Overview

What is Stru Mathcad API?

The Stru Mathcad API enables programmatic generation and manipulation of Mathcad Prime (.mcdx) documents. Automate calculation package creation, standardize engineering documentation, and integrate Mathcad into your workflows without manual file creation. Base URL: https://api.stru.ai/v1 Authentication: Bearer token (API key from app.stru.ai)

Core Concepts

Document Generation

Create Mathcad Prime (.mcdx) files from scratch programmatically. Build complete calculation documents element by element.

Element-Based Building

Add text blocks, variables, formulas, images, and metadata to build rich, professional documents.

Async Jobs

All document operations run asynchronously. Submit a job, receive a job ID, then poll for the generated file download URL.

AI-Enhanced Formatting

Optional AI-powered layout optimization adjusts element positioning for professional presentation.

Key Features

Document Automation: Generate complete .mcdx files programmatically without opening Mathcad
Element Control: Add text, variables, formulas, images with precise control
Template Standard: Create company-standard calculation templates dynamically
PDF Generation: Convert generated .mcdx documents to PDFs for distribution
Legacy Conversion: Convert old .xmcd files to modern .mcdx format
Document Reading: Parse existing .mcdx files to extract structure and formulas
Secure Downloads: Generated files available via time-limited signed URLs (24-hour retention)

Supported File Formats

Mathcad Prime (.mcdx) - Primary Format

Fully Supported - The API operates exclusively with the modern Mathcad Prime .mcdx format.

Create new .mcdx documents
Read/parse existing .mcdx files
Modify and update .mcdx documents
Generate PDFs from .mcdx files

Mathcad 15 (.xmcd) - Legacy Conversion Only

Limited Support - Legacy .xmcd files can be converted to .mcdx format via the /convert endpoint.

One-way conversion: .xmcd → .mcdx
No direct editing of .xmcd files
Conversion is best-effort (some complex elements may require manual adjustment)

Mathcad Classic (.mcd) - Not Supported

Not Supported - Binary .mcd files from Mathcad 14 and earlier are not supported.Workaround: Open in Mathcad 15 and save as .xmcd, then use the conversion endpoint.

Quick Start

Get Your API Key

# Your API key will look like:
sk_live_abc123...

Create a Document Job

Submit a job to create a new Mathcad document.

curl -X POST https://api.stru.ai/v1/mathcad/jobs \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "operation": "create_document",
    "document_name": "Beam Design Calculation",
    "elements": [
      {"type": "text", "content": "# Beam Design\n\nProject: Sample Building"},
      {"type": "variable", "name": "L", "value": 20, "unit": "ft", "description": "Beam span"},
      {"type": "formula", "expression": "M = w * L^2 / 8", "description": "Maximum moment"}
    ],
    "metadata": {
      "author": "John Doe",
      "project": "Sample Project"
    }
  }'

Response:

{
  "job_id": "job_mcd_abc123",
  "status": "pending",
  "created_at": "2025-10-17T10:30:00Z"
}

Poll for Completion

Check the job status until complete.

curl https://api.stru.ai/v1/jobs/job_mcd_abc123 \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"

When complete:

{
  "job_id": "job_mcd_abc123",
  "status": "completed",
  "results": {
    "file_url": "https://storage.stru.ai/temp/beam-calc.mcdx?signature=...",
    "file_type": "mcdx",
    "expires_at": "2025-10-18T10:30:00Z"
  }
}

Download the File

Use the signed URL to download your generated .mcdx file.

curl -o beam-design.mcdx "https://storage.stru.ai/temp/beam-calc.mcdx?signature=..."

Document Elements

Build rich documents by combining these element types:

Text Blocks

Add headers, descriptions, and documentation

{
  "type": "text",
  "content": "# Introduction\n\nThis calculation determines..."
}

Variables

Define input values with units

{
  "type": "variable",
  "name": "L",
  "value": 20,
  "unit": "ft",
  "description": "Beam span"
}

Formulas

Add calculations and equations

{
  "type": "formula",
  "expression": "M = w * L^2 / 8",
  "description": "Maximum moment"
}

Images

Embed diagrams and photos

{
  "type": "image",
  "url": "https://example.com/diagram.png",
  "caption": "Beam loading diagram"
}

Common Workflows

1. Automated Report Generation

Create complete, multi-page Mathcad reports directly from structural analysis software output.Workflow:

Run analysis in ETABS/SAP2000/etc.
Extract results (forces, deflections, utilization ratios)
Use Mathcad API to generate .mcdx with:
- Project header (text)
- Input parameters (variables)
- Code checks (formulas)
- Result tables (formatted text)
Generate PDF for submittal package

2. Dynamic Template Creation

Generate company-standard calculation templates programmatically based on project parameters.Workflow:

User selects project type (building, bridge, retaining wall)
API generates .mcdx template with:
- Standard company header
- Relevant code references
- Pre-configured variables
- Applicable formulas
Engineer opens in Mathcad and fills in values

3. Digital Calculation Packages

Assemble project calculations from various sources into a single, consistent .mcdx file.Workflow:

