Overview of inbase’s Büro Plus Next (Büro+) solutions

We have developed interfaces for merchandise management with Büro Plus NexT from the Microtech Company for imports to and exports from various shop systems (xt:Commerce, myCMS shop module, OSCommerce).

Since 2000, our customers have utilised reliable and automated solutions which are linked to Büro Plus.

Our products use the COM interface (Com-Aktiv) that has been provided by Microtech.

With regards to our programs, we focus particularly upon reliable, automated and flawless operational sequences.
As a rule, user interventions are not required.
With regards to imports to and exports from the shop systems, e.g. all data to be transferred is protected by creating back-up copies so that they can be recovered at a later point in time.

Our customers handle the data which they want to receive, not how they are supposed to receive them!

In this regard, programmes have also been developed which our partners can use without support:
With our bpStarter solution, the imports or exports stored in BP NexT are "launched externally" without Büro Plus being started. Thus, for example, the exporting can also be carried out in batches or in a time-controlled manner.
Thus, our customers take direct control of their export definitions and use our tools in order to generate their data in an automated fashion.

Furthermore, we can quickly and reliably respond to our customers’ new requirements owing to our many years of experience and intensive cooperation with our partners.
Thus, it can often take only a few days to go from the drafting of a requirements profile until the solution is ready for use.

Overview Büro Plus Next (Büro+) solutions and software

• bpStarter: is a software for the automated execution of Büro Plus Next (Büro+) exports and imports
• bpOnline: Program to import and export of Büro Plus NexT (Büro+) data to shop system
• bpImage: Program for reading images from Büro Plus NexT + conversion to JPEG
• bpConnChk: Program to test the BP NexT connection
• bpCheck: Program to terminate existing NexT COM instances (bpKill, COM-Killer)
• bpAddress: Program to export address data in SQL environments
• bpStats: Program to export item data / statistics in SQL environments
• bpLager: integrates barcode scanning device with Büro Plus NexT
• bpHistory: Access evaluation of history data as sales history by week
• Various Office (Access / Excel) interfaces for reading out the available inventory, prices, statistics, etc.

