Completed app - beta testers and feedback wanted

[james3mg]

drumroll, please...

OK, so I'm the only one that's been waiting for this, but that's all right.

Here is an app I finally finished writing - its purpose is to help me take phone messages at work. This is generation three-the first executable version (until now, it's been in 100% HTML and JS), and allows me to have a 'phonebook' from which to draw, rather than always asking for a number from people to whom I talk frequantly.

I'd appreciate anyone who is interested in trying it out, seeing when it breaks, if there's other stuff you'd want, etc posting feedback here for me.

By the way, this also represents a breakthrough for me, because this introduces me to the ability to print from AutoIt...whereas before I was one of the befuddled masses looking for such a function. All I had to do was write what I wanted in HTML into a file called print.htm, then use

RunWait(@COMSPEC&' /c rundll32.exe C:\WINDOWS\System32\mshtml.dll,PrintHTML "'&@ScriptDir&'\print.htm"',@ScriptDir,@SW_HIDE)

This results in a window popping up and offering a printer and options select window, just like IE. (then I just use filedelete() to get rid of print.htm). The only disadvantage is the ever-present "Page X of Y" and file path and date tags at the bottom and top of the page, but I consider that a small sacrifice.

So if that strategy has been discussed before, forgive me, but I missed it, and I just want to make sure that anyone else can do the same who wants to

Thanks for the feedback!

phone3beta.zip

[FuryCell]

drumroll, please...

OK, so I'm the only one that's been waiting for this, but that's all right.

Here is an app I finally finished writing - its purpose is to help me take phone messages at work.  This is generation three-the first executable version (until now, it's been in 100% HTML and JS), and allows me to have a 'phonebook' from which to draw, rather than always asking for a number from people to whom I talk frequantly.

I'd appreciate anyone who is interested in trying it out, seeing when it breaks, if there's other stuff you'd want, etc posting feedback here for me.

By the way, this also represents a breakthrough for me, because this introduces me to the ability to print from AutoIt...whereas before I was one of the befuddled masses looking for such a function.  All I had to do was write what I wanted in HTML into a file called print.htm, then use

RunWait(@COMSPEC&' /c rundll32.exe C:\WINDOWS\System32\mshtml.dll,PrintHTML "'&@ScriptDir&'\print.htm"',@ScriptDir,@SW_HIDE)

This results in a window popping up and offering a printer and options select window, just like IE.  (then I just use filedelete() to get rid of print.htm).  The only disadvantage is the ever-present "Page X of Y" and file path and date tags at the bottom and top of the page, but I consider that a small sacrifice.

So if that strategy has been discussed before, forgive me, but I missed it, and I just want to make sure that anyone else can do the same who wants to 

Thanks for the feedback!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Post an umcompiled version.

Posting a compiled version makes it look suspicous especially being that the exe is passworded for decompiliation.

Edited June 11, 2005 by SolidSnake

[/dev/null]

Post an umcompiled version.

I agree. I'm not going to execute code that I don't know. Who tells me, that your code will not delete all my files in C:\ ?? A virus scanner would be no protection at all!

Cheers

Kurt

[james3mg]

Sorry.

Here you go.

Hadn't set a password for decompile...must have forgot to enable decompilation.

Now that it's not compiled, I need to tell you this only works in the latest beta version of AutoIt (v 3.1.1.45). Earlier than that won't record a contact number correctly from the "new message" window

Phone3beta.au3

Edited June 10, 2005 by james3mg

[/dev/null]

Sorry.

Here you go.

your program reports an error when I try to print: mshtml.dll is missing on my system. Do you know where to get this DLL?

Cheers

Kurt

Edited June 10, 2005 by /dev/null

[james3mg]

your program reports an error when I try to print: mshtml.dll is missing on my system. Do you know where to get this DLL?

Um...no. I checked a few machines that didn't have Office (office tends to steal the print command for HTM files) and this was their default "Print" command for HTM files. I figured this was standard with Windows, maybe only XP? Maybe I'm just wrong? I can post it, but if this is a common problem, that function's no good so it's not even worth it.

Did anyone actually get this to work?

[james3mg]

from auditmypc.com (reliability unknown)

The library file mshtml.dll, contains program code used for displaing HTML (web) pages. The library file mshtml.dll, is required for Internet Explorer to function correctly. If you use Internet Explorer you should not terminate or remove mshtml.dll.

[Wus]

prolly will never use it seeing how i dont take phone msg's but looks nice and ill try to test it out some...

one small thing i knoticed is that the "About" section has more text than there is room in the box...

thats it so far

GJ

[james3mg]

one small thing i knoticed is that the "About" section has more text than there is room in the box...

Right...forgot I added more text. Thanks

[layer]

I ran it and I have to be honest, I probably won't need it, just because I don't store messages and stuff in my PC. But! I really have to say, I really like the style you chose for the GUI! Everything looks right where it should be! No complaints here, except, have you uploaded the new version with the "About box" fixed? The bottom text still isn't shown (I only see the top )

Great work!!

[JSThePatriot]

I can agree the GUI you spent alot of time on it really looks nice. I will be getting into the code a bit later. I could possibly use this for one of my clients.

