Overview

TeamFile is a convenient checklist organizer for groups of people. If you manage a sports team, club, classroom, workgroup, or any other organization, you may have found yourself making checklists for various reasons---for example, "Who picked up their uniforms," or "Who will be at the June 24 game," or "Who paid their dues," or "Who turned in their forms?" I found myself writing and updating these checklists often, so I wrote this application to make the record-keeping so much simpler and more portable.  Teachers will also find this application useful for tracking student status.

With Teamfile, you can quickly create, access and edit checklists for entire teams.  Add, delete or re-order teams and members at any time. Member names can be entered by hand or imported from your Address Book listings.  Create and insert new titled checklists at any time for a team, or for all teams.  Check off "Yes", "No", and "?" boxes for each member of each checklist. Set a count value for a member if appropriate for a checklist.  Attach notes to individual members on individual lists.  Tap on the phone icon to view full Address Book data for a member's name, and call members as you fill out the checklist. Export the data records to memos in CSV format and paste them into a PC spreadsheet such as Microsoft Excel if you want. Get the portability of a handheld device and the display and print capabilities of a PC.

With TeamFile you can:

• Populate up to 32 team pages with 8 user-named teams per page.
• Create up to 250 individually-titled checklists per team (3 per team in Evaluation Version).
• Track up to 48 user-named members per team.
• Optionally import member names from Address Book listings.
• Navigate checklists sequentially or through a List Index.
• Access Yes, No and ? checkboxes, and an up/down counter, for each member of each list.
• Attach notes to individual members of any list.
• Display full Address Book data for members.
• Edit with full Cut/Copy/Paste/Undo/Keyboard tools.
• Export full team data in CSV format.
• Use a simple, convenient interface.
• Benefit from the compactness and speed of Quartus Forth.

Operation
 

TeamFile consists of five forms, excluding various informational screens: the Team Form, the List Form, the List Index Form, the Address Import Form and the Address Lookup Form.  Examples of these are shown above and described in more detail below.
 

Team Form

Menu functions in the Team Form include:

Team:

• Delete -- This function deletes the selected team and all of its checklists, following a confirmation screen. Use this function rather than just erasing the team name, as it frees the memory associated with the team.

• Export -- This function exports for the selected team all checklist data, up to 16 lists per memo, into one or more memos. The data, along with appropriate column headings, are written in comma-separated value (CSV) format. The memos are called " TeamFile-Lists-Part#" followed by a date/timestamp and " TeamFile-Notes-Part#" followed by a date/timestamp.  The TeamFile-Lists memos include the count only if it is non-zero (ie, not "--").  An asterisk indicates that there is also a note for that player for that list, which can then be found in the sorted TeamFile-Notes memos.  After the next hotsync to the PC, the memos can be opened, copied to Notepad or another editor, and saved as a filename with an extension .csv. Then the file can be opened in a spreadsheet such as Microsoft Excel. The columns may have to be adjusted a bit wider to be consistent, depending on the default column width settings, and then the data can be printed out.

• Move -- This function moves the team associated with the current cursor position to another selected position and moves all other names and their data accordingly for the team. Tap on a team name and execute this menu function. The selected team is then indicated by an arrow. Scroll through available pages and tap on another team field and OK to move the team to that location. You can cancel the move by tapping OK without selecting another position.  To help you, these instructions are given to you in a window when the menu function is executed.

• Add Page -- This function adds a new page for team names at the end of the current pages.

• Delete Page -- This function deletes the last team page if no teams are located on it.  If one or more teams are on the last page, an informational window will remind you to either delete or move these teams first.

• Undo, Cut, Copy, Paste, Select All, and Keyboard --These are the standard text editing tools.

• Help--This function provides an online overview of the operation of TeamFile.
• About…--This function displays information about the software, including the version.

List Form

In the List Form, enter or edit the title line for the displayed checklist at any time. There are 48 slots for member names for the team, organized as 6 pages of 8 members each. Use the Up/Down arrows or the ScrollUp/Down hardkeys to view and edit the member names and checks on the displayed checklist. These are auto-repeating buttons that wrap around. Use the Left/Right arrows to sequence through the existing checklists. These are also auto-repeating and auto-wrapping. Tap on a member name and the phone icon to do an Address Book Lookup on that name--this is very useful for checking off a list as you telephone members to get information.

