Re: [SL] Can't Access "System/Chart of Accounts" Menu

[Mark B. <ma...@ga...>]

On Thu, Nov 09, 2006 at 07:05:14AM -0700, Bill Thoen wrote:
> On Thu, Nov 09, 2006 at 07:50:51AM +0100, Paul Tammes wrote:
> > You could start out by reading the faq, as well as the readme
> > info in the tarball.  Although not exactly a step to step
> > howto, it should enable one to install and log into
> > SQL-Ledger.  The fact one starts at /login.pl instead of
> > /admin.pl suggests to me that neither info was fully read..
> 
> Well, I *have* read the README, several times, and I've looked
> at the FAQ.  I've also scanned the archives and seen that
> "getting started" with SL is a common problem. Since I didn't
> find the answer to my question in those references, I thought
> I'd try the mailing list. 

Ok, I guess you need to read _and understand_ the README.  

It's not a trivial setup.

Postgres permissions are probably the most common error
(different distros have different philosophies).  Although that
doesn't sound like your issue.

Also, distros deal with Perl packages differently.  Fortunately
most have the modules you need packaged so you should not have to
mess with CPAN.

You have to setup Apache to run CGI properly.  

Finally, the file permissions have to be correct in the proper
directories.  For example, the menu file is generated from a
file--are you sure the file permissions in your sql-ledger dir
are correct?

There's only so much you can do to make all these steps simple.

> And I still don't know why I can't access items in the chart of
> accounts after running login.pl short of directly going into
> psql and fooling around with the chart table.

Manually editing SQL entries is always the wrong answer when
working with a good app.  ;)

Is there any info in your apache logs that is relevant?

> The README, if you recall, says to start at admin.pl to set up
> a user. It sure looks to me that this is also where you enable
> or disable menus for the user you are currently modifying. Once
> you set up the user, then you run the program by starting
> login.pl. I've made the user an Administrator and all the menus
> are checked, but when I login as that user I can't view or edit
> any chart of accounts items and I don't know why. Am I doing
> the right steps or is there something else I need to fully
> read?

Something is messed up in your install.  By default, a user see's
all menu items.

I would suggest at a minimum dropping the Postgres DB and
creating a new db with admin.pl.

All the info you need really is in the README.

> Regarding buying the manual, I recognize that you're not just
> paying $190 for a PDF file; you're also supporting all the
> development that goes into the software. But I don't consider
> supporting Open Source a charity, either. The whole system --
> software and documentation -- has got to allow me to get things
> done. It's a little disturbing to hear here such emphatic
> confirmation of my suspicions about the usefulness of the
> manual. I'm moving from several years of using QuickBooks and
> my business is relatively simple, so I don't need training in
> book keeping or software that does much more than basic
> business accounting. But I do need enough help from a manual to
> actually understand how to use software beyond operating the
> controls in a data entry form.

The manual does it's job--that is, explain what the app does: for
example departments, projects, timecards, inventory control, part
transfers, logic customizations, latex templates, etc, etc.  It's
useful to have when you want to start using a new feature in the
app.

But it is not an accounting manual.

m