Sections & Shared Tables

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Adding New Sections to Shared Tables

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Step-by-Step Process

1. Obtain Section Properties File
   • Ensure you have the file containing all necessary section properties
   • This file is typically provided by the user making the request
2. Navigate to Shared Tables
   • Go to ClearCalcs/dev-environment/scripts/sharedTables
3. Open Target Excel File
   • Select and open the .xlsx file where you want to add the new sections
4. Format Section Properties
   • Add the section properties according to the format of the existing Shared Table
   It’s a good idea to organize the new sections in a separate file first to avoid accidentally modifying other data.
5. Add Sections to Excel
   • Once organized, copy and paste them into the appropriate spot in the .xlsx file
   • Save the file

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Generating the JSON File

• In a Calculator (Preferred)
• In the Builder

1. Open a calculator that uses the sharedTable in the builder
2. Find the lookup that uses the sharedTable and open it
3. Select “Org Shared Table” in the lookup data

4. Click on “Select Shared Table” and upload the Excel file
5. It’ll automatically get added to the calculator (so you can test right away) and download the JSON file

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Final Steps

7. Pin the New Shared Table Version
   • Follow the instructions for pinning your new shared table version to the templates
8. Commit Changes
   • Commit all changes including:
     • The .xlsx file
     • The JSON file
     • Any files from the pinning step

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Shared Table Poking

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How It Works

• Shared tables can be “poked” to temporarily override values
• This is useful for testing edge cases or debugging
• Changes are temporary and don’t affect the actual shared table

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Common Use Cases

1. Testing with Different Section Properties
   • Override section dimensions
   • Test with different material properties
   • Verify calculations with edge cases
2. Debugging Template Issues
   • Isolate problems by changing specific values
   • Test calculation responses to different inputs

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Section Request Workflow

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Upwork Flow for Section Requests

1. Create Clear Specifications
   • List all required section types
   • Specify property requirements
   • Include relevant standards references
2. Post on Upwork
   • Use standardized job template
   • Include example files
   • Set clear deliverables
3. Review and Validate
   • Check all properties match standards
   • Validate against existing sections
   • Test in relevant calculators

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Adding & Validating CFS Sections

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Validation Process

1. Property Verification
   • Check geometric properties
   • Verify section modulus calculations
   • Confirm moment of inertia values
2. Standards Compliance
   • Ensure compliance with relevant standards (AISI, AS/NZS, etc.)
   • Document standard references
3. Testing
   • Test in CFS-specific calculators
   • Verify capacity calculations
   • Check for edge cases

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Importing Tables from Web Sources

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Direct Import from Web to Excel

1. Open Excel
   • Create new workbook or open existing
2. Use Data Import Feature
   • Go to Data → From Web
   • Enter the URL containing the table
3. Select Table
   • Excel will identify tables on the page
   • Select the appropriate table
4. Transform Data
   • Use Power Query to clean and format
   • Apply necessary transformations
5. Load to Worksheet
   • Load the cleaned data
   • Save as .xlsx for shared table use

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Best Practices

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Organization

• Keep sections organized by type and standard
• Use consistent naming conventions
• Document any custom sections

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Version Control

• Track changes to shared tables
• Document reasons for additions/modifications
• Maintain backwards compatibility

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Testing

• Test new sections in relevant calculators
• Verify all properties are accessible
• Check for conflicts with existing sections

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Documentation

• Document custom sections thoroughly
• Include calculation methods for derived properties
• Reference applicable standards