The user chooses windows from the menu bar by clicking on a suitable menu text that will make a corresponding window to open or to show a submenu if there is any. There can be submenus in several levels. By clicking on a submenu option again the user will eventually open a corresponding window.
Some menu-options can be marked in grey. This means that the input data that has been given so far makes it unsuitable to open the window in question, which is why it has been marked in grey.

File

Contains commands for different functions such as open already saved information, save information and make printouts. Several of the File options are identical to other Windows programs.

New

Initiates a new file for calculation data input. The user can calculate several problems parallel.

Open

Retrieves input data from a previous calculation. A list on saved input data files is shown (files that end with .cbs).

Close

Closes currently active file.

Save

Saves input data for current calculation in the file with the current file name. Save is not to be used until after having used Save as.

Save as

Saves input data for current calculation in a file with a file name different from the current.

Printer settings

This function is used for specifying the printout in terms of type of printer, paper width and so on.

Print option

Makes it possible to select what is to be printed.

The Print option dialog box contains the following tabs:

Printout options

Here the user can choose a complete printout where the pictures can be presented in a full page or in a smaller format.

Input

Here the user selects if the input data image is wanted and if it is to be presented in a full page or not. The user also selects if the current input data is to be  presented as tables.

Analysis results

Here the user selects if the section force graphs are to be printed and if they are to be presented in a full page or not. The user also selects what results are wanted as tables. It is possible to get a detailed result where the user selects the number of result sections that are to be presented.

Result - Ultimate Limit State

Here the user selects what design results are wanted on the printer, and if the chosen pictures are to be printed in a full page or not.

Result - Serviceability Limit State

Here the user selects what results for the Serviceability Limit State that are going to be printed, and if the current picture is to be presented in a full page or not.
It is possible to get a detailed result where the user states the number of result sections that are to be presented.

Print preview

Makes it possible to study the exact outcome of the chosen printout on the screen. This function is includes determining the printout layout, i.e. tables with or without frames, header, margins and fonts.

The function of the Printout Preview enables the user to give a personal touch to the printouts. The print manager is called when the option is activated. The task for the print manager is to enable the user to create a personal template for what the printout is to look like, the size of the pictures etc. or, alternatively choose the standard template that already exists within the program.

Choose a printout template from the list. The program comes with a printout template called Standard. Click on the More button in order to edit current printout template or to create a new printout template.

A list of printout templates that can be used will now be displayed. The chosen template can be changed to the user’s requirements by clicking on the Change button. A printout template decides the layout of the printout, i.e. what fonts, colors and so on that are to be used. The printout template has been named Standard printout template in the below seen example.

Tables

A table can have the following appearances:

• Table with frames
  Frames around the table where each table column is separated from nearby table column/columns with one or more perpendicular lines.
• Table without frames
  Table divided into columns without separation lines.
• Light gray table
  Table without frames where every other table-post has been marked with a soft grey background color to make it more distinct.
• Table with grid
  As for the light gray table option above but now with every line separated with lines.
• Custom coloured table
  This function is the same as that for Grey-white layout but the users can now choose the background color by themselves. A suitable color can be chosen from the color palette by clicking on the … button. The user can set the appearance of the table contents. By clicking on the button to the right of the Table title text the font of the table title can be chosen from a font-dialogue box. This is also valid for the column title and the table posts. Note that too big fonts can cause tables or other objects to fail to fit in the page. If this should happen the table columns, or the width of the objects, will automatically be adjusted in width without any regards to text editing. If the objects fail to fit in the page the print manager will try and create a new page hoping to find more space. This attempt can fail, depending on what personal adjustments the user has made, and the print manager will then cancel the printout generation.

Pictures

The user can set the size of the pictures by choosing one of the following options:

• 1/1 Portrait
  Choose the 1/1 portrait option if you want the pictures to be presented in a whole page size.
• 1/1 Landscape
  Choose the 1/1 landscape if you want the pictures to be presented lying in a whole page size. Depending on earlier printer settings, i.e. if portrait or landscape has been chosen, the print manager will switch from landscape for pictures to portrait for tables and other text material.
• 1/2 Portrait
  Choose the 1/2 portrait option if you want the pictures to be presented in the size of a half page.
• 1/3 Portrait
  Choose the 1/3 portrait option if you want the pictures to be presented in the size of a 1/3 of the page.
• 1/4 Portrait
  Choose the 1/4 portrait option if you want the pictures to be presented in the size of 1/4 of the page. This option is the most economic one when thinking of the total number of generated pages. This is also the most preferable option if you want to obtain smaller printouts.
• Picture
  Press the … button to the right of the picture text if you want to change font size of the picture title.
• Frames
  Mark Frames if all picture objects, that are to be printed, are going to be framed.

