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ChxWrite A program for writing checks and maintaining check account records on an IBM-PC. copyright 1986 by Michael D. Brown 6019 Kilgore Ave. Muncie IN 47304 Individuals are granted permission by the author to freely copy this ChxWrite diskette for their own use or for evaluation by other individuals, as long as no price or other consider- ation is charged. (However, a disribution charge may be made for the cost of the disk, shipping and handling as long as the charge is not more than $6 total.) ChxWrite may not be rented to others or sold as part of some other more inclusive package. 1 Use these explanatory sections to walk yourself through the program for the first time (perhaps using the sample record files provided: checks.dta and checks.inx). Refer to them only when needed. If you have any computer experience at all, you'll find that most of ChxWrite is self explanatory. Later, use them with the index to answer your questions about ChxWrite's features, the use of utility programs, etc. STARTING The ChxWrite PROGRAM To run the program, make sure the following files are in the current directory: ChxWrite.exe checks.dta (Or the .dta, inx. and .frm files of your account; checks.inx see "Creating and Changing Check Record Files" checks.frm for more information.) In answer to the DOS prompt, type "ChxWrite" and press return. ChxWrite first asks you to enter the name of the checking account you want to work with. After you've created your own account files, you'll enter a name here. But if this is your first time through, just press return and the default name "checks" will be entered for you. (This means that, if you're always going to be working with the same checking account, you can name it "checks" and save typing the name here and in check printing, where the default name is "checks.frm.") Using Auto-Balance This feature keeps a running checkbook balance as you write, print and save checks. If your balance gets into the red, this feature warns you. To turn on Auto-Balance, enter a number. Not entering a number tells ChxWrite that you don't want to use this feature during this session. Using the STR Extra Comment option This feature allows a comment (maximum 25 characters) to be entered when a check is saved and then printed on the Session Trans- action Report at the end of the session . For more information, see SAVING YOUR CHECK RECORDS and the sub-section, "Paper Records for Your Checks." If this is your first time through ChxWrite, just press the space bar and this option will be turned off. Now ChxWrite asks you for the number of a check record to edit. In other words, it's time to write a check and ChxWrite wants to know which old check record to base the new check upon. For information on selecting an old check record, see CHOOSING A RECORD TO EDIT below. If you want to get started writing a check right away, just press return and the default record, #1, will be chosen. 2 WRITING A CHECK You'll see that a graphic representation of a check appears in the upper part of the screen. You'll use this as a guide for entering the information which will be printed on your paper checks. Notice that there are areas where different kinds of information will go. Also notice that the name of the current .dta file (or "checking account") appears on the check in the upper left hand corner. This part of ChxWrite is analogous to filling in the information on a regular paper check, except that, -ChxWrite automatically fills in much of the information for you, -ChxWrite allows you word-processor style editing of the information. If you've ever used a word processor, full screen editor, PC-FILE, or other program with data input and editing facilities, using ChxWrite will be a snap. You simply use the up and down cursor keys (or Return) to move from one area of the check to the next. You will start at the date, jump from there to the amount, then to the payee name, and so on. In each area (or "field"), you may overtype the information already there, use the space and backspace keys to erase, the right and left cursor keys to move without erasing, and so on. When you're finished editing, press F10 and ChxWrite shows you what the check will look like when printed. It's that simple. Now let's look at the fields of the check, one at a time... The DATE ChxWrite enters the date for you automatically, always beginning with the current date, from DOS. When you change this date, ChxWrite assumes you want this new date on your checks for the rest of the session. The date isn't checked for any standard format, so you may enter it any way you like, with hyphens, slashes, whatever. To have a blank date, just erase the current date with the space bar. When you're done with the date, ChxWrite left justifies it for you and moves you to... The AMOUNT This is the amount which the check will be cashed for. If you are using an old check record as a basis for this check and the amount that appears is not the amount you want for this check: - erase the old amount (using the space bar) and enter a new one - or overtype those characters which you want to change. As in other places, ChxWrite will try to see that you enter appro- priate information, so, if you type a letter rather than a number here, you will hear a beep. (You'll also be beeped at if you exceed the limit on the number of characters.) The limit is $99,999.99. A later verssion of ChxWrite will support writing checks for larger amounts. If you enter an even dollar amount, ChxWrite will, after you've finished editing the check, add the cents, (e.g. $10 will become $10.00). Also, if you specified the balance option, your trial checkbook balance will be altered by the amount of the check. 