Project Creation¶
A Prose project is a single .pros file. It holds the project information, the structures in the project, and the load modules attached to each structure. Every project starts from the home screen.
Creating a New Project¶
- Click New Project on the home screen
- In the Windows save dialog, choose a folder and a file name, then click Save
- Prose creates the file and opens it. The Project Information dialog opens on top of the new project, with the project name filled in from the file name
- Fill in the fields described below and choose the building code
- Click Save Project
Name the file what the project should be called
The file name becomes the project name and the default description. Both can be changed later from Edit Project Info.
Project Information¶
The Project Information dialog holds everything that prints in the report header.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Project number | Your office's job number. Prints as the Project Id in the report |
| Project name | Required. The project title on the report cover and in every page header |
| Project description | A short description printed on the report cover |
| Street address, City, State, Zip code | The project address |
| Structural design loads per building code | Required. The building code the project is designed to. It selects the ASCE 7 edition used by every module |
| Project engineer | Name or initials of the engineer preparing the loads |
| Engineer of record | Name or initials of the engineer of record |
| Project notes | Free-form notes about the project |
Building Code and ASCE 7 Edition¶
The building code sets the ASCE 7 edition for the whole project. Every load module reads its provisions, figures, and tables from that edition.
| Building code | ASCE 7 edition |
|---|---|
| IBC 2024 | ASCE 7-22 |
| IBC 2021 | ASCE 7-16 |
| IBC 2018 | ASCE 7-16 |
| IBC 2015 | ASCE 7-10 |
| IBC 2012 | ASCE 7-10 |
Each IBC edition names the ASCE 7 edition it adopts in its referenced standards, Chapter 35. Jurisdictions often adopt the IBC with local amendments, so confirm the ASCE 7 edition your jurisdiction requires before you choose the code.
New projects default to IBC 2021. Saving the project with a different code asks you to confirm the change with Change Building Code.
Changing the code on an existing project
Switching editions recalculates every module. Values that exist in one edition but not the other, such as site class BC or seismic systems without a match in the new edition, are cleared and have to be entered again.
Editing Project Information¶
- Click the three-dot menu (⋮) next to Project Summary in the sidebar
- Select Edit Project Info
- Change any field
- Click Save Project
Opening a Project¶
- Open Project on the home screen opens a Windows file dialog for any
.prosfile - The recent projects list on the home screen reopens a project with one click
- The Example Projects toggle shows the two example projects that ship with Prose, a retail store and a multifamily building. Open one to see every module filled in
Where the file lives
Prose saves changes to the .pros file as you work. Keep the file in your project folder or on a shared drive like any other calculation file.
Project Summary and Report¶
Project Summary in the sidebar opens the project page. It has two tabs:
- Summary lists every structure and each of its load modules. Expand a module to read its results, or use Expand all and Collapse all for the whole structure
- Export PDF builds the complete report for the project, with a cover, bookmarks for each structure and module, and the step-by-step calculations
The report header prints the company information shown under Reporting as. Click Edit company info to change your firm's name, address, and logo. Use the viewer's bookmarks to jump to a module, and the Save button in the viewer toolbar to save the PDF.
Next Steps¶
A new project contains one structure, named Structure 1. Rename it and add load modules in Structure Creation.