Topic: Troubleshooting and Bug Reports / Sundial Widget - 'unknown error' problem

In my version of Sundial I found this code snippet around Line 900:

case ‘save_entry’: url += basecampAPI.request_templates.time_tracking.create.url; break; default: url = (getObj(‘b’)).value; break;

Does the use of “URL” instead of “Host” mean my version has been fixed? I think I found that somebody has modified Sundial more recently than the original author, so I downloaded that version. It’s been awhile, and I’m no programmer, so I wonder if you all can enlighten me. Thanks!

Topic: How are you using Basecamp? / Web Design Logistics

pmico, we do the same thing. You do have to do some training to make people aware of the public/private difference and, being human, people do slip up once in awhile. But no worse than with email. Basecamp, overall, has been a lifesaver and several of our clients have adopted it for their own in-house projects based on their great experience using it on ours.

Topic: Feature Requests / REALLY easy FILES feature request- notification

I’d like to add to this request. We have the same problem with posted files. They’re pretty big and they take a while to upload. We’d like to be able to mark a file as “public” after it’s been uploaded as an attachment to a private message. Recently tried editing the private message, then making it public, figuring the attachment would also become public at the same time. Didn’t work.

Topic: Feature Requests / Timetracking interface is neglected

I’d like to second this request. Or will somebody please get Sundial to be stable and working again?

Topic: Troubleshooting and Bug Reports / Exporting Writeboards: Illegal Characters

I don’t know if this is a bug or just the nature of the way Writeboards work. I’d love to know if anyone has found an easy way to import to and export from Writeboards while retaining the formatting. RTF would be nice. Word would be ideal. Both directions. Maybe someone has an Applescript or macro that replaces the Textile formating with conventional formatting?

Topic: System Announcements / The new help section

Love the new design tweaks. Especially the single click to add an attachment. That old two-step process used to be SO annoying. The paper clip icon is great, too. Really calls your attention to the ability to add files.

The email response is a little problematic in its implementation. I like it, personally. But, as JPB says, people just don’t read instructions. They hit Reply and post private comments to public threads, for example, and may not get that that can’t attach files. Great for us geeks, but non-techies don’t seem to notice or care. Hopefully, there’s a better way to explain what’s going on here.

Topic: System Announcements / NEW FEATURE: Image-grid view

Image-grid view rocks. PDFs would make it 100 times better. Thanks!

Topic: Feature Requests / Don't automatically grant every client access

We have a client company who assigns different project managers for different projects. It would be very good to have all these people default to “off” and check “on” only those who actually do need to see the particular project. Right now, I have to uncheck 8 or 9 boxes every time I open a new project for them!

I thought we could do this…it appears to be the case when we set up a new person, but apparently only works for people inside one’s own company. (Yes, I am an adminstrator of the acccount.)

Think you can implement this feature?

Topic: How are you using Basecamp? / Add New User to All Projects

Yes, why is that? We have a client company with different project managers for different projects. It would be very good to have all these people default to “off” and check “on” only those who actually do need to see the particular project. Right now, I have to uncheck 8 or 9 boxes every time I open a new project!

Topic: Feature Requests / Also link emails to Files tab, not just file

When we post PDF files outside of a Message thread, the email link opens them in our browsers. Many people internally and among our clients find that annoying. On-line viewing of a large, complex PDF is a cumbersome experience unless you have a lightning-fast connection (we have normal DSL).

We’d at least like to have an easy, obvious option to click to get to the list of files (the FIles tab, I assume) so we can download the PDF to our hard drive, then open it in Acrobat for commenting.

This is much easier if the PDF is attached to a Message or Comment….kind of happens naturally. But it doesn’t allow for versioning, which is useful sometimes. All in all, this whole part of the system feels a little awkward.

Topic: Feature Requests / Make a private file public after review

My designers post files to a private message thread for review internally by me (creative director) or a project manager. If the file’s okay, we need to get it approved by our client. But Basecamp doesn’t seem to let us make the file public without making the parent thread public at the same time. It would be great if we could “detach” the file and attach it to a new public message.