4 --Recording a Deposit-- The standard way to keep track of deposits with ChxWrite is to make the first letter of the payee name a "+" character. ChxWrite then assumes that the record is a deposit when calculating the balance and in some other areas. However, it is not necessary that ChxWrite keep a record of deposits at all, par- ticularly if you are using this program along with a regualar paper checkbook where your deposits may be recorded or if you don't want ChxWrite to help keep track of your balance. Once again, maximum flexibility is the goal. In fact, using ChxWrite' files with PC-File, you could use the account number, check number or even memo fields (by changing them, in the filename.hdr file, to numeric fields) along with PC-File's powerful report features to keep a record of the balance in just about any way you can imagine. The PAYEE NAME This, of course, is the name of the entity to which the check will be paid. The limit is 25 characters. (As with all data, try to avoid the "^" and "\" characters, which ChxWrite and PC-FILE use internally as control characters.) When the payee name is typed in the way you want, press down arrow or Return and move to... The ADDRESS, LINES 1,2 and 3 Normally, the first line would be the street address and would be printed on the check below the the payee name so that the name and address will show up in a window envelope. (See below for instructions on using the program MAKEFORM.EXE to make ChxWrite print the fields wherever you want on the checks. See "Using Your Check Records with Other Programs" for information on addressing envelopes.) The limit for each address line is 20 characters. An address is optional, so any or all of these lines may be left blank. MEMO 1 And MEMO 2 These are fields which can optionally be printed on the check or check stub in positions specified using MAKEFORM.EXE (they will always be saved in the record in the .dta file whether printed on the check or not). Put whatever information you like here - it is for your use. If you choose to use memo 1 for invoice numbers, for example, ChxWrite could search your check records for certain invoice numbers, or PC-File could sort the records by invoice number. Of course, the memo fields can print on the check itself as opposed to printing on the stub. You might set aside one of the memo's for information, such as insurance policy numbers, which are to be printed somewhere on the check itself. ACCOUNT NUMBER This would normally be the number of an account in a system for keeping track of expenses for tax records, budgeting or whatever purpose (although it could be used for invoice numbers, voucher numbers, etc. just as easily). Using PC-FILE or other data base programs, you can easily print quite complex and useful reports of expenses. Of course, you don't have to worry about that when you're learning to use ChxWrite and setting up your first checking account. 5 If you later want to set up a budget, tax record system, etc., it will be easy to use PC-file or other data base program to go back and add account numbers to your check records. For more information on creating a tax record system, see the section "Using ChxWrite with PC-File." [note: this information may be found in the printed documentaion only] [CHKNO] There is another field, called "chkno" which cannot be edited from ChxWrite. Sophisticated users of PC-FILE or other data base management programs may use this field for such things as keeping absolute record numbers of data bases which are to be sorted, recording the number of the actual paper check on which the data was printed, extended account record keeping, etc. See the section on using ChxWrite with PC-FILE [or CHECK REGISTER] for more information. The extended documentation received by registered users also contains more information on using this field. Account Number is the last field you need to edit. When it's done, pressing Return (or down arrow) puts you back at Date. You may re-edit the fields as much as you need to. When the check information is correct, press F10 to tell ChxWrite you are finished. (Don't worry if you aren't sure that you're done; the record will neither be saved nor the check printed yet. The balance isn't even changed until the check is saved. Even after saving, it's easy to go back and change any record in a file. With ChxWrite, it's very hard to make a "permanent" mistake.) If you made changes to the record, ChxWrite now shows you a graphic representation of how the check will look when printed. (Of course, the positions of the fields may be quite different on your paper checks, as specified using MAKEFORM.EXE). Below the check is a menu of things you can have ChxWrite do next. The most likely choice is to print the check, so that's the easiest to choose. However, any option can be chosen by pressing the high- lighted keys. Choosing List (by pressing "L" or F9) lets you list the records in your .dta file. (Note, though, that unless you first save the changes made to the check, they will be lost). If you want to write another check (or edit a different record) either press "W" or enter the .dta file record number. From this menu you may also change to a different .dta file (by pressing "C"). For more information about this, see the Section, "Creating and Changing Check Record Files." As usual, Esc or F8 lets you quit what you're doing (and, in this case, go to the end of the program where you can print a Session Transaction Report and return to DOS). To save the check, press "S" and ChxWrite will show you the Save Menu. For more information, see the section below, "SAVING YOUR CHECK RECORDS." 