Print Multiple Checks

[john linley]

Am requesting assistance in setting up a procedure to prompt user for a starting check number to print and an ending check number to print. In A4, I created a script which defined the report, the report index and displayed a list of checks most recently entered. User typed in the starting and ending checks and pressed {f10}.

As a new user of Alpha5, I am finding many things easier to construct than in Alpha4, but I am also finding the reverse. This is one of them.

I tried creating an Xdialog box promting for check numbers and it worked. I tried to connect the Xdialog box to the report that prints checks, and I failed miserably. Am pulling out what little hair I have left. Please help before I am bald.

john linley

[Tom Cone Jr]

Re: Print Multiple Checks

John, there's an example of something similar in AlphaSports. Choose the Invoice Report(s) option, then study how they produce invoices based on a date range. Should help you a bunch.

Later: Actually, as I look at the code there it might be more than you can handle. There are parts of it that aren't clear to me, either. A simpler approach would be to put a button on your form and use Action Scripting to preview the report layout. Options exist there to define the range of records included in the report.

[john linley]

Re: Print Multiple Checks

TO: Tom Cone

Received your fast response, thanks again...
Will attempt to accomplish this task this weekend. Will the action scripting allow for a user interface giving the user prompts for first and last check numbers to print??? If so, and it is too complex, I may not be able to handle it and I might need further assistance.

Hope that is OK.

I don't know where I would be without the message board and guys like you who are so generous with their time!!!

Kindest regards,

john linley

[john linley]

Re: Print Multiple Checks

Second reply to Tom Cone Jr

Tom. I can currently print a check that was just entered. The check report is OK. The Company also can print multiple checks for payroll.
In accounts payable however, I need to construct something similar to Alpha4 which had a "screenfreeze" in the script which alllowed a user to enter a starting and ending check number to print.

In A5, a print checks button should have the same options - somewhere - for selecting which check numbers to print. I had thought of executing the print based solely on "system->date". This would work if they printed accounts payable checks only once a day. However, I think the Company will probaly need, on occasion, to print a series of checks twice on the same date. With this in mind, I am assuming I need to capture a starting check number variable and an ending check number variable that precedes or is part of the print check routine. I did try to do this in action scripting, but got lost again.

I do not see where in action scripting I can allow the user to enter current starting and ending check numbers.

Still lost at sea,

john

[Tom Henkel]

Re: Print Multiple Checks

John,

You can pass check # into the report or just set up a filter for the report based on the check #'s entered into the x-dialog. The trick is to remove any filtering from the report and use the "query.filter", "query.order" options on the "report.print" command. I've attached a piece of code under a button from a screen. We use it to select records for a report based on starting and ending dates. You should be able to use this as an example for your needs.

By the way, We're in Rochelle Park, not too far from Englewood Cliffs.

'Date Created: 11-Jul-2008 02:12:59 PM
'Last Updated: 23-Jul-2008 02:27:45 PM
'Created By  :
'Updated By  : 
'Prompt for a value using a radio button dialog box.
DIM Shared  audrep as c 
dim shared rep as c
dim global level as c
if level="A"
	'ok
else
	ui_msg_box("Med.Audit Reports","Access Denied")	
	end
end if	
'
'get from and to dates
DIM GLOBAL dFrom as D
DIM GLOBAL dTo as D
DIM Global cTitle as C
Dim shared tpye1 as C
dim shared audrep as C
type1 = "All"
cTitle = ""
dFrom = {}
dTo = {}
DIM SHARED varC_result as C
heading_string = "Medicaid Audit Reports"
ok_button_label = "&OK"
cancel_button_label = "&Cancel"
varC_result = ui_dlg_box(Agency,<<%dlg%
{region}
{text=55,1:heading_string};
{endregion};
{frame=1,1:Report Choice}
{region}
(audrep:Status Changes){lf}
(audrep:Redet Dates Blank on active Cases);
{endregion};
{lf};
{frame=1,1:Please Enter Dates}
{region=a}
Enter Beginning Date:|	[%DATE;P=popup.calendar(dtoc(dFrom));I=popup.calendar%.40dFrom!dFrom_*];
Enter Ending Date:|	[%DATE;P=popup.calendar(dtoc(dTo));I=popup.calendar%.40dTo!dTo_*];
{endregion};
{lf};
{condition=(audrep="Status Changes")}
{region}For Status Change, Please Select: |
(type1:All)|
(type1:Denied Only);
{endregion};
{lf};
{condition=.T.};
{line=1,0};
{region}
<*15=ok_button_label!OK> <15=cancel_button_label!CANCEL>
{endregion};
%dlg%,<<%code%
if left(a_dlg_button,6) = "dFrom_" then 
	if a_dlg_button = "dFrom_killfocus" then 
		dFrom = ctod(dtoc(dFrom))
	end if 
	a_dlg_button = ""
end if 

