Capital Gainz - Bonus News #1
Capital Gainz Bonus News #1
January 7, 1998
Dave Cohen
AlleyCat Software
Web: http://www.alleycatsw.com
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This is a 'bonus' addition to the newsletters that are mailed out
periodically. These Bonus News will be posted whenever I accumulate
interesting and valuable tidbits. They will not be emailed.
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Contents
1) Additional Settings for Updating Prices
2) Allocation Breakdown by Security Type
3) LaserList Utility for Printing 2-Up
4) Apologize for Email List
5) Bargain Sites for Hardware/Software
6) What is Distribution Per Share?
7) Entering 0 Amounts
8) Recording Options
9) Dave Asks
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1) Additional Settings for Updating Prices
There are a couple of additional settings you can manually add to
make importing prices from a file easier. I slid these in while on
hiatus and forgot to mention them anywhere. You would add these to
the CG.INI file in \CAPGNZ, under the section:
[UserSettings]
The settings are:
PriceFileStartAtSymbol={TRUE | FALSE}
PriceFileStopAtBlank={TRUE | FALSE}
PriceFileStartAtSymbol tells Capital Gainz to only start processing
after it sees 'Symbol' as the first token in a line. (In the next
update, it will also look for 'Ticker' and 'Issue', just in case.)
PriceFileStopAtBlank tells Capital Gainz to stop processing when
it hits a blank line.
These settings are most useful for Quote.com price files, which
have a lot of junk before the prices start, and a lot of junk after.
For Quote.com, you'd set both to TRUE. You may have to experiment
with price files from other sources.
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2) Allocation Breakdown by Security Type
Boy, am I redfaced. I had listed plans for further breakdowns of
allocations - for instance, stock/bond/cash for Mutual Funds. But,
a user pointed out that Capital Gainz ALREADY HAS THIS FEATURE!
In the Global Security Table, use the Securities pulldown, then
select Type Percentages. This was added in version 5.2. I simply
forgot about it. Either Capital Gainz is getting too big, or I'm
getting too old...
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3) LaserList Utility for Printing 2-Up
For those of you that really want to save paper, I've added a link on
the previous Web page to a little freeware PC Magazine utility called
LaserList that can print ASCII text files, two pages per sheet in
landscape mode, on a laser printer. I use it a lot.
To use it with Capital Gainz reports, first use Config/
Report Settings, then select the ASCII FIle Output option. This
setting will cause reports to be printed to ASCII text files. Generate
a report and remember the name, then crank up a DOS box or use
Start/Run, and use this line to send the report to the printer:
LL reportname
I don't know if this will work with networked printers or inkjet
printers. I just know it works great with HP laserjets.
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4) Apologize for Email List
My first newsletter mailed out with my email list included in the
To: field of the email. Several users pointed out that this allows
anyone to grab the list for spamming (bulk unsolicited email).
I apologize, and will use the Bcc: field in the future.
None of you would spam, or provide the list to spammers, would you?
While I'm on the topic, if you use Eudora, check the Tools/Filters
option. It lets you build up lists of email sources that you want
sent to the trash immediately on receipt. I must have about a 100
filters set up already - I add them as I get junk email.
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5) Bargain Sites for Hardware/Software
I've bought a lot of hardware and software over the Internet, and
I'd like to share with you my favorite (read 'cheapest') sources:
Hardware: PC Shopping Planet at http://www.shoppingplanet.com
Super prices - cheaper than anywhere I've seen. Not a
great selection, but if you just want any name brand
hard drive, CDROM, modem, etc., you'll find great prices.
Hardware is even cheaper than Surplus Direct, listed below.
Software: Surplus Direct at http://www.surplusdirect.com
Excellent prices on software, with a catch: it may not be
the latest version. If you just want fax software,
greeting card software, drawing/painting software, etc -
it's hard to find better prices. They also have pretty
good prices on hardware, especially 'toys' like
Connectix computer cameras.
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6) What is Distribution Per Share?
The most common problem reported by users of Capital Gainz is that
they enter a Price instead of a Per Share value when recording a
distribution. This is most common with mutual fund investors...
AND it tells me that they did not take 10-15 mins to look at the
Capital Gainz Tutorial, which clearly discusses this topic.
Distribution Per Share is the per share amount of the distribution
(duh!). If you have 100 shares and get $1.00, that's .01 per share.
Most mutual fund statements will list this value on their statements
(they all SHOULD). If you don't have it, you can just use the
value calculated by Capital Gainz - it's generally correct,
depending on transaction/confirmation dates.
If you reinvest distributions, answer Yes when asked if you want to
reinvest after recording the distribution, and then record the
purchase of the reinvested amount in the Buy Shares Form - here
you will use the reinvestment price.
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7) Entering 0 Amounts
If you've bought or sold an option that expires worthless, or have a
security that went bankrupt, you can sell or buy/cover for 0 amount.
On the activity form, just clear the Auto Calc checkbox. This will
let you enter 0 values. Remember to turn it back on the next time you
record activity.
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8) Recording Options
You can record options in Capital Gainz. For buying calls/puts, just
record a Buy as usual. If selling calls/puts, use the Activity/Sell
Shares Short, then, when you cover, use Activity/Cover Short Sale.
For options that expire worthless, record buy/sell at 0 amount -
see the previous section on 'Entering 0 Amounts'.
Capital Gainz does not adjust holding periods if you own stocks that
you sell options on.
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9) Dave Asks
There's a new section on the Web page where I ask you questions,
called 'Dave Asks. I don't do all the things that some of you do, so
occassionally need help with investment issues. I'd appreciate any
help provided.
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