Readerware Newsletter October 2010

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Welcome to the Readerware^® Newsletter

Readerware 3.0 Beta 5 is now available. 

A look at the changes in beta 5 and we continue our articles on the new features in Readerware 3.0. This issue covers printing, preferences, backup & restore, loans and more. 

 

Readerware 3.0 Beta 5 is now available

Again a big thank you for all the feedback on beta 4. It has been a great help, there are several changes introduced in beta 5 as a result of your comments and of course we have been fixing the bugs you reported. With the release of beta 5 we feel we are getting close to the final release so keep those comments coming. 

Among the highlights in beta 5, you can now choose the name format, you can turn off link highlighting in the table view and the track copy/paste functions have been improved with your feedback. For the faster typists out there, type ahead in fields like author should now keep up with you. Cataloging has been updated for most sites so the data Readerware brings in should be better. If you still have problems cataloging some items, please let us know. The full list of changes and fixes in beta 5 is available in the release notes. You can also access the release notes in Readerware 3.0, select the Help->Release notes menu item. 

There are a number of bug fixes so if you are running an earlier beta, you should upgrade. One thing that was not covered earlier is that the beta releases do expire. Readerware is updated frequently during this beta period and it is important to stay current. Some users who did not upgrade to beta 4 were surprised when beta 2 expired. I apologize for the inconvenience, it should have been mentioned earlier. As long as you keep current, you will always have an active beta release. Beta 4 is set to expire at the end of October so you should get beta 5 before then. 

Keep the feedback coming, e-mail your ideas, questions and comments to beta@readerware.com 

A beta is not for everyone, so if you are not comfortable with running a beta release it is no problem, you can wait for the official release. 

If you want to get a preview of what is coming you can try out Readerware 3.0, there are installers available for all platforms, Windows, Mac OS X and Linux. Both 32 bit and 64 bit versions are available. 


 

Installing Readerware 3.0 Beta 5

If you have an earlier beta installed, just install the latest version over it. If this will be your first Readerware 3 beta install, read on... 

Your existing databases need to be converted to the new 3.0 format. This will happen automatically when you start the program or open a 2.x database. Readerware will recognize that the database is in 2.0 format and offer to convert it. The conversion is a copy process, your existing 2.x database is not touched. You can also create a new empty database for testing if you prefer. 

Readerware 3.0 will be installed in a separate folder so it can exist on the same system as Readerware 2.x. Because both the program and databases are separate you can continue to run Readerware 2.x alongside Readerware 3.0. 

There is a new e-mail address for beta support, e-mail beta@readerware.com if you need any assistance with the Readerware 3.0 beta or have any feedback. 

There is no client/server support in beta 5, that will follow. The product help is still being updated. Some sites have not yet been switched over to the new extraction system. 

There are installers available for all platforms, Windows, Mac OS X and Linux. Both 32 bit and 64 bit versions are available.

Upgrading to Readerware 3.0

Readerware 3.0 is the upgrade for all users of Readerware 2.x and Bookography 1.x. Time is running out on the 20% beta upgrade discount. As soon as Readerware 3.0 is officially released, the discount ends! Order now and use coupon code Beta20 at checkout. 

The upgrade to Readerware 3.0 will be free for all users who purchased Readerware on or after January 1st 2009. This is a lot longer than our official upgrade grace period and is for Readerware 3.0 only. If you are eligible for the free upgrade send your upgrade request to upgrades@readerware.com Please include sufficient information so that we can locate your original order and send you new registration codes. 

If you purchased Readerware 2.x before January 1st 2009, upgrade options and pricing follow. 

 

Special beta upgrade pricing

Don't forget, during the beta period we are offering a 20% discount on any upgrade order. Just enter coupon code Beta20 at checkout and your discount will be applied to your order. 

The coupon code will expire the day Readerware 3.0 is officially released so make sure you order soon to get your discount. 

You will receive your new Readerware 3.0 registration code right away. If you order a CD, that will be shipped as soon as the official release is available.

Printing in Readerware 3.0

Readerware 3.0 includes enhancements to standard reports. A common problem in 2.x was that you had to search for the records you wanted to print. You could print your entire database or you could search by say category and print the results. However there was no way to print just selected records. This is addressed in Readerware 3.0. You can now select the rows in the table view and print just those items. To do this select the File->Print->Reports menu item and in the setup dialog, choose theSelected Records option. 

The printed output has also been improved, there is a new look for headers and the table grid. 

The new want list includes an easy to use print function so that you can take your want list with you. 
 

Printing Barcodes

Readerware 3.0 can now print barcodes. Suppose you have some older books that don't have a publisher barcode on them, you can print ISBN barcodes for these books. 

If you are running a small library you might want to assign a unique asset number to each book. You can use the standard User Number column for this and then print it on barcodes. To check out a book, you can just scan your barcode. 

To print barcodes select the File->Print->Barcodes menu item. You choose what data to include in the barcode, you can print barcodes containing the ISBN, Dewey Decimal Number, Call Number etc. Readerware automatically selects an appropriate barcode symbology and prints the barcode labels. Again you can print the current search results or selected records. You don't need a special barcode printer, Readerware can print barcodes on any ink jet or laser printer. 
 

The Report Writer

The report writer has been updated to include tags for all the new fields. There are also some new formatting options so that you can conditionally include fields. 

One important change that will affect all users writing their own templates is that the template location has changed. They have been moved out of the installation directory as that is a protected location in new operating systems. The new location is in the application data/preferences folder as determined by your operating system. One of the things that has become apparent in the beta is that Readerware needs an install function so that you don't have to worry about the actual location, you should be able to install new templates from within Readerware itself. Look for that in the next release.

