CRT USER GUIDE

RM Bridge V8i
August 2012

RM Bridge Professional Engineering Software for Bridges of all Types

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Contents

CRT User Guide

Table of Contents
1

CRT PLOT FILE VIEWER AND FILE CONVERTER DESCRIPTION .............................. 1

1.1

OVERVIEW ..................................................................................................................................... 1

USAGE .............................................................................................................................................. 1
2.1 START THE PLOT FILE VIEWER ........................................................................................................ 1
2.1.1
Open CRT in host application .............................................................................................. 1
2.1.2
Open CRT in Windows Explorer .......................................................................................... 2
2.2 MAIN FUNCTIONS AND NAVIGATION............................................................................................... 2
2.2.1
Viewing plot file files and navigation................................................................................... 3
2.2.2
Load and select plot or text files .......................................................................................... 4
2.2.3
Plot file viewing modes and store new plot file info ............................................................. 4
2.2.4
Print plot and text files ......................................................................................................... 6
2.2.5
Convert plot and text files .................................................................................................... 7

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CRT Plot file viewer and file converter description

CRT User Guide

CRT Plot file viewer and file converter description

1.1 Overview
CRT provides functions for viewing, printing and converting RM meta Plot files with
the extension .pl. Alternatively it can be also used for printing and converting text
files into PDF files.
The plot meta file information consists of parts. One file holds the binary vector information (plotfile.pl) and the second one the connected viewing information file
(plofile.pla). Additional viewing information of the meta file can be stored as additional
info file(s) .plb, .plc, .. etc. inside the CRT viewer.

Usage
The plot file viewer CRT is integrated in the application software main menu or can be
alternatively started as standalone application by clicking on a meta file (.pl) or info
file(.pla, .plb, etc. ) in the Windows Explorer.
Additionally use the context menu in Windows Explorer and choose more conversion
functions for plot files and also List files(.lst).

2.1 Start the plot file viewer

2.1.1 Open CRT in host application
The plot file viewer is started in the host application (e.g. RM Bridge ) by clicking on
the Crt icon the main menu bar :

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Afterwards choose one or several plot or text files and click on <Open>:

Be aware that the content of text files will not be displayed on the screen!

2.1.2 Open CRT in Windows Explorer

Open the plot file by double clicking on the plot file .pl or on an info file .pla,
.plb etc. Alternatively you can click with right mouse button on a plot file and choose
View plot file

Additionally use the context menu in Windows Explorer and choose more conversion
functions for plot files and also List files(.lst).

2.2 Main functions and navigation

The functions are chosen by the main menu bar:

Use the quick help function for getting a short help description:
Position the mouse over an icon and stop moving the mouse for some seconds!

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When you have opened several plot files you will have the option to display the plot
files in single file mode or over each other in the same coordinate system.

2.2.1 Viewing plot file files and navigation

The loaded plot files are displayed on the CRT main window. Text files are not displayed. As standard mode single plot files are displayed. Use the plot file navigation
icons to select different plot files from your current file list:
You can switch the overlay mode to display all loaded files in the same coordinate system as well. Then the file selection icons will be disabled.
Choose a new viewing window by clicking with the left mouse button onto the first coordinate. Hold the mouse button and move the cursor to the second window coordinate,
which is marked with rectangle cursors. Release the mouse button to select the new
window.
The new window size will be displayed optionally as magenta dashed rectangle.
Use either different keyboard keys, freehand symbols or the mouse wheel for choosing
different views of the plot file.
Freehand symbols are drawn directly onto the screen view while pressing the <CTRL>
key and the left mouse key. Zoom and pan functions are available to be used.
Key
F or
f

Freehand

Mouse Function
Original/full view of the plot file

R or
r

L or
l

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Redraw window

Wheel
up

Enlarge window view

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S or
s

Wheel
down

Smaller window view

Pane window up or down by freehand symbol vertical

Pane window left or right by freehand symbol horizontal

2.2.2 Load and select plot or text files

The left side buttons provide plot/text file open and selection functions. The loaded file
name(s) are displayed in the main window header.
Choose either a new files or a add files to previously loaded ones

For single file mode: Click on the arrows to move to the first, previous, next or last file

2.2.3 Plot file viewing modes and store new plot file info
When you have opened several plot files you will have the option to display the plot
files in single file mode or over each other in the same coordinate system. This display
mode is switched by the mode icon:
Overlay mode: Switch to single file mode by clicking on the icon
Single file mode: Switch to overlay mode by clicking on the icon
Click on icon to store the current view of the plot file.

