Files: 59041da2fc238b23ec7429880e66e960c1177c83 / README
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1 | FreeCheck v0.30.1, March 11, 2014 |
2 | Eric Sandeen, <sandeen-freecheck@sandeen.net> |
3 | James Klicman, <james@klicman.org> |
4 | Caleb Maclennan, <caleb@alerque.com> |
5 | |
6 | ----------------------------------------------- |
7 | | READ THE "WARNING" FILE BEFORE YOU PROCEED! | |
8 | ----------------------------------------------- |
9 | |
10 | WHY DID YOU WRITE THIS? |
11 | ----------------------- |
12 | I wanted a free alternative to MIPS/VersaCheck. 'nuff said. |
13 | |
14 | REQUIREMENTS |
15 | ------------ |
16 | The first thing that you MUST have to be able to use FreeCheck is a |
17 | good Type 1 MICR font. I have created one, called "GnuMICR" that I think |
18 | is pretty excellent - but it has not been well tested. :) There are also |
19 | commercial fonts you can buy, if that floats your boat. See |
20 | www.bizfonts.com, for example. |
21 | |
22 | You must also have either a PostScript printer, or a recent version |
23 | of GhostScript. FreeCheck generates the check as a PostScript file. |
24 | |
25 | Technically, you must also use MICR toner. At a minimum, use a real |
26 | laser printer. |
27 | |
28 | Also, you should use security blank check stock, not just plain |
29 | paper. |
30 | |
31 | INSTALLATION |
32 | ------------ |
33 | |
34 | make prefix=/ install |
35 | |
36 | CONFIGURATION |
37 | ------------- |
38 | |
39 | On first run the program will copy the system default configuration file to |
40 | your home directory. From there you can edit it with your accounts and any |
41 | custom check styles or layouts. |
42 | |
43 | Edit the file ~/.freecheck.cfg to add your account information, and define |
44 | any new check blanks or styles you want. Take a look at the [Global] |
45 | section, too, to set things up for your system. Pay close attention |
46 | to the MICR line specification instructions. Most configuration instructions |
47 | can be found in this file. If something's too confusing, let me know. |
48 | |
49 | USAGE |
50 | ----- |
51 | FreeCheck just prints a PostScript file to STDOUT. That means that you |
52 | must either redirect it to a file, a printer, or a viewer (ggv accepts |
53 | a file on STDIN - I don't think gv does). |
54 | |
55 | So, to print (assuming a PostScript printer, or GhostView filter): |
56 | freecheck.pl <options> | lpr |
57 | |
58 | To view: |
59 | freecheck.pl <options> | ggv |
60 | |
61 | To save a file: |
62 | freecheck.pl <options> > mycheckfile.ps |
63 | |
64 | OPTIONS |
65 | ------- |
66 | freecheck doesn't require any options, unless you want it to do something |
67 | useful. By itself, it will print a couple sheets of standard checks |
68 | with a dummy account. |
69 | |
70 | Type "freecheck --help" to see what options are available |
71 | |
72 | For now, if you get tired of typing all those command line options, just |
73 | edit the defaults at the top of the main script. |
74 | |
75 | HOW DOES IT WORK? |
76 | ----------------- |
77 | FreeCheck is a Frankenstein-like combination of PostScript and Perl, |
78 | at this point. The guts of the check layout are in PostScript, which |
79 | is embedded at the end of the Perl script. This PostScript depends on |
80 | lots of variable definitions to decide what it should actually print. |
81 | That's where the Perl comes in - reading a config file, and generating |
82 | lots of lines of the type |
83 | /foo {bar} def |
84 | which define what's shown on the page. |
85 | |
86 |
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