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Current Release Notes

 

old release notes (2003)

Changes in version 0.9.5.1.08

Dec. 6, 2003

fixes a delayed line of code which causes program to appear to be using an unregistered plug-in.

Bug: in version 0.9.5.1.06.x resizing timeline windows no longer resized the timeline (due to program error when loading window info from saved files) [Fixed].

 

Changes in version 0.9.5.1.06.1

Nov. 24, 2003

Demo/Register window wouldn't stay open (my error)[Fixed]

Changes in version 0.9.5.1.06

Nov.23, 2003

Bugs: event edit List would hang (spinning beach ball) on copy to clipboard due to mistakenly placed line of code [Fixed]; also, span edit list sort on span lengths now sorts correctly; also, a few alterations in the copying, dragging and printing of timeline(circle) graphics (e.g.bottom of timecircle could be cropped off when copied to clipboard or dragged to desktop as picture [fixed]).

new: choice of fontsizes (8 thru 14) for record names on graphs (menu: FTLCwindows > Global Settings). Timeline automatically adjusts for record names and font sizes so they don't crop off top: Can lock timeline (not circle) margins so they don't adjust (menu: timeline > event margins) when in timeline(not circle) view.

new: Most windows' (graphics, lists and media) size and placement are saved on a file by file basis.

augmented: edit lists (spans & events) altered & augmented somewhat with more display and output options (window help menus); program printing allows more options (use colors, choose font & font size).

Also, a little house cleaning has been done on the program's code.

This version does add data to an FTLC data file, you may wish to back-up any important FTLC data files, but I've seen no problems.

 

 

Changes in version 0.9.5.1.03

November 12, 2003

1) bug: for spans, in the start year field, wouldn't take a leading zero [fixed].

2) reported startup crashes fixes (only user can know for sure!):

a) one reason for crash on start up via double-clicked FTLC data file is tracked down and fixed (certain variables were not initialized due to programmer ignorance).

b) other start up modifications may fix other reported crashes which development has not been able to replicate.

3) "demo window, start up window" clutter cleaned up.

Program seems to work in OS 10.3 (Panther) and w/ Quicktime 6.4.

 

 

 

Changes in version 0.9.5.1

October 29, 2003

 

Note: this version has not been tested on Mac OX 10.3 (I've ordered the update, but they don't deliver to Jamaica, so I await travel to USA to retrieve "panther" OS X). In the mean time, if you experience problems with Mac OS 10.3 and FTLC, I'd appreciate an e-mail. Also, I've not updated Quicktime to version 6.4 since I've read of troubles with it, so I don't know if there are any problems with its playing of FTLC media: again, if you find problems I'd appreciate e-mail.

Bug: when some windows were closed (command w) the window behind it would close too [Fixed].

Bug: in timecircles, the selected record's hi-lite didn't turn off when record deselected [Fixed].

Changed: now intitially sets to user's main screen's color settings.

Changed: global settings modified (see its help window).

Added: little canoe shaped button to exchange start end dates in span record window.

Added: better integration between selected record in graphics windows and media windows: change selected record in timelines and the media windows show media for record (or get media window if no media assigned to record); can tab to next(previous) record in media window, timeline window will update selected record.

New: To partially relieve the tedium of entering date data...

An Abbreviated data entry field which (when checked) allows entry of date and time data by typing text instead of by clicking pop up menus. (see New Record help windows or Read Me text file for details)

New: To partially relieve the tedium of entering date data...

For new records, can either drag or paste (from clipboard[menu: Edit > Date Paste]) text containing date(s) into new record window (events & spans) instead of entering data manually: If the program can find (parse) the date(s) from the text they will be entered. Doesn't always work, and when it does you should check the data for correctness. See New Record (Event & Span) help window for details.

For spans, If two dates are available they will be used, if one date is available it will be entered either for the span start date or span end date depending on which date's year edit field has the focus.

Note: this system allows you to write dates in a record's descriptive text edit field and drag them up to the date entry area to be entered (if recognized). May also drag or copy text from other applications.

