Notecase Pro 2.0.7 released

New Notecase Pro v2.0.7 is out there, featuring some some important fixes and some major new features.

New features like:

• major: copy/cut paste of text now maintains the formatting: font, bold, italic ... (using HTML for clipboard format meaning that you can copy formatting even across the different instances of NotecasePro or to your HTML editor)
• major: plugin system implementation (experimental) - currently only defines import API
• implemented import plugin to support OPML file format importing
• toolbar button to quickly activate/deactivate spellchecker (not available on Maemo due to small screen size); disabled when language not defined or no aspell
• Option window - automatically list available aspell dictionaries in the combo box (user does not need to remember the language codes anymore)

I also got some really good ideas from my clients, so expect some great things in the future.

Affiliate sales

I am currently in the process of finding the partners to help me sell Notecase Pro through the affiliate sales network.

Basic idea is this:

If you are confident in your marketing skills, you would be tasked to build your own sales channel for my product. This is probably a new website or something similar.

Each sale made through your channel can be tracked, and you will earn a percentage of the sales that you generated.

If you think this offer could be interesting for you, please contact me to any of my mails.

Notecase 1.8.1 is out

I've just released the new version of the Notecase.
Apart from the standard bug fixes and multiple translation updates,
there is a new OSX 10.4 (Intel) build and a feature to execute an attachment with double-click within the attachment list (as suggested by one of the users).

Note that the build and release process (for all supported targets), takes more than three hours these days :)

OS X installation

Here are the quick instructions to make the OS X build work on your Mac.

1. Install macports from http://www.macports.org/

2. Use macports to install GTK (this will take a while):
actual command is "sudo port install gtk2"

3. If you want to install the .deb package for OS X, you need to install dpkg: "sudo port install dpkg"

4. Install Notecase from .deb or unpack the .tar.gz archive

5. Notecase must be started from X11 terminal (Applications -> Other -> X11). Open the X11 terminal window and type "notecase.x11app"

Milestone release

NotecasePro has just reached milestone version 2.0.
The new release is now online featuring multiple fixes and new features.

New features include:
- new OSX 10.4 (Tiger) builds
- new advanced HTML export mode (using a frame based template with graphical tree view on the left)
- Firefox-like document tabs GUI for quick document changing/closing
- "Tip of the Day" dialog with useful tips

The Journeys of Socrates

I've got a great surprise yesterday. The postman brought me a book from my Amazon wish list, gift by Mr. Geer (the first name part was unfortunately not readable) with really nice words of encouragement for my work on the Notecase project.

Thank you for the gift and the kind words! It made my day great.

In case anyone were wondering about the title of this post, this is the name of the book I got :)

New build(s) coming

This will surely be a good news for a lot of people who asked about this issue:
I've managed to get access to Mac OS X 10.4 (Tiger).
Starting with next release, I'll ship the builds for this system for both Notecase and NotecasePro projects.

Compared to older OS X 10.3, starting Notecase from X11 terminal does not feel strange anymore, application has much better look-and-feel now.



Additionally, I am trying to get the projects compiled on one of the OpenSolaris-based distros, but this might take some time. I've tried "Project Indiana" distro, but it was literary crawling inside my VMWare server. Next I've tried Schillix, and the latest experiment was with Nexenta.

I'll probably keep Nexenta for a while, but the big problem is to install Gnome desktop, GTK+ toolkit and other important packages on this distro. Its apt-get repository seems to be missing the required packages, or I am missing some obvious information (I've did my share of googling though :-).

This means that OpenSolaris build might not get there for a while (any help is welcome).

Document Tabs in Notecase Pro

In the past I've received few requests for adding tabs in the Notecase, but at that time I was not so sure about the idea. Finally, it was Daniel that convinced me that this is a really useful feature. Thanks Daniel!

The result can be seen at the picture below. When this feature is switched on (through "View"/"Document Tabs" menu), all the currently open documents are displayed as tabs for your quick browsing pleasure.

For all the people that don't need this feature, it's easy to hide it (document tabs are hidden by default).

Notecase Pro 1.9.8 has been released

New to this release is an option to mark more that one node in a document and execute several new commands on "marked" nodes. This includes "mark and gather" command that is usually found only in advanced outliner programs.

Many bugs were fixed in this release (see full list in a changelog).

NoteCase in the news

Thanks to a tip from the user, I've found out that the new issue of Linux Format magazine (January 2008) comes with the Notecase program on a cover disc as one of the "Hot Picks".

I don't know the exact details, because I am not a subscriber, but you can see the Linux Format webpage related to this issue here.

Not to forget, I've found a really nice podcast related to the Notecase program here on productivelinux.com. Thank you Nathan.

