Export AOL Address Book

I moved my in-laws from AOL to Thunderbird (they just aren't ready to use just web mail) and needed a way to get their address book out of AOL. I did some searching and found a couple of possibilities, but nothing easy and free. I'm pretty sure there isn't an option to export from the AOL client, but I found the way to do it.

Use the AOL webmail interface and you can export your address book to an LDIF file. Clean it up if you need to and then import it into Thunderbird. Simple!

Create Excel Lists Using LotusScript

I have created some code – as many others have over time – to export a Notes view to Excel. The code creates the Excel application object, a workbook and a worksheet and then populates the new worksheet with data from the view. The twist to this request was that once the export was done, they wanted to have some of the columns use the List function of Excel; that is, they wanted to be able to filter the columns based on the values in them.

I recorded a macro in Excel to get the VBA code so I could translate it to LotusScript, and this is what I got:
Range("I1").Select
ActiveSheet.ListObjects.Add(xlSrcRange, Range("$I:$I"), , xlYes).Name = "List1"

Uh oh. How do I pass parameters to the Add method and set the value for the Name property in the same line? I remembered from past experience, this type of code is tricky to do in LotusScript. Searching didn’t reveal where anyone had done this exact thing before but I found an example that led me to the solution. The code is (I found that xlSrcRange and xlYes both have a value of 1):

 Set xlApp = CreateObject("Excel.Application")
 Set xlWkBook = xlApp.Workbooks.Add()
 Set xlWkSheet = xlWkBook.Worksheets.Add()

 With xlWkSheet.ListObjects
  xlWkSheet.Range("I1").Select
  Call .Add(1,xlWkSheet.Range("$I:$I"),,1)
 End With
 xlWkBook.InactiveListBorderVisible = False

This LotusScript was converted to HTML using the ls2html routine,
provided by Julian Robichaux at nsftools.com.

The xl* objects are defined as variants. The last line turns off the borders for the inactive lists. Note that I didn’t worry about naming the list as the VBA script does. I’m not sure if that has any long-term impact or not. The actual code also duplicates the two lines in the With clause for three other columns.

When the Excel file opens, the column headings are bolded and, when you click in the column, an arrowhead appears. Click on that and it gives you the unique values in the column plus a few default options (eg. All, Top 10, blanks, etc.).

It isn’t perfect since I haven’t figured out how to keep the border hidden when they click on a filtered column nor how to make the arrowhead that indicates a filter is present be visible at all times. But, considering I wasn’t even sure how to do it in the first place, I’ll call it a success.


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SnTT: One Thing I've Learned

A few months ago, I developed a new interface to consolidate a number of our applications into what would look like a single-database application. The main part of the interface is a frameset in the “portal” database that consists of a top navigator frame and a bottom “main content” frame. The hotspot links in the top frame execute LotusScript code to write an environment variable to notes.ini that indicates the database server and path, element type and element name that should be opened, then targets the main content frame and opens a single-frame frameset whose content is computed using the environment variable.

Still with me? Anyway, this has worked really well with just a few oddities. Object focus is an issue sometimes, and I can’t get everything that opens in that frameset to update the window title properly (they say “Untitled” instead of the name of the application and view).

But the biggest problem I had was that some of the applications have buttons to create documents in the background and then display them when the build process is done. This is when the loss of focus becomes an issue. Notes seems to just lose track of where it is and does what appears to the user to be a random change of the view. Plus they don’t get the document (report) they are expecting. I can only attribute this to the nesting of objects (the code is in a button, which is in a view, which is in a frameset, which is in an application, and that application is contained in a frameset in another application).

Still there? When the document is built, I use NotesUIWorkspace.EditDocument to open it so the user can see it. The solution to the random (incorrect) behavior is to add the line Call NotesUIWorkspace.SetTargetFrame(“_blank”) before the EditDocument command. This forces the new document to open in a new tab. Plus, it works whether the application containing the code is open within my portal database or in its own tab, as if it were opened from a bookmark or the workspace.

I’d post a picture of the portal application, but I’m not sure I’m allowed yet. I will try to get a mockup of something I can post since that may help this make more sense.

