Now Available: The DVC Planning Computer Program

[Caskbill]

Well, it's finished, it's been tested, and it's ready.

As promised, you may now download a copy of my DVC planning program.

Features allow you to plan multiple resorts and multiple trips, compare point costs quickly among all the resorts, save and recall vacation plans, check any DVC point chart quickly, check your banking deadlines and so on, a program Tutorial to get you started, and a full Help file.

I believe this will be a very useful tool for all members, and can also be a good tool for those considering membership and would like to calculate how many points would be right for them. (Or current members who want to know how many more points they need... )

System requirements are Windows 95 or higher, 2.5 Mb free disk space, 800x600 screen resolution or higher, and sound system (optional).<b>Also, if you downloaded version 1.0 be absolutely sure your computer is set for ENGLISH (US). I have changed the program already to version 1.01 (the current download version)which will work correctly with European/Canadian dates.</b>

Thanks to all the DVC members who helped test the various Beta versions. (<i>If there's any bugs left in the program, then blame these people, not me....</i>

<i>(edited to modify this paragraph)</i>
If anyone has any specific, individual problems, check out the FAQ's that will soon be added at the download site. Otherwise feel free to send me an e-mail or a PM. Per Doc's request, please do not post specific program or installation issues here on the DIS.
<i>(thanks)</i>

(Please keep in mind that this release is a point <u>Planning</u> tool, and does not do point Tracking. I plan on adding point tracking by next Spring, with release of version 2.0)

Click to go to my home page where you can check out some screen shots, and download the program.

The DVC Planner Program by Caskbill

 

[Minnie*Mouse]

I can't wait to begin using it.

M*M

 

[luckytso]

Caskbill,

I just downloaded your program. It is even better than the previous one. I wil replace the previous version with this one. However, I just have one question:

Is it right that the program only allows you to book 1 room for each date? I have a big family reunion for 2003's Xmas. I need multiple rooms (1 2-br and 2 studios). However, once I put in the 2-br for those dates, the program does not allow me to add another room to the same dates. Is there some way I can get the program to do that?

Thanks again.

Christine

 

[Caskbill]

Christine, thanks.

The program will allow multiple resorts, but only one resort on a given date. I looked at allowing multiple resorts on the same date but the number of combinations that are possible gets pretty large. I can do it with a practical limit (like max of 5 different rooms on the same date) that would probably work for everybody.

I'm looking at doing this for the next release.

Meanwhile, just create separate vacation plans for each and you'll still have all the information. You'll just have to do your grand total of points separately.

For now, the multiple resorts capability is more for doing two or more resorts on the same trip, or doing two or more resorts on different trips, but within the same 12 months.

Yours is the first reply and it looks like the download and installation went OK. I was a little worried about that.

Hope you enjoy the program.

 

[luckytso]

Caskbill,

Thanks for the reply. I am happy with this one as is already. Every time when I call MS, I always have your program open to make sure I know the # of points required. It is a great program!!!

Also, even though I am proficient in using the computers, I am the type who always calls our tech people when I run into problems at work. So the fact that I can download it myself shows that your instructions are quite good to follow through.

Thanks again. Have a great Labor Day weekend.

Christine

 

[inky dinky doo]

Caskbill,

Any chance you'll do something for a Mac? Yes, I'm one of _those_ people. ;o)

Inky

 

[Tagrel]

Thanks Bill!

This is a great program, and as someone who typically goes with the 'when all else fails, read the instructions' plan of attack, I would highly suggest that new users run your excellent tutorial to get the most out of your program.

You have done a great job putting everything together, and this will help many, many members plan some great vacations.

Thanks for all your time and effort!

 

[Cap]

Caskbill,

When I try to run the setup program, it stops responding when "DVCPLAN SETUP" is "Creating Program Manager Icon". The file NTDVM.EXE stops responding.

I'm running Windows XP Pro.

Any suggestions on how to get it to complete the setup?

 

[WDWorld]

Hi CaskBill,

First, thanks for programming us that type of software. I installed it and everything went right. But when I try to run it I receive an error message that says :

Uncoverable Error : code 13 occured. Program automatic end here. Please note what you were doing when you received that error and report the code number : 13 in line 0

What language did you use to program this software ? I'm myself a french speaking programmer and I could help you to translate it to french if you want to provide me the source...

Thanks again !!!!

 

[Caskbill]

Originally posted by Cap
Caskbill,

When I try to run the setup program, it stops responding when "DVCPLAN SETUP" is "Creating Program Manager Icon". The file NTDVM.EXE stops responding.

I'm running Windows XP Pro.

Any suggestions on how to get it to complete the setup?

CAP, I have no idea what NTDVM.EXE is. It isn't part of the setup or program files. I'm guessing it's something to do with XP pro. Probably to do with the program manager. I know the program will install OK on XP home.

