NoteFrog version 1.6.0 has been released and is available for download. The major new functionality for 1.6 is the ability to create reminders.
Reminders:
Reminders provide a facility for entering information into NoteFrog which result in a date/time based “pop up” containing the entered text. The capability is simple and easy in its approach. It is not intended to replace your more substantial systems, such as Outlook or Google calendar, but provides a lightweight, convenient, easy to use, text based reminder/tickler capability.
Default Editor:
Permits user selection of a default text editor to be used for the creation and editing of new notes.
Note. For best results select a plain text or simple rich text editor e.g. wordpad. Microsoft Word includes special control character sequences not recognized by the rich text editor in NoteFrog or most other editors.
Automatically backup library each startup.
An option to have the NoteFrog Library copied each time NoteFrog is started. The copy will appear in the same location as the NoteFrog Library and will have a file name in the format “NoteFrog_1.DB”.
HotKeys:
In addition to the many standard keyboard program shortcuts available (see the FAQ), this “Options” provides for the creation of user-selectable system wide “Hot Key” sequences to be associated with a number of program functions.
From time to time we receive a question regarding the status of NoteFrog development. It seems some people are not interested in software unless it’s constantly being developed. Consequently, developers are forced into continuing to add “features” until the software becomes bloated, unnecessarily complex and confusing, and error prone. Continuing development is also the preferred method for securing additional revenue from existing customers by forcing them to upgrade – “OK, you want a version that will run under Windows 7? Time for a price increase.”
At HTConsulting, we don’t subscribe to the philosophy that more is necessarily better. NoteFrog was developed to implement a feature-set similar to a few programs the authors had used in the past, which are no longer available. We first searched current software offerings for equivalent functionality and found none so we decided to develop our own. Upon completion, we offered the software to several friends and associates and they convinced us we should offer it to others.
Now back to the original question, Are we still developing? Yes and no. We continually develop in order to make NoteFrog the best and most efficient program at doing what it does. Occasionally a customer will make a suggestion or we’ll have an idea for a change which will improve NoteFrog functionality while still fitting in with our original program vision, and we’ll add it. However, we are not developing by adding new feature/functionality (e.g. bloat), simply for the sake of offering new versions and raising the price. We also USE our software. So when we want to use it on a new version of Windows, we upgrade it, but we don’t raise the price. We don’t expect you to pay more to use a program you’ve already purchased, on a new version of Windows.
Reminders would provide a facility for entering information into NoteFrog which would result in a date/time based “pop up” containing the entered text. The capability would be simple and easy in its approach and would not be intended to replace your more robust systems, such as outlook or google calendar, but would provide for a simple, easy to use, text based reminder capability.
Synchronization:
Synchronization will provide a “point in time” capability to synchronize a previously created “synchronous pair” of NoteFrog libraries. This will allow you to create a sync-mate for your master NoteFrog library, which you may then use in an additional environment, such as on a usb. This “sync-mate” may then be synchronized with its master library to build an updated library reflecting the changed/updated contents of the pair. This updated library may then be used to create a new “synchronous pair” and repeat the cycle.
We’ll have more information regarding each of these potential additional to NoteFrog as design continues. in the meantime, let us know how you feel about these or other possible NoteFrog improvements.
Some of you have asked why NoteFrog attempts to access the internet.
Help and certain other features of the “Help Tools and Utilities” feature are web-based, so NoteFrog checks for an internet connection in an attempt to determine whether on-line capabilities are available. It also checks to see if a newer version of the “Help, Tools and Utilities” is available, and if so, replaces your local copy with the newer version.
NoteFrog 1.5.0 has been released for download. It contains several new features, including Hotkeys for several functions, color coding for “pinned” items, a new help/tools capability and other minor features and a few bugfixes. For a more complete set of feature additions, see “NoteFrog 1.5 Progress” below.
It has been extensively beta and user tested. However if you experience anything you feel is unusual, please report it to us.
Update: 1.5.1 has been released to correct a display error which could occur following an unsuccessful search.
We’ve noticed that at least one anti-virus program has flagged NoteFrog 1.5.0 as possibly containing a virus. There is no virus in NoteFrog. What is being reported is known as a “false positive”. Anti-virus programs have become so diligent in their checking that they are flagging more false positives than ever. See this link – http://www.softarea51.com/windows/Antivirus-Scan-Report-NoteFrog.html
We submit NoteFrog to any product companies who flag NoteFrog as a possible virus and have them add it to their database as acceptable, but the process can take several days to complete. If you receive a notification from your anti-virus program, please notify us so we can submit NoteFrog to them. If you still have concerns about this version of NoteFrog, please contact us and we’ll ensure you can access a version directly from our secure download location.
If you would like to carry NoteFrog with you and run it from a flash drive, you will need to move certain files to the flash drive and make minor modifications to the NoteFrog.ini file. Due to windows imposed security considerations, these actions may only be performed by a user with “Admin” privileges and someone who is familiar with and comfortable modifying text files.
1. Move the NoteFrog.exe and Hunspelldll.dll (if you wish to do spell checking) files from the NoteFrog program folder to the flash drive.
2. Move the NoteFrog.ini, NoteFrog.db, nf_utilities.html, dict.dll and, if you want to use spell check, the .dic, .aff and optional .dat (e.g. en_US.dic) files from your windows user application data folder for HTConsulting\NoteFrog. These are in a “hidden” system application data folder on your windows system drive. For windows XP the location is – system drive:\Documents and Settings \”user name”\Local Settings\Application Data
for Vista – system drive:\users\”user name”\appdata\roaming\HTConsulting\NoteFrog
3. Using a normal text editor, e.g. notepad, open the NoteFrog.ini file and modify the path of the “Opened =” entry (if a path exists) and the “Dictionary = ” entries to reflect the location on the flash drive. Be sure the .ini is saved as an .ini and not an .ini.txt (the Notepad default).
4. You should now be able to run NoteFrog from the flash drive.
Welcome to NoteFrogBlog where you will find tips about how to use NoteFrog as well as information regarding feature requests under development/consideration.