Abstract: Sliding cable structures are widely used in engineering practice. The analyses of such structures are still mainly based on numerical methods at present, which is a lack of theoretical methods. The effects of geometrical nonlinearity and friction on sliding need to be taken into account in the analysis simultaneously. Based on the catenary theory, the one-dimensional analytical expression of the unstressed length for a single cable is deduced. After the introduction of Euler equation, the analytical equations of multi-span continuous cables under self weight and concentrated loads are respectively established, according to the characteristics of the invariant total unstressed length and balanced tension at the sliding point. The analytical equations of continuous cables are extended to cable-supported trusses. The Newton-Raphson scheme with controllable accuracy is used to solve the equations, and four examples are analyzed by the program. The results show that the theoretical solution is accurate with high adaptability in engineering, which can provide a theoretical basis for the design and analysis of sliding cable structures.