Forum OpenACS Development: simple invoicing solution.

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1: simple invoicing solution.
Posted by Ben Koot on 03/21/03 01:45 PM
Hi folks,

Is there a simple way to have OACS 4.6 create simple invoices? Nothing fancy, but output to spreadsheet (opneaoffice)is essential. So, just the basics of an invoice and options to save to file (including printer friendly output) and send via e-mail.

Thanks.

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2: Re: simple invoicing solution. (response to 1)
Posted by Rocael Hernández Rizzardini on 03/21/03 03:30 PM
CSV (comma separated values), that can be read from excel (and other flavors) without problems. You can easily generate them and if need them read back with procs like oacs_util::csv_foreach

Try to save and excel sheet as CSV and them open it in notepad or something to get the idea.

you can send your data (I don't know about attachment but the data itlsef with procs like acs_mail_lite::send

For printer friendly what you want the is the content without any format, so leave the adp without <master> stuff and things like that.

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3: Re: simple invoicing solution. (response to 1)
Posted by Hazi Gharagozlou on 03/21/03 06:56 PM
OpenOffice can store and read in xml format. I am not familar with Postgresql, however in Oracle you can export tables and views in xml format. You need to install "oracle.java.parser.v2" package to enable xml functions.
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4: Re: simple invoicing solution. (response to 1)
Posted by Rocael Hernández Rizzardini on 03/21/03 07:50 PM
this could be also useful for your page:
<a href="#" onClick=window.print()>
    <img src=/graphics/printer.gif border=0 alt="print report" align="center"></a>
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5: Re: simple invoicing solution. (response to 1)
Posted by Ben Koot on 03/22/03 12:47 AM
I am now playing with microsheetwhich seems to fit my needs. All it takes is to replace Access by Postgress as a database and connect to the user registration in OpenACS. (I agree newbie talk, but maybe it get's me somewhere)
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6: Re: simple invoicing solution. (response to 1)
Posted by Roberto Mello on 03/25/03 05:36 PM
I've been thinking about a module that would export to Postcript (which are easily convertible to PDF) that would do just that.

I was thinking about a generic "report generator" that would be able to take templated variables and insert them in places in the Postcript output. Then an invoicing module that would use that service package.

I've never done anything with creating postcript files, so the biggest barrier for me would be that learning curve.

Anyone familiar with what it takes to create postscript?

-Roberto

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7: Re: simple invoicing solution. (PS generation) (response to 1)
Posted by Patrick Giagnocavo on 03/25/03 09:02 PM
I myself have had good success with using a package called "lout" .  You feed lout with a file marked up in a custom markup, and lout takes care of generating the PS for you.  You could then quite easily generate PDF from the PS.

I used this method to generate reports of several hundred pages from a custom TCL and nstcl combination.

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8: Re: simple invoicing solution. (PS generation) (response to 7)
Posted by Tilmann Singer on 03/26/03 04:17 PM
As mentioned elsewhere there is also the IMHO very nice reportlab package for generating pdfs. I use it to generate invoices like this one: sample invoice and other business correspondence with an openacs package that I would gladly release if it wouldn't be totally customized and unfinished. Mail me if you want a copy nevertheless.