Q1: Are there are any special requirements to install your software?
Answer:
As far as the basic requirements in terms of processor power, RAM, Display, and the Operating System they are the same as for the AutoCAD product. You will need approximately 28 Mbytes of space with 6Mbytes of that being from a File Server drive holding the Symbol Libraries and shared Materials Information Tables. The product can be used 'standalone' on a workstation but typically part of it resides on a File Server so that multiple users can share the Symbol Library and Information Tables. You will need ADMINISTRATOR privileges to install the software. Once installed, though, the same privileges needed to run AutoCAD will suffice for our product as well.
Q2: What versions of AutoCAD are currently supported by your product?
Answer:
We support all versions of AutoCAD beginning with AutoCAD Version 2007. We make it a point to always support the latest version when it becomes available.
Q3: Does each workstation have to have its own XZiBiTWare license or does your product provide a floating license?
Answer:
At this time we only provide individual licenses for each workstation.
Q4: Can I use regular 'dumb' (non-attributed) wblock symbols along with the symbols I create using your 'Block Builder' facility? And, at the same time, can we also continue to use our attributed Title Blocks in our drawings?
Answer:
Yes, you can use any kind of AutoCAD wblock symbol with our product as long as it is supported by the version of AutoCAD being used. When we check a drawing for design data, we simply ignore any symbol that doesn't conform to our attribute property specifications. The 'dumb' wblocks can be put into a symbol library subFolder like the symbols created with Block Builder and then inserted using our Insert Block facility. You don't have to switch to AutoCAD's Insert dialogue box just to use symbols that weren't created with Block Builder. We also provide a preview of each library symbol in our insert facility just like AutoCAD.
Q5: How does XZiBiTWare know where the Symbol Library resides so that I can get to my parts in their subFolders?
Answer:
XZiBiTWare uses a text file to hold the path to a user's symbol library. The file is called LIB_PATH.fil and it is located in the XZWare\Confiles subFolder. [XZWare is the default program Folder name] The file is read automatically every time AutoCAD first starts or any time a new drawing file is loaded. If your library Folder began from the root level on the 'C' drive of your workstation and its name was "Symbol_Library", for example, LIB_PATH.fil would contain the line C:\Symbol_Library. The library folder would need to contain subFolders for your symbols so that you could access symbols representing Accessories, Metal Parts, Panels, Symbol_Group assemblies, OtherItems, Smart_Metal, SmartPanel and so on. We provide a default Folder (XZWare\Library) below the installed XZWare Folder. It contains subfolders. Some hold symbols we supply as part of our product to give users something to work with at startup. If you need some other location for your Symbol Library (such as on a File Server), use the Utility Commands form. It contains a button that will let you browse to the new location...fast and easy.
Q6: How do you know what subFolders to use for your Insert Block facility?
Answer:
XZiBiTWare uses a text file, SubDirs.fil, to hold the names of Symbol Library subFolders. The file is read automatically whenever you start the "Insert Block" command since these names must appear in a subFolder selection window. The file is located in the XZWare\Confiles subFolder. [XZWare is the default program Folder name] It contains a line for each subFolder name and can be easily edited using a program like Windows Notepad. We provide default entries for you to match the default subFolders created in XZWare\Library during program installation but these can be changed as needed. If you change the contents of SubDirs.fil, it is your responsibility to create matching subFolders on your disk drive. Some required SubFolders are Symbol_Group, Smart_Metal (and/or Smart_AGAM/Smart_Octanorm), and SmartPanel that our product requires for certain command features. For a multi-user environment, the Symbol Library and its subFolders are typically maintained on a shared File Server.
Q7: I've noticed that sometimes when I try to save or read a drawing that the File Dialog window (write or read) doesn't work. I have to use the command line. What causes this?
