I also would love to see a Tekla Structures connector. It would be very useful for us. Is this already in development?
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Hi @eestrado! Not ongoing work happening as we speak, but it’s on the horizon (read: next in line!).
What usually helps us a lot is understanding the workflows that you’re after, so we can make sure we’re developing the “right thing”. If you have the time to share some extra information what you’d want to achieve with a Speckle Tekla Connector, we’d be really grateful!
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Hi Everyone. We have a desktop app that already connect a structural building model with Tekla Structure via API. We’ve would be interested in do so connection via Speckle (OurApp <–> Speckle <–> Tekla) to take advantage of all the Speckle features.
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Sure! I would be willing to offer some insight into the workflow we’re looking for.
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What I first had in mind when I asked about the Tekla connector was the ability to transfer my Tekla model to Rhino and then be able to work further on positions that are far more easy to be done in Rhino-Grasshopper than in Tekla. For example, if I am working on a big and complex glass facade I will tend to make all the steel supporting construction in Tekla, but the glass panels and the aluminium profiles in Rhino-Grasshopper. If the workflow is neat I would use it even for simple projects to work on different type on claddings and facade details.
Next area of usage would be what @Kateryna mentioned about Presentation constructor based on web-viewer. This would help a lot for quick preparation of RFI’s and presentations and has a lot of potential for development in future (3D printing of parts, VR preview…)
Furthermore, I am not sure what information can be collected from the Tekla model using this connector, but if it takes info of the section profile, length, weight, surface area e.t.c. then the usage of the Tekla connector with Excel connector will be very powerful.
I can go on with other areas of usages as well, but would need to know a little bit more what a potential connector could do.
@leorufus just curious, what is yout desktop app about ?
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Hello ! loving these discussions on Tekla Structures connector. Keep them coming. I’m mainly the guy responsible for the Speckle implementation of structural stuff. You can take a look at the workflows over here with ETABS. Albeit ETABS is a very different software from Tekla Structures. So the limitation of what can be done with a connector is really limited by the API of a program. We’ll try our best to help grab the data from Tekla as much as possible.
Most of our structural connectors will revolve around the structural kit.. So check this out about how we’re planning to make Structural data/model as accessible in general.
Haven’t had much personal experience with Tekla Structures but seems like a fun version of IdeaStatica. Just a question about the 3D printing parts and VR preview, is this something that you guys are currently doing already in terms of visualization?
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You might be little off of what Tekla Structures is … 
It’s structural models yes but BIM and not for analysis. The API is quite developed and well documented so I wouldn’t expect a lot of issues on that part.
Personally I’d like to skip owning a TS license and make the designer send relevant objects and info for construction site designing, management and 4D planning. Maybe even send back through Speckle to enrich the model with live statuses, sequencing etc. produced for construction.
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Haha thanks for the clarification 
might have been thinking of tekla structural designer when i was talking again.
I’m a bit perplexed by how you would be skipping owning a TS license? Wouldn’t you need to own a TS license to still use the designer? Or do you mean more like other people sending you a speckle object as opposed to a Tekla Object? Maybe I’m not following along. Well we’ll probably still use the geometric aspects of the structural objects kit to be the driving force behind many of the conversions for grabbing objects out of the Tekla world and into speckle world for you to play around with.
I don’t think anyone on this thread has mentioned using Tekla Structural Designer. I don’t know much about it but I wouldn’t use it for anything personally…
Anyways I use Rhino&Grasshopper and only reason why I need it is to connect to designers models to receive updates without continuous IFC file transfer.
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@Reynold_Chan, from my perspective, I would say you are lucky not to have to deal with Tekla on daily basis 
Anyway, in the world of steel construction it is the most used software (together with Autodesk Advance Steel) for 3D modeling, detailing and execution of all kinds of drawings and fabrication files for steel constructions. I believe that all of the steel constructions in the highly developed countries today are done in one of these two software.
I am familiar with ETABS but I don’t use it, as most of the companies here are using AxisVM, Dlubal or Autodesk Robot for structural analysis of the constructions. IDEA StatiCa is the most famous one for structural analysis of steel connections, but I don’t see any benefit from Speckle there, because there is a plug in and I can already transfer my geometry from Tekla there.
