The staircase then has to be connected to the floors with two links, one on each end of the stair. Each link, looking like an upper case T, is actually composed of two parts with the same appearance. One part is placed on the floor and the other on the staircase, forming one link from the floor to the staircase. The link can be added using the Menu Item: Building Menu Item: Building > Add Link. Choose the name of the link, the width and indicate which floor and staircase the link is going to connect. Confirm the creation of the link by clicking on OK. Position the link on the floor plan by clicking the left mouse button on the location of the link. The button can also be used to reposition the link. The right mouse button will rotate the link. Do the same in the staircase connected to the floor. The link cannot be rotated in a staircase. The vertical part of the T (link) shall, on the floor, be directed towards the stairs and the same goes for the link in the staircase, pointing towards the floor plan, as shown below. No part of the vertical line in the link must cross any of the blue lines indicating the walls of the building.
Figure 5: Screen display of sample links
The link connecting the staircase and the other floor is performed in the same way. There is no limit to the number of links you can create. A link can be removed by marking it and the choosing the Menu Item: Building > Delete Link. The link is marked by clicking onto it. A marked link is red and all the other links are yellow.
Note that there should be a minimum of 0.5 metres clear space in front of, and behind, a link marker both on floors and staircases. This allows free movement around the link, and ensures that there are no problems when a person’s body is transferred across a link.
