The Check Book Balancer -- by Curtis Olson  (curt@sledge.mn.org)

The latest version is always available at:

    ftp.me.umn.edu:/pub/finance/cbb-[version].tar.gz

Note, this program requires specifically: perl 4.036 or later (perl5
is preferred) and tk 3.6 or later (tk 4.0 is preferred.)  If you run
Linux/Slackware installing the perl (d-series), and tcl/tk
(tcl-series) packages should satisfy this requirement.


NOTICE==WARNING==NOTICE==WARNING==NOTICE==WARNING==NOTICE==WARNING==NOTICE


This notice is for users of any pre-0.60a versions who are upgrading!!

In this *new* version, the data file formats have changed again.  Data
is now saved in an ascii format.  (The dbm format is still supported)
The conversion procedure is fairly straightforward.  Follow the
directions in the manual for migrating your data.  A script to do the
migration is provided in the contrib directory.

Specific directions for this procedure can be found in cbb-man.tex (a
LaTeX2e manual) or online under the Help menu.


NOTICE==WARNING==NOTICE==WARNING==NOTICE==WARNING==NOTICE==WARNING==NOTICE


Here is a quick run down of the current features:

    o tk4.0 support.

    o Created a simple interface for external reports and graphs.

    o Added an ``auto save'' function for ASCII format data files.

    o The current X selection can now be pasted into any entry
      field.

    o Check #'s longer than 5 digits can now be handled.

    o The .cbbrc file has been replaced with a .cbbrc.tcl file.  This
      file is source'd when CBB is invoked.

    o CBB now uses a new data file format.  Please see the reference
      manual for a more detailed explanation.

    o Added some addition internal consistency checking.

    o Online help is available in html format.  All you need is a
      web browser that can display local files.  No network connection
      is required.

    o I tweaked the interface a bit.

    o I improved the intelligence of the installation script.

    * CBB Manual and more CBB info available at:
          http://www.me.umn.edu/1/home/clolson

    * removed tclX dependencies ... now works with standard tk.

    * psuedo-globbing (~ & ~user) now understood by install script.

    * added a contrib directory ... currently contains an emacs forms
      mode for viewing the cbb export file in emacs

    * wrote a small function to export all uncleared transactions to
      a file called "uncleared.cbb".  This file can then be imported
      into next years account ... or something like that.  Note, this
      program also deletes the uncleared transactions from the original
      file.  Backups & caution are highly recommended.

    * A new report -- short summary by category.

    * Transfers between accounts.  (Provided by Chris Browne & Curt Olson)

    * A manual!  (Written in TeX)

    * Some simple reports.

    * Online, hypertext help.  Thanks to Jun Luo <junluo@cs.wisc.edu>
      and Liem Bahneman.  This is done via a program called latex2tkhlp 
      which quickly generates a tk hypertext help function from a latex 
      file.  latex2tkhlp has a ways to go, but so far is very cool.

    * Logging of transaction changes.  Theoretically if the data base file
      is corrupted, it could be reconstructed from the log.

    * Dates represented by four digits instead of two.  This means cbb
      will break in the year 10000, not in the year 2000.

    - Ability to import *and export* quicken export files.  This feature
      has not been extensively tested, but should provide the ability
      to move back and forth freely between quicken and ``Cbb''.

    - Ability to enter transactions.  Automatically calculates the running
      balance.

    - Some input accelerators.  i.e. +/- in the date and check # fields work
      as in quicken.  Category completion:  type the first few characters of 
      the category, and the rest will be filled in from the category list.

    - Memorized transactions to speed entry.

    - Simple, but functional undo.

    - Ability to handle ``quicken style'' splits.

    - Balancing:  Ability to enter a statement starting/ending balance, select 
      uncleared transactions, verify start balance + transactions = end balance,
      then clear all selected transactions.

    - An install script.

Planned features (future work)

    - Include many more error/sanity checks.

    - Better interactive category editor ... the current facilities,
      while functional, are lacking.

    - Generate more reports & graphs.

    - Work on increasing performance.

    - Clean up a lot of things ... certain traditional interface things act 
      funny or aren't included yet.

    - A more sophisticated multilevel undo?

Things that would be nice but are far in the future (probably)

    - Ability to manage budgets.

    - Ability to handle recurring transactions

    - Ability to handle investment accounts

    - Double accounting ???

    - ??? ... The possibilities are endless :)


PREREQUISITES
=============

Tcl & Tk is available via anonymous ftp from:
   ftp.cs.berkeley.edu:/ucb/tcl/[tcl7.4.tar.Z tk4.0.tar.Z]
   ftp.neosoft.com:/pub/tcl/distrib/[tcl7.4.tar.gz tk4.0.tar.gz]
   ftp.uu.net:languages/tcl/[tcl7.4.tar.Z tk4.0.tar.Z]

Perl is available via anonymous ftp from:
   prep.ai.mit.edu:/pub/gnu/perl-5.xxx.tar.gz
   ftp.cs.umn.edu:/pub/gnu/perl-5.xxx.tar.gz


INSTALLATION
============

Type "make install"
Answer the questions.


Let me know what you think!!!  Thanks,

Curt.
--
Curtis Olson             Phone: (612) 626-9800            curt@sledge.mn.org
                                                                     .
Try Linux ...                                                    \__[0]__/