Summary of changes
Update 1.4 contains the following improvements:
- new: inserting log entries without starting new timer
- new: easier log entries deleting
- new: auto-adjusting times for previous and next log entry
- new: changing activity for past log entries
- new: hierarchy paths for logs and reports
- new: more Excel friendly dates in exported log files
- new: data purge
Below you can find more extensive description…
Inserting log entries without starting new timer and easier log entries deleting
That was one of the most requested features. Now if you forget to start a timer you can always insert it later easily. On Logs view, the first row is always “Insert/Delete”.
After tapping on it, a new view is presented with options to delete existing entries and insert new ones.
You can insert new entries between any existing ones. If there is a time gap between existing entries, the new entry will automatically take the size of that gap. If there is no gap, the new entry will have zero duration, but you can change it easily with the new “auto-adjust time for previous and next log entry” feature (described below). You can also tap on any existing entry to edit it. I hope it’s pretty straightforward and you’ll find it useful.
Auto-adjusting times for previous and next log entry
That was a tough one. The problem I had here was that the date and time selection picker takes half the screen space all by itself. The rest of it I can use for presenting times for the previous, current and next log entries.
So here is the solution. When you select the “Start” time for the current entry, you will have a previous entry presented (first screen). If you select the “Stop” time, you will have the next log entry presented (second screen).
The “Adjust prev. and next” switch allows you to turn auto-adjusting on and off.
One rule in auto-adjusting is “you can push, you can’t pull”.
Example. When your current entry ends at 3:16 and the next next one starts at 3:20, you can set current end for 3:25 and the start for the next will be auto-adjusted to 3:25. But when you change your mind and set current end back to 3:16 the next start will stay at 3:25. But you can tap on next entry row to adjust its start time and push current end stop time. Why you can’t pull? That’s to avoid constant switching between auto-adjust on and off when you happen to make a mistake.
When you turn auto-adjust off you’re free to set times however you want. Overlaps will be indicated by orange colors and time start/stop inversion (stop precedes start) will be indicated by red color. Trying to save them can result in a warning or error message. The error is when one entry completely overlaps other or when the times are inverted. The warning appears when the current entry starts before the previous ends or ends after the next starts.
Changing activity for past log entries
In log entry editing view you can now tap on the activity to change it.
Here you can go through your activities hierarchy to select a new one for the edited log entry.
Hierarchy paths for logs and reports
You have seen them on the screen shots above already. They will also be in a few other places and in the exported logs file, in a separate column (so you can easily hide it).
More Excel friendly dates in exported log files
Previuosly, dates in exported logs had format like “Wednesday 13 May ’09”. This turned out to be hard to digest for Excel and other spreadsheets. Looks like I thought too much like a human and too less like a machine this time around :). Now the dates have only numeric representation formatted depending on your iPhone/iPod local date format.
Data purge
There is a new “Logs” row to tap on the Settings view.
For now, the only option here is to purge logs. You can pick any date to purge all logs older that that. By default it’s set to “tomorrow” which purges all your logs. After tapping on purge you will be asked for confirmation.
When the purge is running you can still cancel it (if you tap quick enough that is :) ).
One more thing. The Lite version will be ad-supported beginning V1.4.
That’s all for now. Let me know if you have any comments or requests.
Enjoy :)