200 lines in a sale.

[daleadmin]

Well I just can't leave well enough alone. I had to fix a problem with the note feature where if you added a long note to the end of a long receipt it could exceed the maximum number of lines in a sale, so now it just cuts the note off at the last possible sale line. Another problem was if a note printed on the last line of a page it would then display the next empty page, no fun.

While I was testing this I got real tired of typing long notes. Then I realized that if I used this feature I would probably be typing the same notes over and over again for years on end. It sure would be nice if the program saved a bunch of notes that I could just load. So I did it. If you type a note and press [ALT] + [F?] it will save the current note. But if you press [CTRL] + [F?] it will load a saved note. ( [F?] is a function key [F1] to [F10].) Obviously if you saved a note using [ALT] + [F4] then to get back the same note you would have to press [CTRL] + [F4]. if you are on a network the notes are saved to the server so you do not have to type in the notes on each register, they are shared.

If you cannot remember which [F?] key goes with which note just hold down the [CTRL] key and press each [F?] key until you get the one you want. Conversly if you hold down the [ALT] key and run through the [F?] keys you will save the current text to each of the [F?] keys erasing the saved notes. This will make you unpopular with your fellow associates who will have to type the notes back in. Try to avoid this.

The new upload is (New file, see below) Only the POS.EXE program file is 7.05H200 the rest are still F

Dale

[brucef2112]

Dale, I broke it...
I think you missed a piece of logic in your code for the table conversion that there may not be a table to convert OR assumes that an existing table must be ol' school OR during user configuration it doesn't revert the table settings in the Stock Table Setup if the user says 'leave it alone' when warned the table is about to be 'Biggie Sized'. mmm... or both?? All? XOR???

I started with a fresh install of 200g.
Did 2. Run this register in minimal mode. with 6% tax.
Rang up a cash sale.
Temp Closed Register with 3. Exit program. No print. No erase..

Started posconfg.
Go to Stock Table. Set for 26K items.
Hit [Esc] to exit Stock Table setup.

[Here's where I think the 'bomb' is placed.]
The program offers the following prompt:

Code: Select all

 ╔════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗ ▄
 ║ You have set the stock table to hold 26000 different items.║ █
 ║ It currently holds-10000 different items.                  ║ █
 ║                                                            ║ █
 ║ Do you wish to...                                          ║ █
 ║         1. Make no changes, use the lower amount.          ║ █
 ║         2. Change settings on stock table.                 ║ █
 ║         3. Add the extra lines to the stock table.         ║ █
 ╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ █
 ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀

I choose 1. Make no changes, use the lower amount. [This is where I think the 'pin' is pulled.] (**See 'Pin Pulled' comment at end.)
After a short delay, we are returned to the main Posconfg screen.
I exit the posconfg with [F1], 4. End program.

Now I start POS again.
I get the splash screen and hit the Any key.
I am now prompted with the POS File Covert splash screen. [why I ask??? I told it to 'make no changes'.]
[Here is where i taunt the bomb]
Being dim witted I hit the Any Key, then [Enter] key, then choose 1. Continue with file conversion..
It begins the converstion and the bomb goes off!!

Code: Select all

   ╔════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗ ▄
   ║           Converting register files 200G in folder C:\200G             ║ █
   ╟────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╢ █
   ║ Looking for file 200G.IDX                                              ║ █
   ║ Looking for file 200G.TBL                                              ║ █
   ║ Backing up 200G.TBL to folder BACKUP2.                                 ║ █
   ║ 1 File copied.                                                         ║ █
     Converting 200G.TBL to version 6.0 format.                             ║ █
   ║ Looking for file 200G.REC                                              ║ █
   ║ Cannot find file 200G.REC, cancel sales record file conversion.        ║ █
   ║ Looking for file 200G.HST                                              ║ █
   ║ Cannot find file 200G.HST, cancel history file conversion.             ║ █
   ║ Looking for file 200G.CST                                              ║ █
   ║ Cannot find file 200G.CST, cancel customer info conversion.            ║ █
   ║ Cannot find file 200G.REC, cancel sales record conversion.             ║ █
   ║ Cannot find file 200G.REC, cancel sales record conversion.             ║ █
   ║ Erasing parked sales                                                   ║ █
   ║                                                                        ║ █
   ║                                                                        ║ █
   ║                                                                        ║ █
   ║                                                                        ║ █
   ║                                                                        ║ █
   ╚═ Press [1] to convert more,  [2] to run the POS program,  [3] to quit.═╝ █
   ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀

I quit the program.
Restart the POS, splash screen comesup, I hit the Any Key and then get this.

