HOME ACCOUNTS V1.8d (S3A Version) --------------------------------- Copyright F A Richey 1996 As an avid user of the original Series 3 Finance program, I was rather disappointed when the Series 3A version didn't give me the same functionality. I therefore decided to write a program for the 3A which took the best ideas of both programs, and added some extra modules which I would find useful. This program is the result. Versions 1.0-1.7 were well received, so I have incorporated the majority of comments and suggestions I received into this latest version, along with a number of other enhancements. As it stands, this Shareware version is still only intended as a demo, and therefore will allow only a limited number of items, such as 3 Accounts, 5 Standing Orders, 5 Budget Categories, 5 Shares and 5 Rooms for the Home Inventory. Registration will give you more realistic values, such as 20 Accounts and 50 Standing Orders in each Group, and 50 Budget Items, 50 Shares and 20 Rooms. Please pass any problems/comments/suggestions to me by: CompuServe : 100023,543 E-mail (Internet) : alanrichey@msn.com Fax (USA) : (703)-696-5499 If you wish to register the program, please send a cheque (check) for 20 UK pounds or 30US$ (or the equivalent in 'real money' in your currency) to : F A RICHEY F A RICHEY c/o Sonas 6001 Natick Court Calgary Burke, VA 22015 Isle of Mull or USA Argyle PA75 6QT SCOTLAND and mark the envelope: "S3ABANK Registration" Registration gets you a personalised registration code to remove the 'nag' screens, and allow full use of the program (). Note that you will not need a new copy of the program, all the functionality is in there, it just needs the code to 'unlock' it. I will also ensure that this code remains forward compatible for future versions of the program so, unlike other programs, I will not be asking for a further fee for an upgrade. Upgrades will normally be put onto CompuServe, AOL, CIX, Internet and various BBS, and those of you with E-mail addresses will be notified. The archive should contain the following files: \APP\BANKS3A.APP Main program \APP\BANK\BANKS3A1.OVL Essential Overlay \APP\BANK\BANKS3A2.OVL Essential Overlay \APP\BANK\BANKS3A3.OVL Essential Overlay \APP\BANK\BANKS3A.PIC Optional Opening Picture \APP\BANK\BANKS3A.HLP Optional Help Overlay \APP\BANK\BANKSPRT.OVL Optional Printing Overlay \APP\BANK\BANKSBUD.OVL Optional Budget Category Module \APP\BANK\BANKSEXP.OVL Optional Expense Account Module \APP\BANK\BANKSHOU.OVL Optional Home Inventory Module \APP\BANK\BANKSPET.OVL Optional Fuel Consumption Module \APP\BANK\BANKSPLN.OVL Optional Financial Planner Module \APP\BANK\BANKSSHA.OVL Optional Investment Tracking Module \APP\BANK\BANKSUTI.OVL Optional Utilities Tracking Module \APP\BANK\BANKSBUD.HLP Optional Budget Category Module Help file \APP\BANK\BANKSEXP.HLP Optional Expense Account Module Help file \APP\BANK\BANKSHOU.HLP Optional Home Inventory Module Help file \APP\BANK\BANKSPET.HLP Optional Fuel Consumption Module Help file \APP\BANK\BANKSPLN.HLP Optional Financial Planner Module Help file \APP\BANK\BANKSSHA.HLP Optional Investment Tracking Module Help file \APP\BANK\BANKSUTI.HLP Optional Utilities Tracking Module Help file \OPD\S3APRINT.DYL Optional Printer Library File README.NEW "Get you started" instructions for new users README.V17 Upgrade instructions for present users HISTORY.TXT Details of the various upgrades. REGISTER.TXT Details on how to register the program. LICENCE.TXT A licensing Agreement BANK8.DOC Full instructions in Word for Windows (Combines all of the following 4 TXT files) BANK8-1.TXT Initial instructions in ASCII Text format BANK8-2.TXT A Tutorial on using the program BANK8-3.TXT Instructions on the Optional Modules in ASCII Text Format BANK8-4.TXT Advanced Instructions in ASCII Text format BANK8.FAQ Frequently asked questions To Install the program, carry out the following actions: 1. Copy BANKS3A.APP to your \APP\ directory. 2. Generate a Sub-directory \BANK\ under the APP directory, i.e. \APP\BANK\ 3. Copy BANKS3A1.OVL, BANKS3A2.OVL and BANKS3A3.OVL to the \APP\BANK\ Sub-directory. These modules are ESSENTIAL to run the program. 4. You can then copy BANKSBUD.OVL, BANKSSHA.OVL, BANKSPET.OVL, BANKSHOU.OVL, BANKSPLN.OVL, BANKSUTI.OVL, and BANKSEXP.OVL to the sub-directory \APP\BANK\ if you wish to use the Budget, Shares, Petrol, House Contents, Annual Planner, Utilitiy Tracker and Expense Account modules, which are all optional. Also copy BANKS3A.PIC to \APP\BANK\ if you want the opening picture, although this is also optional. 