6 PRINTING YOUR CHECKS After you've selected the print option, ChxWrite will ask you what .frm file to use to print the check. The use of a file which contains the data ChxWrite will use to print your checks is a way to allow you maximum flexibility. ChxWrite's goal is to be able to print on almost any printer and to print on any kind of check which your printer can physically handle. This allows you, for example, to use totally different check forms for different checking accounts. If you write checks at odd times throughout the day (perhaps to pay for deliveries), keep blank checks loaded in your slow printer and use your fast printer for something else. Then, when you want to print your monthly batch of bills on your fast printer, all you have to do is switch printer cables (version 1.1 of ChxWrite can switch between multiple printers without leaving the program) and specify a different .frm file to make ChxWrite print properly on the different printer. For complete information on setting up a form file for your printer, see the section, "USING The UTILIITES PRTRFORM AND MAKEFORM." Before printing, make sure your checks are properly aligned in your printer. If you've set up your form file correctly, after printing, ChxWrite should finish with the next check form in position to be printed upon. Nothing else happens during check printing except that a check gets printed. In other words, the actual physical printing does not cause the record to be saved or the files to be changed in any way. This means that if your printer chews up a check, or something else goes wrong, all you have to do is tear up the check, write "VOID" on the carbon, stub, STR comment (see below for more infor- mation) or whatever and try printing it again. SAVING YOUR CHECK RECORDS When you're using your personal checkbook to pay a bill, the first thing you probably do after writing a check is to record the amount, payee name, etc. in the checkbook register. Same with ChxWrite. After editing the check (and before or after printing it), you need to save the check information in a record in a disk file. What's the difference between a check and a check record? Well, as with a regular checkbook, just because a check was written doesn't mean it was recorded. Conversely, a record in the checkbook register doesn't mean a check was necessarily written. In fact, records of deposits as well as records of checks occupy entries in a check register. (See WRITING CHECKS for instructions on recording deposits.) A record in the .dta file may actually be used to store anything you like, in the same way that you can write anything you like in a blank line of you checkbook register. ChxWrite stores records in disk files ending in the extension, ".dta" (an abbreviation of "data"). These records are stored in such a way that the data base program PC-FILE can read, write, sort, search and report on them just the same as it can any other records. It can even import and export them so that other programs (like Lotus 1-2-3, Wordstar, dBASE, Microsoft WORD, Visi-Calc and others) can use them. 7 So, for tax reports, budgets, expense account records, etc., just about anything that can be done with data, from graphs to word processing, can be done with your check records, probably even using a program you're already familiar with. See "Using Your Check Records With Other Programs" for more information. To save the record, you will choose either Append or Overwrite. Pressing "A" (or F10 or Return) means that the record will be appended to the end of the .dta file. "O" means that you will be asked to select a record which will be overwritten by the new record. This is like erasing an old entry in the checkbook register and writing a new one in its place. --Correcting Errors-- If you save incorrect data to the .dta file and later want to chnage it, here's one way: - specify the record to be changed as the old record to be used in writing a check - make the necessary corrections - choose the overwrite option when saving - specify the old, incorrect record as the record to be overwritten Of course, if you have PC-File, it can be used to quickly and easily modify check records. You may also now Create new .dta and .inx files (by pressing "C"). The Save Menu is the only place in ChxWrite from which new checking account files can be created. For more information, see the section, "Creating and Changing Check Record Files." When you choose the option A or O, one thing that happens is that ChxWrite decides you're fairly sure this check is permanent (remember though that even after saving, it's easy to go back and correct errors), so the balance is altered by the amount of the check. Notice that you are given the