Personal
Organizer
a multiform personal information manager
(5-Jan-2001)
Contents
2.1
What
is “Personal Organizer”
2.2
The
“Personal Organizer” philosophy
3.
Examples of user interface screens
1.
Abstract
“Personal
Organizer” is a tool for managing any kind of personal information (such as
tasks, events, contacts, notes, file links, web links etc.) and an image
viewer.
All
textual information is contained in one or more Microsoft Access 2000
databases protected by keywords (however, installation of Access 2000 is not
needed). The information is divided in 13 usage domains and an unlimited
number of categories.
Personal
Organizer offers in a single program the functionality of many conventional
PIM (Personal Information Manager) applications, but has some unique features
hardly to be found in other products, like the possibility of displaying the
stored information not only as a grid or list, but also as a calendar, tree
map or a tag map with auto-tile, drag & drop functionality and various
kinds of editing methods.
You can download Personal Organizer free of charge from http://www.cancellieri.org.
2.
Introduction
2.1
What
is “Personal Organizer”
“Personal
Organizer” is a tool for managing any kind of personal information (such as
tasks, events, contacts, notes, file links, web links etc.) and an image
viewer.
With
Personal you can manage actions, engagements and time schedules, you can
record and retrieve all sorts of information such as study notes,
instructions, quotations, translations of technical terms or foreign words,
chronologies, postal addresses, telephone numbers, file and directory paths,
e-mail addresses, web addresses, prices, budget elements, inventories,
indexes, catalogues of books or other media, a journal, etc. in a homogeneous,
integrated system;
All
textual information is contained in a Microsoft Access relational database and
protected by a keyword;
The
collected information can be organized according to pure hierarchical or mixed
hierarchical-reticular logical structures, and may include hypertext links to
objects residing inside or the outside the program;
Every
structure created with Personal Organizer can be displayed in any of the
following ways:
·
table:
i.e. a grid-like panel
·
calendar
(only for
information associated with an expiry date/time)
·
tree
map: i.e. a
hierarchical organisation structure with roots, branches and leaves
·
tag
map: i.e. a
map of text tags aligned to form one or more columns
As an
image viewer, Personal Organizer can display images, thumbnails and slide
shows based on jpg, gif and bmp files; it can be used as a standalone image
viewer or in conjunction with the other Personal Organizer functionalities.
2.2
The
“Personal Organizer” philosophy
Personal
Organizer has been designed bearing in mind that a PIM application should be
simpler and easier to use than most business information management
applications. While a business application is normally indispensable for a
business to function, a PIM application is
something a human being can live without. Therefore, using a PIM makes sense
only if the problems it solves and the advantages it brings are more valuable
than the time and effort needed to learn how to use it and the self-discipline
required to use it effectively.
Most
PIM applications have been conceived for a small number of specific usage
domains and offer a rich set of functions and options to do their particular
job. Personal Organizer has been conceived for an unlimited number of domains,
with a common interface and a set of generally applicable functions. This
implies, among other things, the possibility of working on several usage
domains simultaneously, and a global visibility of all collected information,
especially as regards search and filtering functions. As a consequence of this
approach, Personal Organizer requires very little learning effort and
discipline in spite of its versatility.
Personal
Organizer offers in a single program the functionality of many conventional
PIM (Personal Information Manager) applications, but has some unique features
hardly to be found in other products, like the possibility of displaying the
stored information not only as a grid or list, but also as a calendar, a tree
map or a tag map with auto-tile, drag & drop functionality and various
kinds of editing methods.
To
avoid unnecessary complexity, Personal Organizer can be configured to make
visible (in toolbar and menus) only the usage domains the user is interested
in.
Customized
versions of the program can be produced on request. Customizations may include
additional data types, additional procedures and additional presentation
modes. Special version can be produced with company logo and company specific
information (such as company description, products catalogue automatically
updated via Internet), for company internal use or as business gifts.
You can download Personal Organizer free of charge from http://www.cancellieri.org
3.
Examples
of user interface screens
3.1
Main
window with tool bar, tag maps and a table
The
figure shows the main window with the tool bar (the first 13 icons represent
the 13 collections -- i.e. usage domains -- supported in version 1.0). Inside
the main window are three tag maps and one table, all belonging to collection
“Agenda”.
3.2
Calendar
The
figure shows the screen recalled by the “calendar” function. The first
panel on the left-hand side is used to select month and day. The list on the
right-hand side shows the events whose expiry date or remind date matches the
selected day. Under the calendar panel, the next 42 days from the current day
are shown, and the number of events whose expiry date or remind date matches
each day.
The
two subsequent lists show, respectively, the events whose expiry date or
remind date is already elapsed, and the events whose expiry date or remind
date matches the current date.
The
bottom panel is used to modify, delete the events shown in any of the above
lists, and to insert new events.
3.3
Collection
preferences
The
picture shows the form used to configure the collection preferences. For every
collection, the user can choose to make it visible or invisible (in toolbar
and menus) and, if visible, can choose the default display format for the
collection and the category (tag map or table).