This version limitations: does not catch the time; No support for Year, Month, Day and Year, Day, Month format, can be fooled.

Dates formats recognized...

month day, year (3 letter month abbreviations also);

shorthand (optional in paranthesis):

m(m)/d(d)/yy(y)(y); m(m).d(d).yy(y)(y); m(m)-d(d)-yy(y)(y)

(note: day/month/year toggle in global settings window)

Note: if shorthand with two digit year, for year less than this year, uses this century, for year greater than this year uses last century:

(e.g. m/d/03 = m, d, 2003, m/d/50 = m, d, 1950)

recognized is x1st, x2nd, x3rd, xxth (x a digit).

BC, B.C, bc, b.c.(note:if 1st date is AD and 2nd is BC, they will both be given BC).

Non English language (months) recognized for: Danish, Finish, French, German, Italian, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish.

Send requests for additional language support for months to joe at schisa productions dot com (with months listed in said language with English translation).

 

Changes in version 0.9.5.02

October 9, 2003

 

Augmented:

iCal import, to allow import of new iCal version files (which file structure has slightly changed). Note: FTLC still does not take into account time zones.

Changed:

in graphics windows, the way selected records show they are selected.

Now:

1) pop up text box does not move on its own (you move it as before),

2) selection is indicated by "hi-lite" of selected record's graphic.

Before:

1) pop up text box jumped around to position itself near selected record's graphics,

2) there was no change in graphics to indicate selection.

 

Changes in version 0.9.5

October 4, 2003

Bug: Fixed is a rounding of numbers mistake which caused endless loops for timelines ranging less than years.

Changes in version 0.9.4.6

September 30, 2003

Bug: when editing or creating notes, the note no longer looses its changes simply because the window is deactivated.

Bug: in merging files, both notes and media files could cause crash due to two misplaced lines of code [fixed].

Bug: in cycling through spans in the interior time circle (when there's more than will fit in the circle), spans got mixed up [fixed].

New:

Allows years for records to range within ± 99 billion years to accomodate astrophysical or imaginative ranges of time (before, the range was ± one million years). In this regard, abbreviation marks changed for hash markings (with dates longer than four digits). (see graphics help window for abbreviations). Note: Internal data representation additions to allow for longer numbers: note, these new structures & routines augment older routines, hence program size increase (about 0.4 MB); if I get around to remodeling program totally for new routines, program size would decrease, but it would be a time consuming task.

New:

In "Set Endpoints for interior timeline" window, a button "Shrink to fit" which tries to shrink the endpoints to dates within the endpoints range for which span or event records exist. Put there mostly for when a timeline has a vast range of years and you want to focus in on details within a small range of years or less.

Modifications:

1) data entry windows (Span record & Event record) run smoother.

2) added commas to long dates to facilitate reading of year data.

3) Notes are now sorted as in a dictionary (gives some control over their position in their menu).

New sample file: Earth history (and some of human civilization) is here, neither authoritative nor detailed, and it includes some notes which may be considered "beyond the fringe". NOTE: If this file is opened with older versions of FTLC (which do not work well with the range of years for this file) there may be problems. The main timeline for this file will blur recent events together (since the file stretches from the creation of the earth to relatively modern times): you must to select interior timelines to see them better. Note: old sample file US History (which has not changed) can be downloaded from this site's FTLC manual page.

Changes in version 0.9.4.5

September 22, 2003

Bug Fix: in merging files, merging of file notes was not coded properly: Fixed.

