Re: Simply Accounting

It actually turns out that simply accounting uses ms-access files (and the
same database engine jet).

What this means is you can open up those files directly with MS access, and
actually edit the data with ms-access.

now of course simply accouting is access based, but they don't use the same
"mdb" file extension, but that's more done just to fool you keep your prying
eyes out of the system.

However, the problem is not the fact that you can open an edit those files
directly, the problem is that if you update one file, there's probably about
50 other tables that you have to update and maintain perfectly correct. If
you don't do that, your likey to throw out balances and totals in a whole
bunch of other tables that ALSO need updating.

What this means is it's probably not a good idea to try and diretly edit and
change and modify the files using MS access.

You probably should export the data from MS access as a comma delimited
file, and then set up and use the simply accounting import options. As
mentioned, this is a preferred approach because the simply counting software
knows how to update the zillions of tabls, and there is a rahter LARGE
amount of code that must run to keep things correclty setup.

If you attempt to modify the tables directly, you'll have to rewrite part of
the accounting package to ensure that all balances, account numbers, and
virtually every other little detail is wrutten exactly the same as the
simply accounting software would do.

As for the software development kit? Try the simply accouting groups. As for
the documentation of all the tables? If you install simply accounting, or
even the trial edition onto a computer, you'll find a "sub" directory in the
program files dir that has the information and documentation as to the table
structures. (it was a pdf file last time I looked).

In my situation I simply wrote some software to open up the simply accouting
files from MS access, and read out a chart of accounts that I needed because
I was too lazy to re-type this list.

The other interesting thing here is that you can use the MS access report
later directly on the simply a counting files because as mentioned, simply
counting uses the same database format as ms-access. I haven't done this for
a few years, but I also recall there was a workgroup file you had to join
also, and if you don't join that workgroup file, then you'll not be all to
open those tables.

Doing some digging through my library of code, here's the piece of code I
used to open in list out the tables and simply accounting file

Dim strSql As String
Dim dbe As PrivDBEngine
Dim wrk As Workspace
Dim dbs As Database
Dim strTables As String
Dim rstTables As DAO.Recordset

Dim rstFrom As DAO.Recordset
Dim rstTo As DAO.Recordset

Dim strTableName As String

If IsNull(Me.txtWorkGroup) = False Then

' setup new workgroup
' Return a reference to a new instance of the PrivDBEngine object.
' we have to do this to OPEN a file with a DIFFERNT workgroup

Set dbe = New PrivDBEngine
' Set the SystemDB property to specify the workgroup file.
dbe.SystemDB = Me.txtWorkGroup


dbe.DefaultUser = Me.txtUser
If IsNull(Me.txtPass) = False Then
dbe.DefaultPassword = Me.txtPass
End If
Set wrk = dbe.Workspaces(0)
' Open the secured database.

Set dbs = wrk.OpenDatabase(Me.Text0)

Else
Set dbs = OpenDatabase(Me.Text0)
End If



' database open...now grab table list...

strSql = "SELECT MSysObjects.Name FROM MsysObjects WHERE
(Left$([Name],1)<>'~') AND " & _
" (Left$([Name],4) <> 'Msys') AND (MSysObjects.Type)=1 ORDER BY
MSysObjects.Name;"


Set rstTables = dbs.OpenRecordset(strSql)

MsgBox "table count = " & rstTables.RecordCount

' now make a string to fill the combo box on the screen

Do While rstTables.EOF = False

If strTables <> "" Then
strTables = strTables & ";"
End If

strTables = strTables & rstTables!Name
rstTables.MoveNext

Loop

Me.cboTables.RowSource = strTables



I also note my code that the file extension was .sdb (that is the mdb file)
I also note in my code that the workgroup (securty) file had a extension of
..sdw

It's rather interesting in practice that everybody would love to be able to
open the accouting files directly, but in actual practice it's not that
workable to *update* the data files.

However, it is rather nice that you can directly open and read simply
accounting files, and note that you don't have to use the above code, but
you can browse and use MS access to open up those simply accuting files
directlity without writing any code.

Unfortunately the above code and examples helps you read data from simply
accounting, but for updating the data in simply accounting, that's getting a
little bit more complex, and I would look into the importing options for
simply accouting...not trying update the tables direclity.

--
Albert D. Kallal (Access MVP)
Edmonton, Alberta Canada
pleaseNOOSpamKallal@xxxxxxx


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