tullik wrote
10-22-2009_09-18-54 (cropped).jpg

jv16 wrote... 15. Added support to let users know the opening hours of our Live Support within the Live Support tool. ...

What is the difference between "Live Help" and "Live Support?"


"Live Help" is available 24/7?


"Live Support" is available during open hours?


I find that ambiguous. Perhaps the web graphic needs to be changed.

It's the same thing, I'm just adding support for opening hours feature to PowerTools 2010 in a case we in the future go back from outsourced 24/7 live support to x hours a day not outsourced support.

In the meantime, your "catch-all" idea is confusing. That is a bridge I would cross if and when you get to it.

Boofo wrote
In the meantime, your "catch-all" idea is confusing. That is a bridge I would cross if and when you get to it.

This is how my "catch-all" idea looks like. With 24/7 support enabled:

shot1.jpg


With custom opening hours enabled:

shot2.jpg


Do these look confusing?

I was referring to tullik's question concerning "Live Help" and "Live Support". As long as the name stay the same, then there is no confusion. But going the AM and PM route is better than the 24 hour clock route and easier to understand fore those that don't understand military time.

Boofo wrote
But going the AM and PM route is better than the 24 hour clock route and easier to understand fore those that don't understand military time.

Oh yes, I always forget this. In Europe the "military" style clock is the commonly used, the AM/PM way is more American thing. But no worries, the feature shall recognize which one to use from the Windows' settings.

More improvements done today:


17. Before, the Live Support status was only checked when the program started. Using the Live Support feature from the Main Window's Help menu did not update the Live Support status of the Main Window. This is now fixed, the Live Support tool also updates the Main Window.

18. The GUI used terms "Live Chat" and "Live Support" while meaning the exact same thing. Now the term is "Live Support" in all parts of the program.

19. Simplified the Debug Log system in a way it from now on only produces only one log file with all the required information.

20. Created a nice new debug tool: when you are using a Beta Release version of PowerTools the program from now on always logs everything (even if not run in Debug Mode), but the log file is not automatically saved unless you run the program in Debug Mode. The new cool thing is Save Debug Log feature under the Debug menu which will create a full Debug Log of everything you have done with the program since the startup, even if you had Debug Mode disabled!

jv16 wrote
... 20. Created a nice new debug tool: when you are using a Beta Release version of PowerTools the program from now on always logs everything (even if not run in Debug Mode), but the log file is not automatically saved unless you run the program in Debug Mode. The new cool thing is Save Debug Log feature under the Debug menu which will create a full Debug Log of everything you have done with the program since the startup, even if you had Debug Mode disabled!

That will be great in betas!


Question: Is the yet-to-be-saved log actually being written to a temp directory to reduce memory burden?

tullik wrote

Question: Is the yet-to-be-saved log actually being written to a temp directory to reduce memory burden?

No, everything is stored in memory. But it's not a big deal, a few KBs. And this will only happen with the Beta Releases, with the official releases the logging is disabled.

Following bugs fixed today:


30. Many of the program windows were not fully compatible with the integrated Message Windows. The problem has been solved from all the main program windows.

31. On some systems there were a few second delay when starting the Service Manager. This is now fixed.

32. Some settings of Anti-Malware tool were not correctly saved between sessions and default values were restored.

33. Duplicate File Finder's Result Window has wrong captions on some buttons and the "Working, Please wait" panel was not centered correctly.

34. The Duplicate File Finder did not work properly, it could hang on large sets of data.

35. Check For Updates didn't work properly with certain types of update information. Fixed now.

36. Software Uninstaller - Custom Uninstall's Delete button could freeze the entire program.

37. Software Uninstaller - Custom Uninstall's Delete button does not honor the Abort button.


Following other improvements done:


21. Improved the way the Duplicate File Finder reports its progress to the GUI. Before the tool could look like it was frozen while in fact was still wroking.

22. The protective form layer now also protects agains using any of the main menu items.



I do not see any reason for releasing a new private (or public) test version at this time. This is because we are at the moment finding more issues to fix/improve faster than we can actually code them The main reason for this is the new Program Debug Tool which is an excellent way to test the program.


The next private test version will be released after the Filter Panel feature have been implemented to the list component, and when we no longer can find anything else to fix from the program ourself.

Once PT 2010 beta testing begins, are you going to want feedback on Windows 7 x64 results? And if so, will problem solving have equal priority to 32-bit system problems? Or will x64 come later in the game?


I really hope that PT 2010 can be run/tested through your new debug tool on an inhouse Win 7 x64 system prior to starting the beta testing.

As Jouni previously stated, "Export as .reg" does work on Windows 7 x64.

siliconman01 wrote
Once PT 2010 beta testing begins, are you going to want feedback on Windows 7 x64 results? And if so, will problem solving have equal priority to 32-bit system problems? Or will x64 come later in the game?

When the public beta testing begins we want to hear about all the bugs and issues.

siliconman01 wrote

I really hope that PT 2010 can be run/tested through your new debug tool on an inhouse Win 7 x64 system prior to starting the beta testing.

We have a Win7 x64 system, so yes, it will be.

Updated the GUI of the Registry Find and Replace to better match the GUI of the other tools:

1.jpg

Also fixed the following bugs:


30. Many of the program windows were not fully compatible with the integrated Message Windows. The problem has been solved from all the main program windows.