Code: Select all

                 ╔═══════════════════════════════════════════╗ ▄
                 ║ Please wait while I read some file names. ║ █
                 ╚═══════════════════════════════════════════╝ █
Bad file name or number in line 12 of module POS6     at address 523B:8B09

Hit any key to return to system

Of course we all know it trashed and must start over with a new install. (del all MyRegister files)


'Pin Pulled'
After I choose 1. Make no changes, use the lower amount., we are returned to the main Posconfg screen.
However if I go BACK INTO THE STOCK TABLE configuration the value that I set of 26,000 is still there. It should have been returned to Zero ( or whatever the previous value was) once I selected 'Make no changes'. However it doesn't and the user (and program???) is not aware that the 26K is still set.
Also of interest is the prompt screen warns that the previous number of records being 10K even though it was really ZERO.
This prompt is the same even if I enter in 1,000 as a new table value. Warning/Offering to add 1,000 lines to the non existent 10,000 line table. So it seems the Posconfig always sees 10,000 records even if it is zero.

I see that the pos creates a tbl file even on a minimum configuration for its own use. However I also notice after exiting the posconfg as outlined above that it created an IDX file for the zero byte TBL file. Seems it is assuming there is a real table saved so it indexes it.

And I'll guess that when I restart POS and it sees the TBL and IDX, it kicks the convert because zero byte TBL doesn't 'look' like a 26k. And the convert chokes cause it ain't an 'any K' format.

[brucef2112]

Dale says:

...But if you press [CTRL] + [F?] it will load a saved note. ....

Dale, the 'add' note thing was bad a$$! This 'save and recall' note thing gives this a coolness factor of 110!! LOVE IT!!

[Exusse me,... I have to go get a napkin]

[small]

Dale


if you run posconfg.exe and highlight stocktable, it needs to be changed where it says in the description at the bottom of the screen where it says 13000 items to upto 26000 items.

[brucef2112]

Dale,
Alt+F11 and the Alt+F12 do not save notes.

Alt+F11 just makes the pop-up for the comment go away.
Alt+F12 seems to do nothing. which may be because Ctl+F12 is the comment pop-up so maybe it shouldn't be assigned?

Is this a feature? If you leave the comment pop-up blank and hit [Enter] it places a empty comment on line with *******.
I think it is intuitive to expect an empty comment followed by [Enter] would be the same as [Esc].If I wanted stars comment, I'd save "******************" to an Alt+F? key.

Here's a suggestion to make comments easy for power users and dangerous for others.
As it is now, Once Alt+F? keys are assigned the user needs to;
a. Hit Ctl+F12
b. Then another Ctl+F? to recall comment
c. Followed by [Enter].

1. It would be nice if power user could just;
a.Hit the assigned Ctl+F? key and have the stored comment added immediatly to the transaction.
Or
2. For a measure of safety;
a. A Ctl+F? key press has the comment pop-up window open with the assigned comment filled in
b. And then the user just hit [Enter] to confirm. Or can modify/append comment and then hit [Enter].

Although number 1 is a single operation, I like number 2 myself. Good for power users with a margin of safety for all others and the ability to have a generic comment stored ('blah blah blah') yet editable ( add ' in RED') before hitting [Enter].
If this were implimented then assignable keys would be Alt+F1 through Alt+F11.
Of course leaving the normal Ctl+F12 functioning as it does now; pop-up window, user adds comment, and hits enter.

[cpb14]

Dale with the pos Notes it says


Get F? save F? isnt it supposed to have a number there?

CB

[cwathen]

Loving the 'saved notes' feature. Just one thing though, atm it's too easy to overwrite notes accidentally/maliciously. Any chance of a password option so that you can require a password to save a note?

[daleadmin]

Bruce,

Well this is getting to be almost fun.

I read your post and I thought that there would be problems with just pressing the [CRTL] + [F?] keys from the sale screen to load a note. The main one being that if you pressed the wrong [F?] key, or if someone changed the note assigned to that [F?] key, you could end up with the wrong 7 line note in your sale. You would then either have to delete the entire sale or delete the note one line at a time, a pain. And truly wonderful for those folks that decided to require a password to delete a sale or a line in a sale, I would pay real money to see that. But then I remembered that it is no longer my job to save users from themselves, so I stuck it in.

However it still uses only the [F1] through [F10] keys, no [F11] and obviously no [F12]. To explain why we have to go back to the early history of the PC. The original PC keyboard did not have the [F11] and [F12] keys. So when ASCII codes were assigned to the keys the [F1] to [F10] keys were assigned sequential ASCII codes 0+59 to 0+68, with [CTRL] they are 0+94 to 0+103, and with [ALT] they are 0+104 to 0+113. When they later stuck the [F11] and [F12] keys on the board they could not use the next sequential ASCII codes for them because they we being used for something else so they use the codes 0+133 and 0+134, with [CTRL] 0+137 and 0+138, and with [ALT] 0+139 and 0+140.

So what does that have to do with saving notes? DHPOS uses the ASCII code of the key combo you press to determine the record number used to save the note. The program uses the ASCII code - 103 to save records 1 to 10. To load, the program uses the ASCII code - 93. Using [F11] or [F12] would require a little additional math (and scarce code) and muck up an elegant solution. Art is where you find it.

