more configurability is custom reports

[lolami]

configuring custom reports

Hi all

I'm currently evaluating LBP to see if it will suit my needs and it seams to the best thing out there and is so close to being perfectly for my needs however I'd like to be able to create a report that is the same as the standard log book used in Australia. Creating a custom version of the Jeps report looked like it was going to work until a had to remove a few of the columns and found in the help file is says

"Columns cannot be removed, hidden, resized, or reordered."

which is a real pain because i wanted to do all of those. Is there any chance you are going to add the ability to do that?

failing that are the any other ways to get a good looking report that looks like

http://www.users.on.net/~sbd4/logbookpage1.jpg
http://www.users.on.net/~sbd4/logbookpage2.jpg

Cheers

 

[lolami]

and while i'm asking questions i've added the required custom text fields however when i enter the data in windows view i have to expand the custom text section then close it again. I've attached a picture below and so you are see what i mean. There is plenty of empty room above where it could sit and be visible. How can i move it up there or once again is there a better way to do it?

http://www.users.on.net/~sbd4/custom%20text.jpg

 

[Neal Culiner]

Hi all

I'm currently evaluating LBP to see if it will suit my needs and it seams to the best thing out there and is so close to being perfectly for my needs however I'd like to be able to create a report that is the same as the standard log book used in Australia. Creating a custom version of the Jeps report looked like it was going to work until a had to remove a few of the columns and found in the help file is says

"Columns cannot be removed, hidden, resized, or reordered."

which is a real pain because i wanted to do all of those. Is there any chance you are going to add the ability to do that?

failing that are the any other ways to get a good looking report that looks like

http://www.users.on.net/~sbd4/logbookpage1.jpg
http://www.users.on.net/~sbd4/logbookpage2.jpg

Cheers

Thank you for your kind words and requests for Logbook Pro. Currently, the custom report system has its limitations as you noted. Most can work around these but the good news is the next version of Logbook Pro will have a fully customizable report designer. So if you can get around the limitations now, know that you will have full customizability when the next version comes out hopefully early next year.

and while i'm asking questions i've added the required custom text fields however when i enter the data in windows view i have to expand the custom text section then close it again. I've attached a picture below and so you are see what i mean. There is plenty of empty room above where it could sit and be visible. How can i move it up there or once again is there a better way to do it?

http://www.users.on.net/~sbd4/custom%20text.jpg

The Windows Style log screen was designed to be a compact and concise input area where you can access all fields without having to scroll. As Logbook Pro was designed over 11 years ago, we had to accommodate lower screen resolutions such as 640 sizes. The "empty area" above the custom text is for the custom yes/no (checkbox) items which it doesn't appear you are using. In the recent 1.10.42 update I actually began making this screen bigger and getting the custom text integrated and all but it was too much change with too much risk. So this is how it works for now. If clicking the button to show the custom text popup doesn't suit you then you may want to consider the spreadsheet layout system and while in that area right-clicking and choosing the configure display option (also available in Options...Flight Log) to only show columns you want. The spreadsheet style log is very customizable in that you can size, rearrange, and hide columns. Click here for a video from a prior newsletter that may assist you in configuration and setup as discussed above.

I hope this information will answer some of the questions or concerns you may have. If you have any more questions don't hesitate to ask.

 

[lolami]

Hi Neal

Thanks for getting back to me, i'll give the spread sheet view a go and see how manageable it is.

Just to double check with you once i've purchased LBP does it then comes with free updates or does the licence only cover so many upgrades?

and lastly is there a way to create a report that can separate and total things like cross country command and dual? (an other things like it)

in order to be able to fill out a form like
http://www.users.on.net/~sbd4/aeronautical%20experience.jpg

Cheers

Cameron

 

[Neal Culiner]

Hi Cameron,

All 1.x updates are free to version 1 customers. We have had Logbook Pro v1 out for over 11 years and have yet to charge for an update! We don't like nickel and diming our customers everytime we make a few changes, we instead enjoy you using our software and getting your money's worth.

As for filling out a form such as you provided, I highly recommend the Analyzer for this type of thing. Click here for a newsletter article on this but you'll also find a lot of information in our video tutorials, other newsletters, documentation, etc. on this very powerful tool.

 

[lolami]

Hi Neal

I've watched all of the videos and the analyzer does most of what i want.

