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Perry Mowbray
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« on: May 12, 2010, 11:15:22 PM » |
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| Application Name | ContactFX | | Version | 0.0.1.3 | | Short Description | A versatile Addressbook and Contacts editor with FARR integration. | | Supported OSes | Windows with .Net installed | | Web Page | blog posts | | Download Link |  ContactFX 0.0.1.3.zip (139.39 KB - downloaded 16 times.) This is a Snippet for Comment release: it doesn't really do anything except give my current idea on how the basic functionality will work, and I wanted to give people an idea of how the project is progressing and get feedback. | | System Requirements | | | Version History | | | Author | Perry Mowbray |
DescriptionContact FX (C fx) will be an Addressbook programme with the following functionality ( in impressive graphic format  ):  FeaturesHere's where I'm planning to go with C fx: - Flexible editing and viewing options.
- Flexible card layout for each contact
- Contacts can have a little or a lot of data: only see the fields with data.
- Flexible import and export: very easy to get contacts both in and out of Contactfx in various formats.
- Off-line access: not dependant on a website or web application.
- Non-Cfx dependant search [e.g. via FARR]: FARR integration (FARRCfx) will give Contactfx very flexible system integration on the desktop.
- Non-Contactfx dependant access [e.g. via HTML on USB]: can take address book anywhere and access just via a browser.
Possible Features- User defined fields and controls
- Contact templates
- FTP to private webspace
- Automated purchase and sending of birthday presents
ScreenshotsFARRCfxSome preliminary screenshots:FARRCfx Menu Display Contact UsageInstallationShould be portable, so just unzip somewhere and run  Using the ApplicationWhen the application runs it sits itself down in the System Tray, to open the Addressbook window use the context menu or double-click on the icon. At the moment all you can do is: - Addressbook
- Create a new contact
- Add fields to the Contact by dragging from the Control Pallet
- Edit the fields
- Add values
- Edit labels (via context menu)
- Set width
- Set layout (fill width | add linebreak )
- save it back to the addressbook
- Open thus created contacts to view or edit
- Settings
- Change the few settings that are currently available (more will come)
- About
- Show the About window
- Follow some of the links
ContactFX is designed to be flexible by the user, with as few "rules" about how to set out any Contact. So although I've designated some suitable uses for the various parts of the Contact window, they wont be enforced in any way: each Contact's layout could be unique if that's what you wanted. Hopefully it'll become clearer when I've got a bit more functionality implemented, but I hope you get the idea.  But the basic idea is that there will be the following types of containers: - Main Panel
- Any field can be inserted into any panel, and a contact could just consist of one field in the main panel
- The main panel can be thought of comprising uncategorised fields (ie general information)
- Lists Panel
- A number of list panels can be added
- Useful for displaying lists of fields:
- Links
- Social Network sites
- Related Contacts
- Tab Panel
- A number of Tab Pages can be added to the Tab Panel
- Tab Pages add a category to the fields contained on the page
- For example:
- But could also be any other non-standard category
- Notes Panel
- A number of notes panels can be added
- Although any field can be added to a notes panel, the default layout will be full width.
- A notes field can be used to display plain text. The notes field will have extra functionality, including:
- Roll-up to Title
- Link to file
A mockup can be found on Cacoo. UninstallationShould be able to just delete the files (although there will be some settings in the users directory). Known IssuesPlease remember that this application is still very much in development and most things don't work at the moment  ...you can also check for random postings on my blog as well. |
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« Last Edit: August 19, 2010, 06:15:58 PM by Perry Mowbray »
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JavaJones
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« Reply #1 on: May 12, 2010, 11:52:34 PM » |
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Ooo, our first pledge! Sounds intriguing.  - Oshyan |
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CleverCat
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« Reply #2 on: May 13, 2010, 01:03:29 AM » |
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Sounds intriguing Perry!  |
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Perry Mowbray
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« Reply #3 on: May 13, 2010, 04:22:03 AM » |
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Yes, we'll see. At the moment there are more questions than answers |
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cranioscopical
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« Reply #4 on: May 13, 2010, 05:43:22 AM » |
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At the moment there are more questions than answers
Not another quiz game! Looking forward to learning more about your intriguing CFX. |
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Chris
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Perry Mowbray
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« Reply #5 on: June 04, 2010, 09:28:49 AM » |
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I just added a few more details of what I'm hoping to achieve with this project. I might be able to add a quiz, but it's not top of my list |
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cranioscopical
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« Reply #6 on: June 04, 2010, 03:03:39 PM » |
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Wow!
