[thkoutsidthebox]

I am happy to announce that current users now have access to the new program via a temporary web site.

The new web site is coming along nicely, and should be done in a few days, when the program will be available to everyone. I was suffering some headaches because I couldn't get my programs publish function to access my server, but its working now. I went with NetObjectsFusion in the end. I'm very happy with it, its a great program.

[thkoutsidthebox]

DSM SYSTEMS NEW WEBSITE NOW AVAILABLE

QUOTE&COST Version 1.5 BETA NOW AVAILABLE

www.dsm-systems.com

[thkoutsidthebox]

Sooo....Hi folks. The comments are conspicuous by their absence! Im not sure if that's a good or bad thing ....

If anyone who has used the program or the demo has comments or suggestions, please feel free to offer up your thoughts. Constructive criticism is welcome of course.

I've only had contact regarding two issues since the release. Which I think is quite good....

One was a mistake while installing, which was easily fixed, and the other was due to an external program interrupting the currency setting procedure. Again easily fixed, but I will elaborate on the programs operation in the first update due to this issue.

If anyone has anything to say, or any issues, please contact me on the forums, or at [email protected].

Thanks.

[thkoutsidthebox]

I have changed the website slightly in some areas to make it look more organised.

I'm trying to work out the technicalities of adding in a secure log-in area for users of the program to access a variety of different things, some of which are new. More info later. I just have to sort out how NetObjects Fusion secure site settings will interact with my service provider and web host......

I'm also gathering a list of things I want to change/add to the first Q&C update. This of course will be a completely free update, and will change the program from Q&C 1.50 to Q&C 1.51. When I have enough things on the list to start on it I'll get cracking, and release it when its done. Probably not for about two months, because I only have three or four things on the list. I'll give more info on these at a later date.

[thkoutsidthebox]

Hi all,

I sat down last night and did up a proper list of items/features I want to add to the Quote&Cost program. Some of these are only minor changes which involve about 100 lines of code, and some are major differences (In the background, not so much visible to the user) which will take a while to work out. Anyway, contrary to my previous post, there is 18 features on the list. Some features are only for investigation, and I don't know yet if I can add them in.

So what I've decided to do is post up the features as they are completed. This way I'm not giving a long list of items which is not confirmed, and I'm not putting too much pressure on myself to get everything done straight away.

Anyway, nt wanting to rest on my laurels, watch this space for news on feature changes.

[thkoutsidthebox]

Feature Update No.1

Hi all,

Today I completed the first feature update. This was something which I thought would be useful myself while using the program.

When compiling a quotation, you can now select from the START screen to 'Ignore Stock'. If this box is checked, then no stock levels will be edited during the quotation process.

This is useful for testing the program, compiling estimates which may not transfer into actual jobs and stock usage, and also if you just don't want to use the stock update feature.

Again, this and the other updates I'll post about over the next while, will be included in the FREE Quote&Cost Version 1.51 Update for current customers.

[thkoutsidthebox]

Unfortunately it's not all good news!

While completing the above feature update, I came across a minor error (ALSO IN DEMO) and tracked it to the Local Currency Setting.

When the Local Currency is set in the program, it changes the formatting of the 'Amount This Job' cell on a number of screens (See list below). On these screens in the compile quotation process, the display will show as a currency value instead of a whole number, which is incorrect. I have fixed this for the 1.51 update.

Please Note: For all intents and purposes, even though the figure displays as a currency value, it acts the EXACT same as a whole number, and makes no difference to the operation of the program. You just pretend that the currency symbol is not there. Because this is only a visual error, I am not releasing an immediate update.

I apologise if this caused any confusion to people learning to use the programs job compilation feature.

AFFECTED SCREENS DURING 'COMPILE QUOTATION':

• General Hardware
  Fasteners
  Adhesives
  Lubricants
  Abrasives
  Paints
  Varnish/Lacquers
  Fillers
  Miscellaneous

[thkoutsidthebox]

The above error is no longer present in the Demo Download, which is being re-published to the website as I type.

[thkoutsidthebox]

Feature Update No.2

Hi again,

A very minor change but I suppose they all add up:

The tax settings area now automatically refreshes its settings to display the saved values whenever its opened.

[thkoutsidthebox]

Feature Update No.3

Hi all,

I have increased the programs loading and shutdown speed by approximately 30%-40%.

[thkoutsidthebox]

Feature Update No.4

I have improved the maths behind the 'Auto-Calc' feature when storing a new employee.

