our next release iDoceo 1.7

Our release 1.6 has been approved today for the app store and the next one is already in the works!
Here are our scheduled features for you to comment on. This is an ongoing list and the content might change a bit over time because of our deadline or because of your requests:

- Mix iCal events (single day or timely events) into the diary (as read only)
-(dropped for next release) Crop/Resize tools for student image manipulation
-(dropped for next release) Import student photos from your Dropbox account.
- View student pictures (thumbnail) on each row
- New timestamp feature per cell.
- New cell editor type: Counter
- (UPDATED)New reports for annotations and icons
- Improved looks and usability.
- (UPDATED) Date format configuration
- (UPDATED) Screen lock
- (UPDATED) Week schedule screen
- (UPDATED) Copy/Paste column style (color&width) for ultrafast column configuration
- (UPDATED) Improved icons
-(UPDATED 2) Option to change a tab's color
-(UPDATED 2) Improved performance

As always your comments are very welcome (especially nice ones)
Thanks.

(EDIT: Traducción español)
Estas son las novedades previstas para la siguiente versión, la idea es que comenteis lo que os parezca o si echais algo en falta. La lista no admite grandes cambios si queremos entregar pronto, de todas formas lo que falte quedará para la próxima seguro.

- Mostrar en el diario eventos de iCal dias completos o events, en modo solo lectura
- Ver imagenes de estudiantes en el cuaderno
- Nueva función de fecha de edición para cada celda, muestra tiempo transcurrido o fecha en la que se editó.
- Nuevo editor de celda : contador
- Nueva ventana de bloqueo de seguridad
- Configuración del formato fecha en celda y botón HOY
- Nueva opción para copiar estilo de columna (ancho y color) en otra para personalización ultrarrapida.
- Nueva ventana de horario de clases semanal
- Iconos y aspecto mejorado
- Opcion para cambiar el color de las pestañas
- Mejoras de velocidad de la aplicación

This all sounds great!

I have a couple of small suggestions...

1. How about resizing multiple columns, or dragging column headers to move them?
2. Quick attendance could have 1 tap for present (tick) and 2 for absent (cross)
3. Date format in column headers could be customisable (e.g. to UK!)
4. Some way of creating attendance columns, where the date increases a week each time?

Thanks

Welcome back Ben,

About 1) We had some trouble making the single column resizing smooth enough (it isn't quite there yet), for the moment we'll keep it like this. There has to be some speed improvement first to allow several columns at once.

About dragging the column, you can actually drag it now, tap&hold on the header and then tap on Move. Give it a look here . We'll improve the look&feel of it but for now the 'mechanics' are there already!

2) Yes, we'll probably add the cross for absent, but for interface consistency a double tap will toggle the status from present to cross and viceversa.
We're working on an attendance calculus column that takes into account the quick attendance icons but haven't figured out yet an intuitive way for the user to enable it.

3) Absolutely, we're preparing a settings screen in the iPad's configuration window to allow this minor tweaks (there will be more to come). Date formats are always a hassle! I never understood the month/day format but some people can't live without it...

4) I like the idea but usually when a date increment comes to mind, people need days/weeks/month's increment and this leads to some configuration issues. That, in fact, is why we put only the TODAY button on the column's configuration, in a today button we all agree. We'll work on it.

Thanks for your comments. We really take them all into account but we filter some things out at first until we find a nice way to integrate them. Having lots of options is great but we try not to end up suffering from bloated 'featuritis' and keep things easy for the casual/new user.

We've added a new option on the column headers to copy and paste its width&color to any other column. This proved has extremely useful and fast, hope you like it.

Couple more ideas:
- "attend all" feature
- "today" option for title header as well as, or insteadof the subtitle (subtitle is so small you can hardly read it. For register data I like the date bigger and in the title)
- button to rearrange photos alphabetically (by Forename or Surname). Also, alighment help in the seating plan screen when moving images manually so that images "snap" into line, or a line to show at least when images are aligned. The ability to save different seating plans would be cool, e.g. for classes you teach in different rooms.

Hi Ben,
a) Yup, that I like. The column's context menu is beginning to be filled with options but I'll think that will fit.
b) Sure, count on it.
c) It might be a bit dangerous to rearrange photos, as you might lose your configuration, but a little warning will do. The only issue is that we've got a single name per student, so we'll have an arrangement by name.
About the snap, I think we'll go for the lines on screen. We'll have to check the feeling of it.
We're closing the specs for the next release, if you feel something important is left out , please post as soon as possible.

Thank you

Italian traslation

- eventi iCal misti (solo giorno o eventi tempestivi) nel diario (in sola lettura)
- (rimandato alla prossima release) strumenti Ritaglio/Ridimensionamento per la manipolazione delle immagini degli studenti
- (rimandato alla prossima release) Importazione delle foto degli studenti dalll'account di Dropbox.
- Visualizzazione delle immagini degli studenti (miniature) su ogni riga
- Nuova funzione timestamp per cella.
- Nuovo editor di cella: Contatore
- (AGGIORNATO) Nuove relazioni per le annotazioni e le icone
- Migliorate viste e usabilità.
- (AGGIORNATO) Configurazione formato Dati
- (AGGIORNATO) Blocco schermo
- (AGGIORNATO) calendario settimanale sinottico
- (AGGIORNATO) Copia / Incolla dello stile di colonna (colore e larghezza) per la configurazione ultraveloce della colonna
- (AGGIORNATO) Miglioramento delle icone
- (AGGIORNATO 2) Opzione per cambiare il colore di una colonna
- (AGGIORNATO 2) miglioramento delle prestazioni

Hi Ben,
Just added the instructions for the date format feature.
You'll find its here here
About the TODAY button, we finally thought more convenient to select the size of header and subheader text. There are future plans for that button and couldn't put two of them.
Regards