I'm glad to announce that the next major update of BI Notes is submitted for release, here on SlideMe.org. Since I uploaded the new version on Saturday, it might take a couple of days before you can actually see it (and download it). Main reason is that the app has to be reviewed by the SlideMe-team, and most probably as a lot of people, they don't work during weekends :)
So be patient, it's gonna be available one of these days.
v1.4.0 is really a major update:
- new name (b-noted)
- new and improved layout (with color-themes)
- lot's of new features
- lot's of improvements to existing functionalities
The file /data/data/com.brilliantintent.notes/databases/binotes.db is no more correctly updated/created, so the backup to /sdcard/BrilliantIntent is no more up-to-date too (see the dates in the listing).
#ls -l
-rw-rw---- 1 app_85 app_85 73728 Jun 10 20:05 BINotes.db
-rw-rw---- 1 app_85 app_85 32768 Aug 12 17:30 BINotes.db-shm
-rw-rw---- 1 app_85 app_85 787080 Aug 12 17:30 BINotes.db-wal
-rw-rw---- 1 app_85 app_85 14336 Jun 10 20:05 webview.db
-rw-rw---- 1 app_85 app_85 32768 Aug 12 17:30 webview.db-shm
-rw-rw---- 1 app_85 app_85 1024 Aug 12 17:30 webviewCache.db
-rw-r--r-- 1 app_85 app_85 32768 Aug 12 17:30 webviewCache.db-shm
-rw-r--r-- 1 app_85 app_85 20992 Aug 12 17:30 webviewCache.db-wal
How can I solve the problem ?
Thanks in advance for you help. :-)
And how about the actual state of the next version ?
Thanks for your comment. I don't really know if I'll be able to help you with your current problem (I hope and assume you still have your notes and are able to work with them, only the backup isn't working anymore?). The only thing I can suggest at the moment is to e-mail me directly (notes.brilliantintent@gmail.com), so I can send you the beta-version of the soon to be released update ... it is quite a big update and the program still behaves weird sometimes (also layout is not as it should in some windows), but data-wise it's quite stable. I'm using the new version since a couple of weeks with my live-data (have 600+ notes I DO NOT WANT TO LOOSE :), and haven't had any problems so far.
One of the things I improved is the backup and restore modules. Again, the risk is up to you, but I took the step, and it is a big improvement ;).
I can not just post the beta-version here, as you need to do a couple of steps manually (only 1 or 2 after the update is installed), and I prefer to explain them in an e-mail. These steps won't be necessary with the final release (only required in this beta-stage).
As you'll see the color-setting isn't blue as it was, but that's configurable now (blue is still the default, but I added some new colors :)
About the upcoming update ... I set myself a deadline to publish the new version on September 1st, I'm working day and night to get it done. However, I'm just a guy with a "normal" job, so don't sue me when I'm a couple of days late ;)
I am currently working on a complete new version. Main thing in first instance is compliance to UI-guidelines of Google, and of course further features. I do have to admit that it all goes a little slower than I anticipated, mainly because of my new job.
But rest assured, I use the app several times a day, and I have a ton of things I want to improve. Things I have yet to find in other similar apps.
I have BI-Notes 1.3.0 and until a few days ago everything worked perfect. Since Android 2.3.2 (CyanogenMod 7) BI-Notes closes at startup of the program with: "Sorry!! The application BI Notes (process com.brilliantintent.notes) has stopped unexpectedly. Please try again. Force Close / Report". I used the report function yesterday.
Hope you can fix this, thank you.
EDIT: Today I installed another Version of CyanogenMod 7 and BI-Notes is working again. So i think it is an issue of the CyanogenMod image. Sorry for bothering you. ;-)
- Adjustable text-sizes: a feature asked by many of our current users, who found that the text was too small ...
To adjust the text-size, go to the main screen, open the menu and click on the "Settings" buttons. There you'll find various options to adjust the screens to your best wishes.
- Support for # tags: Using this feature, you now have an extra option to organize your notes, even accross different categories.
How? Just add a # sign, followed immediately with a keyword you choose in any of the notes and/or comments you need to link to each other. Once your note is saved, you the # tag will be transformed into a link which brings you to a screen with all notes/comments containing that tag.
- Accept data "shared" data from other applications:
If an other application on your phone has a "Share"-function, you can now share that data with BI Notes. Once you click on the BI Notes name in the list of available applications, that data will automatically entered in a new note in BI Notes. A very handy way to get more information into your notes!
