InfoQube IM - Community

Submitted by ericka on 2008/12/28 23:50

I am wondering if an API is anywhere on the radar for a new release. I am just asking because I am trying to print from different grids on the same piece of paper and I do not know how to do it. It is my thought that I can create a form in something like Access or OpenOffice and pull from the IQ database to print out something in a more pleasing agenda fashion.

I have been messing around a lot with IQ and am still trying to figure out tags and how to best input and view my data. I.e., I want to see calls and tasks and print them out. Do you have any suggestions? Are there ways to incorporate better printing options are am I totally missing something? Since most of my free time is so late in the evening, my missing something could be a complete possibility.

I can try to send an image of what I am trying to do if that helps.

Thanks.

Comments

An API is planned, but no ETA for now

>I am just asking because I am trying to print from different grids on the same piece of paper and I do not know how to do it. It is my thought that I can create a form in something like Access or OpenOffice and pull from the IQ database to print out something in a more pleasing agenda fashion.

You don't need an API for this. Each grid is visible using ODBC, so Access/Excel/Word can see IQ data and can use it to produce reports/mail-merge.
You can also use the HTML export feature to get a nice printout. Simply tag the items you want, open the scratchpad grid and set the source to ItemsTagged. From there you can use the print-preview or HTML export

Hi Pierre

Thanks for responding.

I did a search on ODBC and came up with the Finances example that I will attempt to use in OpenOffice. If it works, I will then try to write about it for others in a post.

As far as tagging and scratching, I don't understand tagging very well at all. It doesn't seem like tagging to me... but that is all detailed in another post. So I just don't use tagging at all. I have never known scratch, which I still don't understand it's purpose either, but it certainly has never produced anything too worthy of printing. Scratch seems like it's just for searching.

There is another new post that details how to combine different grids into one grid. That might help. But in my case, I want to be able to print a piece of paper with today's date, my tasks, followed by a blank space, followed by my appointments and scheduled work for the day followed by the next 10 appointments available in the coming 7 days beyond today. My friend uses OpenOffice more than I and hopefully he can help me, but it doesn't look easy. Tomorrow we are going to talk about attempting this in Access or OO.

In any case, it's great to know an API is planned (almost out of curiousity), but a fully functional calendar and printing is much, much higher on my list.

I recently made -- link to nonexistent node ID 278 -- that may help a little on the tagging concept. Also I put together a quick flash video that shows tagging, and the scratch grid, and html export -- link to nonexistent node ID 89 --. Also think of the scratch grid (or grids) as a "working" grid, just a handy place to show stuff. You could temporarily change the source of the Inbox grid (or any grid) to ItemsTagged if you want, and avoid the scratch grid completely.

Thanks, Keith. I like your new page and now know that you are using SnagIt! so we can all contribute too.

This helps a bit, because I didn't realize tagging was only for changing heirarchy. I think I will have to see if we can get real tagging from Mr Pierre.

Tagging is not just to change the hierarchy. It can be used to select items and view those only. It can be seen as a semi-permanent selection. Normal selection is just too easily lost (click somewhere else and your selection is gone). Tagging provides a more robust way of selecting items.

More features will be modified to use tagging as selected items (HTML export, copy/paste, etc) in the future

Thanks. That continues to add to my (mis?)understanding of tagging. However, why can we not call tagging "selecting". It seems far more appropriate given it's function. And the example on Keith's page would be something like "apply to" "selection". This may be more standard language. Because I would venture a guess that "tagging" for most people is more of a keywording, like on blogs or del.i.cious. This way, when IQ does implement the more common version of "tagging" (keywording/categorizing) the nomenclature will allow more (and newer) people to not have to grapple with what "tagging" is or what it does.

Agreed! Tagging (as implemented in IQ) will be renamed.

I hope it helps going forward.

"... and now know that you are using SnagIt! so we can all contribute too."

I just found a tool that works for me very well (after tons of practice). Anyone can contribute to the manual like I'm doing, using whatever tools they can get to work. However, if anyone else uses snagit 9, I could post the source files (*.snag) for each page I've worked on (quite a few of them), and someone would be welcome to revise it.

Good idea, perhaps could you attach the .snag file to the book page. I'll add the .snag extension to the allowed list of extensions

Good idea.

I am going to try to work something out for the calendar. I don't know how it's going to go, because anything that involves a graphic is like kryptonite for me. But I am loving IQ, so we'll see.

[quote=ericka]

I am going to try to work something out for the calendar. I don't know how it's going to go, because anything that involves a graphic is like kryptonite for me. But I am loving IQ, so we'll see.

[/quote]

Words are acceptable! If you can roughly describe what you come up with, others can polish it, and provide graphics. I'd love to see what you've come up with on the calendar, as I haven't spent much time with it yet.

I'm trying to wait for the new calendar. But will do!

Thanks sooo much for your visuals, Keith. I truly rely on them.

[quote=Pierre_Admin]

Good idea, perhaps could you attach the .snag file to the book page. I'll add the .snag extension to the allowed list of extensions

[/quote]

I tried it with Getting Started. I'll get the others in soon...