choice of entering a different amount, perhaps to alter the balance so as to correct for a previous error, or for any other reason. This is an example of ChxWrite' flexibility. In using computers (particularly when dealing with money) users are often afraid of making some terrible, uncorrectable error. But in ChxWrite, almost anything that can be done can be easily changed. If, when starting ChxWrite, you chose to activate the STR Comment option, you will now be given the opportunity to enter a comment which will be printed on the Session Transaction Report (e.g noting that this check was not actually printed, that this transaction was a withdrawal from a bank machine, or whatever). This comment will neither be printed on the check nor saved in the file record. For more information, see STARTING The ChxWrite PROGRAM and the sub- section, "Paper Records for Your Checks." 8 CHOOSING A RECORD TO EDIT In ChxWrite, there's no such thing as a blank check. This is where the analogy between ChxWrite and a paper checkbook breaks down. When you want to write a check, you MUST first choose an old check record. The new check record will always be an edited version of an old record. (You will probably want to keep record #1 in all .dta files as a record with blanks in all the fields, to be used when writing checks to brand new payees, but this is NOT the same as writing new data onto a succession of blank records.) What check record do you choose? Obviously, you want to make ChxWrite do as much of the work as possible (while consequently leaving as little as possible for yourself). So you want the old check most similar to the one you're about to write. Normally, this would be a record with the same payee name and address, but using records with the same account numbers, amounts or memos as the check you're going to write will save you that much data entry effort. There are several ways to find the old record on which you want to base your new check: -- Listing the Records Pressing F9 (or 'L') normally lets you list the records. You are first prompted for a record at which to start listing (obviously, if you have 700 records, you don't always want to start listing at record #1). F10 or "P" causes a page of records to be listed; otherwise they're listed one at a time. "U" means "Use the last listed record for writing the new check." "S" means "Stop listing and prompt me for a record number." If the end of the .dta file is found, listing stops and you are prompted for the number of the record to use. If ChxWrite can't figure out what record you want to use, record #1 is always the default. -- Searching the Records Four fields of your check records can be searched: * payee name * amount * memo 1 * chkno (See "Writing A Check" for more information on this field.) Search works this way: Instead of typing a record number, type a word or number which you know to be somewhere in (not necessarily at the start of) one of the above fields in the old check record you're looking for. After you've typed it, DON'T press Return. Instead, terminate with a function key F1-F4. The choice of function key determines which field will be searched. (This method of choosing may seem a little strange at first, but believe me, it cuts down on the number of keystrokes and the time spent reading menus.) 9 The search is of "instring" type and case is ignored. Typing "ibm" finds both "IBM" and "Stibmueller." On-screen instructions give more information about using search. -- PAYEENAM's List Running the utility program, PAYEENAM.EXE, prints a list of unique payee names (i.e., even though you may have four checks to "Lowery's Candy, Inc.", the name will only appear on the list once) sorted alphabetically. Run PAYEENAM periodically and keep the current list with your checkbook. It's a quick and easy way to find check records. For more information, see the subsection, PAYEENAM. Once you've found the number of the old record, you enter it, ChxWrite draws a check on the monitor with the current date in the date field, the old record's data in the other fields, and you're ready for WRITING THE CHECK. Paper Records For Your Checks If you maintain good backup habits, records stored on magnetic media are every bit as safe as those stored in any other way. Still, there are those to whom nothing is real until it's in ink on pressed tree pulp. These throwbacks to the pre-electronic age will not feel right unless a thorough record of their checks is on paper. For these individuals (not necessarily for the more enlightened, like you and me, of course), ChxWrite' transactions are backed up on paper in several ways: 1. If you use continuous form checks, they would normally offer one or both of these options: A. stubs on which, using the memo fields, you can print a record of the payee name, amount, etc. B. a carbon copy or copies 2. ChxWrite will print, at the end of a session, a Session Transaction Report to your printer. This lists the checks written and prints the total amount of the checks (useful if you are using ChxWrite in conjunction with a regular paper checkbook) and the old and new balances (if the balance option was specified at session start). 