New RECEIVE.EXE feature.

Make comments, ask questions, or just complain about the software on this site. Or comment on any educational software.
Please note that by clicking on links that may appear in these posts that you may be leaving the Dale Harris Educational Software website and that the content of those sites is the sole resposibility of the authors of those sites.

Moderators:daleadmin, Dale Harris, Alan, Andrew

Post Reply
User avatar
daleadmin
Forum Owner
Posts:1279
Joined:Tue Dec 30, 2003 9:47 pm
New RECEIVE.EXE feature.

Post by daleadmin » Thu Aug 30, 2012 7:11 pm

Please make a backup of your current RECEIVE.EXE program file and replace it with this one. http://keyhut.com/receive.exe When you run the new one it will be Version 7.1Jx.

Here are the instruction from the program for the new feature...

AUTOMATIC ENTRY

This program has a new feature, “auto entry.” When you are on the screen where you can enter pieces, at the bottom of the screen it will say “[F5] AUTO 0.” Press [F5] to make it say “[F5] AUTO X” and auto entry will be on. Press [F5] again to turn it off.

Now when you scan a barcode (or type in a stock number) the program will enter the “PIECES” for you as 1 and return you to the next line in the STOCK NUMBER column. If the item you scan has the same stock number as the item in the line above then the line above will have the “PIECES” increased by 1. So you can scan a whole container of 123456 one at a time and the top of the page will say...

Code: Select all

                   STOCK NUMBER    PIECES
                          123456      36
Use the left and right arrow keys to switch columns.

In other words this works just like scanning items into a sale.

If you reach the 60th line on the page the program will beep 3 times as a warning.

Let me know if this is what you want and if it is working for you.

Dale

User avatar
brucef2112
Forum Regular
Posts:336
Joined:Mon Mar 06, 2006 11:19 pm
Location:Broward County, Floriduhh
Contact:

Re: New RECEIVE.EXE feature.

Post by brucef2112 » Thu Aug 30, 2012 8:27 pm

Dale,
it seems broken to me.
When i get to the screen to enter stock #, I enter a valid stock# but it bleeps and says its invalid. If i use the f1 lookup, it cant find by stock number, if i f1 lookup by description it will find the first item on text match but then if I hit Esc and then Enter to add it to inventory it also will bleep back and say "invalid stock number!!!!!!". Not that i thought toggling [f5] would make a difference, but it made no difference.

I tried with the old receive.exe 7.04 with my register files and it works fine as far as adding items to the inventory list. ie manual entry or table lookup. So there is something wrong with 7.1Jx.
Later,
Bruce

They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
Benjamin Franklin - Historical Review of Pennsylvania, 1759

User avatar
daleadmin
Forum Owner
Posts:1279
Joined:Tue Dec 30, 2003 9:47 pm

Re: New RECEIVE.EXE feature.

Post by daleadmin » Thu Aug 30, 2012 9:05 pm

Bruce,

I just tried it again here and it works fine. Are you sure that you have it in the correct folder?

Dale

User avatar
brucef2112
Forum Regular
Posts:336
Joined:Mon Mar 06, 2006 11:19 pm
Location:Broward County, Floriduhh
Contact:

Re: New RECEIVE.EXE feature.

Post by brucef2112 » Thu Aug 30, 2012 10:13 pm

I'm in the correct folder. It finds my stock table no problem.
I start 7.1Jx, enter a name, inv#, page#, I then enter a valid stock number and hit [Enter], it shows "INVALID STOCK NUMBER!!!!!" error message at the bottom of the blue list box at the lower right.
If i go ahead and just hit enter again it then adds a duplicate error message next to the stock number line being entered. So I'm a thinking something isn't correct. (see pic below)

I thought I was really smart and could trick the new version.
I'd try and create a file first with the original 704 and then see if I could use the 7.1Jx to modify/add to the existing receiving file.
I started 704 version, added a stock item and successfully created the receiving file. All works well.
I then started the 7.1Jx and when I selected the saved page to view, as soon as it came up and highlighted the item in the file, it bleeped and showed the "INVALID STOCK NUMBER!!!!!" error message. This time though, it only showed the message on the same line as the stock number (first line). At that point it won't let me off the page until I removed the 'bad' stock number. I then hit [Esc] to go back to the main menu (not saving the changes) and tried the View option. When I tried to VIEW the file, it will show the item stock number (created by the old version) BUT the description column is blank. I then exited and went back to view with the old version and of course the description does show there.

what it looks like after entering in a valid stock number and hitting Enter twice in the 7.1Jx version.
Image
Later,
Bruce

They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
Benjamin Franklin - Historical Review of Pennsylvania, 1759

User avatar
brucef2112
Forum Regular
Posts:336
Joined:Mon Mar 06, 2006 11:19 pm
Location:Broward County, Floriduhh
Contact:

Re: New RECEIVE.EXE feature.

