I'm not a developer. One day maybe but for now I only marvel at those who can actually create applications. But I could really use this app. Perhaps there is a developer that could too and will run with the idea?....
The Application: Task created by one button press on PPC that records an audio task reminder, creates task dated today with subject "Audio Task" and attaches the audio clip to the task.
The idea is that you can create tasks on the fly with 1 button press (say you are driving or whatever) as long as you have your PPC and remind yourself later. 1 press and say "Pick up beer for Friday" (okay not likely I'd forget that, but you get the idea). It beeps to confirm it worked and then the task is created and shows up in outlook after syncing.
For me this task then shows up in my outlook 'today's tasks list' which I live out of and I can take it from there.
How hard would this be to build? Just a script of some kind I'm guessing - maybe not as I say I'm not a developer. Any takers? Should I pass the hat?
Cheers.
Nice idea.
I'm quite busy right now, but consider using PocketMax AlarmToday, or alternatively a poor man's alternative is to use the built in Notes Voice recorder (hotvoice) and couple it with the plugin AudioNotes, to show your audio notes count on the today screen.
V
The key is getting it into Outlook....
vijay555 said:
Nice idea.
I'm quite busy right now, but consider using PocketMax AlarmToday, or alternatively a poor man's alternative is to use the built in Notes Voice recorder (hotvoice) and couple it with the plugin AudioNotes, to show your audio notes count on the today screen.
V
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Vijay thanks for your comments. And yours suggestions are good and get the solution part way there, and as you say would serve as a stop gap.
But the key to this app (and people loving it) is that it integrates seemlessly into the way they manage there lives now. For me (and I've found for a suprising number of people) everything flows through outlook, having another location to check, even on as front and center as the today screen, simply won't do.
The key to the idea is to have a zero headache and 100% reliable way to record and then forget a task until it needs either done or alocated to the day it will be done.
I actually thought I was a bit of freak managing a lot of my life through tasks but I have come across a bunch of people that are way more organized and 'freaky' than I am.
Anyway, thanks for you suggestion. If you get some time and find this interesting let me know. I could draft up a non-technical spec doc pretty quickly. I've got several versions in my head starting with a basic utility to do what I mentioned (which is all I'm really after), right up to one that uses speach to text to fill in the details for you and location positioning to remind you to do things based on where you are (ever been right near the dry cleaner but forgot to pick up the cleaning?). But that's a whole other story.
Cheers.
Hmmm. Speech to text is something I'm still working on.
I'm unlikely to get time to focus on this immediately, but if you see me loitering on streetcorners some weeks hence, stop me and ask me if I'm still "doing business" - ie send me the spec over.
Thinking about it in theory, it doesn't sound too bad. Use POOM to create a new task, use the sound/voice recorder control to embed into the associated note, grab the current date etc. However, like all programming, theory is easy, execution takes time and Jolt.
I use tasks for staying on top of updates for my apps - it's the only way I'd remember all of the requests, otherwise I'll forget everything. My brain is useless Needs a firmware update.
V
Loitering on street corners hey. Be careful who you meet doing that sort of thing. :shock:
I'm in our same boat, very pressed for time at the moment (just started a new job with Siemens), which is one of the things reminded me why this app would be so handy. That said I'll see about putting a spec together.
Ya I like the theory too, but that's as far as I get. But as you say it seems a lot of the foundation is there from existing apps. I guess it just depends how easy ol' MS has made it to work with them. Does POOM have a reasonable api?
If you know of a Brain Firmware upgrades other than the stock version sign me up. Without task to keep me on track I'm lost.
We'll just see how the time comes together and seeing as I can't help on the programming side I'd be more than willing to provide the jolt. :wink:
Cheers.
I program in native pure C++. In that, POOM has a horribly arcane API. It's much easier in .net, so if anyone wants to try their hand at it, jump in.
But I'm not a .net convert yet... too sloooow.
V
Not that this is a substitute for the OPs original proposal (which is really nice),
here is an interesting AudioNotes/Today Plugin combo that is meeting you half way...
