STI FAQs

FAQs (and the known-bugs list)
Click a question (or bug) to view the answer (or work-around).
E-mail a question to Support@PrecastEngineer.com or call 505-260-1460 to ask a question, make a suggestion or request a change.
Please report any suspected (or obvious) bugs to the support address. Please include a description of the problem and attach a copy of the problem file (e.g. file.bem, file.lt3) that displays the bug.

Select a category: All Programs | Bcan | Beam | Compmem | Lateral3 | Shearwal | Studs | Licensing
NOTE: Many of the bugs reported here have been fixed in the latest releases of the programs. Please see the Release Notes for current status of any bugs.

ANSWERS (and Work-arounds)

All Programs

Bug: When trying to view the results, the program crashes with the message "A form can't be moved or sized while minimized or maximized."
Work-around: If the Results form was maximized or minimized last time you quit the program, that max/min state was saved in a file, <Program>.ini (<Program> is the name of the program, Bcan, Beam, etc.). There is a bug in the program that causes the crash when it tries to restore the maximized or minimized state.
Fix: To clear the state and get the program to work again:
1. Open the <Program> installation folder (typically "C:\Program Files\STI\<Program>").
2. Select the <Program>.ini file.
3. Select Delete from the File menu. The program will create a new *.ini file next time you run it.
Please don't use the maximize or minimize states for the Results form. You can position the form in the upper left corner of your screen and drag the lower right corner of the form to have it fill the screen. Just don't use the maximize button. This will be fixed in a future maintenance release.

Bug: The text in the column headers of the input grids cut off at the bottom.
Work-around: The problem usually goes away when screen resolution is set to 1024x768. At higher resolutions, some things just don't work correctly. We're trying to fix that, but don't have an answer just yet.

Bug: If a Print Preview window is displayed, then changes are made to the input and the PRINT icon is clicked, whatever is displayed in the Print Preview window is printed without being updated to the current input screens.
Work-around: Close the Print Preview window before printing and the data will be updated to reflect the current input screens. Use the View Results window for checking the calculations as you work on a design.

Bug: The software stopped working after I installed Tekla Structures on my computer.
Work-around: Unload the Tekla software and our software will work again. :-\ We're working on a better solution. (Complain to Tekla that their software messes up other software you want to use! Refer to Case Report 3964.)

Q: When I click on the Print icon, it always prints the whole report. Can I print just one page?
A: Click the Print Preview icon instead; then click the Print icon on the Print Preview page. That will bring up a printer dialog that will allow you to print a selected range of pages. Be aware of Bug #3 above, though.

Bcan

Bug (V3.0.4.4): At screen resolution of 1024x768 the Moment of Inertia textbox is covered by the disclaimer text. 800x600 or 1280x1024 screen resolutions are not affected.
Fixed in Build 5, i.e. V3.0.4.5, which was released 5/23/07. If you downloaded Bcan before this time, please download a fresh copy and install it. To find the build number, right-click the Bcan.exe file, select Properties, and then the Version tab.

Beam

Bug (V3.1.1): The "Factor Applied to Transfer Length" on the Strand Info page doesn't work. The multiplier is reported in the Input Data section of the report but none of the calculated numbers reflect the multiplier.
Work-around: None. An update will be available soon to fix the problem.

Bug (V3.1.0): When extra points are specified on the "Printout Options" page, the reported deflections are wrong.
Work-around: None. You'll have to avoid using extra points when you print out the deflection values. All other values are unchanged by the additional points.

Bug: When concentrated loads are entered, the area of required hanger steel reported in the SUMMARY OF MINIMUM VERTICAL AND LONGITUDINAL WEB REINFORCEMENT REQUIREMENTS is difficult to interpret. (It seems high and is by the usual interpretation.)
Work-around: Enter loads, distribution length, etc. on the Ledge Design page that are appropriate for your problem. When the program calculates hanger steel based solely on concentrated loads (from the Concentrated Loads page), it reports the total area of hanger steel required for the highest load without any attempt to distribute the steel over the distance between loads.

Bug: Concentrated Rain/Snow or Wind/Seismic loads aren't labeled correctly in the DESIGN DATA section of the report.
Work-around: None. The good news is that the load factors entered on the Serviceability page are applied correctly in calculating the factored shear and moment. Only the labels in the DESIGN DATA section are wrong.

Bug: When trying to change the Initial Camber Multiplier, the program crashes with the message "Run time error '5' Invalid procedure call."
Work-around: Hold down the SHIFT key when you press ENTER or TAB after you change the value so you will move to the previous entry field (Factor for Final Tension Stress) instead of the next field (Shear φ factor). This bug will be fixed in the next release.