Post by brucef2112 » Thu Aug 30, 2012 10:58 pm

Dale.
I'd like to propose a change to the method used to display the F5 Auto function on the menu bar.

X's and O's are generally understood as Hugs and Kisses when writing to loved one's OR as game markers in tic-tac-toe.
In a user interface, using 0 and X is not very intuitive and a bit cryptic.
One would only understand their function if the user read the instructions. : o

Instead of obscure and cryptic [F5] Auto 0 and [F5] Auto X to toggle this feature, I propose;
[F5] Auto N and [F5] Auto Y
'No' and 'Yes' make it obvious what is happening. it's understanding is implied by our general knowledge of "Y" and "N".

OR, (this is actually my first choice), if you want to be more descriptive about the feature and its state. Go with;

[F5] Manual and [F5] Auto

Using Manual/Auto actually implies what the feature is, and gives it its current state.
Notice also how clever you were in choosing a word like "Auto 0" that has the same character count as "Manual"! A perfect fit with no extra work for you! (well, you may have to right pad 'Auto ' with two spaces.)

For your consideration,
Thanks Dale.
Later,
Bruce

They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
Benjamin Franklin - Historical Review of Pennsylvania, 1759

User avatar
daleadmin
Forum Owner
Posts:1279
Joined:Tue Dec 30, 2003 9:47 pm

Re: New RECEIVE.EXE feature.

Post by daleadmin » Thu Aug 30, 2012 11:59 pm

Bruce,

I did find a problem with longer stock numbers that I fixed in version 7.1Jx2 at the same link. However it was only a problem when using the auto mode. And the problem caused the program to die, not display an error.

I could not find your problem at all. However this program will not work with DHPOS versions before 7.1 because the stock table format changed to allow 26000 items.

Dale

User avatar
brucef2112
Forum Regular
Posts:336
Joined:Mon Mar 06, 2006 11:19 pm
Location:Broward County, Floriduhh
Contact:

Re: New RECEIVE.EXE feature.

Post by brucef2112 » Fri Aug 31, 2012 11:04 pm

daleadmin wrote:Bruce,
...However this program will not work with DHPOS versions before 7.1 because the stock table format changed to allow 26000 items....
Dale
OK, I need to DL the newer 7.1 DHPOS and try it out.
Later,
Bruce

They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
Benjamin Franklin - Historical Review of Pennsylvania, 1759

User avatar
brucef2112
Forum Regular
Posts:336
Joined:Mon Mar 06, 2006 11:19 pm
Location:Broward County, Floriduhh
Contact:

Re: New RECEIVE.EXE feature.Proposed Modification

Post by brucef2112 » Mon Sep 03, 2012 1:43 pm

Dale,
I tested the new receive.exe with dhop 7.1g and all works great. Love the new Auto feature.
I've never used it before so this is the first time working with it.
1.) I did notice that when choosing 1.View file, the next screen has a toolbar options at the bottom that do not apply for the "View" screen and should be modified so the user isn't confused thinking they can, when they can't.
On the bottom it shows
Choose page to view / edit or press [TAB] to enter new page. [ESC]=Cancel
And as you know, you can not 'choose to edit' nor [TAB] to enter a new page from this screen. The only valid menu choice is the [Esc].

2.) From the main menu I notice that if you make any selection other than 7. Instructions , on the next sub-menu (screen) if you just hit [Esc] to return to the main menu, it doesn't. If on a sub-menu, hitting [Esc] does not take you back to the main menu, (it "seems" to do nothing.screen 'blips') but then if you hit any other key ([Esc] key included) it then takes you back to the main menu.
The [Esc] key works fine from the 'Welcome' screen, and the 'Choose Stock Table' screen. ie hitting escape once, does work as expected. But any sub menus from the main screen and it takes an [Esc] key and another to return.(except for the 7. Instructions, it works OK ).

3.) Too easy to over write existing entries. If the autoscan is used, and it is about to over write ANY existing line item, the program should warn the user to verify this is their intention. This will avoid a situation that the user may be browsing up/down the page and then start scanning again but didn't return the cursor to the end of the data entry. OR even when selecting an existing page to edit using the auto mode one could pull up a page and start scanning and not notice they are over writing an existing stock number! this is a bad thing! Program should warn of stepping on data.

4.)Very easy to loose data. I did notice a really bad annoyance. From the data entry screen, the user can inadvertently hit the [Esc] key and lose any data entry for that page. This isn't nice at all.
I would like to propose a change.
If the user hits [Esc] to exit and the page has not been saved, the program should pop-up a confirmation window to ask to continue without saving the page's data.
ie
Warning: You have not save this page.
Do you want to return to page to save? Y or N.
All data entered on this page will be lost if you choose N.

This happens on both creating a new page or editing an existing one. In either case, a busy brain combined with inadvertent [Esc] key press causes instant data loss of anything entered after the last [f3] save, if any. Loosing this data here is just as bad as if the "delete receiving file" didn't have a confirmation.