Blade's Audio Notes
Of course Blade uses .net (1.1 in this case) so it does run slower than C++, but it's free
Blades Audio Notes is a start. But can I send my Boss to blade when I forget to make the phone call because it Outlook wasn't reminding to do it? :wink:
Am I the only one that uses Outlook pretty strictly to manage getting things done? Just curious. I've been called worse than "outlook freak" before and likely again...
...but thanks for the heads up malatesta.
Hi
I'm trying to create a tabbed dialog for wm5\WM6 (something like BatteryStatus setttings). However I'm quite lost on how to do it. Umpteen searches on google cudnt get me anything specific. I have tried using the "Tab Control" in MFC, but coudnt figure out how to add things to tabs other than the first one..
I'm quite poor in U/I coding, so would appreciate a more wysiwyg kinda solution for adding things (After that I can manipulate them thru code no prob)..And moreover I need a solution in Native C++\MFC...
TIA
Hi shantzg,
I had use "Tab Control" in MFC App long back on PC but not in PPC.
I think it will still be similar.
The "Tab Control" only lets u define no of tabs and will also fire events on the basis of selection.
You hv to programatically show ur UI controls on the basis of these events.
you can look how they handled it in their source
https://sourceforge.net/projects/claunch/
http://www.nakka.com/soft/ptools/
Check out wxwidgets...
you can create the interface using a wysiwyg program like wxformbuilder, and you can try compiling it on windows using something like wxdevcpp. However to make it run on ppc, you'll need to install either .net professional ide, or embedded visual c++. Anyway, you'll have to spend a bit of time going through the wxwidgets wiki to get it working.
Thnx for the replies guys, I'll check out the recommended things and get back to u..
There are quite a few extras in there, but you can check out the code for LVMTime. I used tabbed dialog for its settings (using C++). Basically each tab is a separate dialog with its own handling function and I show the one needed when the parent dialog receives a message from the tab control.
Thnx for that levenum, ill take a look..havent been able to check out any of things suggested so far due to paucity of time..will do so arnd weekend..thnx a lot all u guys..
Hi,
I was wondering if a Location Based Reminder Software would be a good idea to develop if it doesn't exist, i didn't try to search much for such software, while i always love to develop simple things my self (they will be free ).
what do you think? should i go for it?
any specific features should i include in?
Awesome idea - has commercial potential as well.
Besides that perhaps look at integrating with Notes - e.g. Shopping list and "grocery store". I sometimes put notes in as I go, so with keywords, your app could be running in the background and if set up, will pop up with the "grocery list" or something like that.
Nice, so let's get it on.
Commercial? no, at least not for the first couple of versions. let's do something good to the world
Project Location Based Reminder for Mobile
Started the project "Location Based Reminder for Mobile" on codeplex
as a start i will be using the built in tasks for storage.
LBRM V0.1:
- Uses windows built in tasks.
- Locations Based on Categories.
- Reminders assigned to a location category.
you can access the project from here
http://www.codeplex.com/LBRM
Note: This Application is still under development and it is not functional at all.
Please don't attempt to install on your device.
Note: Access Available only to members participating, if you want to participate in testing kindly let me know.
Note: This application is provided as is, no warranties or support. i take no responsibility of anything or any damage done by this software or any part of it.
What is the status of this project? I checked the link but couldn't find lbrm there.
I'm working on a GTD system for Windows Mobile. My thinking is that, since I always have my phone with me, what better place to maintain a "trusted system"? I've seen make-shift systems based on Outlook Tasks, ListPro, etc., but none of them were right for me. They were either too inflexible, not robust enough or too cumbersome.
My goal is to make it as simple as possible - but no simpler. With that design goal in mind, I'm making it tag-based. No need for category, priority, or context fields - just use tags... @Home, @work, ASAP, Wait4, @errands, Business Hours, Home Maintenance, Auto Maintenance, etc.
Planned functionality...