Misc

• Company
  Press the button to the right of the company text to choose an appropriate font.
• Section title
  Press the button to the right of the section title text in order to change the characteristics of the headings.
• Index
  A table of contents can be obtained by marking this option. All generated objects, as well as the number of the page, on which the object has been printed, can be added to the table of contents. The user can for example set if he wants to obtain a table of contents for all printouts with more than 20 pages. The table of contents is then added at the end of the generated document.

Print

This function is used for printing input data and results.

Change language

Makes it possible to change between languages.

Supported languages:

•  English
•  Swedish

Exit

Ends Concrete Beam.

Edit

Preview current view

Makes it possible to, on the screen, study the exact outcome of the view.

View

Toolbar

Makes it possible to hide and restore the toolbar.

Status bar

Makes it possible to hide and restore the status bar.

Geometry and loads

Makes it possible to see current geometry and current loads.

Grid

Shows/hides a grid.

Axes

Shows/hides the auxiliary axes.

Zoom all

The picture is fit to the drawing area at its maximum.

Zoom window

A specified area can be enlarged with this command/button.

Zoom out

This command/button is used for reducing the window gradually.

Pan

Makes it possible to move the picture in an optional direction.

Previous

Used for going back to the latest previous zooming mode.

Next

Shows the next view.

Input

This is the menu option where the user defines the problem.

Title

This function is used for specifying general information on the current calculation example. More detailed information can be found here.

Convert code version

With this option the user can convert between different

• Country annexes for EuroCode
  or
• Versions of a code for a country (only available up to, and including, version 6.3).

Geometry

Current geometric data is being defined.

Material

The material conditions of the concrete beam are being defined, including reinforcement, diameter, cover of reinforcement and so on.

This is enabled as soon as a geometry has been defined.

Loads

Current loads can be defined.

This is enabled as soon as a geometry has been defined.

Serviceability Limit State

Values needed for the serviceability limit check are being defined.

This is enabled as soon as a geometry has been defined.

Save input data as default

Makes it possible to save current input data values which become personal default values until these are changed.

This is enabled as soon as a geometry has been defined.

Calculate

The calculation options will be shown when Calculate is activated.

Analysis

An elastic section force analysis of the beam is performed.

Design

A design in the ultimate limit state based an elastic section force analysis is performed. If an analysis, has not been performed or if the input data that affects the analysis has been altered, then both the analysis and the design will be performed by this option.

Plastic design

This option is only available for Danish annex. Section forces are determined based on a plastic analysis companied by a design calculation. This option is only active if an elastic design has been performed and the calculated reinforcement has been decreased at one point at least.

Serviceability Limit State

Used to perform a control in the serviceability limit state.

Increase/decrease reinforcement

This option is used for a possible decrease/increase of calculated reinforcement.

The Increase/decrease reinforcement option makes it possible to increase or decrease the number of longitudinal reinforcement bars in relation to what is required for elastic bending. If the reinforcement is decreased at one or more points a restriction moment is calculated as input to a plastic design (only Danish Annex). If crack widths or deflections in the serviceability limit state are too large the reinforcement could be increased to meet the current requirements.

Diagrams

The Diagrams menu option will be available when the calculation is completed. The menu option makes it possible to choose what type of calculation results the user wants to have presented graphically.

Moment and shear force

Shows maximum moment diagram and maximum shear force diagram with consideration taken to the number of load positions.

Reinforcement-Longitudinal

Shows resulting longitudinal reinforcement. This is effected of bending and, if there are any, crack width- or deflection criteria and of the Increase/decrease reinforcement option.

Cross-section/markings

Shows reinforcement in a cross-section for a chosen section coordinate.

Curtailing

Makes it possible to change the length of the bars, layer by layer or one at the time, regarding current conditions.

Deflections

Shows the deflection diagram of the beam.

Tables

The Table menu option will be available when the calculation has been performed. The menu option shows the results of the calculation as tables.

Analysis

Shows maximum moment, maximum shear force, support reactions and moment-and shear force distribution in ten points along the selected span.

Design

Shows required reinforcement due to bending and shear in the elastic state. For Danish Annex also a plastic design is possible.

Serviceability Limit State

Shows maximum crack widths and deflections as well as a detailed result.

Complete reinforcement

Shows the complete longitudinal reinforcement that, besides by bending, can be affected by possible crack width or deflection criteria and/or by the user manually increased/decreased reinforcement. It also shows a complete stirrup reinforcement.

Windows

New window

Used to open a new window for the same example, thus giving the user the possibility to have several pictures belonging to the same example visible at the same time.

Cascade

This function is used for arranging the document windows that are currently shown, in a way that makes them cascade each other.

Arrange horizontally

Used for arranging the currently shown document windows so that they all can be shown in full.

Side by side

Used for arranging the currently shown document windows so that they all can be shown in full.

Arrange Icons

This function is used for arranging the different calculation example icons that might be on the screen.

Help

Contents

Quick command: F1

The entire manual can by this option be attained in the program.

Limitations

Informs about items not handled by the program.

License information

Shows information about the license.

About Concrete Beam

Shows all information about the program, such as e.g. version number.