Bug: In the strand "End Patterns" table, after clearing the entries for a row, the analysis still includes that row of strand.
Work-around: You must enters zeros in the row to clear a strand level. Just deleting the entries won't remove the layer.

Bug: The height of the strand and eccentricity aren't calculated correctly when "Standard Double Tee" is selected for "Holddown Type" on the Strand Info page and "# of Columns in Holddown" on the "Standard Draping" page is set to two or more.
Work-around: Use "General Draping" when a holddown requires two or more columns.

Bug: The "P/C Strength Required" is reported incorrectly in the "Production Info" section of the report.
Work-around: If the P/C strength required exceeds the maximum value specified for f'_c on the "Concrete Info" page, it is reported correctly in the "Final Stresses" section of the report. The user should check this section during development of the design and change the maximum value on the "Concrete Info" page if necessary. However, in the next release, we will change the "Production Info" section to indicate when the reported value is not adequate.

Bug: Transfer length for strand used by the program is still 50 diameters even though it has changed in ACI '02.
Work-around: Nothing really effective. You can change the "Factor Applied to Develop. Length" on the "Strand Info" page. But one number is not correct for all cases. See eqn. 12-2 in ACI 318-02. This will be fixed in the next release.

Bug: Short pieces of mild steel (5 ft or less) added to the end(s) of a member result in an error in the provided moment capacity.
Work-around: None. Check the moment capacity with a longer piece first. If the moment capacity at any location goes up when the shorter piece is used, use the lower calculated capacity.

Bug: When the final stress multiplier is set below 7.5 sqrt(f`c), the final stress section of the report will not show "NS" until the stress exceeds 7.5 sqrt(f`c).
Work-around: None. Please watch carefully the value reported for the final stress and compare it to the allowable stress value printed at the bottom of the section (which is correct for the specified final stress multiplier).

Bug: When the tensile stress in the top of the member (negative moment) exceeds 7.5 sqrt(f'c), the program shows a "NS" flag regardless of the value entered for the final stress multiplier.
Work-around: None. Again, watch carefully the value reported for the final stress and compare it to the allowable stress value printed at the bottom of the section (which is correct for the specified final stress multiplier).

Bug: With Intelliprint on, the program reports the wrong required moment at a cantilever support.
Work-around: The moment reported without Intelliprint is correct. Check the moment first with intelliprint turned off. If you find the moment is wrong when you turn Intelliprint on, please send me a copy of the *.bem file that displays this problem.

Bug: With Intelliprint on, the program doesn't report the final stress at any locations that exceed the final stress multiplier.
Work-around: None. You can't use Intelliprint for class C designs because of this bug.

Bug: With Intelliprint on, the program crashes when additional printout points are requested.
Work-around: None. The additional printout points feature works with Intelliprint turned off.

Bug: When you load a problem that has some default print options turned off, the "Print Options" page continues to show the default option selected and doesn't show the de-selected options correctly.
Work-around: None. If you've just reloaded a problem file, please preview the printout before sending it to the printer and adjust the "Print Options" accordingly.

Q: Is it OK to continue using Beam V3.0.4 or earlier for over-reinforced members?
A: The bug in version 3.0.4 and earlier (also sold as version 3.04 by J&A) occurs when compression steel is used to increase the moment capacity of an otherwise over-reinforced member. It over estimates the strength gained from compression steel and is NOT CONSERVATIVE! It's best to avoid over-reinforced designs if you continue to use those versions of the software.

Compmem

Bug (in V3.1.0): The reported moment capacity, φM_n, for a negative axial load (axial tension) is wrong (UNCONSERVATIVE ERROR) for some load values. The error is in the Moment Magnifier and Factored Loads Interaction Diagram sections of the report. (Fixed in V3.1.1)
Work-around: None. Please download and install the update V3.1.1.

Bug (in V3.0.4): In the Factored Loads section of the report (moment magnifier table) no indication is given if a Pu value exceeds the maximum phi*Pn value. (Fixed in V3.1.0)
Work-around: You must check Pu against the "Max design axial load strength" reported below the table.

Bug (in V3.0.2): The Help says you should enter only positive values for Pu on the Factored Loading page but the program mistakenly allows you to enter negative values also. The calculated allowable moment is not correct for negative values of Pu. (Fixed in V3.0.4)
Work-around: None. Don't enter negative values for Pu. We will change the next version to calculate the correct moment and limit for negative Pu.

