Implementation of partial struxml workflow (.str as base model)

For full scope read here: https://strusoft.fogbugz.com/f/cases/97299/StruXML-Update-str-file-with-partial-struxml-data

This case will fix #520

Problem

Allow user to:

• Read .str and open model in GH/C#
• Create, update or delete (CRUD) one or several elements
• Merge/paste partial .struxml with new information only into .str using .fdscript

Example

I have a model.str that looks like this:

If I want to update this model.str using the API toolbox today I need to first serialise it to .struxml then modify this .struxml representation and then save it as .str. In this process some settings are lost as described in the fogbugz case. Moreover, I need to always work with a full set of data.

I would like to change this workflow by utilising the Update model (simple merge by time). This would allow us to modify an existing .str without saving to .struxml and then rebuilding the .str from this .struxml. Instead we could modify an existing .str by sending updates for the elements we are interested in changing only.

Move support

Using this partial .struxml containing the support only with new properties

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!-- (c) StruSoft 2012-2021, http://www.strusoft.com -->
<database struxml_version="01.00.000" source_software="FEM-Design 21.00.005" start_time="1970-01-01T00:00:00.000" end_time="2022-11-24T11:44:55.000" guid="5b07e756-ff36-4018-a174-7e9de0161d31" convertid="00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000" standard="EC" country="GB" xmlns="urn:strusoft">
	<entities>
		<supports>
			<point_support guid="50a32777-9cc6-40c7-863d-d020cf8515ba" last_change="2022-11-24T11:44:56.000" action="modified" name="S.1">
				<group>
					<local_x x="1" y="0" z="0"></local_x>
					<local_y x="0" y="1" z="0"></local_y>
					<rigidity>
						<motions x_neg="10000000000" x_pos="10000000000" y_neg="10000000000" y_pos="10000000000" z_neg="10000000000" z_pos="10000000000"></motions>
						<rotations x_neg="10000000000" x_pos="10000000000" y_neg="10000000000" y_pos="10000000000" z_neg="10000000000" z_pos="10000000000"></rotations>
					</rigidity>
				</group>
				<position x="0" y="0" z="0"></position>
			</point_support>
		</supports>
	</entities>
	<end></end>
</database>

I can move it:

Change section cross-section

Using this partial .struxml containing the bar with new complex section reference

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!-- (c) StruSoft 2012-2021, http://www.strusoft.com -->
<database struxml_version="01.00.000" source_software="FEM-Design 21.00.005" start_time="1970-01-01T00:00:00.000" end_time="2022-11-24T11:44:55.000" guid="5b07e756-ff36-4018-a174-7e9de0161d31" convertid="00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000" standard="EC" country="GB" xmlns="urn:strusoft">
	<entities>
		<bar name="B.1" type="beam" guid="9865fb2e-b2ea-432a-8ae9-0c462605f8f2" last_change="2022-11-24T11:44:49.000" action="modified">
			<bar_part guid="449bf38d-53a5-4a70-a939-4d7eb1f7be1d" last_change="2022-11-24T11:44:48.000" action="added" name="B.1.1" complex_material="fc81b7bd-5582-498b-92f5-f32c18ff26fd" complex_section="91d54008-d35a-4085-b252-16b56c95801e" ecc_calc="true">
				<curve type="line">
					<point x="0.760026835905627" y="0.812411907371354" z="0"></point>
					<point x="0.760026835905628" y="5.92634768091011" z="0"></point>
				</curve>
				<local-y x="-1" y="0" z="0"></local-y>
				<connectivity m_x="true" m_y="true" m_z="true" r_x="true" r_y="true" r_z="true"></connectivity>
				<connectivity m_x="true" m_y="true" m_z="true" r_x="true" r_y="true" r_z="true"></connectivity>
				<eccentricity use_default_physical_alignment="true">
					<analytical x="0" y="0" z="0"></analytical>
					<analytical x="0" y="0" z="0"></analytical>
					<physical x="0" y="0" z="-0.15"></physical>
					<physical x="0" y="0" z="-0.15"></physical>
				</eccentricity>
				<end></end>
			</bar_part>
			<end></end>
		</bar>
	</entities>
	<sections>
		<section guid="9441614c-9706-43d5-b2c5-c3122bf224e6" last_change="1970-01-01T00:00:00.000" action="added" name="Concrete sections, Rectangle, 550x1200" type="custom" fd-mat="3" fd_name_code="Concrete sections" fd_name_type="Rectangle" fd_name_size="550x1200">
			<region_group>
				<region>
					<contour>
						<edge type="line">
							<point x="-0.275" y="-0.6" z="0"></point>
							<point x="0.275" y="-0.6" z="0"></point>
							<normal x="0" y="1" z="0"></normal>
						</edge>
						<edge type="line">
							<point x="0.275" y="-0.6" z="0"></point>
							<point x="0.275" y="0.6" z="0"></point>
							<normal x="-1" y="0" z="0"></normal>
						</edge>
						<edge type="line">
							<point x="0.275" y="0.6" z="0"></point>
							<point x="-0.275" y="0.6" z="0"></point>
							<normal x="0" y="-1" z="0"></normal>
						</edge>
						<edge type="line">
							<point x="-0.275" y="0.6" z="0"></point>
							<point x="-0.275" y="-0.6" z="0"></point>
							<normal x="1" y="0" z="0"></normal>
						</edge>
					</contour>
				</region>
			</region_group>
			<end></end>
		</section>
		<complex_section guid="91d54008-d35a-4085-b252-16b56c95801e" last_change="1970-01-01T00:00:00.000" action="added">
			<section pos="0" guid="9441614c-9706-43d5-b2c5-c3122bf224e6">
				<ecc x="0" y="0" z="0"></ecc>
				<end></end>
			</section>
			<section pos="1" guid="9441614c-9706-43d5-b2c5-c3122bf224e6">
				<ecc x="0" y="0" z="0"></ecc>
				<end></end>
			</section>
		</complex_section>
	</sections>
	<end></end>
</database>

