Using As-Easy-As for DOS with Windows XP

[chasmoran]

The attached revision again dedicated to the one (two...three?) brave stalwarts who are downloading them!

If any of you have succeeded in setting up a budget with the system and have any questions or comments, or you are a programmer interested in rewriting it for a modern platform, please message me as I would very much like to hear from you.

(This version has been modified so that changes to the weekly regular income allocation do not appear, and therefore do not have to be distributed, in the budget until after the next weekly update. This more closely reflects the principle that income received in the current week is only available for allocation the following week.)

Cheers, Charlie

[chasmoran]

Quick note: thanks for downloading, and:
I'm not satisfied with the way the worksheet handles credit card expenses and repayments. I'm trying to figure out a better way of displaying not only the total debt but how much is owed on credit card by specific budget categories. So, if you've found that to be a weak point, I am aware of it!
Cheers, Charlie

[geoff12]

Charlie,
Hello,
I was a long term user of As Easy As for dos . I gave up when on upgrading to an inkjet printer on a USB connection it was no longer able to print out my files. How do you manage to print your files?
Incidently I was able to install version 5.7 with no problem from the original file on a 32 bit XP computer.
I went on to use the windows version but have given this up as it won't load on my 64 bit laptop with windows 7,(apparently the installation file will only work on a 32 bit computer.) If you know better tell me! finally I moved my files via "open ffice" to excell 2010 but of course lost all my macros.
There is very little interest in this forum now as to all intent Aseasy as won't work on modern computers or software. If you know better please tell me..
regards
Geoff

[chasmoran]

Hi Geoff,
Thanks very much for your post.
How I print my files - simple: I don't print my files!
In a VERY early version of the budget I did have a working print macro, and, when the Aseasy-As printer drivers became obsolete, I - like you - couldn't work round the problem but, unlike you - and because it was indispensable to me as my financial planner - I carried on using the spreadsheet. If I wanted to view the budget I put it up on screen, and I had archived past data for reference.
I was able to get the DOS spreadsheet running under Windows 7 Starter on my wife's netbook by disabling the display driver - but I can't guarantee that this solution would always be without risk. I've never had cause to try the Windows version.
As to what you say about there being very little interest on the forum in Aseasy-As for DOS, there are 14 members who HAVE (very kindly!) downloaded my last attachment, so there must be SOME interest. Not to take anything for granted, though.
For anyone who is interested, I've done a major re-write of the budget's credit card debt/repayment tracking system, which needed it, and added (yet another) appendix to the Guide document to explain the changes. All modified files are attached in ZIP format.

All the best,
Charlie

[geoff12]

Charlie,
Thanks for your reply. I admire your tenanacity! I did look at your budget programme but found it too complicated for me at least... Years ago I wrote an accounts spreadsheet for Aseasy as for windows,I uploaded it here but I never heard anything more ,so guess it wasn't liked.. I would happily go on using Aseasy As for Windows but since it won't install on 64 bit computers I have reluctantly let it go as my main computer is now 7 years old and I guess I will upgrade soon.
I really enjoyed writing simple macros in both the DOS and Windows version so am sorry to see them go.
Incidently you can open DOS As easy spreadsheets into the widows version for printing but you lose the dos macros and the odd formula.
When As easy was supported by Trius this was a very active and helpful forum. Its a shame they have discontinued their interest and upgrades.
regards
Geoff

[chasmoran]

Hi Geoff,
Thanks for your reply! It's not tenacity, really: I can't stop budgeting, otherwise the family would probably go broke within six months, and I don't have a better tool to do it with than the one I already use
I agree it's complicated - but in my experience household finances ARE complicated and, if not budgeted in any way whatsoever, become even more complicated. I may be wrong, but I just couldn't see a simpler way of representing the subject, that was also as accurate and comprehensive as I needed it to be. So there we are...
Best wishes,
Charlie

[chasmoran]

Hi again,
For those members who have downloaded the budget worksheet, and especially if you are trying to use it:
It runs very slowly under Windows XP if you're trying to run it full-screen. It's much faster in a smaller window. Alt+Enter switches between window and full-screen.
Note that, in all the areas of the budget with 8 pages in total (Expenditure, Real Account, etc.), the Page Down key gives additional space for finance data.
I am considering whether it would be worthwhile to write a macro to reverse the weekly update (within a couple of days only) in case of finding that important data has been missed from the previous week's budget. Please let me know what you think.
Finally, I'm still keen to hear from anyone interested in development the system for a modern platform. Please contact me!
Cheers,
chasmoran

[chasmoran]

Hi there,
I decided to, what the heck, go ahead and add a macro to Moneystar, to reverse the latest weekly budget update in the event of a serious error or omission the previous week. It works up to one day after the last update. Revisions of the Moneystar worksheet and Guide attached, along with one of the sample budgets which needed a minor correction.
Cheers,
Charlie

[chasmoran]

O dear!

The last revision had a bug in the new macro, and I found another unrelated bug, then there were a couple of other mods which were needed, so if anyone intended to download zip file #8, don't bother, try this one instead!

Cheers,
Charlie

[chasmoran]

Hello yet again!

I fixed another little bug in the Moneystar worksheet, and editing the Guide to incorporate all the (five!) appendices that were added over the past few months. The attachment, mst_rv10, replaces the previous files mst_rev8 and mst_rev9, making it unnecessary to download either of them.

If you do decide to download it, good luck - and some feedback would always be appreciated!
Cheers,
Charlie
PS: in fact, I've just decided to (if possible) delete the last two posts.

[chasmoran]

Hi,
I've made a few corrections to the Guide, and expanded it to include information on running Moneystar under Windows XP, Vista and 7. Also, if anyone needs the desktop shortcut required to run it under XP and hasn't been able to download it in an earlier attachment, I've included it in this one.
Cheers,
Charlie

[geoff12]

Charlie,
You are demonstrating very well how hard it is to debug or write foolproof macros! When I was using As easy as regularily I could not believe that a programme I had been using for years could throw up new bugs. However that was half the fun.
regards
Geoff

[chasmoran]

You're telling me, Geoff!

There's no denying the fascination with debugging code, seeing your solutions throw up new problems, then finally seeing the end result you were looking for (even though you know something else will probably go wrong sooner or later). It's almost as if fixing the bugs takes precedence over the thing itself, if you see my meaning..?

I only wish I was getting this much enjoyment out of programming something that was earning me money as well!

Cheers,
Charlie
PS: (for anyone who has downloaded Moneystar): going over the Guide document again, I've found and fixed some inconsistencies and errors that I could have sworn blind didn't exist - before I found them! Also clarified a few explanations. Revised document is attached.

[chasmoran]

Hello!

Here we go again...
In the course of doing my own first Budget Reconciliation with this version of the system (matching the budget with actual bank records), I discovered a simple error and a few more complicated problems, which made yet another revision of the Moneystar worksheet and Guide unavoidable. These I therefore did, and attached.

There was also a problem, for me at least, with the system that mirrors transfers between current and savings accounts. Some transfers seemed to have been omitted. However, I'm convinced the system works in principle, and that it is I who did something wrong!

If anyone out there is actually trying to use the system and has encountered a similar problem, please let me know.

Cheers,
Charlie

[chasmoran]

Hello again!
Would you believe it? A real schoolboy error in the bank reconciliation function. And another, more grownup one. Both fixed in the latest revision.
The few members who have been downloading these attachments (you know who you are!) please don't be shy. Message me and let me know if you've succeeded in using the system, and with what results?
Cheers,
Charlie