Update Mouldings v's Windows Update

A few weeks ago I had a call from a Wessex Professional user about a problem she was having, trying to update her moulding records from an Excel file. I was quite busy framing at the time (the day job) so I said I'd try to repeat the issue that evening at home, not expecting a problem.
Within a few minutes of running a test the same error message appeared ("unexpected error from external database driver (1)") - problem time!
I put the error message into Google and found that other people had the same problem, and the cause was the latest Windows update.

Now I'm a firm believer in the saying "If it ain't broke - don't fix it". Unfortunately it was broken and I had to fix it!

Very quickly I came up with one solution, but that involved expecting the user to download and install 100mb of new database engine. Ok if nothing else could be done, but not ideal.

The breakthrough came when I found a DLL that returned data from an Excel file (DLL's are small files that add functionality to a program). The slight fly in the ointment was that the data came in a slightly different form which meant that a section of code had to be rewritten. Overwriting code that had worked perfectly well upto the Windows Update was rather galling, particularly as it is quite complex (loops within loops). However, after much head-scratching and testing a new program version came into being.
So, download ver. 4.4.4 from the Wessex website and all will be well.

Disaster(s) averted

"Not another update!" I can hear the cries now.
The main update for the year (version 4.4.2) was put on the Wessex website for download in March. This made the way the program works out the price much more flexible. Also, the way the program reads the xml User file was rewritten (you didn't really need to know that).

This upgrade (version 4.4.3) will hopefully prevent an overwritten database being completely irretrievable.
Up to now, if you imported a database (or User) file it was simply copied over the previous one. This didn't have to be a problem, because before you did anything as drastic as that you backed up all your data - you did, didn't you?

Of course that ignores the human factor - we're in a hurry, we didn't think things through, all sorts of reasons.
The solution must be easy, surely if a new database is being imported, simply copy the old one to somewhere on the computer?
Well, yes that could work, but it would also leave us with some potential problems. If it was copied to "My Documents" it could be quite easy to loose or delete. Copied to somewhere more obscure would mean that it was difficult to find.
The other potential problem is that copying the same file to the same place would mean overwriting the previous file. Potentially good data could be overwritten with bad data.

The solution - use the "Recycle Bin". Every PC has one, it's easy to access and will also take multiple copies of a file with the same title.
However, we could then be faced with a bin filled with files of the same name, not insurmountable (right-click and choose "Properties" to find out size, last modified, etc.) but a bit of a faff to sort out. Also, if the file was "restored" it would immediately overwrite the current database, even if the program was not running!

With a bit of nifty footwork we can get around all of these problems.
When you click "File" > "Import Database" the program checks the new database is compatible, then it warns you to check the dates of the old file and the new one to be imported.
When you tell it to continue it used to simply overwrite the old database.
Now, the old database file is copied to the "Desktop" with the date and time appended to its title. Straightaway it is then moved to the "Recycle Bin". So, if the file is restored, it is restored to the "Desktop" and can be dealt with from there. Clever eh?

If you peer at the above image of my Recycle Bin you will see that the database file is now labelled "V3_01052017_120726". To decipher that - "V3" is the database file, "01052017" is the date (01/05/2017) and "120726" is the time (12:07:26).
Then, it was easy to use virtually the same code to do the same thing with the "User" file (this contains the user's labels and values, which together with the database file made the program specific to a particular framer).
So, now the user will have to work a lot harder to lose their data!

NB. The above only works with the program's own internal database, so if you are using a networked database, you will need to make your own arrangements to copy and backup file.

Gotcha!

As with many things to do with computers the Wessex Pricing Program has a few things that are not immediately obvious. Our transatlantic cousins call these "Gotchas". I thought I'd list the most frequent together with the solutions.

1. Trying to update the moulding records by clicking "Import Database" - Be careful! "Import Database" will (if you ignore the warnings) overwrite the whole of your existing database. Make sure you click "Update Mouldings" instead.
2. Running a moulding update correctly, but the records have stayed the same. - When you download the update file from Wessex it is saved in Downloads as "WessexMouldings" (or "FrintonMouldings"), If you download a new update file it is saved as "WessexMouldings(1)", "WessexMouldings(2)" and so on. However the moulding update process will only allow you to import "WessexMouldings" ie. the original one. The answer - delete all but the most recent update file and Rename that to "WessexMouldings" (or "FrintonMouldings").
3. An error message "......You don't have permission to access this file......." when the program tries to read the database. - The easy solution is to run the program as administrator. Right-click the shortcut and choose "Run as administrator". Note the program does not normally need administrator rights to run, the problem seems to occur when the User Account Type is changed.
4. An error message on startup ".....Root element is missing ......" - Make sure you have upgraded the program to version 4.4.2 or higher.

