Priority is a system for maintaining a prioritised list of actions. It is written in OPL and supplied as an OPO translated program.
Key Features
* Automatically increases the priority of tasks as they near their deadline.
* Data always presented in Priority sequence.
* Extensive search/filter criteria may be specified when scanning the file for update or printing.
* The file scan process is not interrupted if records are deleted or updated - this would normally happen when processing Psion databases.
The Database
The Priority database holds the following data:-
(a) Sort Key
System maintained overall priority. This is based upon the user assigned priority level and a factor of how close the task is to the latest start date.
(b) Priority
User assigned priority level 1-9, 1 being the highest.
(c) Required Date
The date by which the task must be completed.
(d) Duration
The elapsed time required to complete the task once it has started.
(e) Status
A code representing:-
Assigned
Started
Delegated
Held
Finished.
(f) Subject Area
A descriptive classification used to group tasks together.
(g) Description
Detailed description of the task. Four lines of 250 characters.
(h) Origin
Initials of the person from whom the task originated.
(i) Destination
Initials of the person to whom the task completion should be reported, or to whom the task deliverables should be given.
(j) Delegation
This field is either N to indicate that the task cannot be delegated, or contains the initials of the person to whom it has been delegated, or is left blank.
(k) Link.WRD
The name of an associated document that contains further details of the task.
(l) Link.DBF
The name of an associated database that contains further details of the task.
(m) Received Date
The date when the task was first received.
Installation and Hardware
The program, PRIORITY.OPO, and its library, SORTDB.OPO, should be copied to any \OPO directory.
SORTDB, by the way, can be used independently to sort a Psion database on the contents of its first field.
The first time that the program is run it will create a database PRIORITY.ODB in the default location (usually \OPD).
The print routine requires a printer that can print 135 characters wide and assumes that CHR$(15) will place the printer into condensed print mode. It is also assumed that CHR$(18) will return the printer to normal mode.
The Canon BJ-10 printer will work perfectly, and Epson compatible printers should also work.
The printer device may be specified and can be any valid device including PAR:A, a file, a remote file, remote network printer. If SLINK is being used on an OS/2 system then REM::LPT1 will successfully print on the remote printer.
The page length is specifiable and defaults to 66 lines.
A formfeed is issued at the end of each page.
Menu Functions
Records - Search
This function is used to search for records that match given criteria.
Brief details of each matching task are shown: Subject Area, and the 4 lines of Description.
On the display screen options are provided to...
* Reverse the direction of the search,
* Edit the record
* Delete the record
* Return to the menu.
The search criteria are entered on 2 screens, each element is optional and comprises...
* Required date range,
* Required priority range,
* Current Status
* Description
* Origin
* Delegation
* Destination
When the search reaches the end of the file, the user is notified and the search direction is automatically reversed. The same then happens when the search reaches the beginning of the file.
After editing the record, as usual for Psion databases, the modified record goes to the end of the file. The scan continues with the record that was immediately following the one just modified.
After deleting a record, for which confirmation is required, the scan continues with the record that was immediately following the one just deleted.
Records - Add
Allows a new record to be added.
The new record will be added at the end of the file and will initially have no internally generated sort key.
Records - Exit
Exits the Priority program.
No conformation is sought.
All changes will have been saved.
Special - Update Key List
Updates the system generated sort key for each record and sorts the database on the system key. The database is then compressed. During this process a temporary database is created \DAT\TEMP.DBF and is subsequently erased. Hence there must be sufficient space for an additional copy of the Priority database.
The sort key is calculated as follows:-
(a) The task duration, in days, is subtracted from the due date to give the latest start date.
(b) Today's date is subtracted from the latest start date to give the number of days remaining before the task must start.
(c) If this number of days is greater than 99 then it is set to 99.
(d) If the number of days is less than 1 then it is set to 1.
(e) This figure is then used for the first two digits of the sort key. The third digit is set to the task's priority level 1-9.
Special - Print Priorities
Produces a print from the database of all or selected records.
The program asks for print destination, lines per page and selection criteria.
The same criteria screens are used as in the Record Search function above. However, there is one additional parameter which selects tasks due within a specified number of days.
CONDITIONS OF USE
* The author provides no warranty that the program is free from defects.
* The author accepts no liability for any consequences of using this program.
* This program is supplied as Freeware. There is no charge or registration fee. The owner retains all intellectual property rights.
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