BETA test, dual printers, 64 bit

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BETA test, dual printers, 64 bit

Post by daleadmin » Sun Jan 10, 2010 5:48 pm

Well DHPOS fans we have another snappy beta version that needs testing. This is version 7.04 BETA 1

If you wish to test this and then report back do the following...
1. Create a new folder on your hard drive.
2. Copy the contents of your current DHPOS folder to the new folder.
3. Download http://www.dhpos.com/pos704b1.exe to the new folder.
4. Run the pos704b1.exe file from the new folder to extract the program files.
5. From the new folder run the POS.EXE file to start the program. Make sure that version 7.04 BETA 1 is displayed.

All your old files will remain in your old folder and you must run the files from that folder when you are actually using the program to ring actual sales. Use the new folder only to test the new version.

I need you to report back on the new dual printers option and using DOSBox to run the program on 64 bit computers. If you find problems I need you to post them here immediately. If you find no problems tell me that by Friday, 1-15-10 so that I can upload the new version for general release next weekend.

Here are the details....

NEW FEATURES

Total pieces
When ringing up a sale a running count of all the pieces rung so far will appear below the bottom of the “Pieces” column. This count will also appear at the bottom of the receipt.

64 bits
If you have a 64 bit computer or are running a 64 bit version of Windows you can now run this program under DOSBox to get it to work on your computer. Here are the instructions http://keyhut.com/64bit.htm

Full screen
DOSBox will also run the program in full screen on Windows XP, Vista, and 7 systems even if those systems are not 64 bit.

Dual Printers
The program will now support 2 printers attached to the same computer. This is so you can print receipts on a receipt printer on a roll of paper at 40 characters per line and print reports on a computer page printer at 80 characters per line. Following are the instructions for this from the manual….
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Every POS system should also print reports. As a first option this program will print reports on the printer that is used to print receipts. However if you attach a second printer to your computer you can use the first printer to print receipts and the second printer to print reports. Normally the first printer would be a 40 character wide printer that prints on a roll of paper and the second printer would be an 80 character wide computer page printer that prints on sheets of paper.
You would have to attach each printer to a different port on your computer like, LPT1: / LPT2: or LPT1: / USB or two different USB ports. Theoretically you could use a serial port but serial printers are not recommended, will not work under Windows versions after ’98, and may not work anyway.
To use the receipt printer as the report printer you need to do nothing other than set up the receipt printer using the parameter settings above.
To use a second printer to print reports from the main POS.EXE menu you must go to the “8. Reports” feature. From the “Reports” menu press [F5] and another print parameter screen will appear like this…

YES Print reports on a second printer.
PAGE Print on a page printer or print continuously.
0 Number of blank lines between receipts. (Cont.) 0 - 20
0 Number of top margin lines. (Page) 0 - 5
60 Number of printed lines per page. (Page) 50 - 70
0 Number of bottom margin lines. (Page) 0 - 5
YES Use form feed at end of page. (Page)
80 Print 40 or 80 characters wide.
NO Forced line feed.