- Search across comments: if you use the search function in BI Notes, it will now also search accros the contents of the comments (before it searched only in the top-level notes). Giving you faster access to the data you need.
- Dutch language: BI Notes is now also available in Dutch. We're looking to translate everything in other languages too. If you want BI Notes in your language too, and willing to help with the translation, send me an e-mail, it's not that much work, but you do need to know your language very well.
And, as always, please feel free to send me any questions, tips and/or comments by e-mail: notes.brilliantintent@gmail.com
(or here in the comments, on slideme.org!)
v1.1.1 is a minor update which improves inserting of basic html-tags. Rather them inserting them manually (which is a pain on touch-screens), just tap the right button on the top of the window, and the tags will be inserted at the location of your cursor.
If you first select a part (or whole) of the text, it will put the selected text between the tags you select.
At the moment there is only support for one color (red), but once the tags are inserted, it's pretty easy to change the color by replacing the word 'red', with the color you want.
For those of you who downloaded BI Notes, I sure hope you like it. But I'm pretty sure you want more ... so, please feel free to let me know what you would like to see more in this app.
You can post your comments here, or send an mail to notes.brilliantintent at gmail.com
actually i am testing BI Notes and i like it very much.
I found a bug with exporting. If you have notes with subnotes, only the 1st level notes are exported to the XML file but not the subnotes, they are missing in the backup.
Some features requests:
- When sending a mail, only the main note is copied, not the subnotes, a question dialog would be great, if the user wants to send only the actual note or the note including the subnotes.
- I like the HTML basic features in v1.1, so i can make the text bold or colored, great! But input of this HTML tags, e.g. the bold or font tag, is really annoying with touch keypad. Can you create a menu, with which it would be possible to insert (all) the tags the editor can handle ? Such shortcuts could save a lot of input or copy-paste time.
- An import and export function of single notes (with or without subnotes) to a text file and/or HTML file would be great. So it would be easy to transfer single notes to a PC or transfer single notes from PC to BI Notes.
That's all so far, if i have other ideas i will write a new note.
Thanks for the nice comments. All the things you mention are already in my 'new features' list :) You won't see them all in once though, but I am working on them.
Exporting and mailing the comments will be in the next release though. Actually, don't know if you noticed (it's not documented), but if you export your notes, it makes a full backup of the database itself too.
I know this might not be what you need, but if it's really needed, you can get to that information in the backup-db. It's placed in the same dir and the same name as the xml-file (but with another extension .db).
I will change the code that everything will be exported in the next release.
Sending mail: dito ... next release will send the comments too ... don't think I will let you choose, I'll just send everything. The choice whether or not mailing everything might be for a future release.
Then the HTML-editing ... I know it's a pain. The result is nice, but the making not :S ... I am thinking/working on a solution for this. Basically I have a couple of options. The first one would be to make a custom keyboard with such commands. But that disables you to choose which keyboard to use (then you'll have to use mine), and that might not be what you want (like if users prefer to use something like Swype, they won't be able to do so).
Second is to make some kind of command-toolbar that floats above the edit-window, and let's you push buttons to insert the right tags. A bit as you're used of using on most forums.
Third would be to create a wysiwyg editor.
I'd prefer to make the last one, but I think I'll first start with the second option, as this will technically be easier to accomplish.
Import and export of single notes (with or without comments) to text file: didn't think of that one yet, but I do plan on the 1.3 (first 1.2) release to sync notes with Google Docs. And that syncing is exactly what you're looking for. Basically it's an export of a note to html (or something else), and then transfer it to Google Docs ... will look into it to just export it to html, and make easy import possible.
Thanks for your comments, I really appreciate it, as it let's me know what is important, and what not. Believe me, I have a list from here to Tokyo with features I want to build. Your comments let me chose which ones to develop first.
I tested BI Notes for a few hours more and copied some notes from my computer to it with copy-paste from an android text editor. ;-) So far so good, but when inserting the notes and especially the subnotes i discovered another missing feature: resorting of notes and subnotes (to another position of the list).
I had a few 1st level notes but wanted them in another order. Actually the only way of resorting is (the annoying use of) copy-paste. Same for subnotes, i had a note with a few subnotes, but wanted to insert the new subnote to position two in a list of five subnotes.
So I request the following:
1. resorting of an existing (sub)note list and/or change the position of an existing (sub)note to another position.
2. (maybe) insert new notes to a specific position in the list of (sub)notes.
I was waiting on that question :) I need it too, especially if you want to start using it as a planning tool, or some kind of to-do manager.
