Topic: Basecamp API / exporting files using API

You all are not alone… While it is not much help, here is the message I got from Basecamp support:

My message:

On Mon, Aug 4, 2008 at 10:20 AM, Josh Miller <JoshM@haanmc.com> wrote:
> Can you recommend a good third-party website that makes a complete
> downloadable backup per project? We use Basecamp sooo much that we
> need to start archiving the files and messages in our internal system.
> If you could make a recommendation, that would be great. I understand
> that you don’t neccessarily have any plans for this kind of export.
> And, yes, I also understand that I can go here:
>
> http://www.basecamphq.com/help/general/#exporting_data
>
> but I do wonder if you have come across a reputible company that can
> help me further access my files easily?
>
> Josh
>

Their response:

Hi Josh,

Sorry, but we don’t know of any programs that offer this service.

For a more timely response, please use our support form to submit future help requests in lieu of sending a direct email:
http://www.basecamphq.com/help/support

- Sarah

Topic: Miscellaneous / First day of the week in Calendar

They are in synch in the calendar view (Go to dashboard, click on Milestones tab). What this is discussing is the “optimized” 14 day view. It just happens that it is a pseudo-calendar layout.

This should clear it up: It’s not a calendar. It’s a listing of the next 14 days. In fact, the MOST efficient way to display that information is in a table format, split in two. It just happens to look like two weeks.

If anything should be done, perhaps there should be an investigation into the interface to determine if there is a “less calendary” way to layout the 14 days.

Mr.Miller

Topic: Feature Requests / Formatting Guide, please come back!

I have missed it for awhile. I usually end up on Google either typing “Textile” or on Google trying to figure out what basecamp or 37signals uses to format their text (I can never distinguish between markdown and textile and some of the others). The format guide should have been more encompassing anyway. And now that it is almost completely gone (I’ve seen it somewhere, like maybe when you edit a message or comment)—I’m like, what the heck do I do to make this text bold?

And who knew you coud

• nest
• your
  • list items
• ?

Topic: Feature Requests / Attach message to Todos and Files

The problem with To-Dos is that they already have a hierarchical complexity (parent to do list has child items). So you would have to consider what you are “linking” to the message.

Would you just want a list of “to do lists”

To Do List 1
To Do List 2
To Do List 3

Or would you want a hirarchical list of

To Do List 1
    To Do Item 1
    To Do Item 2
To Do List 2
    To Do Item 1
    To Do Item 2
To Do List 3
    To Do Item 1
    To Do Item 2
    To Do Item 3
    To Do Item 4

You can see how ugly this would get. Most likely we would want ONE to do item (not list) that is connected to a message, but what if it is a SET of to do items and we move them around into different lists?

And so on…

Excellent idea, but I’m not sure the development time would be worth it. There was a reason they didn’t tackle this idea right away.

Topic: Feature Requests / Comment emails on/off

mbarbouche….

For a system as large as you use, that makes some REAL sense.

+1

We would use this feature on over half of our messages.

Topic: Miscellaneous / How to read XML and use the data effectively?

Check this article out… it lists some viewers and gets a little more indepth with XML…

http://www.tizag.com/xmlTutorial/index.php

Topic: Feature Requests / Messaging

sqww….

The only way would be to link to the specific to do item. I recommend just associating the message with the “parent” milestone and putting the the “child” todo in the topic.

Topic: Feature Requests / Private Milestones

We post “Internal Deadline” and leave it at that… The client I’m sure understands that we need some lead time. Never a complaint.

Other times we hit the deadline two days before the milestone.

BOTH techniques work very well for us. Though, we do not have nearly that many clients who use Basecamp. It is more of an internal tool.

Topic: Feature Requests / Make Change Password Easier to Find

+1 that one DarKoN….

Topic: Feature Requests / Categories for files in messages

+1

Great idea.

Topic: Feature Requests / Calendar Preview

already requested…

http://forum.37signals.com/basecamp/forums/3/topics/46

Topic: System Announcements / Hey hey, we're in Time Magazine!

Three Things I learned from this article

1. There are only 8 people working at 37signals (the same people who have developed all of their products—omg, I can’t imagine)
2. The lead programmer, David Hansson, literally developed Rails for 37 (I know, I should have known, right?)
3. Quote, “Next up for 37signals? Possibly financial software, Fried says. Like other small businesses, his firm now needs tools to manage its own financial success.”