5.) Doing a stock table lookup/scan a 255 "Payout" stock number is allowed to be entered on the receiving page. I don't know if this is a bad thing but just mentioning it can happen.

6.) If the new receiving is going to remain a separate app to download then you may want to include a version check on startup to warn the user if their version of POS isn't compatible.

later,
b
Later,
Bruce

They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
Benjamin Franklin - Historical Review of Pennsylvania, 1759

User avatar
daleadmin
Forum Owner
Posts:1279
Joined:Tue Dec 30, 2003 9:47 pm

Re: New RECEIVE.EXE feature.

Post by daleadmin » Tue Sep 04, 2012 9:39 am

Bruce,

I will look into the [ESC] thing.

I will change the program so that if you are on a line that already has a stock number on it that the program will just beep rather than over write the stock number.

I will include a warning that you are exiting the page with data unsaved.

As soon as I make these changes, and update the manual, this version will replace the old version in the download files.

Dale

User avatar
daleadmin
Forum Owner
Posts:1279
Joined:Tue Dec 30, 2003 9:47 pm

Re: New RECEIVE.EXE feature.

Post by daleadmin » Wed Sep 05, 2012 8:06 pm

Bruce,

I have fixed the [ESC] thing.

I have added a warning if you choose to press [ESC] when adding data.

I still have not figured out what I want to do about scanning over a previously entered stock number.

Version 7.1Jx3 is at http://keyhut.com/receive.exe

Dale

User avatar
brucef2112
Forum Regular
Posts:336
Joined:Mon Mar 06, 2006 11:19 pm
Location:Broward County, Floriduhh
Contact:

Re: New RECEIVE.EXE featured BUG report.

Post by brucef2112 » Mon Dec 17, 2012 9:12 pm

Hey Dale,
I found a minor bug in the new receive program Ver. 7.1Jx3 related to the new [F5] Auto scan feature.
The feature works perfect for lines 1 through 59. On line 60 the Auto scan feature stop working like it should.

When you get to line 60 and try to scan the same Barcode a second (or more) times, it doesn't add to the count. It just appends the next scan to the first in the stock # field on line 60 and of course this gives you a "Not a Valid Stock #" warning. As it is now, on line 60 you have to switch to manual mode and manually enter the item count.

Seems like a couple lines of code are needed to handle the unique-ness of being at the end of list and there is no "line 61" to handle multi scans that may occur for the item scanned on line 60.

Other than this it works great. I just finished my E.O.Y. inventory and this made the data entry quite EZ. (using inventor.bat of course)
Thanks a bunch!
B
Later,
Bruce

They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
Benjamin Franklin - Historical Review of Pennsylvania, 1759

User avatar
brucef2112
Forum Regular
Posts:336
Joined:Mon Mar 06, 2006 11:19 pm
Location:Broward County, Floriduhh
Contact:

Re: Minor BUG: User interface/Screen Redraw with Receive Pro

Post by brucef2112 » Thu Jan 10, 2013 10:20 pm

Hey Dale,
I'm using version 7.1Jx3 and found another minor bug to fix along with the one above for the next step version.

The problem occurs after the user is prompted to save the file and instead of choosing 1.YES or 2.NO they hit the [Esc] key.
In most software choosing to hit the escape key sends the user back to where they were before they initiated the prompt from the program.
ie, I really don't want to do 1 or 2, I want to return to doing more data entry.

So after hitting the escape key and expecting the prompt to go away, instead the red prompt box is still on screen and the data entry side background changes from blue to red and the cursor returns to the stock number field blinking as if it is ready to do data entry. But because the screen didn't redraw to remove the Red "Save data?" box the user is left thinking they still need to answer 1 or 2 to the Save prompt. But if you hit 1 or 2 you find your self typing in the stock number field(which may or may not have a valid number before you were hitting 1's and 2's and [enter]'s and not really answering the "save data" prompt that remains on screen.

The only clue after the right side of the screen turns red is that you can see the cursor in the stock number field blinking ready to enter a number.
At this point you can hit escape one time again (3rd time) and the blinking cursor goes away and you then can hit the 1 or 2 to address the red "Save data?" prompt that never left the screen.

Hitting Escape the first time get you here, as it should.
Image

Hitting Escape once again with the the Red "save?" on screen causes right side with receiving info to change to red, and cursor is in the stock number field ready for data entry. (which you can do) but it would be nice if the Red "save?" would go away and the right side wouldn't turn red.
Image

I don't think the user should be forced to answer 1 or 2. They should have the choice to Escape back to the screen to continue working.
So correcting the screen re-daw to make the 'Save' go away and the right side to not change to red if the user hits the escape key a second time would take care of this. (did you mean for the right side to change to red apon prompting for Save? maybe not. its just a screen draw bug.)
Any way,
Thanks dale
Later,
Bruce

They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
Benjamin Franklin - Historical Review of Pennsylvania, 1759

Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 37 guests