Notecase v1.7.6

New free version of Notecase project has just been released. Enjoy!
There are no big news, mostly bug fixes (some of them are important) and translation updates.

Notecase Pro v1.9.2

New Notecase Pro has just been released.

Major features in this release are:
- file synchronization
- hoisting
- importing Tomboy file format

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas for all the readers that celebrate this holiday.

I've been contacted recently by several people regarding the Notecase (Pro) build for latest OS X Tiger. Unfortunately, I don't have an access to such machine, I only can build for older OS X v10.3.7 system (PPC based).

Previously, I had a similar situation with Sharp Zaurus platform. Notecase project was able to expand to Sharp Zaurus platform due to generous donation by a user.
User was compensated through the free lifetime license for Notecase Pro, and some other requested custom work integrated into the project (MM/LX import).

So if anyone is willing to donate Mac mini with OS X Tiger (10.4) installed, feel free to contact me directly. It can be second-hand machine, but it must work :)
Compensation similar to the one with donator of Zaurus would be arranged.

File Synchronization

One of the features requested by paying customers is file synchronization feature. Since I've just implemented the initial code, you can see the result in the picture


Basically, if you have two versions of the same document file and you are not sure which version is the latest, this feature will help you to synchronize the differences between the files.

It works like this:
- load one of those documents in the Notecase Pro
- then select "File" -> "Synchronization" menu
- in the window as in the picture, select other one of those documents
- press "Compare" to get a list of differences between the documents
- now you can synchronize the current document to include the listed changes (you must check the line that you want to be applied)

Currently, algorithm can detect number of node changes like: new nodes, renamed nodes, changed icons, node text, formatting, links and other node properties like "finished" etc.

This will be in the next release (probably released in the new year).

This weekend I've released new Notecase v1.7.4

Major news in the new release is a port to OS2008.
Additionally, Maemo port features many improvements,
due to help by Gioele Agostinelli who did extensive testing and bug reporting.

Thank you Gioele!

Release time

I've just released latest Notecase Pro version 1.8.7.
You can read more about the new features in my previous post.

Note that the new build for Maemo OS2008 is untested, because I don't have the actual device, and the emulator behaves somewhat unstable.
That's why I need your help! If you have latest N810 or N800 with upgraded OS, please try the software. I am interested if the package installs correctly and all the other feedback that you can send me.

Other news:

I have to thank Saul Thomas for yet another support for the Notecase project. This is a second time that he bought me the book from my wishlist. Thank you Saul!

Here is also a call to John who bought a license for Notecase Pro:
it seems that the e-mail address that you submitted at registration is invalid.
Please contact me directly to my email, so I can send you the registration key.

New Pro release soon

For everyone that might be interested in translating new Notecase Pro version,
I've put the new .pot file online.

You can find it at the standard place: http://virtual-sky.com/download/translations/notecase_pro.pot

Of course, this means that the new release will be online soon, probably by the end of this week.

Some of the news in the new release:
- port to the new Maemo Chinook platform (Nokia N800/N810)
- improved "Document Preview" window
- aspell is no longer a dependency, if not present, program will work without it
- speed-up when loading database based formats (for files created by this new version)
- as always some bugs were fixed

Notecase translation

For all those who wish to update Notecase translation for their language,
you can find the latest .pot file on the official website:
http://notecase.sourceforge.net/catalogs.html

I'll make a new release probably on Monday, so if you make it by Sunday evening,
then your translation will be included in this release.

I've just made a release of Notecase Pro v1.8.2.

Major new feature is a Print and Print Preview.

For Windows, I've upgraded GTK to the latest version 2.12.1, so please make sure to check "Install GTK" in the installer.

The new GTK version for Windows fixes some bugs with Print Preview (Linux version does not have those bugs), but not all of them.
I've reported the GTK Windows bug to the GTK developers, so hopefully it will be fixed in the next version. Note that this Windows bug is related to Print Preview, not the actual Printing (embedded images are not displayed in print preview window).

Another new feature is a history list (go back/forward toolbar buttons).
Other than that I've fixed some important bugs.

Feel free to send me your feedback on this.

PS. New Notecase is planned to be released in next 5-7 days.
I also plan to put a "roadmap" page for Pro version at the website in a day or two. You are invited to send your ideas too.

I've just released Notecase Pro version 1.7.7

News in this release:
- multiple important bug fixes (especially related to new database formats .ncdb and .ncde)
- important fixes regarding bulleted list
- drastic speedup of document loading (up to 30 times on a very large documents)
- fixes for Maemo platform
- new window to rename node title
- added hyperlink color setting (help for users using high contrast themes)

You can see detailed list of changes at:
http://www.virtual-sky.com/history.php

Unfortunately, printing did not make it into this release, but I plan to add initial printing support into the next release.

Feel free to send your feedback and suggestions.