Some useful commands in SAP2000 1.Extrude Command Use the Edit menu > Extrude command to sweep selected objects through space to create new objectsofhigherdimensionortoconvertlinestoareasandareastosolidswiththesame thickness as the original line or area object. The process of extrusion increases the dimensional space of an existing object by one. In other words, line objects are of one dimension that can be generatedfromadimensionlessobject,thepointobject.Inasimilarmanner,atwo-dimensionalobject,areaorplate/shellcanbegeneratedfromaone-dimensionalobject,the lineobject.Thisfeatureisespeciallysuitedtocreatingsolidobjectsfromplate/shells, plate/shell objects from beams and beams/columns from points/nodes. a)Extrude points to Frame/Cable- This command is used to convert points into lines. This tool can be used to draw columns on X-Y plane. In order for this command to work a minimum of one joint should be selected. FromExtrudePointstoLinestabshownbelowselecttypeofextrusiondesired.Also specifytheextrusiondirectionwiththeirrespectiveincrementsandnumberofcopies. Forinstancetoextrudetheabovepointintoacolumnofheight3mwithsection property FSEC1, set Increment data dz = -3.0 to extrude it downward. b)Extrude lines to Areas- This command is used to convert lines into area. This tool can be used to draw walls on X-Y plane. In order for this command to work a minimum of one frame should be selected. FromExtrudeFrametoAreastabshownbelowselecttypeofextrusiondesired.Also specifytheextrusiondirectionwiththeirrespectiveincrementsandnumberofcopies. For instance to extrude the above frame into a wall of height 3m with section property ASEC1, set Increment data dz = -3.0 to extrude it downward. Frame object selected

2.Replicate Command Replicateisanotherverypowerfulwayofgeneratingalargemodelfromasmallmodelwhen the objects and/or joints form a linear or radial pattern or are symmetrical about a plane. When joints or objects are replicated, the assignments on those joints and objects are also replicatedSteps to be followed a)Select the objects to be replicated. b)Click the Edit menu > Replicate command and choose the Linear, Radial, or Mirror tab to complete the following types of replication. To Replicate in a Linear Array Steps to be followed a)Select the members and joints to be replicated. b)Click the Edit menu > Replicate command to access the Replicate form. c)Click on the Linear tab. d)Fill in the dx, dy and dz offset distances in the Increments edit boxes. e)Type the number of times the selected entities are to be replicated in the Number edit box. f)Click the OK button. 3.Group Command TheconceptofgroupsisthebackboneofsomepowerfultoolsinSAP2000.Agroupisa collectionofobjectsthatisassignedauniquename.Groupsmaybeusedformanydifferent purposes.Eachobjectmaybepartofasmanygroupsasneeded.Allobjectsarepartofthe built-in group named "ALL." Steps to be followed a)Select the objects to be included in a group.b)ClicktheAssignmenu>AssigntoGroupscommandtoaccesstheAssign/Define Group Names form.Ifagrouphasnotalreadybeendefined,usethebuttonsonthe Assign/DefineGroupNamesforminthesamemannerasdescribedinthe Define Groups topic to define a group name and specify uses for the grouped objects. Ifagrouphasbeendefined,orafteronehasbeendefined,clickonthe desired group name in the Groups list box. c)Inthelowerleft-handcorneroftheAssign/DefineGroupNamesform,selectthe appropriate option: Add to Group. Adds the selected objects to others already in the group. Replace Group. Deletes the existing objects in the group and replaces them with the current selection. Delete from Group. Delete the selected objects from the group. d)Click the OK button to close the form.