Bug (in V3.0.2 and earlier): The program will not produce service load interaction diagrams. You get the notice "WARNING: Allowable stresses are exceeded before any loads are applied." whenever you enter values for Case 1 or Case 2 under Service Load Interaction Diagram. (Fixed in V3.0.4)
Work-around: None. This will be fixed in the next update. The problem is the calculations are expecting Allowable Tension to be a negative number but the UI won't allow negative numbers to be entered.

Lateral3

Q: Does Lateral3 use the lower bound for the Seismic Response Coefficient, C_s, specified in Supplement No. 2 to ASCE 7-05?
A: No. Version 4.2.0 was released before Supplement No. 2 was published. You'll have to check the lower bound manually and, if the C_s being used by Lateral3 is less than the minimum from Supplement No.2, proportion results by (C_s,min/C_s,calc) where C_s,min is the value specified by Supplement No. 2 and C_s,calc is the value specified by ASCE 7-05, that is, the value calculated by Lateral3. This will be updated in the next release.

Q: I'm using the IBC 2000 (or 2003) code. Why don't I get the forces I'm expecting for Seismic loads?
A: Well, there could be several causes for this. But a common problem is that Spectral Response parameters S_s and S₁ must be entered as a percent of g (%g) not as decimal values. So, for example, to use 50% of g, enter 50.0 not 0.50.

Bug: The state of the "Display Maximum Wall Forces" checkbox under "Seismic Analysis" on the "Printout Options" page is not reset correctly when a *.lt3 problem file is loaded. (Fixed in V4.1.0)
Work-around: None. Please remember to check this setting before printing your results.

Bug: Wall # (on the "Constant Wall Sections" and "Variable Wall Sections" pages) must be consecutive integers starting with one and going up to <however many walls there are>. You can't skip numbers. You'll get a rude run time error message if you do.
Work-around: None. Please be patient while we get these old, lower priority bugs worked out.

Bug (in V4.1.0): When using the Variable Wall Sections page you get an error message saying "Var. Wall Sections: Wall #<n> not defined at roof." (Fixed in V4.1.1)
Work-around: None. Please download and install V4.1.1.

Shearwal

Bug (V3.1.0): The φ factors on the Miscellaneous page are reset to the default values when a problem file is recalled. That is, if you save a problem file with modified φ factors, when you open the file again, the φ factors will be reset to the program's default values.
Work-around: None. Please check the φ factors for any problem files that you open.

Bug (V3.1.0): The load factors on the Wind Load Factors page are reset to the default values when a problem file is recalled. That is, if you save a problem file with modified load factors, when you open the file again, the load factors will be reset to the program's default values.
Work-around: None. Please check the load factors for any problem files that you open.

Bug (V3.1.0): Intersecting loads are treated as concentrated loads. Instead of acting only outside of the compression block, they are included in the loads in the compression block as well.
Work-around: You will have to manage intersecting loads manually by removing them from the compression region, running an analysis for one direction, then adding removing intersecting loads for the direction and running another analysis.

Studs

Bug (V4.2.1): In the report, the ultimate moment calculated for Applied Loads has units of ft-k. Shouldn't this be k-in?
Yes, that should be k-in. Work-around: None. You'll have to make the correction on the report yourself. This will be fixed in the next release.

Bug (V4.1.0): When you re-load a problem with modified φ factors (i.e. not the default values) the φ factors are reset to the default values. (Fixed in V4.1.1!)
Work-around: None but the update is free. Click here to download a copy. If you are a licensed user, you will have to re-install your license file after installing the update.

Bug: On the Load Eccentricities page, when you select "Cracking at Service Load Level" the output doesn't reflect the change. That is, it still reports the value for "No Cracking at Service Load Level". (Fixed in V4.1.0!)
Work-around: When you first select "Cracking at Service Load Level", the button for "No Edge Reinforcement" is selected but that selection doesn't get reflected in the output. You must change the selection, that is, select one of the other buttons (#4 Min....) and select "No Edge Reinforcement" again before the program will recognize the selection and change the output.

Licensing

Q: Can I use my STI programs on my home computer as well as my office computer?
A: The license says you can use a program on one CPU only. The hardware key forces you to use it on one CPU at a time. Other than that, the security isn't sophisticated enough to know the difference. So you can load it on both and take the key home with you at night. We won't come to your house and check.

Q: Can I get a network license for STI programs so they can be used on more than one computer?
A: Sorry, we have no network license options at this time.

Q: Can I return the Marx HW key for a refund of the deposit?
A: If you paid a deposit on the key, you can get a refund. However, we will not pay a refund for keys lost in the mail during return. You must package the key so it will pass through the USPS mail handling equipment without getting separated from the package. We will not pay a refund for a torn, empty envelope.

E-mail a question to Support@PrecastEngineer.com
or call 505-260-1460 to ask a question.