Interface to Büro Plus Next (Büro+): bpStarter

General
bpStarter is a software for the execution of Büro Plus Next importing and exporting layouts. The programme is used by our customers in order to export data from Büro Plus Next into inbase's shop system (or into the myCMS shop module) and to import incoming orders into Büro Plus NexT. bpStarter can also be run in batch mode. In this regard, the Büro Plus NexT COM interface is used. If this COM interface is not available or not correctly configured, this application will not work.
Overview
In order connect to Büro Plus NexT, A user name (for example administrator), the client name (for example TestMandant) A connection string Connect name, the registered company name eg. as in Office Plus (eg Maier & Co. KG) indicated and an optional ConnectKey. is needed. In this regard, the Büro Plus Next COM interface is used. If the Büro Plus interface is not available or not correctly configured, then this application will not work. The Büro Plus Next imports or exports described below are possible only with correctly configured Büro Plus Next interface. Büro Plus NexT uses so-called layouts for its import and export functionality. In these layouts the structure of the data to be imported or exported is defined. These layouts are grouped according to data categories. These groupings are the so-called layout groups. Through the selection of a NexT layout group (e.g. AdrExpListe [name of list]), the access to the import or export layouts is regulated. For security reasons, bpStarter handles only external layouts. That means: You first create a layout in Büro Plus NexT And, after it is complete, (and, where applicable, disable all notifications and queries within the layout) transfer this layout to the bpStarter folder ...
First steps
To test bpStarter, please follow the following sequence: Create an export or import layout with Büro Plus NexT Test the layout with Büro Plus NexT Disable all notifications in the properties of the layout Copy the layout in the folder bpStarter Open bpStarter Enter the required parameter A valid user name to log on to Büro Plus NexT a valid client name A connection string, the company name as registered in Büro Plus NexT optional ConnectKey. Test connection Select Büro Plus NexT layout group Select Büro Plus NexT layout file Start Büro Plus NexT export (or import) Check result
1. Create an export or import layout with Büro Plus NexT
Open the "Datei" menu in Büro Plus NexT, point to Export.
Navigate to layout group "Adressen" and double-click on "Neuer Export"
Click "Ok" and rename the layout, here for example to "TestAdrExport"
Click "Gestalten" to select the fields for the Büro Plus NexT export.
Double click on field names to select appropriate fields,
e.g. "«Adr.AdrNr»;«Adr.Re.Na1»;«Adr.Re.Na2»;«Adr.Re.Na3»;«Adr.Re.PLZ»;«Adr.Re.Ort»;«Adr.Re.Str»;" To create a line break after each record of Büro Plus NexT export file press "CTRL + Enter" or type \ n to cancel at the end of the line. Confirm your selection with "OK". Now you can define the properties of Büro Plus NexT Export Layouts: output / output format and output file:
and confirm the selection with "OK".
2. Büro Plus NexT: test your layout
Click on "TestAdrExport" and when the item is highlighted click on "Datenexport"
Before exporting the program may still be ask for certain parameters such as filtering, file name, etc., confirm with "OK".
After the export has finished a window with some info messages about the process pops up. See 3. how to disable this info popup.
Check the result of the export, by opening the target file -C:\Programme\bpStarter\adrtest.txt- with a text editor.
3. Büro Plus NexT: Layout, Disable notifications
Select the Layout "TestAdrExport" and click "Eigenschaften" (properties). Turn off all unnecessary query and reporting parameters:
and confirm the changes with "OK".
4. Büro Plus NexT: Copy Layout
Select the layout "TestAdrExport" in Büro Plus NexT and hit "CNTL+C" to copy it to the clipboard. Open the folder "C:\Programme\bpStarter" and hit "CNTL+V" to paste the layout file into it.
5. Open bpStarter
Double-click the icon "bpStarter.
6. enter the necessary parameters to connect to Büro Plus NexT
Enter the necessary connection information (for user name, password, client, connect name). User name, password and client you refer to a valid Büro Plus NexT registration. Hier wird Ihnen der Büro Plus NexT registrierte Firmenname angezeigt: Falls Sie unsicher sein sollten, wie die richtige Verbindungszeichenfolge (ConnectName) lautet, klicken Sie in Büro Plus auf das Menü Hilfe/Hotline.
7. Test the connection to Büro Plus NexT
Test the connection to Büro Plus NexT with Einstellungen->"BüroPlus Verbindung testen"
After a successful test of the connection to Büro Plus NexT you can save the 1st part of the settings:
8. Büro Plus NexT: Select a layout group
The layout group can be entered manually or selected by accessing the Büro Plus NexT data.
9. Select a Layout-File(.BPL)
Similarly, the layout file (BPL) can be selected ...
After entering all parameters, save the configuration:
10. Start Export (or Import)
After saving, you can start to export ...
11. Check Result
Check again, the results in the file C:\Programme\bpStarter\adrtest.txt
Batch Mode
bpStarter can run in batch mode when called with the command line option "-once". Parameters:
-once Batch mode, i.e.. bpStarter is executed without user interaction   -debug Advanced Error Messages   -mandant Detail Büro Plus NexT Client, e.g. Mand0   -layoutgroup For batch mode additional NexT layout group, e.g. ArtExpListe   -layoutfile For batch mode additional layout file, e.g. C:\Daten\bpStarter\TESTARTIKEL.BPL
Batch mode example
Create the following batch file in the bpStarter folder:
echo off START /WAIT bpStarter.exe -debug -mandant Man1 -layoutfile C:\Programme\bpStarter\TESTADR.BPL -layoutgroup AdrExpListe -once rem Jetzt wird der Errorlevel ausgewertet: IF ERRORLEVEL 1 goto fehler1 ECHO . ECHO Die Anwendung hat keinen Rueckgabewert / Errrolevel ausgeloest ECHO ################################ goto ende ECHO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ECHO Die Anwendung wurde mit dem Rueckgabewert / Errrolevel 1 beendet ECHO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! goto ende :ende PAUSE
Comments / Exclusion of liability
bpStarter has been used since 2002 on various platforms (Windows XP, Windows 2000 Server, Windows 2003 Server). In this regard, we could find no errors and are happy that the application has shown its reliability and stability. However, the software is still in its developmental stage. Thus, we assume no liability for any programming errors and their consequences. However, we would be thankful to receive any corresponding comments so that we can continue to develop the programme. As with any other software, we recommend that you test this software comprehensively with non-critical data in live operations before actually using it.
myCMS is a trademark owned by INBASE - Wolfgang Timm Büro Plus NExT is a trademark of microtech GmbH Windows is a trademark of Microsoft Inc. All trademarks are acknowledged.