Project Viewer Documentation

Overview

Paragraph	Valid since [Build]
Introduction	07/21/2001 [17LA]
Usage possibilities	07/21/2001 [17LA]
Installation __Project Viewer __Third-party Programs	07/21/2001 [17LA] 07/21/2001 [17LA] 07/21/2001 [17LA]
Main Screen	07/21/2001 [17LA]
Projects and Events __Events of a Project __Creating new Events __Events in the Detail Window __Creating new Events	07/21/2001 [17LA] 07/21/2001 [17LA] 07/21/2001 [17LA] 07/21/2001 [17LA] 07/21/2001 [17LA]
Holidays	07/21/2001 [17LA]
Preferences	07/21/2001 [17LA]
Registration	07/21/2001 [17LA]
Icon Editor	07/21/2001 [17LA]
Technical Background	10/03/2001 [1A3H]

Using Project Viewer you can visualize projects and events in a clearly arranged manner. Heart of the program is the 4-weeks overview, where up to ten tasks or resources per category can be displayed at the same time (you can manage more of course). The tasks and resources are assigned to categories and can have their own color (only avaliable on color devices). You can select of ten different event types for the presentation of different events.
The data of projects displayed with Project Viewer can be saved in DB 0.2.x-compatible tables (s. Installation section). Using the DB tools you will be able to exchange with Desktop applications.

Project Viewer offers a wide range use, even beyond project supervision. The usage of the terms category, project and event should not be seen with to much rigidity - their usage in the later description is caused by simplification requirements. Further usage possibilities could be e.g.:

• Capacity Overview

Category	Team or department
Project	Project member
Event	Scheduled activities, Project cooperation, vacations, illness etc.

• Ressource Administration (called "Red Calendar" in documentation example)

Category	Customer or location
Project	Ressource to administrate (SAP systems, vehicles etc.)
Event	Maintenance periods, reservations, downtimes, third party usage etc.

• Project Overview

Category	Project or process
Project	Task or subproject
Event	Scheduled activities, preparatory work, vacations, holidays etc.

Nearly all text outputs of Project Viewers are included using a language include (via #define command) before compiling the program (except for the windows containing shareware and program informations). This makes it possible to create custom Project Viewer versions that reflect the intended purpose or local language. This way it is fairly simple to create a "Team Manager", "Resource Planer" or "Red Calendar" based on Project Viewer.

Project Viewer comes as stand-alone application (SA) as well as PocketC application (PC). Which version should be installed depends on if already a PocketC Compiler or a PocketC Runtime is installed on the Palm. One of these programs is required to run the PocketC application version. If PocketC is not installed, it's recommendable to use the stand-alone application. You need to install the following files via Hotsync:

• ProjVwr_PC_EN.prc (PocketC application) or
  ProjVwr_SA_EN.prc (Stand-alone application)
• PVreadme.pdb (Project Viewer readme)
• PToolboxLib.PRC ("Pocket Toolbox" Native Library - see PVreadme)
• PktCDateLib.PRC ("PktDateLib" Native Library - see PVreadme)
• Ants-XS.PDB ("Alpha Font Collection" Font - see PVreadme)

Memory usage until now: SA=124 kB / PC=84 kB

As Project Viewer can read and change DB 0.2.x-compatible tables, but unfortunately not create (PocketC can't access the required attributes record), it is recommendable to additionally install the following empty DB tables:

• ProjDB_Events.PDB
• ProjDB_Holidays.PDB
• ProjDB_Preferences.PDB (not empty, but with default values)
• ProjDB_Projects.PDB

Memory usage until now: SA=125 kB / PC=85 kB

As of build 17LA Project Viewer supports DateBk3 icons. These icons are read from a memo, which comes with DateBk3 or DateBk4 (memo title "DATEBK3"). You can also use the enclosed memo instead. The title ("PVicons") and the order of the icons in the memo are the only differences to the DateBk3 memo. For the editing of the icons of this memo a modified version of the icon editor DBiced is available. Due to the special order of the icons in memo "PVicons" the creating and assigning of the icons in Project Viewer is simplified (see "Icon Editor" section). The installation of the following files is recommended if the "DATEBK3" icons are not available:

• PVicons.txt ("PVicons" memo - just Copy&Paste content into an empty memo in Palm Desktop)
• DBiced_for_PV.prc (icon editor for ProjectViewer - based on DBiced)

Memory usage until now: SA=139 kB / PC=99 kB

Project Viewer might need some time for filling the internal tables and sorting the indices - depending on the processed data volume. So it could be recommendable to use Afterburner III or a similiar program for speeding up the application (this is especially recommended for devices with 20Mhz or less). If no comparable program is installed, it is recommendable to additionally install the following files:

• X-Master.PRC (Hackmaster-compatible "Hackserver" - see PVreadme)
• AfterBurner_Hack_unreg.prc (Shareware Afterburner III - see PVreadme)

Memory usage until now: SA=178 kB / PC=138 kB

For editing DB-compatible Project Viewer databases directly on the Palm you need DB. Possibly it is helpful to edit the databases outside of Project Viewer (but see Preferences section). DB can be installed with the following file:

• DB.PRC (DB - see PVreadme)

Memory usage until now: SA=253 kB / PC=213 kB

After starting Project Viewer from Palm Launcher, the program will first collect all required data (if there are no databases, the required ones will be created - these tables are not DB-compatible!). The data selection progress will be shown as follows:

If the index saving function is disabled or a new creation of the index is necessary (see Preferences section): "Selecting Categories" "Reading Project Table" "Preparing Internal Tables" "Reading Event Table" "Indexing and Sorting" "Saving Indices" (only if the index save function is enabled) If you use the index saving function and the index is valid: "Selecting Categories" "Reading Project Table" "Reading Indices"

Afterwards the Project Viewer Main screen will be build. The main screen building is finished when the title shows the preset Project Viewer title instead of "Please wait...". Following a short Overview about the main screen controls and elements:

Category dropdown 4-weeks overview with week scale and year Weeks scroll arrows Using this arrows you can scroll through the extended period (see Preferences) in week-steps. Project identifier Selected day Holiday Event The event types are displayed as follows: Milestone Event of priority 1 Event of priority 2 Event of priority 3 Event of sub-priority 1 Event of sub-priority 2 Event of sub-priority 3 Interruption/break Interruption/break before noon (am) Interruption/break after noon (pm) Buttons (not all buttons are visible at every time) "Date" Select display period "Proj" Create new project "Evnt" Create new event "Pref" Change Project Viewer preferences "HDay" Create new holiday "Edit" Edit project, event or holiday (depending on shown detail view) Detail window Shows detail information depending on the situation.

Events of a Project

Projects are grouped in categories which can be switched by the dropdown in the right upper corner of the Project Viewer Main screen. Projects are saved in the "ProjDB_Projects.PDB" table.

By tapping on an identifier of a project, the events will be shown as a list in the detail window. But, by tapping on the beginning of an event in the 4-weeks view, the detail view of this event will be displayed immediately. Using the arrows or the Down/Up hard keys, the list can be scolled through. The list is sorted by date and event type ascending:

Selected project Header of the project (identifier and description) By tapping on the project header, the whole project row will flash twice in the 4-weeks view. List of events Every entry shows start, end and type of one event. If an event starts or ends at the current day, then this event will be set off. Event types are described by the following idents: M Milestone 1 Event of priority 1 2 Event of priority 2 3 Event of priority 3 [1] Event of sub-priority 1 [2] Event of sub-priority 2 [3] Event of sub-priority 3 X Interruption/break Xa Interruption/break before noon (am) Xp Interruption/break after noon (pm) Button "Create project record" Opens the "Create project record" window for creating further projects. Button "Edit project record" Opens the "Edit project record" window for editing the attributes and texts of the selected project.

Creating new Projects

New projects can be created with the following window:

Category Enter the category the new project is assigned to here. The current category is default value of this field. If you enter a not existing category here, this will add a new entry to the category dropdown. Project Enter the project identifier in this field - it will be shown left of the 4-weeks view. The identifier must be maximal 5 characters long. Alternative you can enter a reference to two DateBk3 icons. The reference starts with ;IC followed by two letters, each for one icon. If you would like to refer to one icon only, please enter space for the second one. The used letters can be retrieved from the memos "DATEBK3" or "PVicons" in the row of the desired icon immediately after the # and before the icon description (note case!). See sections "Installation" and "Icon Editor", too. Checkbox "Show ever" If this checkbox is checked, a project will be shown in the 4-weeks view even if no event is valid for the selected display period. (see preferences!). Button "Copy" This button copies the data of another project in the shown fields. This function is only available if the "Create project record" window has been called from the event list of a project. Button "Save" Saves the project and rebuilds the Project Viewer Main screen. Description Such an Input window is called everytime you tap on a text entry field. You can enter a text of up to 80 characters in an Input window. The description will be displayed in the project header.

Events in the Detail Window

To every project as many as required events can be assigned. From the list view the event detail view can be called where additionally to event type and event period the event description will be displayed. Events are saved in the "ProjDB_Events.PDB" table.

