RedNotebook

Bug #974590
Comment #6

Comment 6 for bug 974590

Revision history for this message

umina (lenumina) wrote on 2016-01-18:

I have a similar problem. I am using dropbox to sync data. I was able to create junctions (mklink /J) from .rednotebook into .rednotebook in my dropbox folder for laptop and desktop machines. I found that the option to "close to system tray" was an issue because it kept files open. I was also able to created multiple instances on the same machine in the system tray.

At the moment, as long as I remember to close the program, it all works, but when I change machines I get an error message that the file cannot be used and that its opening a default location. I then simply open the General journal and I have all of my data and can continue working.

I would recommend you solve this and the general issue by closing all files when you "close to system tray". That why they will get updated and resync'd automatically by dropbox. When the program is maximized (OR WHEN IT IS RESTARTED BUT ALREADY EXISTS IN THE SYSTEM TRAY) it would reopen the data file(s). If the program is already running (and minimized) it should resume that session or worst case, alert the user that an instance is already running and ask if he wants to start a new instance or resume the existing one.

If you choose to have more than one instance running (as the developer) then I suggest that the most recent datafile be shown as a hint on hovering over the icon in the system tray. I suppose that would allow several journal files to be the targets of different instances. To make it work between home and work, as other users have suggested can be dome with a simple autominimize timer. When the timer expires, the program is minimized to the task bar, and as noted above the data files would be closed.

That way, by the time you get home, the program is minimized and the datafiles are closed. You can then open up the program from another location, edit the data, and again, let it autominimize or close it to make sure the datafiles are released.

To gaurd against issues related to system or program hanging and failing to close the one might, upon finding another instance having the dropbox file open (which should never happen with a reasonably short timeout) you might offer to take notes to a "temp" journal with the user picking the target journal simply based on reading the directory journal names. When the user restarts the program, if a temp journal exists, he is offered to import that to the previously hung version.

Therefore, once the hung instance is cleared, restarting the program would notify the user that there is temp data for that journal, and ask him if he'd like to import it to the actual journal "now" or ignore it for this session. (similar to how Microsoft handles recovered word files).

I think the dropbox part of the help file needs rewriting. If you improve the functionality as noted above or some other way to fix the issue of multiple editing, I will update the documentation and provide examples.

/Len

I have a similar problem.  I am using dropbox to sync data.  I was able to create junctions (mklink /J) from .rednotebook into .rednotebook in my dropbox folder for laptop and desktop machines.  I found that the option to "close to system tray" was an issue because it kept files open.  I was also able to created multiple instances on the same machine in the system tray.

At the moment, as long as I remember to close the program, it all works, but when I change machines I get an error message that the file cannot be used and that its opening a default location.  I then simply open the General journal and I have all of my data and can continue working.

I would recommend you solve this and the general issue by closing all files when you "close to system tray".  That why they will get updated and resync'd automatically by dropbox.  When the program is maximized (OR WHEN IT IS RESTARTED BUT ALREADY EXISTS IN THE SYSTEM TRAY) it would reopen the data file(s).  If the program is already running (and minimized) it should resume that session or worst case, alert the user that an instance is already running and ask if he wants to start a new instance or resume the existing one.

If you choose to have more than one instance running (as the developer) then I suggest that the most recent datafile be shown as a hint on hovering over the icon in the system tray.  I  suppose that would allow several journal files to be the targets of different instances.  To make it work between home and work, as other users have suggested can be dome with a simple autominimize timer.  When the timer expires, the program is minimized to the task bar, and as noted above the data files would be closed.

That way, by the time you get home, the program is minimized and the datafiles are closed.  You can then open up the program from another location, edit the data, and again, let it autominimize or close it to make sure the datafiles are released.

To gaurd against issues related to system or program hanging and failing to close the one might, upon finding another instance having the dropbox file open (which should never happen with a reasonably short timeout) you might offer to take notes to a "temp" journal with the user picking the target journal simply based on reading the directory journal names.  When the user restarts the program, if a temp journal exists, he is offered to import that to the previously hung version.

Therefore, once the hung instance is cleared, restarting the program would notify the user that there is temp data for that journal, and ask him if he'd like to import it to the actual journal "now" or ignore it for this session.  (similar to how Microsoft handles recovered word files).

I think the dropbox part of the help file needs rewriting.  If you improve the functionality as noted above or some other way to fix the issue of multiple editing, I will update the documentation and provide examples.

/Len