> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.openbrim.org/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.openbrim.org/quick-guides/interoperability/openbrim-tekla-importer.md).

# OpenBrIM → Tekla Importer

OBrIMTekla Importer reads a `*_tekla.json` file exported from OpenBrIM and inserts the bridge as native parts in your open Tekla Structures model — beams, polybeams, plates, lofted girder webs/flanges, freeform items, sketched profile catalog entries, and material/class mappings.

## Download

{% file src="/files/877pwXY4KxxHpQx8JVvO" %}
OBrIMTekla v1.2.3 — Windows distribution (\~337 KB)
{% endfile %}

## Prerequisites

* **Windows 10 or 11** (64-bit)
* **Tekla Structures 2026.x**, installed and licensed on the machine
* **.NET Framework 4.8** — already present on Windows 10 1903+ and Windows 11

If a different major Tekla version is installed, OBrIMTekla won't connect. A multi-Tekla-version build is on the roadmap.

## Install

1. **Close any open `OBrIMTekla.exe` processes** from a previous version.
2. Unzip the download to any folder you like — `C:\Tools\OBrIMTekla\`, your Desktop, a network share, OneDrive, anywhere works. No admin rights, no registry edits, nothing copied into Tekla's install directory.
3. (Optional) Right-click `OBrIMTekla.exe` → **Send to → Desktop (create shortcut)** for a quick launcher.

The zip contains seven files; keep them together:

| File                     | Purpose                                          |
| ------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------ |
| `OBrIMTekla.exe`         | The importer itself                              |
| `OBrIMTekla.exe.config`  | DPI awareness + Tekla assembly binding redirects |
| `OBrIMTekla.dll`         | Same surface as the exe, for in-process use      |
| `Newtonsoft.Json.dll`    | JSON parser used to read the export              |
| `README.md`              | A copy of this guide for offline reference       |
| `LICENSE`                | Licence terms for OBrIMTekla                     |
| `THIRD-PARTY-NOTICES.md` | Licence text for bundled third-party components  |

## Run

1. Open Tekla Structures 2026 and load the model you want to import into.
2. In OpenBrIM, open the **Export** dialog and pick **Tekla (Native Parts)**. A `<projectName>_tekla.json` file lands in your downloads folder, and this guide opens in a new browser tab so you have the importer link handy.
3. Launch **OBrIMTekla.exe** — double-click, or drop the JSON file onto the exe, or run from a terminal:

   ```
   OBrIMTekla.exe "C:\path\to\<projectName>_tekla.json"
   ```
4. The status bar in Tekla shows progress per phase (Profiles, Beams, Polybeams, …).
5. When the run finishes, a summary dialog appears with counts, timings, and any warnings. Click **Open log** to read the full run log, **Copy all** to put the summary on the clipboard, or **Close**.

A timestamped log file is always written next to the JSON, named `<json-filename>.log.txt`, even if you skip the dialog with `--silent`.

## Command-line options

```
OBrIMTekla.exe [json-path] [options]

  --silent              Don't show the summary dialog (still writes the log)
  --profiles-only       Register sketched profile catalog entries only;
                        skip all part generators
  --log <path>          Write the summary log to this path instead of the
                        default (<json>.log.txt)
```

## Troubleshooting

{% hint style="warning" %}
**"No Tekla model is open."** Tekla isn't running or no model is loaded. Open a model and try again.
{% endhint %}

{% hint style="warning" %}
**"OBrIMTekla couldn't find a Tekla Structures installation."** Standard install detection didn't find Tekla. OBrIMTekla opens a folder picker — point it at the Tekla **`bin`** folder (typically `C:\Program Files\Tekla Structures\2026.0\bin`). The path is remembered for next time. To change later, edit or delete the registry value at `HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\OpenBrIM\OBrIMTekla\TeklaBinDir`.
{% endhint %}

{% hint style="danger" %}
**A red "OBrIMTekla — Error" dialog appears.** The importer caught an unhandled exception and wrote a diagnostic file to `%TEMP%\OBrIMTekla\crashes\crash-<timestamp>-<pid>.log`. The dialog offers to open that folder — please attach the file to a support email.
{% endhint %}

## Support

Email **<support@openbrim.com>** with:

* A short description of what you were doing
* The `<json>.log.txt` log file (or paste from "Copy all")
* Any `crash-*.log` from `%TEMP%\OBrIMTekla\crashes\`
* Your Tekla Structures version (Help → About)
* Your `*_tekla.json` if you can share it

## Licence

See `LICENSE` inside the zip for OBrIMTekla's licence and `THIRD-PARTY-NOTICES.md` for the licences of bundled third-party components. "Tekla" and "Tekla Structures" are trademarks of Trimble; OBrIMTekla is not affiliated with Trimble.


---

# Agent Instructions
This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com.

## Querying This Documentation
If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter, and the optional `goal` query parameter:

```
GET https://docs.openbrim.org/quick-guides/interoperability/openbrim-tekla-importer.md?ask=<question>&goal=<endgoal>
```

`ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
`goal` is optional and describes the broader end goal you are ultimately trying to accomplish on behalf of the user. GitBook uses it to tailor the answer towards what is most useful for that goal.

The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.
