Contents

• Glossary
  • Assembly Receptor
  • Browsers
  • Buttline
  • Code
  • Component Full Pack Roundup
  • Control Buttons
  • Description
  • Direction Line
  • DXF File
  • Extrusion Full Bar Roundup
  • Face
  • Family Tree
  • Fill Receptor
  • Filtering Box
  • Generic Fields for Quote and Quote Items
  • Library
  • Light
  • Light Code
  • Logical Deletions
    • Are all items logically deleted?
    • Special Cases:
    • What happens if I delete an item and want it back?
    • How to reinstate an item that has been logically deleted.
  • Origin Point
  • Points
  • Price A
  • Price B
  • Progress Meter Display
  • Search
  • Shim
  • Shortcut Menu
  • Show
  • Tags
  • Using the Dropdown Date Field
  • Waste
  • Wireframe Receptor

Glossary

Assembly Receptor

• An assembly receptor is used to mark the exact location of attachment of one assembly to another.
• An assembly is designated as a 'male' type, and may be attached to a 'female' type assembly receptor in another assembly.
• The assembly's male type (on the Resource|Assembly|General tab), and the receptor's female type (Resource|Assembly|Drawing Boardproperty) are allocated to one of two categories:
  • Assembly
  • Wireframe
• An assembly may be placed onto another assembly by means of an assembly-type assembly receptor. A nested frame may be placed onto an assembly by means of a wireframe-type assembly receptor.
• The receiving (female type) assembly receptor must be the same category (assembly or wireframe) as the incoming assembly's male type.
• The symbol used on the assembly drawing board for an assembly receptor is +A, and +W for a wireframe receptor.
• Assembly receptors are assigned to a direction line, and if the direction line's angle is changed, the assembly receptor's position will change with it.
• An assembly receptor can hold more than one assembly.

Browsers

V6's main method to search for resources throughout the database is through the use of browsers. You will see them in all parts of V6, whether it be quotes, frames, customers, extrusions or setup options.

All of the fields in the browsers and pickers are case-insensitive when searching. In the case of frame resource browsers, you have the option of using standard view or graphical view. The latter can be set up under Setup Options|Quote Defaults. The browser dialog has undergone extensive change in V6 3.5, particularly with the use of filters, searching, and column sorting.

Buttline

• Buttlines are used when an assembly has another assembly joined perpendicularly. The second assembly will join somewhere along the buttline (usually at the end of the first assembly).
• Buttlines are compulsory - every assembly must have at least one. Buttlines must always run perpendicular to the direction line of an assembly.
• If there is only one buttline on an assembly, it will be used as the minimum and the maximum.
• How the buttline is used depends on the type of joint. This is specified either in the Resource Wizard, or by using the functions on the Joints tab.
• The buttline can be angled to allow the edge of the assembly to be cut at an angle, for example, if you have an angled sill that you want to attach to a mullion.
• You may also use multiple buttlines in order to have, for example, a mullion attached to the assembly in the center at a different height to another assembly being attached on the edge.
• Buttlines are placed on the Assembly Design tab. They can be created automatically, or inserted manually. Cut and hit are common names for a buttline on an assembly.

Code

• Resources may be listed by Code or by Internal Reference, as selected in the Show field.
• Click on the column header to reverse order in which the list is sorted, as indicated by the arrow in the column header.
• Right-click while the mouse is over the code/description grid to display a shortcut menu.

Component Full Pack Roundup

Components in the quote will be rounded up to full packs, and priced accordingly. This will disable pricing by individual quote item (quotes can be priced only as a whole). All waste settings, whether on a component resource, or defaults for all components, will be ignored.

Example: If a component type has a pack size of 100 and the frames within the quote require 75 pieces of this component, the BOM will report 1 pack of 100 required.

Components that do not have the Allow Roundup To Full Pack box checked (on the Resource|Component|General tab) will not be rounded up to full packs. These components will be priced using the waste value. The default waste value is set on Setup|Options|Costing and can be overridden for each component on the Resource|Component|General tab.