3. Use PC-File, or another data base program to which PC-FILE can export data (or any program, such as a word processor, which can read ASCII files), to report on or list the records in any way you like. 4. Cancelled checks, of course. You may find that you soon have a record of your check transactions that is so complete and so voluminous as to become confusing. For my personal checking account, I've found it best to keep the Session Transaction Reports in a file folder as my main paper record. This provides a complete, well organized record of my transactions. I keep cancelled checks in a metal file box. The rest of the stuff, I put in a big manilla envelope (just in case lightning strikes my house, fries my hard disk, erases my backups and starts a fire which burns up my cancelled checks). 10 CREATING And CHANGING CHECKING ACCOUNTS ChxWrite can handle an infinite number of different checking accounts. All you need to create a new checking account is a name to give it and the disk space to store it. And, once they've been created, you can change from one checkbook to another as often as you like, without ever leaving ChxWrite. If you've used other check account programs, you might find this hard to believe. But not only is it true, it's very, very easy. Creating the Files for a New Checking Account While in the Save menu, press 'C.' The check information you are currently saving (usually a check with all fields blank) will be the first record in your new checkbook. ChxWrite now asks you for the name of your new checking account. The name can be any legal file name (see your DOS manual for rules on acceptable file names) NOT including any extension. I named my personal checking account "mikechks and the first business account "lwrchks1." You may designate a drive or subdirectory if you want your new files to be stored anywhere other than the current directory of the default drive. ChxWrite will now create files with the name you chose and the extensions ".dta" and ".inx." Both of these files must be accessible to ChxWrite when working with this checking account. If, at program startup, you indidcate that you want to work with "c:\ChxWrite\mychcks" then ChxWrite will assume that both "mychcks.dta" and "mychcks.inx" are located on drive c: in the subdirectory "ChxWrite." If you want to use ChxWrite records with PC-FILE, you will also need a file with the name you chose and the extension ".hdr". All ChxWrite files have exactly the same contents in their .hdr files. So all you need to do to create this file is rename any current .hdr file. To do this, while in DOS: 1. Copy "checks.hdr" (or any ChxWrite file with the extension ".hdr") to a "neutral" disk (i.e. one where the actual .hdr file, "checks.hdr" or whatever, is not stored). E.g., "copy a:checks.hdr b:" 2. Change the default directory to the "neutral" directory. E.g., "b:" 3. Change the name of "checks.hdr" to the name of your new checking accpunt. E.g., "rename b:checks.hdr b:mychcks.hdr" 4. Copy the newly renamed .hdr file to the drive where its .dta and .inx files are stored. E.g., "copy b:mychcks.hdr a:" (See the DOS manual for more information about the RENAME command.) REMEMBER, you need a .hdr file only if you want to use your check records with PC-FILE. ChxWrite does not need this file to operate. 11 Changing To A Different Checking Account After editing a check, ChxWrite presents you with a menu which includes the option of changing to a different checking account. To choose this option, press 'C.' Now ChxWrite prompts you for the name (to be entered with no extension) of the files in which the records are stored. After you've entered the name, ChxWrite gives you choices for how you would like to procede. These options are explained on the screen. From now on, until you either end ChxWrite or change to a different checking account, all changes made will be saved to the files which contain the records for the checking account you've just changed to. NOTE: When the Session Transaction Report is printed at the end of the session, ChxWrite (in this version) has no way of knowing which account a particular transaction involved, or any way of accessing different account files while printing, so, if you want a STR printed for the records saved to the previous account, YOU MUST PRINT IT BEFORE CHANGING ACCOUNTS. To get back to the original checking account, or to change to yet another account, just repeat the procdure. There is no limit on the number of different checking accounts you, or any one else using your copy of ChxWrite, may have, and no limit on the number of times you may change accounts in a session of ChxWrite. ENDING ChxWrite From the final menu, you can, print the Session Transaction Report (see the subsection "Paper Records for Your Checks") to either the screen or the printer, exit ChxWrite and go to DOS, or continue ChxWrite. If you choose to continue ChxWrite, you will not continue from where you were before this menu. Rather, you will restart the program, designating a new checking account, etc. NOTE: It's important to exit ChxWrite properly, from this menu. Just turning off the computer without exiting properly can screw up your files. 12 Getting Started Using ChxWrite for Your Checks Let's say that you've tried ChxWrite with the sample file, you've seen that it can save you time and effort, improve you record keeping, and so on, and you want to start using it to write your checks. What should you do first, throw your old checkbook away? Of course not. You'll still want to use it to write checks, if only because you probably can't (as yet anyway) take your computer and printer along every time you may want to write a check. Fortunately, ChxWrite will work quite comfortably with your present check writing system. Here's all you do: After writing a batch of checks with ChxWrite, just enter the total of the amounts the checks were written for (using the total on the STR or, after specifying a balance of zero at session start, the negative balance at the end of the session) in your checkbook register (or on your check stub or wherever is appropriate given your method of record keeping) as if it were for one check, and adjust your balance accordingly. Of course, if your accountant works with your check book, reconciling your checks, keeping your tax records, whatever, you'll want to him or her to know about the change. If your printer can handle single sheets, you could possibly start using ChxWrite to print your checks right away with checks from your checkbook. Eventually though, you'll want to use continuous form checks. If you don't already have continuous form checks here's what you do to start using them: 1. Check with your bank to make sure it's okay. 2. Visit or call your favorite business supply store. 3. If you don't have a favorite business supply store, or they can't supply you with the checks, there are numerous mail order sources for continuous form checks. I buy both my personal and business checks from NEBS 500 Main St. Groton MA 01471-0005 1-800-225-9550 They have many different check forms (most accounting packages, even those charging five or six hundred dollars for accounts payable alone, cannot handle check forms which vary even slightly from the ones they require). I use form 9025 for my personal checking accout and 9022 (which has a carbon copy) for my business accounts. But ChxWrite will happily print on any check form you choose. All you'll have to do to order checks is supply your name and address and send one of your current checks so they can reprint the routing information. I also use their Duo-Vue (TM) envelopes. With these, your address shows through the upper window and the payee's address is visible through the lower. (For on easy method of addres- sing your envelopes, see "Using ChxWrite with Other Programs." The following information is current as of 7-86 and is included only to give you a rough idea: 9025 Multipurpose Check. $57.50 for 1000 9022 Multipurpose Check (2 part carbon) $97.00 for 1000 Checks can be ordered in quantities as small as 500 In large quantities, they can cost as little as @ .03 13 If you like and use ChxWrite, you'll want to receive the benefits of becoming a registered user, for a small contribution ($20) sent to me, Michael Brown 6023 Kilgore Ave. Muncie IN 47304 For more information, see "Becoming a Registered User." ________________________________________________________________________ USING THE UTILITY PROGRAMS PRTRGRID.EXE prints a grid on your printer. The purpose of the grid is to aid you in finding the line/ column coordinates where fields of data should be printed. While this grid is needed to set up your check printing, it may also be useful setting up or writing other programs which produce printed forms. The grid produced will look something like this: 1000000001111111111222 Line numbers are at the left edge of the 2234567890123456789012 grid. Column numbers appear horizontally 3 + + + + + + + along the top edge. 4 5 Column 1 is the column where the first 6 + + + + + + + digit of the line numbers appears. It's 7 "1 8 2." 9 + + + + + + + 10 11 The next column is "0 then "0 and so on up to 22, i.e. "2 2" 3" 2." In other words, read the column numbers vertically. To print a grid, make sure the file "prtrform.exe" is on the directory and type "prtrform" and return. The program will instruct you. Sending printer control codes is optional and probably not necessary for your printer. Specify the grid to be any size that is adequate. Line of 11, column of 22 will produce a grid of the size shown in the above example. Specifying row and column amounts greater than your printer can actually print probably won't produce satisfactory results. Check your printer manual for its particular line and column limits. You may want to print the grid right on a blank check (or other form if your're using PRTRGRID for some other purpose). After printing the grid, use it to determine the line / column coordinates where the first character of the date, amount, payee name and other fields of data should be printed on your form. For example, 10000000a0111111111122 'a' is at line 1, column 9 2234567890123456789012 'b' is at line 4, column 1 3 + + + + + + + 'c' is at line 6, column 21 b 'def' starts at line 8, column 13 5 6 + + + + + + c+ 7 8 def 14 MAKEFORM.EXE After you've printed a grid, use MAKEFORM to create a form file. This file will contain the information ChxWrite needs to print your checks. Make sure MAKEFORM.EXE is on the current directory and type, "makeform" in response to the DOS prompt. First, MAKEFORM will ask you what you'd like to name your file. Any legal file name is acceptable; the ".frm" extension is not necessary. If a file of that name does not exist, MAKEFORM will create it (the ".frm" exten- sion is not added automatically). If the file does exist, MAKEFORM loads it and uses its data as default values. This means that