Very interesting read. Read it here if you don’t want to scroll up.

Topic: How are you using Basecamp? / Collaborative tool as project method

Filled it out—not bad, took me 3’ish minutes, though I’m not sure I helped when I didn’t fill in the deep questions.

Topic: Tips & Tricks / Pass along username and password?

You can use this form:

https://[company].[basecampurl].com/login/authenticate?username=1&password=1

However, using the correct username and password still doesn’t work, but the system reacts—maybe it just won’t accept GET variables and it returns like you just hit “login” without entering anything in at all.

Good luck!

Topic: Tips & Tricks / List of Open Source Basecamp Tools

chaotic -

I always recommend installing Greasemonkey and searching their code library for Basecamp

There a few fun little widgets in there.

Next, google search / forum search the entire forum for API and then take a look at some of the things people are doing that aren’t listed on the page Jason gave you.

For instance: http://www.UseAscender.com is a project that uses the API to create a kind of massive milestone list.

Sometimes there are Firefox addons that deal with things. Like Basecode that can add “rich text area” functionality to their messages.

I’m sure there are more that I don’t know about…

Topic: Feature Requests / Increase File Upload Capacity

I’m sorry I misled you, Mark. According to this post that feature was removed. I recommend you post in that message as it has a few more eyes on it.

Topic: Feature Requests / Increase File Upload Capacity

Mark – seems we have met on a number of posts.

I looked into this feature a long while ago. I believe the max file capacity is imposed on using your user FTP space. You can set up Basecamp to store your files on an external site and then the maximum upload is only limited by your external FTP. In fact, if sharefile system supports standard FTP protocol, you might be able to connect them together.

Consider filling out a support request ticket if you need detailed help on how to set it up.

Topic: Feature Requests / Download Notification

Mark- HA! Excellent. I had never thought of this feature. 9 out of 10 times our clients respond with “Thanks. Got it.” or “Umm… you got it all wrong, start over.” or something similar.

To further rant about moving files, the uploading “progress bar” does nothing for me. If we can upload 20 MB files, then perhaps there should be a more robust Ruby solution for giving me some kind of feedback.

Topic: Feature Requests / Invite Users to WhiteBoard

Mark,

It has been suggested many times.

Most Recently: http://forum.basecamphq.com/forums/3/topics/693

Topic: Miscellaneous / Label Elements on Login Form

Excellent request, Patrick—I’m surprised no one has responded yet.

I think Basecamp should fully embrace the W3C Recommendation for form elements that do not have labels built in, stated in section 17.9

I think attention to this kind of detail is most definitely 37signals, and I’m surprised they haven’t responded.

+1

Topic: Feature Requests / Adding People to Threads

@Jason

Let me apologize. That last message reads way more abrasive than I had intended. I can see it from your end, “Another button that does the same thing just in another place.” Thanks for hanging out in the forums and gettin back to us.

Really.

Thanks.

Topic: System Announcements / Hey hey, we're in Time Magazine!

Way to go Jason and team!

I guess you guys can finally check off that to do (with no due date!) that said something like, “Get national media attention with cool photo”

Check!

Topic: Feature Requests / Pls make ToDos more user-friendly

Melvin I was just reading through the second page of this post and realized you hit it on the nail—37s, please make this forum less addicting.

As far as to-dos—I can see it both ways, and I’m glad I don’t have to answer all the questions that Jason pointed out.

Y’all got my respect.

Oh, and I thought Jason pointed out that this topic matter should be locked unless it was this post he was talking about?

Topic: Feature Requests / Adding People to Threads

We have used the same workaround for a long time.

I think this would make an excellent and expected change in the future. Or does this fall under feature bloat, since it already “does” what you want, but not intuitively?

Topic: Feature Requests / Date order of Projects

I assume you are talking of the dashboard view where all projects are listed alphabetically?

In fact, this is the only view that you can access all the projects that I’m aware of.

Intriguing idea. My first reaction is, my God! I would never no where to look! Second reaction: He’s got a point, the hot projects should be easier to find.

I find the longer I use basecamp, the less I depend on the gigantic list to the right. I find the hottest projects on the 14 day calendar of milestones, the RED missed milestones, and in the five most recent projects at the bottom of the screen.

Given all of those places to find the “Most Current” project, I’m rather glad we have a comprehensive alphabetical list somewhere.