Answer:
Some of XZiBiTWare's features require that the File Dialog window be temporarily disabled since it cannot communicate with a Dialog window. Then, before the Dialog window can be reenabled automatically, the user may press the Escape Key. This halts XZiBiTWare immediately and the File Dialog window never gets reenabled. This does not happen every time, just sometimes. When it does, the user enters FILEDIA
Q8: We just started working with XZiBiTWare and we noticed that Panels created by AutoPanel, 'Smart' Panel, or AutoWall are smaller in size than what we are used to seeing. Why is that?
Answer:
When creating new Panels, XZiBiTWare always creates them so that there their edges end precisely at the opening of the groove in the Post or Crosspiece they are supposed to fit into. So, visually the Panels are indeed smaller since they don't penetrate the Posts or Crosspieces. By stopping short at the openings, it is easier to continue to see the face of the metal parts as well as the edges of the Panels. But, when reporting the actual physical size of the Panels, XZiBiTWare adds a user-specified penetration depth to the Height and Width values. These values are kept in records in the Metal Profile Parameters table under the column heading of "Panel Penetration Depth". There is a record for every Profile that might be used. Some companies like a little slack in the way their panels fit into metal parts while others want Panels to "bottom-out" in the grooves. The user can adjust the amount of panel penetration needed and should be able to match what they are used to seeing for reported Panel sizes. 'Smart' Panel lets the user specify Panel Penetration Depth on the 'Smart' Panel Form as does "Custom Structure" on its control form.
Q9: When I use AutoPanel, AutoWall, or 'Smart' Panel I notice that the flat panels have an 'X' crossmark going from opposite corners across the panel. Is there any way I can get rid of these 'X' crossmarks when I get ready to Plot the drawing?
Answer:
The 'X' crossmarks are put there to make it easier to select a panel for editing. It also makes it easier to see that the Panel is actually in place. To turn these 'X' crossmarks OFF at any time, simply turn the automatically-created layer called "Show_Layer" OFF.
Q10: How do you track Labor Time and Component Weight in your product? For Labor Time, for example, how would we capture Design time, Render time, SetUp documentation (electrical details, e.g.) time, time to pull a metal part from stock and pack it for shipment, time to unpack / inspect and restock the part, time to unpack / install a part at event site, time to uninstall / repack a part and so on as factors in estimating labor time for an exhibit?
Answer:
First, with regard to Component Weight, the extraction module uses material description tables to store part parameter records for each component to be tracked by the system. Each component has a Weight and this [user-supplied] value is stored in a record for that component. This value is used as a reference when drawing design data is being processed by the control logic of the eXtract Data facility. The system also uses a Materials Reference Table to dynamically calculate the Weight of items such as Panels (and certain type of accessories) that vary in weight according to their physical dimensions as well as the Materials and Colors used for the component.
Labor Time is handled three (3) different ways in our product. The explanation that follows may seem overlong but several important concepts are to be covered and we prefer to be verbose in order to help you understand this topic.
Component Handling Labor: If you take a look at our material description tables (under Information Tables) for Accessory, Metal, Panel, and Other item types, you will notice that there are record fields labeled: Shop In; Shop Out ; I&D In; and I&D Out. These fields store average labor time assignments in [decimal] minutes for each component tracked by our product. Typical entries might be: 3, 1, 4, and 2 for those four (4) fields respectively. That is, on average, it takes about 3 minutes to find and pull a part from stock and put it into a crate for shipment, 1 minute to pull it out of the crate and put it back in stock, 4 minutes at event [show] site to find/unpack and install it, about 2 minutes, on average, to remove it from the exhibit and put it back into its shipping crate for its trip out. As each component portrayed in a drawing is processed by the control logic of our eXtract Data facility, we use these average labor times as a reference for calculating labor time associated with each component.