Member names can be added at any time by either simply typing the name into an empty slot or by tapping on the empty slot and the phone icon to import names from the Address Book as described in the next section.  Menu functions allow you to delete and move names to different slots. To insert a new name between two consecutive existing names, enter the name in another empty slot and then move it to the desired location—the other names will shift apart accordingly.

Checking the Yes or No box will toggle the other if it's on--these are mutually exclusive. Tapping on a box that is already checked will toggle it off, providing a way of returning to a state with no checks. Remember that this no-check state is a useful one (probably meaning that the member has not yet been contacted). The ? box is independent. This box may be used as "Maybe" or it may be used to indicate another option, which you can note in the title line of the list.  The fourth column consists of an up/down counter for each member.  Tap on the up/down arrow at the top of the column to toggle the direction of the count.  A new menu function allows you to preset the counts of every member in the list, which is useful for counting down or for resetting all the counts to 0 (which is represented by "--" to simplify the look for those lists that don't use the counters).  The two-digit counter wraps around to provide positive/negative tracking.  In one of the example screens above, it is used to enter the student's percentile score.  The count is included in the data for the members in exported memos if it is non-zero.  To turn off the beep you have to turn off the system sound.

Tap on the "sigma" icon at the left edge of the column label row to see the sums for each column.  This can be done for the whole list from any page view.  Over the name column appears the total number of named members in the 48 possible slots.  The total checks in each of the checkbox columns appear over their respective columns--these totals are without regard to whether a name exists in the slot.  Over the count column appears the total of all count values, and if more than two digits are required, the first two digits are displayed above the last two digits.  The display persists for 5 seconds, and then the original column labels are restored.  While you can tap on checkboxes,etc. during this time, some events may not be registered--therefore, it is suggested that you wait until the labels are restored before continuing.

Attach a note to a member in a list if desired.  Tap on the name to select it, then tap on the note icon at the bottom to enter the note.  An icon is added to the left of the member's name in the list.  You can then either select the member and tap on the note icon on the bottom, or simply tap on the icon next to
the member's name.  You can then edit or delete the note using Graffiti, the built-in keyboard, or the standard edit menu functions.  Up to 80 characters are allowed per note.  Scroll with the up/down scroll hardkeys.  When you export team data now, the members with notes will have asterisks in the list column in the Team-List memos, and the notes are sorted by list and member name into Team-Notes memos.

Select OK to return to the Team Form after creating, viewing or editing checklists.

Menu functions in the List Form include:

List:

• New--This function creates a new checklist immediately following the list currently displayed.

• Delete--This function deletes the current checklist, following a confirmation screen.

• Delete All--This function deletes all of the checklists of the current team. An option is given to delete the team as well.

• Preset Counts -- This function allows the up/down counters for all members of the current checklist to be set to a given count.  Use the up/down arrows on the popup window to set the value, and then select OK or Cancel.

• Propagate -- This function will propagate a checklist with the same title as the current checklist to all other named teams in the same relative position in their checklists.  This is useful if you have checklists that apply to all teams in a league, classes in a school, etc.  A confirmation window appears first.

• Delete--This function deletes the name associated with the current cursor position and moves all other names and their data accordingly in all checklists for the team. A confirmation screen appears first.
• Move--This function moves the name associated with the current cursor position to another selected position and moves all other names and their data accordingly in all checklists for the team. Tap on a name and execute this menu function. The selected name is then indicated by an arrow. Page through the list and tap on another name field and OK to move the name and data to that location. You can cancel the move by tapping OK without selecting another position, or by performing any other operation such as changing lists or checking off a box. To help you, these instructions are given to you in a window when the menu function is executed.

• Undo, Cut, Copy, Paste, Select All, and Keyboard --These are standard text editing tools.

• Help--This function provides an online overview of the operation of TeamFile.
• About…--This function displays information about the software, including the version.

List Index Form

This form is accessed by tapping on the "paper list" icon along the top of the List Form.  It displays a "list of lists" for the team, consisting of one or more pages of list titles.  Use the on-screen arrows or the auto-repeating scroll up/down hardkeys to navigate through the titles.  Tap on a name to place the cursor anywhere on a title line, and then select Go To List to jump to the List Form loaded with that list.  You cannot edit the titles in this form, but you can insert new untitled lists or delete existing lists through menu functions in this form.  New lists are inserted right after the cursor list position.

