Introduction

ScotSteel is Scottsdales proprietary software, which enables a designer to create a steel-framed structure to their own
requirements, then export the panels and/or trusses to Scottsdale Roll Forming machines for production
Unlike most CAD packages ScotSteel is not a drawing tool. It is a virtual building tool. The designer is building the frames in the same way as
the pre-cut framing saw and hammer designers. Hot rolled steel, and ducting can be added, to ensure that all components fit, and
the entire framing structure can be viewed, every item checked for position, and modified if necessary, while the building is still in the
computer.
ScotSteel designers typically require 3 skills.
Firstly
The ability to operate a computer and the ScotSteel software. The ScotSteel software is not difficult to learn, but some design skill is an
advantage.
Secondly
Construction knowledge. This is often under estimated. The ScotSteel designer is also the builder. Once the file has been sent for production,
the fabricators merely assemble what the ScotSteel designer has built.
Thirdly
Some knowledge of truss layout and construction is an advantage. This will enable the designer to make the best use of materials and produce
the most economical results.
The system has many advantages over more traditional building methods;
Mistakes will always be made while there is any human element involved, but these can be virtually eliminated before any material is produced.
One is assured that whatever arrives on site will fit.
Accuracy and quality control can be carefully monitored. Material and joint strengths are known. The human factor is largely eliminated.
Waste is minimal. As little as 1% is easily achievable.
Lightweight steel is rapidly gaining acceptance as a building material worldwide and the Scottsdale system has been designed to fit in with all
cladding and trim systems generally in use. Sub trades merely substitute screws for nails.
ScotSteel operates in both Metric and Imperial formats.
Scottsdale Roll forming machines can produce section widths of 63mm, 76mm, 90mm, and 140mm, in thicknesses from 0.55mm to 1.2mm
which enables system users to create structures with the most economical use of materials.
ScotSteel users, have the option of creating panel roofs, truss roofs, or a hybrid roof that uses both panels and trusses to utilize the
advantages of both systems
ScotSteel software is constantly being improved to meet customer needs. Scottsdale maintains close contact with the market place and is
committed to providing solutions to the problems arising from the large number of different construction methods used throughout the world.

Overview
The ScotSteel system works by creating planes for the various panel groups, ( floors, walls, ceilings, roofs, and supports). Each individual panel
has a Set file allotted to it, which contains the panel layout and other information that controls the frame configuration when the structure is
automatically turned into steel in Project mode.
Trusses are created using the ceiling and roof planes to produce the truss shape, and then exported into Truswal proprietary engineering
software for the creation of the webs, and the truss engineering.
In Project mode frames can be further customized to include special nogs and braces, and have plates, L headers, strap bracing and
strapping displayed. Structural steel items can also be incorporated into the structure to ensure that all components of the finished building fit
perfectly. The software also gives access to engineering graphs which enable the designer to construct the panels in accordance with the
engineering requirements for their purpose.
A number of printout options are available to produce assembly and construction drawings, and the engineering parameters used, as well as
the various steel quantities and panel weights.
2 and 3 dimensional DXF layouts of panels and trusses can be exported into a sub program, Scott Layout, where the drawing can be
dimensioned, text and callouts added, to create detailed assembly drawings.
A full range of engineering drawings and printouts are available for the trusses.

Regional Settings
Scottsdales software can encounter problems, when the regional settings on the computer are set to an English version that uses non-standard
punctuation marks etc.
English versions that are known to be trouble free are :-

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English, Australia, New Zealand, United kingdom, and United States.

To check these settings.
Open up Control Panel.

Double click on Regional and language

Using the menu, Set the language to English (Australia, New Zealand, United kingdom, or United States)
Click Apply.

Installing ScotSteel onto a computer

ScotSteel should be automatically installed from a Setup, installation, to ensure that all associated files are loaded into their correct
locations. The software is designed to operate from a central address, where the Set and Data files are located, along with the ScotLayout,
and ScotSim software, and the Pre engineering files for the trusses, and the panel engineering software.
These files must be located in..
C Drive
Program Files. ( If the computer is 64 bit Windows 7 the folder will be Program Files (x86))
If the software is being installed from a Setup, a SCS folder and contents will automatically be installed. If not, the SCS folder,
must be created. SCS.
Place the files below in the SCS folder.
Note. The License.txt, Unins000.dat, and the Unins000.exe files are automatically installed with a setup, and are not necessary if the
components are being installed manually.

