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‎_posts/vba-etabs/2025-08-17-etabs-excel-extract-data.md‎

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---
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title: How to Extract Model Data from ETABS to Excel Using VBA
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description: Learn to use the ETABS API to extract model data to Excel
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date: 17-08-2025
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categories: [VBA, VBA-ETABS]
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tag: [excel, etabs, vba, how to]
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image: /assets/images/etabs/excel-vba-etabs-extract-results.webp
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---
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## Overview
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- In this tutorial, I'll show you how to extract data from an ETABS model using Excel VBA.
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- Why automate this process?
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- You can use this approach together with your results extraction code or model generation.
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- Integrate your model with your design sheet.
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- I am assuming that:
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- You have basic knowledge of VBA and know how to add modules and create new subs.
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- You’re familiar with ETABS and know how to check results manually to compare them with the code output.
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## Setup
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- We are going to use two files:
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- ETABS Model:
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- Create a simple ETABS model with a 4x4 grid and 5m spacing, 4 stories.
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- Assign elements: Beam, Column, Slab, and supports.
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- Apply Loads and Load Combinations: Dead Load, Live Load, Floor Load, Wall Load.
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- Excel:
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- Create a macro-enabled Excel file.
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- We are going to print all results in the active sheet, column A.
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- Use the sample code below to print your output.
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```visualbasic
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Sub GetResults()
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'Clear All Previous Results
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ActiveSheet.Range("A1").CurrentRegion.ClearContents
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'You can print your output using GetNextCell() Function
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GetNextCell().Value = "Hello, My Name is Vivek"
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GetNextCell().Value = "This is a demo for ETABS API using Excel VBA"
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End Sub
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' Function to get the next empty cell in column A
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Private Function GetNextCell() As Range
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If ActiveSheet.Range("A1").CurrentRegion.Rows.Count = 1 And IsEmpty(ActiveSheet.Range("A1")) Then
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Set GetNextCell = ActiveSheet.Range("A1")
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Else
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Set GetNextCell = ActiveSheet.Cells(ActiveSheet.Range("A1").CurrentRegion.Rows.Count + 1, 1)
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End If
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End Function
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```
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## Extract Model Data
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#### Link Excel with ETABS using VBA
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- First, you have to add a reference for the ETABS API:
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- Open the VBA Editor > Tools > References Dialog.
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- Find `ETABS Application Programming Interface (API) v1` and make sure it's checked.
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> I am using ETABS v22, but this code should work for ETABS version 18 and above.
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> For older versions, you have to add the reference `ETABS v16 Application Programming Interface (API)` (version specific to your ETABS).
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{: .prompt-info }
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```visualbasic
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Sub GetResults()
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'Clear All Previous Results
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ActiveSheet.Range("A1").CurrentRegion.ClearContents
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'Get ETABS API Object
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Dim etApp As ETABSv1.cOAPI
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Set etApp = GetObject(, "CSI.ETABS.API.ETABSObject")
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'Get ETAB Model, this is also compatible with ETABS
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Dim etModel As ETABSv1.cSapModel
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Set etModel = etApp.sapModel
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'Commonly Used Variables
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'Using Long types instead of Integer to use this with OpenSTAAD
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Dim i As Long, j As Long
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Dim nodeId As Long, beamId As Long, loadCaseName As String
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'<<< Add Remaining Code Here >>>
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End Sub
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```
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#### Load Patterns
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```visualbasic
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'Get list of all load patterns
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Dim numberOfLoadPatterns As Long, LoadPatterns() As String
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etModel.LoadPatterns.GetNameList numberOfLoadPatterns, LoadPatterns
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'Loop through all load patterns and print load pattern name
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For i = 0 To numberOfLoadPatterns - 1
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GetNextCell().Value = LoadPatterns(i)
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Next i
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```
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#### Load Combinations
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```visualbasic
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'Get list of all load combinations
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Dim numberOfLoadCombinations As Long, LoadCombinations() As String
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etModel.RespCombo.GetNameList numberOfLoadCombinations, LoadCombinations
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'Loop through all load combinations and print load combination name
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For i = 0 To numberOfLoadCombinations - 1
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GetNextCell().Value = LoadCombinations(i)
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Next i
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```
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#### Story Data
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Get the number and names of all stories:
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```visualbasic
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'Get All story data
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Dim NumberOfStories As Long, StoryNames() As String
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etModel.SapModel.GetStoryList NumberOfStories, StoryNames
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'Loop through all stories and print story name
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For i = 0 To NumberOfStories - 1
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GetNextCell().Value = StoryNames(i)
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Next i
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```
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Get story data with each story name, elevation, and height
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```visualbasic
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'Get All story data
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Dim BaseElevation As Double
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Dim NumberStories As Long
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Dim StoryNames() As String
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Dim StoryElevations() As Double
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Dim StoryHeights() As Double
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Dim IsMasterStory() As Boolean
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Dim SimilarToStory() As String
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Dim SpliceAbove() As Boolean
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Dim SpliceHeight() As Double
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Dim color() As Long
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etModel.Story.GetStories_2 BaseElevation, NumberStories, StoryNames, StoryElevations, StoryHeights, IsMasterStory, SimilarToStory, SpliceAbove, SpliceHeight, color
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'Print all story data
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For i = 0 To NumberStories - 1
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GetNextCell().Value = StoryNames(i) ' name
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GetNextCell().Value = StoryElevations(i) ' elevation
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GetNextCell().Value = StoryHeights(i) ' height
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Next i
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```
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#### Joints
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```visualbasic
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'Get All Joint Node Id for Base Story
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Dim NumberOfJointNodes As Long, JointNodeNames() As String
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etModel.PointObj.GetNameListOnStory "Base", NumberOfJointNodes, JointNodeNames