Use of component pack roundup can be controlled in one of three ways, in the following order:

1. For each library you have read/write access to (from Setup|Libraries|Browse - not available in V6 Estimator).
2. Globally for all libraries that have Use Quote Default selected for this option (from the Setup|Options|Costing tab).
3. Locally for each quote (from the Sales|Quote|Pricing tab).

You can also control whether this pricing method is available to be changed within a quote from the Setup|Options|Quote tab. Ask your system administrator for help if you do not have access to this menu item.

Control Buttons

Some functions are unavailable if you are editing a resource in a read-only library.

Description

This is the description of each of the listed resources. Click on the column header to reverse the order in which the resource is sorted, as indicated by the arrow in the column header. Right-click while the mouse is over the code/description grid to display a shortcut menu.

Direction Line

• A direction line represents a face in a frame. The primary direction line is shown as an arrow with a sun symbol. The side on which the sun symbol displays is the exterior of the assembly.
• Direction lines are used to mark the direction an assembly faces. They should always point into the center of a light, parallel to the fill of that light.
• You can add more than one direction line, to show the different faces onto which fills or assemblies may be inserted. This is also useful for internal assemblies that border more than one light.
• All direction lines start at the origin - this is the point at which the assembly is placed on the wireframe (in frame) or on another assembly (on an assembly receptor).
• Direction lines can be rotated through 360 degrees. Assembly receptors, fill receptors, reference lines and buttlines are all assigned to a direction line, and if the direction line's angle is changed, their position will change with it. There is no restriction on the number of items that can be assigned to a direction line; however, each direction line should not contain more than one item with the same name.

DXF File

A DXF file contains a cross-section of an extrusion (or assembly or frame).

DXF files are a standard format for transferring line drawings from one software application to another.

Restrictions on DXF files:

• DXF files that contain the ellipse object will not be recognized by V6. You will have to redraw them without using the ellipse object.
• DXF files cannot contain more than one extrusion.
• The extrusion must be a solid shape - it must not have gaps in its perimeter.

If you want to distribute graphics of your frames to your customers, you should use the Save to VRML function, as VRML graphics are superior to DXF files.

Extrusion Full Bar Roundup

Extrusions in the quote will be rounded up to full bars. The customer will be charged for the full length of extrusion bars after optimization - including material consumed in cutting, and any off cuts or shortcuts. This will disable pricing by individual quote item (quotes can be priced only as a whole). Any waste settings will be ignored. This includes individual extrusions (set on the Resource|Extrusion|General tab), and default values for all extrusions (set on the Setup|Options|Costing tab).

Use of Extrusion Full Bar Roundup can be controlled in one of three ways, in the following order:

1. For each library you have read/write access to (from the Setup|Libraries|Browse menu item - not available in V6 Estimator).
2. Globally for all libraries which have Use Quote Default selected for this option (from the Setup|Options|Costing tab).
3. Locally for each quote (from the Sales|Quote|Pricing tab).

You can also control whether this pricing method is available to be changed within a quote from the Setup|Options|Quote tab. If you do not have access to this menu option, ask your system administrator for help.

Face

• A face defines the up and outside orientation for the resources placed on it. A face is defined by a series of absolute points and lines that define its edge. Every face must have at least three points on its edge, and all of its points must define a flat plane. A curved face must have only four lines and edges defining it.
• Many flat structure frames such as domestic windows will have only one face. Curtain wall and some wide storefronts may have multiple faces.
• More complicated three-dimensional structures like skylights or conservatories will have many faces.
• A frame is divided into faces and can have one or more face. Wireframe lines border each face. A wireframe line can join two or more faces.

Example: A cube-shaped frame will have six faces. Each wireframe line connects two faces.

Family Tree

• This shows a tree view of the family of the class (i.e. resource type) you have selected. At the root is a library with various families springing from it. These families can have their own branches (nested families).
• For example, the Windows Explorer shows a tree view of directories branching out from the root directory.
• In browsers, the family tree has its own shortcut menu. This contains the following options. These options are not available from other shortcut menus available in other parts of the browser.

