InfoQube IM - Community

Submitted by J-Mac on 2009/12/17 01:57

Pierre, you once said "InfoQube can be used as a powerful Journal (Diary) software.". I'm not seeing this vision yet. Was that comment referring to future considerations? Or is there something I am missing?

I just happen to be looking for a replacement for the current Journal software I use; the developer released a major upgrade three or four months ago and as far as I am concerned he should have let it be. No new features, no significant improvements over the previous version - primarily a new graphical UI and, well... let's just say that he apparently isn't too good at UI's! It really slowed the program down and is affecting functionality. Anyway I am trying new applications and since you made the above comment back in January at DC - I was searching there to get some ideas for a new Journal program to use - I decided to give IQ a fresh look at it as a possible Journal/Diary application. Thus far it appears that it could be used as a Journal, but the "powerful" part would rely mostly on the users eagerness to spend a whole lot of time and effort to set something usable up. IOW, it is usable as a Journal like a text editor is usable as a Journal. But there are no specific Journaling features in IQ. If I am wrong and just missing it, please smack me around and correct me!

I opened the Journal grid in IQ and I have it set like it says in the Journal section of the manual. However, though it is set to no source and the Date filter is on, all I get is the following view:

Screenshot - 12_17_2009 , 1_21_03 AM.png

Note the items there that are usually in the first grid you see after installing IQ? I have no idea why they are there. Here's the grid properties:

Screenshot - 12_17_2009 , 1_20_41 AM.png

I read the Journal section of the manual and it didn't have any information about Journaling. Also the posts there sounded like no one is using the Journal grid, or at least not as a Journal, per se.

Are there actually any true Journal or Diary features? Or did you mean that one could "build their own" Journal features with IQ? I'm only asking because you kinda "pushed" it as a Journal/Diary software in your DC post and I'm looking for a replacement for mine. If it doesn't have a Journal/Diary function built-in it's not that big a deal; there are others I have on the list to try. But since IQ is already sitting on my box I figured it was worth the look.

Any advice is appreciated!

Thanks!

Jim

Comments

Uhhh, I had two screen captures there when I submitted the post: my Journal grid and its properties pane. They both showed so nicely in the post preview, but apparently didn't make the trip to here.

You have a weird forum software Pierre!

Jim

I use an extremely simply diary system-see Daily Grid / Diary example.

What kinds of features does dedicated diary software have?

Hi Jim,

the Journal grid in IQ is not actually for Journaling / Diary purposes - it is set up to filter all items by date (I'll add a clarification about that in the manual)

I'm afraid I dont use Diary software so probably cant help much

One of the things I find very helpful about IQ though is the ability to sort by one or more columns and easily show items/entries in other grids.

You could make a dedicated diary-file or incorporate one in a larger database - or start with first and end up with second example ;-)

I would also be curious to hear what you would want in that type of software - (or maybe link to dc thread if you've discussed it there)

Hi Jim,

[quote=J-Mac]
Pierre, you once said "InfoQube can be used as a powerful Journal (Diary) software."
[/quote]

Yes... It can.

[quote=J-Mac]
I read the Journal section of the manual and it didn't have any information about Journaling. Also the posts there sounded like no one is using the Journal grid, or at least not as a Journal, per se.
[/quote]

Like Tom said : the journal grid is used to show items by date created or modified. That's all.

[quote=J-Mac]
Are there actually any true Journal or Diary features?
[/quote]

Which features would you like ?

[quote=J-Mac]
Or did you mean that one could "build their own" Journal features with IQ? I'm only asking because you kinda "pushed" it as a Journal/Diary software in your DC post and I'm looking for a replacement for mine. If it doesn't have a Journal/Diary function built-in it's not that big a deal; there are others I have on the list to try. But since IQ is already sitting on my box I figured it was worth the look.
[/quote]

I use IQ for my journal and I don't feel the need to use any other software. But then, I love IQ. I feel very comfortable with it so using it for a journal is a piece of cake. But then, again, it depends on what you're looking for. A "Journal/diary" software doesn't have a fixed set of features. Show us a set of feature and it'll be easier to see what can IQ do and what it can't do.

Thanks all for your replies.

Armando, Keith: Features I look for are those similar to The Journal, LifeJournal, etc. (I just tried to add the URLs to those but this forum didn't seem to want to accept either BBCode nor HTML; I clicked the "More format Information..." item below and it loaded a different page and I lost all that I had already typed, so this is a much shortened post I'm afraid.) So you all will have to Google for those.

Features are commonly auto-loading a new day's journal page; multiple journal creation for different topics/purposes; writing prompts/exercises; several formats/styles usually via templates; things like easy insertion of images with ability to wrap the text around the images in several ways. Basically they have writers' tools included. The only thing that separates most from standard word processing apps are features built-in for writing exercises and journal/diary templates. Also, journal volumes are databases, making viewing, printing, and searching somewhat more extensive than word processors or text editors.