Bug fix: error trapping in date input missed for "null(empty)" fields. Fixed

also: a few "under the hood" code changes.

added: event margins to complement circle margins. This adds space to top of timeline (not circle) which allows more room for either event names or stamped pop up text or white space; this is also a fix for a known issue where event name endings could be cropped off the graphics (if they crop, increase the event margin); difference between event and circle margins— event margins apply to both timelines (main and interior) while circle margins apply to the one which called for the margin changes. if both graphics windows are showing, the change only applies to the timeline window that called the event margins dialog box (the other timeline window will not reset until next drawing of graphics or when event margins dialog is called by itself).

changed: routines used to draw text for stamped pop up text boxes (no difference to user, but makes routines more robust and current with OS operating system).

added: option to not draw a rectangle around stamped pop up text boxes (in global settings, a check box after text size for text box fonts) (before, always drew the box).

New: Multimedia support for records:

Movies(quicktime & avi),

Pictures(pict, jpeg, tiff, gif),

Sound(basic, aiff, mp3, mpg3, mp4),

Web Sites.

HTML files (only tested with saved websites from Safari & Microsoft Explorer)

SchisaProductions will consider and (if possible) implement requests for other media file types.

Each FTLCtimelines record (event or span) may reference multiple media files of each type.

Quicktime is required for Movies and Sounds (current version recommended).

Web sites simply launch the internet browser to the given web site.

Media files "captured" by "drag and drop" method (from Finder to program window).

Program places reference (absolute path) to media files in a given FTLCtimelines file (can search for "lost" media files).

Option to copy all media files with their FTLCtimelines file into a folder (e.g. to then copy them to another storage medium).

Media files may be launched in their default application from the program.

Demo version limited to saving up to 25 media files (total, not per record).

See program online help windows for details.

Changes in version 0.9.4

September 3, 2003

 

1) New: Added to File menu is a revert to last save menu item.

2) New: Added is some control over span box & arc colors' contrast between text and background color. With a little experiment, the affected graphics can show up better. This ability is accessed in the Global Settings window, see Global Settings' Help window for details.

3) New: Font and new [see (2)] "color contrasts" global settings saved with each file, now you don't have to apply them each time you open a file.

4) New: circle spans now can be cycled through themselves if not all are showing in the circle so that all can be seen in sequence (by groups). Before, only the first group of spans that fit within timecircle could be viewed. See Timeline window's Help window (when displaying time circles) for details.

5) New: graphics: showing records by category now has the option to hide records by category to complement the show records by category option (before one could only hide all categories and then rebuild the graph by showing individual categories). See timeline window's help window for details.

6) Bug fix: some programing errors in showing records by categories have been fixed, notably merged files and imported iCal categories were ignored by said menu items; also imported iCal records' categories were not recorded correctly. Fixed.

7) Bug fix: Bug would sometimes cause graphic windows' mouse selection of records not to be noticed and thereby not to show its pop up text box. Fixed. This simple error caused relatively major lack of response at times in user interaction with the timelines.

8) The manual has been updated.

9) New: graphics windows can be set to printer's paper size, allowing printing of pop up text.

10) New: Notes (accessed from graphics windows) may be recorded and are not attached to any record, may display any comment, appear in the pop up text box when selected and thus may be stamped on the graphics anywhere for printout (or export in the graphics picture). They are saved with the file. Demo version can save up to 5 notes.

 

 

Changes in version 0.9.3

August 26, 2003

New Features (v.0.9.3)

1) Span and event categories windows now show categories' colors.

2a) Interior timeline(circle) now has option to draw (or not) spans not entirely contained within its own range (i.e. spans that go from before its start time and/or spans that go beyond its end time). (This option is a checkbox in the "Set interior timeline endpoints" window.) Before this update, without choice an interior timeline(circle) always drew a span if any part of it was within the interior timeline's range.

2b) Interior timeline span records' "pop up" descriptive information boxes show what percent of the span is not in the interior timeline, if it overlaps but is not entirely within the interior timeline.

3) For span placement when showing spans by category, option to fill in previously drawn levels now fills in added spans (for category chosen) at all levels where possible. (This option is selected from the "Timeline > Span Categories > Placement..." menu item when a timeline(circle) graphics window is active.) Before this update, it didn't do much.

4a) More export options for event and span records' text lists:

4a1) May export records' text in their records' colors (to clipboard or for print, doesn't export to text file via drag and drop).