Design
The Design folder should contain the following

ScotLayout
ScotLayout is under development, and the folder will contain files in addition to those shown below.

ScotSim
The ScotSim folder should contain

Changing the location of the Design.exe

The EXE file, which operates the Design program can be installed in any location. The setup will install it into the Design folder but it can
be removed from there.
It is recommended that a ScotSteel folder be created in Program Files, and inside it folders be created for any different versions of the
software that are to be used.

Each folder contains the versions EXE file, a copy of the reg dat security file, and the Language.txt file, if a language other than the
default English is to be used.
It is recommended that the zipped version of the EXE file also be kept.

Setting or creating a Language version.

ScotSteel software has been created in English. Display text, button names, drop down menus etc, can be converted to any language by setting
up a language conversion file, that sits beside the Design.exe file. A number of language conversions are included in the install, along with a
application which will access the Google Translate site, to enable a basic translation to any language to be made.
Language conversion files are TXT files that can be customized to correct any translation errors, or modify names to conform to local standards.

Using an existing translation included in the install.

A folder called Language, has been installed in C:\Program Files (x86)\SCS\Design.

The language folder contains a number of Google translations.

Note. The Translated language files shown in the example above, may vary from those in the install.
Special request.. Any translation that has been corrected, and is available for inclusion in our install will be appreciated. Please Contact CSC
Technical.
To become active, a translated file must sit in the same folder as the Design.exe file, and be named Language.txt
Select any of the language selections, copy the file, paste it beside the Design.exe, and re-name it Language.txt.

In the example Portuguese has been used.

Modifying a Language file.

As the language files have been created using Google Translate, there will be some translation errors.
The Language files can be opened in Notepad, and modified where necessary.
In the Polish example below, the tool button Previous View has been translated incorrectly.

The correct translation should be

Alter the TXT file, and save the alteration.

Creating a new language file.

Manual Translation.
The Language folder contains a Language_Blank.txt file.

A direct translation can be made manually by filling in the translation directly after the = sign. No Space.
Example translated to French
Bottom
Bottom
Bottom
Bottom
Bottom

Center=En bas au centre

Chord Planes=Avions membrure infrieure
Chord=Chord Bas
Left=En bas gauche
Right=En bas droite

Upon completion, save the file with the file name, Language.txt, and place it in the same location as the Design.exe file.

Google Translation.

Open the

that is in the C:\Program Files (x86)\SCS\TranslateTxt, folder.

Click File and Open

Select the Language_Blank.txt file and click Open.

The blank Language file will populate the String section of the TXT Translator.

Click "Edit", "Copy Strings", then

Click Edit, Go to Google Translate

The software will access the web, and open Google Translate.

On the Google Translate web page.

Right click in the LH top box and select Paste

Instant Translation is set by default, so the Default English translation will appear on the right hand side as well.

Delete the & sign from the 4th to the 10th entry.

Select the language to be translated to, by clicking the Menu arrow, and selecting the required translation.
In the example German

The translation will be made.

Select and Copy the translation.

Return to the TXT Translator and select Edit, Paste Translations

Select File Save As

And save the file in the Language folder, in C:\Program Files (x86)\SCS\Design\Language, and name it (In the Example)
Language_German.txt, and click Save, and a German translation will be created.

1st use of the software.

When the software is first opened a text box will appear asking for a security code.

Your activation code is generated from the hard drive number of your computer, and is specific to that computer only.
Note. Computers manufactured in the same batch may have the same hard drive number.
Contact Scottsdale Support for your serial number.
Record the serial number for future reference. Entering the serial number will generate the reg.dat file which allows the EXE file to operate.
Registration key codes are programmed to expire on the 2 nd April each year. Scottsdale records the issue of all codes, and a new code for the
following year, will be sent out by email to the authorized company representative, prior to the expiry of the old one. The new code can be
entered, when the old one expires. This will ensure that only authorized users have continuous access to the design software.
The first few times the Design software opens, the user license agreement is displayed. Read the agreement, as this may change from time to
time. Below is a sample only, and should not be deemed to be the agreement.