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Does this make me a bad person?

I don't think I could care any less that David Blaine's next stunt could leave him blind. And no, I'm not going to link to anything - his 15 minutes should have run out a year ago.

Phone Goodness

I really enjoy my phone. It’s not a Blackberry, but it’s close enough for me. I’ve had my LG Rumor for about 3 months now and find it can do just about everything I want it to. It doesn’t have push email but I don’t get that much important stuff that I need to know immediately when I get a message. The keyboard is great for sending messages and texts (although I’m still not very fast at it because my thumbs are big). I can access Facebook from it and can send Twitter messages and receive Twitter direct messages (that’s all I want at this point). I downloaded the Gmail and Google Maps apps and they work really well. It can play music and videos and takes decent pictures and accepts a micro-SD card for added space. It’s a “smart phone” without being a “smartphone” (which would cost more each month).

I wish it could upload pictures to Facebook or let me send them via email, but I think that is more of a Sprint thing than a phone thing.

I also got an Invisible Shield to protect the screen. VERY worth the investment in my mind.

I don’t know why I wanted to post this. I guess just to say I appreciate the constant advances in phones.

Summer Vacation

Gregg has been bugging me (as friends will do) to post about my own Michigan summer vacation adventure since we went to one of the same places he did. We also went to Mackinac Island but were able to spend more time than Gregg’s family did. It is an annual trip for us (8 of the last 9 years) but this year was different because my Mom and my sister and her family were there with us.

We went up on Sunday and stayed a night in Mackinaw City. That would let us decompress from the trip and the kids could swim in the hotel pool. Plus it would get us over to the island earlier and in a less stressed state. We took Shepler’s over because they tag the bags and send them directly to our hotel: The Island House. We’ve found Shepler’s to be the easiest for us to deal with (but the Arnold jet-powered catamarans are pretty cool), and we love the bed and breakfast package at the Island House (they have a really good breakfast buffet).

Since we’ve been there so often, we definitely have a routine. We brought lunches for everyone and ate in Lafayette Park (at the base of the Fort), then the kids played on the small playground that is there. We got three adult bikes (we brought the other six bikes with us) and started around the island for the first time. Our daughter just learned how to ride on two wheels and she was excited to be riding around on her own. We all rode around the island 5 times while we were there and she made it between 2 and 3 miles on her own each time – pretty good for a 5 year old! Then I got to pull her using the Trail-Gator (and answer the usual dozen questions about “where did you get that?”).

We have a spot we stop about halfway around the island so we can rest and stretch. And skip stones. Find a flat, round stone of reasonable weight, snap your wrist and see how many times it skips. Tuesday was probably the best day because the water was so calm. I think I hit 15 skips with one stone. Wednesday was fun too because it was really wavy, so we tried to skip from one wave to the next.

Dinner one night is at the Ice House, the casual restaurant at the back of the Island House. It is good food and reasonably priced – plus it is out of the way so is not very busy. The second night, we go to 3 Bros. Sarducci for deep dish pizza. Really good stuff! Then, of course, there is fudge!

We didn’t go up to Arch Rock this year. We just didn’t all feel like climbing the hills. But I took our daughter through Fort Mackinac for the first time. I hadn’t been in MANY years, so it was interesting to me too. The kids even participated in a bit of a marching drill. Pretty funny watching everyone try to keep up.

We have a good time every year we go up. Gregg will attest than I have lots of information to share about Mackinac. I’m glad to share if you want to take a trip yourself.

Weird @TextToTime Behavior

This isn't really a Show-n-Tell Thursday post, even though it is Thursday. I'm having a problem with a @TextToTime formula and I can't find any documented reason why. When I pass it the string "R. Marshall" it returns 3/1/2008. In fact, if I pass it "Ma", it returns that date. As long as it doesn't have "ma" at the start of any word in the string, it returns nothing (which is what I'd expect).

Has anyone else seen that? Can you duplicate it?

Don't Do This in Notes 8

I started writing this the other day but gave up because I wasn't sure what caused this to happen. I'm still not positive, but I have a better idea.