Thanks for posting it,

JS

[Lazycat]

your program reports an error when I try to print: mshtml.dll is missing on my system. Do you know where to get this DLL?

Um...no. I checked a few machines that didn't have Office (office tends to steal the print command for HTM files) and this was their default "Print" command for HTM files. I figured this was standard with Windows, maybe only XP? Maybe I'm just wrong? I can post it, but if this is a common problem, that function's no good so it's not even worth it.

I have the same. You assume that all users have windows installed in the folder "windows"? This should work for anyone.

RunWait(@COMSPEC&' /c rundll32.exe ' & @SystemDir & '\mshtml.dll,PrintHTML "'&@ScriptDir&'\print.htm"',@ScriptDir,@SW_HIDE)

Edited June 11, 2005 by Lazycat

[james3mg]

That'd be pretty stupid of me, huh?

Hmmm....

OK, here's a new beta with fixed about box and print function.

I also added a function when you're changing where the 'data' file is...if the old target exists and the new one doesn't, it will prompt you to move data to the new location. I gave the option of changing the default data file so that multiple users could share a single data (phonebook) file over a network, but since you lost any old data you might have had in the move, it was kind of a pain.

Thanks everyone...anything else?

PS Still needs to be compiled with beta AutoIt.

phone3beta.au3

[MHz]

The MSHTML.DLL is part of XP SP2. Before that, I am unsure of present. But it is listed here, for download.

[james3mg]

The MSHTML.DLL is part of XP SP2. Before that, I am unsure of present. But it is listed here, for download.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thanks for the download link...I know it's in XP since the original release, and I've found postings indicating its existence at least from ME. I think that constitutes 'good enough'

[cserrins]

Would like to add a few comments.

Really like your app, nicely done.

Would it be possible to edit a message, say you made a mistake in typing?

Also, when the message is selected, you see a lot of info on the right, which is great, but you can't see the phone number. This also happens when printing the message, you don't get the phone number. Actually, I can't retrieve the phone number anywhere, am I missing something?

Would also be nice to open the last saved file.

Great work, very impressed.

[Scriptonize]

Hi, here is my comment on the program you wrote:

First looks are good.

Diving into the program I stumbled on these issues:

About the GUI (Main Form):

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The edit menu content isn't setup as most of the programs are

(Example: "New....." is normaly placed under the file menu).

Consider adding a "Print button" at the bottom of the main form.

Missing an "Edit Message" option.

The date and time field is too small (needs a tiny bit more space)

The description of "Report selected" and "Reported" was confusing to me

(I had to try it out to find out what it's action was).

Consider changing it into "Crossed out" or "Done that" or something like that.

Displaying records (Main Form):

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After filling in all data fields in the "New Message Form" I noticed

that in the main form the "Project" field is left blank (I did add a project!)

The contact field is also empty, but there is no option offered to fill it with data.

EDIT:

The contact field is representing the phone number which you enter at the "New Phone

Message" Form. It will be showing data after adding more then one phone number.

You need to take a look a that.

Saving to text file:

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Before I wanted to exit the program I used the option to save the data

into a text file. The saving works fine.

Consider to automatically load that file when restarting the program.

About the GUI (New Phone Message Form):

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Consider adding a new form (containing the option to add a new contact and such)

with all related "contact data" like his phone number(s), company name, address and so on.

At the New Phone Message Form you can fill your list box with the data from

the contact data.

The predefined number format doesn't work for European numbers.

What is that "x" standing for???

The type of phone number should be a dropdown/listbox and also being filled in at

a "New Contact Form".

Strange behaviour of showing data in New Phone Mesage Form:

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After restarting the program, the previous added names aren't displayed when

having saved into a new Ini file.

It defaults to the first ini file and after adding a new contact name it switches to the latest ini file.

So it's a nice start, but there is a lot of work to be done.

Keep up the good work and keep us updated on the progress!!!!

Edited June 26, 2005 by Scriptonize

[busysignal]

Scriptonize, that is a big laundry list but one the money. You beat me to all the comments and some I did not think of.

But it is some nice GUI coding..

Cheers..

[CyberSlug]

The only disadvantage is the ever-present "Page X of Y" and file path and date tags at the bottom and top of the page, but I consider that a small sacrifice.

No sacrifice needed--at least on WinXP SP2 where I tested:

; Temporarily remove IE's header and footer; header is typically "&w&bPage &p of &P" and footer typically "&u&b&d"
$key = "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\PageSetup\"

;Backup
$orginalHeader = RegRead($key, "header")
$orginalFooter = RegRead($key, "footer")

;Modify
RegWrite($key, "header","REG_SZ","")
RegWrite($key, "footer","REG_SZ","")

;Do stuff here ....
RunWait(@COMSPEC&' /c rundll32.exe C:\WINDOWS\System32\mshtml.dll,PrintHTML "'&@ScriptDir&'\print.htm"',@ScriptDir,@SW_HIDE)

;Restore
RegWrite($key, "header","REG_SZ",$orginalHeader)
RegWrite($key, "footer","REG_SZ",$orginalFooter)