I can update the section:

Add hole to slab

Using this partial .struxml containing the slab with a modified region:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!-- (c) StruSoft 2012-2021, http://www.strusoft.com -->
<database struxml_version="01.00.000" source_software="FEM-Design 21.00.005" start_time="1970-01-01T00:00:00.000" end_time="2022-11-24T11:44:55.000" guid="5b07e756-ff36-4018-a174-7e9de0161d31" convertid="00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000" standard="EC" country="GB" xmlns="urn:strusoft">
	<entities>
		<slab name="P.1" guid="2f170ba0-52a3-4285-a327-6ca3c710fef8" last_change="2022-11-24T11:44:54.000" action="modified" type="plate">
			<slab_part guid="d5f80b3e-bf5e-46a1-9931-76de0ec912af" last_change="2022-11-24T11:44:54.000" action="modified" name="P.1.1" complex_material="fc81b7bd-5582-498b-92f5-f32c18ff26fd" alignment="center" align_offset="0" ortho_alfa="0" ortho_ratio="1">
				<contour>
					<edge type="line">
						<point x="2.31565063617495" y="1.32120960642289" z="0"></point>
						<point x="4.68477668418115" y="1.32120960642289" z="0"></point>
						<normal x="0" y="1" z="0"></normal>
					</edge>
					<edge type="line">
						<point x="4.68477668418115" y="1.32120960642289" z="0"></point>
						<point x="4.68477668418115" y="4.63573850347652" z="0"></point>
						<normal x="-1" y="0" z="0"></normal>
					</edge>
					<edge type="line">
						<point x="4.68477668418115" y="4.63573850347652" z="0"></point>
						<point x="2.31565063617495" y="4.63573850347652" z="0"></point>
						<normal x="0" y="-1" z="0"></normal>
					</edge>
					<edge type="line">
						<point x="2.31565063617495" y="4.63573850347652" z="0"></point>
						<point x="2.31565063617495" y="1.32120960642289" z="0"></point>
						<normal x="1" y="0" z="0"></normal>
					</edge>
				</contour>
				<contour>
					<edge radius="0.302797080247025" type="circle">
						<point x="2.8143234384846" y="3.655119365896" z="0"></point>
						<normal x="0" y="0" z="-1"></normal>
					</edge>
				</contour>
				<thickness x="2.31565063617495" y="1.32120960642289" z="0" val="0.2"></thickness>
				<local_pos x="3.50021366017805" y="2.97847405494971" z="0"></local_pos>
				<local_x x="1" y="0" z="0"></local_x>
				<local_y x="0" y="1" z="0"></local_y>
				<end></end>
			</slab_part>
			<end></end>
		</slab>
	</entities>
	<materials>
		<material guid="fc81b7bd-5582-498b-92f5-f32c18ff26fd" last_change="2013-07-19T11:42:36.000" action="added" standard="EC" country="GB" name="C25/30">
			<concrete mass="2.54842" E_0="31000000" E_1="31000000" E_2="31000000" nu_0="0.2" nu_1="0.2" nu_2="0.2" alfa_0="0.00001" alfa_1="0.00001" alfa_2="0.00001" G_0="12916666.6666667" G_1="12916666.6666667" G_2="12916666.6666667" Fck="25" Fctk="1.8" Fctm="2.6" Ecm="31000" gammaC_0="1.5" gammaC_1="1.2" gammaCE="1.2" gammaS_0="1.15" gammaS_1="1" alfaCc="0.85" alfaCt="1" Fcd_0="14.1666666666667" Fcd_1="17.7083333333333" Fctd_0="1.2" Fctd_1="1.5" Ecd_0="20666.6666666667" Ecd_1="25833.3333333333" Epsc2="0.002" Epscu2="0.0035" Epsc3="0.00175" Epscu3="0.0035" environment="0" creep="0" shrinkage="0" nu="0.2" alfa="0.00001"></concrete>
		</material>
	</materials>
	<end></end>
</database>

I can add a hole:

Start with the linked FogBugz case for the full scope, then review issue #520 and the existing .str/.struxml API workflow. The work is done when users can read a .str, perform CRUD operations, and merge partial .struxml updates through .fdscript without losing existing settings, including the support, section, and slab examples.