I will try to do this in the next release, but it will possibly be a two-step process (step one in the next release, step two in the release there-after).
Step 1: allow to change the sorting order based on change/create/title.
Step 2: define the sorting order yourself.
Allthough step 1 won't enable you to do exactly what you want, you can trick it a little by changing the title and adding numbers before the title.
Step 2 would be ideal, but since I want to add other features too, I have to be creative with my time :)
You've got the ball running :) These are of course all really new features, and though I didn't plan on making them in the very near future, it did of course cross my mind to make something like that.
So, I won't make any predictions on when it will be made, but I will keep it in mind.
I do like the idea to add a check-box only to comments, that would indeed be a good (and technically) starting point.
I'll see what I can do ... in my planning I had in mind, the very first feature is adding pictures to notes. Personally I don't use them not that much, but in my opinion, it's kind of a basic feature a note-app should have.
I anticipated 2 weeks of work on this, but last night I did a first test and it went much easier than I thought (the trick is NOT to make it yourself, but use the features of the existing camera-software already installed on each phone). So, I hope to add a couple of extra features which I initially planned for a next release.
v1.4.0 submitted for release ...
Hi there,
I'm glad to announce that the next major update of BI Notes is submitted for release, here on SlideMe.org. Since I uploaded the new version on Saturday, it might take a couple of days before you can actually see it (and download it). Main reason is that the app has to be reviewed by the SlideMe-team, and most probably as a lot of people, they don't work during weekends :)
So be patient, it's gonna be available one of these days.
v1.4.0 is really a major update:
- new name (b-noted)
- new and improved layout (with color-themes)
- lot's of new features
- lot's of improvements to existing functionalities
Stay tuned, and for more info, visit my new blog at http://b-noted.blogspot.com
Greetingz,
Koen<
Database problems
Hello,
I have problems with the database backup.
The file /data/data/com.brilliantintent.notes/databases/binotes.db is no more correctly updated/created, so the backup to /sdcard/BrilliantIntent is no more up-to-date too (see the dates in the listing).
#ls -l
-rw-rw---- 1 app_85 app_85 73728 Jun 10 20:05 BINotes.db
-rw-rw---- 1 app_85 app_85 32768 Aug 12 17:30 BINotes.db-shm
-rw-rw---- 1 app_85 app_85 787080 Aug 12 17:30 BINotes.db-wal
-rw-rw---- 1 app_85 app_85 14336 Jun 10 20:05 webview.db
-rw-rw---- 1 app_85 app_85 32768 Aug 12 17:30 webview.db-shm
-rw-rw---- 1 app_85 app_85 1024 Aug 12 17:30 webviewCache.db
-rw-r--r-- 1 app_85 app_85 32768 Aug 12 17:30 webviewCache.db-shm
-rw-r--r-- 1 app_85 app_85 20992 Aug 12 17:30 webviewCache.db-wal
How can I solve the problem ?
Thanks in advance for you help. :-)
And how about the actual state of the next version ?
problems and beta-testing (might help :)
Hi Sniper,
Thanks for your comment. I don't really know if I'll be able to help you with your current problem (I hope and assume you still have your notes and are able to work with them, only the backup isn't working anymore?). The only thing I can suggest at the moment is to e-mail me directly (notes.brilliantintent@gmail.com), so I can send you the beta-version of the soon to be released update ... it is quite a big update and the program still behaves weird sometimes (also layout is not as it should in some windows), but data-wise it's quite stable. I'm using the new version since a couple of weeks with my live-data (have 600+ notes I DO NOT WANT TO LOOSE :), and haven't had any problems so far.
One of the things I improved is the backup and restore modules. Again, the risk is up to you, but I took the step, and it is a big improvement ;).
I can not just post the beta-version here, as you need to do a couple of steps manually (only 1 or 2 after the update is installed), and I prefer to explain them in an e-mail. These steps won't be necessary with the final release (only required in this beta-stage).
A sneek peek to a random screen-capture can be seen here
As you'll see the color-setting isn't blue as it was, but that's configurable now (blue is still the default, but I added some new colors :)
About the upcoming update ... I set myself a deadline to publish the new version on September 1st, I'm working day and night to get it done. However, I'm just a guy with a "normal" job, so don't sue me when I'm a couple of days late ;)
Let me know!
Greetingz,
Koen<
Further development ?
Are new versions planned ?