Fabrication Labor: Since it is very common to need to do some construction or modification work on a component (like making a countertop - very typical), we realized that we must allow users to define whatever extra labor steps their Shop personnel might need to undertake to prepare a component. We added a Fabrication Labor [step] Table that lets users create unique Labor Step records that include a user-assigned Labor Code (always starting with the letter, L), a description of the Labor Step, a [decimal] Labor Time assignment in minutes to perform the step, and some comment(s) about the Labor Step. 'L6' might be a code that represents the labor step of creating an overlapping countertop with molding, taking (on average) 60 minutes to perform. Each component built with our Block Builder facility can optionally be assigned one or more of these Labor Steps. Also, when placing a symbol into a drawing using our Insert Block facility, as an option, the user may attach one or more of these Labor Steps to the symbol. When drawing design data is being processed, these Labor Steps are captured, processed, and reported along with other material, weight, cost, and labor time information. The system provides a separate "Estimated Component Fabrication Labor Time" report that references the Fabrication Labor Table and clearly shows all extra fabrication labor required to produce one or more exhibits.
Other Labor: All other labor or extra costs are captured with special TIME or XCOST (eXtra Cost) wblock symbols that are considered to be of the Other Item type category. Other Item types are for items that don't fall into the categories of Accessory, Metal, or Panels. These special symbols are included as part of the system. The TIME symbols are stored in a Symbol Library subFolder named TIME while the XCOST symbols are stored in a subFolder named XCOST. The name of each special symbol and its purpose are as follows:
Symbol Name: Used to Track:
1) TIME_ADL_DMNTL any anticipated additional I&D time to Dismantle exhibit
2) TIME_ADL_INSTL any anticipated additional I&D time to Install exhibit
3) TIME_ADL_PSHOW any anticipated additional Post-Show Shop time
4) TIME_DESIGN Exhibit Drawing & Design time
5) TIME_REDESIG Exhibit Drawing & Redesign time
6) TIME_GRAFX Graphics Drawing & Design time
7) TIME_REGRAFX Graphics Drawing & ReDesign time
8) TIME_RENDER Exhibit Drawing Render time
9) TIME_RERENDER Exhibit Drawing ReRender time
10) TIME_SETUPDOCS Documentation and detail drawing production time
11) XCOST_SHOP_PAK anticipated extra costs to pack components in Shop
12) XCOST_FLD_PAK anticipated extra costs to pack components in field
Assigning a time value through these special Other Item type wblock symbols: All TIME_ symbols are considered Other Item type components. These components contain an optional property [attribute] field that is labeled Length,Width,Material as they hold three (3) separate specifications: [normally used for] component Length, Width, and Material name. This optional field is also available for Accessory items to permit dynamic weight and cost calculations for Accessories representing tables or countertops, for example. In the case of the special TIME_ symbols, these specifications are used instead for defining:
quantity_of_time_units, duration_of_time_units, dummy_Material_name
A typical entry for the Length,Width,Material property field of a TIME_DESIGN symbol might be:
3.5,60,time
This entry would signify that 3.5 (3 and 1/2) 60 minute long periods of time (or 210 minutes) will be required to create an exhibit design. This data is fed automatically to a spreadsheet so that it can be quickly determined what this means as a cost for the designer's time for the exhibit drawing containing this TIME_DESIGN symbol. Note that more than one TIME_DESIGN symbol may be placed in a drawing. This can be helpful if a design is being done in stages.
Another way to arrive at the same result for this same property field might be:
210,1,design
This entry would signify that 210 1 minute long periods of time (again 210 minutes) will be required to create an exhibit design. As can be seen, for these special TIME [and XCOST] symbols, the material field is being used only as a placeholder. The value does not matter as long as it is between 3 and 10 characters in length.
For the special XCOST symbol, a typical entry for XCOST_FLD_PAK might be:
2,22.68,xcost
This entry would signify that for packing components in the field, 2 extra cost items, each costing $22.68 (assuming USD), should be added to the cost calculations for the exhibit. This extra cost information is also fed automatically to the same spreadsheet [as one of 23 line items] to help quickly estimate total exhibit costs.
Q11: What kinds of reports are provided by XZiBiTWare?
Answer:
1) Exhibit Materials Information reports that cover 5 materials categories including Panels with Graphics (single-side or both-sides Art Panels).
2) Exhibit Materials 'Pull List' (or 'Pick List') reports for each material category to help Shop personnel identify and check off items that must be packed and shipped per exhibit.
