Business Accounting Software

[BinaryBrother]

Ok... So I've opened a Business and I hate QuickBooks... (This thread isn't about alternatives either... )

I've already created most of the input interfaces using Koda and began utilizing SQL + INI databasing. It works beautifully, I've even checked what the performance looks like after the generation of 10,000 customers with random information etc, and it looks great. So this will suffice for plenty of time to come... Now to my real question... What would be the best way to utilize a dynamic template for simple things like invoices, etc?

I don't really want to print off raw text documents for invoices etc, I'm trying to accomplish something professional and nice. I did take a look at the "PDF UDF" on the forums, but it looks waaaaay more complicated then what I'm looking for... Any and all ideas or suggestions are much appreciated, in the direction of a good method to print professional and good looking company documents via AutoIt.

Edited February 16, 2011 by BinaryBrother

[ChrisL]

How about creating templates in Word and then using the Word com object to populate the documents?

[Xenobiologist]

How about creating templates in Word and then using the Word com object to populate the documents?

I agree, If you want to have something non-text looking page, then you should use word or wirte your own HTML document.

The plain html file could be printed via internet explorer and then it looks like you see it in your browser.

Mega

[jchd]

began utilizing SQL + INI databasing.

Sorry for off topic remark, I've a pretty good idea about SQL (and SQLite particularly) but what do you call INI databasing?

[hannes08]

Hey BinaryBorther,

maybe you want to take a look at the UDF from martin. This seems like a ggo way to start.

Regards,

Hannes

[saywell]

This is a bit of code I use to populate a word doc. It waits for the user to close it [having printed it] and then deletes it.

Elsewhere in my App I have a similar function which uses Melba23's ExtMsgBox udf - I make a coloured box sit on top of the top right of the word window after the search/replace actions are complete, while the user types in text. When done, user clicks OK in box, and word doc text is extracted, added to an html record, and saved to a specified location.

For invoices, the first option may be all that's required.

$oWordApp = _WordCreate("")

    ;Local $oOpenTemplate = _WordDocOpen($oWordApp, @ScriptDir & "\" & $Template)
    Local $oOpenTemplate = _WordDocAdd ($oWordApp,0,$Template)

    $oDoc = _WordDocGetCollection($oWordApp, 0)

    _WordDocSaveAs($oOpenTemplate, @ScriptDir & "\Temporary.rtf")
    WinClose("Document1")

    ;ClipPut ($sContent)
    WinActivate ("Temporary.rtf")
    ;WinActivate(@ScriptDir & "\Temp.rtf");------------>>>>>>  focus to doc
    ;MsgBox(0, "Ref", $Ref)
    $oFind = _WordDocFindReplace($oOpenTemplate, "REF", $Ref, 1, 0, 1, 1)
    $oFind = _WordDocFindReplace($oOpenTemplate, "DD Mon YYYY", @MDAY & " " & @MON & " " & @YEAR, 1, 0, 1, 1)
    $oFind = _WordDocFindReplace($oOpenTemplate, "HHHH", $Header & " - " & $EventDate, 1, 0, 1, 1)
    
    $oFind = _WordDocFindReplace($oOpenTemplate, "BodyText", "");$sContent, 1, 0, 1, 1)

    WinActivate ("Temporary.rtf")
    WinSetState ("Temporary.rtf", "", @SW_SHOW)
    Send ("^{END}")   ; cursor to end of text
    Send ($sContent)
    Send("^{HOME}") ; cursor to start of text
    MouseClick("left") ; ready to add lines for correct position [by eyeball but perhaps by measurement later?]

    WinWaitClose("Temporary.rtf") ; wait for user to finish

    _WordQuit($oWordApp) ;Exit word
    FileDelete(@ScriptDir & "\Temporary.rtf") ; delete temp file
    FileDelete(@ScriptDir & "\Document1") ; delete blank file

William

[BinaryBrother]

How about creating templates in Word and then using the Word com object to populate the documents?

I couldn't get regular MS Word to display the right way... But apparently a few of the comments below seem to prove I just don't know what I'm doing.

Sorry for off topic remark, I've a pretty good idea about SQL (and SQLite particularly) but what do you call INI databasing?

Just using a standard INI container that contains various information... Since I'm a complete SQL newb, the SQL is just used for mass storage of information. The INI handles everything else...

Hey BinaryBorther,

maybe you want to take a look at the UDF from martin. This seems like a ggo way to start.

Regards,

Hannes

Yea, I had already taken a look at that. Looked a little overly complicated and I was hoping to find something a bit more newb friendly, but I'll give it another look.

This is a bit of code I use to populate a word doc. It waits for the user to close it [having printed it] and then deletes it.

Elsewhere in my App I have a similar function which uses Melba23's ExtMsgBox udf - I make a coloured box sit on top of the top right of the word window after the search/replace actions are complete, while the user types in text. When done, user clicks OK in box, and word doc text is extracted, added to an html record, and saved to a specified location.

For invoices, the first option may be all that's required.

William

Thanks for the information! I'll deff give this a look.

Thank you all for your input. As always, it is much appreciated.

[jchd]

Using a DB for flat mass storage and .INI for classified information is (sorry to say) just plain wrong. SQLite and SQL gives you all freedom to store _everything_ you need to store in a reliable and organized way, access it very efficiently and guarantee ACID operations. I'm not lecturing you, just willing to help people gain the most benefits of what is readily available at only little development cost/hassle

Think about it: you're processing an order, have decremented stock for some of the sold items, but experience a power outage or BSOD. In what shape are your .INI files now? Where do you restart from? Only solid SQL will help you there, thanks to DB integrity procedures and transactions.

[BinaryBrother]

As for integrity, keeping the INI container in DropBox prevents any major data-loss, including corrupt databases because you can go back for 30 days and recover anything. I do completely agree that it should all be SQL, but I don't have time to learn it ATM, we needed this software 3 months ago... The INI container, with sufficient data integrity checks and backups, will be plenty for now.