TurbpCASH for Linux
Philip Copeman
Matthew though Lug Radio and he was the one that finally kicked me into
it. They are both Linux officianardos.
We have been at this for about 60 days and what we have achieved so far
is to convert our Windows database into Firebird and to MySQL - this
will give Linux developers the ability get something going in a number
of languages Lazarus, PHP in particular. I have had a number of
overtures from OS developers, but the crunch comes now when we actually
have to do something about it. We are currently forging ahead on Windows
and should have a version out in about 3 months that will extend the
current TurboCASH to a 50 user system. It will definitely be able to run
Firebird on a Linux Server, but is going to lack a Linux Client unless
I can find some serious players to commit resources.
The Wine Route is also still possible. Native Linux Server, Wine
Clients. (My goodness the things one will consider to get around the
job of writing a Linux desktop Client!).
I am willing to seriously consider routes involving Lazarus and/or PHP.
I would consider others, but no serious players have come forward.
What we have is this :
1) Strong Delphi Skills for Windows, at their desks, working.
2) An first class architecture for an SME accounting package
3) A working prototype in Windows that can be copied
4) A really strong demand in the Windows market (over 500 downloads a day)
What we don't have is any Linux Skills - at all. I do have a number of
Linux developers buzzing around the pot, but they are still to far away
for me to snare them in my reality distortion field.
The programming is going to be easy here. It finding the commitment that
is going to be difficult. What I need is a Linux Distro that will
invest in making a version for their distribution. I have made a half
hearted foray onto Linspire, Ubuntu and Xandros and not really got far
with any them. I guess I don't really know these guys or their culture.
Xandros - bundled with Wine should have been obvious, we could ship
immediately, but I got no answer.
The reality is that Linux will benefit more in the short term from us
than the other way around. I suspect that what will happen to us this
year is that our Windows development will move even further into the
future and the Linux development will lag. I need to work out a way to
get a Linux Distro to realise the value of this and then work towards
giving them an edge with it.
I dunno - perhaps you guys can suggest something else to me.
Thomas Black wrote:
> Hi Philip
>
> I was browing the net while doing research on Quasar accounting and
> came accross your article on Newsforge -
> http://software.newsforge.com/article.pl?sid=06/01/09/1647217&tid=132.
> I think it's great that you guys are finally seriously considering
> development of a Linux version as accounting remains one of the
> biggest headaches with Linux implementations.
>
> On my side, I chose to leave the Foundation in April and move into the
> commercial world. So far so good, business has been good so far and
> seems to be growing all the time. If you ever need any Linux / OSS
> skills, you know who to call ;)
>
> Cheers
>
> -Thomas
>
Felipe Monteiro de Carvalho
> What we have is this :
>
> 1) Strong Delphi Skills for Windows, at their desks, working.
> 2) An first class architecture for an SME accounting package
> 3) A working prototype in Windows that can be copied
> 4) A really strong demand in the Windows market (over 500 downloads a day)
>
> What we don't have is any Linux Skills - at all. I do have a number of
> Linux developers buzzing around the pot, but they are still to far away
> for me to snare them in my reality distortion field.
I (and other lazarus developers) can guide you guys into making to
compile with both Lazarus and Delphi at the same time.
It is not necessary to have deep Linux knowledget for most of it.
First try to get the same source code to compile with Lazarus and
Delphi on Windows. Then it will already be 90% ported to Linux. Only
minor Linux specific things will have to be taken care of then.
I added some initial notes on the TurboCash Wiki here:
http://www.box.co.za/wiki/index.php/Roadmap_Linux#Lazarus
Please, take a look. Specially STEP 1 which can be implemented by you
guys right now without any need ot Linux knowledget.
If you guys can give some light on STEP 3 also, it would be nice.
--
Felipe Monteiro de Carvalho
Felipe Monteiro de Carvalho
>
> 1) Strong Delphi Skills for Windows, at their desks, working.
> 2) An first class architecture for an SME accounting package
> 3) A working prototype in Windows that can be copied
> 4) A really strong demand in the Windows market (over 500 downloads a day)
>
> What we don't have is any Linux Skills - at all. I do have a number of
> Linux developers buzzing around the pot, but they are still to far away
> for me to snare them in my reality distortion field.
