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Over the weekend, we performed a minor Blaq update. The main change was adding a new product type. Blaq caters for many different types of products, not only allowing for different ways to measure a product but also to calculate a product's pricing. Examples of product types are:
- Standard - measured in units using a single quantity, eg. 3 cameras
- Length - measured by it's length (eg. metres) and also it's quantity, eg. 4 lengths of rope 5 metres long
- Hours - a time measurement of work done in hours, also with a quantity, eg. 2 lots of 5 hours
- Area - measured using a quantity, the number different kinds, a width and height, eg. 20 lots of 3 different banners, 5 metres width by 2 metres high
In the product section, you'll find a new type of 'Area 4', taking the number of 'Area' product types to 4. All four products include a quantity, number of 'kinds', width and height.
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The difference between the types is the way the total quantity for the volume break used when pricing is calculated:
- Area 1 - total quantity = quantity x kinds x width x height
- Area 2 - total quantity = kinds x width x height
- Area 3 - total quantity = width x height
- Area 4 - total quantity = quantity x width x height
- Quantity: 10
- Kinds: 2
- Height: 0.2 m
- Width: 1.2 m
- Quantity: 0 sqm, Price: $ 100.00 per square metre
- Quantity: 0.4 sqm, Price: $ 80.00 per square metre
- Quantity: 0.8 sqm, Price: $ 60.00 per square metre
- Quantity: 2.0 sqm, Price: $ 40.00 per square metre
- Quantity: 4.0 sqm, Price: $ 20.00 per square metre
- Area 1 - Quantity = 4.8 sqm, Price = $ 20.00 per square metre
- Area 2 - Quantity = 0.48 sqm, Price = $ 80.00 per square metre
- Area 3 - Quantity = 0.24 sqm, Price = $ 100.00 per square metre
- Area 4 - Quantity = 2.4 sqm, Price = $ 40.00 per square metre
We've performed a second update to Blaq this month, with the following changes:
- In Options, by selecting 'Exclude Weekends' Blaq won't include weekends when calculating the required date for a job or follow-up date for a quote.
- In Options, you can now set 'Height & width display' to format the way products with height & width dimensions are displayed on screen and most templates/reports. Possible formats include examples such as '2000mm h x 1000mm w' and '2000h x 1000w'. This also is affected by the height/width order option.
- In Options, you can set the 'Length - Input/Pricing' and 'Length - Displayed/Printed' to determine the measurement units used for input, pricing and display. For example, you could use metres for input and pricing but display/print millimetres.
- Safari - fixed bug where some menus weren't showing in the correct position
For any Firefox users on Macs wanting to upgrade to version 4, we've come across a solution for the PDF issue. Whilst it's not a permanent solution, from our testing it works well and should do for most users. Unfortunately, you need to run Firefox in 32 bit mode for it to work.
Firstly, install this version of the PDF Plugin for Mac OS X: http://firefox-mac-pdf.s3.amazonaws.com/fx-quartz-pdf-1.2.0.xpi.
After the plugin is installed, close Firefox, then select the Firefox icon in Finder. Open its properties using File > Get Info (or Cmd + I) and check the 'Open in 32-bit mode' checkbox and close the window. Open up Firefox and the PDF preview should now work.
UPDATE - 11/5/2011
We've had feedback that the 32-bit mode should be set first before attempting to install the plugin, otherwise Firefox won't let you install the plugin. Switch the steps above and it should work fine.
Firefox has always been one of our favourite browsers for Blaq and with the release of version 4 this week it keeps getting better. We've been testing this update with Blaq and so far haven't come across any problems with Blaq's functionality. However, printing could be an issue for now.
When printing anything in Blaq, a PDF is generated and depending on your browser setup, the PDF is downloaded or is previewed in another browser tab or window. If you're using Firefox on a Mac the PDF plugin at https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/pdf-plugin-for-firefox-on-mac-/ works great, but it doesn't yet work with version 4. If you're using Firefox on a Mac for Blaq, we'd recommend waiting until this plugin is updated before upgrading.
We've tested the Windows version of Firefox 4 with Blaq and printing works fine, so there should be no problems with upgrading to this version.
When printing anything in Blaq, a PDF is generated and depending on your browser setup, the PDF is downloaded or is previewed in another browser tab or window. If you're using Firefox on a Mac the PDF plugin at https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/pdf-plugin-for-firefox-on-mac-/ works great, but it doesn't yet work with version 4. If you're using Firefox on a Mac for Blaq, we'd recommend waiting until this plugin is updated before upgrading.
We've tested the Windows version of Firefox 4 with Blaq and printing works fine, so there should be no problems with upgrading to this version.
The DNS issues have been resolved, so Blaq is running normally again.
Thanks for your patience!
Thanks for your patience!
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