Frequently Asked Questions for the
WWPA Lumber DesignEasy programs

Versions

What are the changes in version 1.0?
The Lumber DesignEasy - Joists program was released in July 2005. The Lumber DesignEasy - Beams program was released in May 2008. Version 1.0 is the original program for both.

Installation

Will Lumber DesignEasy automatically be loaded on my Palm or Pocket PC PDA?
No. You must use the synchronization process in Documents To Go® and Pocket PC/Pocket Excel® to transfer Lumber DesignEasy to your PDA. Refer to the documentation for Documents To Go or Pocket PC/Pocket Excel for instructions on transferring Excel documents to your PDA.

Does Lumber DesignEasy work with other PDA programs that read Excel files?
The program only has been tested on PDAs using Documents To Go® and Pocket Excel®. It is possible Lumber DesignEasy may work on other PDA programs that are compatible with Excel, but we cannot guarantee the program will operate correctly within such applications.

Do I need to change macro security settings to run Lumber DesignEasy?
Yes. If the macro security setting is set to High, Lumber DesignEasy may not operate properly. To resolve this problem, in Excel 2000 and XP, select Tools, Macro, Security. Select Medium or Low for the security setting. For other versions, consult Excel Help.

After changing the macro security settings, go back to your computer desktop or taskbar and execute the WWPA Lumber DesignEasy shortcut (link). If an Excel dialogue window appears, press the "Enable Macros" button. Disabling the macros will cause Lumber DesignEasy to malfunction.

Please note that changing the macro security settings for macros may affect your security protection against some viruses. It is recommended you have an up-to-date virus utility operating on your system before changing the macro security settings.

Can I rename the folder created during installation?
No. Lumber DesignEasy must be operated from the original WWPA directory, C:\WWPAEZJoist or C:\WWPAEZBeam.

How do I install an updated version of the Lumber DesignEasy?
Lumber DesignEasy installs automatically onto your hard drive and place icons in your Start Programs list and, if you choose, on your desktop. If you download an updated version, the new installation process will automatically overwrite the old files in the C:\WWPAEZJoist or C:\WWPAEZBeam directory. Check the Begin Here worksheet for the version number.

Basic operation

Can Lumber DesignEasy be used to design with Canadian species such as S-P-F?
No. Only species produced by WWPA mills in the Western U.S. are included in the WWPA Lumber DesignEasy programs. The Spruce-Pine-Fir (South) species group listed applies to the U.S. S-P-F (South) products.

How can I reset the Lumber DesignEasy program back to the default settings?
To enable Lumber DesignEasy to work on a PDA, cells that contain the formulas for calculating spans have not been protected. As such, it may be possible to inadvertently change or overwrite a cell that may impact the calculations. Should that happen, go to C:\WWPAEZJoist or C:\WWPAEZBeam and run the file DESIGNEZJoist.EXE or DESIGNEZBeam.EXE. This will reinstall the program, overwriting the program files and resetting it to the default values.

If you change only those values shown in blue, Lumber DesignEasy will operate properly.

Got a question on the WWPA Lumber DesignEasy program? Send us an e-mail at info @ wwpa.org.