New Schedule Importer

mwaugh

Member
Joined
Jan 28, 2006
Messages
5
Is it just me or does anybody else see the new schedule importer as a step backwards?

Old version - cut and paste a trip, hit a button.
Newversion - cut and paste a trip, hit ENTER 3 times.

Old version - hit a button, sync.
New version - hit a button, download ZIP file, unzip, run PALM quick install, sync.

Old version - select start date for each pairing on firing up APDL on the PDA for the first time.
New version - nothing.

Apart from the last step, which wasn't all that onerous, everything else seems to be a step backward. Is it just me and my companies dodgy way of distributing pairings (Mesa, which is undated and AUTO doesn't work) or has the new software made the monthly ritual even more annoying?

This last bid it took me 3 tries to get the PDA updated, and frankly I'm not sure it's correct, but I just hope it is. The Web version has no easy way of verifying that the trip loaded correctly, at least the PC based version would show a little trip summary each time you hit the button.

OK - I vented.
 
Hello,

Actually the new schedule importer is a significant improvement.

You don't have to hit enter 3 times, paste in your trip, import it, paste in your trip import it, OR separate each trip by 3 blank lines and import all at once. Previously you could import ONE trip at a time, now you can import them all in one shot.

The filters are far better and easier to update. If your trip doesn't import properly, submit a support ticket and we'll adjust the parser. Before, we released every 45 days and it was cumbersome to get the parsers tweaked. Now, you have a problem, we can adjust the site IMMEDIATELY and most people that report an issue we have it resolved right away. No new updates required to be installed, just try again and voila, it works!

You can click the button to the right of each trip (Palm, PPC) and it will initiate a sync if using the Palm if your Palm desktop is registered with Windows Properly, so it IS a one step process, you probably didn't know this. Pocket PC does require the file to be passed to the Pocket PC, we have plans in the future to make this an automated sync as well.

We now have the option to take your trips from trip data directly to Logbook Pro, some people didn't want to have to go through APDL to get TO Logbook Pro.

You can again download ALL trip files in one shot instead of processing just ONE trip at a time in prior versions.

When importing your trip you only should see a prompt for a trip start IF your trip is a BIDLINE, i.e. unknown start date. This may have been a problem for your imports in the past, but if you don't see a start date that's because we have already set it for you, it's in the trip data.

So quite the contrary, the new system is FAR better than any importer in the past for numerous reasons. If you would like things improved or think it could be done a better way to help you, by all means post in our wish list forums or submit a support ticket and we'll document the feature request. The beauty of the new system is we can simply update it instantly providing you instant turn-around to any problems as well as doing things better. This happened just about a week ago, someone was being forced to enter start/end times when all they wanted to do was enter hotel data, we fixed it immediately adjusting the required fields.

A lot of times the frustration (with anything) is simply not understanding how to use it to its full potential. Software (computers) can be complex, it's very powerful, we try to harness the power but keep it simple as best we can. As you become more familiar with the system, the more you will understand how it is better. It also has significant potential where it is setup for our future software versions to actually pass in trip data and return the result without ever touching the web browser, again, we are developing for the future, you'll see how it all plays in as time progresses.

Thank you for your feedback. I hope this helps in understanding the new and improved schedule importer.
 
I understand all the mentioned improvements, but I feel exactly like the original poster. The web based importer seems to have way more clicks. Not to mention that the compressed file that holds multi trip does not work for me lately. It could be on my end though, but this way I have to download each trip separately.

Luckily I still have the copy of the older APDL application and I am still using that instead of the internet one.

Just my $0.02
 
mwaugh, you're absolutely right. The new web-based importer is a step backwards. I just tried using it and can't believe it. I have been using version 4.03 since it came out. It's so simple. Copy the trip, click the button that says "Import Clipboard". Now you have to go through all those steps, saving the file somewhere, opening QuickInstall? Makes no sense. It's obviously a way for NC to make more money. Note the part on the bottom about version 8? As long as I have my desktop with Windows XP, fortunately I won't have to use it. I just can't use Vista to import trips.
 
Hello Rob,

Actually, sometimes what makes something appear more difficult is not knowing how to use it. Try the following:

1) Paste in your trip data and then click IMPORT (with the web system you can import ALL of your trips in one shot, you can't do that with the old system)
2) Click NEXT and review your trip data. Modify anything if needed, typically you won't need to. The edit capabilities are far more capable in the new system.
3) Click the "PALM" button to the right of your trip
4) Click the OPEN or RUN option since you're using Palm and you have the latest Palm Desktop software installed. HotSync - you're done! That's right, if Palm Desktop has your .PDB files properly associated in Windows, you can click the Palm button and when choosing the OPEN/RUN option it will place the PDB file right in your HotSync QuickInstall utility. I have and use Vista, it works great!

On the bottom left of the schedule importer are two links. Documentation to help you learn how to use the system, and a brief video tutorial for those that would rather see it in action instead of reading boring documentation.
 
It's obviously a way for NC to make more money. Note the part on the bottom about version 8? As long as I have my desktop with Windows XP, fortunately I won't have to use it. I just can't use Vista to import trips.

Saw that, the day they start charging for the importer is the day I stop using ADPL. It's too much of a pain in the butt to import it to Logbook Pro and then correct all the wrong enteries it makes. The staff won't even acknowledge that it's a bug.

They've got a lot of work to do on the customer service end before I'll buy anything else from them.
 
Ok this has been working for a while without any problems. However just today winzip started to ask me for a password when I want to extract the file.

Any ideas? I have a registered fresh install of winzip 11.2.

Thanks!
 
Ok this has been working for a while without any problems. However just today winzip started to ask me for a password when I want to extract the file.

Any ideas? I have a registered fresh install of winzip 11.2.

Thanks!

I'm assuming you're an APDL Pocket PC edition user? If so make sure you have 6.1.4 installed and now you simply copy the zip file to your device, you do NOT extract zip files any more. It is all automated, simply download zip file from the schedule importer web site, copy zip file(s) to /My Documents/APDL/ScheduleImporter on your PPC and that's it!
 
I'm assuming you're an APDL Pocket PC edition user? If so make sure you have 6.1.4 installed and now you simply copy the zip file to your device, you do NOT extract zip files any more. It is all automated, simply download zip file from the schedule importer web site, copy zip file(s) to /My Documents/APDL/ScheduleImporter on your PPC and that's it!


Thanks for the quick help. I will try that.
 
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