ReportBuilder (Written with PureBasic)

srod · Post by **srod** » Mon Dec 12, 2005 7:06 pm

No, it isn't that one. The one I have is freeware and so I can't really complain I guess. Comment banks were stored in text files. No database of students was stored, as report comments were created and then placed on the clipboard ready for pasting into whatever reporting system was in use etc.

Certainly I'd be happy to give the secondary version a whirl. I look forward to seeing it.

I myself am busy creating an electronic markbook in Purebasic. Not a million miles away from a reporting system! I do not envisage moving in that direction however.

DoubleDutch · Post by **DoubleDutch** » Mon Dec 12, 2005 7:08 pm

Straker · Post by **Straker** » Mon Dec 12, 2005 7:44 pm

I have a marketing comment.

It is probably not a good idea to have a backward "R" in your logo since you are marketing to teachers. Although, we all assume you are smart enough to know better, some teachers tend to have a "know-it-all" mentality (sorry srod - not you, but you know of whom I am speaking). Believe me, if one teacher scoffs, they will not keep their opinion to themselves. Its the nature of customers.

Marketing a backwards "R" in "Toys-R-Us" to kids is one thing, having it in an educational program marketed to teachers is something else.

Just a thought.

BTW - very nice looking program.

DoubleDutch · Post by **DoubleDutch** » Mon Dec 12, 2005 7:56 pm

Straker: You have a good point. I will bring that up at the next meeting and suggest some further research is needed. Marketing is very important and we have to consider everything to get it right.

Thanks,

Anthony

srod · Post by **srod** » Mon Dec 12, 2005 8:08 pm

Teachers certainly are a strange bunch; -myself included of course! There can be a certain arrogance attached to the old leather-patched cardies.

Still, it's the life I chose... sniff!

monkeyx · Post by **monkeyx** » Mon Dec 12, 2005 10:07 pm

I also suggest you look at how you integrate this software with pupil magament systems such SIMS and Facility. AS if it does not link with with existing pupil data and timetable, then it would be a non starter for many schools.

DoubleDutch · Post by **DoubleDutch** » Mon Dec 12, 2005 11:15 pm

MonkeyX: Good suggestion, hopefully I have it covered with the import facility. ReportBuilder has import routines for the following written:-

Code: Select all

pattern$+"|Common Transfer File (*.xml)|*.xml" 
pattern$+"|Compressed Report Assist (*.zdb)|*.zdb"
pattern$+"|Report Assist (*.mdb)|*.mdb"
pattern$+"|Teachers Report Assistant (*.tra)|*.tra"
pattern$+"|Report Maker (*.rep)|*.rep"

More are planned, maybe a direct interface to SIMS and Facility's formats.

But for now, SIMS and Facility should both export to Common Transfer File (CTF) format as defined by the DFES/NAW and we can import from that.

The teacher in charge of SIMS/Facility should know about CTF as its also the file protocol they have to upload/download to the LEA computers (hopefully).

The biggest hurdle will be competing with ReportAssist as it has a good hold on the UK Primary school market. The ability to also import ReportAssist files should help there.

Intrigued · Post by **Intrigued** » Tue Dec 13, 2005 12:55 am

I recommend a professional installer to set the right tone as well.

I know there are a lot of free (or create your own) installers out there but I recommend Setup Factory 7. It uses the LUA language as it's scripting engine and themes are also a major factor (create your own or use their versions).

(It's not free, aka. there is a cost for such):

http://www.indigorose.com/site/index.php (I get no compensation, FWIW, for sharing/telling folks about this or any other product they put out).

Plus Indigo Rose Corp. is full of great people that will help at every turn, they have for me and I have delt with them now for years.

*thumbs up*

DoubleDutch · Post by **DoubleDutch** » Tue Dec 13, 2005 2:11 am

The installer fixes the "smartvsd.vxd" bug thats present in some versions of windows. It also doubles up as a re-installer with the "AUTO" parameter and sets up the info for an uninstall.

In other words it does everything that I need it to do.

I agree that it needs to look much better and I am looking at adopting the "look" of the newer installers, not one from the 1990's as it looks at present.

I'll look at the one you recommended to see what it looks like.