if left(a_dlg_button,4) = "dTo_" then 
	if a_dlg_button = "dTo_killfocus" then 
		dTo = ctod(dtoc(dTo))
	end if 
	a_dlg_button = ""
end if
%code%)
if varC_result = "Cancel"
	ui_msg_box(agency,"Action Cancelled at User Request")
	end
end if
if audrep = "Status Changes"
	rep="Medaud Statchng"
	if type1 = "All"
		cTitle = "Status Changes"
		filter = ".not.isblank(\"B_Stat\").and.B_Stat<>A_Stat.and.BETWEEN(A_Cdate,[VarD->dFrom],[VarD->dTo])"
	  else
	  	cTitle = "Cases Denied"
	  	filter = ".not.isblank(\"B_Stat\").and.B_Stat<>A_Stat.and.A_Stat=\"D\".and.BETWEEN(A_Cdate,[VarD->dFrom],[VarD->dTo])"
	end if
  elseif audrep="Redet Dates Blank on active Cases" 
	rep="Medaud Redetchng"	
	filter = "B_Redetdate<>{}.and.a_Redetdate={}.and.(A_Stat=\"M\".OR.A_Stat=\"N\".OR.A_Stat=\"A\").AND.BETWEEN(A_Cdate,[varD->dFrom],[varD->dTo])"
end if

debugcheck()
Query.filter = replace_parameters(filter,local_variables())
Query.order = ""
'Prompt user whether to print, or preview the layout. Set default to Preview 
prompt_result = ui_get_print_or_preview("Preview ")
If prompt_result = "Print" then
	:Report.Print(rep,Query.filter,Query.order)

 Else if prompt_result = "Preview" then 
	:Report.Preview(rep,Query.filter,Query.order)
End if
end

The trick here is to use the "replace parameters" command. It takes your variables and converts them to text used in the "query.filter". The filter needs to be a text field. If you modify the code a bit and use Numeric variables for starting and ending check #'s instead of starting and ending dates, it should work. You will need to remove some of the things specific to my application. If you set your "query.order" to check #, I think you will get the results you need.

Tom

[Keith Hubert]

Re: Print Multiple Checks

Hi John,

A consideration when printing cheques whether singly or multiple, and that is reprints. Do you allow them or not?

If a payment has been made, how do you prevent a duplicate payment?

Just a passing thought.

[Tom Henkel]

Re: Print Multiple Checks

Keith is right. Unless you want a rela fiscal mess on your hands, you need to identify that you have printed the checks.

In our check print routine, we use the beginning and ending check numbers as a range for an update of the payment records. using that range, we update a "printed" field with the date that the checks were printed.

Tom

[john linley]

Re: Print Multiple Checks

TO: Tome Cone Jr: Tom Henkel: Keith Hubert

Gentlemen:

In response to your responses, I submit the following...

First, Thanks to all for trying to help.

Second, The issue of duplicate checks is not a pressing matter as of this moment. Frankly, I had never thought of it. The ladies using A4 software are crackerjack office people and in over ten years, none has printed a check twice. However, finding a way to 'flash' should someone attempt to pay an invoice twice is of interest.