4a2) May either embed descriptions in names list or list them after names list (clipboard, printing and text file via drag & drop)

4b) Events and span lists may choose to show only records used on the interior timeline.

These additions (4) provide more export options, e.g. if you export a picture of an interior timeline, now you can also export as text the span and event lists for the interior timeline (previously, only all records could be so exported). These additions (4) are documented in the events and span lists' help windows.

5) In graphics windows, descriptive text pop-up boxes may be (1) moved with keyboard arrow keys, (2) resized with keyboard shift + arrow keys. (Documented only in help tags for main timeline, applies to all timeline graphs though).

Bug Fixes, etc. (v.0.9.3)

1) Unexpected showing of "new categories" window when editing records should not occur again (hopefully).

2) Categories changed now flags that the file has changed.

3) Correctly sorts durations' column in the duration selection window for adding "duration to start" (of span record) and subtracting "duration from end" (of span record).

4) Fixes a hole in add/subtract durations for span records start/end times wherein a year beyond the range of the program was allowed to be entered in a span record.

5) "Drop last row" menu item removed (never implemented).

6) Program should take a little less memory (RAM) due to some redesign of program's data structures. Also, extraneous data types and resources removed for slightly smaller application.

 

 

Changes in version 0.9.2

August 6, 2003

New in this version (0.9.2)

new feature:

1) The span record window (for input and edit) can now take any previously recorded span's duration and either add that duration to its start date or subtract that duration from its end date. See program online help windows for details and instructions.

2) A "Check for Updates" button in the "About..." menu window that links to www.schisaproductions.com (in a web browser) where is information about and download of any current update to program.

3) A little egg shaped button in the two Records windows (spans & events) which, when pressed, zeroes all time popup menus (hour, minute, second set to zero).

problems fixed:

1) iCal import window no longer crashes when closed.

2) in the interior (sub) timeline, some spans were graphed even though they were out of the sub-timeline's range, this is fixed.

3) in the interior timeCircle, some spans were not drawn properly, this is fixed.

4) In the span Edit list, the end dates' column now sorts correctly.

Also, a modest speed improvement in the time it takes to draw graphics.

 

Changes in version 0.9.1

July 29, 2003

New Features:

1) Leap year support for years greater than zero AD (anno Domini).

Hopefully, all calculations are correct.

2) Vector graphics replace bit-map graphics for most FTLC graphics (including text).

Graphics look better, print better, export better to files and other programs.

 

3) Importing of data from Apple's iCal program

(.ics) files (in both FTLC classic and X).

3a) Demo version allows only one ical import or one file merge per running of the program.

3b) iCal data imported: calendar and event names, event start and end dates or duration, event notes. No other iCal event data, nor more general implementations of the internet icalendar file type are supported in this version of FTLC.

3c) iCal files are not changed (FTLC only reads iCal files, does not write to them).

3d) See FTLC help windows for further details.

3e) see "newly expressed known issues" (3) & (4) below.

 

Improvements:

1) Duplicate FTLC event dates are hi-lit in green in the Event EditList window.

2) Some tightening up in how program decides which units to use (e.g. years or months) for hash marks in the timelines(circles).

3) Due to vector graphics, timecircle graphics look better.

Problems (bugs) fixed:

1) In timeCircle graphics...

1a) Resized window now always shifts event name draw-angles to horizontal before redrawing timecircle, user must reset to angular event name drawing if desired (this is easiest fix so window resize doesn't cut out part of circle graphics).

1b) in event angular mode, "mouse down (cursor is a hand)" moving of graphics doesn't stall the program so much, but graphic may now move out of window range (without checking to see if graphic has left the window, things are sped up).

 

2) Fixed a programing error that would cause an endless loop for some Span data values (e.g. when a span's length in time was exactly one month).

 

Newly expressed known issues:

1) The records list window for importing iCal files has some advantages over those in FTLC itself (e.g. one may change more than one record at a time in the iCal import list window). Perhaps I will add these advantages to FTLC's records lists, but have not yet done so.

