Quick Event - fast calender entry adder

[d00heden]

Hi fellows,

Since its a bit tiresome to add entries to the calendar and I decided to speed up it a bit. This is a similar concept as the quick add function on Google Calendar. This means that you can type a phrase like this "Lunch 11am-12:15pm next wednesday at Hotel Astoria" and it generates a suitable entry for you.

From v.0.2.1, there is a manual with examples included in the application.

Examples:
* Meeting 12-115p 8/11 at Bill's office
* Theatre 19-23 jun 12 @ Sidney Opera house
* Phone interview 10-11:25
* Soccer practice 6pm- next f
* John's birthday ad- nov 12

And here is the link: http://www.precentral.net/homebrew-apps/quick-event

From v.0.2.1 the license has been changed to CC-No Derivatives.

Shout if something is not working as expected!

Donations: Some users requested the possibility to donate so I've set up a PayPal account. Feel free to donate if you like but there are no obligations.





Bonus feature:
I did a small hack where I hijacked the webadress field of universal search. This means that you can just start type you events without starting the application first. The patch is attached. (you can still type webadresses, this is just an extension). As always, do this on your own risk and take backups.

Apply patch:
Since there is some confusion about how you apply the patch, here's a short summary (the way I do it anyway, there are probably other ways as well):

1) Use caution. Since this is messing with your system files you should have some clue what you are doing, there is always the chance that something goes wrong and that your system won't start etc. Don't blame me if it don't. Here is a page describing how to recover if something goes bad (you might lose some data though): How To Recover - WebOS Internals

2) You'll need command line access to your phone (Portal:Accessing Linux - WebOS Internals)

3) If you haven't used Linux before, please read something like this: Basic Linux Use - WebOS Internals

4) Setup optware (Next steps - WebOS Internals)

5) Install the patch utility ("ipkg-opt update", "ipkg-opt install patch")

6) Take a backup of /usr/lib/luna/system/luna-applauncher/app/controllers/global-search-assistant.js

7) Apply patch: "patch -p0 < /var/usr/palm/applications/com.palm.net.heden.webos.quickevent/scripts/global-search-assistant.js.diff" (I don't know how well the patch works if you already have other patches to the file such as extra search addons)

8) Reboot.

[9) If something don't work. Restore the backup and reboot.


Revision history:
v.0.1.0:
- First public release

v.0.1.1:
- Default duration time (1 hour for now, to be configurable in the future)
- a/p can be used instead of am/pm
- @ can be used for locations
- times are printed nicer
- dates can be typed either "Jun 18" or "6/18"
- fewer characters needed for (some) of the months and weekdays (for example "October 12" can be shortened to "o 12", "next Friday" to "next f")

v.0.1.2:
- Added reminder (15min, to be configurable in future releases)

v.0.2.0:
- notification when submitting an event :-)
- possibility to set default reminder and duration
- possibility to store your entries in whatever calendar you want on your phone!!!
- Note: you need to remove the old version before installing this one. Remember to move any calendar entries you want to keep to another calendar before!

v.0.2.1:
- support for all day events
- more reminder options, including none at all
- possible to edit the event after creation
- replaced the "Quick Event" header with todays date
- added some help text and examples
- changed the display date format

Update to v.0.2.2:
- fixed bug when displaying months January to June

Upgrade to v.0.2.3:
- Added more default durations

[Dieter Bohn]

soo hawt. /me hits refresh on app submission queue.

[shmoo27]

Great idea!

Is it possible to specify which calendar the event should go into? Sometimes I like to put things into calendars other than the default one...

[Colonel Kernel]

I've been waiting for this app. This ability, plus the same for contacts and notes, will lift the Pre and webOS far and above any another device and operating system out there for a long time.

That being said, I'm getting an "Install Error" message when trying to install with fileCoaster.

A few thoughts:
1. Instead of hijacking the address field what about adding a Quick Event Universal Search item?
2. When the day and date are the same, it looks cluttered to repeat that information.
3. Get this submitted to the PreCentral's App Gal ASAP!

[Dieter Bohn]

published!

[d00heden]

Originally Posted by shmoo27

Great idea!

Is it possible to specify which calendar the event should go into? Sometimes I like to put things into calendars other than the default one...

