So given the large number of similar questions that have popped up after the Toucan 3 release I thought I would write a longish post here to summarise for everyone where we are now and what will happen next!
Job updating bug
This bug is totally my fault and I completely dropped the ball on it. No data is lost or corrupted with this bug, it simply means that your existing jobs will not load. You can either wait for the next release for this to be solved or fix it yourself, the lines needed to do so are:
For Sync jobs
CheckSize=0 CheckTime=0 CheckShort=0 CheckFull=0 Recycle=0 PreviewChanges=0
For Backup jobs
Test=0 Solid=0
Simply add these to the end of any existing jobs and they should be fixed.
No more Help tab
The help for this release was moved to a new html based system and as such the dedicated tab was removed, mainly because embedding a web browser inside Toucan would dramatically increase its size.
There are a few reasons that help has been moved to this format. Firstly is that a fairly common user request was to be able to have the help and Toucan visible at the same time, to allow you to follow what it is saying for example. Also people wanted a more full featured help viewing system, realistically the only way to do this, and support multiple platforms, is to use html in a web browser.
Also this new system will allow us to integrate better with the next version of the PortableApps.com platform.
No more About button
As there was no longer a help viewer on the help tab it seemed somewhat odd to have just an about button. As such it will be removed. The fact that people seem to not like this surprises me slightly. The version is printed every time you run a job and will be included in the help file. Also with the release of the PortableApps.com Updater there shouldn't ever really be a need to manually update. What do people normally look at the about box for?
Help file missing bits
I am going to spend some time this evening adding various bits and pieces to the help file. I don't think any information has been lost over the last version, it is more that things are still missing and I will try to improve it as much as I can. Unfortunately it normally suffers from the fact that I would rather spend time programming than documenting.
Where next?
I will try and fix as many bugs as I can this evening and I aim to fix everything that has been brought up so far as well as add to the help file. I will then endeavour to send a new release (3.1) for release tonight so normality can resume as soon as possible. Thankyou everyone for your patience and feedback.
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Thanks for all the clarification Steve.
As for the About Dialog, well we look at it for the glorification of your good name, why else!
Seriously, I think the only reason I ever look at the About Dialog (in any application) is to get a version number because that's where I expect it to be. So, as long as I can easily get the current version number of Toucan from somewhere, without having resort to torture, bribery or corruption then I'm happy.
As for everything else, I can live with it, I think Toucan has come along quite nicely and really is my portable backup tool of choice now. Goodbye Syncback, it was nice knowing you!
OK, so it seems as if you will not add the Help tab back because you don't want to include a help browser. I can understand this.
It seems that some of the issues are because you have chosen to write an application without a menu (where help and about options would typically be located).
Could you reinstate the Help tab that includes a link to the help file? I cannot think of another program that forces me to load explorer and browse to the installation folder in order to view help.
Also, About information USED to be available in previous versions on the infamous Help tab! It seems like the loss of the About information was merely a byproduct of your decision to remove the Help tab.
Again, I cannot think of another program that does not have some kind of About information that is easily accessible.
Obviously this is not important, but just seems as an oversight.
So, to summarize, PLEASE add the Help tab back, and if you are not going to include a help browser, then include a link to the help file. Also, please reinstate the About button on the Help tab.
Thanks!
Finally - thank you again for all the work you do! I have been using Toucan for quite some time now, and perhaps that is why some of these things irked me!!
Steve, I'd suggest adding the Help button back in and including About on it. It can either have an embedded browser window in it (via standard windows stuff) or just a link to launch the help. You can just use the OS-level call to open a browser window to the file. That way it'll work from the menu or from within Toucan itself.
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
I am adding them both now and should be able to send you a fixed build for release in about 30 mins.
I click it for easter eggs . . . . or because I'm curious and want to see what get mentioned.
Too many lonely hearts in the real world
Too many bridges you can burn
Too many tables you can't turn
Don't wanna live my life in the real world