Extension for printing an invoice

[lang]

Ah, right. Good catch. I should have removed the reference to the language file (I customized my English language file). That variable is simply the label for the text box I added to the Invoice control page (see line 37 of main.tpl in the /templates directory). My original idea was that I'd use the text box to add a "regarding" line to my invoices so that I could type some text into the box on the control page and have it passed through to the invoice. It works fine, but it turns out it's not as useful as I originally imagined. It's just as easy to edit the document after it's been created. I guess I left it there thinking someone else might find another use for it.

-Lang

[consta]

Interesting extension! This is really what I have been looking for a simple timetracker with invoicing possibilities. However after I activated by renameing the invoice extension it poped up in Kimai v0.9.1.0272, but I get the following error messeage:

Fatal error: Uncaught exception 'tinyDocException' with message '"zip" not executable' in /hsphere/local/home/satab/sat.ax/kimai/extensions/ki_invoice/TinyButStrong/tinyDoc.class.php:923 Stack trace: #0 /hsphere/local/home/satab/sat.ax/kimai/extensions/ki_invoice/print.php(163): tinyDoc->setZipBinary('zip') #1 {main} thrown in /hsphere/local/home/satab/sat.ax/kimai/extensions/ki_invoice/TinyButStrong/tinyDoc.class.php on line 923

Does anyone know what it mean?

[ServiusHack]

Using the php function shell_exec tinyButStrong tries to execute the zip commandline application but fails. This is probably due to your webhoster restricting it. Also possible might be, that on your server the zip commandline tool isn't installed. Best would be to ask your webhoster about it.

Best Regards,
Severin Leonhardt

[consta]

Thanks! I will check it out with them.

[consta]

I still haven't got an answer about the zip commandline application from my webhoster, they don't seem to have so good support on Surftown...

However, is there a possibility to make this invoicing module work without zip commandline application? I guess I'm not the only one having this problem...

The invoicing module now need PDO and that was also causing me problems because the other modules timesheet and export are not working correctly with PDO connection for me, the problem is discussed here http://forum.kimai.org/index.php?topic=660.0

[ServiusHack]

However, is there a possibility to make this invoicing module work without zip commandline application? I guess I'm not the only one having this problem...

At first I thought the chances are bad, but then I noticed a comment in the source file: "This class needs optionally : ZipArchive from PECL" So perhaps the library we use can be run with this class to zip documents instead of using a commandline tool. Just wanted to tell you this, to build up hope.
Perhaps you can make the extension use this class. I will try it as well and perhaps include it in future versions of Kimai.

Best Regards,
Severin Leonhardt

[ServiusHack]

Got to it earlier than I thought...

The class is from a PHP extension. So the invoice extension either needs the extension or a command line zip program to launch. When the extension is accessed it checks whether either one is present and if not prints a nice error message.

That's the most I can do.

Best Regards,
Severin Leonhardt

[consta]

Thanks for checking out! I really don't understand much of php programming. Does this mean that one could install an extension instead of the command line zip program?

[ServiusHack]

Yes, while "one" usually means your web hoster as normal users are unable to install extension for PHP. But, depending on your hoster, this extension might already be available.

[consta]

I've got this answer from my hoster Surftown:

Unfortunately, it is a module that is not installed in our server environment. Nor is it something that is planned to be installed. On a VPS account had you had the option to install it on your account, though it is not possible in our shared hosting environment where you have your account. Can you check with them, and it can be solved locally on your computer or if it should run in server environment?

So can it be runed locally? Or do I have to live without the invoicing module...

[ServiusHack]

The zip application or the module have to be where Kimai is installed. If you install Kimai locally (using XAMPP) you can use the invoice extension. But if it has to be installed on your server there is no way to generate OpenOffice documents.

Best Regards,
Severin Leonhardt

[Kevin]

I am not sure, but can't you download the PECL classes locally and then deploy them manually to your default include path?!?

[ServiusHack]

Yes but it's not a PECL class that is missing, it's an extension like the MySQL extension. You can't download extensions and deploy them yourself. The server admin has to do that.

[Kevin]

Sorry, I mixed up PEAR and PECL.

But still, I would be great if we could provide the invoice extension on shared environments of hosters, who don't understand their job (unfortunately many of them don't).

[consta]

Kevin, I agree it would be nice to find a way around those hosters, I guess Surftown is not the only one missing this extension.