At the moment it adds to a calendar that belongs to the application. I couldn't figure out how to store in other calendars (if it's possible). If anybody knows, let me know.

[d00heden]

Originally Posted by Colonel Kernel

I've been waiting for this app. This ability, plus the same for contacts and notes, will lift the Pre and webOS far and above any another device and operating system out there for a long time.

That being said, I'm getting an "Install Error" message when trying to install with fileCoaster.

A few thoughts:
1. Instead of hijacking the address field what about adding a Quick Event Universal Search item?
2. When the day and date are the same, it looks cluttered to repeat that information.
3. Get this submitted to the PreCentral's App Gal ASAP!

Don't know about the "Install error" unfortunatly. I've only tried in the emulator (live in a Pre-less country). Does it work for anybody?

1. Defiantly a possibility. I just thought it was simpler this way.
2. Noted.
3. It should be now.

[MOE-GUNZ]

Just saw this posted via precentral twitter.

Downloading, this sounds great.

[sir_mycroft]

O.k now I have to decide which app to delete to add this one.

Someone really must start working on the app limitation fix - it is getting perposterous.

[vixijo]

Originally Posted by d00heden

Don't know about the "Install error" unfortunatly. I've only tried in the emulator (live in a Pre-less country). Does it work for anybody?

1. Defiantly a possibility. I just thought it was simpler this way.
2. Noted.
3. It should be now.

I can open the app, type an event, but cannot set time or date field, or what I assume is the location field. Also Submit button does nothing.

Looks great and I will love this app if the kinks are worked out.
Thanks.

[MOE-GUNZ]

Originally Posted by sir_mycroft

O.k now I have to decide which app to delete to add this one.

Someone really must start working on the app limitation fix - it is getting perposterous.

Isn't there a patch for that?

[d00heden]

Originally Posted by vixijo

I can open the app, type an event, but cannot set time or date field, or what I assume is the location field. Also Submit button does nothing.

Looks great and I will love this app if the kinks are worked out.
Thanks.

Ok, if you test something simple like "Test 1-2"? Does it work? Otherwise send over the string you try.

Since natural languages are a bit hard to parse, there are some limitations right now. Most important is to not have any space in the time duration ("1-2" not "1 - 2").

[MOE-GUNZ]

Great work, just need to get use to it. I would love to see a notification for when the event is submitted. I added the same event more than once because I wasn't aware the event went through.

[sir_mycroft]

Originally Posted by MOE-GUNZ

Isn't there a patch for that?

Not that I am aware of.

[d00heden]

Originally Posted by MOE-GUNZ

Great work, just need to get use to it. I would love to see a notification for when the event is submitted. I added the same event more than once because I wasn't aware the event went through.

Yupp, it's on the todo-list.

[Eimi]

I love the idea, but it would be nice if there were a little more flexibility. Specifically, it would be nice if it didn't require a time (without a time, make it an all day event), and allowed for a start time without an end time (using the default duration). Also, allow "a" and "p" in addition to "am" and "pm", and some intelligent defaults (1 is far more likely to be 1pm than 1am, for instance). But on the whole, this is just incredibly cool. Great work!

[MOE-GUNZ]

Great to know bro. You have a 5 star app here imo. This is something I would pay $2 - $5 for. Hope you submit this to the App catalog when it opens.

@vixijo the app works flawlessly, just have to follow the directions

[d00heden]

Originally Posted by Eimi

I love the idea, but it would be nice if there were a little more flexibility. Specifically, it would be nice if it didn't require a time (without a time, make it an all day event), and allowed for a start time without an end time (using the default duration). Also, allow "a" and "p" in addition to "am" and "pm", and some intelligent defaults (1 is far more likely to be 1pm than 1am, for instance). But on the whole, this is just incredibly cool. Great work!

Good suggestions. I'll put it on the list.

PS. Come over to Europe, we use a 24 hour clock, much less typing! DS.

[natenrb9]

Nice work! This is an actual useful app...as opposed to many that are completely worthless, including about 99% of iphone apps.

What do you type for "this coming Saturday" for example? I could get the exact date to work - "aug 15", but I couldn't get just "sat" or "this sat" or "on sat" to work.


Thanks!

[marktaylor]

So, this application rocks!!! And the application limitation...what is that about? How many can you have installed? I haven't run into that yet.