105 - PLU Import/Export Utility: PSPLUIE
The complete PSPLUIE package includes this document and a single PSPLUIE.EXE program file. Ensure that you have a copy of PSPLUIE.EXE that is current and compatible with your BreakPoint program.
The PSPLUIE program can import or export PLU Item information from BreakPoint at any time. These processes can be performed EVEN WHILE CASHIERS ARE ACTIVELY OPERATING THE BREAKPOINT TERMINAL. This capability of BreakPoint, to be importable or exportable 24 hours a day without cashier notification or intervention, represents an extraordinary facilty for large multi-lane stores, 24-hour operations, or for stores that must perform PLU management from a remote location.
The PSPLUIE program is simple to operate. First, you must ensure that the PSPLUIE.EXE program file has been copied into the BreakPoint directory. Once you have copied PSPLUIE.EXE into your BreakPoint directory, you may call up the program by typing PSPLUIE followed by the correct parameters for the operation you wish to have performed.
Operation parameters for PSPLUIE include:
+export: This option indicates you wish to have PLU Item information exported.
+import: This option indicates you wish to have PLU Item information imported.
+init: This option indicates you wish to have a new PLU Item file created.
+verbose: This option indicates you wish to have a screen display of PSPLUIE progress.
+cp: This option indicates you wish to Clear Price Level 1 for all PLU Items.
+all: This option indicates you wish to have all items included with Export.
f=filename: This option specifies the filename to be used for Import or Export information.
p=pathname: This option specifies the path of the BreakPoint System Files.
An example of a PSPLUIE command line:
PSPLUIE +import f=pludata.dat +verbose
This particular command will invoke an import operation using the file PLUDATA.DAT as the import data file. The +verbose option will cause PSPLUIE to provide a screen display of the progress of the import, ie. it will display a record counter screen so that we can view its progress.
In this case, we are assuming that a file exists called PLUDATA.DAT and that it contains proper PLU Import records. The format of the PLU Information Import File is documented in detail in the Technical Newsletter entitled PLU INFORMATION IMPORT FILE: PLUDATA.REG.
Another example of a PSPLUIE command line:
PSPLUIE +import +init f=c:\inv\pludata.dat p=d:\bp101\
This particular command instructs PSPLUIE to perform an import operation using the PLUDATA.DAT file of the C:\INV directory as the PLU Information Import File. The command also instructs that the BreakPoint files that should be imported to are residing in the D:\BP101 directory and the +init instructs that the PLU Item Information File should be created as a new file. This type of command might be used when the operator wishes to create a completely new PLU Item file for BreakPoint, eliminating all PLU Item information which might have been there before.
Notice that there is no +verbose option. In this case, there will be no screen display produces while the process is performed. Leaving the +verbose option off is useful when running PSPLUIE from within other systems or during overnight production runs where there are no operators to watch the program.
The PSPLUIE utility is incredibly versatile for 24-hour or remote management of PLU information. By using PSPLUIE in conjuction with modern communications equipment, such as phone modems and file transfer software, it is simple to set up automated routines that will send PLU Item update files to a BreakPoint terminal at any time of day through the phone lines. That same automated routine can then update the BreakPoint PLU File with new prices, new descriptions, tax changes, item additions and deletions, and can do all of it while the cashier is operating. There is never a need to interfere with a cashier, interrupt a cashier, or even notify a cashier that PLU Item information is being transferred down or updated.
The PSPLUIE utility can also be extremely useful in networking environments. Let's say you have an inventory system with a PLU update file called PLUDATA.DAT already prepared on your local network drive C under the directory INV and you have two BreakPoint terminals also on the network under drives D and E and directories BP101 and BP102.
A sample batch file for the automated update of the PLU information could look like:
CD \INV
PSPLUIE +import f=pludata.dat p=d:\bp101\
PSPLUIE +import f=pludata.dat p=e:\bp102\
By removing the +verbose option, there will be no screen display or operator prompts during the import processing. The operator who is working at the backroom network terminal would now be able to make PLU update changes at anytime and send them to the BreakPoint terminals using the batch file above. There would never be any need to notify the BreakPoint cashiers that the backroom operator is performing this process.
PSPLUIE is used most often for import operations. However, it can also be used with the +export option to extract PLU Item information from BreakPoint. This might be useful for initializing a backroom inventory or database system with PLU Item information that is already entered into BreakPoint. The export file format is exactly the same as the import file format and is documented in detail in the Technical Newsletter entitled PLU Information Import File: PLUDATA.REG.