Bookends public beta

[Jon]

This is a preannouncement that there will be a public beta of the next Bookends update. The changes are mostly in the UI, and we'll be introducing a new highly configurable and interactive info pane (the current concise view). I expect to post the beta in a day or two, and it will be announced in the Announcements section of this forum. So for those interested: stay tuned, we'd like your feedback.

Jon
Sonny Software

[Jon]

It's posted.

Jon
Sonny Software

[ozean]

Jon, this is an excellent update! I only had very little time to play around with it so far, but the GUI certainly got better. Even my pet problems with the Import Filter Manager and the Formats Manager have not only been solved, you have even improved the whole process enormously. It is great that one doesn’t have to switch to another window anymore to access another filter or format. This makes it much easier to compare them. Hopefully this will inspire some users to create or improve even more filters!

With the improvements in the summary view I now started to actually use it. Most excellent.

We’ll see how long it will take me to find something to quibble

[Jon]

Hi ozean,

Before you do, please take a look at the second beta. Maybe we've anticipated your quibbles? :-)

Jon
Sonny Software

[jkr]

I love the ability to to something about the views! So far, I have encountered the following problems:

(1) As in the previous version, when adding a BibTex Key, I encountered the following error:
Exception Message: Record "9" is locked in table "thereferences".
Exception Error Number: 460037
http://www.box.net/shared/z3m90muk4b

(2) In the preferences, the default font for Bibliographies won't change to the one I have selected.

(3) In the Preferences > Concise View, I don't see User1 (in my case Key, as I have selected BibTex, but rather "Title Special Issue" which I assume is User1)

(4) Dragging an item in the list in Preferences > Concise View works as expected (yay!):D but then the ordering is lost when I chose another Standard View organization (nay!)

(5) Clicking on the ratings (when in Ref view), I get an unspecified error message , but after I click 'OK' all works as if nothing happened.

[Jon]

As in the previous version, when adding a BibTex Key, I encountered the following error:

Hi,

I've never seen this. Does it happen with a fresh database? If not, please rebuild your db and see if it resolves.

In the preferences, the default font for Bibliographies won't change to the one I have selected.

Please remove Bookends 10 Preferences (and Bookends 9 Preferences) and try again. Does it stick now?

In the Preferences > Concise View, I don't see User1 (in my case Key, as I have selected BibTex, but rather "Title Special Issue" which I assume is User1)

I see a bug that may have produced this. I've fixed it, so please see if it's resolved for you in the next beta or final release, whichever comes first.

Dragging an item in the list in Preferences > Concise View works as expected (yay!):D but then the ordering is lost when I chose another Standard View organization (nay!)

I don't understand. There are three independent lists for configuring the views: All, Summary (Books), and Summary (Others). Are you saying you are setting an order and Bookends is forgetting it?

Clicking on the ratings (when in Ref view), I get an unspecified error message , but after I click 'OK' all works as if nothing happened.

It does sound like your database might benefit from a rebuild.

If you think you have found any bugs, please follow this up directly with me at support@sonnysoftware.com.

Thanks,

Jon
Sonny Software

[Jon]

For those following, in the next update Bookends will remember changes to the concise views without having to close and reopen preferences. Also, changes made to the concise view in preferences will be updated in real time in the List View window.

Jon
Sonny Software

[Jon]

Beta 3 is now ready to have its tires kicked...

Jon
Sonny Software

[Reiner]

Hi Jon,

where can I read the changes of beta 2 and beta 3? The folder contains only a beta 1 read me.

thanks and best regards

[Jon]

Hi Reiner,

The folder contains the latest release notes (they are for just 10.1, not numbered by beta). I'm not adding comments on fixes for bugs introduced in the beta, just new features or obviously changed behavior. Note, for example, that XML export of attachment is mentioned in the latest release note.

Jon
Sonny Software

[daiyi]

I'm getting fairly consistent crashes with beta 3 when: a) changing views, and b) preferences.

Should I trash my preferences and try again? Or are others experiencing the same thing? Beta 1 worked just fine.

Thanks in advance.

[ozean]

I'm getting fairly consistent crashes with beta 3 when: a) changing views

Just tried switching views around a bit and now I have the SPOD (Spinning Pizza Of Death) cursor running in Bookends…

[Jon]

daiyi: Please send me a crash log.

ozean: Start fresh and see if you can come up with somethng reproducible that I can try here.

Thanks,

Jon
Sonny Software

[Jon]

Just a quick note that public beta 4 is available via a link in the Announcements section.

Jon
Sonny Software

[happymac]

I have a question about type to select in library windows. It is my impression that Bookends will use up to the first three characters typed, and then consider that the fourth character is the first character of a new reference. So what happens is that I'll be typing S-H-A for Shakespeare, and the selection point will be getting nearer to Shakespeare among the Ss, but when I hit the "k" (without a pause), suddenly Bookends starts looking in the Ks.

Am I right about this? It's a really minor thing, I know, but I'm wondering if the type to select could be extended beyond three characters typed.