In need of some direction for a cabinet pricing program

[Toolin Around]

I have been given a task at work that I don't have any experience with and don't know really where to start. I know absolutely nothing about databases and programing... But since I'm the only one in the outfit that knows anything about computers it fell to me... I work for a cabinet shop that wants to set up a computer that will allow a customer sit at a computer and build their own cabinet list from a database we have. The idea is that it will give the customer an ability to pick from a list of different bases and overheads and when they satisfied give them a price - possibly as they build their cabinet list. Does anyone have any ideas as to what I should be looking for.

[journeyman Mick]

Matthew,
I've got E Cabinet (freebie from Thermwood, USA) which from memory will do most of this. But you'd need to spend a bit of time teaching it how you build your boxes and you'd need to find a way to lock customers out of some areas. Also I doubt that it would be easy enough for most customers to drive and I've a feeling that the same would be true for most programs.

Mick

[q9]

I wrote a program to draw sheds using a point and click interface. At the end, it spit out the drawing in CAD. So I probably have the capability to do what you want.

Unfortunately, programming like this is pretty complicated, and will be fairly expensive (I don't work for free!), unless you can find some out of the box software that can be modified to suit your purpose.

[Toolin Around]

Matthew,
I've got E Cabinet (freebie from Thermwood, USA) which from memory will do most of this. But you'd need to spend a bit of time teaching it how you build your boxes and you'd need to find a way to lock customers out of some areas. Also I doubt that it would be easy enough for most customers to drive and I've a feeling that the same would be true for most programs.

Mick

We've come to the conclusion there isn't a ready made package out there that will do what we need so we'll have to employ someone to build a system. We had a company that promised all sorts of things but we haven't heard anything back from them in a few months. So the first thing I need to do is gather some ideas as to which way to go with it.

I'm not doing a good job at being very speicific but at this stage we don't really know what we want. What we have is a database of prices already done that we use right now to price jobs with. We now need a way of allowing the public access to some sort of front end that will allow them to build a cabinet list with some limited custom features and then give them a price utilising the database we have already built. The only example that I can think of is the Trading Post Website. When you search for vehicles you pick a select a make of vehicle in one drop down box. That selection then produces another drop down box of models... You pick from that one and that one gives you other options until you arrive at a final product, in our case a cabinet and price for it. The cabinet and price is saved to a file and you then go looking for what else you need. In the end you have a list of cabinets and their prices with a total price...

[bitingmidge]

You could do worse than looking at an Ikea catalogue I reckon.

They separate the carcasses, doors, tops and hardware into tick boxes.

I reckon that'd be the go. (It must be about time we caught up in person BTW!):D

Cheers,

P
:D :D :D

[Rocker]

Toolin,

It might be worth your while to post this query on Sawmill Creek; I have a feeling that such cabinet software is widely used in the US by cabinet-making professionals.

Rocker

[Toolin Around]

Toolin,

It might be worth your while to post this query on Sawmill Creek; I have a feeling that such cabinet software is widely used in the US by cabinet-making professionals.

Rocker


Hi Rocker


Who are sawmill creek - got a link?

[Guy]

here you will find (http://www.sawmillcreek.org) saw mill creek , you could also give Sonny a cal (TKF is his id) he produces kitchens and has been trying to do something similar with a cad program from Turkey. Not sur is he has it working yet