[vikrant2]

I have downloaded the demo and will check it and write my experience on the use of the software.
Regards
Vikrant

[thkoutsidthebox]

Hi all,

I have received an e-mail from Vikrant above highlighting an issue with the demo/program. This is the same issue which was previously highlighted and I mentioned in Post 223 above. I perhaps should have elaborated, but this is covered more in the Version 1.51 upgrade instructions. Please see below so people do not have this issue again:

1. When the program begins it uses a simple 'on/off' command to hide the menu bars in excel. On starting it turns them off, on exiting it turns them on.

2. If for any reason the program does not exit correctly - ie: A cold reboot, power cut etc etc, then the programs exit code to turn them back on obviously did not run. Hence they are not turned back on, and if you run excel as normal after startup you won't see them because they weren't turned back on.

3. This DOES NOT require a Microsoft Excel re-install/repair or anything so extreme. Simply start the Quote&Cost program, and then exit it. The exit code will re-initialise the menu bars.

You do not have to use the 'Exit' button, closing the program with the red X close button on the window will achieve the same result. I sincerely apologise to anyone who has had this issue. I should have explained it in more detail. It is one of the limitations of running within MS Excel. Q&C is essentially controlling another program to allow it to operate.

[thkoutsidthebox]

I have put a note on the websites demo page to explain this to any future people downloading the demo:

http://www.dsm-systems.com/html/free_demo.html

Incidentially, this is most common if a background program interrupts the local currency setting. Again, apologies to Vikrant for the confusion, and if anyone else has had this problem and has not contacted me.

[thkoutsidthebox]

Feature Update No.5

During compiling a quotation, when adding cnc and machinery hours using derived charges, you can now include/exclude electricity using a simple checkbox.

[thkoutsidthebox]

Bug Fix

Hi all.

I have worked pretty continuously since Vikret raised the same toolbar issue for the second time since the Quote&Cost V1.50 release. I am now very happy to announce that the toolbar issue has been fixed in Version 1.51. I have changed the programs setup and shut-down code, and introduced a backup of the toolbar re-initialisation elements. When Version 1.51 is available it should be a thing of the past. While doing this I decided to add another feature please see below:

Feature Update No.6

The Quote&Cost program will now remember your personal Excel default toolbar settings on startup, and return Excel to these settings upon exiting.

[thkoutsidthebox]

Feature Update No.7

This is a biggie! It took nearly three weeks, but I am happy to announce that as from Version 1.51 The Quote&Cost program can run from whatever location and/or hard drive designation you wish. It can even run from a floppy....if you can find one big enough! The requirement for a drive designated 'C:' and a folder 'Program Files' is GONE from the 1.51 update!

This also gives me the pleasure of announcing that BOTH ISSUES/POINTS raised upon the 1.50 release have now been removed/fixed!

[thkoutsidthebox]

Feature Update No.8

Now that I've managed to get the program running from any location, its all ahead full to get the remainder of the updates done!

You can now specify whether the program should compute its calculations and conversions using US Gallons or Imperial Gallons.

[thkoutsidthebox]

Feature Update No.9

Hi again.....already! As I said, full steam ahead!

I have improved the Overheads facility exponentially!! You can see from the screen captures below that there are a large variety of new overheads which can be catered for.

Also there are 6 slots 'Other1 to Other6' into which you can enter your own alternatives. You can also change the names of these to whatever you want so it displays accurately on your print outs. As you can see I changed Other1 and Other3 to Cnczone and Vectric, which they then show up as during the pricing process.

Lastly, during compiling an estimate you can use the check boxes to exclude any of the stored overheads from the current job, and the total is updated in real time as you turn them on/off.

[thkoutsidthebox]

Hi all,

I am attempting to get a V-Bulletin forum up and running on my website. Ironically enough, to do this my web host has said that I have to be on a linux hosting package. As such, I am currently downgrading my hosting from Windows to a Linux based package. I do not know what if any effect this will have on the website! :roll: The information I received is that the website will stay running fine, and that the changeover will take 24-72 hours. If there are issues with the site over the next 72 hours, you now know why! Well, I guess the cats out of the bag now, but this may not go ahead. A different service rep from my web host said I will need to purchase a dedicated or virtual server. Both of these are not affordable right now (Quote&Cost certainly wont pay for it! ), so hopefully the switch to Linux will work instead. Fingers crossed!
Thanks.