I understand that IQ can be customized to accommodate almost any feature, but I guess I might be a little lazy in that respect. I just like journal apps that have everything all ready to go. I keep multiple journals, some by desire and some by necessity. E.g., a disability journal to document all aspects since the disability insurance company is always requesting detailed information including dates that different things occurred. That's critical to me. Also a medical journal at the request of my physician. I won't go any further into all that except to say those two journals are separate and very important. I also do a lot of family history research and keep a lot of information in journals. And I usually write me blog articles in my journal software - most have the ability to submit blog posts for all the popular blog sites.

Like I said in my original post of this thread, I didn't intend to look into IQ for this but I was searching DC for journal/diary apps and saw Pierre's post saying that IQ could be used as a powerful Journal/Diary software. I hadn't seen that but thought perhaps I just hadn't looked in the right places.

But to be honest it sounds like he meant that IQ is so configurable and can be configured to use like a journal. Not a true journal though. More like Tom says above.

Jan, thanks for the reply. No, I do appreciate your offer to help build a journal grid in IQ but I think what I want is a journal program.

Thanks guys!

Jim

You'd probably be better with a specialized software. But it all depends on what's truly important to you, and if the idea of using a software to manage only one aspect of your life (IQ) is more appealing than one that you could use to manage several (The Journal, Life Journal).

[quote=J-Mac]

[/quote]

Yes, I think it all comes down to willingness to configure IQ to do what you want.

auto-loading a new day's journal page : Half check... for now.

probably possible in IQ, especially with the new recurrence capabilities Pierre is working on. But, that said, I don't think that a "manual" page loading (i.e. : pressing enter...) would be that of a hindrance.

multiple journal creation for different topics/purposes : Check.

As easy as creating different grids for each topic, or just different fields, etc. depending on the user's need.

writing prompts/exercises : Check...

Possible with calendar and upcoming item recurrence management. But that would have to be thought through and set by the user.

several formats/styles usually via templates : Check or Half check (depending on the tool used to format text)

It depends how the user want's to use IQ. The html pane could use templates by itself -- a bit harder as it is... but if one uses the html pane in conjunction with Word, it's of course a piece of cake...

Things like easy insertion of images with ability to wrap the text around the images in several ways : Check or Half check (depending on the tool used to format text)

Same as previous comment.

Also, journal volumes are databases, making viewing, printing, and searching somewhat more extensive than word processors or text editors : Check... well, IQ is a dB software, and so you can organize your data in multiple ways, Print in multiple ways, and... search in multiple ways

I once posted a screenshot of an attempt at creating a "mood journal" in IQ, with a a graph, etc. at DC : http://www.donationcoder.com/Forums/bb/index.php?topic=12734.msg106795#…

That was... 1.7 years ago ! IQ is now even more capable.

Some were not happy about it... ;)

In IQ, journal items would be able to be linked to all other data in the DB... items could used sub items of other items, hyperlinked to, used in conjunction of a full fledged calendar, a gantt chart, graphing and tabling (And soon mapping... already there, but very rudimentary) capabilities... I could be linked to external documents, be loaded in excell files, mail merged, etc.

As you can see, many possibilities.

But, like you said : it all comes down to the willingness to make it happen.

Thanks Armando for your reply.

>several formats/styles usually via templates : Check or Half check (depending on the tool used to format text)

In the HTML pane: New>>Based on a template is quite simple to start with a template (and templates are just an HTM file, which IQ can easily create (File>>Save As)

Yes.

And, BTW, I got the intro of my previous reply all mixed up. I said :

But what I meant is :

You'd probably be better with a specialized software. But it all depends on what's truly important to you, and if the idea of using a software to manage only one aspect of your life (The journal) is more appealing than one that you could use to manage several (IQ).

And the conclusion was written a bit hastily... Sorry for the typos and everything ...

I have been keeping a diary / journal of my activities in in IQ for a year + now. Before that in Ultra Recall. Before that ADM & EccoPro. I've never used a piece of journaling software. Keeping track of my activities is a cinch in IQ. Like Armando suggests, if you can provide a list of options you want in a your ideal diary / journaling software, maybe we can suggest how you can do it within IQ (if that's what you'd like to do).

Jan Rifkinson

Ridgefield CT USA

HP Blackbird Vista Ultimate SP-2

I am surprised that the thread on the purpose and use of the Journal grid seems to have petered out so long ago. I have been using IQ for several months as a successor to ECCO so I am still on the steep upslope of my learning curve, not only for IQ but for the user forum, so maybe I missed relevant comments in the last 3 years or so by failing to search properly. However, I have done my best to answer my own question and I am stumped.