I'm running Notes 8.01 on Windows XP SP2. If I turn on the LotusScript debugger, go to my client and open a composite application, like my mail database on the 8 template, I get a debugger window. So far, so good. If I say "Oops, I didn't want the debugger for that" and click the Continue button, the debugger is replaced with a window of my first mail message. That has a title bar and a menu bar but no toolbars, and there is no way to make it go away. I have to kill the client processes and restart to fix it.

This only seems to happen (so far) with a composite app. And I haven't done exhaustive testing (because I'm trying to get my projects done!) to know if there is something specific that is a trigger or if it is just something weird about my installation (see my last post for Sametime oddities).

I'd be interested to know if anyone else can reproduce this problem.

Have You Seen This in Notes 8.0.1?

We have a few people who have moved to the Notes 8.0.1 client and are planning the rollout to the rest of our clients. However, we have been seeing some problems in the client that we can't explain and want to try to sort out before continuing on.

The machines we have upgraded are our developer/admin machines, so they had the Notes, Admin and Designer clients installed (all 7.0.2). We did an upgrade rather than uninstalling 7/installing 8 and none of them had an 8 beta installed. These are all Win XP machines. We also had Sametime Connect 7.5.1 installed and I'm not sure if that was uninstalled before installing 8. The one thing we may not have done that is in the installation guide is to stop all other Windows programs before installing.

What we are seeing is that the embedded Sametime client does not always start correctly. It will be OK sometimes, but other times will not login and will not allow us to login. Other times it will login but the system tray icon will show as "disconnected". Sometimes when logged in, it will not open a chat window. Restarting the Notes client usually resolves the issues.

We can't figure out if it is something to do with how the client was installed on these machines, if it is related to how our environment (OS) is secured or something else. We did have local admin rights on the machines when we installed the software.

We're worried about the impression these kinds of things will leave, and we really have no desire to remove all traces of 7 before installing 8 (that seems to resolve the problems) because of the extra work it will cause everyone in setting up their Notes environment again. Any thoughts would be appreciated - no idea is too crazy at this point.

Shatner Really *is* Speaking at an IBM Conference

Got an email today about the Rational Software Developer Conference and saw that William Shatner is one of the keynote speakers. He's been rumored to be at Lotusphere so often that it's become cliche.

I've enjoyed the music at the Lotusphere OGS the last couple of years but I'm a little jealous that the Wallflowers are playing the RSDC. Maybe next year....

This is a good idea?

So Delta and Northwest are going to (try to) merge. Two airlines that not too long ago were in bankruptcy. The CEO of Delta came from Northwest and the CEO of Northwest is going to "retire quietly". They are planning to keep all nine (nine!) of their hubs. Their pilots still haven't come to agreement on their seniority issues.

There are obviously a lot of details to be worked out and made public but early on this has the look of 1+1=1. It will be interesting to see where they are going to find the cost savings to justify this. I'm a little worried about smaller airports like the one where I live since we have both Northwest and Delta flying out of here to Detroit, Minneapolis and Cincinnati (and, for a time, Atlanta). I foresee higher prices and fewer choices.

SnTT: @Transform Goodness

If you went to Rocky's session at Lotusphere 2008 on Formula Tricks, you heard about the @Transform function. It lets you take a list of values and run a formula against it to change some or all of the values in the list based on your criteria.

I've used it in two places recently and it works far better than anything we could have done prior to the function becoming available (which was in Release 6). In my first example, I have a list of dates and a list of numbers. I want to sum the numbers only for the dates that are in the future. For example, say the fields are:
SchedDates is 3/24/08:3/31/08:4/7/08:4/14/08
SchedDays is 5:5:4:5

If I look at this on 4/4/08, I want to end up with 9. This is the formula I run:

@If(SchedDates="";0;@Sum(@Transform(@Text(SchedDates) + "~" + @Text(SchedDays);"x";@If(@TextToTime(@Left(x;"~"))<@Today;0;@TextToNumber(@Right(x;"~"))*8))))

That takes the two fields and joins them (eg. 03/24/2008~5:03/31/2008~5:04/07/2008~4:04/14/2008:5), then replaces each one with 0 if the date portion is before today or the number portion if not. So you end up with 0:0:4:5. When you @Sum that, you get 9. Cool!