Regarding your question. We are 3D printing samples and parts of constructions for visualization for quite some time (few years). The possibility for a VR preview of construction is still not well developed, but definitely will be an option in near future. It is probably the direction the whole construction industry will need to follow. Hopefully Speckle too…
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For us we are a steel construction company and we use Tekla Structures as our primary BIM modelling program. However, especially recently, projects demand Revit/Navisworks models for coordination with BIM360. Thus we have to go through the painful process of exporting an IFC from Tekla then importing into Revit every week or so. My idea was to have Speckle as the link between the two so that it would be a more seamless process, models can be updated instead of a brand new one exported every time, and avoid running into import/export problems especially with very large models. As @RSainmaa says the Tekla OpenAPI is very developed and well documented. I use it a lot in my work.
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Wow this is exciting! Please let me know if you need any advice in terms of usage of Tekla or the API. Happy to help move things along.
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Hi there, we do also play a lot with the interoperability TS <-> RVT in many projects.
I am trying to improve the workflow based on IFC exchange so far.
In particular, I would like to set a workflow for void provisions. Right now we prepare an openings model that is imported (via IFC) in TS for reference to cut walls and slabs.
In this process the structural guy should be able to accept or reject the provison for void. In this last case, for example the hole is inside a retriction zone, the opening need to be sent back to the MEP guy to find a new passage.
In the whole process, the opening model could be populated with parameters by MEP (eg. system type, size, shape, ) , ARC (WBS, location, Fire Rating, …) , and STR (Elevation from level, coordinates, …) and be really helpful for the costruction phase.
The process is like the one illustrated here MEP Opening (for Revit)
and I guess Speckle would be the answer!
Looking forward to test the connector for TS
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forgot to mention, but if anyone has a specific tekla structures project file and wouldn’t mind sharing them with me directly so I can test the sending of elements here. That would be greatly appreciated Looking for examples of concrete and steel workflows both !
Thanks,
Reynold
It is with greatest pride and pleasure that we announce the alpha release of Tekla Structures!
Download it from the Speckle Manager. I would like to give a huge shout out to @eestrado for all of his contributions to this connector. The connector would not have been released this fast without his contribution. 
A little thing to note: if you see this error upon opening your tekla:
Don’t freak out. This is normal ^ You should still be able to find the Tekla Structures Speckle Connector
Give it a try, test it out, give us feedback. Have fun speckling!!!
Reynold
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Forwarding my question from git here: I have the same message when loading Tekla as above. But this isn’t the only mess! Also happens two things:
- Launching Speckle connector crashes Tekla. For some milliseconds I see the speckle interface)
some info from log:
ERROR: 24.05.2022 12:13:45 API: Enumeration of user properties before model is open.
ERROR: 24.05.2022 12:13:48 Failed to open database file plotdev.bin
ERROR: 24.05.2022 12:13:54 Custom property loading exception ReflectionTypeLoadException
Assembly: Avalonia.Diagnostics, Version=0.10.13.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=c8d484a7012f9a8b
Location: C:\TEKLASTRUCTURES\2021.0\NT\BIN\PLUGINS\SPECKLE2TEKLASTRUCTURES\AVALONIA.DIAGNOSTICS.dll
Couldn't load file or assembly "System.Collections.Immutable, Version=1.2.3.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a" or one of it dependencies. Couldn't find the file.
ERROR: 24.05.2022 12:16:06 Unable to locate filter file in local cache: ЭПav
- Starting from the moment of installation of Speckle Tekla doesn’t load any Custom Attribute. See log:
Info: Loading...CustomPropertyPlugin.dll
ERROR: Custom property loading exception ReflectionTypeLoadException... blabla
Assembly: Avalonia.Diagnostics, Version=0.10.13.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=c8d484a7012f9a8b
Location: C:\TEKLASTRUCTURES\2021.0\NT\BIN\PLUGINS\SPECKLE2TEKLASTRUCTURES\AVALONIA.DIAGNOSTICS.dll
Couldn't load file or assembly "System.Collections.Immutable, Version=1.2.3.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a" or one of it dependencies. Couldn't find the file.
Hope both positions can be healed
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Hi Pavel,
I’m not really able to reproduce this bug. Can you let me know if maybe a delete and reinstall of it will solve anything ?
Also it would be helpful to know if there’s anything else ? did you open up a saved model or was it an empty unsaved model.
Thanks,
Reynold
Can not download Tekla Strucutes Connector now.
There is no options for download in Manual Installaion
And Speckle Manager isn’t loading TS Connector page :c
Hi @Maks_T!
It seems we have a problem with our automated release of the Tekla connector, that is causing some unexpected errors on manager and the release page.
While we fix this, you can go ahead and download our latest Tekla release from here:
https://releases.speckle.dev/installers/teklastructures/teklastructures-2.7.1.exe
Thanks for bringing this up! We’ll get it fix ASAP
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