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'Loop through all joint nodes and print joint node name
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For i = 0 To NumberOfJointNodes - 1
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GetNextCell().Value = JointNodeNames(i)
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Next i
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```
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#### Frame Elements
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Get all frame element IDs
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```visualbasic
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'Get All Frame Objects
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Dim numberOfFrameElements As Long, frameElements() As String
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'Get all frame object names
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etModel.FrameObj.GetNameList numberOfFrameElements, frameElements
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'Loop through all object and print their IDs
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For i = 0 To numberOfFrameElements - 1
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GetNextCell().Value = frameElements(i)
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Next i
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```
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Get column elements
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```visualbasic
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'Get All Frame Objects
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Dim numberOfFrameElements As Long, frameElements() As String
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Dim frameType As eFrameDesignOrientation
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'Get all frame object names
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etModel.FrameObj.GetNameList numberOfFrameElements, frameElements
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'Loop through all object and print their IDs if it's column
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For i = 0 To numberOfFrameElements - 1
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'Get frame type to check if it's a column
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etModel.FrameObj.GetDesignOrientation frameElements(i), frameType
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'Check if frame is vertical (column)
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If frameType = eFrameDesignOrientation.eFrameDesignOrientation_Column Then
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GetNextCell().Value = frameElements(i)
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End If
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Next i
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```
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Get beam elements
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```visualbasic
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'Get All Frame Objects
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Dim numberOfFrameElements As Long, frameElements() As String
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Dim frameType As eFrameDesignOrientation
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'Get all frame object names
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etModel.FrameObj.GetNameList numberOfFrameElements, frameElements
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'Loop through all object and print their IDs if it's beam
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For i = 0 To numberOfFrameElements - 1
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'Get frame type to check if it's a column
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etModel.FrameObj.GetDesignOrientation frameElements(i), frameType
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'Check if frame is beam
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If frameType = eFrameDesignOrientation.eFrameDesignOrientation_Beam Then
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GetNextCell().Value = frameElements(i)
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End If
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Next i
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```
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#### Shell Elements
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```visualbasic
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'Get all shell element names
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etModel.AreaObj.GetNameList numberOfSlabs, SlabNames
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'Loop through all shell elements and write their names/IDs
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For i = 0 To numberOfSlabs - 1
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GetNextCell().Value = SlabNames(i)
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Next i
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```
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#### Selected objects
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```visualbasic
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'Get selected frame objects
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Dim numberOfSelectedObjects As Long
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Dim ObjectType() As Long, ObjectName() As String
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' Get all selected objects
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etModel.SelectObj.GetSelected numberOfSelectedObjects, ObjectType, ObjectName
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'Loop through all joint objects in the model
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GetNextCell().Value = "Joint Objects"
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For i = 0 To numberOfSelectedObjects - 1
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If ObjectType(i) = 1 Then ' 1 = Joint object
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GetNextCell().Value = ObjectName(i)
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End If
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Next i
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' Loop through all selected objects and filter for frame objects
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GetNextCell().Value = "Frame Objects"
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For i = 0 To numberOfSelectedObjects - 1
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If ObjectType(i) = 2 Then ' 2 = Frame object
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GetNextCell().Value = ObjectName(i)
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End If
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Next i
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' Loop through all selected objects and filter for slab objects
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GetNextCell().Value = "Slab Objects"
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For i = 0 To numberOfSelectedObjects - 1
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If ObjectType(i) = 5 Then ' 5 = Slab object
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GetNextCell().Value = ObjectName(i)
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End If
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Next i
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```
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#### Section Data
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```visualbasic
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'Extract Section Data
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Dim elementID As Long, sectionName As String, materialName As String
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elementID = 1
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GetNextCell().Value = elementID
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'Get section name from elementID
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etModel.FrameObj.GetSection elementID, sectionName, ""
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GetNextCell().Value = sectionName
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'Get material name from section
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etModel.PropFrame.GetMaterial sectionName, materialName
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GetNextCell().Value = materialName'Material
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'Section Type and Size
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Dim sectionType As eFramePropType, sectionSize As String
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Dim t3 As Double, t2 As Double, Color As Long, Notes As String, GUID As String
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'Get Section Type
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etModel.PropFrame.GetTypeOAPI sectionName, sectionType
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'If rectangular section then width and depth
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If sectionType = eFramePropType.eFramePropType_Rectangular Then
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'Get rectangle section size
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etModel.PropFrame.GetRectangle sectionName, "", materialName, t3, t2, Color, Notes, GUID
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GetNextCell().Value = t2'Width
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GetNextCell().Value = t3'Depth
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'Get rectangle frame length
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Dim elementLength As Double
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Dim iNode As String, jNode As String
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Dim x1 As Double, y1 As Double, z1 As Double
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Dim x2 As Double, y2 As Double, z2 As Double
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'Get element end nodes
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etModel.FrameObj.GetPoints elementID, iNode, jNode
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'Get coordinates of frame end points
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etModel.PointObj.GetCoordCartesian iNode, x1, y1, z1
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etModel.PointObj.GetCoordCartesian jNode, x2, y2, z2
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'Calculate length using distance formula
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elementLength = Sqr((x2 - x1) ^ 2 + (y2 - y1) ^ 2 + (z2 - z1) ^ 2)
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GetNextCell().Value = elementLength 'Element Length
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End If
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```
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## Conclusion
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- Extracting data from ETABS is a perfect way to integrate your model with your design sheet.
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- Additionally, this approach works perfectly with code for extracting results.

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