Trond · Post by **Trond** » Tue Dec 13, 2005 2:03 pm

Looks nice. You may want to have a look at the following:
1. The about box is "a bit dull" (It only contains 3/4 of a button with the text "Okay").
2. The about box has it's own button on the taskbar even though it is modal to the main window.
3. ReportBuilder isn't proper English capitalization either (but I think it's a good name either way but maybe some teachers will complain.)
4. When you press Okay in the about box the main window disappears and reappears very quickly.
5. The menu accellerators simply aren't there. (Those underlined letters for keyboard navigation, should be there when the menu is opened using Alt+Letter or F10, or all the time depending on a setting in Windows.
6. Many keyboard shortcuts are Alt+Some letter. Alt+Some letter is used to open the menu which name starts with that letter.
7. Inconsisten capitalization with the rest of the program on the menu item "Keyboard shortcuts".
8. In the options window, the font of the tabs does not seem to be the standard system font.
9. Closing the options window (even without changing anything) seems to rebuild the whole window (awful flickering).
10. Only the bottom and right bevel are visible on the Okay, Apply and Cancel buttons in the options window. The left and top bevel is not visible. The buttons looks cut off.
11. The misc page in the options window is blank.
12. The options window has it's own button on the taskbar even though it is a modal dialog to the main window.
13. In the colours and fonts selection, the contents of the listview is a little too wide so that a horizontal scrollbar is created by default.
14. The above also applies to the subjects listview.
15. Item 10 also applies to the Change buttons to change fonts. (Do you want a screenshot?)
16. When you click change font and the font dialog pops up, the style that was previously used (bold/italic) is not anymore select, the style is now normal.
17. Same as above with the font size.
18. Remove automatic case correction on pupil's names in case someone's name is for example Reynold van Doren he would get a large V while he should have a small one.
19. In the tooltips for the pupil's name:
"Here you can enter the pupils forename." should be "pupil's". The same on both tooltips.
20. The above also applies to the pupil's date of birth and sex.
21. Consider adding tooltips for year group and S.E.N. (whatever that is)
22. In the add pupil dialog box, the buttons are cut off as described with other buttons earlier.
23. The add/edit pupil window has their own buttons on the taskbar even though they are they are modal to another window which already has a button on the taskbar.
24. Apparently the delete pupil button doesn't have any effect.
25. The toolbar button "open class file" didn't do anything but delete all the pupils in the class.
26. I clicked "Save As" then cancel (so I didn't save). Now the Open button doesn't do anything but redrawing the listview with the pupils.
27. The green code ***-***-*** isn't valid.

DoubleDutch · Post by **DoubleDutch** » Tue Dec 13, 2005 2:36 pm

Trond: Now this is what I want

A really good, concise and useful criticism. All good points. I'll try get most, if not all of what you have mentioned fixed for the next beta.

-Anthony

DoubleDutch · Post by **DoubleDutch** » Tue Dec 13, 2005 3:38 pm

Trond: Fixed quite a few of the easy ones already.

10. Only the bottom and right bevel are visible on the Okay, Apply and Cancel buttons in the options window. The left and top bevel is not visible. The buttons looks cut off.
15. Item 10 also applies to the Change buttons to change fonts. (Do you want a screenshot?)
22. In the add pupil dialog box, the buttons are cut off as described with other buttons earlier.

A screen shot would be good as I can't seem to reproduce this on any of the machines here.

Trond · Post by **Trond** » Tue Dec 13, 2005 4:24 pm

Here's a screenshot:

Also: If you maximize the window, then close the program, then start it again, the window fills the entire screen but is not maximized.[/quote]

DoubleDutch · Post by **DoubleDutch** » Tue Dec 13, 2005 5:14 pm

Thats really strange, this is the only thing thats setup for the about window:

Code: Select all

SplashStage("Creating About Window")
AboutWindow=OpenWindow(#About,0,0,#AboutW,#AboutH,#PB_Window_ScreenCentered|#PB_Window_Invisible,"About")
If AboutWindow=0
  Message(NC$+"about")
  End
EndIf

If CreateGadgetList(AboutWindow)
  ButtonGadget(#AboutOkay,#OX,#AboutH-#OY-#BtnH,#BtnW,#BtnH,"Okay")
EndIf

There is no ownerdraw for the buttons in the program.

What kind of setup do you have then I'll setup a machine with a similar setup here. eg, colour resolution, windows version, any add-on desktop enhancements, etc

Trond · Post by **Trond** » Tue Dec 13, 2005 5:47 pm

Now that's strange. This code makes a normal button:

Code: Select all

#About = 0
#AboutH = 200
#AboutW = 200
#OX = 10
#OY = 10
#BtnH = 25
#BtnW = 97
#AboutOkay = 0
AboutWindow=OpenWindow(#About,0,0,#AboutW,#AboutH,#PB_Window_ScreenCentered|#PB_Window_Invisible,"About") 
If CreateGadgetList(AboutWindow) 
  ButtonGadget(#AboutOkay,#OX,#AboutH-#OY-#BtnH,#BtnW,#BtnH,"Okay") 
EndIf
HideWindow(0, 0)
Repeat
  WaitWindowEvent()
ForEver

Windows XP Home Norwegian.
XP theme turned off.
No skinning applications like WindowsBlinds have ever been installed.
Resolution 1024x768 32-bit.

Hmm, I see that the okay button in your program uses a different font (size) than the normal button in the example above. There's got to be something in your code that you've forgotten about!