3) an Estimated Component Fabrication Labor Time report
4) an Exhibit Information report (and, optionally, exhibit details spreadsheet report)
5) a Summary of Labor Times, Weight, and Costs report broken down into 23 different categories (same data fed to a pricing spreadsheet)
6) a Summary of Labor Times and Weight for the Shop and Shipping personnel
7) a Projected Materials Shortages report that includes projected shortages of any Metal item, Accessory, or Other Item type component needed to satisfy the material requirements for a single exhibit or a selected group of exhibits.
8) Customizable BOM (Bill of Materials) reports that are created directly inside a designer's drawings. There are BOM reports available for each of the 5 materials categories. These BOM Lists include item#, Quantity, and any selected available field for the report. All row and column grid lines, optional centered Title, column headings, and tabular text contents are created quickly and automatically for the designer using the specified text style, text height (unless fixed), and position. This feature alone typically saves 1-2 hours per exhibit drawing package.
9) Consolidated reports that include all of the individual Materials Reports as well as Fabrication Labor, Vendor Preparation Costs, and Summary Reports.
10) an Estimated Vendor [part] Preparation Costs report
11) Table Record Dump reports for 8 different Data Tables used by XZiBiTWare (handy for part inventory audits)
Note that each report may be previewed and/or printed as required by a designer/detailer/manager.
Q12: Will your product work on anything other than an IBM PC-compatible workstation?
Answer:
No. Currently it only works with 32 bit versions of operating systems like Windows 2000, Windows XP, VISTA, and Windows 7. We expect to support 64 bit systems by late 2010.
Q13: Does your product only work with AutoCAD?
Answer:
Yes.
Q14: What is different about the Trial version of your product?
Answer:
The Trial version of this software product is fully functional. It operates exactly like a regular (non-Trial) version of our product. However, the Trial version has a limited number of days in which it may be used. You have seen several software products that offer you a chance to try it before you buy it and that's what we have done here. We give you an opportunity to try out our product for a period of 45 days beginning with the day you install it. After 45 days have elapsed, the program will cease to work inside AutoCAD.
Q15: What is the Materials Reference Table?
Answer:
An extremely important table, the Materials Reference table, is used by our product in several ways, the most important of which is to reduce the number of symbols that are required to describe every possible Color and Material combination used for Panels. The table is also used for dynamically calculating the Weight and Cost of some Accessory items and Other Item type components. The table contains records (we include over 300 as samples) that define different Color (2 colors max. per panel) and Material combinations, the Weight per square meter (square foot for those using feet and inches) for that combination, and the Cost per square meter (or square foot) for the panel. You will need to make sure that you create records for any Color A [side 1], Color B [side 2], and Material combination that you may use for Smart Metal Profiles, Panels, Accessory items, or Other Item type components. You will make use of these Color and Material combinations when you create new symbols or have to modify an inserted symbol with new Color and Material property specifications. Access to the Materials Reference table is provided by a button on the "Tables" Control Bar and the old-style Main Control Window.
Q16: What do I have to do to upgrade your product to work with a new release of AutoCAD? And, secondly, what happens when I want to install your product on a new workstation?
Answer:
We will contact you via Email to let you know when we are ready to support any new release. You may download the updated program files and installation documentation needed to upgrade your system so that it will work with the new AutoCAD. Sometimes, as was the case with the last three (3) releases of AutoCAD, our product will continue to work without any modification. For the case where you want to install our product for use on a new workstation, you will have to contact us to obtain an Authorization Code as part of the installation process.
Q17: Why can't you include your product Authorization Code as part of the installation documentation?
Answer:
The Authorization Code is created dynamically on a user's workstation and is based upon several factors, all of which can only be determined during the course of installation. Until we set up a secure, tamper-proof form on our Web Site to allow you to get an Authorization Code, you will need to call us on the telephone or send us an Email to request this code to activate our product. When you get ready to obtain an Authorization Code, you will be viewing a data entry form that displays two values: the Product Serial Number and a Product Setup Code.
