Thursday, September 4, 2008

Klok -new version public beta

WARNING - Don't download the beta unless you are willing to try out a version of Klok that may still have bugs

So I am just wrapping up a new version (1.5) of Klok and was in the process of sending out emails to all the people who have volunteered to help me test it (Thank you very much, by the way) when I realized that, I really have no reason to limit testers to just those people who I have already talked to. So, what I would like to do is open up the beta to anyone who wants to test it out.

The new version includes:

New Features:
  • System Tray Integration
  • Monthly and Weekly timesheet export with comments
  • Ability to reorganize the project tree through drag and drop
  • Drill down ability on Pie chart reports
  • Configurable data storage location
  • Context menu actions on project tree view
  • Automatic check for updates
  • Window position is remembered between sessions
Bugs Fixed:
  • Can't "work on" more than 5 items in the same session
  • Editing the start or end time from the project view screen does not update the table on that screen until you switch to another project and then come back
  • Recent projects are lost when you close and re-open Klok
  • If you have a timer running at midnight, it stops at 11:59 - This still happens (for technical reasons to be addressed later), but a second timer will start at midnight and continue counting until you stop it.
If you are willing to test it out and provide feedback, feel free to download the AIR file and let me know how it goes.

If you use Klok to track crucial data, then please back up your data file before installing the new version. I don't anticipate a problem, however, you never can be to careful.

Since I don't have a Mac or Linux machine to test Klok on, I would really appreciate anyone who can test on either of those platforms.

I you happen to think a Mac is a better platform than Windows, please donate to Klok. I will be using the donations to buy a Mac of my own. :-)

Remember, this is still a beta, so there may be bugs. However, I think I fixed more than I created ;-)




17 comments:

Anonymous said...

First off, awesome app... It has helped out a lot with tracking my hours... I downloaded and installed the beta version, and noticed three bugs: 1. when I click to work on a project, the timer stays at 0:00. 2. Along the same lines, the project block inside the week view also stays at slim line, until I hit stop or start working on a different project, then it updates the project block. 3. If I am working on Project1 and I keep on clicking to work on Project1, in the "Currently working on" drop down it keeps on adding Project1 to the list and lists it multiple times. This also happens if I select to work on the same project I am working on from the drop down list. (The reason I clicked work on or access the drop down is because I thought the timer wasn't working with bugs 1 and 2 mentioned earlier.)

I will keep on testing the beta version. Thanks for all your hard work. If you are taking suggestions on storage, do you have any plans on implementing other backends for storage? Or maybe even remote calls to a specified page which can be setup as a listener?

Thanks,
Ilya

Rob McKeown said...

@ilya - are you using Windows, Mac or Linux? The issue with adding items to the recent list is tricky. When I was testing I was going from project to project and in that case I expect the most recent one to be the last one I worked on even if that one is already in the list. That can result in the same project being in the list multiple times. Perhaps the best solution is to not add it to the list if it is the same as the last one you worked on. What do you think?

Anonymous said...

@rob I am on Windows XP. I noticed that this morning the first two bugs ironed themselves out. As far as bug #3, it still shows the multiple projects when I started working on the same project as yesterday. And the weird thing is that out of the 3 that are in list, only one is clickable, so the other two are there, but when I mouseover them, the last one gets highlighted instead of the one that I am working on.

Also do you have an API or other data storage planned?

Thanks,
Ilya

Anonymous said...

Hey Rob,

just thought I'de let you know I tried installing the beta version over my previous version 1.0 and once it had installed I wasn't able to add any projects, and all my previous projects had disappeared.

I'm on a mac, osx.

I've reinstalled v1.0 and all my projects came back... GREAT! I was freaking out for a sec!

Anyway, love the programs to bits, I use it a fair bit as a freelancer and have recommended it to some friends...

Thanks
Leon

Rhoads said...

I found the same error that leonwilson reported on mac OSX, but I`m on Windows Vista SP1. I went back to 1.0, a great app very useful for my freelance work. Thanks

Joe said...

I experienced the same problem as leonwilson and rhoads. I installed 1.5 over 1.0, and all my projects and data disappeared. I restored my backed up data file to the correct location, but this did not bring anything back.

I also tried a clean install of 1.5 after uninstalling 1.0, but with the same result.

I am on WinXP SP2 and Adobe Air 1.1.

Anonymous said...

Great to see that there's a new version coming up! I've been checking this blog regularly to see if there's a new version coming up.

I would like to try the Beta version. Is it possible to install the Beta and also work with the current stable version next to each other?

Anand

Unknown said...

Another grateful Klok user, and also a victim of the disappearing-projects issue. In the beta, no projects are listed, and I can't add any, either manually or by template.

I thought I'd play around with the config files to see if the problem started there, since I installed Klok to a custom location ("C:\Program Files\AIR Apps\Klok") and that can confuse some apps. Unfortunately, my debugging skills are pretty much limited to my days writing DOS batch files on my 386. Anyway, no dice, and it still doesn't work after a complete reinstall.

Anonymous said...

SOLUTION TO MISSING DATA
Discovered that when I installed the beta over 1.0 all my data was no longer there. Checked the folder and sure enough it WAS there, but not being found by Klok..

By simply going into Preferences in Klok, clicking on 'Change' in Data File, clicking 'OK' (change nothing), it will then prompt you to use the existing one (your old data) or overwrite it with a new blank file. Simply click 'Use file' and you should be back as you were.

Anonymous said...

These are great updates, I love the fact that I can now re-order my projects.

Also, well done to William, the missing project data was confusing me after I copied my backup in there so thanks for posting the fix.

Well done Rob, great update

Gary

Anonymous said...

Found a problem with exporting my timesheet that the comments just show as a number.

They appear ok in the "preview" but after dragging it to a file on my PC and re-opening they only display as a number..??

Cheers

Gary

Anonymous said...

Hi, I've just downloaded and installed the beta. I can't create new projects: the ADD button doesn't do anything, and the FROM TEMPLATE button shows the first window fine, but when you accept it doesn't do anything again.

Another thing, when I minimize I can't see the icon in the system tray.

Teeps (Terry Palmer) said...

Hey Rob,
Discovered a buggy with the minimize feature. I was maximized and then hit the minimize dash expecting it to get thrown to the system tray. I looked and it wasn't there. I looked at the current running programs and Klok.exe was in the list of running processes. I killed the explorer process and ran it again and klok.exe was no longer in the list of running processes. I ran klok again and now it seems that it is still hidden. I can't get it unhidden.

I'm on XP SP3 with Air 1.1. I installed 1.5 over 1.0

Anonymous said...

Just downloaded and started working with the program. Feel like I've found the holy grail of time tracking. I've been billing for time for 10 years now. Can't tell you how many spreadsheets, paper based solutions, and programs I've been through. Think this could be it!

free to talk said...

it's really awesome.. I know it when I using it the first time. It found how my time is separated into pieces. Hope someday it could have a sync. feature!

Anonymous said...

Hello!

First let me say this is exactly what I was looking for :) I installed 1.5 Beta 2 it works great except for the timer option. When I hit start working it stays on 00:00. Please fix this. I use it on win xp

Anonymous said...

Hi there,

A friend just sent me a link to Klok and I tried it and think it could be great. A feature that would be good for my use would be to be able to get daily reports. Also, it would be nice to be able to get a breakout of the time spent all the sub-projects.

Thanks. Mary Ann