I (and other lazarus developers) can guide you guys into making to
Philip Copeman
There are soem reall nasties in the comonent replacement.
I think that it may be easier to start with limited modules - I ahve a course tommorow, give me a day to get back to you.
Felipe Monteiro de Carvalho
> It will be easier for me to have ago at this using Lazarus in Windows - I
> no Speak Linux very good.
>
> There are soem reall nasties in the comonent replacement.
>
> I think that it may be easier to start with limited modules - I ahve a
> course tommorow, give me a day to get back to you.
Any News on this?
thanks,
Philip Copeman
1) Setup a simple "proof of concept" in Lazarus
2) Setup a Fierbird Server and connect the TurboCASH 0.0.9 Alpha release as a Windows Client to a Linux Server?
3) Run TurboCASH in any of the Wine flavors.
4) Suggest another Linux Development environment (Not by email, by proof of concept)
5) MySQL (Similarly by example)
-------------------------------------------------------------
1) Lazarus and Linux
There are some useful contributions on Getting Lazarus and TurboCASH for Linux going here:
http://www.box.co.za/wiki/index.php/Roadmap_Linux#Lazarus
We have decided to use Firebird (80%) and possibly support MySQL (20%). In the Windows Project we are converting the current Delphi Code to work with Firebird and will add MySQL support if required afterwards. (In my project experience, that becomes unlikely)
I am now more concerned about:
1) How we are going to connect to the Firebird Database (and/or MySQL) - In Delphi we are using ZEOS Lib
2) What are we going to use for a Grid. In Delphi/Windows we use a quality commercial package - Infopower. I have struggled to find and Open Source alternative. Project Jedi seems to offer the best. The Grid is what gives TurboCASH batches and invoices that really friendly Spreadsheet look. How will we do this in Lazarus/Linux?
3) How are we going to write reports - In Delphi Linux we use Free Reports and Reportman. We have a legacy history with Quick Reports.
If you Linux guys (Even the Lazarus on Windows guys) - Could do the following :
i) Download the TurboCASH/Delphi project. Steal whatever you need
ii) "Open " a set of books simply by connecting to the TurboCASH Fro bird Database
iii) Set up any grid you like to edit any record you like in TurboCASH
iv) Write a simple report (take any one of ch windows one)
If we can do the above we can consider Lazarus as a serious proposition.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2)Firebird Server with Linux
We are now well on the way to getting out a Windows/Delphi version of TurboCASH. It would be useful as an interim to have a Linux Server, with Windows Clients. Is not a pure solution, but it may relieve the immediate pressure comming form Windows 2003 Server to extend our offerings into the Windows server arena.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3)TurboCASH on Wine
Those of you that worked with us on developing TurboCASH, will know just how far off we are from a final Linux offering. Wine represents a quirk solution - get TCASH 3 runnings as a stable product, NOW.
To date my experience has been that we can get it running in Codeweavers (By the Code weavers authors) and we can get it running in Winetools, with the Winetools developers.
We are unable to get is running by normal people - out there in the street - can anyone contribute to this. In the Windows environment we have a point and Click installation. Its seems like a huge mission to get it going on Linux. We spent 2 days trying to get Winetools installed on Ubuntu Linus with really sad results.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
4) TurboCASH on another Linus Development platform
The book is not closed fror me on using Lazarus for development. We will still consider other alternatives (PHP, JAVA, Python, C). However the problems that I have outlined for the Lazaruis Developers above must be clearly addresed if we are to consicder alternatives. Also there will have to be enough develoepr support for a given environment.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
5) TurboCASH in MySQL
A number of you have expressed an interest in TurboCASH as a MySQL product. We are moving towards Fireboird, not out of sime deep rooted liceing isssue or philosophical decision, but simply because the Contributiosn are comming oin from Firebird developers. If you ahve an interest kin MySQL, the timne to express them is now. Not as an email,but as a "Protoype" that sets out to deal with the problems that I outlined in section 1 above.