This data entry form must remain on the screen until you obtain your code. Of course, you can Cancel getting the code to close the form but then you will not be able to use our product until you complete the Authorization process. In your request for a code, you must tell us the two values and, from that, an Authorization Code Generator will create a one-time unique code that we will give back to you for entry into an edit box on the data entry form.
After you enter this code exactly as it was given to you and press the Apply pushbutton, the data entry form closes and the product is activated for use.
NOTE: The 45 day Trial version does not require an Authorization Code.
Q18: Is there a way to block selected symbols from being detected and then, later, unblock them so that they are detected and reported? This would speed up "what-if?" alternate design cost estimates.
Answer:
Yes. Any symbol that resides on a layer that is Frozen and/or Locked is ignored by the extraction module. You should also understand that, when we process a drawing for design data, each symbol that is detected as a valid active symbol is automatically "blanked-out" on the screen so that the designer can see that the symbol has been detected (Regen will restore the screen). Obviously, any symbol still remaining on the screen after the drawing has been processed has been ignored.
Symbols that are ignored would be 'dumb' (non-attributed) symbols, attributed symbols that do not conform to the extraction module symbol standards (like Title Block symbols, e.g.), and Symbols residing on a Frozen and/or Locked layer.
Q19: Will your product detect and report all the AutoCAD wblock Symbols we have already?
Answer:
No, not without some modification. The user must segregate all parts into the supported categories of Metal items, Accessories, Panels, and Other Item types so that they can be converted properly. Then, using BlockBuilder, each symbol can be converted to parts for specific categories and stored in selected subFolders.
But, you also asked about reporting these symbols. The extraction module has no way of knowing how you would want each symbol [representing an exhibit component] to be described in a Materials Report. What is the component's description? How much does the component Weigh? How much does it cost? What labor times should be assigned? What PartNumber should be used? All of this information must be placed in Materials Information Table records in order to report it.
This is the part no one likes particularly but it is a requirement for any reporting system in the world unless it is purchased as a "turnkey" system with all required records available the day the system is installed. However, a "turnkey" system has its limits too. What happens when the price of some components change, certain components are discontinued, or new components need to be added? Obviously, you will need some type of record editors to let you maintain the system with up-to-date information. This also includes maintaining the Materials Reference and Fabrication Labor Tables.
The extraction module contains "built-in" Materials Information Table Edit Windows for each material category supported by the system. These Editors allow you to Create, Edit, Save, Copy, Delete, List, and Find records in tables for each material category. The Editors are very easy to use. Even new users can create several hundred records in a single day.
And, once there is a record describing every component you will ever want to report, you are rewarded by tremendous time-savings for quick, easy, accurate Weight - Cost - Labor time estimates.
Q20: Can your product provide an estimate of the Total Weight, Total Materials Cost, Total Labor Time and Total Costs for Rented Components, Sold Components, and Component Assemblies for multiple exhibits (60 exhibits, for example, to be built for two different events) as a combined estimate?
Answer:
Yes. You can easily consolidate virtually any number of exhibits to get these reports for the whole group of exhibits. ...And, you can also have our product quickly check for and report any projected Materials Shortages it finds for Metal items, Accessories, and Other Item types based upon the Quantity of each Material required, Quantity of each item On-Hand, and the individual Minimum Stocking levels specified for each component.
Also, using the extraction module's ability to use alternate Materials Tables, if you have multiple Shops and Materials Depots in your company, you can also quickly find out where it will cost the least to build and ship the exhibits, or what Depots to use to eliminate Projected Shortages.
And, remember that all of this information is also automatically saved and maintained in an Excel� Pricing Spreadsheet so that your specific calculations can be quickly performed to find margins. We include a default Excel� Pricing Spreadsheet with formulas that can be modified as needed.
Q21: Where is information about an individual Exhibit / Stand stored so that I can quickly view it?
