Free drainage software - Useful utilities...

[TheRobster]

Free Drainage Software

Well okay it’s actually a couple of spreadsheets, but there are some things here that people on this forum might find useful. I’ve been creating these spreadsheets over the last year or so, adding bits when I’ve needed them for my own work. Eventually I decided to tidy up the interface a little bit and release them publicly on the off-chance that someone else could also get some use out of them.

At the moment I’ve finished two – one is for determining storage volumes in drainage structures and the other is a linear interpolation calculator for spot heights.

http://www.sudsolutions.com/freeware/Linear_Interp.xls

http://www.sudsolutions.com/freeware/Drainage_Volumetrics.xls

Drainage Volumetrics
Includes a variety of common Sustainable Drainage (SUDS) structures, including storage basins, soakaways, filter drains, geo-cellular tanks and concrete tanks. Plus a whole load of regular 2D and 3D shapes.

Linear Interpolation
Useful for working out spot heights, if you ever need to do such a thing!

Some notes on their use:
1) They are freeware, so anyone can download them, host them, email etc. But please do not change the spreadsheets. Obviously they are also not for resale but, for example, if you want to host them on your own/another site then that would be fine.
2) These versions are the first time I’ve released them publicly so are essentially “beta� versions. I would appreciate any feedback on these version, especially if there seems to be any errors. I’ve checked everything as best I can and it all seems fine but if I have missed something then please let me know so I can correct it.
3) Also any ideas about improvements are welcome e.g. if anything is unclear or if there are any other structures you would like to see, let me know and I’ll see about adding them to a future version.
4) You will need Excel 2000 or above to run them. Also you need to have macros enabled, but don’t worry there is nothing here that will harm your computer.
5) Not of all the worksheets will run properly if you're using a Mac. Highly recommend that you use a PC running Excel 2000 or above.

Feel free to post comments/ideas in this thread. Alternatively you can email me directly at:

support@sudsolutions.com

Regards
Richard

[TheRobster]

Okay I notice quite a lot of people have downloaded at least one of these now. No-one got any feedback? Even if just to say it's good/bad or you would like to see some additions...I would like to improve on what's there but I can't do this unless I get some responses!

Cheers
-Richard

[jones2004]

Hi Richard, Downloaded software but cant seem to get it working. Somet to do with Macros and security level. What do i do?

[TheRobster]

The most likely explanation is that you've got your Macro Security level set too high. Start Excel (don't load the spreadsheet just yet) and go to:

Tools > Macro > Security

On the Security Level tab, select "Medium". This will allow you to choose whether or not to run spreadsheets with macros (VBA code) in them. Click Okay.

Then load the spreadsheet. A dialog box should appear asking you whether you want to enable macros or not. Select the "Enable Macros" button. Spreadsheet should work okay now. You can always set the security level back to High again afterwards....although I just leave mine on Medium and select the "Disable Macros" option when it appears if the spreadsheet isn't from a source I trust.

-Richard

[daysleeper]

I get a launch page but if i select any of the icons (ie storage tank or gravel soakaway) I get

"cannot exit design mode because control checkbox 1 canot be created"

on the 2d and 3d shapes it seems to be working though I'm not sure what I'm doing..... also you need a cylinder on its side as it is a pain to work out the volume of water contained by one at a certain depth. :p

[TheRobster]

Mmm, that's a weird one. Can't seem to replicate it either. Just wondering if your version of Excel is actually in design mode? If you go to the toolbars at the top, right-click anywhere on them to bring up the toolbar menu, select "Control Toolbox" to bring up the control box taskbar. Is the "Design Mode" icon selected? It should be the one in the top left-hand corner (looks like a right-angled triangle, a pencil and a ruler on mine). Try de-selecting this? Although it still works on mine even if it's selected.

As a work-around, you could re-activate the Sheet Tabs and select the required worksheet that way. Go to: Tools > Options, select the View tab. Select the "Sheet Tabs" tick box (should be in bottom right-hand corner). Click OK. You should be able to select whichever sheet you want now from the tabs at the bottom of the screen.

Let me know if you still can't get it to work and I'll have a better look at it.

Good point about the cylinder on its side...will have to look at adding one of those.

Regards
-Richard

[daysleeper]

Should have said, using exel for mac 2004 in OSx 10.4.6. Just trying your fix now.

Should have said the Basin bit works ok, looks good for ponds etc


Ok, soakaways (gravel) give us 'run time error 32809 application defined or object defined error "

And END or HELP buttons

[TheRobster]

Do any of the other sub-surface structure worksheets run okay? E.g. the filter drain, geo-cell storage, storage tank etc?

Do you have a PC that you can try it on? At the moment I'm hazarding a guess that it's a Mac compatability problem...don't think anyone who has tried it on a PC has had an error similar to the one you're currently having.

-Richard

[TheRobster]

Ah, I think I've found the cause of the problem.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/274222/

You cannot use ActiveX Controls in Microsoft Excel for Mac. If you open a workbook that contains any ActiveX Control, you may receive error messages when you perform certain actions, or the workbook may not function correctly. The following sections describe some of the problems that you may experience in Microsoft Excel for Mac when you use a workbook that contains an ActiveX Control.

Seems that the checkbox controls on the sub-surface structure worksheets don't work with Mac OS. Mmm, no way to fix that unfortunately - if you've also got a PC then it would be best to run the spreadsheet from that.

Thanks for pointing this out though - didn't realise there would be problems with the Mac version of Excel.

[daysleeper]

I do have a PC , but I don't think it has excel, I use it so infrequently , can't stand the things

I'll see if there is any suggested workaround on the mac specialist forums. Would it be ok if I copied the link onto mac formats forum. Someone may have a suggestion.

All the sub-surface structures, give object defined error.


The other seems to work quite well. As i said basins is good and basic shapes is nice to have.

[TheRobster]

Yeh sure, you can post the link.

The problem seems confined to worksheets that have ActiveX controls, of which the CheckBox is one. So it seems doubtful that any of the worksheets that contain sub-surface structures will work, since they all have several CheckBoxes in the design options section. Still, if you can find a workaround then that would be helpful.