// returns a string that states the balance of the opened  acct
        public string handleBalanceRequest()
        {
            string ans = "error";

            if (acct != null)
            {
                ans = (acct.getBalance()).ToString();
            }
            return(ans);
        }
        ////////// Methods written for remote login and logout:

        // activates a login from a remote site to account #id and returns only the account's balance
        // (and not the account itself).  If  id  is nonexistant/in use, returns  -1
        public object loginRemote(string id)
        {
            int   ans = -1;
            IAcct a   = this.login(id);

            if (a != null)
            {
                ans = a.getBalance();
            }
            return(ans);
        }