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Logbook Pro & APDL Newsletter June 2008 Edition

-Click here to read prior newsletters

Roadmap:  A look at the year ahead

Logbook Pro

I'd like to take this opportunity to outline the next 12 months ahead and give you a feel for what we are working on and where we expect to be by this time next year.  This is one of those situations where you don't want to give false hopes but you don't want to be silent for any length of time either.  Software that doesn't exist is called "vaporware" and vendors can tell you things and get your hopes up and try to gain your business based on these false promises but if you don't actually have the software on your computer, it doesn't exist!  Talk is one thing, action is another.  I take pride in my company running an ethical operation, I don't like to give false hopes and we simply cannot do it all, I never said we could, but we are trying to focus on what we can do and what will benefit the majority of our customers.

 

In presenting a roadmap for what's to come I have to be careful as anything I tell you falls into this vaporware category.  I've been hesitant to give details of what we're working on for multiple reasons.  1) It's not available to you yet and 2) We obviously don't want others seeing what we're doing just yet and 3) It can and will change between now and the time it's released.  As many know I hate giving out dates as it's the kiss of death for software development!  Software development simply takes longer than even developers imagine so I tell our team that we are to take our time, do it right, test it thoroughly and when it's done, we release.  There's nothing worse than having to put out an update every week which only indicates poor quality and testing.

 

Running silent for a long period of time is also not good as you, the customer, get uneasy about what the heck we're doing.  So I'd like to take this opportunity to tell you what we have been doing, what we are working on, and where we expect to be in the next year.  We are in no way neglecting our software or you, the customer, quite the contrary!  We have been hard at work on the next version of Logbook Pro.  Logbook Pro vNext (we don't have the official title/version yet) is a complete ground up rewrite setting a new baseline and platform for which to build upon based on the latest Microsoft .NET technologies.  Logbook Pro vNext has been in development for nearly two years now and IS in the hands of a group of 30 private beta testers sworn to secrecy.  It is NOT complete or anywhere close to being complete.  The hand selected beta members are helping shape the logbook of the future before it is developed, not after.  They are following along our every step of the way testing every feature as it is designed and participating in the requirements of the development process.

 

Logbook Pro's next version is unlike anything ever developed and will set the new bar for aviation logbooks including flight, ground, maintenance, instructor, etc.  Logbook Pro vNext will support the single user from student through airline pilot as well as the new multi-user enterprise features including group and user management, role based security and other enterprise features.  Logbook Pro vNext enables organizations such as flying clubs, corporations, or even airlines to use Logbook Pro with an enterprise database such as Microsoft SQL Server.  Logbook Pro will also offer multi-logbook functionality allowing pilots to segregate their data such as keeping a civilian logbook and a military logbook and working with them separately or combined.  We now have the most comprehensive worldwide airport database with over 33,000 facilities allowing you to enable distance and night calculations, time zone integration, and more.  Logbook Pro includes the most robust Outlook style personal information management (PIM) system to manage calendar data and people.  We will offer full support for digital documents, endorsements, sign-offs, forms management, images, etc.  We are also offering the first ever system for creating your own reports from scratch using a powerful report designer.  The ability to help others is important so we have also focused on data interchangeability, the ability to export items such as currencies, reports, and share your creations with others.  We don't want you to be limited by our creativity so we've opened up the entire development community offering the ability for other developers to add functionality to Logbook Pro as well.

 

Logbook Pro vNext will take advantage of Web 2.0 offering advanced online communications capability for communicating with us and other online assets such as the airline schedule importer.  We are working not only on a PC version but we will also offer a browser version of Logbook Pro allowing you to access your Logbook Pro data from any web browser at any computer in the world using the same interface, data, and capabilities.  In addition to the browser support we are also planning a mobile web system so you can use ANY PDA with a web browser, no software installations to deal with, access from anywhere and manage your logbook via a cell phone or Wi-Fi connection.  We will be completely rewriting our PDA solutions (Logbook Pro and APDL) after the PC edition is code complete adding support for more platforms as well.  We'll be expanding the synchronization systems for PC-to-PC and PC-to-Web databases as well as enhancing the PDA synchronization experience.

 

Logbook Pro's next version will offer a new user-interface making it easier than ever to navigate your data, customize the layouts, filter your data, and create reports of your data.  We are going to provide subscription based services such as web backup and other useful services.  We are excited about what we've been working on and what private beta testers are working with today.  However, we have a long way to go yet and hope we will have a public beta nearing the end of 2008.  The road ahead is an incredibly exciting one and we can't wait to show you what we have been working on for so long now.  It will be worth the wait!

APDL Pocket PC Edition 6.1 Beta Available

APDL

 

You are invited to participate in the public beta of the new version of APDL for Pocket PC owners.  APDL version 6.1 for Pocket PC is now available for your immediate use and adds the long awaited Pocket Outlook (Calendar) integration.  Now when importing schedules you'll find the option to add your trips to your Pocket PC Calendar area.  Just like in APDL Palm OS you can get reminders of your trips and sync your PDA Calendar to Microsoft Outlook, etc. taking your trip data from PDA to your PC's calendar.  We also improved other areas including Windows Mobile 6 enhancements. 

