May 14th, 2008
Lotus Notes Basics - Dialog Lists
In this previous post, I explained how check boxes and radio buttons can be used to enter choices.
Today we'll look at a third field type, Dialog Lists.
This type of field is recognized via the drop down arrow to the right of the field. The arrow indicates that you may click to be presented with a "pop up window" or more technically, a "dialog box" that lists the available choices.
The dialog box might allow you to select a single value or multiple values. This is up to the developer of the application.
Similarly, the developer may also allow you to enter choices that are not currently in the list.
Now here is an interesting twist... you don't actually have to use the dialog box!
- With your cursor in the field, you can start typing and matching values will be filled in for you. For example, "r" will cause "Red" to be filled in, "y" for "Yellow", etc.
- If the field accepts multiple values, you can separate your choices by entering a comma. (technically, the developer can decide to allow you to use a comma, semicolon, new line, or blank line, but comma is the most common)
- If you don't know what the available values are, you can press the space bar to cycle through the list of choices.
May 14th, 2008
Two awesome web sites added to my fav list
Musicovery - interactive web radio that you can listen to based on mood, genre, year, etc.
Geek And Poke - fantastic cartoons about today's software / IT/ Web2.0 world.
Thanks to Carl for making me aware of these.
May 14th, 2008
Lotus Connections Demo Video Buffet
The Lotus Connections team has just posted a blog entry about their new Lotus Connections Demo Video Buffet. These are great videos showing various features of Lotus Connections.
Overview Demo (9:05m) - YouTube -or- Viddler
Profiles Demo (7:08m) - YouTube - or - Viddler
Activities Demo (9:49m) - YouTube - or - Viddler
Communities Demo (5:19m) - YouTube - or - Viddler
Dogear Demo (4:33m) - YouTube - or - Viddler
Home Page (5:01m) - YouTube - or - Viddler
May 14th, 2008
Great New Video Of Notes and Sametime
I'd love to see this playing on the big screen in theatres before all of this summer's big block buster movies.
May 14th, 2008
Symphony To My Ears (and eyes, and fingers, etc)
Coming soon... get ready!
May 12th, 2008
Twitter is instant messaging inside out
This weekend I was talking to some friends about Twitter (yes, the bad parts as much as the good) and the question came up "So what is different about that than instant messaging"? It was a good question, so the following is my answer.
Twitter is instant messaging inside out.
When using Instant Messaging (or chat) you choose who you want to talk to. You have a list of defined friends, and when you want to say something, you click on one or more names and type away. The content of that conversation is just between you and the selected people. No one else can benefit from it. That can be both good and bad.
With Twitter, instead you choose who you want to listen to. When you "tweet" (type in 140 characters or less) it is broadcast to everyone on Twitter. Information is not limited to just a specific group. Of course with millions of users, the full stream of information is impossible for anyone to read, so you filter the tweets you want to read down to just the people you care about, by "following" them. Still, even then conversations can get a bit confusing due to the lack of structure, but in my opinion Twitter is not the right tool for a long conversation anyway.
May 8th, 2008
Ed or Alan or Susan?
Everyone talks about how Ed and I are the same person, but it looks like Susan and I are now dressing alike!
photo by Chris.
May 7th, 2008
A Public Service Annoucment For Iron Man Movie Fans
I guess I should have posted this last Thursday before people went to see the movie opening weekend, but since Sametime currently does not provide time travel, I'll have to settle for posting now and hopefully help those that are still planning on going.
STAY ALL THE WAY TO THE END OF THE CLOSING CREDITS.
I'm not a huge fan of movies adding scenes at the end like this, but unfortunately it is happening more and more. Almost everyone I know that saw Iron Man this weekend missed something very cool. Same thing for XMen 3, where again if you did not stay, you missed a very big surprise at the end.
