The Total Cost Model 1.8 is coming soon…

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Well, the original schedule was to release updated version 1.7, however much more work and testing are still needed. So the release has been bumped up to version 1.8 with many more fixes and optimizations.

Please accept my apology, but be assured that the Total Cost Model, version 1.8 will be worth the wait. Version 1.6 of the Total Cost Model was not uploaded correctly and could not be downloaded for several days. It is annoying to get the “File not found” redirection page, I know. However, that has been fixed. You can get it now at https://rlbcontractor.com/total-cost-model.

While some much-needed fixes were added to version 1.5 to make the Total Cost Model 1.6 more user-friendly and functional, work on a newest version is nearly complete. It includes more spelling fixes, more error handling, and less code clutter plus a few new features to make things easier.

Testing and the final code “brush-up” is being done on 1.8 and it should be available in a few more days. The fixes, enhancements, and new features are described below. Until it is released version 1.6 is now downloadable.

New features and fixes

The Options form received much of the updating, it now has 4 more selectable items. They address hiding (or unhiding) Excel’s comments which are used as a “pop-up” help on the worksheets and the visibility of the “hidden” columns. In the following image, they are the 4 options at the end of the list of checkboxes.

The New and Improved Cost Model’s Options form

I usually tend to hide columns that store variables and provide additional calculations. Using hidden cells for calculations helps shorten the length of my formulas and reduces their complexity. The ones on the Total Cost Model may actually help you to understand the relationship between the cost factors. So it is now your choice to hide or not to hide. There are no secrets there…

Cost Analysis worksheet showing the “hidden” columns at the right

Some of the other additions included in version 1.8 of the Total Cost Model are:

  • More error handlers and fixes to make the existing handlers more informative and robust.
  • Over 60 specific bug fixes…some minor, but many major (even a few Show Stoppers!)
  • Spelling and user interface corrections.
  • The Concepts and Instructions worksheet has been updated with new graphics and text.
  • Removal of unused Document Properties and some marginal global variables.
  • Several globally used variables and properties have been moved to cells in the hidden columns on the Common Data worksheet for easier inspection, processing and maintenance.
  • Modular level variables have been given the prefix “m_” to more easily show their scope.
  • The remaining Global level variables have been given the prefix “g_” to show their scope.
  • The Data Wizard (used for creating new models or editing existing ones) has been reworked and includes many fixes and several new features. A Reset button now allows you to return to the original data, BEFORE you insert it into the model.
  • Many local variables have been removed. Some were left-over from “dead code.”
  • Numerous code enhancements.
  • …and much code cleanup…

Version 1.8 will be uploaded in the coming few weeks. As usual, you will be able to get it at https://rlbcontractor.com/total-cost-model.