Easy really?

On The Road Again

Well, the band is back together again,

It's got some brilliant new members.

There are some great new numbers.

Old favorites have been given an extra polish.

The tour dates are set, the venues booked.

The hotels warned.

The Art & Framing Roadshow is go!

I'm really looking forward to meeting and talking with all the visitors.

See you there!

Even better?

We've just posted the latest version (4.4.2) of Wessex Professional for people to download.
I thought it would be a good idea to go through the main changes.

NB. As with all Wessex Professional upgrades, if you don't want to engage with the new features you can just go on using it exactly as before.

The Wessex Pricing Program in all its many guises (from WPP1) has always used the same algorithm to work out a price, - a variable cost added to a base cost. It helps if you think of the base cost as a cutting charge and the variable cost as the material (charged to the customer).
With me so far?
Now while this is a very straightforward and flexible way to work out a price, the very observant amongst you will have noticed that it doesn't quite reflect the reality of some types of framing.
For instance, an expensive moulding may not need the same markup as a cheap one, but will need a higher base cost to reflect the extra time to cut and join it. Waterwhite glass is another obvious item. On the other hand a cheap moulding probably needs a higher markup to make a worthwhile profit.

Enter the new upgraded program that will make your pricing even more flexible.
Now you can give items their own base cost, rather than having to use one that covers all the glass/mount options.
You can also give each individual moulding record its own base cost and markup (or just accept the default).
The database and labels files are automatically upgraded (as would be any that were imported at a later date). Note, these upgraded file cannot be used in previous versions of WPP4.

Below are 2 screenshots of the changes that should be self-explanatory.

Note, in the moulding record if the default Base price and Markup are being used, the text in those boxes is blue, if you have put a non-default value then it is black.

There have also been some changes in the background that should make the program easier to use and more reliable.

Enjoy!

Top Tips for Using the Mouldings.csv file in the App

In the last post about the Framers Pricing App I suggested that things could be kept simple and the Mouldings.csv file didn't have to be used at all.
However, it needn't be too complicated to use the file if you follow these top-tips.

• If you have opened the file in Excel (or other spreadsheet program) to edit it - it must be saved as a .csv file (choose "save as" from the file menu).
• The file must be titled "Mouldings.csv" (no quotes). Problems can occur if you have downloaded the file a number of times because then you get Mouldings.csv, Mouldings(1).csv etc. etc. So you'd need to delete the old files and rename the most recent one back to Moulding.csv.
• Make sure there are no spaces at the beginning or end of the Moulding Id column (headed "Reference" (though the very latest upgrade does sort this out).
• Check that there are 5 columns in the file - labeled "Reference", "Description", "Price/mtr", "Width" and "Waste" (in that order).
• Only the columns "Reference", "Price/mtr", and "Width" need have data in them.
• If you are copying the file to the device's "Download" folder via a usb cable from a pc or mac you will need to turn off "usb storage" (or disconnect the cable) in order to be able to import the file into the App. 

Of course the really easy way is to use the "Wessex Professional" (wpp4) program to create the file for you, ("File"  > "Create Mouldings.csv") from the mouldings listed in your database in that program.

Using the App - Keep it simple!

The Framers Pricing App is intended as a simple, versatile app for Android devices. It works out the price in the same way as the Wessex Professional pc program.
Wessex Professional can also create a file of the mouldings it is using, which can then be imported into the App to sync. the 2 systems.

However it isn't really necessary to go the trouble of dealing with a computer file and all the associated problems of formatting and importing.

The App can use a much simpler system to show the cost of a frame.

Because it isn't essential for the App to identify an individual moulding in order to give a price. It is very straightforward to use a code to give the information the App needs.
Tap "Settings", then "Get Moulding Code".
You'll be asked to enter the width and the wholesale cost of the moulding. The resulting code will be in the form "#45E". Write this on the chevron.

You can now use the code to price up a frame. The "#" tells the App that you are using this system. The numbers represent the cost of the moulding, and the letter the width (so the App can allow for the mitres).
Points to remember -

• All mouldings with the same width and the same price will have the same code.
• It is wise to check that the code is still correct each time an invoice arrives.

So, I suggest (unless you need to sync. with another system) use this method for the mouldings part of the pricing - you'll avoid a lot of faff.