LedgerSMB::API -- news update, version 0.04a released, codenamed Caveat Emptor

[Hugh Esco <..hidden..>]

LedgerSMB::API News:

In a collaboration initiated between Nigel Titley and Hugh Esco -- but
open to others, operating under a SourceForge project as
LedgerSMB-OSCommerce, but with an expanded focus of supporting
developers seeking to integrate LedgerSMB generically with other
applications which have a need to post transactions to or pull reports
from an accounting database.  

You may get your copy using your cpan> prompt, or download it from the
sourceforge or CPAN websites at these links:

   https://sourceforge.net/projects/ledgersmb-oscom/
   http://search.cpan.org/~hesco/LedgerSMB-API-0.04a/

As initiating co-conspirators we've agreed to make this work available
under the GPL inviting your collaboration in making this a trully
useful tool.  For now, we offer this, our first humble alpha release,
at version 0.04a, nicknamed: Caveat Emptor.  

Developers are urged to TEST this module against a TEST database.
Testers are urged NOT TO DEPLOY this code against a production copy of
clients accounting databases, without further testing of all your
customary interactions, from posting orders, invoices, payments,
through reports, book closing and review of audit data.  There is much
left to test and we are developers, Not Accountants, and certainly not
developers who have any sort of firm grasp on LedgerSMB/ SQL-Ledger's
programming interface.  

We are only developers who simply seek to expose LedgerSMB's API in a
usable way, as we come to understand it.  

As we complete this initial layer, we hope that others will step
forward to develop: 

LedgerSMB::API::OSCommerce, 
LedgerSMB::API::XAO,
LedgerSMB::API::ZenCart, 
LedgerSMB::API::AgoraCart, 

plus
LedgerSMB::API::YourFavorite 

and of course
LedgerSMB::API::YourCustomApplication.

So, CAVEAT EMPTOR:

You are encouraged to access with your browser the administrative
interface of your LedgerSMB installation, to create and populate a new
database, perhaps lsmb_api_test, and create a new user, lsmb_api_test,
with privileges on that database.  The tests have been written against 
the chart of accounts provided by the US_Service_Company database
template.

Full instructions are available in the INSTALL file, and are summarized
for the installer by running the Makefile.PL script.

If you like the initial tests, you might then consider using pgdump to
backup a production accounting database, then as your postgres user,
the psql command to restore that data to your lsmb_api_test database,
after you have DROP'd and re-CREATE'd it.  

So, what's it do, you ask?

So far, the following routines seems to be passing rudimentary
automated and eyeball-on-browser tests.  

new_lsmb() 
create_new_vendor() 
id_existing_vendor() 
create_new_customer() 
id_existing_customer() 
create_new_part() 
create_new_purchase_order() 
generate_invoice_from_purchase_order() 
post_payment_to_ap_invoice() 
create_new_sales_order()

This routine is partially working and the nature of the known bug is
recorded in perldoc.

create_new_assembly() 

These routines are priority for the current developers, but of course,
others are encouraged to contribute code and documentation to help with
these or to scratch their own known itches.

generate_invoice_from_sales_order() 
post_payment_to_ar_invoice() 
generate_account_statement()

Feedback, comments, use cases, bug reports, tests for bugs, patches,
new code, new or revised perldoc, inspiration, development sponsorship
and other paying work from those who find this module useful are
welcomed and encouraged.  This is a work in progress.  Help us do the
work which makes for the progress.