I have 3 IQ databases and in all of them, the default "Journal" grid does not look anything like a Journal. It looks more like a tutorial, manual or FAQ, with one TLI called Documentation. Moreover, the Grid Source box is empty and seemingly cannot be discovered.

Here is the bottom line to my post. I am struggling with a way to automatically create a daily log of items added. I have a field called "Diary" and I can manually check that every time I add an item assuming that I have the Diary field set up as a column in any and every grid where I might add an item. In ECCO, you could have an auto assignment of " * " for the field ItemDate. I assumed that Diary and/or Journal might operate the same way.

From the comments on this thread, it is still not clear to me at all what was the original purpose of the Journal grid. The lack of an identified Field called Journal compounds my mystification as I cannot go to ToolsField Properties and see how the Field called "Journal" is ostensibly set up. If the basis of IQ is "all items are equal" and items show up in grids based on an off/on toggle related to the source field for that Grid, how does the default item called "Documentation" end up in the grid called Journal, anyway? Is this some kind of hidden or secret Field?

So my two basic questions are: 1) What is the nature and purpose of the Journal Field/Grid and how are people using it? and 2) what is the easiest/most efficient way of creating a daily log/report of any and all items entered that day?

[quote=GSLulos]

[/quote]

hi GSLulos,

(I'm not an expert with this topic, so hopefully someone else will chip if necessary.)

The "Journal" grid is confusingly named imo.

It *is* intended to show all items created within a certain time period.

See manual/help page

Journal Grid

When you open the Journal grid, the Date filter will automatically be displayed.

See page linked above and Date Filter toolbar

[edit] as you noticed, the grid has no source-field - this means it will show all item - you then narrow down the amount of items displayed using the datefilter [/edit]

Using the date filter you can narrow down the items shown, to those created on any particular day, or time period.

_______________________________________________________

Win.7 64bit ~ IQ 0.9.25W10 portable

[quote=GSLulos]

[/quote]

Hi GSLulos, welcome to IQ & the forum.

I, too, am an ex-ecco person so it took me a while to catch on to IQ. Please don't get discouraged, frustrated. Once you catch on, IQ's ability will blow you away.

To the Journal. I think the best way to illustrate what you want is:

(1) ignore the default journal

(2) start a brand new dB (clean w/o ANY items, i.e. w/o SAMPLE dB) File > New > New blank database

(3) create a new grid: Menu > Tools > Manage Grids > scroll to bottom / left column > enter a Grid name, i.e. Journal or Diary or whatever you want to call it > In right column, leave source blank > save and close.

(4) You should be looking at a grid w 2 columns # & item & effectively you have created a journal because anything you add to your dB in any grid / view will also appear in this grid.

(5) Clearly after a while it will seem like you have a jumble of items so let's filter them into a workable view.

(6) Menu > Grid > Date Filter. This will appear on your toolbar & look something like this

Above is my journal filter & it allows me to see 5 days worth of stuff. I could make it anything. But to explain

(1) ItemCreated is a system field which is self explanatory, it happens automatically

(2) operand choices are =, more than or less than (> or <)

(3) the diagonal arrows allow user to move date/month/year

(4) the calendar-like boxes create day, work week, full week, month, year, custom # of days (in my case, 5)

(5) Today = jumps to today''s date

(6) check = ok / do it

(7) last icon = refresh

I would suggest you either add a view like this to one of your dB's or play with this blank dB until you are comfortable with the Journal / Diary / View. Then you can filter further using hierarchy & context filters. You can also add columns like Pending, Priority, Foloup, DateDue or whatever. It's endless.

BTW, I think you should try working with a single dB. IQ can take it & it makes it MUCH EASIER to manipulate the data. You are working much too hard. Let IQ do the work for you.

I hope this helps get you started. Please come back with all your questions. We've all BEEN there, i.e. where you are. The developer, Pierre, is wonderful, talented, responsive, helpful, hands-on & French :-) so he is currently on his 2 week August vacation. The rest of us know a little here & a little there except for a few who know A LOT. They're incredibly helpful, too.

Hi Jan,

Thanks for your help on the matter. It's much appreciated.

Your advice of simply creating new grid for a "personnal "journal" is a good one, and also the idea of using a single DB.

However. I'm not sure that starting to use IQ with a completely blank DB is a good idea... It's a really rough start to not have any template filters, equations, etc. to look at and try... I think it's way better to just delete grids and fields as one realizes it won't be useful.

As Tom suggested, one of the problems here is the confusion about what "journal" means. By Journal, Pierre meant a "view of items created in the past". Like Tom, I think it's confusing name as it's not the first time users wonder.

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Windows XP Home Edition, Service pack 3

Dell Vostro 1500, Ram:3gb, CPU: Intel Core2Duo T7500 2.2ghz

Agreed