MAIN MENU
Quick-Add Item (description only - auto-tagged with "TagL8r" for subsequent review/edit)
Add Item (including tags, and notes - with an option (future release) to auto-timestamp the creation date in the Notes field)
Quick-Find Item (Enter a search term, see a list of records that include that text anywhere in the record (i.e. in any field). Primarily used when there's something you don't want to forget - but you can't remember if you entered it already.)
View Items by Tag (Future release will include code so multiple tags can be used as a view (and possibly add-items) filter.)
View Untagged Items (Finds items tagged "TagL8r" - select item to add tags)
Mark items complete (one button - optionally including auto date/time stamp in Notes field.)
View Completed Items (Finds items tagged "TagL8r" - select item to add tags)
Manage Tags (future release)
Backup Data (via ActiveSync - database files must reside in \My Documents for this release; additional options planned for future release)
Skinnable (future release)
UPDATE:
I tackled this this using AutoHotkeyCE with a flat-file database. (I'm not a C programmer. And Mortscript's GUI functionality is woefully inadequate.)
This has gone badly. After 6 weeks, 10-12 (and sometimes more) hours per day, 6 (and often 7) days a week, I have an app that gets buggier the more I try to fix it.
While great for simple desktop automation tasks, AutoHotkey is (IMHO) not well-suited to sophisticated, GUI apps. (It has the chops - or at least the desktop version does -but the CE port is buggy and the syntax is incredibly counterintuitive.) In short, it has been an exercise in futility and terribly frustrating. I wish I had chosen any other scripting language (even Perl) for this, but for WM, my options were limited. (If there was a good implementation of php for PPC, I'd have been all over that, but sadly, the only such implementation was abandoned long ago.)
Bottom line, I will still be doing this, but I'll be doing it in C# or C++ (kind of a learn-as-I-go proposition.) When it's done, I'll certainly be posting it here, but after 6 weeks of very hard work, my neglected wife needs some attention. And with nothing to show for all my hard work, I need a bit of a break. Then there's the learning curve of a new language.
For now, though, I'm posting the main help file (PPC friendly) - with screenshots - as a sort of "sneak preview". Your comments and feedback are welcome.
Hi,
I'm waiting for your prog. Please make sure tags are outlook categories: I'm using GTD programs on my PC too, like jello-dashboard, and they relly on category to sync.
Thanks
This is totally separate from Outlook and I had no plans for integration. All data is stored in a flat-file database, but if you keep that file in My Documents, it should sync without problem. The entire app should work on the desktop as well as the PPC, though. And I'll optimize the desktop version to take advantage of the larger screen. This may be a deal breaker for you, I don't know. Then again, maybe you'll like it well enough to switch over. I'll certainly be open to enhancement requests, especially for the desktop version. If there are particular features that you really like in your desktop GTD app that I'm not implementing, I'll definitely consider adding them.
One other thing re: Outlook categories... I'd be glad to implement an import feature but I don't know how to access the system db that contains the Outlook categories. I've asked (on this forum) if there's a commandline util for doing so (and where to find a schema) but no one has ever answered either question.
Have a look at MLO http://www.mylifeorganized.net/products/my-life-organized/how-it-works.htm
I have. I believe my app will be better. Quicker/easier to add to my "Inbox", quicker/easier to sort/organize, quicker/easier to review/set priorities & action items, and in general, a whole lot more flexible. (Not to mention $77.95 cheaper!)
Sorry for the delay!
To those who have been watching/waiting for this, I apologize for the delay. I initially wrote the QuickAdd and QuickFind functions in Mortscript but then decided I wanted all the code in AHKCE, so there's been a bit of a rewrite and some problems with the port to AHKCE (some my fault, one apparently a bug.) And now there may be further delays as life (or maybe I should say "wife") is getting in the way.
Well all my GTD systems are based around outlook/exchange. Not using category, and using your own database to sync with the pc is going way back for me, at a time where I can sync between 7 devices with ease, using the same mail, contact, task and schedule database, and still access this data over internet.
Google might be another repository, but a GTD without any form of MAIN internet sync looks so Pocket pc 2003 to me.
But I'm sure you might reconsidere this, specially if you see that using standard outlook database with tags allow you to communicate with any PC part with ease, without reprograming your own.