Collect calculation data from multiple sources
Standardize format and layout
Generate unified .mcdx document
Add table of contents and metadata
Export to PDF for archival

4. Code-to-Calculation Pipeline

Integrate with Search API to create documented calculations that reference specific code sections.Workflow:

Search API finds relevant code clause (e.g., “ACI 318-19 Section 10.5.3”)
Extract requirements and formulas
Mathcad API generates .mcdx that:
- References the code section (text)
- Shows the requirement (quoted text)
- Performs the check (formula)
- Displays result (variable)

API Operations

Operation	Endpoint	Description
Create Document	`POST /v1/mathcad/jobs`	Generate a new .mcdx file
Add Elements	`POST /v1/mathcad/{doc_id}/elements`	Add content to existing document
Read Document	`POST /v1/mathcad/jobs` (operation: read)	Parse .mcdx to extract structure
Generate PDF	`POST /v1/mathcad/jobs` (operation: pdf)	Convert .mcdx to PDF
Convert Legacy	`POST /v1/mathcad/convert`	Convert .xmcd to .mcdx

Best Practices

Organize Elements Logically

Structure your document with clear sections using text headers.

[
  {"type": "text", "content": "# 1. Input Parameters"},
  {"type": "variable", "name": "L", "value": 20},
  {"type": "text", "content": "# 2. Calculations"},
  {"type": "formula", "expression": "M = w * L^2 / 8"}
]

Use Descriptive Variable Names

Make formulas readable with clear variable naming.Good: beam_length, moment_capacity, steel_yield_strengthBad: l, m, fy

Add Descriptions

Include description fields to document what each element represents.

{
  "type": "variable",
  "name": "fc_prime",
  "value": 4000,
  "unit": "psi",
  "description": "Concrete compressive strength (ACI 318-19)"
}

Enable AI Formatting for Complex Docs

For documents with many elements, use the AI formatting option to optimize layout.

{
  "operation": "create_document",
  "elements": [...],
  "options": {
    "ai_formatting": true
  }
}

Download Files Promptly

Generated files expire after 24 hours. Download and store them in your system.

# Download immediately after job completes
if job['status'] == 'completed':
    file_url = job['results']['file_url']
    response = requests.get(file_url)
    with open('calculation.mcdx', 'wb') as f:
        f.write(response.content)

Rate Limits & Quotas

Tier	Requests/Minute	Max Elements/Doc	File Retention
Free	10	50	1 hour
Pro	60	500	24 hours
Enterprise	Custom	Unlimited	Custom

Rate limits apply per API key. Document generation jobs typically take 5-15 seconds depending on complexity.

File Retention & Downloads

Important: Generated files are stored temporarily and automatically deleted after the retention period.

Files are available via signed URLs with 24-hour expiration (Pro tier)
URLs are valid for one-time download or multiple downloads within the expiration window
After expiration, files are permanently deleted from storage
Always download and store files in your system immediately after generation

Integration with Other Stru APIs

The Mathcad API works seamlessly with other Stru services:

Search for Code Requirements

Use Search API to find relevant building code sections

POST /v1/search/jobs
query: "ACI 318-19 beam shear requirements"

Generate Calculation

Use Mathcad API to create documented calculation referencing the code

{
  "elements": [
    {"type": "text", "content": "## Code Reference\nACI 318-19 Section 22.5"},
    {"type": "variable", "name": "Vc", "value": 12500, "unit": "lb"},
    {"type": "formula", "expression": "phi * Vc >= Vu"}
  ]
}

Create Summary Report

Use Excel API to build a summary table of all calculations

POST /v1/excel/jobs
Include links to generated .mcdx files

Next Steps

Data Models

Understand request and response schemas

Create Document

Learn how to generate new .mcdx files

Add Elements

Add content to existing documents

Generate PDF

Convert .mcdx documents to PDF

Memory API

Blogs API

Search API

Mathcad API

Excel API

Overview

What is Stru Mathcad API?

Core Concepts

Document Generation

Element-Based Building

Async Jobs

AI-Enhanced Formatting

Key Features

Supported File Formats

Quick Start

Document Elements

Text Blocks

Variables

Formulas

Images

Common Workflows

API Operations

Best Practices

Rate Limits & Quotas

File Retention & Downloads

Integration with Other Stru APIs

Next Steps

Data Models

Create Document

Add Elements

Generate PDF

Overview

Memory API

Blogs API

Search API

Mathcad API

Excel API

​What is Stru Mathcad API?

​Core Concepts

Document Generation

Element-Based Building

Async Jobs

AI-Enhanced Formatting

​Key Features

​Supported File Formats

​Quick Start

​Document Elements

Text Blocks

Variables

Formulas

Images

​Common Workflows

​API Operations

​Best Practices

​Rate Limits & Quotas

​File Retention & Downloads

​Integration with Other Stru APIs

​Next Steps

Data Models

Create Document

Add Elements

Generate PDF

What is Stru Mathcad API?

Core Concepts

Key Features

Supported File Formats

Quick Start

Document Elements

Common Workflows

API Operations

Best Practices

Rate Limits & Quotas

File Retention & Downloads

Integration with Other Stru APIs

Next Steps