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Chris
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CleverCat
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« Reply #7 on: June 05, 2010, 12:54:29 AM » |
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Hey Perry - you're 'Test Bunny' is waiting.....  |
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J-Mac
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« Reply #8 on: July 03, 2010, 12:33:46 AM » |
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After a very long (and for the most part fruitless) search for a personal address book, I am locking my eyes onto this project!! I am available for testing also. Whenever you're ready Perry.  Thanks! Jim |
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J-Mac
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Perry Mowbray
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« Reply #9 on: July 04, 2010, 04:39:43 PM » |
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Thanks Jim: my same fruitless search was my impetus to do this as well...  I do have a sneaking suspicion though that if we looked at our paper address books that they'd all be so personal and different that that is the problem that previous attempts have run into (which I will too I s'pose). My only hope is that my goal of creating something versatile is reached and that the versatility is what makes it "personal" by name and feel.Anyway, I've got another day to play today... |
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CleverCat
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« Reply #10 on: July 05, 2010, 12:46:50 AM » |
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I love the graphics Perry!  |
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Perry Mowbray
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« Reply #11 on: July 28, 2010, 05:10:06 AM » |
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I've had a bit of a break from the main ContactFX application to get my head around Vitaly's FARR C# Plugin SDK, which has meant navigating around a new language: It's been fun (once the penny dropped with the SDK). FARR will be providing Desktop integration including searching contacts, adding contacts and other actions with the contact data (emails, maps, urls, etc). So I wanted to at least get a bare bone working, just to relieve the nerves I've added a couple of screenshots to the OP to give an idea of how things are progressing and where it's going: FARRCfx will display ContactFX data in the FARR HTML window. Each card will be displayed using HTML in a format similar to how they are designed in the main application: i.e. each card can be unique with it's own layout, sorting order, TABS, sections and colours, etc. The HTML will have the usual functionality that will include: mailto links; hyper-links to webpages, maps, etc; micro-format integration including hCard, XFN, hCalendar, etc. This will essentially be the same format that will be used for HTML Export (for storing on a USB for example). Next step is to get ContactFX to actually generate the data file (instead of hand coding it) |
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« Last Edit: July 28, 2010, 05:12:38 AM by Perry Mowbray »
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cranioscopical
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« Reply #12 on: July 28, 2010, 11:10:25 AM » |
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Very nice! |
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Chris
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J-Mac
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« Reply #13 on: July 28, 2010, 12:58:12 PM » |
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Hi Perry.
So will FARR be the actual interface for ContactFX? Not sure how that will go. I use FARR for launching programs but nothing else. I've never understood it well enough to do anything else with it.
Thanks!
Jim
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J-Mac
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Perry Mowbray
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« Reply #14 on: July 28, 2010, 05:25:43 PM » |
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So will FARR be the actual interface for ContactFX? Not sure how that will go. I use FARR for launching programs but nothing else. I've never understood it well enough to do anything else with it.
No, just one interface into the data. I'm hoping/planning that there will be lots (as that's what's bugged me about other apps)... If you look at the graphic in the OP... ...it's meant to show that, to access/search contacts: - ContactFX can be used. I'm planning:
- Search in ContactFX
- Search via CommandLine parameter (I'm thinking useful in scripts, etc)
- FARR can be used, but doesn't need to.
- Static HTML can be used (once exported).
- Other "Launchers"/scripts can be used with Command Line
The FARR integration at this stage will include: - Search / Display contacts
- Search & Open contacts (in ContactFX)
- Add contacts
- Run ContactFX
- Other things suggested??
My idea was that ContactFX didn't need to be running all the time, but that's not to say that it can't; I just wanted to provide functionality that it didn't need to be running to get at the data in a reasonable way. I'm open to suggestions |
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Perry Mowbray
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« Reply #15 on: August 17, 2010, 08:17:11 AM » |
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I've just added what I've called a Snippet for Comment release. I did want to do this a week or so ago, but I had a major change of mind about the contact window and it's changed from a window with fixed sections (in number and position) to the current idea where as many panels as required can be added by the user (not that that part is functional in this version). But the basic idea is that there will be the following types of containers: - Main Panel
- Any field can be inserted into any panel, and a contact could just consist of one field in the main panel
- The main panel can be thought of comprising uncategorised fields (ie general information)
- Lists Panel
- A number of list panels can be added
- Useful for displaying lists of fields:
- Links
- Social Network sites
- Related Contacts
- Tab Panel
- A number of Tab Pages can be added to the Tab Panel
- Tab Pages add a category to the fields contained on the page
- For example:
- But could also be any other non-standard category
- Notes Panel
- A number of notes panels can be added
- Although any field can be added to a notes panel, the default layout will be full width.
- A notes field can be used to display plain text. The notes field will have extra functionality, including:
- Roll-up to Title
- Link to file
The current version demonstrates the basic functionality of creating a contact and adding / editing fields. Eventually there will be templates to make that process quicker... but I hope that this gives an idea of how the fields are editable. There are still a few bits missing yet (hidden labels don't stay hidden when re-opened for example). Had a great day yesterday working on it and the ideas have developed a little more in my mind... Actually I'll be completely changing the internals so that the user can create their own fields and groups of fields. Anyway: I'd appreciate some comment / feedback on how the project is progressing and how close it is to meeting your requirements |
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J-Mac
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« Reply #16 on: August 17, 2010, 11:44:00 AM » |
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Hi Perry! I just downloaded the latest build; I'll give it the once-over and post back with any comments. BTW, I was looking at your blog - is FarrCfx the same as ContactsFX? Or is it simply another UI for ContactsFX? (I am so easily confused!!  Thanks! Jim |
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J-Mac
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Perry Mowbray
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« Reply #17 on: August 17, 2010, 05:03:58 PM » |
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Looking forward to the comments It doesn't do a lot, but I'm hoping it will give an idea of where it's heading. FarrCfx will be the FARR plugin that will read and work with ContactFX data. So not the same and not really another UI... more a different way to access the data using FARR's great desktop support |
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CleverCat
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« Reply #18 on: August 18, 2010, 01:07:52 AM » |
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Looking good so far..... |
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