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Maintenance Update12 31 2001

Calculator update notes for 12-31-2001.

Financial Calculator Update 12/31/2001

NOTE: Our most recent update on 03/31/2002 can be found by clicking here!

The quarterly update for 12/31/2001 contains quite a few changes, including some very important updates for the retirement planning, IRA and 401k calculators. This update can be accomplished by simply replacing your "class" files and "dinkytown.jar" file. However, to take advantage of our new definitions and text in the many of the calculators some HTML changes are required. You may wish to print this page as a reference as you begin your update. To view our 9/30/2001 update: Click Here!

Update instructions:

  1. Download the latest version of your calculators from your download site, found on your update e-mail notice.
  2. Execute the Calc.exe file from your download. This is a self-extracting zip file. (Or unzip the Calc.zip file if you are using a non-windows platform.)
  3. When prompted for a directory, you may use the default of "java" or enter your own. It is recommended that you extract the update to a new directory and then move the required files to your production environment. One directory will be created. It will have three subdirectories.
  4. Replace the contents of your current KJEgui, KJEgraph and KJEcalculation directories with the new version
  5. Replace your current dinkytown.jar file with the new version
  6. Replace all files with the extension "class" with the new versions
  7. Make required changes to any HTML documents as describe later in this document.

If you have NOT made any changes to the HTML Files used in your deployment you may wish to replace all HTML files with the new versions in your download. If you have made changes to your HTML files, please review the changes below.

To clear your Browser's cache:

When you test the new version of the calculators, make sure that the browser you are using uses the new files instead of any it may have in its cache. You may need to clear the browser's cache manually to ensure the new versions are loaded.

Internet Explorer:

Chose "Internet Options" under the "Tools" menu and on the "General" tab click on the "Delete Files…" button.

Netscape:

Chose "Prefrences…" under the "Edit" menu. Click on the "Advanced" category and then "Cache" option which appears under it. Click the "Clear Memory Cache" button, then click the "Clear Disk Cache" button.)

Master Changes (no HTML required)

  1. Core calculator functionality has been enhanced to provide improved support for all browser's using Sun's JVM 1.3 or higher. This includes Netscape 6.0 and above (all platforms), Mac IE 4.5 and above.

Updates that require modifications to HTML documents

  1. All calculators have had small change to the javascript function to identify Netscape 6.x. This change hides the buttons under the Calculator for these browsers. The view report button for Netscape 6.x has been imbedded within the calculator itself. The change allows all Netscape 6 browsers to view the generated report. Below shows the previous javascript function 
    showbuttons()
    and the new one that supersedes it: 

    function showbuttons() {   

        var is_major = parseInt(navigator.appVersion); 

        var agt=navigator.userAgent.toLowerCase();

        var is_mac    = (agt.indexOf("mac")!=-1);

        var is_ie4up  = ((agt.indexOf("msie") != -1)  && (is_major >= 4 ));

    

        var is_win31  = ((agt.indexOf("windows 3.1")!=-1) 

           || (agt.indexOf("win16=")!=-1) || (agt.indexOf("windows 16-bit")!=-1));

        if ((is_mac && is_ie4up) ||  is_win31) {

          return "<BR><B>Press enter to recalculate</B>";
    }
return "<FORM><INPUT TYPE='button' value='Calculate' Name='btnCallCalc'
onClick='document.calculator.calculate()'><INPUT TYPE='button' 
value='View Report' Name='btnOpenNote' onClick='openNote()'></FORM>";

    }

    Changed to:


    function showbuttons() {   

        var is_major = parseInt(navigator.appVersion); 

        var agt=navigator.userAgent.toLowerCase();

        var is_nav  = ((agt.indexOf('mozilla')!=-1) && (agt.indexOf('spoofer')==-1)

                    && (agt.indexOf('compatible') == -1) && (agt.indexOf('opera')==-1)

                    && (agt.indexOf('webtv')==-1) && (agt.indexOf('hotjava')==-1));

        var is_mac    = (agt.indexOf("mac")!=-1);

        var is_ie4up  = ((agt.indexOf("msie") != -1)  && (is_major >= 4 ));

        var is_nav6up = (is_nav && (is_major >= 5));

        var is_win31  = ((agt.indexOf("windows 3.1")!=-1) 

           || (agt.indexOf("win16=")!=-1) || (agt.indexOf("windows 16-bit")!=-1));

        if ((is_mac && is_ie4up) ||  is_win31 || is_nav6up ) {

          return "<BR>";
    }
return "<FORM><INPUT TYPE='button' value='Calculate' Name='btnCallCalc'
onClick='document.calculator.calculate()'><INPUT TYPE='button' 
value='View Report' Name='btnOpenNote' onClick='openNote()'></FORM>";

    }
  2. I want to thank you for your feedback below. The rounding issue below is (like you stated) pretty much a non issue on RMDs in terms of compliance, but I completely agree that we should be consistent and the more consistent and accurate result would be to include the cents. We updated this in all calculators that have RMD, which will be part of our end of year update.
  3. Roth IRA Calculator (RothIRA.html, RothIRACalculation.html) This calculator has been updated to include new IRA contribution limits and catchup provisions. It is recommended that you replace your existing documents with the new, updated HTML documents to ensure that you have all of the new definitions and explainations associated with the changes.

  4. Traditional IRA Calculator (RegularIRA.html, RegularIRACalculation.html) This calculator has been updated to include new IRA contribution limits and catchup provisions. It also containts updated phase our ranges for non deductible contributions traditional IRA. It is recommended that you replace your existing documents with the new, updated HTML documents to ensure that you have all of the new definitions and explainations associated with the changes.

  5. Traditional vs Roth IRA Calculator (RothvsRegular.html, RothvsRegularCalculation.html) This calculator has been updated to include new IRA contribution limits and catchup provisions. It also containts updated phase our ranges for non deductible contributions traditional IRA. It is recommended that you replace your existing documents with the new, updated HTML documents to ensure that you have all of the new definitions and explainations associated with the changes.

  6. 401k Savings Calculator (Retire401k.html, Retire401kCalc.html) This calculator has been updated to include the new maximum contribution limits and catchup limits. It is recommended that you replace your existing documents with the new, updated HTML documents to ensure that you have all of the new definitions and explainations associated with the changes.

  7. 403b Savings Calculator (Retire403b.html, Retire403bCalc.html) This calculator has been updated to include the new maximum contribution limits and catchup limits. It is recommended that you replace your existing documents with the new, updated HTML documents to ensure that you have all of the new definitions and explainations associated with the changes.

  8. Debt Rolldown Calculator (DebtRolldown.html) has been enhanced to allow the user to choose whether cards with the lowest interest rate or lowest balances should be paid off first. The results tend to be similar, regardless of method, but our research has shown that the lower interest rate strategy has a slight advantage (hence the change). A new parameter has been added, and a new output to the generated report as well as a new definition to explain the choice. The calculator will work without the modifications to the HTML, but we recommend updating your DebtRolldown.html document to include these changes.

Other Updates

  1. Canadian Mortgage Calculators: Mortgage Loan, Mortgage Adjustable, Mortgage Payoff, Mortgage Refinance Interest Savings now allow entry of any year (1 through 25) for the Amortization period. The previous version limited the select to 5,10,15,20 and 25 years.

  2. Mortgage Qualifier was updated to correct a rounding error on the amortization schedule which appeared on some reports with a final payment creating a negative -1 principal balance. The mortgage qualifier was also enhanced to show a payments column on the report, as well as all figures to the nearest cent.

  3. Social Security Calculator (SocialSecurity.html, SocialSecurityCalculation.html) Adjustments to the Social Security calculator have been made to help bring the estimates closer to actuals. This includes a lower CPI. No changes are required to the HTML document to make this change.

  4. Retirement Planner (RetirementPlan.html, RetirementPlanCalculation.html) Adjustments to the Social Security calculator have been made to help bring the estimates closer to actuals. This includes a lower CPI. No changes are required to the HTML document to make this change.