Felipe Monteiro de Carvalho wrote:
Any News on this? thanks, -- Felipe Monteiro de Carvalho --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "TurboCASH" group. To post to this group, send email to Turb...@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to TurboCASH-...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/TurboCASH -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
Felipe Monteiro de Carvalho
Can anyone help with the following on Linux:
1) Setup a simple "proof of concept" in Lazarus
What exactly is a "proof of concept in Lazarus" ? Can you detail what it should contain?
I am now more concerned about:
1) How we are going to connect to the Firebird Database (and/or MySQL) - In Delphi we are using ZEOS Lib
this is great. Zeos Lib works on Lazarus =) this part should require little or no change.
2) What are we going to use for a Grid. In Delphi/Windows we use a quality commercial package - Infopower. I have struggled to find and Open Source alternative. Project Jedi seems to offer the best. The Grid is what gives TurboCASH batches and invoices that really friendly Spreadsheet look. How will we do this in Lazarus/Linux?
What about asking Infopower developers to port it to Lazarus?
If this doesn't work, the grid from Project JEDI should work well.
3) How are we going to write reports - In Delphi Linux we use Free Reports and Reportman. We have a legacy history with Quick Reports.
Lazarus has a report component and I know people working on a better one.
If you Linux guys (Even the Lazarus on Windows guys) - Could do the following :
i) Download the TurboCASH/Delphi project. Steal whatever you need
ii) "Open " a set of books simply by connecting to the TurboCASH Fro bird Database
iii) Set up any grid you like to edit any record you like in TurboCASH
iv) Write a simple report (take any one of ch windows one)
If we can do the above we can consider Lazarus as a serious proposition.
Is this the "proof of concept" ? if so, I will mail this to Lazarus Community and get a group to work on this.
Philip Copeman
Database (Firebird)
Grid,
Database Controller,
Report Generator,
We need a Lazarus Programmer just to test these for us.
I think we can forget getting assistance from Infopower - they cannot think OS.
Felipe Monteiro de Carvalho wrote:
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Joachim von Thadden
> 3)TurboCASH on Wine
>
> To date my experience has been that we can get it running in Codeweavers
> (By the Code weavers authors) and we can get it running in Winetools,
> with the Winetools developers.
>
> We are unable to get is running by normal people - out there in the
> street - can anyone contribute to this. In the Windows environment we
> have a point and Click installation. Its seems like a huge mission to
> get it going on Linux. We spent 2 days trying to get Winetools installed
> on Ubuntu Linus with really sad results.
As I am the developer of WineTools and sitting on this list you could
have just mailed me about your problems. A WineTools installation should
need not more than 30 minutes, depending on your download rate for the
software to install. If you have problems: mail me!
If I include TurboCash into the menu you can even download and install
it directly with WineTools. I will do that if someone of you says it is
usable, as I was only able to make a very short test and I am not
familiar with TurboCash.
I am sure that normal people can install and run the supported
applications with WineTools as this is what all of the many users do.
According to the mails I get there are only a very few wizzards out
there using WineTools and far more new-to-linux users. If you can state
your concerns a little more precise we might be able to improve
WineTools for the type of user and usage you have in your mind.
Regards
Joachim von Thadden
--
"Never touch a running system! Never run a touching system?
Never run a touchy system!!!"
Felipe Monteiro de Carvalho
Before we go flying down a Lazarus Route - I want to make sure that we have the correct tools:
Database (Firebird)
Grid,
Database Controller,
Report Generator,
We need a Lazarus Programmer just to test these for us.
Hello,
I talked to Lazarus Programmers, and a consesus was that it would be very nice if you guys could create a small standalone project using those 4 tools.
This would also show very clearly in what ways the code of the project was modifyed to compile with Lazarus, but still compile with Delphi, and give us a solid base to work on the full TurboCASH software.
This would also speed up this initial conversion process, because understanding how the code of a big project like TurboCASH works takes a lot of time.
thanks a lot,
Delphidreamer
I think i have a simple tool that can be used as a test. (first test)
theres a account viewer we can seperate from the current source.
It will need a view units and the select of accounts should be changed
for this test.
If you email me then i will send you details (a small project) that can
be used.
I will take out the grid and replace it with a standaard grid.
pvalentijn(AT)turbocash.nl