There are fewer options because when you print reports you will not print second copies, save to the journal, print sales checks, etc.
If “Print reports on a second printer.” Is set to “NO” then reports will be printed on printer #1, the receipt printer. If “Print receipts on a printer.” from the main print menu is also set to “NO” then neither receipts or reports will be printed.
If “Print reports on a second printer.” Is set to “YES” and “Print receipts on a printer.” from the main print menu is set to “NO” then receipts will not be printed but reports will be printed on printer #2.
For 2nd printer printing, from this screen, you will also have to select the printer port, set the cutter bar (if your printer has one) and program the printer error trap.
NOTE: If you set up a second printer it will be used to print all reports not just reports from the “Reports” feature. This includes time clock reports, printing out the stock table, etc. With a second printer set only receipts will print on printer #1.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Of course this means that if you have a USB printer, or use the printer driver for your printer, that the APRINT program will also have to be modified to support a second printer. Therefore a new version of APRINT comes with this download. The file name is APRINT5.EXE so the new program file will not overwrite previous versions of the APRINT program. If needed, make sure that you start APRINT5.EXE and not a previous version.
The first time you start APRINT5.EXE (or if you press [S] later) it will ask you, “Do you need APRINT to manage your primary (receipt) printer? (Y/N)” Your primary printer is the one you use to print receipts, and if you only have on printer it will print the reports also. If in “Printer setup” you have set the printer port to FILE: then you will press [Y]. If you press [Y], a display your Windows printers, meaning all the printers that have had their drivers loaded into Windows will be displayed. To the left of each printer will be a number. Type in the number of the printer that you wish to use and press [ENTER].
Now you must choose a font size, 12 is standard. If you choose a size that is too large receipts will not print correctly. Depending on your printer either the right portion of each line will not print or it will be wrapped under the left portion of the line. Type in the font size you wish to use and press [ENTER].
Now you will be asked, “Do you need a separate printer for reports? (Y-N)” If you have a second printer attached to your computer AND you have gone to the “8. Reports” feature from the main POS program AND you have pressed [F5] to setup the second printer AND the second printer is setup to print to FILE: then press [Y] now to setup the APRINT program for the second printer. You will now have to choose a printer and a font size.
In addition to support for a second printer APRINT5 you may change the printer setups by pressing the [S] key.

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Re: BETA test, dual printers, 64 bit

Post by AndreasKohn » Mon Jan 11, 2010 5:36 am

Hi Dale,
I´m running Version 7.04x1 and when I install the new Version, the convert-programm means that I HAVE a new Version of .TBL, .HST,. REC etc. . But the CONVERT.exe starts first everytime I want to start POS.EXE

Andreas

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Re: BETA test, dual printers, 64 bit

Post by daleadmin » Mon Jan 11, 2010 9:29 am

What version were you using?

Dale

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Re: BETA test, dual printers, 64 bit

Post by AndreasKohn » Mon Jan 11, 2010 9:41 am

AndreasKohn wrote:Hi Dale,
I´m running Version 7.04x1 and .......
Andreas

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Re: BETA test, dual printers, 64 bit

Post by daleadmin » Mon Jan 11, 2010 6:34 pm

AndreasKohn,

That is the problem. 7.04x was a test version that uses the format that is going to be in 8.00 with the customer accounts feature. To test 7.04 BETA 1 you have to use the data files from 7.03 or earlier.

Sorry,
Dale

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Re: BETA test, dual printers, 64 bit

Post by AndreasKohn » Mon Jan 11, 2010 6:58 pm

Would it be possible to use the data in the final version? I updated to 7.04x1 only a few days earlier, so, I can go back to the old version, I have as a copy and ring the sales manually up to today. Maybe 100 sales about.

cu, Andreas

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Re: BETA test, dual printers, 64 bit

Post by daleadmin » Mon Jan 11, 2010 7:31 pm

If you still have a version of the program earlier than 7.04 in another folder then go back to that folder and re-ring any sales that were rung up in 7.04x1 to bring that folder up to date.

You can then make a backup of that folder and download 7.04 BETA 1 to that new folder if you still want to test the beta version.

Always remember that any version with X or BETA in the version number are either experimental or test versions of the program and are not entended for ringing up actual sales.

Dale

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Re: BETA test, dual printers, 64 bit

Post by daleadmin » Wed Jan 13, 2010 5:51 pm

Say folks,

Do you think I could get slightly more feedback on this?

I also need feedback that it is working fine if it is.

Thanks,
Dale

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Re: BETA test, dual printers, 64 bit HERESY

Post by brucef2112 » Wed Jan 13, 2010 6:40 pm

Any wonder why there is the sound of crickets here in this thread's post. The long standing teachings of Dale says not to go towards the Windows. While some have stayed true to the movement and followed in the ways of DOS to DHPOS happiness, others have strayed to the edge of XP. But *this* is certainly heresy, when our leader, our founder, asks us to drink the 64bit Kool-Aid! Aaagg! I...<errrrgg>....must...not...do...64bit.
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

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Re: BETA test, dual printers, 64 bit

Post by daleadmin » Wed Jan 13, 2010 7:56 pm

brucef2112,

I am not trying to migrate anyone to 64 bits. However some current and future users have unknowingly and against their wills been hit upside the head with the 64 bit club only now to realize the deep do-do where they now reside.

