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ABank Programming : David Gaussinel version 1.1 Co-programming : Franck Roumy © 1994-1995 David Gaussinel Graphics : Stéphane Anquetil English version : Christophe Carel 1. Introduction ...welcome 2. General ...shareware 3. Install ...on hard disk 4. Using ...to begin 5. Menus ...in deep 6. AGIP compatibility ...Amos Global User Interface 7. Bugs ...errare humanum est 8. Improvements ...the future of ABank 9. History ...or the History of ABank 1. Introduction =============== Some lines of ABank's author to describe program and to thank. 1.1. Overview 1.2. Greetings 1.1. Overview ABank is a domestic bank account software. The idea is simple. When you make an operation on your account, you signal it to the software which update permanently your account state. ABank can load simultaneously more than ten accounts, automatically sorting the operations, possessing a notepad, loads powerpacked files, makes graphical stats, printing with filter and is AGIP compatible. Domestic bank account softwares are very numerous, as much in the public domain as in the commercial domain. But when they aren't adapted from PC versions, they are often bad looking or let you make not many things. It is the reason I've never used until today this kind of programs. However, the using seemed interesting. To have the possibility to control your bank account, knowing where the balance is in reality without phoning to a bank service, to see where I spent the most, ... Therefore, ABank has been written in the goal to success all of that. To allow the user to know everything, everyday, about its account, and by a pleasant way if it comes to that. 1.2. Greetings o François Lionet (Amos Pro author) for Amos, Amos Pro, compilers ... for his sympathy when phoning. to have liked ABank and writted a two pages article in DREAM o Stéphane Anquetil, called Sada (Bélier Production - DREAM) for his good drawings. o Arnaud Danassié (Bélier Production) for his fidelity, even if he must have done his military service like me. o Guillaume Jay (Bélier Production) to not vex him about being forgotten, and to make him carrying on to program. o Jean-Pierre Rivière (Bélier Production) to be the ant worker of Belier Production o Franck Roumy (MOMM author) to have programed for me two small Amos extensions well done and I'll cannot program without. o Olivier Anh (BUGSS), Wolfgang Lug (AmigaWorld author) to have send me as much as logo of deutsch banks. o Marguerite Reymond (swiss register user) to have send me swiss banks logos and a lot of questions and remarks. o every register user having sent remarks and suggestion to improve ABank. Carry on, I can't answer every time but I read every letter. o those that like very ABank and write me it, William Laurent (ATOL shop), Thierry Colin (AmigaNews magazine), without forget Tino Albuquerque (ex- ATTILA) and others... o to DREAM magazine, and particulary Christine Robert and Romain Canonge to have distributed ABank on the cover-disk. o to the journalist of AmigaShopper to have tested ABank but don't send the article, so I don't know the contents of article. If you have this AmigaShopper, thanks to think to me... o and all others, members of Atacom, Buggs, Belier Production, Amitels' subscribers, and all others who make the Amiga a big family. 2. General ========== 2.1. Warning 2.2. Distribution 2.3. Copyrights 2.1. Warning In spite of numerous tests, I can't guarantee that ABank contains no errors. You use this program at your own risk. I won't be in charge if the use of ABank is responsible for any direct or indirect damages. 2.2. Distribution ABank is shareware. In this demo version, you can't enter more than 50 operations. To own the complete version of this product, you must send a contribution, at less than 20 $ or 12 £ or 25 DM to the author : David Gaussinel 18 rue Fénelon 24200 Sarlat FRANCE Tel: 53.59.34.70 I accept check draft on a french bank in French Francs, french and international postal money order, euro-check, international reply coupons (20) and even cash (well close and send as registered letter) for currencies : 100 FF, 20 $, 12 £ and 25 DM. You will receive a key file that any version of ABank will recognize and which identify yourself as a registered user. From this date, you will may update ABank without going through the author, to get the last version. The ABank demo version, I mean the one without the key file ("key") is freely distributable. It may be distributed in a PD collection, on servers, networks. However, the cost to get the program mustn't exceed the expenses engaged. But the distribution of this program by a magazine on its coverdisk should be transmit to the author's agreement. If you write an article about ABank, please send me your article. 2.3. Copyrights ABank is © 1994-1995 David Gaussinel. Amos Pro is © 1992 Europress Software Ltd. AGUI (Amos Global User Interface) is © 1995 David Gaussinel. PowerPacker.library and ReqTools.library are © Nico François. Installer and Installer project icon (c) Copyright 1991-93 Commodore-Amiga, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Reproduced and distributed under license from Commodore. INSTALLER SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS-IS" AND SUBJECT TO CHANGE; NO WARRANTIES ARE MADE. ALL USE IS AT YOUR OWN RISK. NO LIABILITY OR RESPONSIBILITY IS ASSUMED. Amiga and Workbench are trademarks of Commodore Amiga Inc. All products or mentioned brands are registered by their respective owner. 3. Install ========== Before doing anything, make a security copy of ABank disc. To copy a disc, see your Workbench manual. It's very important to can do it and very simple. To use ABank on a based floppy system, you must make a copy of Workbench disc. Boot Amiga from this copy of Workbench. Click on Install (in your language) and choose Simple installation. Installer will copy some files indispensable to run ABank on your Workbench copy. To use ABank, you must boot from the Workbench copy and then insert ABank disc. To install ABank on a hard disk, you must click on Install (in your language) and choose Simple Installation (copy only some files) or Complete Installation (copy every file of ABank) but you must boot from your hard disk. ABank must find the Datas directory in the current directory default. In this Data directory, there is the default icon for accounts (DefIcon.info) that you can modify if you want, and the Banks and Accounts drawers which contain banks and accounts logos (in IFF format in 48*24 with 8 colors in Med-Res mode). Don't worry about this if you don't understand anything and double click on the Install icon then choose Help. 4. Using ======== Once ABank run, the main screen appears. If you aren't a registered user a request appears which tells you. Click on Continue and you are ready to use this program. At the right top corner, there is a deep gadget which lets you come back to the Workbench. You can use the keys Amiga and M too. You can see on the screen many fields clearly delimited. At the top, there are some informations about the current account, next to the balance, credits, debits... of your account. At the top, there are equally a set of gadgets, making the same effect than menus but being faster to use. Lastly, at the bottom, there is the list of done operations, with date, nature, item, debit/credit, and the potential validation of the bank. We will come back in detail to all of these notions through Menus' description. You can edit a preference file "AGUI:Prefs/ABank.prefs". This preference file configure some ABank's options and paths or filenames. This file can be edited with a simple Ascii text editor like Ed. If the logotype of your bank company does'nt appear in the list of bank (take a look in foreign banks list anyway), don't hesitate to send us a scrap of paper (letter, prospectus) whith the logo. A colorfull, big one is prefered. Stephane Anquetil will be pleased to draw your logo as a brush intended to import it as a logo in the ABank program. This is free. That's one of the advantage of being a registred user, who see his granting of whishes... If you want to see your own logo for shop, club, society, company else as a simple fellow in ABank, don't hesitate to send us a scrap of paper with your logo in it's best. Stéphane Anquetil, who already design most french, german and swiss banks, and created the other, will be pleased to draw and adapt your logo in order to easily import it in ABank as a account logo. It'll cost you enough 10$ or 12DM or 6£ or 50 FF because Stephane Anquetil can't pass it's time designing everyone logo. 5. Menus ======== 5.1. Project ...files management 5.2. Edition ...enter datas 5.3. Tools ...work on account 5.4. Preferences ...at your fitness 5.5. Accounts ...accounts list 5.1. Project menu 5.1.1. Open new 5.1.2. Load 5.1.3. Open & Load 5.1.4. Save 5.1.5. Save as... 5.1.6. Close 5.1.7. User 5.1.8. About ... 5.1.9. Quit 5.1.1. Open new ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This option lets you, after confirmation, create a new account. The account's edition panel will be displayed, allowing you to enter different informations asked. See 5.2.5. the account's edition menu . 5.1.2. Load ~~~~~~~~~~~ ABank can load simultaneously different accounts. This option lets you load on the current account's behalf, another account from a disk. 5.1.3. Open and Load ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ABank can load simultaneously different accounts. This option lets you load a new account. The current account is already in memory and then accessible from the Account menu. See 5.5. Account menu . 5.1.4. Save ~~~~~~~~~~~ ABank will save your account as the name mentioned before when you loaded it. If ABank doesn't recognize this name, it will ask you a new name by a file request way. 5.1.5. Save as... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ABank will save your account just after asking you a new name through a file request. 5.1.6. Close ~~~~~~~~~~~~ ABank will delete after confirmation the current account in memory. If there are other accounts opened, ABank 'll display another account, or else you 'll find a blank account. 5.1.7. User ~~~~~~~~~~~ If you are a registered user, your names and address are displayed in this request, else the program tells you that you 're not registered, and then you 're using the demo version. This option is also accessible from a gadget. 5.1.8. About ... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ By this, the program's ID will be displayed, telling you the program's name, version, diffusion status, author's name. There are also two logos, one showing the AGIP compatibility and the other indicating that ABank was written in Amos. 5.1.9. Quit ~~~~~~~~~~~ After confirmation, this option allows you to quit the program. 5.2. Edition 5.2.1. Add 5.2.2. Delete 5.2.3. Sort 5.2.4. Validate 5.2.5. Account 5.2.6. Items 5.2.7. Notepad 5.2.8. Add items 5.2.1. Add ~~~~~~~~~~ This option adds an operation to the others. A request appears, allowing you to enter the date (following the ddmm format), operation's nature, debit or credit, if the operation was validated or not by the bank (I mean if the bank's statement notifies it), and the choosen item. To modify an operation, just click on it. This option is also accessible from a gadget. 