3.4
Main
context menu
The
figure shows the main context menu. The four submenus “Open ... from
collection” refer to the 13 collections supported in version 1.0 of the
program and represented by the first 13 icons in the toolbar.
3.5
Tag
map with content box and edit window
The
figure shows a tag map where the option “show content box” is active, and
the map’s context menu. The “~” symbol attached to the item title
indicates that the item content is not null. The figure shows also the edit
window for the item content, which can contain up to 65,535 characters.
3.6
Tables,
pad, lookup list
The
figure shows two tables and the “pad” (a storage area not belonging to any
collection). In the Contacts table the lookup list for the category field is
shown (the same list applies to the lookup on the category filter). The
content of the lookup list is automatically updated as new categories are
created or categories are renamed or deleted.
3.7
Tree
map
The
figure shows a “tree map”, where all items are represented in their
hierarchical position. There is a root for every collection, under which
categories and items are placed. The text box on the right side of the tree
map shows the item’s content, if available.
4.
Features
The
main features of Personal Organizer are summarized in the following list:
|
All textual data are stored in a Microsoft
Access 2000 database and can also be manipulated with Microsoft Access
2000; user can select the database to work with. Installation of Access
2000 is not required. |
|
Password protection of databases; the user can
change the password of any database from within the program |
|
13 “collections”
(i.e. usage domains or repositories) extendable and modifiable on
customised versions of the program |
|
Unlimited number of categories for each
collection |
|
Multiple views of the same data (grid table,
calendar, tree map, tag map) |
|
Image viewing: -
displays single images, thumbnails and slide
shows -
can search image files (with string in file
name) through directory trees -
dynamic thumbnail and slide shows generation
based on the content of a directory or the results of the file search |
|
Drag/drop of records inside tables, tag maps
and between tag maps |
|
Global search (on all attributes of all
collections) or collection-based search (on all attributes of a given
collection) |
|
Record filtering on single or multiple
attributes (with and/or logical operators) |
|
Ascending/descending sorting of records based
on columns selected by mouse click |
|
Input of collection and category names by
means of look-up lists automatically updated |
|
Executes www links, “mail-to” links, file
links, directory links directly from program |
|
Capture of file and directory links through
navigation window |
|
Optional automatic sum of numeric expressions
in filtered records of any collection |
|
Easy input of dates from calendar forms |
|
Standard clipboard cut/copy/paste
functionality |
|
Automatic saving of previous copies of
database (up to 4 previous versions are kept) |
|
Size of tables and maps dynamically adjustable |
|
Optional auto-size of tag maps |
|
Size and positions of tables and maps
automatically saved and restored |
|
Font size dynamically adjustable |
|
Multiple ways of entering data: into grid
rows, record forms or input boxes |
|
Program lock and hide without quitting and
without loss of context: password based, manual or automatic (after an
inactivity period) |
5.
Basic
concepts
The
basic concepts of Personal Organizer and their meaning are summarized in the
following table:
|
Concept |
Meaning |
|
Database |
File of Microsoft Access 2000 format where all information handled by Personal Organizer is stored. At start-up, the program will automatically
select the database used in the previous session, if it still exists.
The user can change the current database at any time, through the
relevant function. Data can be imported/exported into/from the
database by using Microsoft Access 2000. However, the installation of
Microsoft Access 2000 is not necessary for using Personal Organizer. |
|
Password |
The use of a database can be restricted by
means of a password. This password is the same one used by Access 2000
to open the database. The user can change the password by means of the
relevant function of Personal Organizer. |
|
Record |
Elementary information structure, with the
following attributes (fields): ·
Collection (see table 5.1 below for the
collections defined in version 1.0 of
Personal Organizer) ·
Category (max. 255 characters, can be any
value) ·
Mark (max. 50 characters) ·
Id (max. 255 characters) ·
Title (max. 255 characters) ·
Content (max. 65,535 characters) ·
Date expiry ·
Date remind The names “category”, “id”, “title”
and “content” may be replaced by aliases as described in table 5.2
below. Triplets formed by collection, category and
title are unique in the database. Trying to create two items with the
same triplet will cause a warning and the optional automatic addition of
a sequence number to the record title. |
|
Item |
Same as “record” |
|
Collection |
An attribute of record representing a usage
domain. See table 5.1 below for the collections defined in version 1.0
of Personal Organizer. Collections are predefined and cannot be created or deleted by the
user. However, upon request, special versions of Personal Organizer can
be produced with a customised set of collections. |
|
Category |
A division of collection, used to group
records according to any given criteria. The user can freely create and eliminate
categories, and give them any names. |
|
Id |
An optional attribute of record, which may be
used to assign a unique identification number to each record; the
program can automatically default this attribute's value as the maximum
number +1 found in this attribute for all records of the collection. |
|
Table |
A window
containing a grid of rows and columns representing a number of
records selected according to given filters; one table can be opened for
each collection, plus a table for all collections together |