 

2) Since FTLC takes no account of time zones, imported iCal files do not either. In general, situations can occur where the sequence of events is wrong. For example: Two people on the opposite sides of the earth have events at the same time (by their locally set watches); entered into FTLC as such, the events will be considered at the same time by FTLC whereas one event actually occurs before the other (by half a day). Perhaps a future version of FTLC will take into account time zones and other factors concerning space and time.

3) Truncated iCal event names:

Since FTLC limits record names to a number of characters less than that allowed in iCal, iCal event names longer than this FTLC limit are "cut in the middle" when imported (with "É" indicating the truncation point). The full name of an iCal event is shown at the begining of the descriptive text for its FTLC record (which also contains the record's iCal notes). Note: at the end of the descriptive text for an imported iCal record, if it is imported as an FTLC event, the iCal event's duration is written.

4) Imported iCal events loose data for repeating events (if an iCal file record is set to repeat, FTLC does not repeat it.

 

 

Changes in version 0.9.0.2

July 10, 2003

1) Program now uses unicode UTF-8 encoding for text. This should allow special text characters and symbols to move properly through, to and from the program without misrepresentation.

2) Fixed: An omission in the program's sorting methods for the special case where program files have exactly one span record.

Mistake in update

July 8, 2003

Previous download of version 0.9.0.1 retained a debugging menu (a "break" menu), which does nothing when the program runs on its own, was used with compiler to break program execution when selected. Current download of the same version is without that useless menu item.

Changes in version 0.9.0.1

July 7, 2003

 

1) Ability to merge FTLCtimeline files. The merge function may also be used to view more than one FTLCtimeline file at a time (just don't save the merged files to disk).

From the manual...(Menu item) File: merge...

Will merge the selected file with the file currently opened. This does not save the merge, mearly join the two files in computer memory. If one does not save the merge, it is not automatically saved to disk. When the merging process is taking place, you will be informed if any event or span category names are identical and asked if you want to rename the category or merge all records with the common category name under one category. If any event records in the file to be merged are on the exact same date and time as any event records in the opened file to be merged with, you will be asked if you want to change the dates for the event (to be merged) and, if you do, will then be presented with the event records (one by one) for you to edit the dates. The merge action is also a useful way to look at various timelines together, whose data you wish to keep distinct in seperate files (just don’t save the merged files to disk).

Notes on Merge: Files may not be merged with themselves (unless the same FTLC file name exists in a folder other than that of the opened file). In Demo mode only one merge allowed per running of the program.

2) Ability to Auto Update span records to the current computer time:

From the manual...

One may Auto Update a span record (useful, for instance, if you have spans of persons’ lives and they are still living): in the Span Record window towards the bottom left there is a check box labeled “Auto Update” which when checked will add the span record to a list of span records to be Auto Updated (Note: auto update adds the span record regardless of how the end date was entered or when the end date was set to). These records’ End times are updated to the current date and time (according to one’s computer) only when one decides to do so by selecting the “Update Spans” menu item from the File menu (the records’ start dates are unaffected). If the file contains no span records to be Updated, the “Update Spans” menu item is not enabled (if you are opening files from an old version of FTLC which had not implemented auto update, this menu item will of course be disabled). When one selects “Update Spans” (menu File : Update Spans) a window will display the current date and the span records to be updated (if you want to change what records are to be updated, you must do so via FTLC’s standard method of editing records). To update the records to the current date, click the “Update” button. Upon Updating the span records, if any records exist whose start date occurs after the Auto Update date, you will be informed of them and they will not be updated, though they will remain on this Update list unless you edit their records and uncheck the Auto Update check box (this situation can occur if said records are in the future according to your computer’s current date).

3) Fixed a programing ommission so that Span Edit list columns can now be resized.

4) modest programing code improvements.