Third, the lengthy code suggested is a bit much for this new convert to A5.
I doubt I can handle it. If it is the only way to accomplish printing multiple checks, I will have to spend a great amount of time on this project.

Was I on the wrong track trying to combine an Xdialog box with a print check report operation? I have attached ask variables to operations as suggested by Tom Cone with success. This seems a similar situation.

In the almost one year, I have been using A5, I have learned a lot. I use the message board and the help file, although, I seem to get more from the Mesage Board. It seems as if I am becoming an alphaholic also, but on a much much lesser level. What else does a 75 year old have to do!

Well, hopefully, someone will find the time to resolve my problem of the moment. Kindest regards to all.

john linley

[Jay Talbott]

Re: Print Multiple Checks

John,
Not to add to an already complex issue, but you could save the last check # that was printed and offer the next incremental value as the default value of the first check to be printed during the next check run.

I usually put a start table in all my apps to hold junk like that. Others refer to it as a dummy table. It can have three or four character fields, three or four logical fields, three or four numerical fields, three or four date fields and a few memo fields. You can stick the number of the "last check printed" in one of the text fields and then increment it and offer it as the default number of the first check to be printed next time. It might also flag if a check is stolen.

Good luck.
Jay Talbott

[Keith Hubert]

Re: Print Multiple Checks

Hi John,

Well, hopefully, someone will find the time to resolve my problem..

Does this mean you have not done this?

Was I on the wrong track trying to combine an Xdialog box with a print check report operation?

You are on the right track, if your Cheques report has a field which is the cheque number then this is very simple even a youngster of 75 like you can do it.

From a print button on a form you will have two Action Scripts, the first will be your own Xdialog to ask for the first and last numbers. The second will be the report with the cheque details. The filter for the report will be between(cheque_no,Variable_1,Variable_2) which will be the two variables from the Xdialog, and that should do the trick.

The code that Tom Henkel gave you was an Xdialog which contained a start and end date for the print range. He then went on to say

If you modify the code a bit and use Numeric variables for starting and ending check #'s instead of starting and ending dates

That was assuming the cheque #s were numeric.

Let us know how you get on.

[Tom Cone Jr]

Re: Print Multiple Checks

John, I still think the action scripting solution is the easiest by far. Here's a simple example. -- tom

[DaveM]

Re: Print Multiple Checks

A form with a beginning and ending check number is basically the same and a filter in the report using the 2 date variables will accomplish this simply.

If you have a check off field in the table with the check numbers, they can be marked as done when you print. this could stop further prints and shouldin my humble opinion be included in the report filter.

if you want to reprint a check it could be overridden with a seperate operation.

using "done" as your field and vars holding checkstart and checkend: filter would be something like
between(checknumer,checkstart,checkend).and. done=.f.

you could even put the above in a variable and pass it to the report. it would give you the option for many parameters.

.


.


.

[john linley]

Re: Print Multiple Checks

TO: Tom Cone

Received your fast response, thanks again...
Will attempt to accomplish this task this weekend. Will the action scripting allow for a user interface giving the user prompts for first and last check numbers to print??? If so, and it is too complex, I may not be able to handle it and I might need further assistance.

Hope that is OK.

I don't know where I would be without the message board and guys like you who are so generous with their time!!!

Kindest regards,

john linley

[john linley]

Re: Print Multiple Checks

from: john linley

to: Keith; Tom H: Tom C: Jay: Dave M;


Gentlemen,

Hip hip hooray, printing multiple checks is now functioning correctly. Many many thanks to all. For awhile I was continuing to have problems, receiving various error messages. I kept trying and finally erased the original xdialog box and re-wrote it. I don"t know exactly what I did wrong the first time, but the xdialog works fine with the print check report. I still have a little hair left. Thank you all for letting me to keep it intact.

To: Tom Cone Jr. I have given consideration to your proposal and am looking into installing one of the software programs you suggested. I do
anticipate needing further assistance down the road with other projects.
Will contact you further about this later on.


Regards to all, and again, many thanks.

john linley