you can easily edit your form files as often as you like, until they are perfect. You can also create new form files for different printers and checks by editing old ones. Editing Field Values On the screen, you will see the default values for all the fields. To change one of these, use the up and down cursor keys to move the selection indicator and press return when it's next to the field you want to edit. Pressing 'S' will cause the changes to be saved to your form file. The default values for each field will appear in succession in the bottom part of the screen. These are the values that will be saved in your form file. Use the number keys to change the default values (pressing return without entering numbers causes the default to be used). Line and Column These are the main fields you'll be editing. In fact, unless you want to do some fancy things with your printer, these are the only values you'll need to change. You can just use the default values of 0 and 32 for the rest. All you have to do is type the line / column coordinates you chose using the printer grid and press return. If you don't want a certain field to print on your check, just enter 0's for these values. 255 is the maximum number MAKEFORM can use for any value. Printer Control Characters ChxWrite can send a succession of two printer control characters for each field to your printer to enable you to print certain fields bold, compressed, etc. Consult your printer manual for more information. Printer control and space characters must be entered as ASCII values, not as actual characters. Space Characters These are the characters that appear between fields. Specifying a printable character (other than 32, the ASCII space) will cause a line of these characters to be printed between fields, in the way that lines of periods are printed between the amount, comment and record number fields on the Session Transaction Report. Using headings (see below for more information), the acctno and memo fields and the space character, a clever ChxWrite user can create something like this on his or her check stub: Account Number........799.10 Voucher..................422 Invoice.................1041 15 How the space character works will vary on different printers. If you want to use this feature, try experimenting on blank paper with your printer until you achieve the desired result. Headings Headings are a way to print constant strings of characters on a check. This information is not stored in the disk records of check data; it is stored in the form file only. So it is always the same on each check printed using a particular form file. If that sounds complicated, some examples should make it clear... Suppose you want to print your phone number on each check. A heading is the way to do it. Choose heading #1, #2 or #3 using the selection pointer. Specify the line / column, printer control characters and space character just as you did with the data fields. Now MAKEFORM will prompt you for the text of the header. Type your phone number. Now, when your checks are printed, the phone number will be printed on every check, at the line / column coordinate you specified. Now let's suppose that you and your spouse share the same checking account. You both had your handwriting destroyed by having to take too many notes in college, and now your signatures are indecipherable scrawls. Print your checks with two different form files: OURFORM.HIM and OURFORM.HER These files are identical except that heading #2, which you've designated so as to print directly beneath the line on your checks where the signature goes, consists of "Joan Smith" in OURFORM.HER and "John Smith" in OURFORM.HIM. See above ("Space Characters") for another example of the use of headings. Three headings are available to you, each with a maximum of sixty characters. Use any or all of them in any order. SAVING The FORM FILE After you have the values the way you want them, press 'S' to save them in a file. MAKEFORM asks you about the bottom of the check form. (You need only enter a value here if you are using continuous form checks. If you are using single sheet checks, enter "0".) For the purpose of measuring this, you must count from the very top of the form, i.e. the first place on which a line can be printed. So place the grid over the check form so that line 1 of the grid is at the very top of the form. Now look at the bottom of the check, at the very last line before the perforation between this check and the next. That line on the grid which is right above the perforation is the bottom line of the form. Enter the number of that line. Now MAKEFORM asks you the name under which the file will be saved. Why ask this again when you were already prompted for a file name at the start of the program? Suppose you're Joan Smith in the above example ("Headings") and you want two form files, one only slightly different from the other. Load the file OURFORM.HIM, change the text in heading #2, and save the file with the name "ourform.her." It's as easy as that. Try out your form using blank paper first. Then go back and use MAKEFORM to edit it until everything is just the way you want it. 16 PAYEENAM This utility prints a list of unique payee names (i.e. if there are multiple checks to the same payee, that payee's name will appear on the list only once). The list is a reference; keep it handy