[Big Timesheet Icon]

Palmpilot Timesheet Application, Version 1.5.2

[Home] [Up] I used to work as a consultant for an IT company in Auckland, New Zealand. At the end of each month I had to submit a timesheet listing the tasks I had completed during the month for various clients.

Before discovering the PalmPilot, I used to lug around a hefty filofax and write it all down. After purchasing a PalmPilot I threw away my filofax with a sigh of relief and started tracking everything in the Datebook.

Unfortunately the Datebook still didn't quite fit my needs. Then I discovered the nifty GNU Palmpilot SDK and started coding up my first Palmpilot app. Three weeks later, Timesheet v1.0 was complete.

Cut to the Chase Already!

Timesheet version 1.5.2 is available as a zip file including this HTML documentation and the Timesheet2CSV utility.

Timesheet should be considered beta software as I'm still in the process of developing and debugging it. Make sure you backup your PalmPilot before you start using this app.

To Install

  1. Save the above zip file to a handy place on your PC (or Mac, or Linux box).
  2. Extract the zip file into an empty directory using your favorite unzip utility.
  3. This will create two sub-directories, one of which is called timesheet.
  4. Start your Palmpilot install tool and browse to the this timesheet directory.
  5. Select the Timsheet.prc file for installation the next time you Hotsync.
  6. Hotsync and Timesheet will appear on your Palmpilot, enjoy!

License and Warranty Details

The Palmpilot Timesheet application is (c) Copyright 1998-1999, Stuart Nicholson.

Version 1.5.2 of the Palmpilot Timesheet Application is provided FREE for NON-COMMERCIAL use. You may copy and distribute verbatim copies of the Timesheet distribution as you receive it, in any medium, provided that you conspicuously and appropriately publish on each copy an appropriate copyright notice and disclaimer of warranty and keep intact all the notices that refer to this license and to the absence of any warranty. You may NOT charge a fee for the physical act of transferring a copy. This license applies to version 1.5.2 and all earlier versions of the Palmpilot Timesheet Application. Future versions of this application may be distributed under a different license.

As the program is licensed free of charge, there is NO WARRANTY for the program, to the extent permitted by applicable law. I provide the program "as is" without warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, including, but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. The entire risk as to the quality and performance of the program is with you. Should the program prove defective, you assume the cost of all necessary servicing, repair or correction.

User Documentation

Here's the user documentation which includes details on using the Timesheet2CSV export utility.

I have also started to build up a Timesheet Mini FAQ.

Technical Documentation

I have described the Timesheet database format in detail for anyone interested in developing utilities that work with Timesheet. This page also covers reading the TimesheetDB.PDB file, which is a backed up version of the Timesheet database. The page is only available in the online version of this documentation as it's of limited use to the average user.

Compatibility

Timesheet has been developed on a 512k Personal Palmpilot running PalmOS 2.0. Timesheet is now being developed under a Palm III upgraded Personal Palmpilot.

Presently Timesheet will NOT run under PalmOS 1.0 as it uses some of the PalmOs 2.0 GUI elements.

I have tested Timesheet under an EMULATED PalmOS 3.0 environment and my Palm III upgraded Pilot. A number of 'true' Palm III users have confirmed Timesheet runs fine on their devices.

If you have problems with Timesheet and your Palm Personal, Professional or Palm III, please email me with details.

Version history

Timesheet is currently version 1.5.2. A detailed version history is available (but not terribly interesting).

Comments, bug reports and suggestions for improvement are more than welcome! Email me at snic@ihug.co.nz.

Future Features

Here's a brief list of features I intend to add to Timesheet in future versions.

First here are the features I'll definitely be adding. They appear more or less in the order I'll be implementing them.

  1. Subtotals by Client for the Weekly summary view.
  2. Monthly summary by Client/Project/Task.
  3. Ability to move an existing entry to a different day.
  4. Decimal time representation. Eg. 3 hours 30 minutes becomes 3.5 hours.
I'm open to any other suggestions...although I really want to keep the app under 40k in size max. If I add all the above features I'll probably be over that.

Technical Notes

Timesheet presently has no conduit support, although I may get around to coding a Linux/Unix Timesheet utility using the pilot-link package.

The Timesheet database does have the backup attribute set, so every time you Hotsync your Palmpilot a copy of your Timesheet database will be copied onto your PC/Mac. Should anything go horribly wrong, you can recover your Timesheet data by transferring the application (*.PRC) and the backup database (*.PDB) back to your Palmpilot.

author: stuart nicholson
mail to: snic@ihug.co.nz