Latest Info-Binder Beta Adds Reporting Capabilities
The 3/8/2009 beta of Info-Binder has replaced the plain-text HTML source editor with a proper HTML editor supplied by Fifesoft, with syntax highlighting and many other advanced features. (see http://fifesoft.com/rsyntaxtextarea/ to get a feel for the features it offers).
The latest Info-Binder beta has a new HTML code editor.
Most importantly, it implements REPORTING. The reporting subsystem shares the scripting language from the export subsystem. In the coming weeks I plan to write a series of articles entitled “Anything You Can Do, I Can Do Better” that compares Excel to Info-Binder and demonstrates that you can do most of the same types of things just as easily in Info-Binder as in Excel.
Not only that, but there are many circumstances where you’re far better off to use Info-Binder. For instance, with Excel, your calculations are forever entombed in your output, meaning that if you created a useful set of calculations/projections for a client, you wouldn’t be able to send it to them electronically without giving away all of your secrets. With Info-Binder, there is a distinctive separation between Input and Output.
To get a feel for how it works, install the latest version and select File->New Organizer. The new-organizer template now includes a “Contacts” report. Right click on the root node and select “Generate Report…” Select the “Contacts” report, and click [OK].
You will notice that it generated a new node under the selected node (root node) named “Contacts <today’s date>”. It is a static report, meaning that it does not automatically update if you create new contacts. You must generate a new report to have a version that reflects your latest list of contacts.
To begin peeling back the covers to see how this works, click on the Organizer-Properties icon (or select it from the file menu). Then select the [Reports] tab. Double click the “Contacts” report from the list. What you will discover is that you can write reports that generate any type of text-based output. In most cases, you will be utilizing HTML to create rich reports with text and graphics. If you’re anxious to get started, then see Appendix C in the Users Guide. It may be a little ugly right now, but up to date! Also, if you position your cursor within the code editor of the report , create a blank line, and hit control-space, you will discover Code-Assist, a feature that can dramatically simplify the process of creating new Reports.
The Report Editor from the latest beta of Info-Binder.
In the coming weeks a feature to import reports into existing Organizers will become available. Also expect to see new features for creating custom graphs and charts inside reports.
This is an exciting time, as Info-Binder begins to grow into a new tool in the software arsenal that finally can complement the rich power of the spreadsheet.