Software versions
The version No of the software is displayed briefly in the Logo when the software opens. A prolonged display can be obtained by clicking on the
Information icon on the top right of the screen in Project mode.

This will display the logo. The version No is displayed in the RH bottom corner. Usually the version No is referred to by the 4 middle digits. (In
this case 2154)

Version and check for

update

Scottsdale Construction Systems Limited

Auto Update
If the computer is connected to the Internet, a facility is available to automatically check if a later version of the software is available, and to
download it along with the RTF file, which briefly explains the changes in the various versions.
To check for updates, click on the blue Check for Update.) A window will appear notifying if an update is available.

To download the update, click Get Update.

The file location where the last update was saved will appear. Change this if necessary.

Click Save. When the download is complete a notification will appear, which briefly describes the procedure to update your version.

Installing Updates

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Scottsdale Construction Systems Limited

To update your version, unzip the downloaded file. A password will be asked for. This is available from your agent.

Enter the password and click OK. The file will unzip to a Design EXE file.

To update your software, open the ScotSteel folder, open the version to be updated, and overwrite the existing EXE file with the new one.
To create a new version. Create a new folder and move the EXE file into the folder. Copy the reg.dat file from another version into the folder
beside the new EXE file, or open the new EXE file and enter the serial No when the box appears.
To download the RTF update, click on the Get Changes file button.

It will save to the same file location as the Design Update.

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When checking for updates, if you will be notified if you have the current version. The RTF file is still available.

Checking for update at startup.

The new software offers the facility to check for an update each time Design is opened. Check the box if required.
To close the logo, click anywhere on the logo.

Important notes about updates and different versions.

From time to time, as development progresses, the code controlling certain aspects of the software will change. Because the writer knows the
history of the code, any changes that is made creating a new version, is written so that the new version will recognize any old versions, and
convert them to the new code before processing it. Any version, should read any project created in a previous version.
It is impossible for any writer to anticipate future changes to the code, therefore the software will not always be forward readable.
A project may not open, if the version trying to open it, is earlier than the version that created it.
If you send a project to someone who has a version later than yours, they alter it, you may not be able to open it when it is
returned.

Finding the version that the project was last saved in.
Selecting the project using the Project thumbnails

Version
Number

will display the date it was created/modified, and the version number it was last saved in.

System requirements
ScotSteel is powerful software with extremely good graphics which requires a relatively powerful and modern computer. We would suggest the
following computer hardware specifications as a minimum.

21 colour screen.
Intel(R) Core) i7-2600 CPU@3.40GHz 3.40GHz
8 GB RAM
64-bit operating System
Graphics card with Open GL version 1.1 or later

Graphics cards we know are compatible

GeForce Ti4200 with 64 MB RAM.
GeForce FX5200 with 128 MB RAM
GeForce 3T1200 with 64 MB RAM
GeForce 5700LE with 256 MB RAM
NVidia GeForce FX 5650
ATI Mobility Radeon X300, X600 and X600 SE with 128 MB memory for each.
Radeon B850 XT 256MB

Overview of creating a structure

It is important to create the structure in an ordered manner, to minimise time and effort. Firstly, set all the default settings including;
Auto save
Project Details
and check the current version of the software is installed.
Draw and size the basic wall plane outline. ScotSteel has a powerful auto roof function that will manage nearly all roof shapes. It creates the
roof from the wall outline, and uses the default information attached to those wall planes.
The basic walls are created with the roof shape in mind, and often extra walls will be used to create the desired roof shape. These can be
hidden or deleted once the roof planes have been formed.
When sufficient wall planes have been drawn, the roof planes are constructed, either by using Auto roof, or manually, or a combination of both.
The roof planes can then be hidden until required.
The walls are then completed, openings inserted and their set files, which contain the internal layout information allotted. Non RF items are
drawn as planes.

Floor planes, (if required) are drawn, and then ceiling planes.
Finally the Support planes, or Trusses are drawn.
After checking the structure for accuracy, it is transferred to Project mode
In Project mode, the planar structure is turned into steel, and trusses are exported to the Truswal engineering software.

Each group can be viewed and checked, and any special modification and additions made. Once the panels are completed, they can be locked
to prevent any accidental alteration.
After final checking, the Wall Plane and Frame Tests tool is used to check for collisions and overlaps.
Finally, the panels are exported to the Roll Former and run through Simulation mode.