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An additional dialogue will allow selecting the file name for the info file.
On Default it will be enumerated with the next character in the alphabet. Either click on
the up/down button or enter the desired character in the info character text field. The
standard numbering can also be chosen by the button <AUTO>:

Click on <OK> to store the window on the file or abort with <CANCEL>
Change the window marker mode and cursor mode by clicking on the icon.
The window area is marked with magenta dashed lines. If the plot file is in original size,
the corners will be marked or when in window mode the rectangle will be marked..
Standard: Displays the plot file window area. No cursor is displayed.
Crosshair cursor is displayed, but not window marker.
Displays the plot file window area and also a crosshair cursor.
No window marker and cursor is displayed.

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2.2.4 Print plot and text files

Generally plot files(.pl, pla, ..) are loaded for being displayed on the screen. If you load
text files, you cant display them, but you can print or convert them to PDF-Files(see
next chapter).
Click on the printer icon to print the current view of the plot file to you
standard windows printer.
Use the printer icon with the pen for choosing the windows printer type and
other printing options.
Choose different plotting and printer options:

And click on <OK> to print file(s) or <Cancel> to abort.

Parameter
Name

<Properties>
File Selection
File Type

Scaling

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Description
Click on the pull down button to open the printer selection dialogue
and choose a printer. If no printer is found, install a windows
printer.
Opens the windows printer setup dialogue for the current printer.
Choose either Current file or All files(includes also text files)
In general you should use Automatically for detecting the file
type properly. Use Plot file or Text file for selecting a specific
type.
Use in general Automatically. Original will display the plot
file in original scale (1:1). Format filled will use the best fitting
of the paper and plot size for viewing the whole file. Use Auto-

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Rotation

Center

Overlay
Color Mode

Window

Fact for setting the scaling to measurable factors( 1,2,5,10,...) or a

explicit factor for scaling.
Automatically will detect the paper and plot file size and align
the orientation for optimal fit of the plot file on the paper. Yes or
No define the rotation explicitly. Rotation Yes means against
to the best fit direction!
Yes will align the centre the plot file to the centre of the paper.
Optionally you can also define an Align offset in [Cm].
No will disable the centre function.
No will print all chosen files. Yes, will print all chosen plot
files in one coordinate system on one print out.
Color will use colour print mode, if available. Monochrom
will print all colour lines as black lines. Use it to avoid bad quality
grey scale printing of lines.
No will print the original plot file size. Yes will plot the current view of the plot file.

2.2.5 Convert plot and text files

You can convert plot to different files formats and optionally also text files to Pdf- files.
2.2.5.1

Export screen content to a bitmap file

Click on the icon to store the window contents to a bitmap file(.bmp).

Optionally you can define the output file.

Click on <OK> to start the conversion or <Cancel> to stop.

2.2.5.2

Convert plot file(s) to bitmap file(s)

Click on the icon to convert loaded plot files to bitmap files(.bmp).

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Click on <OK> to start the conversion or <Cancel> to stop.

Optionally choose before following options:
Parameter
Description
Disable the option key to convert only the displayed file.
Convert all plot files
Overlay drawing plot- Choose overlay mode to convert all plot in one bitmap file
in the same coordinate system.
files
Enable or disable rotation.
Rotate plot files
No will print the original plot file size. Yes will plot
Plot Window
the current view of the plot file.
Define resolution/quality of the generated bitResolution
map(good=1280 pixel).
Set background of bitmap. Automatically will use the
Background
background color of the crt window.

2.2.5.3

Convert plot file(s) to DXF file(s)

Click on the icon to convert loaded plot files to DXF files(.dxf).

Click on <OK> to start the conversion or <Cancel> to stop.

Optionally choose options before the converting options as explained for bitmap files.

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2.2.5.4

Convert plot file(s) to EMF file(s)

Click on the icon to convert loaded plot files to Windows EnhancedMetafiles(.emf).

Click on <OK> to start the conversion or <Cancel> to stop.

Optionally choose options before the converting options as explained for bitmap files.
2.2.5.5

Convert plot or text file(s) to PDF file(s)

Click on the icon to convert all loaded plot and text files to Acrobat-PDF
files(.pdf).

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10

Click on <OK> to start the conversion or <Cancel> to stop.

Use the <DEFAULT> button to load the system defaults or <SAVE> for saving all
options marked with *.
Optionally choose before following options:
Parameter
Description
Disable the option key to convert only the displayed file.
Convert all plot files
Overlay drawing plot- Choose overlay mode to convert all plot in one bitmap file
in the same coordinate system.
files
No will print the original plot file size. Yes will plot
Plot Window
the current view of the plot file.
Automatically will rotate into the main direction of the
Rotation
sheet.
Define x(horizontal) and y(vertical) size of sheet. OrientaSheet size
tion will be changed automatically.
Change orientation. Xsheet and Ysheet will be changed
Orientation
automatically.
Define if you want to use sheet margins. No will disable
Margins
the detail margin settings, Yes will enable it.
Define quality of the intermediate bitmap file of the generResolution
ated pdf file.
Set background of bitmap. Automatically will use the
Background
background color of the crt window.
Opens the generated PDF file after conversion
Open PDF file

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