At last Computer and Structutes Inc. has announced the Open Application Programming Interface (OAPI) feature for its product SAP2000. With this feature user will be able to access SAP2000 by an external appplication with help of any supporting programming language (e.g Visual Basics). Here are the basics how this feature is utilized at professinal level:
- You create structural model in the custom (external) application.
- Send the info for structural model into SAP2000 with API (Use your favourite Programming Language).
- Access the desired features of SAP2000 and execute the analysis or design operations.
- Then retrieve analysis or design results from SAP2000 into custom application.
- Use output results in your application.
Following flow chart provides more understanding towards the use of SAP2000 OAPI:
Amazing! all the hardwork is done by SAP2000 and all features of SAP2000 can be utilized by an external application. Same can be accomplished using Excel and VBA (Visual Basics for Applications) to which almost every Civil Engineer might be familiar. Using OAPI, user who wants to develop their own structural analysis & design applications can make use of robust numerical methods of SAP2000 into their applications with ease. So far, this feature is not available for all Computer and Structures Inc. products family. In future OAPI will also be available for ETABS, model created in SAP2000 can be transfer and reuse in ETABS.
Computer and Structures Inc. provides a subscription for developers who would like technical support for building and integrating their applications with SAP2000. Qualified developers can also get free licenses for integration purposes. For more information visit CSI Developer Network (CSIDN).
