Sound off for Irrigation

[Thom]

Ever since I began using VW's, I have lobbied for an irrigation design module. Unfortunately, it has fell on deaf ears. My reason for this post --- I an merging my firm with a 20 person firm who use autocad, but would consider changing based on my demo's of VWL to them.

Unfortunately, because the lack of irrigation design tools - Do not tell me the existing stuff can be considered tools - this probably will not happen. They are looking at another AC compatible program for irrigation design.

If irrigation is important to you chime in here. I know this will only catch a minor amount of VWL users, but it is worth the effort.

thks - my morning rant after way to many hours.

[islandmon]

Irrigation is a very complex & dedicated subassembly requiring considerable sophistication and expertise.

As you note the existing packages are usually ACAD centric. It's doubtful that NNA will produce an industry standard Irrigation Module any time soon.

However, VW offers numerous tools & scripts ( and a knowledgible User Support Group ) which ...with a little creative effort can be combined into a viable Irrigation Workspace targeted at your specific needs.

And, within a matter of weeks your efforts could then be re-packaged and sold to other VW Users as the only option for a proven Irrigation Module.

Put all your knowledge to use for the VW community. Sign me up as your first customer ; )

[Charles Chandler]

I'm considering taking this on as a third-party development project. Roughly the scope of the project would be:

* given the PSI and GPM on the mainline,

* given the user-drawn pipe circuit in plan view,

* given the user-specified pipe size(s),

* given the user-specified pipe elevation changes,

* given the user-placed sprinkler heads,

* calculate the PSI and GPM at the sprinkler heads

Compared to existing irrigation design software, this isn't much functionality. Other systems include complete libraries of sprinkler heads, automatic placement of sprinklers to achieve the desired coverage, etc., etc., etc.

Nevertheless, would there be any interest in a "primitive" irrigation design tool, that would at least do the fundamental number-crunching? Or would nobody even consider using a system that didn't have a feature set that could compete with existing software?

[islandmon]

Charles, based on your past exemplary performance, anything you produce will be more than adequate to serve the immediate needs of the VW community.

[Thom]

Charlie

I am more than happy to supply design expertise and needs. No good at programing.

[Charles Chandler]

Send me an email. My address is on the "Contact" tab on my website. I might begin this in a week or two. I'm still trying to figure out whether to use one of the quick-n-easy calculation methods that I've found on the web, or to actually do it right (taking all of the pipe friction factors into account, for example). I think that it would actually be easier to do it right, than to do it the way it is typically approximated. Anyway, probably if I could chat with you for an hour I'd have everything that I needed.

Edited July 12, 2007 by Charles Chandler