Readerware 3.0 Preferences

There are a number of new preferences in Readerware 3.0 to help you control how the program works. The dialog itself includes a new tree organization so that you can easily find the correct section and drill down to the setting you need. 

It is a good idea to browse through the new preferences to see what you can change, select the Preferences menu item and hit each node in the tree. Click on the Help button for more information on each panel. 

Among the new preferences in Readerware 3.0:

• Auto-Catalog - You can control which fields are imported during auto-catalog and assign default values for any field.
• Sound - You can turn sound effects on and off as well as customize each sound.
• Fonts - You can define fonts for each view type.
• Search List - You can define which items appear in the search bar and in what order.
• Hotkeys - You can assign common Readerware operations to a function key for easy access.

Citations

Another new feature in Readerware is the ability to generate bibliographic citations in both APA and MLA formats. 

Select one or more books in the table view and choose the Edit->Copy Citation menu item. Readerware will generate the citations and copy them to the clipboard. You can then paste the bibliographic citations into your word processor or other application.

More on Readerware 3.0 Databases

There was lengthy coverage on the new database structure in the last newsletter, but of course there were some points we forgot to mention. 

Do you have multiple Readerware databases? Now you can quickly switch between databases using the File->Open Recent menu item. 

There is a new File->Properties menu item. It will display the full location of your database, if you are ever uncertain as to what database you have open, the properties dialog will give you the full path. It also includes the number of records in the database, the disk space and memory used. 

The View->Statistics menu item gives you more on the contents of your database, the number of items in the database, the total value of your collection, books not yet read etc.

Backup & Restore

It is always important to backup your Readerware databases for safe keeping. There are a number of improvements that make it easier to protect your Readerware databases in 3.0. 

Because the Readerware database format has changed in 3.0, so too has the backup. This means that you cannot restore a Readerware 2 backup in Readerware 3 or vice versa. So if you haven't already backed up your new Readerware 3.0 database, now is the time. 

By default you are prompted to backup at exit and you can backup at any time by selecting the File->Backup Database menu item. The backup process creates a single compressed file containing all your data. In Readerware 3.0 it also backs up your Readerware preferences. So the backup file contains everything you need to recreate your data in the event of a complete system failure or simply to transfer Readerware to a new machine. The backup will generate a default name for your backup file that is based on the database name. For example if your database is called "Books", Readerware will suggest using "Books Backup" as the file name and will automatically add the current date. So your resulting backup file might be called "Books Backup 2010-10-31.zip". This makes it easier for users who have multiple databases, as you backup the file name will always reflect the active database. 

During the restore you can now choose to restore your database, Readerware preferences or both. If you are restoring because you accidentally deleted some records from your database, you would normally just restore your database. If you are transferring Readerware to a new machine you would typically restore both your database and preferences. As the backup file name now includes the database name it will make it easier to select the correct backup file to restore from. Once the restore completes, Readerware will open your restored database automatically. This is a change from the way Readerware 2 behaved, you had to open the database after the restore. As that was the source of most restore problems, it should be a welcome change to all users. Simply run the restore and you are back in business. 

The way Readerware 3.0 creates databases also makes it easier for you to copy a database yourself. If you create a Readerware 3.0 database called Books, Readerware creates a folder called Books.rw3 and stores all the files inside this folder. So if you wanted to copy your database to a thumb drive for safe keeping, you can just copy this folder.

Loans Part 2

In the last newsletter we talked about loans. Unfortunately a number of users discovered a bug in beta 4, Readerware was not displaying loan information in the search results. This has been fixed in beta 5, when you search for items on loan or overdue, Readerware now fills in the loan information columns. 

Readerware 3.0 changes how the loan searches work. They are now loan rather then item searches. It used to be that when you searched for books on loan, Readerware returned the books that were out on loan. Now it returns the active loans. This means that if you have 5 copies of a particular book and 3 are out on loan, Readerware will display that book 3 times with the information for each loan.

Wrap up

That about wraps up our tour of the new features in Readerware 3.0. 

If you missed the earlier articles in this series, the back issues of the Readerware newsletter are available online 

We are still working on finishing up Readerware 3.0, but the official release is getting close. 

If you want to see what is coming in Readerware 3.0, now is the time to install the latest beta and take a look. 

If you want to take advantage of the 20% Beta discount, don't wait too long. Order now and use coupon code Beta20 at checkout. 

Excited about the new features in Readerware 3.0? Beta 5 is available for download.

Readerware support

There is nothing more important than answering your questions and suggestions. You can always e-mail support@readerware.com and expect a prompt reply. You will receive a reply within 12 hours maximum, normally a lot sooner. Unfortunately e-mail communications are not as reliable as they once were. Spam and the various schemes people have dreamed up to combat spam are interfering with normal e-mail communications.

If you have not received a response to your support request within 12 hours, something has gone wrong.
 

• Check any Spam or message filters, the response may be there.
• Check with your ISP or system administrator. Sites are implementing various defense mechanisms which often block legitimate e-mail.
• If you are using a challenge system, please check to see if your response is being held. We do try and respond to challenge e-mail, but it can mean your response is delayed.

If you have not received a response within 12 hours, don't wait any longer, send a follow up e-mail. If possible try and include an alternate e-mail address. We will re-send your answer from another e-mail server to all addresses you specify.

Obviously Spam is a real problem. But it is important to realize that none of the defense mechanisms are anywhere near 100% accurate. There is nothing more frustrating for you than feeling ignored, you aren't being ignored. Every e-mail you send is answered promptly. From this end there is nothing more frustrating than taking the time to create a reply that is never seen and then getting a "why aren't you responding" e-mail a couple of days later.

All support e-mail is answered within 12 hours, if you don't get that response, check your anti-spam measures and try again.

Thanks.


 

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