FIXED ASSETS LOG V1.1 c1987 INITIAL DOCUMENTATION AS AT 14-SEP-1987. ****** AMSTRAD CPC6128/PCW's CP/M PLUS ONLY ****** ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- AUTHOR: | -----------------------------------+------------------------------------------- JOHN PAUL MARCZAK. 17 SIXTH STREET, CARDIFF SOUTH, NEWCASTLE. N.S.W. 2285. AUSTRALIA. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Supplied By PCW-World Cotswold House Cradley Heath Warley West Midlands. B64 7NF U.K. Tel: 0384 66269 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- TABLE OF CONTENTS: 1. USER SUPPORT. 2. DESCRIPTION/BENEFITS. 3. INSTALLATION. 4. RUNNING THE FIXED ASSETS LOG. 1. User Support. 1.1 The Fixed Assets log is a User Supported Program that I have released to the Public Domain and may be distributed without infringment of Copyright. You are encouraged to share the program with other users. User Groups and other organisations are permitted to distribute the Fixed Assets Log on the understanding that they only charge for media and distribution costs. 1.3 As for the User Support your in for a treat: (i) Correspondence such that if you still have problem's after reading this documentation you can ask questions. (ii) Programming Tutorials in Pascal such that if you see something in the Fixed Assets Log that you would like to know how to Program then you can ask questions. Note: You will need a copy of Pascal/MT+ by Digital Research otherwise I will not be able to Guarantee that the example source listings that I send you will work. (iii) As for further updates of the Fixed Assets Log I will continue to supply the Public Domain. 1.4 Prices: (i) Price Per Correspondence - $2.00 The World. $1.00 Australia. (ii) Price Per Programming Tutorial - $6.00 The World. $5.00 Australia. Note: (a) All prices are in Australian Currency. (b) No Credit card Facilities available so payments are to be made by International Bank Cheque or Postal Order Note made payable to J. P. Marczak. (c) Outside of Australia the cheapest way to handle sending the cost of correspondence is by sending International Postal Coupons (obtainable from your post office) which I can exchange for Australian Stamps. (d) In all Correspondence please use BLOCK LETTERS for your Name and Address and state the version number as well as the machine that you are using and when asking questions please be specific. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2. Description/Benefits. The Fixed Assets Log is a program that will allow you to keep a record of all your assets and there value. For example at home you may wish to keep a record of how much money you are spending on you computer or the value of a stamp or coin collection etc and in a business you can use it to keep a record of how much money is tide up in land, buildings, cars, office equipment etc or even stock as an alternative to a stock taking program. The benefits of the Fixed Assets Log are: 2.1 No more paper work. 2.2 Because of the inbuilt FMS (Forms Management System) running the Fixed Assets Log as well as entering and editing data can be done with a minimum of fuss. 2.3 Two Major printouts being available with headup, date time and page handling namely: 2.3.1 In Asset number order initially being sent to itnofile.dat. 2.3.2 Property Report in Asset number order sorted within code classification initially being sent to prfile.dat. 2.4 Up to Three hundred and fifty assets may be stored on a standard data disc provided you don't want more than one printout file on the data disc at a time. Actually you can store Five Hundred assets on a data disc but this will resulting in no room left for printout files unless you are using a second drive that can handle double density disc's. 2.5 More time available for other things. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3. Installation. 3.1 Super Important Reminder if you have not already made copys of your Original Master CP/M System Discs then do so now and then put your original copys away in a safe place. Similarly make a copy of the Fixed Assets Log Distribution Disc. Fail to do so and you proceed at your own peril. At this point it's a good idea to state MURPHYS LAW "If there's a slight chance that something will go wrong then it will". 