Expenses

EXPENSES V. 1.0 By Julius K. Bjornsson 72500,456 julkb@rhi.hi.is Introduction: -------------- Here is my first OPL application for the S3, called EXPENSES. This is a simple application which keeps track of some types of expenses, i.e. money, distances (milage) and hours. I wrote it to keep track of these things for myself, in such a way that I could keep all related records together in one file. I therefore keep one file for each activity, or each job, and can then print out a summary for each type of activity for certain periods of time. Installation: ------------- The archive contains three files: EXPE.OPA Program SAMPLE.EXP Sample datafile READ.ME (this file) In order to install the program, you must create a \exp directory on any drive, and copy the EXPE.OPA file to any \APP directory. Thereafter you can install the program onto the system screen in the usual way, with APPS-> INSTALL APPLICATION. Use: ---- All data files should appear under the program icon, and can be started in the usual PSION manner, by simply choosing the file to use. Only one datafile can be open at a time, as the application is a TYPE 2 OPA. The program starts with an intro (about) screen, which is removed by pressing ENTER, and then the main menu appears. This menu has the following structure: FILE NEW FILE Create new datafile OPEN FILE Open an existing file. A status line shows which file is currently open. SAVE AS Save a datafile under a new name, or copy it from e.g. a flash card to RAM. (this is really a compress). DELETE FILE Delete a datafile. (only closed files). EDIT NEW RECORD Enter a new record. This opens a dialog where you can enter some explanatory text, date and choose the type of data you want to register. This is done by using the arrows or by using TAB to open a small menu. Ths choices are money, distances and hours. Finally the amount can be entered, as a floating point number, and here it is possible to enter negative as well as positive numbers. UPDATE With this option you can choose a record to edit. When this option is chosen, a browse window opens, where you can browse through all the records in the file. The browse window opens with the first record current, but you can move in the window with the up and down arrows, PgUp and PgDn, in addition to being able to jump to the beginning and the end of the file, with HOME and END. It is also possible to jump about in the file pro- portionally, by using the 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9 keys, where e.g. the 1 key positions you below approximately 10% of all records in the file, the 9 key positions you approximately below 90% of all records and the 5 key positions you in the middle of the file. It is thus possible to quickly jump all over the file, even if if has become big. When you have found the record you want to edit, simply highlight it, and press enter, and the editing dialog will open. The status line shows the current record number. REMOVE This option removes the chosen record, via the browser. BROWSE This option in the top menu does not do anything than let you browse the file. REPORTS SUMMARY This is the main report of the system, allowing you to generate a simple list of records for a certain period of time and of a certain type. In addition you can choose whether the reports goes to the screen or directly to a printer, which must then of course be connected and ready. Otherwise you will get an error message. If you choose to view the report on-screen then the text fields will be trimmed to 15 characters, but generating the report directly to the printer, will show all 30 characters of text allowed in the input. The report additionally generates a summary of the type of data chosen. SPECIAL ABOUT This option show some info about the program/author. SETTINGS Here you can choose which units of distance and currency you want to use. This will be saved in a small file on your \EXP directory, called exp.cnf, which the program checks for each time it starts. EXIT Finally, this is where you go, when you have had enough of the program. Finally. All shortcut keys on the menus should work directly, and I hope that the program is reasonably well-behaved, as I have tried to follow the rules for a type 2 OPA. Any suggestions for improvements, and better ways of doing things,would be appreciated, along with any bug reports. Planned enhancements. 1. Speed up the browse window. 2. An export module, in order to export files or parts of them to e.g. the spreadsheet or the database. (work in progress) Written in ICELAND, in the middle of a winter storm Julius K. Bjornsson Nordurtun 9 225 Bessastadahreppur ICELAND CIS:72500,456