The other time I used it recently was to make sure that a name was placed in a field as long as it wasn't already in that field or five other fields. That formula looks like this and is in the Input Translation of a field (in this case Level5):

reqNames:=@Name([Canonicalize];"James Q Public/MyCo/US");
@If(reqNames*=Level0:Level1:Level2:Level3:Level4:Level5;@Trim(@Transform(reqNames;"x";@If(@IsMember(x;Level0:Level1:Level2:Level3:Level4:Level5);@Nothing;x)):@ThisValue);
@Trim(reqNames:@ThisValue))

The reqNames field can be multi-valued. If any of the values in the field are in any of the listed fields (Level0, etc.), it replaces that value in reqNames with @Nothing. When all values in reqNames are checked, it prepends the remaining names to the field where the formula lives. If not, reqNames is just prepended to the existing field value, making sure there are no blank entries in the list.

If you haven't already, be sure you take a look at @Transform.

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Written Language Foibles

I am accused sometimes - mostly by my wife - of being "Mr. Language Person" because I spot and comment on potentially odd phrases in written or spoken words. I saw this one this morning:

SEATTLE — The FBI is analyzing a torn, tangled parachute found buried by children in southwest Washington to determine whether it might have been used by famed plane hijacker D.B. Cooper, the agency said Tuesday.

I know what this is meant to say, but it could be read three ways, two of them unintended:
- The way it is meant, that the children found it.
- That there were children buried nearby (ewww).
- That the children buried it.

I don't know why I notice those things, but I do.

UPDATE: The version published in my local paper reads:

SEATTLE — The FBI is analyzing a torn, tangled parachute that children found buried in southwest Washington to determine whether it might have been used by famed plane hijacker D.B. Cooper, the agency said Tuesday.

Much more clear that way.

Multitasking

I hear a lot about the "new generation" being able to multitask far easier than past generations, primarily because they grow up doing it. I always used to have the TV or music on when I was doing homework, and I still have music on during the day when I am at work, but it tended to fade into the background when I focused on what I *should* have been doing.

Today I was looking at some code that I need to enhance and I had a podcast on (after last week's vacation, I am a little behind). I found I could only really concentrate on one or the other because the podcast was one where I might actually learn something (it wasn't just for entertainment).

So my question is, can young people now really focus on two tasks like that (working/studying and an informative podcast or TV show)? Or is the multitasking they are talking about studying and IMing friends? I can do that, by the way.

What I Got From Lotusphere 2008

As usual, there was a lot to see and do this year. But, as Gregg Eldred and others have said, the Lotusphere experience goes beyond the sessions, Product Showcase and receptions. It really is about the community: sitting at lunch with the people who develop the products, meeting people you have interacted with online, sharing knowledge to resolve that nagging problem. Maybe it’s because I am in a small shop, but knowing other Notes/Domino administrators and developers who I can bounce ideas off is really helpful. There may be communities around other software products, but it seems the bond is stronger within the Lotus community because “community” is what Lotus Notes has always been about.

So what did I take away from Lotusphere this year?

• Developers need to learn Java or make friends with Java developers. That isn’t to say that LotusScript is going away – it isn’t – nor will it become a second-class citizen as an application development language – it won’t. It just means that taking full advantage of the Notes 8 client and the capabilities it can provide will require Java knowledge.



• Widgets (and – maybe – Live Text) will go a LONG way toward making the Notes client the one application people live in all day. The thing I have yet to get a clear picture of is how they will function in a restrictive environment (eg. behind the firewall).



• Designer 8.5 will transform how we develop Notes applications. Yes, there are some paradigm shifts and there may be some syntax issues (do we help Notes developers learn Eclipse terminology or change Eclipse to Notes/Domino terms?), but the tools and flexibility in the new Designer will be phenomenal. I should have spent more time looking at XPages but I think those will evolve into a powerful tool for client applications.



• It will be interesting to see how Lotus Mashups and Bluehouse evolve over the next year. They looked pretty cool “on paper”.



