#

For many use cases the parametrics provided by the tried and tested Parametrics in Bridge Design (CABD) are sufficient.

In addition, SOFiPLUS provides a scripting API based on Lua for edge cases.

Warning

This feature is in public preview. It may change or even be removed at any time.

Create a Structural Point#

The available properties are:

number	Element number. [1 …]
position	XYZ Location of point.
support_pzz	Supports. Available: pxx, pyy, pzz, px, py, pz, mb

Create the point at position (0,0,0):

local spt = sofistik.Point.new({0, 0, 0})
spt.number = 1

Modify the position at a later point in time:

spt.position = {10, 0, 0}

Assign a support:

spt.support_pzz = true

Use a variable and a loop to create multiple points:

local x = 10.0
local count = 20

for y=1,count do
    local spt = sofistik.Point.new({ x, y, y*0.1 })
end

Create a Structural Line#

The available properties are:

number	Element number. [1 …]
group	Primary group number.
type	Beam type: CENTRIC, REFERENCE, TRUSS, CABLE, SECTION, NONE
section	Cross section number.
section_at_start	Cross section number at start.
section_at_end	Cross section number at end.
geometry	Modify the geometry of the object.
length	Length of the curve.
start_point
end_point

Create a line between two points:

local sln = sofistik.Line.new()
sln.number = 1
area.group = 99
sln.geometry:set_line({0, 0, 0}, {1, 0, 0})

Create a structural line as a polyline, i.e. connecting several points starting at (0,0,0):

local sln = sofistik.Line.new()
sln.geometry
  :move_to({0, 0, 0})
  :line_to({1, 0, 0})
  :line_to({1, 1, 0})
  :line_to({2, 3, 0})

Print the length of the line to the console:

print( sln.length )

Assign a cross section:

sln.section = 5

Assign different cross sections at start and end with linear interpolation:

sln.section_at_start = 1
sln.section_at_end = 2

Create a Structural Area#

The available properties are:

number	Element number. [1 …]
group	Primary group number.
thickness	Element thickness.
geometry	Modify the geometry of the object.
alignment	Align the coordinate system to, for example, a structural point.

Create a rectangle with thickness 0.2:

local area = sofistik.Area.new()
area.number = 1
area.group = 99
area.thickness = 0.2
area.geometry:set_quad({0, 0, 0}, {1, 0, 0}, {1,1,0}, {0,1,0})

Create an arbitrary polygonal area:

local area = sofistik.Area.new()
area.geometry
    :move_to({0,   0, 0})
    :line_to({1,   0, 0})
    :line_to({2, 0.5, 0})
    :line_to({1,   1, 0})
    :line_to({0,   1, 0})
    :close()

Align generated elements:

area.align_elements = sofistik.SAR.AlignTop
area.align_elements = sofistik.SAR.AlignCenter
area.align_elements = sofistik.SAR.AlignBottom

Common Operations on Elements#

Assign element numbers.

Assign a number:

elem.number = 1

Note

If the number is already assigned to another element, the next free number will be assigned instead.

Move objects.

Move the object a relative distance 1.0 along global X, 2.0 along global Y and -3.5 along global Z:

spt:move({ 1, 2, -3.5 })

CABD / Bridge : Create an Axis#

The available properties are:

geometry	Set the geometry of the axis as a 3D curve.
plan_view	Set the geometry of the axis as a combination of plan view and elevation view geometric objects.
placements	Modify the placements assigned to the axis.
secondary	Add secondary axes (for example, offset curves).
variables	Variable progressions along the axis. Used by sections and offset curves.
domain	Min and max station value (`axis.domain.min`, `axis.domain.max`)

Create an axis AXIS as 3D line along global X with length 30.0:

local axis = sofistik.Axis.create("AXIS")
axis.geometry:set_line({0, 0, 0}, {30, 0, 0})

Create an axis AXIS with plan view geometry:

local axis = sofistik.Axis.create("AXIS")
axis.plan_view:line(10)
axis.plan_view:clothoid(40, 999, 100)
axis.plan_view:arc(40, 100)

Let’s add placements.

Create placements at a specific stations:

axis.placements:create_at_s(0)
axis.placements:create_at_s(10.5)

Let’s create structural lines between placements.

Create placements at a specific stations:

local axis = sofistik.Axis.create("AXIS")
axis.geometry:set_line({0, 0, 0}, {30, 0, 0})

local plc1 = axis.placements:create_at_s(0)
local plc2 = axis.placements:create_at_s(10.5)

local sln = sofistik.Line.new(gax, plc1, plc2)
sln.section = 1

Let’s add a secondary axis offset by constant distances along Y and Z (local to primary axis).

Note

The name of a secondary axis needs to be a single uppercase character from the range A-Z.

axis.secondary:create_offset("L", -4.0, 0.0)
axis.secondary:create_offset("R",  4.0, 0.0)

Add a secondary axis offset with the distance in local Y defined by a variable H.

Note

Available as of version 2023.

axis.variables:create("H")
axis.secondary:create_offset("R", "H", 0.0)

Commands, Objects and Geometry#

At any time in your script, you can run arbitrary AutoCAD commands.

Note

If an AutoCAD command does not properly end, then the script execution will be stopped.

Zoom to extents:

acad.command[['_.zoom _e]]

Create an AutoCAD line:

acad.command[[_line 0,0,0 0,5,0\n\n]]

Note

Note that \n indicates a new line and represents pressing RETURN in interactive mode.

Most objects share these properties:

layer

AutoCAD layer name

print( sln.layer )

Curve like objects share these properties:

length	Length of the curve.
start_point
end_point

print( sln.length )