Menu functions in the List Index Form are a subset of the menu functions in the List Form:

List:

• New--This function creates a new checklist immediately following the list whose name is on the cursor line.

• Delete--This function deletes the checklist whose name is on the cursor line.  A confirmation screen appears before the deletion.

• Delete All--This function deletes all of the checklists of the current team. An option is given to delete the team as well.

Address Import Form

The Address Import Form appears when an empty member name slot is tapped in the List Form and the phone icon is selected.  It provides a means of importing member names directly from your Address Book listings in various formats, as an alternative to entering them using Graffiti or the built-in keyboard.  As shown in an example screen above, a listing is shown of the names in your Address Book.  There are two distinct advantages to entering new names this way--first, you are guaranteed that the format is correct for performing an Address Lookup later, and second, the names are naturally ordered alphabetically as they are entered in the Address Book application.

Use the arrows, or the auto-repeating up/down scrollkeys, to find the name you want to import.  There is also a Find field, and it's the default focused field.  It is only one character long, but entering a (case-insensitive) character automatically causes the listing to jump to the first page with a last name beginning with that character.  If there is no name beginning with that letter, a beep is issued.  The character in the field is left highlighted (selected) so you don't have to erase it before entering another one, unless the cursor is moved to a name field.  After finding the desired name, tap on the name field without editing it.  Then tap on any of three name formats in which you would like the name to be entered as ("First Last", "Last, First" or "Last").  Then select OK to have the name imported to that slot.

There are no menu functions in the Address Import Form.
 

Address Lookup Form

The Address Lookup Form appears when a populated member name slot is tapped in the List Form and the phone icon is selected.  It provides a means of viewing all member information directly from your Address Book  As shown in an example screen above, a listing is shown of the member data.

A great deal of effort has gone into making the search as versatile as possible.  First, all three formats that were allowed for name import are allowed:

    First Last
    Last, First
    Last

Of course, just having a last name will return the first occurrence of it in the event that more than one exists.  In addition, if there are no commas and more than three words in the name, the software will first assume that the last word is the last name and the rest are all the first name.  If a match can't be found, the software will assume that the first word is the first name and all the rest are all the last name. Finally, it will assume that all the words are the last name.  This way it can recognize:

    John Doe
    Doe, John
    Doe
    Retten, Mary Lou
    Mary Lou Retten
    Retten
    Von Neumann, John
    John Von Neumann
    Von Neumann

The software will also search the Address Book to see if the name matches listings that only have a first name.  Finally, the software will check the name against listings that have no first or last name, but a company name.  If it is still unsuccessful, it produces a message to that effect.  One thing that the software will not do is match a first initial and last name to an Address Book listing that has the first name written out.

There are no menu functions in the Address Lookup Form.
 

Memory Usage

TeamFile has been designed to conserve database memory.  Each named team uses about 1K of memory, and each checklist uses about 0.15K of memory plus roughly the number of characters in any notes in the checklist.  Deleting a note, checklist or a whole team releases this memory.
 

Conclusion

With the features described above, TeamFile provides a simple, convenient way of managing a team, organization, classroom, club or other group. The portability of a handheld device and the synchronization to your PC for spreadsheet and print capabilities makes your life as a manager or teacher easier.
 

Version History

Version 1.0: 06/18/00 First Release.
Version 1.1: 10/28/00 Added multiple team pages and team move, Address Book import and full data lookup, checklist propagation, list index, note attachments, column sums, and up/down counters.
 

Where to Get TeamFile

TeamFile can be obtained by visiting www.eddiesoft.com, or for on-line purchase visit www.palmgear.com. Questions or comments can be sent to the author (Ron Doerfler) at activekey@earthlink.net.
 

Disclaimer

The software (TeamFile) is provided "as is" without warranty of any kind, either express or implied, including, without limitation, the implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement. The entire risk arising out of use or performance of the software remains with the user. In no event shall the author or any other party be liable for any damages whatsoever (including, without limitation, damages for loss of business profits, business interruption, loss of business information, or any other pecuniary loss) arising out of the use of or inability to use the software even if the author has been advised of the possibility of such damages. The author expressly disclaims any liability for errors or omissions in the content of the software. The user accepts full responsibility for any damages, consequential or otherwise resulting from using the software.