On Fri, Dec 22, 2017 at 10:47 PM, Rich Shepard <rshep...@appl-ecosys.com> wrote:
> On Fri, 22 Dec 2017, Joel Kulesza wrote: > > I tend to agree with Steve's points. >> > > Joel, > > I fail to understand why you and Steve think LyX/LaTeX is not suitable > for > producing an invoice/statement while a word processor such as LibreOffice > is. In my very vague statement I made no such claim that LibreOffice / Microsoft office is suitable, but instead tried to suggest that LaTeX may not be the right tool. Rather, I would rely on purpose-built accounting software to manage finances. This software would be able to focus on the details and complexities of the finances, rather than the details of the output. Those financial details could then be captured and moulded into whatever output format, and with whatever output processor, you prefer (LaTeX, myriad Pandoc-compatible formats, etc.). While I wholly appreciate LaTeX's capabilities, as a general framework lots of folks have adapted it to uses that it, as a typesetting engine, isn't best suited. As one goes from typesetting toward programming, I start to ask myself whether it is the right tool to perform the processing or just to prepare the ultimate output. If one has invoices that are as simple as what I demonstrated, by all means use it. However, not knowing your business finances, I can't make that assessment and would prefer to err on the side of caution. As an example: I use TikZ heavily and it isn't so long ago that I was using it to perform a calculation within an illustration and was surprised to see that a rather basic trigonometric function wasn't available in the version of TeXLive I was using. Keeping everything "in LaTeX" is ideal, but sometimes there are weaknesses or simplifications made in available packages that make this more troublesome/risky (how much of the solution is rigorous versus being a functional hack?) than using an external application. When it comes to finances, I wish to avoid any hint of risk. > I can produce invoices with GnuCash, but they're more parts-focused, not > time-and-expense-focused. I used to use a spreadsheet to track retainer anc > charges but the output is not as professional as is the output from LaTeX. > Using a spreadsheet, GnuCash, or some other finance-based software and then directing its output to LaTeX for ultimate typesetting is how I would operate. This way you get the strength of a proper accounting program but the elegant output of LaTeX. The two key adages I follow in this regard are UNIX's "do one thing, and do it well" and someone else's "use the right tool for the right job." > However, do you have an example .lyx file that isn't working for you and >> an example of what you're trying to achieve (perhaps from a pre-LyX >> interface)? Do you have a MWE, maybe without the fancy invoice2 >> components? >> > > My question was how to correctly implement the invoice2 package and the > example you sent explains that very well. It also shows me that the > invoice2 > package is not suitable for a statement which is a history of the project > rather than a stand-alone invoice for a single month. Seeing this now > answers my question. Good. > And, LyX does produce a nicely typeset statement which > can run multiple pages when necessary. > Indeed. I have periodically used multipage tables (manually, not with a guiding framework like invoice2) and have been generally happy with the result. - Joel