The program manager icon is the last thing that happens, so maybe the program installed OK but just didn't tell you? Or it installed the program but didn't set up a program manager grouping. A grouping isn't really required and you can create your own shortcut if you need to. See if it created the directory C:/DVCPlan. If it did then see if the files look OK. There should be 12 of them initially. If that looks OK try running DVCPlan.exe

Also, when it stopped were there by chance any windows that were maybe hidden behind other windows and that were waiting for a user response?

When you tried to install it, did you accept the default directory or did you try to install to a different directory? Maybe that did something.

If the above doesn't work, and you have access to another computer (not XP pro) and you can get it to install there OK, then PM me and I can tell you what system files you would need to copy (along with the program files) and we might get it to work that way without using the install program at all, (which all it does anyway is simply copies files to the correct directory.) The installation and program don't do anything with Win.ini or the Windows registry.

If anybody else has XP pro please post here and let us both know if you have any problems.

Lastly, maybe the download got corrupted. You could start from scratch again.

Let me know.

Bill

 

[Shontell_Crawford]

Hi Caskbill,

I would love to try this program, but I'm a Mac user. Any plans for a mac version?

Thanks!
Shontell

 

[WDWorld]

oh yes... I'm using Win 2000 Professionnal

 

[Cap]

CaskBill,

Thanks for developing this great vacation planner. I know that lots of hours went into this, including late hours (e.g. 8/31 past 2:00 AM).

The setup problem I reported is not a big deal. In investigating, I found that it did do the setup, but did not put a program group into the "All Programs" list and did not set the flag to show that a new program was installed. Also, the program does not show on the Add / Remove Programs menu. However, the program appears to run ok once I go to the folder and start it. I'll just create a shortcut to go into my Disney folder.

The tutorial is very well done.

A few thoughts for your "possible enhancements list":

- Show standard trash and towel day and full cleaning days
- Show a booking date for day by day booking (e.g when trying to get something in Premier Season, when some people call each day to extend a reservation)


Again, Thanks very much for developing this fine tool.

 

[Caskbill]

Inky, my first computer was an Apple II that I purchased about 1978. So that's about the extend of what I know about MAC today.

I have absolutely no idea what it would take to make a version for the MAC.

WDWorld, ouch, error 13 is a "Type Mismatch". It's got to be coming from trying to read one of the data files. If that's the very first error you get before anything shows on the screen, then it's probably the main data points file. It's probably corrupted. (So when the program looked for a date maybe it found a number instead, or when it looked for a number (points) maybe it found a resort name instead (These are Type Mismatches)).

You might just try to install it again. If that doesn't work, let me know. I can tell you how to check the files.

The program is written using Microsoft Visual Basic.

I'm reluctant to release the source code to anyone as I'm sure you'll understand due to my vested interest in it's copyright and my reserving all rights to my work.

I don't know for sure what it would take to make a French version, assuming a user has French as the primary language set for their computer. If that doesn't affect the program and it runs OK in English, I could probably make a French version by simply changing all the displayed text.

If you'd really like to do something I could send you a file of all the text in the program and you could translate, then I could paste it in. Then I'd add a language option in the menu that would tell it to display one set of text or the other. If this is really something you'd like to do, let me know.

 

[sandieb]

Thank you, Caskbill! It installed with no problem - I use XP Home. I told my husband that I would be right up to watch the movie, The Rookie, with him...I was just going to look over the tutorial...then I saw 62 pages! He will be happy about this...now he can watch the Maryland - Notre Dame game. Great Job.
Sandie B. Freeland, Maryland

 

[Caskbill]

Originally posted by Cap
A few thoughts for your "possible enhancements list":

- Show standard trash and towel day and full cleaning days
- Show a booking date for day by day booking (e.g when trying to get something in Premier Season, when some people call each day to extend a reservation)

Cap, where were you when we were Beta testing? These are great ideas.

As for time, yes, a labor of love. I didn't keep real good track of my time, but it's well over 300 hours work. It's been pretty much a full time project since late June.

Any programmers out there can verify the kind of work it takes to create something like this. But I derive tremendous satisfaction in being able to create something that I can give to my fellow DVC family members. Besides, being retired, got to do something to keep my mind from turning into jelly.

Gonna rest now, and travel some. But in a few months I'll be quizzing members on what features the Point Tracking aspects should support. Plan on starting that part of the program after the New Year.

 

[marley]

This is a GREAT program! I had no problems installing it and I'm set to plan, plan, plan

 

[WDWorld]

Just solved my problem...

In my regional settings, I had the "location" set to USA and the Date and Time settings set to French Canadian. Iguess that this caused something to be badly treated by the software.

This looks great !!!

I surely understand that you want to keep the source for yourself after such a long work but I confirm you that if you vould like , one of these days, to add a french version to the software, I'd be glad to translate the text for you.

Thanks again !!!

 

[erikthewise]

I used this program successfully on my Macintosh with Virtual PC 5.0. It's not cheap but works wonderfully for programs like this that don't come in Mac versions.

 

[ceejay13]

Bill,

Thanks a million for this wonderful program!