3.2 WARNING From now on when I refer to either your Master CP/M System Disc or Fixed Assets Log distribution disc I mean the copys which you have created not the originals. Also be sure to make these copys write protected. WARNING 2 You will/may find that all the files needed to set up the Fixed Assets Log working disc may not all fit on a single side of a disc so be prepared to read section 3.8 more than once. 3.3 You will need the following files to create a Fixed Assets Log working Disc/Discs. (a) Common to both the CPC6128 and the PCW's (i) Falog1.com (ii) Falog2.com (iii) Falog3.com (iv) Faldtset.com (v) Falwtp.com (vi) Palette.com (vii) Language.com (viii) Submit.com (ix) Pip.com (x) Rename.com Where i to v can be found on your Fixed Assets Log Distribution Disc and vi to x can be found on your Master CP/M System Disc. (b) CPC6128 Only (i) C10cpm3.ems (ii) Disckit3.com both of which can be found on your Master CP/M System Disc. (c) PCW's Only (i) *.ems (ii) Disckit.com (iii) Setkeys.com (iv) Profile.pcw (v) Keyspcw.vcl where i to iii can be found on your Master CP/M System Disc and iv and v can be found on your Fixed Assets Log Distribution Disc. 3.3 For those of you who don't know how to find out what files are on a Disc just type Control C to finish reading this file and after the A prompt (>A) appears type DIR followed by a return. 3.4 To create a Disc(s) suitable for running the Fixed Assets Log the procedure is as follows: 3.4.1 For a single drive system, format Side A of a fresh disc (call it "Falog" say) as System Format and Side B as data format using Disckit3 (CPC6128) or Disckit(PCW). As a change from the norm you can create a system disc by making another copy of side 1(CPC6128)/2(PCW) of your master CP/M System Disc and deleting all files except the C10cpm3.ems(CPC6128)/*.ems(PCW) file (can be very dangerous if you are using your original Master CP/M System disc). 3.4.2 Now its just a matter of piping over Falog1.com, Falog2.com, Falog3.com and Faldtset.com over to Side A of the "Falog Disc" and Falwtp.com over to Side B of the "Falog disc". 3.4.3 In the case of CPC6128 owners you will find it handy to Pip over Amsdos.com to both sides of your "Falog Disc" noting that you do not have to have Amsdos.com on Side B of your "Falog Disc" but when you exit CP/M to Amsdos (which is the proper way of exiting CP/M) its handy to have it there to save flipping the disc. 3.4.4 In the case of PCW owners you will need to SET THE KEYS before you run the Fixed Assets Log hence you will need to Pip over Submit.com, Profile.pcw, Setkeys.com and Keyspcw.vcl to Side A of your "Falog Disc" and then rename the Profile.pcw file to Profile.sub. 3.4.5 Further more you might find it necessary to change the colour of the screen so you will also need Palette.com on Side A of your "Falog disc". 3.4.6 To run Palette.com automatically when you boot you need to use an editor to create a Profile.sub file containing the relevant commands and Pip this Profile.sub file along with submit.com over to Side A of your "Falog Disc" as well. 3.4.7 If you wish to run Falog1.com automatically when you boot you will need to include Falog.com as the last command in your Profile.sub file. 3.4.8 To set the computer language when you boot you will need to pip over Language.com and Submit.com to Side A of your "Falog Disc" and edit the Profile.sub file to contain the necessary command. 3.5 For a two drive system side B becomes a second disc. CPC6128 owners note that you now don't need Amsdos.com on side B just side A and PCW owners note that Amsdos.com does not exist on the PCW. 3.6 Hence what you should have is a disc(s) such that: 3.6.1 Side A (Disc 1) in System Format which contains: (i) C10cpm3.ems (CPC6128 only). (ii) *.ems (PCW only). (iii) Keyspcw.vcl (PCW only) which is used to set the Keys. To run this file manual you will also need Setkeys.com. (iv) Profile.pcw renamed to Profile.sub (PCW only) which is used to run Keyspcw.vcl. Note if you want this command file to run automatically when you boot you will need Submit.com and Setkeys.com and don't forget Keyspcw.vcl, but if you decide to run it manual then all you need is Setkeys.com and don't forget Keyspcw.vcl. (v) Falog1.com which is used mainly for adding or changing a asset, setting the date and time, exiting to Amsdos or CP/M, writing to the printer, running Falog2.com and Falog3.com. Note if you set the date and time and then exit to amsdos then the date and time will be reset. Also when writing to the printer you must specify b: before the file name but does not really matter when you are using a one drive. Similarly when you are using the CP/M type command. (vi) Falog2.com which is used mainly for deleting or enquiring about an asset, printing in asset number order (initially the file itnofile.dat is created on the data disc), setting the date and time, writing to