 

Click here to find the installation instructions and provide any feedback for the new Pocket PC edition features prior to going final this fall.  APDL Pocket PC 6.1 is a FREE update to all APDL Pocket PC 6.x customers.

Filtering the Spreadsheet Log Area (Video)

Play Video
Play Video

 

I'd like to start providing our readers with a video every month showing you select features you may not be aware of.  These videos compliment the extensive video library already available for your viewing pleasure here.

 

Logbook Pro is designed to be simple and straight-forward yet pack power for those needing advanced functionality.  This month we'll take a look at a lesser known feature, the ability to define a filter on the spreadsheet style data area.  With this built-in filter system you can filter data by preset or custom start/ending dates, filter data by selected aircraft types, and lastly filter by flight time, simulator time, or both.  After filtering data you can then perform an audit, check summaries, or even export the filtered data to CSV, Excel, etc.  The uses of this system are endless.  Enjoy the brief video and hopefully it will present new ideas to help you with your data analysis and auditing needs.

Airline Schedule Importer

The flexibility of our new airline schedule importer found at http://schedule.logbookpro.com allows us to bring instant service to those using this invaluable resource.  On June 1st Comair switched to a new system "eMaestro" and we had our schedule system updated for use on that very same day.  We built this system to provide you the most flexible capability and management of your schedules prior to getting to your PDA and also a system allowing us to manage the trip parsers instantly online.  We frequently receive e-mails about schedule system changes and typically within 24-48 hours the filter is updated and you're on your way.  You'll notice we now have a date next to each trip filter showing you the date of the last update.  We encourage you to try the AUTO system first and then fall back to the specific filter if AUTO does not work for you.

 

The version 7 schedule importer offers flexibility unlike any version previously used.  You can now import multiple trips, i.e. ALL of your trips in one pass.  Palm users can click the "Palm" button and choose the RUN/OPEN option and the PDB file is placed directly in your Palm QuickInstall utility.  The process could not be easier: 1) Paste in trip data, click Import (or press ALT+I), click NEXT, click PALM, HotSync!  For multiple trips you can download all files in one shot using the buttons across the bottom, use your favorite Zip program (we recommend Winzip) and then copy the files to your device (or QuickInstall) and that's it, you're ready to go fly!

 

You may have noticed a message at the bottom of the Schedule Importer site about the consideration of a small subscription fee for use of the schedule importer system.  Please do not be concerned, again, we are only considering it at this time.  I realize no one wants to pay money for anything they can avoid paying for.  We've provided this service free for years but it is not free to develop, maintain, or keep online for you.  We have to stay in business to provide you services such as this.  We pay programmers to keep the filters updated, we have to update the software on the site, we have to have a server, and of course hosting to provide this service to you.  Just like anything, it costs money to keep running and your APDL purchase of $59.95 years ago isn't going to cover it.  With that said, we also have users of this system that are not APDL or Logbook Pro customers, we are aware of this.  So our plan down the road is to provide this service FREE for our customers with the built in schedule importer features embedded in the next version of Logbook Pro and for those that want to use the web portal will be required to pay a subscription fee. 

 

One concern some have expressed is the requirement for an Internet connection.  We are solving this problem in the next version of Logbook Pro with the embedded schedule importer.  No longer will an always-on connection be required.  Logbook Pro's next version will communicate with the web services from time to time to get updated filters but operate offline for your schedule importer needs while disconnected.

 

We are proud that we can provide you this service.  NC Software is the only logbook vendor ever to provide a comprehensive airline schedule importer with the most supported and flexible system ever.  We take pride in staying on the leading edge of technology and providing you services such as you have enjoyed from NC Software for years.  Thank you for being our customer.

Finding information (Help Desk and Purchases)

Looking for your unlock codes?  Need a file we sent you in a prior support inquiry?  Need a procedure for something we helped you with previously?

 

Our systems are designed for self-service assisting you in finding the information you need when you need it.  We record all of our help desk conversations so you can come back at any time and review prior correspondence including downloads, procedures, etc.  We don't want you to wait on us, we give you access to everything you need instantly online.

  1. Want to view your prior orders from our online store which contain your unlock codes?  Login to http://secure.nc-software.com/myaccount.aspx and view prior invoices.  At the bottom of your invoice you'll find registration codes and download information.  Give it a try.  (We launched the new store software in September of 2005, orders prior to this date should use our Key Recall Center.
     
  2. To view your sales and support inquiries login to http://helpdesk.nc-software.com.  View submitted tickets and you'll see the listing of all of your inquiries.  Click any for the full transcript including file attachments.

If you're unable to login please try the forgot password link.  If still unsuccessful you are most likely not in our database and you can register for a new account for your future correspondence and orders.

 Version Matrix