The last thing i'm trying to do is separate a military and civil flights in the same log book? I want to keep them in the same file but be able to separate them in the analyzer. I've tried making a custom text field and entering either 'military' or 'civil' but i'm not able to select this in the analyzer. I've also tried using a custom tick box which i can select under the master filter however i can only filter out all of the flights without the tick box selected which shows just military flights, i can't go the other way and filter results to only show unticked flights which i have as civil flights.

Do you have any suggests for how to go about it?

as for the custom text field not being visible in the window viewer I'll give the spread sheet viewer a go but you have my vote to make the window re-sizable to make custom text visible.

Cheers

Cameron

 

[Neal Culiner]

Hello Cameron,

You could filter the Analyzer by Aircraft Types. As your military and civilian time typically doesn't share the same Types, go into the Analyzer and just above the column of A/C Types on the left, click the blue drop down filter for "Aircraft Make & Model" and only select the types that are military (or civ) and then you'll instantly filter that way.

 

[lolami]

sorry i forgot to mention that i actually have the same aircraft in both my civil and military logbook. Because the training and selection process was being done by a civil company the selection process involves flight which are in my civil logbook and then once i was in my training was done in the same aircraft but logged in a military logbook.

funny system i know but to be able to use the analyzer to check totals in each paper logbook i need to be able to filter them the same way

 

[Neal Culiner]

You could differentiate the types such as XYZ-CIV and XYZ-MIL if that helps. The other option is as you did with Master Filter and you have to do a little math. Hope you can find a way, there's always a way!

 

[lolami]

It is a few years down the track and the features still aren't available

As this is a standard logbook format used in Australia is this report something that could be added to the flight log section of the reports in the current version.

 

[lolami]

so.....how are those custom reports coming along?

otherwise i'm happy to buy and post you a empty logbook for you to make a standard report in the same format as it

 

[ARCLIGHT]

Sorry to dig up such an old thread, but I've been using the search function to see if there is a way to remove columns that are under certain group headers, and add columns under others. Specifically, in the Split Reports, I need to add a column under Type of Piloting time, without modifying any of the existing columns, since there aren't any existing columns that I don't need. To keep the formatting correct, I'd like to remove some of the columns that are useless to me, like Single Engine Sea/Multi Engine Sea/Glider/Rotorcraft Helicopter, since I've never flown these type of aircraft and doubt I ever will.

It looks like Neal promised the ability to fully customize reports back in 2009 with a new version due out "hopefully early next year."

I've poured through the documentation and I can't seem to find out how to do this, so I'm assuming that it still hasn't happened. Can anyone share some insight? I'm applying to the airlines and want to figure out how to print my logbooks perfectly and professionally as soon as possible, with Evaluator time included under Type of Piloting Time. Any recommended workarounds?

Edit: I do realize I can re-purpose existing columns, but I don't think it looks right to have types of piloting time, like Evaluator, listed under the Aircraft Category and Class header. I watched the video. We really do need the ability to add and subtract columns.

 

[Steve Hayne]

Try using the Custom Report option for the Split Report. You can rename the columns as well as re-purpose them to whatever data field you like. REPORTS, FLIGHT LOG, SPLIT REPORTS, COMMANDER, CUSTOM...CREATE.

 

[lolami]

Sorry to dig up such an old thread, but I've been using the search function to see if there is a way to remove columns that are under certain group headers, and add columns under others.

feel free to dig it up, the big release with all these fixes and features still isn't out yet, at one point i think it was going to be called logbook 2010

 

[Neal Culiner]

That's correct and plans change as iPhone, iPad, Android, APDL, Schedule Importer etc. came along with higher priority as the tech sphere continues to change at rapid pace. Logbook Pro Desktop is a rock solid application, we've been working on a lot of different project from Windows, Web, Mobile, you name it. We are a small company working non stop to keep up and provide you great software.

 

[lolami]

Iunderstand that but the large update to logbook pro looks like it istrying to give Duke Nukem Forever a run when it comes to developmenttime. It might make you more money for a large release that willreset licences but if it isn't going to happen then smaller releasesto add a few of the features that have previously been mentioned forthe big upgrade would be nice. The current version is a solid productand might fit FAA or airlines nicely but it lacks native support forthings like NVG and foreign logbooks which use different formats thatthe current customize fields don't handle too well.

Mycurrent wish list is
Fullycustomizable reports (should be able to turn off everything)
beingable to turn off unused fields in windows view and having the customfields use the free space instead of having to click the custom textfields button
dynamicfield (time fields that are formulas driven from other fields)

Mostof these things i have mentioned and the answer was always it iscoming in the next big update so after 6 years i'm sure you can seewhy i'm a little disgruntled