the printer exiting to Amsdos or CP/M, running Falog1.com and Falog3.com. (vii) Falog3.com which is used mainly for creating the property report (initially the file prfile.dat is created on the data disc), exiting to Amsdos or CP/M, writing to the printer and setting the date and time if the year is less than 1986. (vii) Faldtset.com for setting the date and time. (ix) Amsdos.com for exiting CP/M to Amsdos (CPC6128 only). (x) Optional files: Namely (a) Submit.com for running the Profile.sub file automatically when you boot. (b) palette.com (c) Language.com and (d) Your tailor made profile.sub file. 3.6.2 Side B (Disc 2) in Data Format which contains: (i) Falwtp.com used for writing to the printer such that either the the whole or part of a file may be printed the latter being very useful if you have a paper break or a printer head jam or if you make a change to a piece of a file and need only to print out the piece or if you ink your own ribbon and need to reink half way through a printout etc. Note if you prefer to use you own program for writing to the printer then this file is not needed hence allowing more space for data namely falind.rel and falmf.rel (which is the Fixed Assets Log master file), and falcode.rel (the code file), ivnofile.dat and prfile.dat (the printout files). Note falwtp.com is also designed to be run independent of the Fixed Assets Log so when using it with the Fixed Assets Log you will need to specify b: in front of the file name when asked for the file to be sent to the printer. (ii) Amsdos.com for exiting CP/M to Amsdos. Note not needed unless you are using a single drive and wish to save flipping the disc (CPC6128 only). 3.7 The reason all these programs are separate is because initially I tried to write it as one single program but with only 61K of TPA I found that I had to split it up into more pieces. But not to worry because of the chaining:- (i) The Fixed Assets Log will run on a single drive with disc flipping being minimised when compared with overlay techniques. (ii) You can run Falog1.com or Falog2.com or Falog3.com seperately if you care to remember the menu associated with each hence saving loading time. Also Faldtset.com, Falwtp.com and Amsdos.com can be run separately also saving loading time in some circumstances. 3.8 Problems: 3.8.1 CPC6128 owners will find that after pip over amsdos.com, c10cpm.ems, falog1.com, falog2.com and falog3.com there will be no room left for any more files. 3.8.2 PCW owners will find that after piping over falog1.com, falog2.com and falog3.com there will be no room left for the *.ems file. 3.8.3 Solution: Use your master CP/M System Disc to boot or set up a seperate boot disc. PCW owners dont forget that you have to set the keys. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4. Running the Fixed Assets Log. 4.1 Advance Warning. 4.1.1 In the case of CPC6128 users the Fixed Assets Log does not set any of the main keys (i.e. Up, Down, Left and Right arrows, Delete(DEL) and Escape(ESC). Hence if you have already booted into CP/M using a boot disc other than the one created for the Video Clerk and your boot disc actually sets any of these keys then you will need to reboot using the "Viclerk Disc" that you have created and be sure to reset the computer first (Contol Shift Escape will do or switch it off and then on again or type Amsdos followed by a return after the A prompt). 4.1.2 In the case of PCW user's the Fixed Assets Log does set the Main Keys. Hence if you have already booted into CP/M using a boot disc other than the one created for the Fixed Assets Log then you will need to reboot using the "Falog Disc" that you have created and be sure to reset the Computer first (switch it off and then on but you might have the equivalent of Control Shift Escape as on the CPC6128). More experienced users will know that you can boot with any boot disc and then type setkeys keyspcw.vcl followed by a return after the A prompt or just profile.sub provided it's the Profile.pcw file renamed Profile.sub. 4.1.3 The write to printer program (Falwtp) was tested using a Amstrad DMP-2000 printer so other printers might cause a problem or two. In General no Amstrad Printer should cause any problems but PCW owners should note that High Quality Text is called N.L.Q Standard on the DMP-2000 and N.L.Q Proportial is the only type face that exists on the DMP-2000 that does not exist on the PCW Printer. 