Fill Receptor

• Fill receptors mark the exact location where a fill connects with an assembly. The glass, wood, plastic or other materials' panels attach to fill receptors. You must assign fill receptors to your assemblies before you can attach fills to them. There are two different types of fill receptors - surface and center aligned:
  • Surface aligned receptors are usually used when the frame has a bead clipping into it, i.e. one edge of the fill must sit at a specified distance away from the glazing channel, despite how thick it is.
  • Center aligned receptors are used in sashes, or some commercial frames, for situations where there are no beads, so the fill must sit in the middle of the glazing channel, despite the changing thickness of the fill.
• To change between the two types, place a fill receptor on the drawing board, then select the receptor type you want from the alignment dropdown field in the properties box.
• The symbol for a fill receptor is +F.
• Fill receptors are all assigned to a direction line, and if the direction line's angle is changed, their position will change with it. The direction line the receptor is assigned to indicates which side of the frame the fill fits on (i.e. objects will approach the frame from the side the direction line is on).
• More than one fill can be attached to a fill receptor.

Filtering Box

• A filter allows you to specify which type of item will be made available to pick from.

Example: You can filter into the list only the items that have a code beginning with 1000.

• In every filter, details you have used once will automatically be saved. This means you can switch between enabling and disabling the filter, and the filtered results will stay consistent.
• Every browser and picker has its own filtering box, and each one applies only to the resource from which it is accessed.

The Filtering box contains the following items:

Item	Description
Filter Box	Click on the box . Add a condition, add a group, or remove a row. In the example above, we have added two conditions: code and description.
Select Operator	Select which operator you wish to apply against the condition. Using operators such as: like, greater than, equal, between etc.
Value	Enter a value (the blue field shown above) to be used in conjunction with the operator.  For example: Code like '1000' or description between g and m.
OK button	Returns you to the previous screen and changes the list according to your selection. You may need to check or clear the Enable Filter box.
Cancel button	Returns to the pick window without making any changes to the filtering values.

Any filters that are created, will be displayed at the bottom of the resource browser screen that you are in. They are saved for re-use.

Generic Fields for Quote and Quote Items

This function allows for the insert, edit and delete of up to twelve string fields for quote, and five string fields for quote item. The fields can only be added and modified through macros, as well as being read through macros and the database (Quick Reports, SQL Queries). These fields will contain regularly used text strings that will be associated with the quote or quote item. It will provide benefits in the area of quote reporting.

The fields will also function similarly to the "stage" field in the 'Quote_Item table'. The fields will be a maximum of 250 characters and they will be copied across when quotes and/or quote items are themselves copied across (inc. manual and system copies, i.e. when the quote 'version' changes). This function will include changes to the DBUpdate, Quote Transfer and Quote Archiving in relation to database changes.

The properties will only be accessible from macros and direct SQL Database access. Formulas (EVA) will not have access to them. The Generic Fields will not be displayed or used anywhere in V6 except for the macro exposure above and when the fields are queried from the database by Quick Reports created by the user.

Implemented for Versions 3.0 and 3.1 only.

Library

• A library is also known as a catalog. A library is a subset of a database, and is a filtering mechanism used to group resources.
• Families and classifications allow further refinement.
• Normally a manufacturer will have only one library.
• Estimator users may have multiple libraries from different suppliers. However, estimators using a proprietary (i.e. manufacturer-specific) version of V6 are usually unable to import libraries from other suppliers.

Light

• Each face can be divided internally by wireframe lines. The spaces between these lines are called lights. The light* lode gives the arrangement of internal wireframe lines and the lights inside them.
• Once lights have been set up, (and assemblies have been added to the wireframe lines), you can insert fills or nested frames inside them.
• *Also referred to as 'Lite'.

Light Code

• This code controls the number of openings and divisions inserted into the wireframe. It consists of an h or a v, followed by as many numerals as there are openings in the wireframe (e.g. h3, v21). The h or v determines whether the openings are made vertically or horizontally.
  • Note: If no letter is used, the openings will be made horizontally by default. (E.g. light code 131 will produce the same result as h131.) An exception to this is in the Grid Frame Wizard; if the 'Apply light code' selector is set to "Vertically", then the code will provide the same result as v131:

• A numeral is added for each opening, and the numeral used controls how many sections each opening contains. Each face will have a separate code for its openings. H codes read left-to-right, while V codes read bottom-to-top. A numeral with two or more digits must be enclosed in curly braces, for example {17}. Up to 256 characters can be entered into the light code.

