Frequently Asked Questions for StruCalc 6.0 and 7.0

Q. I am getting a runtime error when running StruCalc 7.0 and I have uninstalled StruCalc 6.0.
A.
 The uninstall program for StruCalc 6.0 removes several system files that are needed to run StruCalc 6.0. To fix the problem just reinstall StruCalc 7.0.Q. I am getting an error message when I try to run StruCalc: “Run-time error ’339′ Component ‘ssa3d30.ocx’ or one of its dependencies not correctly registered: a file is missing or invalid”
A. 
This can be fixed by doing the following:

  1. Uninstall StruCalc if possible, if it did not completely install skip to step 2
  2. Choose “start” then “search”
  3. Search the entire hard drive for ssa3d30.ocx
  4. delete all occurrences of the file
  5. reinstall Strucalc

If you need help or this doesn’t work please give us a call

Q. I have a new computer and when I install StruCalc my keycode doesn’t work?
A. The keycode is computer specific, you will need to call in or email us the new install id and we will give you the new keycode.

Q. I am getting a type mismatch error 13 message when attempting to run StruCalc 6.0 on a NT 4 computer.
A. The Strucalc 6.00.3 update fixes this problem.

Q. Whenever I open the loading or shear and moment diagram my computer locks up and I cannot close the diagram. What can I do to stop this from happening?
A. StruCalc is optimized to run at an 800 x 600 screen resolution. If your computer is set to 640 x 480 or lower the close button at the bottom right corner of the loading and shear/moment diagrams is inaccessible and the diagram cannot be closed.

Open the windows control panel by choosing “Start” then “Settings” then “Control Panel”
Double click on the Display icon.
Choose the settings tab.
At the bottom right of the panel is a slider. Adjust the slider to the right to 800 x 600.
Click “Ok”
Follow the directions that appear on the screen.
If your computer is already set at 800 x 600 and you still cannot close the diagrams then your display settings are set for “Large” fonts and this is causing the diagrams to be deformed by the oversize fonts. You can change to “small” fonts by following the directions above to step three and then clicking on the “advanced” tab below the slider and changing from “large” fonts to “small” fonts and then clicking “Ok” twice.

Q. Will StruCalc ignore loads on wood members within a distance d of the support for shear calculations?
A. All versions of StruCalc after version 5.04 can be set to take the shear at a distance d (depth of the member) from the support. If you need this feature please go to the download page and download the free 5.04 upgrade. You will need to turn this feature on by opening the settings; choose the “options” tab and check the box at the bottom right under the shear calculation heading.

Q. I cannot print the loading and/or the shear and moment diagrams and I do not have an HP printer or if I do it is not connected using a USB cable. How do I get it to Print?
A. As long as your printer is set up to print on 8 1/2″ x 11″ paper StruCalc should print successfully. If it does not then most likely you need to update your printer driver. First verify that it is possible to print using a program other then StruCalc. If you cannot print out of another program then see your printer documentation for troubleshooting help. If you can print out of other programs, but not StruCalc, then download the latest driver for your printer off of your printer manufacturers website. Then uninstall your current printer by deleting it out of the printer folder and reinstall it using the new driver. See your printer’s installation documentation for directions. Note: When you are asked to locate the driver for your printer make sure that you browse to the location that you downloaded the driver too. You may need to expand the driver by unzipping it or running it prior installation.

Q. My computer locks up whenever I switch to another program when the loading or shear/moment diagrams are open. How do I unlock the computer?
A. When the diagrams are displayed they disable the main portion of the program and when you switch to another program and then switch back to StruCalc the diagram can appear behind the main StruCalc screen and it will appear that the computer has locked up. The solution is not to switch to another program while the diagrams are up but if you do you can bring the diagram to the front by holding down the “Alt” key and simultaneously hitting the “Tab” key to cycle through the open programs, release the alt key when you are on the StruCalc icon and the diagram will be brought to the front.

Q. How do I know what version of StruCalc I have?
A. When your start the program the splash screen with the StruCalc logo will appear for a few seconds. The version of StruCalc is displayed in the bottom left corner of the splash screen. In StruCalc 6.0 your customer ID and serial number can be found in the Settings under the “User” tab.

Q. I don’t know how to get started, how do I design a beam?
A. If you are having trouble getting started we suggest that you read the manual first and complete the tutorial in chapter two. If you are still having problems feel free to email us and one of our professional engineers can give you some recommendations. Visit here to see our tech support solutions.

Q. How do I view the second page of the print preview?
A. If there is a second page available you can switch to that page in two ways. The first is to click the “page 2″ button at the very top of the screen. The second is to “right click” your mouse when the cursor is positioned over the preview analysis screen and choose “page 2″.

Q. I couldn’t find the answer to my question in the FAQ?
A. First of all thank you for reading the FAQ first…or second if you allready read the manual. If you still have questions and you purchased phone tech support just give us a call. If you didn’t purchase tech support then you can email us for free and we will get back to you ASAP. If the program is crashing or you believe you have found a bug in the program please feel free to call us even if you didn’t purchase technical support.