when you're writing checks and refer to it to find the record number of an old check. To run this program, type "payeenam" in answer to the DOS prompt. Enter the name of the checking account which you want to list. If you want payee names which begin with lower case letters to be sorted in with the other names (e.g. "AaBbCc...") tell ChxWrite that you want these names converted. Otherwise, the names are sorted in ASCII order (e.g. "ABC...abc..."). When PAYEENAM asks you how many lines to print per page, answer with a number smaller than the maximum your printer can handle. PAYEENAM stops after printing each page to allow you to insert a new sheet or reposition the paper. Becoming a Registered User If you use and like ChxWrite, you'll want to become a registered user. Some of the benefits include, * The latest version of ChxWrite * News about updates and new versions, and I am working on a number of new features, including: - Improved editing (ins, del, erase-a-field key...) - On-line Calculator, sends the display amount to ChxWrite's amount field or balance - Batch printing of checks by date or record number range - Re-edit a check without losing changes - Warning if a check was printed and not saved - The Session Transaction Report remembers which checking account a record was saved to so one STR can properly list checks written to multiple accounts - A .dat file remembers the checkbook balance, last-used form file, etc. for each checking account, so you don't have to type them in at each session start - Much more. In fact, if you own more than one printer, the new support for multiple printers will be worth more than the price of registration. ChxWrite 1.1... * supports up to 4 printers, allowing combinations of parallel and serial interfaces * will switch among them without leaving ChxWrite * allows you to pause at any point during printing, to change ribbons or print elements, even send up to 80 control codes to any of the three printers. * Complete, printed documentation with index, tips and examples * PC-File report formats for tax record keeping * More public domain software including the latest versions of ACE, REMIND, PC-Xword, (with new sample puzzles) and more To become a registered user, send: $20; your name and address; any comments, suggestions, bug reports or report formats to Michael D. Brown 6019 Kilgore Ave. Muncie IN 47304 Hope to hear from you, and thanks for trying ChxWrite! 17 Using ChxWrite With Other Programs I wrote ChxWrite to read/write PC-File readable records for two reasons: First, I like PC-File. It's fast, easy to use and writes nice, simple ASCII files. If you don't have it, I recommend that you get it. If you have it and aren't a registered user, I suggest that you become one. (ButtonWare, Inc/P.O. Box 5786/Bellevue WA 98006 Order line: (800) J-BUTTON Business line: (206) 454-0479) Second, when looking at other check writing/accounts payable programs, I realized that the searching, sorting, report writing, etc. capabilities of the best of them did not match the power and flexibility of data management programs I was already familiar with. Accounts payable data is just data. Why reinvent the wheel when so many excellent programs already exist for manipulating data faster than a speeding bullet, with more power than a locomotive, indeed, far beyond the ordinary accounting software's poor power to add or subtract? I couldn't figure out why, so I wrote ChxWrite. And now I manipulate my own accounts payable data in any way I like, using my favorite data management software, to my heart's content. You can, too. ChxWrite's .dta, .inx and .hdr files are exactly like those created by PC-File. For information on their structure, see PC-File's documentation, "Writing Your Own Programs." For instructions on using these files with other DBMS, word processing or spread sheet programs, see PC-File's documentation, "Importing & Exporting Your Database." (I intend that later versions of ChxWrite directly support popular PC file formats.) If you use ChxWrite records with PC-File or another good data base program, what are some of the kind of things you can do? List all the checks to a certain payee within a certain time period and the total amount. List all checks for greater than or less than certain amounts. Compare the amount paid for heat in one winter with the amount spent in another winter. See what your checking account balance would have been if you had bought that new house last year and been paying higher payments and utility bills. List all deposits for a certain period. Total all checks for repairs and maintenance on your rental properties. While few if any check writing or accounts payable programs will do these kinds of things, they're child's play for a good data base, or integrated data base-spreadsheet, program. Addressing Envelopes If you don't want to use window envelopes for checks to be mailed, there's an easy way to print addresses on envelopes or labels. After you've written some checks and saved their records, run PC-File and choose your check account as the data base. Display the records for the checks you wrote, one at a time. For each record, use PC-File's snapshot feature to print the name and address on a label or envelope. DUO-VUE is a trademark of New England Business Services. PC-File is a trademark of ButtonWare, Inc. [End of ChxWrite.doc]