|
Tree map |
A map showing all the items in their
hierarchical position (works similarly to the directory tree of the
Windows file explorer). |
|
Tag map |
A window containing a number of panels
arranged in a tile fashion |
|
Top map |
A tag map representing all the collections
(each panel representing one collection) |
|
Collection map |
A tag map representing a given collection
(each panel representing a category belonging to the collection) |
|
Item map |
A tag map representing all the records
associated with a given category of a given collection (each panel
represents one record) |
|
Start map |
The tag map which will be opened by executing
the “Open start map” command. The user can assign the role of “start
map” to any tag map by means of the command “Set this map as start
map”. |
|
Calendar |
A window where the following is displayed: -
a graphical monthly calendar, where the user
can select a month and a day -
a list containing all the elements whose “date
expiry” or “date remind” matches the day selected in the calendar -
a list containing all the elements whose “date
expiry” or “date remind” is past -
a list containing all the elements whose “date
expiry” or “date remind” matches today’s date -
text windows and buttons to modify, add and
delete items |
|
Mark |
An optional attribute of record, which may be
used to temporarily group specific records together by means of a filter
applied to the attribute (not available with collections Books and
Media). This attribute may also be used to define the sequence in which
the records in category should be displayed. |
|
Date expiry |
An optional attribute of records, used to
specify when a given action should be carried out at the latest. |
|
Date remind |
An optional attribute of records, used to
specify when a given action should be reminded by means of an alarm. |
|
Filter |
A character string used as a selection
criteria for records in a table; filters may be applied to the
attributes collection, category, mark, item_id, item title, item
content. |
|
Reference |
A particular instance of a record title
representing a pointer to another record or category of the same
collection or a different one. The first two character of a record title
containing a reference should be “> “. |
|
File link |
A path to a file or directory, preceded by the
string “LINK=” placed in the first line of the “content”
attribute of a record. It allows the user to open the file or directory
by double-clicking the row or tag representing the record |
|
Internet URL |
A web address placed in the first line of the
“content” attribute of a record. It allows the user to open the web
browser with that address by double-clicking the row or tag representing
the record. Valid addresses contain one of the following strings: “www.”,
“http://”, “.htm” |
|
E-mail
link |
An internet e-mail address (in the form
prefix@suffix) placed in any position of the “content” attribute of
a record. It allows the user to generate an e-mail with that address by
double-clicking the row or tag representing that record |
|
Look-up |
A combination of a text box and a pushbutton,
the pressure of which triggers the display of a list of possible values
for the text box. Look-ups exist for entering collections, categories,
collection filters and category filters. The text box can be filled
either by means of the lookup list, or by typing into the text box. |
|
Context menu |
A list of available functions applicable to a
given window or window component. Context menus are normally invisible
and can be opened by clicking with the mouse's right button on the
relevant window or window component |
|
Hot key |
A combination of keys (also known as “shortcut”)
for a quick recall of program functions and available in the various
context menus. |
|
Registration code |
A code (provided by the Personal Organizer
supplier) which should be entered in Personal Organizer in order to
unlock its normal functionality; without a valid registration code the
functionality of the program is limited in various ways in order to
discourage the use of unregistered copies. |
|
Request code |
A code generated by Personal Organizer (unique
in each installation) based on which the supplier can generate a
registration code valid only for the relevant installation. |
Table
5.1 Collections defined in version 1.0 of Personal Organizer
|
Collection |
Typical use of records
contained in the collection |
|
Agenda |
actions to be done, events, scheduled alarms, plans,
objectives and similar info |
|
Contacts |
names
of persons or organizations, their addresses and phone numbers |
|
File links |
paths
of frequently used files or directories |
|
Internet URLs |
URL's
of frequently accessed web sites |
|
Money |
income and expense records, prices, accounting |
|
Journal |
log
book with optional automatic setting of date/time at insertion of each
new record |
|
Books |
catalogue of books |
|
Media |
catalogue of media
(audio, visual etc.) |
|
Glossary |
glossary of terms |
|
Encyclopedia |
study
notes on any subjects |
|
World chrono |
(world chronology) important historic dates or periods and
what happened then |
|
Mix |
(miscellany) anything
which does not fit in other collections |
|
Apx |
(appendix) extensions of material included in other
collections |
Table
5.2: Aliases for record attributes in version 1.0 of Personal Organizer
|
Collection |
Category alias |
Id alias |
Title alias |
Content alias |
|
Agenda |
Category |
Id |
Action |
Details |
|
Contacts |
Category |
Id |
Contact |
Description |
|
File links |
Category |
Id |
Title |
Path |
|
Internet URLs |
Category |
Id |
Name |
URL |
|
Money |
Category |
Id |
Title |
Note |
|
Journal |
Category |
Id |
Date |
Note |
|
Books |
Category |
Id |
Author or interpreter |
Title |
|
Media |
Category |
Id |
Author or interpreter |
Title |
|
Glossary |
Category |
Id |
Term |
Description |
|
Encyclopedia |
Category |
Id |
Title |
Note |
|
Mix |
Category |
Id |
Title |
Note |
|
Apx |
Category |
Id |
Title |
Note |
[end
of document]