🧾 What is a GRIM File?
A GRIM (Generic Roof Interface Method) file facilitates the transfer of roof geometry and roof material costing data between Roof Wizard and other computer systems such as accounting, business management, or ERP systems.
The process minimises data entry and enables data reuse across your enterprise. Job management systems can create GRIM-In files for Roof Wizard to import, while Roof Wizard can export GRIM-Out files for external systems to process.
🔧 How GRIM Integration Works
The process marries advanced job management and accounting with advanced roof modelling and take-off, closing the job management loop:
GRIM-In: Business management system creates data and saves as .GRI file
Roof Wizard: Imports GRIM file, models roof geometry, extracts details
GRIM-Out: Exports results as .GRO file for business management system pickup
Typical users are medium to large roofing contractors and material suppliers offering job lots to clients.
🛠 GRIM File Structure
A GRIM file is an ASCII file with:
Header line
Key text strings (maximum 20 characters, starting in column 1)
Values (starting in column 21)
Final line marked with 'END'
Example format: ###PITCH 26.6 where ###PITCH is the key text string and 26.6 is the pitch value.
Sample GRIM File Structure
GRIM file header ###TODAY 16 July 1999 ###JOBDELAREA Area 1 ###JOBINSTALDATE 16 July 1999 ###COMPNAME AppliCad ###COMPADD1 70 Railway Road ###PITCH 26.6 ###EAVEOFFSET 610 ###ROOFAREA 314.48 ###RIDGELEN 15.50 END
🔧 GRIM-In Process Setup
Menu path
Set-Up > Preference Settings > System Preferences
Select Import GRIM File on Start-Up button to toggle to Yes
At start-up, Roof Wizard will look for *.GRI files
Select required GRIM file to automatically populate fields
🔧 GRIM-Out Process
Menu path
Reporting > Supply Only or Reporting > Supply and Install
Click Export GRIM button
Select required path for output files
Choose quotes to output and options
Click OK to generate files
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 following 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.
Generated Files
File Type | Filename Format | Description |
Main GRIM file | <Quote Number>.GRO or GrimFileOut.GRO | Complete job data |
Supplier files | Order-<Job Number>-<Index>.GRO | Materials per supplier |
Plot file | GrimOutFile.plt | HPGL2 format roof plan |
Image file | Job#.TIF or GRIMOUTFILE.TIF | TIFF bitmap image |
🧾 Repeated Structures in GRIM Files
Material Line Items
For each material line item:
Key String | Description |
###LINEITEM | Name of line item |
###LINEITEM_SUP | Supplier of item |
###LINEITEM_MAN | Manufacturer of item |
###LINEITEM_CODE | Product code |
###LINEITEM_PRO | Profile (user defined) |
###LINEITEM_FIN | Finish (user defined) |
###LINEITEM_QTY | Quantity |
###LINEITEM_RATE | Cost per unit |
Cutting List Structure
For straight metal roofing or flashings:
Key String | Description |
###CUTLIST_SIZES | Number of cutting list sizes |
###CUTLIST_QTY | Number off of following length |
###CUTLIST_LENGTH | Required length |
Cutting lists are generated for: Straight roofing, Ridge, Valley, Fascia, Gutter, Barge, Apron, and Batten.
Labour Items
Key String | Description |
###LABOUR_ITEM | Name of labour item |
###LABOUR_QTY | Labour quantity |
###LABOUR_RATE | Labour rate |
🛠 GRIM Template Files
Template files act as GRIM file filters, allowing you to generate user-defined data files with specific data included in the output. This is useful for transferring exactly the required data to other systems.
Template File Format
ASCII file with .grt extension
Contains GRIM text strings replaced with current values during export
Up to 5 template files in user directory
Up to 10 lines per .grt file
Example Template
My header line ###JOBNUMBER , ###JOBQUOTE ,###TAX, ###TOTALINCTAX This is some sample text
Results in MyGrim-data.csv:
My header line jn-8888 , qn-9999 ,224.36, 2467.95 This is some sample text
🛠 Using GRIM with Pitch Intervals
Roof Wizard provides the ability to assign labels (A, B, C) to pitch intervals instead of using specific degree values. This reduces the number of mappings required in downstream systems.
Output changes from Ridge (1, 22.5) to Ridge (1,A), greatly reducing mapping workload and speeding up system interfaces.
🔧 Multi-GRIM Output
Multi-GRIM for Stages
Generate a single GRIM file with breakdown by each stage in your job. Requires stages defined using Stage Manager.
Output format includes STARTSTAGE-ENDSTAGE pairs with stage-specific data and individual plot files named: Order-<job number>-<supplier index>-<stage name>.PLT
Multi-GRIM for Quote Groups
Similar to stages but breaks down details by each Quote Group defined.
🛠 Custom Profile Product Codes
For Custom Profile Flashings, GRIM can automatically create product codes using girth and bends information.
Requirements for Product Code Generation
Flat Sheet definition: Alternate Category must be blank or set to "Fabrication"
Create MultiGrimQuotePCF.dat file in User folder defining product code format
Create MultiGRIMQuote.dat settings file in User folder
Ensure supplier names match between definition file and Flat-Stock setup
Format Definition File Example
Supplier1 ###CODE-###BENDSx###GIRTH Supplier2 ###GIRTH x ###BENDS, ###CODE
Results in output like:
Supplier1, CUSTOMType#1-5×300 Supplier2, 300 x 5, CustomType#1
💡 GRIM Plot and Image Files
When exporting GRIM files, additional visual files are created:
HPGL2 Plot File: ASCII vector format conforming to HP Graphics Language 2
TIFF Image: Bitmap image controlled by TIFFOPT.DAT settings file
TIFFOPT.DAT Example
;xSize ySize xDPI yDPI 1200 700 150 150 ;Coursed (1=Yes, 0 = No) 0 ;Planes (1=Yes, 0 = No) 1 ;Black and White (1=Yes, 0 = No) 0
Both formats support import into word processors and graphics programs for documentation and reporting purposes.