4.2 The first step in running the Fixed Assets Log is to create a Master file (falind.rel and falmf.rel) and the code file (falcode.rel) so after the A prompt (>A) type falog1 followed by a return and after the program has been loaded into memory a form will be displayed on the screen asking you whether you wish to add change delete enquire etc type 1 (but dont touch return) and (if you are using one drive the operating system will display the message please insert the disc for b do it) the message Creating a new master file will appear type yes (Y or y but dont touch return) shortly after a new form will be displayed asking you to enter the following:- (i) Asset number. i.e. each asset must have a number. (ii) Code. examples c for computer, s for software, p for printer, st for stamps, co for coins etc. (iii) Code name. examples computer, software, printer, coins, stamps etc. (iv) Description. examples cpc6128, pcw256, pcw512, 1930 australian penny etc. (v) Date of Purchase. (vi) Original cost. Note you must specify + or - similarly for fields 7, 8 and 11. (vii) Diminished balance (-) for previous accounting periods. (viii) Diminished balance for the current accounting period. (ix) Date of last calculation. (x) Date of disposal. (xi) Procedes on disposal. (xii) Deletion Marker. Hence for example one of your assets is you computer so type 1 for a start followed by a return next enter c followed by a return then computer followed by a return then cpc6128 folowed by a return then the date of purchase say 14 followed by a return then 9 followed by a return then 1987 followed by a return then the cost of the computer say + followed by a return or just a return (i.e. just a return means positive aswell) then 150 followed by a return then another return for the decimal part (i.e. just a return for a numerical field is equivalent to 0 followed by a return) etc with a return on the last field meaning write the record to the Master file and display the form again cleared ready for another asset and note that if the next asset also has code c then you dont have to type in computer again because at this point the progaram searches the code file (falcode.rel) to see if it exist and if it exist prints it and advances to the next field. To exit add mode type zero (0) followed by a return or just a return for an asset number and the add change delete enquire etc form will reappear. 4.3 From now on when running Falog1.com the message "Creating a New Fixed Assets Log Video Library Master File" should not appear. If it does then it's either because you have deleted falind.dat and or Videomf.dat and wish to start again or you have inserted the incorrect Data Disc. 4.4 Running change, delete and enquire modes are similar to add mode noting that delete and enquire can also be run by typing falog2 and before the change delete and enquire forms appear another menu will appear asking you whether you want to do a sequential or particular change delete or enquire. For example in enquire mode if you type sequential (1) then you will be asked if its the lot (1) or part (2) of the master file to be displayed on the screen one record at a time. Hence providing you with automatic title numbering. 4.5 When in add and change mode it is possible to edit a field or entire record by using left, right, up and down arrows delete(DEL on the CPC6128 and DEL Left on the PCW) ans Escape(ESC on the CPC6128 and Exit on the PCW). For example if you make a typing mistake in the title say then its possible to move the cursor thorough this field so to is it possible to move from one field to another up or down and the cursor need not be sitting on the end of the field. Also note that the under scores (_) specify the maximum number of characters allowed in a field but you need not fill this field. For example when entering the title number (say title number six) then a 6 followed by a return or down arrow will suffice. 4.6 Both Upper and/or Lower case letters may be used through out the Fixed Assets Log and you need not type a return when entering a single character unless it's a field (Note Questions are not Fields but Asset Number, Code, Code name description etc are). 4.7 Thats all for now more documentation in the next update but if you cant wait you can either get a copy of the Video Clerk V1.4 which is a similar program and very well documented or use the correspondence facilities available. ****** AMSTRAD, CP/M+, FMS, PASCAL MT/+, ****** ****** DIGITAL RESEARCH etc ARE ALL REGISTERED TRADE NAMES ****** ----------------------------------------------------------------- End of Initial Documentation for the Fixed Assets Log V1.1 c1987. -----------------------------------------------------------------