5. If you want to use the optional Print system, then copy the file BANKSPRT.OVL into the \APP\BANK\ Sub-directory, and put the S3APRINT.DYL file into an \OPD\ directory. (Note that this latter file is common to all my programs, so if you are running more than one of them, you will need only one copy of this file) 6. If you want to use the optional On-Line Help system, then copy the BANKS3A.HLP file and any of the optional module Help files you require, to the \APP\BANK\ Sub-directory. 7. Install BANKS3A.APP using as described in the Psion manual. If you fancy a challenge, you can learn everything you need to about the program by playing with it and checking the effect of each MENU selection, as well as the effect of pressing , , or in each screen. However, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, at least read Part 1 of this set of instructions first. I suggest you then work through the tutorial in Part 2, which will familiarize you with all the basic capabilities of the program. If you do 'fly blind' and get into trouble, please read the rest of this document before asking me to help. The majority of questions I receive could have been answered by reading this document. Those that couldn’t I have included in the FAQ file. I have designed this documentation in 4 parts, based on the premise that most people are like me and never read the manual. Part 1 is the Important Notes, please read this at least. Part 2 is a quick tutorial to get you started, Part 3 moves onto other aspects of the program and covers the optional modules and Part 4 goes through the more advanced functions. In the ASCII text version of the instructions these are separate files, in the Word format they are all in one document. PART 1: Important Points to Note: 1. The program is designed to work with all the DATA files on one disc. If you run Groups on different drives (A:, B: or M:) then you will run into problems with some of the data files which are common to all Groups, i.e. Currency, Budget, Shares and Fuel. Therefore, please decide, before you start, on which disc you wish to have your data files. (There is, however, nothing to stop you copying ALL the files to a different drive at a later date, as long as they all remain on the same disc.) The program regularly saves and overwrites the data files to avoid problems with data loss. This means that you should NOT hold the data files on a Flash SSD, but hold them on a RAM SSD or in Internal memory. On the other hand, the program file and the overlays themselves can reside on a different disc, such as a Flash SSD. In fact, this is the ideal solution, as you would not wish to use up valuable internal memory. (I have to admit that some REALLY advanced users do hold data files on 2 different disks, which allows them multiple options of the common files, however, I would not recommend this to the novice) 2. The configuration file and registration details are saved on your default disc in the \OPD\ directory, so don't be surprised if you seem to lose that information (and registration) if you change default discs or delete these files. 3. Please do NOT try changing the name of a Group from the system screen. The title you use for a Group is used for all the data files, not just the one shown under the icon. If you do wish to rename a Group, simply use the 'Save As' file command from within the Program, to save the Group under a new name, change to that new Group, then use the 'Delete Group' command to get rid of the original. 4. I have provided a BACKUP and RESTORE option ( and in the Accounts screen) to enable you to keep a COMPLETE copy of all your data files somewhere else on the system. Although there have only been 2 recorded cases of complete data loss, both with V1.2 and caused by low System Memory, and subsequent versions of the program protect against that problem, I am not so arrogant as to say that there isn't a 'bug' in there waiting to trap the unwary. Personally I use this option every couple of days, as well as Backing up regularly on a PC. I think the program is safe, but I still wouldn't trust it completely. Basically, if you lose some data and you haven't kept a backup of some description, don't expect any sympathy from me !! 5. To register the program, press and CAREFULLY enter the code obtainable from me (or my agent) for the registration fee. 6. Important Note for Non-United Kingdom Users: Before starting to enter data, press and select your country as the Base Currency and the Group Currency. If your country is not shown, jump forward to the 'Currency' part of Part 3 to see how to add your country. This completes the essential reading part, the rest is purely optional !!