5.2.2. Delete ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ To delete an operation, you must first active this option and then click on the operation desired. Don't forget desactivating this option once desired operations are deleted. This option is also accessible from a gadget. 5.2.3. Sort ~~~~~~~~~~~ Normally, operations are sorted on each modification, but if you wish to make a sorting yourself, choose this option. This option is also accessible from a gadget. 5.2.4. Validate ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Next to credit/debit, a sign `\' is present, notifying the potential validation by the bank. Just click on it to validate or unvalidate the operation. This sub menu Validate has three options to go faster. All will validate all operations, None will unvalidate all operations and Reverse will inverse all operations (all validated won't be and vice-versa). 5.2.5. Account ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This option lets you configure your account. Gagdets permit to enter the owner's name of the account, account's number and account's type. Those infos will be displayed soon on the main screen. Gadgets permit to enter the filenames of bank logo and account logo displayed on the main screen at keyboard or a file selector. ABank manages the account from a year (It's the reason dates are only displayed on the ddmm format). However, you can enter a start balance for the account. All operations will take in account what it has been at the beginning of the year, on the account. It's also from this that you enter the threshold. When a balance is inferior to this threshold, it will be written into a different color to warn you. This option is also accessible from a gadget. 5.2.6. Items ~~~~~~~~~~~~ Items of a budget let you sort your operations. Through this menu, you can modify the items' list (adding, deleting,...). The request explains itself. To add an item, click on Add, a cursor displayed, enter the name, and validate by RETURN. This option is also accessible from a gadget. 5.2.7. Notepad ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Notepad is... a notepad ! You may note inside whatever you feel and want. Also think to write your credit cards numbers for example or telephone number of your bank, or ... The request explains itself. This option is also accessible from a gadget. 5.2.8. Add items ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This option permit to merge items of an account to the actuel account. Simply select from the file selector the old account, and items of this account will be merged to the actual items. Very useful to start a new account like another. 5.3. Tools menu 5.3.1. Stats 5.3.2. Annual balance 5.3.3. Print 5.3.4. Account document 5.3.1. Stats ~~~~~~~~~~~~ This option lets you get a pie chart, describing your operations per item. A cyclic gadget lets you define if you want : credit or debit, an other selects either a month or all the year and an third selects Real or Bank (only validate operations). Following this selection, proportions of each item are displayed with a legend next to the pie chart, with percentage and total. A menu quickly selects a specific option. This option is also accessible from a gadget. 5.3.2. Annual balance ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A bar chart is displayed suggesting the distribution following monthes of debits and credits. You can see through this chart, what are the monthes where you have spent most, as an example. This option is also accessible from a gadget. 5.3.3. Print ~~~~~~~~~~~~ This option lets you print your account by making a filter. Effectively, you can choose to print only certain things. A first cyclic gadget lets you select only validated operations, unvalidated ones or both, indifferently. Another gadget lets you select operations of a particular month or of all the year. Lastly, a list lets you choose a particular item or all items without distinction. This option is also accessible from a gadget. 5.3.4. Account document ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This option lets you save an ASCII document of your account by making a filter. Effectively, you can choose to print only certain things. A first cyclic gadget lets you select only validated operations, unvalidated ones or both, indifferently. Another gadget lets you select operations of a particular month or of all the year. Lastly, a list lets you choose a particular item or all items without distinction. 5.4. Preferences menu 5.4.1. Interlace screen 5.4.2. Separate thousand 5.4.3. Save icon 5.4.6. Crypted 5.4.7. Backup 5.4.8. Palette 5.4.5. Interface 5.4.4. Configure 5.4.1. Interlace screen ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ When this option is active, the screen will be interlaced, meaning that height is doubled but unfortunately with an unpleasant flickered image if you don't possess a flicker fixer. In interlaced mode, the number of visible operations will be more than doubled. 5.4.2. Separate thousands ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ If this option is active, numbers will be separated by a space between thousands, for a best reading. 5.4.3. Save icon ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ If this option is active when an account is saved, an icon is also saved. 