Topic: Feature Requests / Upload a new version (drag and drop)

Glad to know this is a common problem for other people, too.

Topic: Tips & Tricks / Saving email attachment to basecamp

Just want to second this. If it’s not possible to implement drag-and-drop (probably very browser-dependent?) could the attachment button at least be visible when you’re creating a new message or commenting? One less step would be SO nice.

Topic: System Announcements / How many Basecamp accounts do you have or are you a part of?

Ah, Jason….it was cool for a nanosecond. Then I realized I needed my old log-in to use the Sundial widget for time enty. So I went back to My Info and put in my old name and password. No luck. Now I can’t log in as me anymore. My normal log-in won’t come back. Anybody else have this problem?

Topic: Tips & Tricks / Changing Standard Emails

I have a text clipping file on my desktop that I drag and drop into the “Send a Personal Note” field. But it gets added to Basecamp’s standard notice; it doesn’t replace it. Hey, at least it’s quick.

Topic: System Announcements / How many Basecamp accounts do you have or are you a part of?

Just one. Interesting to read how other people use multiple accounts.

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

Jason, you guys are amazing – and similarly structured to us. We try to keep it lean, productive, and fun – with associates scatttered around the country, and in communication via the Net and the telephone. It’s nice to have reinforcement that our structure may actually be smart! Whew! Thank you for a wonderful solution. And congratulations on being recognized for it.

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

My non-programmer associates and I really, really liked having easy access to the formatting guide on the message pages.

As designers we care about how things look. So if you don’t spend your day writing code or thinking like a coder, it’s really nice to easily understand how to emphasize something, number a list, make bullets, etc. And one client had a few words show up in strikethrough type because they used a hyphen as a bullet (pretty common practice).

Anybody else miss this feature?

Topic: Miscellaneous / Using Basecamp with a Palm OS device

Jason, I downloaded it, found the Java engine it requires, got it all installed and tried it. Not bad! Not as nice an experience as using Basecamp in a real browser, but pretty functional. I’m doing a trial for a few days before I buy it, but so far so good. Thanks a lot for the lead!

Topic: System Announcements / NEW FEATURE: Image thumbnails for messages and comments

Great idea, Jason (et al)....as for PDFs, is there a way we could create a little thumbnail ourselves and upload it “alongside” the PDF? Embedded in a comment, for example?

Topic: Miscellaneous / Using Basecamp with a Palm OS device

Has anyone had any luck using a Palm Web Browser (or any other Palm software) via WiFi connection, accessing their Basecamp info?

To start with, I can’t get it to connect directly to the site—I get a repeating series of SecurityError messages “You are attempting to access a web page that has an invalid security certificate (server name mismatch). Display this page anyway?”....I dismiss these (tap Yes or No) but the browser doesn’t seem to care which…I keep getting them over and over (and over).

I’ve been able to access the same page via Mowser.com, but only the first displayed page. Links don’t seem to work well.

I would LOVE to hear from anyone who’s been successful, or from Basecamp about suggestions for getting this to work.

Thanks!

Topic: System Announcements / Some adjustments to the Overview screen

BrianJ, thank for that voice of reason among the firestorm of hyperbole. I didn’t like the giant colored indicators either. Still don’t. But they don’t make Basecamp useless, and, clearly, these guys listen, listen, listen. Their response to my support inquries earlier today was phenomenal. And I’ve never seen a company more concerned about trying to make their product better as quickly as these folks. Relax. It’ll all work out.

Topic: System Announcements / NEW FEATURE: Interface design refresh

I agree. Jason’s point’s well taken (and my first reaction was “need the red block”, too). Lookin’ good!

Topic: Feature Requests / Attaching files to messages

I find I’m constantly, reflexively clicking the “Post this comment” button when I mean to attach a file. I think it’s because the button looks similar to the ””Choose file” button, and my unfocused, multitasking mind thinks I’m clicking the thing that lets me browse files I want to attach.

I suggest you use a small GIF icon of some kind next to the text link “Attach files to this comment”, which tends to be easy to ignore when you’re working quicky.