🧾 Where GRIM-Out starts
The GRIM out process is initiated from the Reporting > Supply Only or Reporting > Supply and Install dialog box.
📤 ExportGRIM
ExportGRIM allows you to write the current job as a GRIM file.
If you have given this job a quote number, the GRIM file name is:
<Quote Number>.GRO
If you have not, the file name is:
GrimFileOut.GRO
You also get separate GRIM files defining the materials required from each supplier. These are named:
Order-<Job Number>-<Index>.GRO
🗺️ Additional files created on export
When you export a GRIM file, additional files are created:
HPGL plot file (roof plan picture)
A plot file of the roof plan is exported in HPGL format and may be used to illustrate reports in other systems. It is saved as:
GrimOutFile.plt into the …\User folder.
TIFF image file
A TIFF bitmap image file is also created:
If a job number exists:
Job#.TIF
If no job number is defined:
GRIMOUTFILE.TIF
⚙️ GRIM File Options (Export GRIM)
Selecting Export GRIM brings up the GRIM File Options.
Select the required path for the file.
This may be a dedicated path where you have set up a utility program to look for newly created files for processing, thus automatically taking the GRIM data and processing it for use in an external program such as business management or inventory management software.
The *.GRO file is written to the specified folder as described above.
Select [OK] and the next dialog is displayed. You may also set which quotes to output (if multiple have been created) and exclude zero quantity items if there are any.
Select the options you require and select [OK] to write the GRO file to the specified folder.
🖼️ GRIM Roof Plan Picture (Plot File)
When you export a grim file, a plot file is created of the roof plan.
The plot file is an ASCII vector format that conforms with Hewlett Packard Graphics Language 2 (HP-GL2) — a generic format used to drive Hewlett Packard plotters.
Lines and line properties are plotted as defined using Tools > Change Entity > Lines Styles.
Essentially what you see on screen is what will be plotted to the HPGL2 file.
Sarking or Underlay planes (where there is partial Underlay) appear as filled planes.
The HPGL2 file format is an ASCII text file, which means the instructions may be viewed in a text editor and an importation routine may be easily written for custom applications where the roof plan needs to be displayed.
Many word processors and graphics programs will import HPGL2 files directly.
You may need to install specific functions to enable this feature.
🧾 TIFF output and TIFFOPT.DAT
A TIFF bitmap image file is also created:
If a job number exists:
Job#.TIF
If no job number is defined:
GRIMOUTFILE.TIF
The TIF file output can be controlled using various options in the text file TIFFOPT.DAT so that the TIF images meets your subsequent use of the file — to illustrate the job in a database, for example.
An example is shown here:
;xSize ySize xDPI yDPI
1200 700 150 150
;Coursed (1=Yes, 0 = No)
0
;Planes (1=Yes, 0 = No)
1
;Black & White (1=Yes, 0 = No)
0