Click here for a hint/spoiler (go ahead, you know you want to)
May 7th, 2008
Introducing IBM Lotus Domino 8.0.1 Web Access Lite mode
Introducing IBM Lotus Domino 8.0.1 Web Access Lite mode - 6 May 2008
IBM® Lotus® Domino® Web Access Lite mode is an exciting new capability within the established Lotus Domino Web Access product that uses a new page architecture optimized for empty-cache or low-bandwidth scenarios. Learn how these innovative performance improvements are delivered to you in an updated user interface (UI) that more closely resembles your IBM Lotus Notes® client user experience.
May 6th, 2008
Lotus Notes Basics - Checkboxes and Radio Buttons
The blog entry "Text Fields and Rich Text Fields" explained how you can enter you own content (words, pictures, attachments, etc) when filling out information on a form. Sometimes instead of entering your own information, you are asked to choose from a predefined list of choices. This helps keep information consistent, reduces human error (like spelling mistakes), and also might control the workflow of a form. For example, you may be asked a Yes or No question, and depending on your response, the next question could be different.
The two fields below have the same values. In each case you can choose Red, Yellow, Blue, or Green. But can you spot the difference?
The field on the left is called a checkbox, and allows you to select one or more values from the list.
The field on the right is called a radio button, and only allows you to choose one value at a time. If you click on a second choice, the current one is de-selected. For example, click on Blue, and Yellow will no longer be selected.
Radio buttons and checkboxes can be displayed in multiple ways, their layout is controlled by the developer of the form.
May 5th, 2008
Lotus Notes Basics - Text Fields and Rich Text Fields
In the last blog entry I showed how Lotus Notes forms have fields on them which allow you to input information. Today we'll begin looking at the various types of fields, starting with plain text versus rich text.
A plain text field allows you to enter characters, but you can not apply any formatting (colour, size, font, style, etc) to them. You can't enter pictures, tables, or attach files.
An example of a text field is the subject line for an email.
A rich text field allows you to enter just about anything. This can be both good, and bad! It is good when you use pictures to tell a story. When you add tables to display information. When you use sections to display content. An example of bad use of a rich text is when you attach a 20 MB presentation to an email addressed to 100 people! ;-)
An example of a rich text field is the body of an email.
The type of field is decided when the developer builds the application. You can not change this.
Here is an example of plain text versus rich text.
May 5th, 2008
Lotus Notes Basics - Fields on a Form
It is easy enough to understand what a form is when thinking about paper. It could be a shopping list, a check (cheque) you are writing, a job application, a magazine subscription, or your taxes. Essentially, a form has fields where you enter information.
So now think of a Lotus Notes email message as a form. You enter information into fields, such as the recipient names and the subject.
A contact in your address book is a form. You enter the person's name, email, phone numbers, etc.
Entries on your calendar are forms. They have a date, time, subject, location, etc. So are To-dos, a blog posting, a question in a discussion database, a ticket in a Helpdesk application, or any one of a million other types of uses your company might have for Lotus Notes.
May 2nd, 2008
R2-D2 4U?
This seemed like a good Friday afternoon post for the geeks amongst us.
R2-D2 Projector in Action Video
April 30th, 2008
Lenovo X300 vs. Macbook Air Commercial
Watch all the way to the end.
Thanks for blogging about this Charles.
April 30th, 2008
The Future Of Document Creation Sharing and Storage
On Thursday at the The View Lotus Developer/Admin 2008 conference in Boston, I will speaking about emerging and future technologies around content creation.
New methods of content creation, storage, and sharing are enabling teams to work together to author content, and to store information in shared places. Even the content itself is changing, from text and clipart to richer forms of media such as podcasts, videos, 3D drawings, and more.
Come to the Birds-Of-A-Feather: IBM Focus Group- The Future of Collaborative Authoring, Storing and Sharing of Content - Thursday from 1:00pm - 1:45pm in the Commonwealth Ballroom.
This won't just be me talking, I want to hear what challenges your company is facing, and what best practices you are using.
I'll also be at the Ask the Experts, 6:00pm - 7:00pm.
After that, I'll be at the bar. ;-0
