To Rod Terry - SimpleSpan & BackSpan

[dwm]

Hi Rod;

Arez Anzel (Compuneering) emailed me copies of SimpleSpan & BackSpan to test drive. They work in OS9 and Classic in OSX.

I had to unpack them from the Font/DA suitcases in OS9. I would ask Arez to do that before shipping if you don't have the ability to run OS9 stand alone. I also changed the main dialog windows to floating with a close box using ResEdit. If it the only app you will be running in Classic this may not be necessary.

I passed this info to Arez. I'm paying $145 US. It's expensive but worth it to me. I've used SimpleSpan a lot in just 2 days.

SimpleSpan does point, uniform and variable load calculations. And multiple loads. It supports all standard beam types including dimensional lumber, rough sawn, steel and glue lam (veneer). You can also define or edit member attributes and stress factors. The resulting data can be exported as a text file to use in other apps.

If you get the software and need some help just ask.
(I'll be away for a week)

Good Luck,

D. Mousley

[Andy Caldwell]

Has Anzel updated SimpleSpan to reflect the latest lumber values?
That's one of the reasons we stopped using it several years ago.
It is useless without accurate data.

Andy

[Rod Terry]

Thanks for the tip. I also had Arez Anzel send me copies.

When I rebooted to open in OS9, my screen just blinked a disk with a question mare flashing. It took me about an hour and a half to figure out how to again boot into OSX. At that point, I gave up on Simple Span and Back Span.

How many years was it that Suitcase and Desk Accessory mover was a routine part of a Mac OS. And how soon I forgot what they were all about.

So, if I have Arez send me just the programs, unpacked, all I have to do is place them in my applications folder and they will work in Classic mode?

The $175.00 cost seems reasonable.

Thanks again, I'll give it a try.

Rod

[dwm]

Rod;
I turned Classic on first, and just double click to open. Either way it should work.


Andy;
I compared results with our local building code tables and so far have found them to be as good and better. Not being an engineer, I'm required to design to meet or exceed code, which makes the software useful for me. Mostly my needs are for spans that are not listed or not easily interpreted from the tables.

I have asked Arez about updating the data source.

D. Mousley

[Matt]

SimpleSpan and BackSpan (to the best of my knowledge) don't use the current strength values for lumber grading as required by the NDS. They tested a lot of lumber, and found, for example that strength values for, say, a 2x12 HemFir #2 are significantly different then those for a 2x8 HemFir #2. Consequently, you must use different strength values for each SIZE as well as SPECIES of lumber.

SimpleSpan is not set up to do this automatically. You can manually enter custom strength values, but it is tedious to compare the performance and capabilities of different sizes and species this way.

[lavardera]

I remember some architect somewhere working on a new beam calc program in real basic... now who was that? Matt, do you remember?

[Rob C]

[patrickm]

[quote="Rob C"]

[Matt]

Allowable strength values for a given species of lumber vary according to the size of the section, according to the NDS.

[Rob C]

[patrickm]

[dwm]

Just got back from vacation.

The following was sent to me by Arez Anzel of COMPUneering Inc. regarding SimpleSpan & BackSpan . . .

"We feel it only right to drop the price of the SimpleSpan/BackSpan
bundle. The new price will be US$95/CDN$125, effective immediately.
We'll also eat the cost of mailing the manual. (In Canada please add 7%
GST, and in Ontario we must collect 8% PST as well.)

If you are interested in trying the programs, please contact us. We can
email them to you using the honor system: no paperwork, no payment, no
obligation. If you like the bundle, buy it; if you don't, just delete
it.

The lumber values are outdated, but one user reported that the
difference was only a couple of percent and that "SimpleSpan appears to
do what I need." We don't have any plans presently for updating the
tables or the programs.

Erez Anzel
COMPUneering Inc., 113 McCabe Crescent, Thornhill ON L4J 2S6 CANADA
Tel.: 905-738-4601; fax: 905-738-5207; erez@compuneering.com;
www.compuneering.com"

. . . Please also note that they will be shipped as apps, not the desk accessory suitcases, as they were before, and with the main window in each app changed to a floating window.

SimpleSpan & BackSpan will run in OS9 and in Classic under OSX.

Regards,

D. Mousley

[Andy Caldwell]

D Mousley:

I can't help but reply.

Arez Anzel of COMPUneering Inc is doing no one a favor by droping the price on an outdated structural application used to size beams and joists.
Anyone who uses SimpleSpan is being foolish in thinking they are saving money just because "SimpleSpan appears to do what I need."

Andy

[/quote]

[fred johnson]

Basic structural design is built into vectorwork 11. Is this the sort of thing that would be useful..maybe ES would consider developing something similar:

The Simple Beam Calculator puts up a dialog with a picture of the beam condition on the left. 13 beam conditions are supported:
-Simple Supports, Concentrated Load
-Simple Supports, Two Concentrated Loads
-Simple Supports, Uniform Load
-Simple Supports, variable load (3 scenarios)
-One End Fixed, Concentrated Load
-One End Fixed, Uniform Load
-One End Fixed, Variable Load
-Both Ends Fixed, Concentrated Load
-Both Ends Fixed, Uniform Load
-One End Fixed, One simple, Concentrated Load
-One End Fixed, One simple, Uniform Load

So, you choose your condition, choose unit (Metric or Imperial), and enter the values corresponding with the variables labeled in the diagram, as well as span, E, I, and S values. The calculator solves for:
-Left and right reactions;
-Left and right end moments (if any);
-max Shear;
-max Moment;
-max Stress;
-max deflection;

[dwm]