  The light code also determines which way joints are made when the wireframe is populated with assemblies. An H code will make verticals run through, while a V code will make horizontals run through.

  
   

Examples:

Image	Description
	A code of h1 will create a wireframe shape with a single empty opening.
	A code of h2 will create a wireframe shape with a single opening divided horizontally into two sections. This can also be achieved with a code of v11.
	A code of h11 will create a wireframe shape with two empty openings. This can also be achieved with a code of v2.
	A code of h213 will create a wireframe shape divided into 3 openings (vertically), with the first opening divided into two sections horizontally, the second opening having no divisions, and the third opening divided into three sections horizontally. This shape cannot be made using V.
	However, the code V312 will create a wireframe shape divided into 3 openings (horizontally), with the bottom opening divided into three sections vertically, the middle opening having no divisions, and the top opening divided into two sections vertically.
	A code of h{10}1{11} will create a wireframe shape divided into 3 openings (vertically), with the first opening divided into ten sections horizontally, the second opening having no divisions, and the third opening divided into eleven sections horizontally.

Logical Deletions

These are the V6 equivalent of looking inside the Windows Recycle Bin. It shows you items that have been deleted and which may be reinstated. De-selecting this menu item will return you to the normal browser grid. Logical deletions are effectively a backstop - if, after deleting an item, you note that it is used somewhere else. For example if another V6 operator needs the item for some reason, you can then reinstate it.

Are all items logically deleted?

No. The only items that may be reinstated after deletion are those that are referenced by other resources (e.g. extrusions inside an assembly, price groups used in a quote). Other items will be permanently deleted, and you will not be able to get them back.

Special Cases:

1. Items attached to families: Items that have been manually attached to a family can only be logically deleted, not permanently deleted.
2. Quotes: You can select whether you want to permanently delete or logically delete quotes. This is controlled from the Setup|Options|Quote Display form.

What happens if I delete an item and want it back?

Here's an example:

A frame type was inadvertently set for deletion. Now when I try to recreate it I am told that the frame type already exists, however I cannot see it!

How to reinstate an item that has been logically deleted.

1. Open the browser containing the item you want to reinstate.
2. Right-click, and check the Logical Deletions item on the shortcut menu. This changes the browser display to show only those items that have been deleted.
3. From the browse list, select the item you want, or use the Search or Filter function to find it.
4. Click Un-Delete. The item will be reinstated.
5. Either reinstate another item, or right-click and clear the Logical Deletions item on the Shortcut menu. This returns the browser to the normal view, and you will be able to see the item you just reinstated.

Origin Point

• On an assembly, the 0,0 or X,Y origin point (where the X and Y dotted lines cross) represents the corresponding point where the assembly will be placed on to the wireframe line of the frame, or on a receiving assembly in the frame drawing board.
• Where you place extrusions and other items on the assembly drawing board in relation to the origin point is the same location that they will be placed on the frame drawing board in relation to the frame origin point (or receiving assembly).
• This is important to note because if you don't get the position of an item correct,  it will have a warped look when you examine your frame from different angles.
• The origin point should be used as the marker for the box size, trim size or overall window size for the frame drawing board, depending on which measurement is used when creating frames.

Points

• Points can be either absolute or relative.
• Absolute points have a fixed 3D spatial co-ordinate and are used to define the edges of a face.
• Relative points are used within a face, and define their position relative to other points and lines.
• The kinds of relative points V6 supports are:
  • Percentage - This point lies x percent between the beginning and end of a line.
  • Distance From - This point lies x distance from the beginning or end of a line.
  • Degrees - This point lies at x angle of this curved line.