They have forever been sent away from the promised land where any PC owner could run all the current and past PC applications in order to... ur, well, I have no idea. Is there currently a drastic benefit to 64 bit operation that the vast majority of users really need or have they all screwed themselves for no good reason? A puzzlement.

So my main reason to embrace DOSBox use with DHPOS is to give the exiled some hope that at least someone cares and that they are remembered as they aimlessly wander in the wilderness.

Dale

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Re: BETA test, dual printers, 64 bit

Post by cwathen » Thu Jan 14, 2010 5:16 pm

Hi Dale,

Not found any problems yet with the beta. It's a shame though that the updated file format from 7.04x1 has been taken out until Version 8 with the customer accounts is finished - this means that the ability to have your amendments (and so with it a brilliant feature - the ability to have sale notes) stored in the sale has gone too. To me, this was too big a feature to take back out again, and since the file format seemed perfectly stable I don't see why you can't keep it on. This may be why interested in 7.04 is a bit low - unless you need the dual printers feature the new beta is basically a less functional version. How about you add 7.04x1 and 7.04 beta together and call it 7.5?

Little feature request - as I mentioned a few months back, my preferred configuration now is to run DHPOS in a terminal-server setup as I find it much easier to deploy and work with. This also gives you remote access better than most commercial EPOS systems and adds the possibility of making DHPOS multi-site (I realise this probably isn't a design aim, but I always think it's cool to push it to the boundaries of what it can do).

Unfortunately, with the exception of shifted characters or Control-C multiple key strokes at the same time aren't recognised in any terminal-server solution I've tried. This means that you can't punch in and out on the timeclock because Ctrl+Insert doesn't work. Is it possible to change the key sequence for the punching to a single key (or shift+another key) to allow this to work?

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Re: BETA test, dual printers, 64 bit

Post by daleadmin » Thu Jan 14, 2010 7:46 pm

cwathen,

There are reasons that the extended .REC file that will be used with the customer accounts is not in the current 7.?? versions. Mostly to make it backwards compatible with the previous versions, i.e. if something goes horribly wrong you can go back to the previous version. When version 8.0 hits there will be no going back once you upgrade. This means that it has to be locked down tight and it is just not there yet.

The reason that it takes a 2 key press to punch the time clock is that once you punch it it will be there forever. You do not want to punch by mistake. So I am pretty much going to stick with a 2 key punch. However I have written this program http://www.dhpos.com/keycodes.exe that you can use to test key codes. When you are in the program an hit a key, or combination of keys, if it is recognized the ASCII code will be printed in the center of the screen. See if you can set it up like you described and find a 2 key combo that will work. Report back.

Dale

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Re: BETA test, dual printers, 64 bit

Post by brucef2112 » Thu Jan 14, 2010 9:16 pm

Dale,
Makes sense to use the 2 key punch. Given that some may have key conflicts or what not, would it make sense to add this as a setup option and allow the user to select the un-reserved 2 key punch that would work for their environment?
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

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Re: BETA test, dual printers, 64 bit

Post by daleadmin » Thu Jan 14, 2010 11:28 pm

brucef2112,

There have to be limits on options or the program will turn into nothing but options. Eventually it will become so option filled and complex to setup that folks will just give up once the manual falls on them and crushes them to death.

The good news is that the dead do not have to deal with options.

Plus are we talking about maybe .0002% of users that could use this feature. I was thinking that I was a really swell fellow just by adding a backup 2 key sequence to punch in.

Dale

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Re: BETA test, dual printers, 64 bit

Post by cwathen » Fri Jan 15, 2010 8:05 am

Thanks dale, i'll try and play with your program tonight

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