• SpeedGeeking is a must-see. It grew this year vs. last year and I expect it to grow more next year. It is a chance to hear knowledgeable presenters up close and personal as they shred their vocal cords. More importantly, you get a lot of tips on a variety of topics in a short period of time. It is well worth attending.

The last two years have seen IBM Lotus playing offense in a confident manner. There is a lot of positive energy around Notes/Domino 8 and the roadmap is clearer than it has ever been. To be sure, there are things that could be improved: make it easier to do advanced UI tricks (like using layers), control client and application appearance by merely editing CSS files, Symphony programming and integration (some improvements are coming). But overall, the future looks bright.

Why Is This?

It takes months to get into shape but only a couple of weeks to get out of it. I did my usual BodyPump class on Monday after missing two weeks (one at Lotusphere, one with the flu) and my legs have hurt all day today. I'm going again tomorrow because I know that although they will hurt, they will actually hurt less after I work them out again. It's really annoying though that it only takes two weeks to undo a lot of prior work.

Lotusphere Tips

This is probably better written BEFORE Lotusphere, but I am going to put it down while these things are fresh in my mind.

• Register early and stay at the Swan or Dolphin. It is SO much easier to be able to get to your room quickly and easily, especially if you hang out with people later in the evening on the Boardwalk. If you can't or don't want to stay there, plan to pay for cab rides: the Disney transportation system is good but it will take 30-45 minutes to get from the Boardwalk or Swan/Dolphin back to one of the other resorts.


• Plan your travel to arrive by Saturday night and leave Thursday night or Friday. That way you can attend the full day of JumpStarts and take in Gurupalooza, Meet the Developers and the Closing General Session. Look at the Closing Session like dessert: it doesn't add to your technical knowledge, but is a reward for all the energy you've expended earlier in the week. My first year, I missed the Thursday afternoon sessions because they weren't mentioned anywhere that I saw. Now you know.


• Try to get in early enough on Saturday to get registered at the conference. Then you have time to review all the materials you get and make sure your agenda is set. Of course, using the Sessions database that Ben Langhinrichs puts together helps with that, but getting registered Saturday lets you transfer all that information to your pocket agenda.


• Find shortcuts among the Swan, Dolphin and Yacht & Beach. This will come with experience and exploration. Go outside to get between them (go through the pool/beach area or out the end of the Dolphin past the dining hall), go out the main Swan doors and along the sidewalk to get over to the conference areas, and find alternate entrances (I can't give away ALL my secrets :D ).

These are just a few ideas in addition to the other tips you can find. Hope you can use them.

What a Game!

I will admit that I thought the Patriots would blow past the Giants, but that it might take until the second half to do it. Even after the first quarter, I told my wife if the rest of the game went the same way, the Giants would win time of possession 40 minutes to 20 minutes but still lose 28-12. Boy, was I wrong!

It was a pretty entertaining game all throughout and Eli proved he could handle as much pressure as Brady and still perform. I didn't really care much who won, but I'm not unhappy to see the Pats go 18-1.

Oh, and I think my favorite commercials were the Tide-to-Go (talking stain) and the Bud Light fire breathing, with the Thriller-dancing lizards a close third.

Flu Sucks

It took until Sunday evening, but I think the 'SphereFlu caught me then. The doctor confirmed it Tuesday; luckily, because it was within 48 hours, I could take Tamiflu (boy is that stuff expensive!). Finally, by Wednesday evening, I was feeling at least OK. I'm still pretty tired but at least am able to do some work (from home, luckily).

Now I just have to get healthy and keep the rest of the family healthy so we'll be ready for vacation at the end of next week.

Dude, Where's My Plane?

I was about 90 minutes late getting home from Chicago last night. Part of it was weather related (breezy and snowy so they had to de-ice; there were lots of planes to de-ice then the heater broke in the truck right as it was getting to us). But the other part of it was that someone got on the wrong plane.

We were at a gate that was able to load two regional jets at the same time. They loaded one then started loading ours. By the time I got to the turn to the other plane, the door was blocked by a rope. Apparently a fellow traveler got there early. So he probably screwed up two flights at once. No one booed him when he got on, but I really wanted to.

At least I got an enthusiastic welcome when I finally made it!