1. New Column

1.1 Select Column and click Define to enter the Define view of Column.

1.2 Click New, and there are four column types: Rectangular Column, Round Column, Special-shaped Column, and Parameterized Column. For instance, select to new Rectangular Column.

1.3 New Round Column is the same as new Rectangular Column.

1.4 New Special-shaped Column, and the Polygon Editor appears. Draw columns according to actual drawings; after the drawing is finished, click OK.

1.5 New Parameterized Column, and the Select Parameterized Drawing window appears. Select the shape you want, and then click OK.

2. Define Column

2.1 After creating the column, enter the column name, section size and rebar info and the like based on the drawing,

2.2. Attribute

(1) Name Input the name according to the drawing, which should be unique under current element type in current floor. 

(2) Category: Select categories according to actual situation. 

(3) Section Width (B) (mm)/Section Height (H) (mm): Input values according to the drawing. This affects the calculation of quantities. 

(4) All Main Bars: Input values according to the drawing. This affects the calculation of quantities. For the input format, please click the More button to view details.

(5) Links: Input values according to the drawing. This affects the calculation of quantities. For the input format, please click the More button to view details.

(6) Links in Joint Area: Calculate by links by default. Support the direct input.

(7) Legs: Choose leg type by clicking the three-point button.

(8) Column Type: Column can be set as middle column, corner column, side column-B and side column-H. Side column-B indicates that Side B is the external side. Only columns in top floor may be affected by this attribute. 

(9) Other Links/Other Rebar: Input values according to actual needs.

(10) Remarks: Only act as a label, and doesn't have any influence on calculation.

2.3 For round columns, special-shaped columns and parameterized columns, you can modify size and input info according to actual drawings.

3. Draw Column

After defining the column, click Define to go to the Draw view and start the drawing of column entities.

3.1 Point

Point is the default drawing method for columns, also the most frequently-used method of drawing point type elements.

In the Element List, select the column you want to draw, and then the Point drawing method is activated. In the drawing area, click the location that you want to lay out the column.

3.2 Shift+Left Click

This drawing method is often used for columns not at the intersections of axes.

In the Element List, select the column you want to draw, and then the Point drawing method is activated. Hold the Shift key when clicking the base point.

In the Input Offset window, input the offset value, and then click OK, as shown below.

Note: 
For X direction, entering positive values denotes moving right relative to the base point, and entering negative values denotes moving right relative to the base point. For Y direction, entering positive values denotes moving upward relative to the base point, and entering negative values denotes moving downward relative to the base point.

4. Calculate & View Quantity

Following the above mentioned method, you can define and draw columns of a specific floor, and then perform Summary Calculate to view the quantities of columns of this floor.

4.1 Summary Calculate

There are two ways of calculating quantities: Calculate (by floor) and Calculate Selected Entity.

Calculate by floor: Click Summary Calculate in the quick access bar, or click Quantity > Calculate, or press F9 to calculate the quantities of the current floor.

Calculate Selected Entity: Select columns, and then in the right-click menu, click Calculate Selected Quantity.

4.2 View Edit Rebar

Select a column, click Edit Rebar in the quick access bar, or click Quantity > Edit Rebar, or press F11 to view detailed quantities of the selected column.

4.3 View Rebar 3D

Select a column, click Rebar 3D, and then you can view the column rebar in 3D mode intuitively.