Initial release (version 0.9.0)

June 2003

You could consider this initial release of FTLC a beta version since I have limited resources and time for testing the software. I hope the logic of the program is correct and correctly implemented, but the unexpected is to be expected. Of course, if you would, report any problems to me. This is not a traditional release note (since there is no previous release to compare it to). The FTLC manual (in the download) contains information on what FTLC is about. Below are remarks stemming from my familiarity with my program.

My top ten Limitations of FTLC v 0.9

1) No support for leap year, Fixed in v. 0.9.1 for dates > 0 AD

Some may consider this a major omission, but I've not taken the time to code for this odd regularity in the way we measure time. I would expect to do so, given demand by myself or others. Note: I'm not sure how to deal with this condition for ancient dates (e.g. 20,000 BC); I don't know how historians deal with it, assuming exact dates are dealt with for such distant times. Do you have knowledge of how such a situation is supposed to be handled? If so, I wouldn't mind knowing myself.

2) Vast periods of geological and astrophysical time can not be graphed in FTLC v 0.9.

Version 0.9.4.6 allows dates ranging from 99 billion years BC to 99 billion years AD.

FTLC v 0.9 allows dates between 9,999,999 BC and 9,999,999 AD. The earth's age is currently estimated at a few billion years and the physical universe (or its current cycle) is of course older than that. Further, much of the history of life on earth is measured in hundreds of millions of years. None of these conditions is recordable in FTLC v 0.9. Perhaps a "near future" version of FTLC will make room for these time frames.

3) No import of data from other programs.Version 0.9.1 imports from iCal.

I have little idea what programs people might like data imported from, and would need familiarity of such programs' file structure to do so. Any suggestion or help would be appreciated.

4) Lack of complete implementation of Mac Operating System features.

Some standard mac features not implemented (e.g. edit menu "undo", contextual menus, sheets, drawers, OS X standard menus).

5) Files can not be merged and only one file can be viewed at a time.

The merge feature I expect to implement (is implemented in version 0.9.0.1), since it comes in handy. Opening more than one file at a time may also be implemented, but it presents more complications.

6) No high resolution output for print or data exporting (e.g. clipboard).

Version 0.9.1 uses vector graphics which reduce this problem.

This will require a bit of work, mostly, I think, in a more generalized, vector (as opposed to bit map) implementation of the graphics routines.

7) Screen presentation of timecircles is less "pretty" and accurate than it could be.

Version 0.9.1 timecircles look better.

I believe this is to a certain extent a limitation of the operating system routines the program uses to create the time circles and hopefully, I am going to study and correct the situation if I live so long. Any advice would be appreciated.

8) The code could be made lots more efficient.

In speed (more) and size (less), I suppose this is usually the case, and sometimes there are tradeoffs (between speed and size), but FTLC can and should be improved.

9) Choice of fonts (limited options).

I sometimes consider this cosmetic, since I feel the power of timelines is similar whether they are drawn with a pencil on a scrap of paper or generated by a computer or whatever. However, in dealing with a visual medium, font options are an important factor. Maybe more such options if the program goes much further.

10) No language localization: only U.S.English language support.

Foolish of me, since if there's any market for a program these days, it is international. Would hope to include such localization later, but I only speak English.
 

11) No multimedia support.

Some multimedia support implemented in version 0.9.4.5

.

12) Limited display options for records (in timeline graphics and elsewhere).

Currently, the only option (graphics) is to display selected categories. The favorable option would be to allow user to choose whatever records user wants to be shown. I do have "it worked out in my head" how this might go, but it would take some time. (See 3-a below)

13) The list could grow long, but I have stopped at a dozen.

If you decide to use the program at all, you will quite probably discover limitations and/or have complaints with FTLC as it now stands. Don't hesitate to contact me with your opinions, advice and/or other comments

Additional features (I would like to see, but haven't yet programmed)

Dealing with the representation of time, there are numerous possibilities. I list a few of my favorites, which entail varying degrees of difficulty depending on how they would be implemented in FTLC.

