Read Me

The last entry in this document is always the latest.

Please also read any and all other readme, README type files for more
information.

Note that later entries, in many cases has replaced previous notes regarding
status of the ACAS system,

   THIS IS A WORK IN PROGRESS and has better stock/sales
   integration, work has started including rdbms code.

30/01/2018 - vbc 3.2.00 Inital Alpha release as a nightly build.
   Coding has now been completed with testing to start.

   DO NOT USE THIS FOR ANY FORM OF PRODUCTION.
   As supplied this has had none to very little testing.

12/03/2018 - vbc 3.2.00 Manuals been undergoing updates as well as new manuals:
   Building the ACAS System - covers :
   installing the GC Cobol compiler with all needed extra
   packages, building and running all tests.
   Installing the ACAS code and building the system using
   the GC (GnuCOBOL) Cobol compiler.
   Installing the MySQL or Mariabdb RDBMS system along
   with the Mysql Workbench administration tool.
   Installing the ACAS database and all tables.
   Other notes usefull to new adminstrators of the ACAS
   system including all Warning and Error messages
   produced by all programs and ACAS systems.
   Additional information as I continue with manual
   changes for the other manuals and wring the missing ones.
   Most of the new manuals and current manual updates for
   v3.02 will occur during detailed system testing but
   hoping to get basic one's finished before hand for the
   missing manuals for Purchase Ledger as well as major
   Sales Ledger manual updates.

13/03/2018 - vbc 3.2.00 Changes to :
           The DAL deliveryMT.scb and the rdb table DELIVERY-RECORD has been
           changed to DELIVERY-REC as all the other tables end in -REC.
           Effective tonights nightlybuild so remember to re-compile all.
           IF you need it I have a sql script to run to update an existing
           ACASDB.
           Just let me know and I will add it to the nightlies.

          This comment also in README.SVN file.

24/04/2018 - vbc
          Reminder that the nightlybuild on SF is not up to date so to get 'the'
          latest as updated at midnight (UK local time) get from :
          http://applewood.linkpc.net/files/acas/nightlybuilds/

          The only file is ACAS-Nightly.rar although ther is also
          ACAS-Test-Data.rar which I use for testing !

          This file is refreshed at midnight and then saved as the above if any
          changes have occured.

06/06/2020 - vbc
          The above url was updated today despite it being in use for over a
          year.
          applewood.linkpc.net is the site name in use.
          Manuals in ACAS-Manuals have been updated although there is still a
          lot more to do and there a new manual but still being workerd on.

16/04/2024 - vbc
          Nightly builds updated on SF as well as in the cvs code base. I am
          trying to remember to keep this up to date at least on a weekly basis
          but cannot find a way of doing it in a automatic manner using Linux
          crontab process mostly cause bu the need to input the password.

          Manuals are still being updated with new one's added.

          For Sales Ledger coding for Back order processing has been completed
          although needs to be tested  which is about to start. These extra
          processes includes changes to sl010, sl910 and new program sl970.
          Also in Stock control - st010 and st020.

          Recurring invoices programming has also been completed but again needs
          testing as well. There is also some coding for similar in Purchase
          ledger but is currently incomplete as the need for it here is
          undetermined.  Options ?

          I have added a new nightly file : OE-nightly.rar which is/was an
          experiment where the code was taken from an archived tandy website.
          I migrated the code over from RM Cobol v1.4 or about to GnuCobol and
          while testing have had to make a lot of changes to clear a lot of bugs
          mostly from the original code.

          While testing I found only one extra features present that was not in
          ACAS namely Back Order Processing but only to reporting stage nothing
          beyond. Hence the reason for putting the feature in ACAS Sales and
          Stock. The one other feature? that OE has is dealing with Salesmen and
          their commissions but as there is no actual Payroll system to link to
          it is a bit pointless and as there is no Payroll in ACAS, likewise.

          Why would any business want to pay people a commission taking orders
          over the telephone ?

          So, with that the only feature in OE that differs from ACAS I have now
          stopped doing any work on it but have made it available to any one who
          want to take a look at the code base and before you ask no, that is how
          I found it but remember in the late 70's micro's had very small amount
          of Ram to work with such as 640kB and floppy disks as there storage
          medium. So very tight when programming an application.
          There original ACAS code was also tightly packed but using separate
          modules to handle screen output and keyboard input was never
          considered as the Cobol compiler used did a reasonable job of it - MF
          CIS Cobol and may we we had more experience of programming in Cobol.


Vincent B Coen.