[freeside-devel] RE: [freeside] Freeside draft checks scheme changes

[ivan]

On Tue, Nov 06, 2001 at 11:33:43AM -0600, Jeff Foster wrote:
> 
> 
> From: ivan [mailto:ivan at 420.am]
> Sent: Tuesday, November 06, 2001 11:07 AM
> 
> > On Tue, Nov 06, 2001 at 10:45:36AM -0600, Jeff Foster wrote:
> > > 
> > > From: ivan [mailto:ivan at 420.am]
> > > Sent: Tuesday, November 06, 2001 10:37 AM
> > > 
> > > > Use the `payinfo' field for the routing number and account number, or
> > > > convince me why that's not appropriate.
> > > 
> > > Thought of that and started that way first. I would join the
> > > routing number and account number with a ':' separater. But I 
> > > didn't want to make too much work for myself and thought that
> > > just adding the new fields would be easier.
> > 
> > Schema changes are a pain and I probably tend toward minimizing them when
> > possible.  I don't think I'm convinced that it's any significant extra
> > work to just put them in the payinfo field; it's not called "cardnumber"
> > for a reason.
> >
> 
> Agreed. However the payinfo is only 16 characters and this isn't big enough,
> the routing number is 9 digits by its self. The paydate and payname fields
> could be re-used, if you don't mind column names that don't quite fit the
> actual data. 

It's too short?  Hmm.  Okay, I'm convinced, adding the new fields is the
best solution.  Changing an existing field is more of a pain.

I agree that reusing the paydate or payname fields for something else
entirely is a bad idea. 

> > > > I could maybe see adding the `checknum' field.  Tell me more about how
> > > > it's supposed to work; does the customer give you a check number in
> some
> > > > starting range and you incremement it by one each time or what?
> > > 
> > > Yes that is correct. When the billing is done the current check
> > > number is sent to the billing program, the value is incremented,
> > > and the cust_main entry is updated.
> > 
> > Okay.  How about an integer instead of a varchar?
> 
> Good idea, if the field is added.

I look forward to your patch :)

-- 
_ivan