Price A

• Price A is an alternative method used for costing and/or pricing extrusions, components and fills. It can be used instead of the Standard Cost + Overhead + Mark-up method of pricing. An example of its use is to set a Recommended Retail Price, which is not explicitly based on the cost price of a resource.
• The value of Price A must be defined separately for each resource.

Price B

• Price B is an alternative method used for costing and/or pricing extrusions, components and fills. It can be used instead of the standard cost plus overhead plus mark-up method. An example of its use is to set a Recommended Retail Price, which is not explicitly based on the cost price of a resource.
• The value of Price B must be defined separately for each resource.

Progress Meter Display

• The Progress Meter used with V6 has been updated to enable display of the current process name and completed percentage to the user.
• An additional feature of the new progress meter is that by using the -PROCNAMES runtime parameter, it will display the name of the current process (if metered). This can be handy for debugging or testing.

Search

• Enter the first few letters of the data type (i.e. code, name etc) that you are searching for. The nearest identical item in the browse list that matches the entered criterion will be highlighted.
• If you click on the column header in the grid, the search criterion and its column heading will change. The default search parameter is shown in brackets. The arrow to the right of each column header shows whether the data is sorted in ascending or descending order. Clicking the column header will reverse both the arrow and sort order.
• As mentioned in the Glossary|Browser topic, searches are undertaken in V6 excluding case sensitivity.

Shim

• The shim space is the space between the physical opening of the building (known as Opening height and width or the Masonry Opening height and width) and the actual storefront or curtainwall metal extent (known as frame height and width).
• The shim spacings are applied between the wireframe and the shim butt lines, if any, on the assemblies.
• This physical space is often filled with packing material. Parts of the frame structure will join to the actual physical opening of the building (normally door jambs) whilst the rest of the window structure will be contained within the frame dimensions.

In all cases where shim spacings are able to be modified, you are now able to use formulae. For existing frames, where shim spacings were set, the shim spacing should appear as a constant in the relevant formula.

Shortcut Menu

Some functions may be unavailable if you are editing a resource in a read-only library.

In browsers, the family tree has its own shortcut menu. This contains the following options. These options are not available from other shortcut menus available in other parts of the browser.

In each browser topic within this help menu, there is extensive documentation regarding the use of the shortcut menu, as it is an area that has been given a thorough makeover - due to redevelopment of the Browser dialog in V6 3.5.

Show

• Resources may be listed in order of code or in order of internal reference. Select either Code or Internal Reference by clicking on the drop-down arrow and selecting the option.
• The Search facility will also change accordingly, to search by either Code or Internal Reference.

Tags

• Tags exist on every design object (points, lines, assemblies, extrusions, reference points, and so on) in the frame drawing board. Both EVA and macros can access the tags to automate procedures based on those tags. Default assemblies can be assigned to tags by specifying the tag and its defaults in the Frame Type editor.
• For example an assembly might look at the LINES tag to see whether it needs to be a "Corner" assembly or an "Edge" assembly.
• Tags may be edited in the property inspector.
• A tag cannot be added via a macro. It can be queried using the [designobject].hastags() function.

Using the Dropdown Date Field

Click on the calendar button to the right of the field. A small calendar appears, with the cursor on today's date. 

Example: On the 15th of June 2010, the calendar will appear like this:

• To go backward or forward a year, click the up or down arrow beside the year field respectively.
• From the dropdown field select the month you want.
• Double-click on the day you want. The original dialog box now displays the new date.

Waste

• When an extrusion, component or fill is cut, a percentage of it is removed with every cut by the width of the saw blade. More resource may be lost on the factory floor, and possibly more through human error.
• The total loss of the resource is wastage and the percentage of the resource that is declared as wastage can be entered manually for each resource, or can be entered as a default value in Setup|Options|Costing.

If you are using either Extrusion Full Bar Roundup or Component Pack Roundup, you should leave the extrusion or component waste settings blank, as appropriate.

• The waste percentage is applied to the cost price of each resource.
• Wastage is viewed in the total cost price on the Quote|Summary tab. It is not included in the cost price on the Quote|BOM Cost tab.

Different waste percentages may be applied to different resources within each quote.

Wireframe Receptor

See Assembly Receptor.