Hi there, I am currently
Hi there,
I am currently working on a complete new version. Main thing in first instance is compliance to UI-guidelines of Google, and of course further features. I do have to admit that it all goes a little slower than I anticipated, mainly because of my new job.
But rest assured, I use the app several times a day, and I have a ton of things I want to improve. Things I have yet to find in other similar apps.
Thank you for your interest!
Greetingz,
Koen<
Thanks for the quick answer :-)
Looking forward to the new version - thanks :))
Force close at program start
Hello,
I have BI-Notes 1.3.0 and until a few days ago everything worked perfect. Since Android 2.3.2 (CyanogenMod 7) BI-Notes closes at startup of the program with: "Sorry!! The application BI Notes (process com.brilliantintent.notes) has stopped unexpectedly. Please try again. Force Close / Report". I used the report function yesterday.
Hope you can fix this, thank you.
EDIT: Today I installed another Version of CyanogenMod 7 and BI-Notes is working again. So i think it is an issue of the CyanogenMod image. Sorry for bothering you. ;-)
v1.2.2 changes ...
Version 1.2.2 has a fix for Motorola Droid users, who were experiencing very VERY small text-characters ...
Also added Chinese translations (Traditional & Simplified Chinese).
Greetingz,
Koen<
What's new in this version (v1.2):
- Adjustable text-sizes: a feature asked by many of our current users, who found that the text was too small ...
To adjust the text-size, go to the main screen, open the menu and click on the "Settings" buttons. There you'll find various options to adjust the screens to your best wishes.
- Support for # tags: Using this feature, you now have an extra option to organize your notes, even accross different categories.
How? Just add a # sign, followed immediately with a keyword you choose in any of the notes and/or comments you need to link to each other. Once your note is saved, you the # tag will be transformed into a link which brings you to a screen with all notes/comments containing that tag.
- Accept data "shared" data from other applications:
If an other application on your phone has a "Share"-function, you can now share that data with BI Notes. Once you click on the BI Notes name in the list of available applications, that data will automatically entered in a new note in BI Notes. A very handy way to get more information into your notes!
- Search across comments: if you use the search function in BI Notes, it will now also search accros the contents of the comments (before it searched only in the top-level notes). Giving you faster access to the data you need.
- Dutch language: BI Notes is now also available in Dutch. We're looking to translate everything in other languages too. If you want BI Notes in your language too, and willing to help with the translation, send me an e-mail, it's not that much work, but you do need to know your language very well.
My e-mail: notes.brilliantintent@gmail.com
For all other news, tips and suggestions, visit our site regularly at: http://sites.google.com/site/brilliantintentnotes/
Thanks for using BI Notes. Hope you enjoy it.
And, as always, please feel free to send me any questions, tips and/or comments by e-mail:
notes.brilliantintent@gmail.com
(or here in the comments, on slideme.org!)
Greetingz,
Koen Hoorelbeke<
Brilliant Intent Software.
improved inserting of html-tags ...
v1.1.1 is a minor update which improves inserting of basic html-tags. Rather them inserting them manually (which is a pain on touch-screens), just tap the right button on the top of the window, and the tags will be inserted at the location of your cursor.
If you first select a part (or whole) of the text, it will put the selected text between the tags you select.
At the moment there is only support for one color (red), but once the tags are inserted, it's pretty easy to change the color by replacing the word 'red', with the color you want.
Enjoy!
Greetingz,
Koen<
Please feel free to post comments ...
Hi there,
For those of you who downloaded BI Notes, I sure hope you like it. But I'm pretty sure you want more ... so, please feel free to let me know what you would like to see more in this app.
You can post your comments here, or send an mail to notes.brilliantintent at gmail.com
Thanks in advance.
Greetingz,
Koen<
Testing BI Notes
Hello,
actually i am testing BI Notes and i like it very much.
I found a bug with exporting. If you have notes with subnotes, only the 1st level notes are exported to the XML file but not the subnotes, they are missing in the backup.
Some features requests:
- When sending a mail, only the main note is copied, not the subnotes, a question dialog would be great, if the user wants to send only the actual note or the note including the subnotes.
- I like the HTML basic features in v1.1, so i can make the text bold or colored, great! But input of this HTML tags, e.g. the bold or font tag, is really annoying with touch keypad. Can you create a menu, with which it would be possible to insert (all) the tags the editor can handle ? Such shortcuts could save a lot of input or copy-paste time.
- An import and export function of single notes (with or without subnotes) to a text file and/or HTML file would be great. So it would be easy to transfer single notes to a PC or transfer single notes from PC to BI Notes.
