GS.

Documentation Conventions
A number of typographical conven ons are maintained throughout Bentley documenta on, which makes it easier to iden fy
and understand the informa on presented.

Se ng Descrip on
Notes, Hints, and
Warnings Items of special note are indicated as follows:

Note: This is an item of general importance.

Tip: This is op onal me-saving informa on.

Warning: This is informa on about ac ons that should not be performed under normal opera ng
condi ons.

File Path/File
A fixed width typeface is used to indicate file names, file paths, and file extensions (e.g.,
Name.extension
…/STAAD/Staadpro.exe)

Interface Control
A bold typeface is used to indicate user controls, such as ribbon tabs, tool names, and dialog
controls. (e.g., File > Save As).

User Input
A bold, fixed width typeface is used to indicate informa on which must be manually entered.
(e.g., Type DEAD LOAD as the tle for Load Case 1).

Terminology
Click - This refers to the ac on of pressing a mouse bu on. When not specified, click means to press the le mouse
bu on.
Select - Synonymous with Click. Used when referring to an ac on in a menu, drop-down list, list box, or other control
where mul ple op ons are available to you.
pop-up menu - A pop-up menu is displayed typically with a right-click of the mouse on an item in the interface.
Window - Describes an on screen element which may be manipulated independently. Mul ple windows may be open
and interacted with simultaneously.
Dialog - This is an on screen element which (typically) must be interacted with before returning to the main window.
Cursor - Various selec on tools are referred to as "cursors" in STAAD.Pro. Selec ng one of these tools will change the
mouse pointer icon to reflect the current selec on mode.

Mathematical Notation
Similar to spelling conven ons, American mathema cal nota on is used throughout the documenta on. A serif typeface is
typically used to clarify numbers or le ers which might otherwise appear similar.

Numbers greater than 999 are wri en using a comma (,) to separate every three digits.

For example, the U.S. value of Young's Modulus is taken as 29,000,000 psi.

Warning: Do not use commas or spaces to separate digits within a number in a STAAD input file.

Numbers with decimal frac ons are wri en with a period to separate whole and frac on parts. For example, a beam with
a length of 21.75 feet.
Mul plica on is represented with a raised –or middle– dot (·) or a mul plica on symbol (×). For example, P = F·A or P =
F×A.

Opera on separators are used in the following order:

1. parenthesis ( )
2. square brackets [ ]
3. curly brackets (i.e., braces) { }

For example,

Fa = [1 - (Kl/r)2/(2·Cc2)]Fy / {5/3 + [3(Kl/r)/(8·Cc)] - [(Kl/r)3/(8·Cc3)]}

Which may also be represented as: