Q(uick)BASIC Function: SLN#

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SLN#

A function that returns the straight-line depreciation of an asset for a single period

Worth knowing

Useful and cross-version information about the programming environments of QBasic and QuickBasic.

Syntax

SLN# (cost#, salvage#, life#, status%)

Description/Parameter(s)

cost#	The initial cost of the asset.
salvage#	The value at the end of the useful life of the asset.
life#	The useful life of the asset.
status%	A variable that returns a value indicating calculation failure or success: 0 = success; 1 = failure.

The argument life# is the useful life of the asset (or the number of periods over which the asset is being depreciated).
The argument status% can be any variable that returns information about the success or failure of the calculation. The value of status% will be 0 if the calculation was successful, and 1 if it was not.

Important

To use SLN# in the QBX environment, use the FINANCER.QLB Quick library. To use SLN# outside the QBX environment, link your program with the appropriate FINANCxx.LIB file. Depending on the compiler options you chose when you installed BASIC, one or more of the following files will be available:

Filename	Compiler options
FINANCER.LIB	80x87 or emulator math; DOS or OS/2 real mode
FINANCAR.LIB	Alternate math; DOS or OS/2 real mode
FINANCEP.LIB	80x87 or emulator math; OS/2 protected mode
FINANCAP.LIB	Alternate math; OS/2 protected mode

The FINANC.BI header file contains the necessary function declarations for SLN#.
For more information on using libraries, see "Creating and Using Quick Libraries" and "Using LINK and LIB" in the BASIC Programmer's Guide.

Example

This example uses the SLN# function to return the straight-line depreciation of an asset for a single period of its useful life.
Note: To run this example you must use a Quick library that includes the procedures contained in the date/time/format and financial function library files. The following include files must also be present.

'$INCLUDE: 'FINANC.BI'
'$INCLUDE: 'FORMAT.BI'
 
CONST YEARMONTHS = 12
CONST DOLLARFORMAT$ = "$#,###,##0.00"
DEFDBL A-Z
DIM Status  AS INTEGER
 
CLS
PRINT "Assume you have a piece of expensive manufacturing equipment."
INPUT "Enter the original cost of the equipment"; Cost
PRINT
PRINT "Salvage value is the value of the asset at the end of its useful life."
INPUT "What is the salvage value of the equipment"; SalvageVal
PRINT
INPUT "What is the useful life of the equipment in months"; Life
IF Life < YEARMONTHS THEN
    PRINT
    PRINT "If the life is less than a year, it is not an asset."
    INPUT "Reenter the useful life of the equipment in months"; Life
END IF
PRINT
 
YearsInLife = Life / YEARMONTHS
 
'Round up to a whole year.
IF YearsInLife <> INT(Life / YEARMONTHS) THEN
    YearsInLife = INT(YearsInLife + 1)
END IF
 
'Calculate and format the results.
PeriodDepreciation = SLN#(Cost, SalvageVal, YearsInLife, Status)
 
'Examine Status to determine success or failure of SLN#.
IF Status THEN
 
    'If unsuccessful, announce a problem.
    PRINT "There was an error in calculating depreciation."
 
ELSE
 
    'If successful calculate, format, and display the results.
    TotalDepreciation = Cost - SalvageVal
    MonthDepreciation = PeriodDepreciation / YEARMONTHS
 
    Cost$ = FormatD$(Cost, DOLLARFORMAT$)
    SalvageVal$ = FormatD$(SalvageVal, DOLLARFORMAT$)
    TotalDepreciation$ = FormatD$(TotalDepreciation, DOLLARFORMAT$)
    PeriodDepreciation$ = FormatD$(PeriodDepreciation, DOLLARFORMAT$)
    MonthDepreciation$ = FormatD$(MonthDepreciation, DOLLARFORMAT$)
 
    PRINT "If the original cost of your equipment is "; Cost$; ","
    PRINT "and the salvage value of that equipment is "; SalvageVal$; ","
    PRINT "the total depreciation at the end of its"; Life; "month lifetime "
    PRINT "is "; TotalDepreciation$; ". "
    PRINT
    PRINT "The straight-line depreciation is "
    PRINT PeriodDepreciation$; " per year, or"
    PRINT MonthDepreciation$; " per month."
 
END IF