This would be fantastic. Like you said, since the flat-file db can be file synced, it's all good. May could even bend it into a format that todo.sh/txt could handle!
Anyway, looking forward to it's release.
I don't really see your point
But I'm sure you might reconsidere this, specially if you see that using standard outlook database with tags allow you to communicate with any PC part with ease, without reprograming your own.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've read about (and tried using) the Outlook method, with categories as tags. Didn't work for me. Outlook is a kludge. It wasn't designed specifically for GTD, isn't extendable, and is lacking in several areas. I found it cumbersome - Not quick to add an item to my inbox (or at least not nearly as quick as my app.) Not quick to add new categories as needed. Not quick to find multiple items with the same tag(s) (which could be items tagged "today" or with a context tag - mine will display such lists very quickly.) And not as quick to change to edit mode for items found via search.
Aside from all that, I don't use Outlook at all. I much prefer Thunderbird on my desktop, and Gmail forwards all mail to my phone via (push) web2mail.
thaihugo said:
at a time where I can sync between 7 devices with ease, using the same mail, contact, task and schedule database, and still access this data over internet.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Why would you need to sync with 7 devices?! You're placing a lot of emphasis on syncing. I'm not. This is phone-centric because I always have my phone with me. Yet I can still sync to my desktop (for entering long notes, etc.) using ActiveSync - by keeping the db file in \My Documents.
If the syncing issue outweighs the benefits of my app for you, I guess you won't be using my app. If syncing via Outlook Tasks is a priority for you, consider writing something that imports the dbfile into Outlook tasks.
defsquad said:
bend it into a format that todo.sh/txt could handle!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Shouldn't be that hard to support. Does it store it's data in a single text file?
Soon!
Excellent progress so far today. Just a bit of wrap-up to do and then I'll post v0.1 beta 1. But it'll have to wait til tonight - gotta run some errands, and appease the wife by doing some chores that have been put off due to this project!
This sounds great!
The thing i miss about Listpro is, ability to mark some ithems as "outlook tasks", so they show up in other programs, calender, etc. Just at suggestion.
I doubt I can do this from AutoHotkey or Mortscript. I would have to call some sort of commandline utility like
OutlookCreate.exe -item=appointment -subject=[subject] -date=[date] -time=[time] -reminder=[reminder]
As far as I know, this doesn't exist but if anyone knows of one (or wants to write one), I could certainly implement this functionality.
I do plan to implement a reminder function that would optionally set a system alarm for the current item/new items.
Status Update
For those watching this thread/interested in this app, I've posted an update (the news is not good) in the 1st post, along with the main help file (with screenshots) as a sort of "sneak preview". Sorry if this has become vaporware.
Oops. Forgot to include linked images (screenshots) when I uploaded the help file. Reuploaded. See 1st post.
One thing you might try is to Tweak an App like bLADEwiki to do GTD.
Good Luck in your GTD and C programming !
Does it working?
Hi Donny
I tried to install you software but it did not work. Maybe I did not try enough.
Half year ago I had a same dispute. Mortscript or Autohotkey? Morscript was winner, however it has not pretty gui windows, it has better scripting. So I created Plain todo. I use it every day: www.plaintodo.com
Hey guys,
I'm delving into PPC development for the first time (have done other development in .NET but never for PPC). I'm creating an application called MyDVD Collection. It will be a handheld database for keeping track of DVDs/CDs/Console games. Now, what's going to make mine a little different than others like this is that I have designed it to work in conjunction w/ Barcorama. Basically, you'll be able to set this program as the external executable which Barcorama passes its scanned barcode to. It will then check your collection to see if you already own it, give you the ability to add it if it does not exist, and will eventually pull information from the Internet about that item and auto fill (as soon as I find a reliable way to do that).
So far, I have the basic database structure defined and have the screen built to view the items in the database, as well as a way to filter that view. Next is to build the entry form for adding items, and a basic search function. I should have an alpha version ready for testing soon. If anyone is interested in testing, please let me know.