Fixtures are our way of dropping hardware onto your roof, and including them in your client's proposal or estimate. They can include such things as solar panels, penetrations, vents, AC units etc.
🧱 1) Draw the fixture shape (the graphic)
First draw the shape you wish to use to graphically describe your fixture.
You can do this using the CAD drawing tools or using Smartlines — in this example something like this to represent a chimney.
Draw it at full size using actual dimensions.
You can draw it in 2D as representation of the fixture, or in full 3D.
Pay attention to the prompts, especially where you place the origin of the fixture model as the origin is the 'handle' that is used to place on your roof plane later.
💾 2) Save it as a Sub Figure
Go to:
File > Sub Fig > Save As
Save it to Fixtures.dab under any name as long as you remember what you want to call it, example Chimney1.
🧾 3) Define the Fixture in the Fixtures database
Now that the sub-figure has been created and saved away you can go to:
Set Up > More > Fixtures
Fill out the appropriate fields and select the correct sub-figure drawing by selecting it in the box of 'Figure Name of Fixture'.
🧰 Details to fill out
🔤 Core identification
Name of fixture: This is the name you define for this fixture. You will use this name later when selecting fixtures.
Supplier: The name of the fixture supplier
Product code: The code of this fixture - it must be unique and not contain any special characters (!@#$%^&*).
🧾 Costing / grouping
Alternate Category: Used by the software to place the item into another category other than fixture at costing stage to allow different fixtures to be used in different quote groups.
Example a chimney flashing needs to go to the Roof quote group but a Rainwater head or Overflow Outlet would need to go with the Gutter.
🧱 Flashings for the fixture
Flashing: The code of the first flashing associated with this fixture.
Length: The length of this flashing required for this fixture.
Flashing and length fields are created as each flashing is selected.
You might have three flashing types to finish off and make water proof a skylight.
The costing for the flashing is set when the flashing that you select, is defined.
📐 Figure behaviour / scaling
Figure Type:
Fixed Size e.g. is the figure always going to be the same size.
Scalable e.g. does the size of the fixture change job to job.
🗂 Link to the Sub Figure you created
Database name of fixture: This is the name of the database (*.dab file) containing the subfigure of the graphic detail (the next field).
When you click this field, you can select the database you want.
The default database name is Fixtures.dab
Figure name of fixture: This is the name of the subfigure to be inserted when you select this fixture.
When you click this field, the list of subfigures in the given database name are displayed. From this list, you select the one you want.
The subfigure is drawn using the CAD functions with as much or as little detail as you need, similar to the one we drew above.
💰 Costs
Cost: The supply cost of this fixture.
Cost to install: The cost to install this fixture. Will be included in labour costing.
📍 How the fixture gets placed
Insertion method: This is will be set to either
Get a location and orientation point so you would select a point where you want the fixture to be and then which way around the fixture is orientated (vertical or horizontal etc)
Get a location point only, where you only need one point to place it and is always orientated the same.
Insert along a line entity where the fixture is inserted along a particular line.
🕳 Roof cut-out and orientation
Create Hole for Fixture: Do you need to create a hole in the roof where the fixture is to be placed.
Fixture Orientation: If pitched is selected then the fixture will slope with the pitch of the roof.
➕ Fixture flashing list controls
Add-Flashing: This allows you to add a flashing to the list of flashings which you want associated with this fixture
Delete-Flashing: This allows you to remove a flashing form the flashing list.
🗃 Fixture record controls
Select: This allows you to select an existing fixture.
Add: This allows you to add a new fixture.
Delete: This allows you to delete an existing fixture.
Update: This allows you to update an existing fixture.
✅ Save your changes
To save your definitions you must click [OK].