Standard Features

• But is it plain English?
  No mystery here. Data entry is hassle-free with plain English data labels including comments and references where appropriate. For ease of reference, a complete list of variable names and their descriptions is contained in the Notation sheet of each module.
• Where's the bottom line?
  Input data and final results are always shown in the first sheet of the printout. In multiple sheet printouts, opportunity is provided to print only the first sheet of each design scenario for quick comparison. Data entries are colored blue in color printouts and shaded in monochrome printouts.
• Where's the meat?
  The results of all intermediate calculations are shown in the sheets following the first. The applied formulas and their boundary conditions are visible onscreen in the formula bar.
• Does it have face?
  The normal Print button in Excel's menu is temporarily disabled to permit showhorse quality custom-formatted printouts which, along with other housekeeping chores, are pushbutton-activated by hidden and unobtrusive Visual Basic subroutines.
• Can it fly?
  No need to press a Recalculate button. Execution is instantaneous, as soon as you enter or change the design data. In a flash, a trial design can be optimized down to a gnat's eye. Side-by-side comparisons of alternate trial sections are available in some modules.
• Will I fall off the edge?
  Maybe, if you are exposed to the possibility of inadvertent mathematical or logical errors in tedious manual calculations. In contrast, the elephantine memory of Modstruct modules keeps track of not only the terms of an equation but also its boundaries. A warning such as "N/A" or "No/Retry" is issued when a boundary is violated.
• Is it idiot-proof?
  Happily, none of our customers are idiots. Operation of the program is intuitive but, for interpretation and evaluation of the results, you do need to be a qualified design professional and to have familiarity with the relevant building code and/or standard.
• Who's got the money?
  A single run in an average module is equivalent to at least an hour of manual calculations so that the entire cost of the module is easily recoverable upon its first use. You need not spend monster dollars to buy a monster all-inclusive program that befuddles you when bypassing features which you do not require at the moment.
• Who's got the time?
  Each module performs a single, common, everyday task saving vast amounts of time with repetitive use; or an uncommon, rarely-encountered task saving research and/or review efforts. Turn 60-minute fast-paced donkey work into a 2-minute relaxed no-brainer. By far the greatest amount of time expended will be in the gathering of entry data from your drawings.
• Help! The faster I run, the behinder I get!
  Almost all modules are indexed to specific editions of building codes and standards so that you may select whatever is adopted in your jurisdiction. Though upgrades are not discounted, for the cost of an hour more or less of your fee, you will be saved the time and effort to compare the earlier and later editions of a revised standard. Let Modstruct be your guide to staying abreast of the fast and ever-faster-moving revisions of the building codes and standards.
• Back to school? Who, me?
  Besides being practical workhorses that don't demand overtime pay or extra benefits, these programs serve as valuable learning tools for students and professionals alike.
• Am I ready for prime time?
  If you do not have Microsoft Office/Excel or standalone Excel Version 7.0 or later installed in your computer, you cannot run any of these programs, in which event, you may be missing a great opportunity to create time to go golfing or fishing or simply to go home early, luxuries that design professionals rarely enjoy.