The Model Browser in Advance Steel is a table of every object in the model. Open it from Home tab > Project panel > Project Explorer menu > Model Browser. From there you can sort by main, single or preliminary part, add columns for any property, isolate selected objects, and edit properties for many objects at once.
It’s one of the most useful tools for checking a model. Below is how to use each feature, some practical uses, and what to do when it doesn’t show what you expect.
Contents
How do I open the Model Browser?
Home tab > Project panel > Project Explorer menu > Model Browser
How do I sort objects?
- Open the Model Browser.
- Use the drop-down in the top right corner to list objects by Main Part, Single Part or Preliminary Part.
- Click any column header to sort by that column.
How do I add or remove columns?
- Right-click any column header.
- Choose Insert Column (or Remove to get rid of one).
- Pick the property for the new column from the menu, for example Length.
You can add and remove columns any time.
How do I isolate objects?
- Sort by the column you need, for example section size or part mark.
- Hold Shift or Ctrl and select the rows you want. They’re selected in the model too.
- Click Isolate at the bottom of the Model Browser. Only the selected objects stay visible.
- Click Show All to bring the rest of the model back.
This is a quick way to check, say, every W8 in the job at once.
How do I edit properties for many objects at once?
- Check Edit Properties in the top left corner of the Model Browser.
- Make sure the column for the property you want to change is showing. For example, add the Model Role column if that’s what you’re editing.
- Click a field and choose the new value from the list.
To change many objects at once:
- Click the row of the first object.
- Hold Shift and click the property field of the last object.
- Pick the new value from the drop-down. It’s applied to every selected object.
What can I use the Model Browser for?
- Find one part by its mark. See how to find a part in an Advance Steel model.
- Check sizes. Sort by section and isolate every W8 or every HSS to see if anything is the wrong size.
- Fix model roles or materials on many members at once.
- Spot unnumbered parts. After numbering, sort by part mark and look for empty marks.
- Check lengths. Add a Length column and look for odd lengths, like a beam that’s an inch too long.
What to do when the Model Browser doesn’t show what I expect
- The mark columns are empty. Run numbering.
- A column you need isn’t there. Right-click a header and insert it.
- Isolate shows nothing. Nothing was selected in the list. Select rows first.
- Edits don’t apply. Check Edit Properties in the top left corner first.