That's all so far, if i have other ideas i will write a new note.
Thanks for the great work, bye.
Re: Testing BI Notes
Hi,
Thanks for the nice comments. All the things you mention are already in my 'new features' list :) You won't see them all in once though, but I am working on them.
Exporting and mailing the comments will be in the next release though. Actually, don't know if you noticed (it's not documented), but if you export your notes, it makes a full backup of the database itself too.
I know this might not be what you need, but if it's really needed, you can get to that information in the backup-db. It's placed in the same dir and the same name as the xml-file (but with another extension .db).
I will change the code that everything will be exported in the next release.
Sending mail: dito ... next release will send the comments too ... don't think I will let you choose, I'll just send everything. The choice whether or not mailing everything might be for a future release.
Then the HTML-editing ... I know it's a pain. The result is nice, but the making not :S ... I am thinking/working on a solution for this. Basically I have a couple of options. The first one would be to make a custom keyboard with such commands. But that disables you to choose which keyboard to use (then you'll have to use mine), and that might not be what you want (like if users prefer to use something like Swype, they won't be able to do so).
Second is to make some kind of command-toolbar that floats above the edit-window, and let's you push buttons to insert the right tags. A bit as you're used of using on most forums.
Third would be to create a wysiwyg editor.
I'd prefer to make the last one, but I think I'll first start with the second option, as this will technically be easier to accomplish.
Import and export of single notes (with or without comments) to text file: didn't think of that one yet, but I do plan on the 1.3 (first 1.2) release to sync notes with Google Docs. And that syncing is exactly what you're looking for. Basically it's an export of a note to html (or something else), and then transfer it to Google Docs ... will look into it to just export it to html, and make easy import possible.
Thanks for your comments, I really appreciate it, as it let's me know what is important, and what not. Believe me, I have a list from here to Tokyo with features I want to build. Your comments let me chose which ones to develop first.
Greetingz,
Koen<
Resorting
Hello and thanks for your quick response,
I tested BI Notes for a few hours more and copied some notes from my computer to it with copy-paste from an android text editor. ;-) So far so good, but when inserting the notes and especially the subnotes i discovered another missing feature: resorting of notes and subnotes (to another position of the list).
I had a few 1st level notes but wanted them in another order. Actually the only way of resorting is (the annoying use of) copy-paste. Same for subnotes, i had a note with a few subnotes, but wanted to insert the new subnote to position two in a list of five subnotes.
So I request the following:
1. resorting of an existing (sub)note list and/or change the position of an existing (sub)note to another position.
2. (maybe) insert new notes to a specific position in the list of (sub)notes.
Thanks again and keep on going. :-)
Re: Resorting
Haha,
I was waiting on that question :) I need it too, especially if you want to start using it as a planning tool, or some kind of to-do manager.
I will try to do this in the next release, but it will possibly be a two-step process (step one in the next release, step two in the release there-after).
Step 1: allow to change the sorting order based on change/create/title.
Step 2: define the sorting order yourself.
Allthough step 1 won't enable you to do exactly what you want, you can trick it a little by changing the title and adding numbers before the title.
Step 2 would be ideal, but since I want to add other features too, I have to be creative with my time :)
Tx for your input.
Greetingz,
Koen<
To-Do
Good Morning,
when you write To-Do list i have another four ideas:
1. a check box left or right in the subnote overview (below the normal note), so you can mark done or not done.
2. a deadline date field, so you know until when the task should be done
3. (maybe) an option for an alarm date and time (or this connected to the deadline with only an option for alarm or not)
4. (another maybe) export the task to the calendar
That's all for now. ;-)
Bye bye
To-Do lists :)
Ok,
You've got the ball running :) These are of course all really new features, and though I didn't plan on making them in the very near future, it did of course cross my mind to make something like that.
So, I won't make any predictions on when it will be made, but I will keep it in mind.
I do like the idea to add a check-box only to comments, that would indeed be a good (and technically) starting point.
I'll see what I can do ... in my planning I had in mind, the very first feature is adding pictures to notes. Personally I don't use them not that much, but in my opinion, it's kind of a basic feature a note-app should have.
I anticipated 2 weeks of work on this, but last night I did a first test and it went much easier than I thought (the trick is NOT to make it yourself, but use the features of the existing camera-software already installed on each phone). So, I hope to add a couple of extra features which I initially planned for a next release.
I'll see what I can do (without promises :).
Greetingz,
Koen<