31. On some systems there were a few second delay when starting the Service Manager. This is now fixed.

32. Some settings of Anti-Malware tool were not correctly saved between sessions and default values were restored.

33. Duplicate File Finder's Result Window has wrong captions on some buttons and the "Working, Please wait" panel was not centered correctly.

34. The Duplicate File Finder did not work properly, it could hang on large sets of data.

35. Check For Updates didn't work properly with certain types of update information. Fixed now.

36. Software Uninstaller - Custom Uninstall's Delete button could freeze the entire program.

37. Software Uninstaller - Custom Uninstall's Delete button does not honor the Abort button.

38. Using Program Maintenance Tool to reset the program's Settings to defaults breaks History Cleaner.

39. Registry Finder does not work, it doesn't find anything.

40. Registry Find & Replace does not work (doesn't find anything).


The Filter Panel feature will be ready for the list component most likely later today, so it will be present in the next private Test Build.

There are keys which contain scores, even hundreds, of named entries.


CCleaner's "Open in RegEdit" window shows the exact entry with the name highlighted.


This usability feature eliminates considerable user scrolling to find the entry under such a key.


Can the PT2010 "Open in RegEdit" be made to do this?

tullik wrote
There are keys which contain scores, even hundreds, of named entries.


CCleaner's "Open in RegEdit" window shows the exact entry with the name highlighted.


This usability feature eliminates considerable user scrolling to find the entry under such a key.


Can the PT2010 "Open in RegEdit" be made to do this?

I have seen this before as well. Sounds like some trick to send virtual key strokes or window messages directly to RegEdit. While it's a bit MacGyver 'n' duct tape kind of solution, it could be rather handy. I'll see what I can do.


In the mean time, I have been working to get the last two or three old list controls out of the PowerTools. One of tools still using the old list control was the Find and Replace (inside files). As requested, the tool is also being updated to do only the selected replace actions like all the other tools.


Following bug fixes done:

41. Initial Setup sometimes run twice.

42. When Initial Setup starts, there is a small delay between the progress panel being shown and the background turning to gray.

43. With "Highlight selected items" checked (not checked by default), the Top Panels of the tools did not update their contents correctly.


And following improvements done (since last private Test Version):

21. Improved the way the Duplicate File Finder reports its progress to the GUI. Before the tool could look like it was frozen while in fact was still wroking.

22. The protective form layer now also protects agains using any of the main menu items.

23. Added safety checks to Program Maintenance Tool to make sure nothing bad happens even if user had installed PowerTools under C:\Windows\ and would then use Program Maintenance Tool to clear all the Caches.

24. Improved the GUI of the Registry Find & Replace to match the GUI of the other tools.

25. Added support for links to the Bottom Text feature of the Main Window's GUI.

26. Improved the performance of the Clean and Fix my computer.

27. Added new graphics to Check For Updates feature.

28. Added support for the Filter Panel (wohoo!!). The Filter Panel is really cool and simple to use: when you see any list in PowerTools, such as the results of the Registry Cleaner run, press down Ctrl + Alt + F and the Filter Panel will show up. It allows you to easily filter out lines you don't wish to see.


There are still some issues with the Filter Panel, after they are sorted out, I think it should be the time for the next private Test Version.

jv16 wrote
... I have seen this before as well. Sounds like some trick to send virtual key strokes or window messages directly to RegEdit. While it's a bit MacGyver 'n' duct tape kind of solution, it could be rather handy. I'll see what I can do. ...

The virtual keystrokes might do it. For example, once regedit opens at the RecentDocs key, these keystrokes move the focus to the entry name "138": ALTKEYef138TABKEYvf


It should work as long as the initial state of all the Find checkboxes is not checked. I wonder how one can be sure of that?

jv16 wrote
... In the mean time, I have been working to get the last two or three old list controls out of the PowerTools. ...

Will that include some sort of caption area in the "Custom restore/Edit backup" window?

tullik wrote

jv16 wrote ... In the mean time, I have been working to get the last two or three old list controls out of the PowerTools. ...

Will that include some sort of caption area in the "Custom restore/Edit backup" window?

What do you mean by caption area exactly?

jv16 wrote
tullik wrote

jv16 wrote ... In the mean time, I have been working to get the last two or three old list controls out of the PowerTools. ...

Will that include some sort of caption area in the "Custom restore/Edit backup" window?

What do you mean by caption area exactly?

I mean the area that fills in with details from a line you click in the list. It is above the column header line and below the list's menu items.


Perhaps "detail pane" would be a better term for this. Or what ... ?

tullik wrote

I mean the area that fills in with details from a line you click in the list. It is above the column header line and below the list's menu items.


Perhaps "detail pane" would be a better term for this. Or what ... ?

Oh yes, got it now. I guess "Top Panel" is the term I have been using for it.


But anyways, here you go sir:

screenshot.jpg

Following bugs fixed today:

44. Custom Restore Backup Tool's Delete button has a nasty bug: it removes all BUT the selected items! Fixed now.

45. Fixed many GUI corruption problems. Only the corruption of the Top Panels remains.

46. With very long lists, the program could hang or crash if more data was added to the list.


And following improvements made:

29. Redesigned the GUI of the File Organizer tool from scratch.

30. Improved the way the Clean and Fix my Computer tool shows its progress to the user.


In addition to these, dozens of other small things fixed and improved. The next private test version should be ready later in this week. As I said before, I'm in no hurry to release anything, I want PowerTools 2010 to set new standards in quality.