DPBank manual Daniel Pfund version 1.6, April 1997 Copyright © 1995-1997 Daniel Pfund http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/8130/ ============================================ 1. SUMMARY 2 2. FOREWORD 2 3. INTRODUCTION 2 4. DISTRIBUTION 2 5. USES 3 6. FEATURES 3 7. INSTALLATION 4 8. MEMORY REQUIREMENTS 5 9. USING THE PROGRAM 5 9.1 TRANSACTION DIALOG 6 9.2 MOVING AROUND 7 9.3 NEW ACCOUNTS 7 9.4 TRANSFERS 7 9.5 CURRENCIES 7 9.6 AUTO DESCRIPTIONS 8 9.7 CATEGORIES 8 9.8 STANDING ORDERS 8 9.9 EDITING TRANSACTIONS 8 9.10 EVALUATING TRANSACTIONS 9 9.11 COPY / INSERT TRANSACTIONS 9 9.12 RECONCILING TRANSACTIONS 9 9.13 DELETING TRANSACTIONS 9 9.14 ARCHIVING TRANSACTIONS 9 9.15 EXPORTING TRANSACTIONS 10 9.16 SUM UP TRANSACTIONS 10 9.17 VIEWING GLOBAL AMOUNT AND BALANCES 10 9.18 PREFERENCES 11 9.19 PASSWORD PROTECTION 11 9.20 COMPRESSION 12 9.21 USEFUL INFO 12 9.22 PRINTING 12 9.23 DIAMOND KEY 12 9.24 PLOTTING ACOUNT DATA 12 9.25 PLUGINS 13 9.26 SWITCHING BACK TO DPBANK WITH A HOTKEY 13 10. REGISTERING DPBANK 13 11. LIMITATIONS AND BUGS 13 12. TECHNICAL 14 13. FUTURE 14 14. THANKS TO 15 15. LEGAL STUFF 15 16. SUPPORT / IDEAS 15 17. AUTHOR 15 18. PLANET PFUND 16 1. Summary This file contains all the necessary information to use and install the DPBank bank accounts tracking program. 2. Foreword For those who never completely read the documentation files: just read the section 7 ``Installation'' and install the online help file which you can delete later when you're used to the program. If you are upgrading from a previous version, I suggest you read the file HISTORY.TXT for a list of changes. All version 1.x files are compatible with this version so you don't need to change anything. You do however need to need to copy the new application file as well as a language file and a help file if you want help. See the ``Installation'' section for details. 3. Introduction DPBank is a program designed to help you keep track of your bank accounts. The program is written in OPL and will only work on Psion Series 3a/3c palmtops. It lacks some of the bells and whistles of the ``big'' shots (like ``S3aBank'') but on the other hand, it offers rudimentary bank account tracking possibilities to those using a 256/512k RAM Psion Series 3a (and all others who care about their precious little RAM ;-) . The objective of this program wasn't to try to compete with such ``monsters'', but give users with lesser needs an easier to use and learn alternative. If you need more than a (fairly) simple bank account tracking program, I suggest you opt for S3aBank, otherwise take a look at section 6 for a list of available features. 4. Distribution DPBank is distributed under the terms of shareware. You can try it freely during a test period of 30 days. After this test period, if you still like and/or use DPBank you must either register it or delete all the files associated to DPBank from your Psion. See the file ``REGISTER.TXT'' for more details. The program can be distributed freely by any electronic means (anonymous FTP sites, BBSes, packet radio ...) provided the file ``DPBANKxx.ZIP'' (where the ``xx'' is the version number) stays intact (see section 7 ``Installation'' for the file's contents). This gives you express right to distribute this program by whatever electronic mean. Software distributors can freely distribute this program on their sharewaredisks, provided that: . You don't charge more than $5 for the service. . The file ``DPBANKxx.ZIP'' stays intact (see section 7``Installation'' for the file's contents). . You don't make any money out of it. Steve Litchfield has specific right to change the ZIP file contents to accomodate his disk's space needs. If you have any technical questions or comments of any kind (good/bad), do, by all means, contact me (Email prefered; see end of file)! 5. Uses DPBank is one of the most useful programs on my Psion (of course, otherwise why would I have written it ;-). It helps me keep track of my bank accounts and I can now have an overview of my bank situation at all times. I've added the possibility to ``see'' into the future for all those who use a lot of standing orders (up to 90 days). I myself am only a (poor) student and I must admit that I don't have hundreds of monthly transactions on my accounts, so this option is not very useful for me. 6. Features . Foreign currencies supported with exchange rates in either local or foreign form . Accounts can be held in foreign currencies . Currency conversions "on the fly" possible . Automatic transaction descriptions supported (avoids unnecessary typing) . Budget categories supported . Shows ``Global'' value (sum of your selected accounts) . Supports unlimited transactions . Supports unlimited monthly standing orders . ``Forecast'' possibility of up to 90 days . Automatically deletes counter part of a deleted transfer (unless it is already reconciled) . Automatically increments cheque number (if account uses cheques) . Supports useful information for each account . Programmed system conform, ie: interacts with the System screen for file changes, exit... . Optional password protection . Dynamically edit transfers . View specific balances, ie: debit/credit/reconciled... . Possible archive of selected transactions . Export of selected transactions to Quicken, ASCII, pure Psion DATA . Printing to either parallel, serial or file (but NOT with PsiPrint!) . Possibility to Sum up transactions with same descriptions or same categories (view or replace transactions) . Possible to evaluate amount (ie: enter 100+23+45 or even use calculator memories!) . Possible warning when reaching user defined limit . Possible automatic monthly interest rate calculation . Optional cache memory . Optional help system . Nice graphic user interface . Possible graphical plotting with external Plot application writen by Nick Dawkins . Plugin capability to allow you to infinitively expand DPBank to do what YOU want or need! 7. Installation Here is a table showing you what files are in the ZIP archive and where to put them on your Psion: File Directory Required Description DPBANK.OPA \APP Yes Executable LANGS01.OPO \APP\DPBANK Yes* UK language file LANGS10.OPO \APP\DPBANK Yes* US language file HELP01.RSC \APP\DPBANK optional UK help file HELP10.RSC \APP\DPBANK optional US help file DPBANKxx.TXT - - Doc in english, ASCII (DOS) format PLUGIN.TXT - - Technical plugin description (for OPL programmers). REGISTER.TXT - - Registration details in English, ASCII format HISTORY.TXT - - History of program, ASCII format *only one language file is necessary! (EITHER langs01.opo OR langs10.opo but not both!) As you can see, only the executable file and one language file is necessary for the program to run. These files can be placed on any drive (A, Internal, or B) of any media type (Internal RAM, Stat RAM, or Flash) as the files do not need modifying. Here are the language codes used for the language and help files: . 01: UK English . 02: French (available separately, look for the file ``DPBxx_FR.ZIP'') . 03: German (available separately, look for the file ``DPBxx_DE.ZIP'') . 08: Norwegian (available separately, look for the file ``DPBxx_NO.ZIP'') . 10: US English (check instead of cheque) If (for example) you own a UK Psion but want to use another language file, this is still possible by overiding your Psion's preference with the help of the LANGS.USR file (included in the different locale files but NOT in this english distribution file). This file must be an ASCII file with only the language number you want to use (from the above list) as the first (and only) line of the file. For a more permanent change of language for your Psion (including the keyboard), I suggest you take a look at Konstantin I. Saliy's excellent KbdMap program. To install DPBank, simply copy the required files to your Psion or use the RCOM installation script. On you Psion, go to the system screen and choose the menu option ``Install'' from the ``Apps'' list (or just press Psion-i for a shortcut). Choose ``DPBank'' and that's it! You will then see the DPBank icon I have drawn. If you wish to uninstall DPBank, you have to remove the \DPBANK directory the program created (as well as all files inside it) and \APP\DPBANK and finally the DPBANK.OPA file in your \APP directory. 8. Memory requirements DPBank requires about 60k of disk space (storage memory). When running, DPBank will need about 30k free (process memory). As you can see, the program was really optimized for people with small memory space. Of course, the counter part of this is that you lose in speed. (Programmer's axiom ;-) Although I tried to make a suitable compromise between space and speed, if you find DPBank too slow, contact me and I'll see what I can do. It may happen that you don't have this memory free if you're really low on mem. The program will warn you and act in consequence. Versions from 1.5 greatly improved the memory checking problem and it should not happen that DPBank exits without warning you that your memory is too low. Of course, if DPBank is running and then you open another application that requires a lot of memory, be sure to close it again before coming back to DPBank otherwise it may happen that DPBank closes itself.