Also while I was in the general area I changed the program to more clearly print the notes on the receipt. Lines with notes will not have anything else printed on the line and the lines will be sequential. However this only applies if you are using a stock table. DHPOS determines that a line is a note because the stock number for that line is zero. However if you are not using a stock table then all lines have a stock number of zero. On the other hand it you are using DHPOS without using a stock table your application is so simple that you probably will not be sticking notes in your receipts.

Another use for notes is that you can stick one on a return explaining why the stuff is being returned. It would be swell if you could also stick a note on a void but voids are not done from the sales screen, so you can't. Maybe some day in the future I will add notes for voids but I've got to stop adding stuff or this will never get shoved out the door. I still have not started on changing the documentation to add 200 lines, sticky descriptions, and notes. That is going to take at least week.

Also on saved "open" and "close" transactions if you track tips the tips are now saved to the transaction and you can view them using "5. Voids."

Here are the new files (New file, see below) once again only the POS.EXE file is version 7.05J200 the rest are still F

Dale

[daleadmin]

CB,

[F?] means the F key of your choice. This allows you to load or save up to 10 different notes depending on what [F?] key you press. Just not [F11] or [F12]. Occasionally someone has to read the documentaion, usually by accident.

cwathen,

No passwords. Try not to hire stupid people and try being really rude to the malicious ones.

Nothing is perfect and I think I have successfully avoided that here. Leave well enough alone.

Dale

[daleadmin]

Bruce,

I found your stock table bug and sat on it until it died.

New file = (New file, see below) Only the POS.EXE and POSCONFG.EXE files are version 7.05L200 the others are still F

We better wrap this up before we run out of alphabet.

Thanks,
Dale

[brucef2112]

This is all sounding good. I'm DL 200k and will test some more.

Dale says:

Well this is getting to be almost fun.

Well, once you are liberated from no longer having to save users from themselves, I guess thats where the fun begins!

Dale says:

....And truly wonderful for those folks that decided to require a password to delete a sale or a line in a sale, I would pay real money to see that. But.... I stuck it in.

You should add a few lines of code to check if they enable the PW then the POS sends you back the Receipt Header (ie their name and address info). Then you could tour the world visiting them. Go in and have stuff rung up and then change your mind on a few just to watch the 'VOIDING Tag Team' of sale clerk and manager work together to remove line items! I got a fist full of dollars AND a Videocam! ROAD TRIP!!!!


later,
b

[brucef2112]

Dale,
Did a fresh install of 200k.
Enabled stock table with 1,000 items. Then hit [F4] to edit stock table. Added to items. Escaped
Enabled Sales - Voids with 10,000 records. Allow completed sale to Voids. Allow Reprints.
Set single tax rate of 6%
Set the Jurnal to:

Code: Select all

          YES Save journal to a
          YES Automate journal a
           NO Print the journal
          YES Copy the journal t
 DALJRNL .TXT   using this file
           C:   to this drive.
          YES Archive the journa
          YES Erase & reset the

and exit the posconfg.

Started the POS. Got the splash screen and hit the Any key. It then died with this:

Code: Select all

                 ╔═══════════════════════════════════════════╗ ▄
                 ║ Please wait while I read some file names. ║ █
                 ╚═══════════════════════════════════════════╝ █
Bad file name or number in line 12 of module POS6     at address 668F:88DB

Hit any key to return to system

Here's my register http://www.pahandmahjongg.com/pos/Bruces200kPOS.zip

[daleadmin]

Can you do it again?

[brucef2112]

Ok I think the problem is still inside the Stock table cofiguration screen.
I tried a fresh install.
Went to the stock table configuration and set it for 1,000 items. Now instead of hitting F4 to add items, I first [Esc] to leave the stock table configuration screen back to main config screen. before getting to the main screen,this is where you have the user confirm the stock table size to add. If I choose add then I am sent back to the main config screen. FRom here if i THEN go back into the Stock table config screeen and hit [F4] to edit stock table and add a couple of items to it. I then esc and exit the posconfg. Then start POS and everything is OK.

So it seems that what ever you have the program 'check and do' when the user hits [esc] to exit the Stock Table screen needs to happen when the user is still inside the Stock Table screen at the point that they change the number of records. (the screen to confirm add record or not) Because as it is now. User changes the number of records, then can go into the stocktable by hitting [F4] and at this point the program hasn't done the 'checks and do's' like when the user just exits and then returns to enter items in stock table. So becuase the 'checks and do's' aren't done, POS starts with some info missing about the state of the stock table..

[brucef2112]

Dale, Looks like you fixed the stock table issues outlined above with the new 200L version.
Well. At least the steps outline in my previous posts no longer kills the program. This is a Great Thing!

I'll continue testing 60 > 200 and back again. And hit it with some serious transactions.

I also tested APRINT6S and it seems well behaved. Tried different fonts. different line counts. Print receipt to 1 printer, reports to another.
All was well. I tested on a HP-LJ-1022.

Loving The Comment Feature! Loving the sticky Descriptions!

As usual, Thanks for all your efforts and Jon too!
nite,
b