ANDERSEN CATALOG

[BruceKC]

Hi everyone.  Question:  I downloaded the Andersen 100 series windows into Chief, but it only brought one window of each type?  That would mean I would have to insert their window, and then make all the changes to meet what I want.  Am I doing something wrong?  This doesn't make any sense to me.

 

[joey_martin]

In my opinion, and it's just mine....the Andersen window catalog is almost useless. You you can snap a window in, but as you have found it leave more work to be completed. When I am using Andersen I still need my product guide opened so that I can input the codes for the schedule, and confirm the sizes, as I have found multiple sizes are not correct per the Andersen product guide. 

 

In short...you are not missing anything.

[Chrisb222]

Andersen sizing is whack!

[GeneDavis]

Blame Andersen, sort of.  Chief gives them the platform, they provide the data.

 

But Chief's never gonna go like 2020 for products, like is done for manufacturers with cabinet lines.  If you even got the whole chart of standard sizes for, say, the 400 series windows, would you expect the labels to be Andersen codes?  What if you popped in a 34510 and then resized it?

[BruceKC]

Well, I guess I WAS expecting all of the windows from the 100 series, otherwise, what is it good for?  One casement window?  Makes no sense...it's not Chief's fault, but that is hardly a library from Andersen.

 

 

[Alaskan_Son]

1 hour ago, BruceKC said:

Well, I guess I WAS expecting all of the windows from the 100 series, otherwise, what is it good for?  One casement window?  Makes no sense...it's not Chief's fault, but that is hardly a library from Andersen.

 

 

 

I don't know.  I can definitely see why they handle it this way.  The thing is that any given window company can have literally hundreds or even thousands of "standard" sizes in any given line but they'll build to just about any size we want.  Add to that the possible component combinations (combined units, slider section widths, interior color, exterior color, etc.) and the possibilities are very seriously almost infinite and could easily result in a library with hundreds of thousands of options.

 

Anderson chose to do something pretty reasonable IMO by just giving us the basic building blocks so we could size to what we want and combine options as we see fit. 

 

A couple other window libraries were done differently and in a more robust way, but I would argue that they both have some notable problems:

• Pella did basically the same thing as Anderson but also chose to include some labels with custom macros so that labeling was automatic when sizing matched a "standard" size.  The problem is that the end user would need to know exactly what Pella's sizing rules are to get the benefits, and even then, it would be super easy to include some parameters in their design regarding sash, frame depth, color, muntins, etc. that would nullify everything.  Point is, at the end of the day, you could easily end up with a "standard size" window that is impossible to order, OR all your windows simply end up labeled "Custom".  The latter is always the case in my experience anyway as I believe the label code they included hasn't been written or maintained properly.
• Marvin decided to include all their "standard" sizes but the result is a library with nearly 14,000 items.  Compare that to the size of the entire Chief Architect Core Catalogs which contain less than 10,000 items. Even with those 14,000 items, you still have almost all the same problems.  You can still order almost any size you want, and it would be super easy to build a combination that can't actually be ordered.  The problems with the Marvin catalog are even worse though because they give each item a custom label meaning that if you later change the size of the window, the label will be wrong. 
   

At the end of the day, I think Anderson's approach is entirely reasonable and took the approach I would have likely taken as well. 

[MoeGia]

Set up a warehouse plan for the Andersen 100 Series.  Make the windows there and copy to you plan.  Before long you'll have all of your regularly used windows.  Without the bloat Michael mentioned.

 

You can add the windows to the user library if you prefer to keep them there.

[Chrisb222]

One example of each type of window only makes sense. We have the ability to specify all the same settings as a normal window, why bloat the library with a zillion sizes? 

 

I did look through my Andersen library though, and found it odd they didn't include the 100 Series single-hung. All I found were awning, casement, gliding, and picture.

 

I don't use mfgr window catalogs anyway. Can't specify them as Default.

[BruceKC]

thanks everyone, it didn't occur to me that the library would be vast until yesterday, so that wouldn't be a good idea.  I did open, modify and copy all the relevant casement sizes we use and labeled them for our use.  It really wasn't a big deal, I appreciate all of the help you all have given me, and want to thank all of you.  Stay warm, it's going to go to minus 12 degrees here tonight....yuck!