5.4.4. Configure ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This option calls the AGUI editor if AGUI has been already installed in your system. The AGUI editor (called AGUI and locate in AGUI:) lets you entirely define program's work environment (menus, pointers, appearance, texts,...). See 6. AGIP for more details. 5.4.5. Interface ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This option lets you to choose another AGUI module. The filerequester permits to select a module in AGUI:Mod/ABank. 5.4.6. Crypted ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ABank permits to crypt accounts, so nobody can take a look of your account. If you select this option, ABank will ask you a password (that you enter without see it), then enter again to confirm. Don't forget password, because ABank will ask you every loading. 5.4.7. Backup ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ If this option is active when an account is saved, a copy of last save will be made under the same name with '.BAK' added at the end. 5.4.8. Palette ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This option calls a palette lets you choose your prefered colors. 5.5. Accounts menu ABank lets you have simultaneously in memory up to ten accounts. In this menu, there will be displayed : names of different accounts currently in memory; the current account is marked with a small sign. Then you can choose another account from this menu to make it the current account. 6. AGIP ======== AGUI is a system enabling to entirely control a program's interface if it is compatible. AGUI is not supplied with ABank. In fact, AGUI isn't very finished yet. It's in beta-test. But as soon as finished, it will be disponible on BBS, CD-ROMs, floppy collection... AGUI isn't indispensable to run ABank but if AGUI is installed, you may modify the whole program's interface, I mean menus, texts, gadgets, appearance, interface's structures, and even the pointers. AGUI is freeware for users (shareware for Amos Pro developpers) meaning Amos Global User Interface and is © 1995 David Gaussinel. If you have created a new interface, don't hesitate sending the module to the author. 7. Bugs ======= Is a program without bugs realizable ? I don't think so. Therefore, if you find a bug (or many), write to the author, even if you're not a registered user. Please state the configuration, version of ABank, .... 8. Improvements =============== ABank won't be improved if no many users will register. Why continue to program a software if nobody wants to see improvements ? Therefore, if you want improvements, think to register yourself. Improvements may be added to ABank, and certainly I'll make some improvements of this list, such as : - New column Number - deferred operation - credit management - Accounts exportation in Ascii - Accounts importation of other programs - other kinds of charts - An ARexx port But, as said before, all of this will happen only if you, user, wish it. 9. History ========== 02.04.95 - Release 1.1 o Added a Backup option creating a file .BAK of account file at every save. o Changed extension of filename from #?.CPT to #?.BANK (more international). o Repaired bug in numbers with comma causing errors calculs sometimes. o Improved NTSC support. Display a correct screen now. o Added when printing the bank and real balances. o Added an Account document option saving an Ascii file of account with a filter like in Print option. o Using of ReqTools.library requesters through AmosPro extension written by Franck Roumy and developped for ABank. o Added the possibility to crypt account with a password through option Crypt. o Modified the edit information account window. o Repaired error, it's possible to begin with a negatif balance. o Added a cycling gadget Validate and a Validate menu in stat by items window to choose between Real and Bank (only validate operation). o Added a Save gadget in stat by items window to save the graphic as IFF file. o When user quits, ABank ask if account must be saved. o Added the possibility of scrolling in page with keys : cursor keys (line), cursor keys and SHIFT (page) and cursor keys and ALT (start or end). o Added a Palette option to choose prefered colors. o Added a Add Items option to merge old account's items to current account. o Added a Interface option to load a new AGUI module without AGUI Editor. o Added a Prefs file to configurate ABank. o ABank screen can flip like a real Intuition screen through deep gadget or Amiga-M. o Improved AGIP to AGUI. Behind change of name, it's a real improvement of the code. o Added an Installer script to simplify installation. o Added bank logos of France, but Swiss and Deutsch too, and credit cards logos. 08.14.94 - Release 1.02 o Repaired error in pie chart (a famous Illegal Function Call). o The pie chart is most readable when several items used. o Repaired error when several accounts were loaded, filename was always the filename of last file loaded. o When adding an operation at the end of listing, operations slide down to show the last operation entered. o Printing has been entirely corrected, especially in the presentation, but be careful : printing is made by the command Type in C: or resident. 06.14.94 - Release 1.01 o Re-write of the code using the CRAFT © Black Legend Software & Solaris Software extension. o Repaired error, when printing a whole account. o When an account is loaded, it's now replaced at the same position it was when it was saved. o Each account is saved, and then reloaded, with its own prefs. o English version of ABank by Christophe Carel. 07.01.94 - Release 1.0 DREAM o ABank distributed on DREAM's cover-disk, the french Amiga magazine. 03.25.94 - Release 1.0 o First version spread. Preceded by many alpha and beta versions.