1) In real life, a time is at a place, but FTLC does not currently make the connection which would require maps, ways of manipulating them and connecting said manipulations to points in time and managing time as a "time & place" continuum. Certain ordering complications do crop up (e.g. 2pm in California is later than 2pm in New York).

2) Time is relative. Subjectively, ask a young child to wait an hour and he/she might say it's a long time, ask an old person about 50 years and he/she might say it seems like just yesterday. I suggest the relative experience of time is inversely proportional to age (in humans [i.e. if older then time goes quicker, seems shorter]) and inversely proportional to biological life cycle (for species [e.g. perhaps a mosquito thinks a fraction of a second is quite a while, long enough at least to get out of the way of a human trying to smack 'em dead]). These facets of time could be at least simplistically implemented in FTLC (simple example: for a given person's age, show in measurement how many of that amount of age there are in a given interval of time, then one can see how many of one's lifetimes would fit therein [gives one a personal feel for the procession of history]).

3) Another idea is tied to the fact that, to a large extent, time is simply a way to order facets of motion as it is observed and experienced (many believe that time is simply a mental construct placed upon the regularities of the complex motions of our world (e.g. solar system and planet). FTLC employs two orderings (linear and circular) for two facets (events and spans) of time using an absolute (non-relative) scale (dates). Other possibilities I leave to the reader's imagination (mine isn't working at the moment, though it might kick in if it is so moved).

Any ideas for additional features by interested persons would be appreciated and- at the least -considered.

 

Peculiarities of FTLC

(that I leave alone for what I believe are sufficient reasons).

1) For events (FTLC file records for points in time): if events are close together for a given window size and timelime graph, the names for the records overlap each other and blur. What one is supposed to do then is either magnify the timeline or measure the records and generate an interior timeline to give the names more space so they don't overlap each other. This seems the best way to go since, no matter what one does, there comes a point when only so many records can be displayed on a screen at one time.

2) If two events are located at the exact same second, their graphical representation is hopelessly blurred. One can see that the records are tied to the same point in time in the events' edit list window, and then separate them by at least one second, and this problem is solved (sort of). Program does show a dialog box when a new or edited event's date is exactly that of another event in a given file.

3) For spans (FTLC file records for lengths of time): if two spans overlap or if one span's length is within an other's, they will not be shown on the same line (or arc, for circles) of the graph, but rather one span is moved down (on the timeline) or in (on the timecircle). This, to me, is better than fooling around with how to show them on the same level of the graph because- again -there will always come a point of complexity where only so many spans can be displayed without clutter at a given level of the graph.

3-a) This way of resolving the problem presents a special problem for timecircles since one can only indent levels so far within a given circle size before one's reached near the center of the circle where there's no more room for legible print: under this condition, in FTLC version 0.9 the remaining spans are not drawn though their records can be viewed by tabbing through the SpanRecord text windows that pop up when a given Span record is selected. Note: soon I hope to implement a routine that will allow one to "page" through all span records for timecircles when they can't all be viewed at once.

 

Perhaps I'll work out better methods for dealing with these situations in the future, but at this point I don't see a way of dealing with them which doesn't present other problems. If you notice other undesireable peculiarities of FTLC that I've either failed to mention or not noticed, let me know.

Known Issues

1) Though event names are limited to a certain number of characters, in some cases with wide letters, the event names will extend beyond the top of the graph.(Work around in version 0.9.4.5)

2) When editing records, sometimes the new category window will appear before the record editing window does (and it shouldn't): one can dismiss the category window.

3) Estimate of dates with measuring tools is not exact: this is partially a natural consequence of the number of dates which a given pixel represents for a given graph and window size, but it is also in part due to a slight difference in how dates are calculated for the graph as compared to with the measuring tools.

4) In OS 9, generating an interior timeline will display at a magnification other than no magnification: as it is uncertain how much longer OS 9 will be around, and I'm not sure what's causeing the problem yet, the current "fix" is to nudge the window's resize box.

See "Newly expressed known issues" for version 0.9.1.