Answer:
All basic information about exhibits is stored in records in an Exhibit Information Table. This information includes [client] Company Name, Booth [or Stand] ID, Job Code [an accounting code], Event Name, Design Due Date, Project Status, Turnkey Budget Amount, Designer's Initials, and a Memo for comments about the design. Obviously, you cannot view a record until it has been created. An Edit Window is provided for creating and maintaining exhibit information records.
At this point, you are probably wondering where detailed information about the exhibit is stored: Things such as company colors, product literature, company logo, type of business, audio-visual aids, required furniture, storage spaces, counters, desks, rooms, carpeting and so on? Instead of providing an all-inclusive form with space for every conceivable detail that might be appropriate for a client exhibit, we decided to let designers/detailers set up their own spreadsheet templates that would hold all the information from which they could work. They could fill out a spreadsheet as needed and save it as a Design Survey using some meaningful name. All XZiBiTWare does then is save that name in the exhibit information record. Later, at the push of a button, that saved spreadsheet appears when needed for viewing/printing, etc. We include a default Excel� Design Survey Spreadsheet that is quite comprehensive but can be modified as needed.
Q22: Can we work on several drawings at once on our workstations while we are using your product?
Answer:
Yes. Our product supports the Multiple Document Interface (MDI) so that you can have several drawings open at the same time. The drawing data that is referenced when data is being extracted is the drawing that is currently active in the AutoCAD Drawing Editor.
Q23: Your product appears to be set up to help designers create exhibit drawings and then come back later to get data from those drawings for materials, labor, and weight estimates. Is that pretty much it?
Answer:
Yes, but that sounds very simplistic when you consider that we include features like:
a. "Block Builder" to help designers create, maintain, and structure their symbol libraries.
b. An extensive selection of reports any one of which can be routed to a PDF file distiller, previewed and sent to a system printer. We also included reports that consolidate all of the individual reports.
c. A drawing Symbol Audit feature to help record and quickly locate problematic symbols.
d. A symbol set window that, from inside the Drawing Editor, allows the user to capture and list information about exhibit symbols within an entire drawing or any user-selected portion - helps locate and erase unwanted duplicate symbols – locates any symbol within a drawing or user-specified area and then displays that symbol alone - hides all symbols except specific ones a user may want to see within a drawing. For example, you can command everything in the drawing to be hidden from view except Metal Parts (or your Panels or Accessories or combinations of any parts) and almost instantaneously, everything is hidden except the Metal Parts which you can query for details or quickly change properties as needed.
e. "Built-in" Information Table editors to allow new materials to be easily added to a system or old ones found, copied, removed, or modified as needed. Includes print/preview of any material category to help in maintaining / reviewing inventories.
f. The ability to define and capture special Fabrication Labor steps for better labor estimates.
g. Flexibility in allowing users to set up exhibit information spreadsheets to include data about exhibits that applies to their specific information needs.
h. The ability to attach accessories to metal items as subcomponents and then control where these accessories should be grouped in the Materials Reports with the Metal Items or kept with other Accessories.
i. Allow one or more BOM lists to be quickly created per user specifications and inserted into a drawing as groups of TEXT and LINE entities.
j. Permit reporting materials, labor, and weight for multiple exhibits as selected by the user.
k. Provide ability to choose from multiple locale-specific data sets of materials and labor values for use in cost/labor times/weight estimates.
l. Summarize data as 23 different line items of cost, labor times, and weight information and automatically transfers this information to a comprehensive, customizable spreadsheet.
m. Check for and report insufficient inventory levels to make an exhibit or group of exhibits.
n. Will automatically modify the properties of a multitude of symbols of a material category to match a user's selected "model" symbol. This is particularly helpful when changing the color of a large number of metal parts in a drawing from their current color to a new one.
Q24: Can one of your 'Smart' Panels be quickly changed to other sizes and the new size be automatically detected when you scan for design data in the drawing?
Answer:
Yes. Regardless of what size a 'Smart' Panel was when it was first put into a drawing, we record the current size of such a Panel at the moment the component is detected during a drawing scan process. We even automatically make adjustments to the panel size to compensate for any offset of the panel edges from the panel insertion point.