Version 3.2 Features (Proposed)

The following features are on the chopping block for Version 3.2. Your feedback will help us determine which of these features make the cut. Send your feedback to Stonefield Development.

Medium (1 – 2 weeks)• Option to specify that a field should appear in a specific group header (e.g. grouping on city and want to show state in group header as well)

• Output options:

• Specify file type for email attachment (PDF, Word, Excel, etc.)

• Specify document settings for PDF, Word, Excel: title, author, etc.

• Support features in Field Properties that are missing in Advanced Report Designer eg. linking

• Support same named reports in different folders. Issue with methods like GetReportByName.

• Support for “week” for date format in cross-tab and charts. Need items in Options dialog for how formatted and starting day of week

• Single dialog for all ask-at-runtime conditions

• More template options for cross-tab reports e.g. different formatting for row, column, and total fields

• Add description of each function in Expression Builder

• Multi-line headings for fields

• Option to sort by aggregate values in cross-tabs

• Support HTML text in GoldMine and ACT

• Link action: Google map or MapQuest

• Link action: search multiple Web sites for selected contact: Google, Google Photos, LinkedIn, etc.

Small (1 – 4 days)

• Support Crystal reports

• Show progress as pages rendered

• Adding a field in the Advanced Report Designer with the same name as a field already in the report but from a different table should automatically add “_A” suffix

• Support "include all fields in same table in group header" with summary reports

• Email option in preview window

• Auto-import reports in auto-import folder

• More options in Field Properties dialog about how to display date in cross-tab or chart e.g. display month as Mmmm YYYY, Mmm YYYY, Mmm YY, etc.

• Named vs. concurrent users

• Specify position (e.g. first or last page) of chart in quick or cross-tab report

• Option to include field value in cross-tab subtotal lines (e.g. “Subtotal for Canada”)

• Location of reports folder and target app folder in Options dialog

• More control over what users can do in Maintain Users and Groups dialog e.g. access Template Editor, scheduling reports, etc.

• Field Properties dialog: rotation option so don’t have to use Advanced Report Designer

• Mover bars in Rows and Data lists for cross-tabs

• Function in Configuration Utility to export to XML. This allows someone to export, modify in something like Excel or Access, then re-import.

Again, send us your feedback on these proposed features. We want to know if these are the things you want in Query. If there's something you would like that's not on the list, submit those too.

Version 3.2 Features (Definite)

Stonefield Query Version 3.2 is in the planning stages. There are hundreds and hundreds of features we could add, however, we can't add them all.

We've narrowed down the list and broken them into 3 categories: small (1-4 days), medium (1-2 weeks), and large (> 2 weeks).

This list includes the "definite" features for the next release. See the next blog entry for a list of features still on the chopping block.

Target release date: 03/31/2008

Large (More than 2 weeks)

• “Negative” queries. (ie. Show me a list of customers that did not have any orders last year)

• Multiple detail bands. (ie. Give me a complete view of a company's activities, history, forecasted sales, and invoices.)

• Join dialog so user can change joins without changing SQL statement (ie. “include records even if no records” changes join to RIGHT OUTER). This is only done if negative query is just another join choice. Options would include: contacts who have activities, contacts whether they have activities or not, activities whether they have contacts or not, contacts with no activities with specified filter (ie. in date range), activities with no contacts with specified filter

Medium (1 – 2 weeks)

• Excel data-only output for cross-tabs

• Templates control default page size and orientation

• More information in Setup Dialog e.g. email information

• Advanced button in Label and Cross-Tab Wizard (e.g. gain access to customize SQL and top n)

• Support VFP 9 SP2 features, including rotation, dynamics, advanced page, etc.

Small (1 – 4 days)

• Test Syntax button on Expression Builder (Done)

• Default table for each data group (Done)

• Option to pass “ignore this value” for ask-at-runtime conditions on command line (Done)

• SQApplication.DataEngine.GetValuesForField support default values and Ignore this Condition option (Done)

• Deleting folder deletes all reports in that folder

• Option to turn on/off point labels for all series

• Import reports from REPORTS.DBF (another option in Import dialog)

• Option to export all reports from a folder or just selected reports. Change “Export Report” to “Export Selected Report” and “Export All Reports” to “Export Reports...” which brings up a dialog with choices for selected report, all reports, and a TreeView of all reports with checkboxes (selecting a folder selects all reports in that folder)

• Display proper page number when group resets to page 1

• Options to not create label for new field and to not auto-size field in Advanced Report Designer

• Don’t check user count or name when run from command line or schedule or else can’t run report when already logged into UI

• Dialog to edit properties for a folder (ie. security)

• Option for which databases a user can access in Maintain Users and Groups dialog

• Encrypt connection user ID and password in error log and error report

• Display Date Only setting in Advanced Report Designer: enables user to turn this off if turned on in data dictionary

• Save “database” selection in filter page if “use next time” checked for all users (currently doesn’t work for runtime)

• If user cancels in GetValuesForField dialog called from Select script, don’t give “no records match” error

• Workstation-only installer (generic name so no branding issues) or no workstation installation at all (ie. all runtime files in program folder)

• Option to put all fields in same table in one line of group header

• Implement new features in TeeChart 8

Please send us your feedback on these features. We want to know if these are the things you want in Query.

CSIA DEMOgala

Stonefield Software was invited to Denver this week for a trade mission organized by Industry Canada, Saskatchewan Trade and Export Partnership, and the Canadian Consulate to attend CSIA's Annual DEMOgala event.

As part of the event, Doug Hennig (CTO) was interviewed by Larry Nelson of W3W3.com on how Customized Reporting Solutions Give Your Business an Edge.

On Tuesday evening Doug did a brief presentation on Stonefield Query to approximately 100 guests at a welcome reception hosted by the Canadian Consulate.

On Wednesday, we (Jeff, Chris, Doug, & Mickey) met for several hours with Bob Ogdon and his staff at SwiftPage to discuss how to integrate our products and were very excited about the possibilities for both integration and cross-marketing.

Thursday was DEMOgala 2007, Colorado's premier IT event. We had a booth and showed Stonefield Query to a lot of very interested people. At lunch, Doug was part of a roundtable of C-level executives moderated by Jon Nordmark, CEO of ebags.com. Doug had the opportunity to talk about Stonefield Query in front of an audience of about 600 CEOs and CIOs, plus he had a great discussion about problems caused by the falling US dollar/rising Canadian dollar and the challenges of recruiting staff in the red-hot Canadian economy.

This was a fantastic event for Stonefield and will be seeking out similar events in the future.

Doug Hennig receives 13th Microsoft MVP Award

Doug Hennig, Stonefield's CTO, was awarded a Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP) award for the thirteenth consecutive year.

The Microsoft MVP Award recognizes outstanding members of a technical community for their participation and willingness to help others. The MVP Award is given to exceptional technical community leaders who foster the free and objective exchange of knowledge by actively sharing their real-world expertise with technology users.