By tapping on an entry in the event list or at the beginning of an event in the 4-weeks view, the event detail view will be opened. By repeated tapping on the beginning of an event you can go through all overlapping events that start at the same day. The following functions are available there:

Selected event Header of event (project identifier and event period) By tapping on the event header, the event will flash twice in the 4-weeks overview. If the event is not visible in the 4-weeks view, the inverted project identifier will flash twice instead - in this case a small box with inscription "JUMP" will be shown in the right of the event description while flashing the project identifier. By tapping in this area (even when "JUMP" is not visible), the 4-weeks view will be scrolled to the displayed event. When tapping on the event description the detail window switches back to the event list view. Description Contains of the identifier of the event type and description of the event. In dependence of the length of the description Project Viewer chooses a font size and a line spacing for displaying as much text as possible. This can be more than 200 characters (in a very small font). Event types are as follows: Mlstn Milestone Prio 1 Event of priority 1 Prio 2 Event of priority 2 Prio 3 Event of priority 3 Prio 1 Event of sub-priority 1 Prio 2 Event of sub-priority 2 Prio 3 Event of sub-priority 3 Break Interruption/break Brk AM Interruption/break before noon (am) Brk PM Interruption/break after noon (pm) Button "Create event record" Opens the "Create event record" window for creating further events. Button "Edit event record" Opens the "Edit event record" window for editing the attributes and texts of the currently selected event. Event mark

Creating new Events

Project Viewer should not be used to enter large projects or timetables. The included entry and edit functions may primary be used for adjustments/corrections of imported data.
If you still need to enter a large number of events it is recommendable to set a display period that (including extended period - see Preferences) does not cross with the events to be entered. Newly entered events located outhside of the extended period do not lead to an index update.
New events can be created with the following window:

Project With this dropdown you can select to which project the event belongs to. The offered values are combinations of categories and the project identifiers of the belonging projects. Begin & End Enter begin and end of the event here. Event type The appearence of an event in the 4-weeks view is determined by the event type. Button "Copy" This button copies the data of an other event in the shown fields. This function is only available if the "Create event record" window has been called from the detail view of an event. Button "Save" Saves the event and rebuilds the Project Viewer Main screen.

Holidays

Holidays are shown as two vertical punctured lines (see Main screen section). They are valid for all projects in the current category. Holidays are saved in the "ProjDB_Holidays.PDB" table.

Tapping on the week scale brings up a list of week periods and holidays in the detail window. At first the four weeks are shown, further down follows the list of holidays (only those which are valid for the current 4-weeks view). Week entries can't be selected, as there is no detail view available. Using the arrows or the Down/Up hard keys, the list can be scolled through. The list is sorted by date ascending:

Week scale Calendar week number Week period Holiday Holidays are shown with day, month and description - irrespective of the year-dependence of the entry. Button "Create holiday record" Opens the "Create holiday record" window for creating further holidays.

By tapping on an entry in the holiday list, the holiday detail view will be opened. Here, the following functions are available:

Detail window As holidays don't have an own description, the window contains a header only. By tapping on the holiday header, the holiday column will flash twice in the 4-weeks overview. When tapping on the area below the holiday header, the detail window switches back to the holiday list view. Button "Create holiday record" Opens the "Create holiday record" window for creating further holidays. Button "Edit holiday record" Opens the "Edit holiday record" window for editing the attributes and texts of the currently selected holiday. Event mark

With the following window new holidays can be created:

Category Holidays can be assigned to one category, but if they should be valid for all categories, select the empty category. Day & Year Enter the date of the holiday here. With the "Year" checkbox, the holiday can be defined year-dependent or -independent. Button "Copy" This button copies the data of another holiday in the shown fields. This function is only available if the "Create holiday record" window has been called from the detail view of a holiday. Button "Save" Saves the holiday and rebuilds the Project Viewer Main screen.

Preferences

Many attributes of Project Viewer are customizable via the "Preferences" window. The attributes are saved in the "ProjDB_Preferences.PDB" table. The following functions are available in the "Preferences" window:

Title The Project Viewer Main screen title is customizable. Thus it is possible to define a title that matches the current usage of Project Viewer. Index Via this checkbox you can decide wether you want Project Viewer to save the generated indices or not. Project Viewer uses 3 indices for preparing the data presentation. Creating and sorting these indices takes - depending on the data and the data amount - some time. This time can be reduced by about 80 percent using the index save function. As the saving of the indices extends the time till when the Main screen has been build to up to 50%, this function is not recommended when it is necessary to change the data often (which, of course, requires a new index creation). If you use Project Viewer mainly for viewing project data, this function is higly recommended. Please delete the index database "ProjDB_Indices.PDB" every time you change the data of the event or project databases not using Project Viewer - Project Viewer may not detect this and would work defective! The indices database is not DB-compatible. The saving of the indices is done automatically when starting ProjectViewer if the data has been changed. The saving of the indices can be forced by deactivating and re-activating the "Index" checkbox. After confirming the following request ProjectViewer saves the current indices. Sort order This attribute defines the display order of the project identifiers (and thus of the shown events) in the 4-weeks view. Following options are available: "Event" Sorts by event date and type "Project" Sorts by project identifier Show projects This attribute defines the conditions under which projects are shown or hidden. The following options are available: "All" All projects with events within the extended period (see attribute "Period") will be displayed. Attention, setting this option may extend the data selection time considerable! "Selected" Only projects with events within the extended period (see attribute "Period") and the attribute "Show ever" will be displayed. "Current" Shows only projects with events within the 4-weeks view. The settings for the attributes "Period" and "Show all" will be ignored in this case! Period Defines an extended time period by which the data selection period will be extended (prior and past the visible four weeks). Checkbox "Show all" This attribute allows to decide whether all events within the selected period (see previous attribute) or only the events within the 4-weeks view should be listed in the event list view. If "Show all" is deactivated, only the events within the 4-weeks view will be listed. Review till This attribute defines until which weekday the previous week to the selected week will be included in the 4-weeks view. Checkbox "Request date" If this box is checked, every time Project Viewer ist started a date selection window will be displayed for requesting a date - if the box is not checked, the current date will be used instead. Date format With this attribute you decide in with way all date values are displayed in Project Viewer. The possible selections are as follows: "DMY" All date values are show in format DD.MM.YYYY (e.g. 27.06.2001) "MDY" All date values are show in format MM/DD/YY (e.g. 06/27/01 - due to the width of the slash's this format shows only a 2-digit year) First weekday This option decides with which weekday all weeks start in Project Viewer. "Mo" All weeks start with Monday. "Su" All weeks start with Sunday. Display by event type This settings makes it possible to show and hide events according to their event type. This setting has no influence on data selection and indices. The four buttons have following meanings: "M" Activates or deactivates the display of milestones. "1 - 3" Activates or deactivates the display of events with priorities 1,2 and 3. "[1 - 3]" Activates or deactivates the display of events with sub-priorities 1,2 and 3. "X" Activates or deactivates the display of all breaks/interruptions (incl. "Xa" and "Xp"). Button "Info" If Project Viewer is not registered a window requesting the registration code will open first. Afterwards windows containing information about version, copyright and license conditions of Project Viewer will be shown. The first window shows language version and theme beside the program title (e.g. EN-SA for language English, theme System administration) - additionally this window shows the number of currently selected projects("proj's") and events("events").

Registration

Project Viewer is shareware. This means that the program can be tested without any functional restrictions before buying. But the shareware version is distinguished by the following:

Project Viewer starts on odd days only if you select a display date of 30 days prior today (see window on the left). After confirmation with "OK" the date selection screen will be shown. The Main screen title will be set to "! Unregistered !" on every program run. Within the registration process via www.palmgear.com, www.eurocool.com or www.pdassi.com you will receive a registration code via e-mail. Enter this code via the Input window that opens when tapping the "Info" button in the preferences window. The described restrictions don't take effect anymore afterwards.

Icon Editor

PVicons -A a- -N n- -B b- -O o- -C c- -P p- -D d- -Q q- -E e- -R r- -F f- -S s- -G g- -T t- -H h- -U u- -I i- -V v- -J j- -W w- -K k- -X x- -L l- -Y y- -M m- -Z z-

DateBk3 -a n- -A N- -b o- -B O- -c p- -C P- -d q- -D Q- -e r- -E R- -f s- -F S- -g t- -G T- -h u- -H U- -i v- -I V- -j w- -J W- -k x- -K X- -l y- -L Y- -m z- -M Z-

The usage of the DBiced Icon Editor is very intuitive and requires no additional description here. In contrast to the icons that come with the memo "DATEBK3", the special order of the icons in the "PVicons" memo offers a more simle way to determine the required letter combination for ProjectViewer. As shown left hand, the icons of the first coloumn are assigned to the letters A to M. The icons of the second coloumn are assinged to the letters a to m. The icons of the coloumns three and four are assinged to the letters N to Z resp. n to z. As you may notice, two linked icons can be determined and entered in ProjectViewer more simply with "PVicons" memo.

The Project Viewer databases can be created and read (exported/imported) using the DB tools (using the "OldDB"-flag). Following the description of the databases for those who would like to create own interfaces: