Robert Brooks Lotus Blog

OK...these are waaaay old (1994) but at least I have something to post!

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Robert Brooks April 17th, 2010 11:12:23 PM

I was recently asked how one would go about printing business contact envelopes from a Notes address book. A very valid question since there is no native functionality that allows for this.

I decided to modify a names.ntf template to include this functionality. Although I provide the template for download in this blog entry, it is to be used on an as is basis which means I make no claims of support and provide it to be used at your own risk.

Now that I have covered my @$$, there is really nothing to be worried about. I simply added a form to be used as the layout for the envelope and added some simple formula language to initiate the printer spool. It only prints one contact at a time (so is initiated from the document level), but can serve as a starting point for those would like to batch print from the view level.

Here is how it works:

namesp.zip

Deploying the Template
1.        Download the template attached in this blog entry to your notes/data directory

• unzip the file
• Open the files "namesp.ntf" in your Domino Designer Client
• Open the form called "Envelope"
• Change the return address to your information
• If desired, add your corporate logo above or below the return address information
• Save and close the form

2.        Open your current address book.
3.        Click File, Application, Replace Design.



4.        In the Replace Design Dialog window that comes up do the following:

 

• Check the "Show Advanced Templates" Box
• Uncheck the "Inherit Future Design Changes" box
• Select the "Contacts with Print Envelope" template.
• Click replace
• Finally Click "Yes" to the messagebox

6.        Close the Address book a re-open

Using the new function

• Open a contact entry
• Click the Print Button

• On the form that opens confirm the Information. NOTE: You can easily add a corporate logo to the Envelope by opening and editing the form called "Envelope" in Notes Designer

• IMPORTANT - Make sure you select Landscape orientation before printing the envelope.

.....and Viola....a nicely printed envelope from you notes address book.

As always I am here for your questions

Comments (6)
Robert Brooks April 8th, 2008 07:21:17 PM

With the Lotusphere Comes to You events fast approaching I thought I would use this time to provide assistance in creating a registration website for the individual Partner lead LCTY events I am aware of. For those of you interested in attending here are the cities I am currently aware of:

Halifax - Lead by Nashen + Nashen
Winnipeg - Lead by Kryos
Edmonton - Lead by Allegro Associates
Regina - Lead by Gear Development
Calgary - TBD
Vancouver - TBD

Send me an e-mail for details or venue and dates

That said, each of the partners leading these events will have to create a registration website to track attendee status.
I am providing a basic notes database for that purpose and will walk through how to customize it to your event. Let's start with the database itself.

If the images do not show up in your browser, you can also download an Open Standard or MS Word version of these instructions

Open Standard Instructions

MS Word Instructions

Detach and unzip the file below to the Data directory of your domino server, then open it in designer

LCTYreg.zip

Open the form called "UserReg"

At the top of the form modify the "Where" and "When" data to reflect details of your event



Scroll to the bottom of the form and insert Particpating Partner Logos by clicking "Create", then "Picture" from the menu bar







Click on the Submit button of the form in designer

In the programmer pane you will then see the Java script used to validate the form and provide a message to the registrant.

Scroll to the bottom of this code which looks like this:

frm.submit();
alert("Thank you for registering for the Halifax LCTY. Check your inbox._
You will receive your confirmation within the next few minutes");
window.close ();

After the form is submitted (the first line)  a message is displayed to the registrant (The second line).
Customize this message by changing the text in between the quotation marks

The last line "window.close ();" will then close the browser window after the registrant clicks OK on the message you have provided.

Also, you will note that each of the fields on the form are marked as required to submit the form. If you don't want to do this (but I wouldn't recommend it)
you can change the java code or remove it for individual fields.
The example below shows which text to remove (area in yellow) to make the First name Field NOT required.



Save and close the form.

Next we need to set up an agent to do some work for us. We use an agent because LotusScript is not capable of running from the web,
but we can run an agent from the web that has LotusScript in it. In this case the script is provided for you and you can simply modify it to
suit your needs.

From Designer open the agent by clicking "Shared Code" then "Agents"



Open the "NewRegie" agent by double clicking on it

This agent does a couple of things:
1.        It saves the webform to the LCTYreg.nsf Database
2.        It sends notification and a doc link to the registration in this dataase to the event coordinator (or whoever you wish)
3.        It sends an e-mail confirmation to the registrant



You will need to modify a few things to personalize this for your event.

First change the e-mail address of the person to be notified that a new registration has taken place



Next, if you choose to, you can change the parameters of the e-mail that notifies you of a new registration. You can modify:

• Subject
• Body - The text inside the e-mail
• Who the memo is from

The resulting e-mail will look like this:



Follow the Doc link and you will get this:



And from the Database view it look likes this (handy for creating lists)




Lastly, we need to notify the registrant that their registration has been received and is confirmed.
You can change the areas shown below to your liking. Please note:
 

• In the example below the memo.body section is one continuous string. Only change text in between quotation marks
• To add new lines in the body of the e-mail use the carriage return function - "+ Chr(13)"
• Use the plus sign (+) to string together different sections of the body

The resulting e-mail will look like this:

Thank you Robert.

You are confirmed to attend the Halfiax Lotusphere Comes to You

When : Tuesday April 15, 2008
Where: The Westin Nova Scotian, 1181 Hollis Street · Halifax, Nova Scotia,  B3H 2P6,  Phone: (902) 421-1000

AGENDA:


07:30 am - 09:00 am: Executive Meeting - IBM Lotus Software Overview & Strategy
09:00 am - 10:00 am: Breakfast and Welcome
10:00 am - 10:45 am: IBM Lotus Notes & Domino - Learn about the roadmap for 2008 and beyond
10:45 am - 11:30 am: Team Collaboration and Collaborative Document Management: The Future Has Arrived –IBM Lotus Quickr
11:30 am - 12:15 pm: IBM Lotus Connections - a glimpse of the new ideas and directions we are taking Lotus Connections through 2008
12:15 pm - 01:00 pm: Lunch Break
01:00 pm - 01:45 pm: IBM Lotus Sametime Strategy and Roadmap: The Future of Unified Communications and Collaboration
01:45 pm - 02:30 pm: Research in Motion - The Newest Lotus Software on the Newest RIM Devices
02:30 pm - 03:15 pm: Microsoft Licensing Strategy - Learn how customers around the globe are reducing their MS Spend by 30 - 70% on average
03:15 pm - 04:00 pm: IBM Business Partner Solutions - BP Solution text goes here

If you have any questions, requests, or issues accessing this site please e-mail us at:

contact@bpinfo.com


Once the form and agent have been created/modified, you will need to address the issue of how the agent is initialized and security

Final details for the agent:

From the agent, right click anywhere in the code and choose "agent properties"

In the properties box make sure it look like the image below then click the "Key" tab at the top of the properties box.



Choose someone (who has agent rights on the server) to run this agent on behalf of. Note: since you are running this on
behalf of this person the confirmation e-mail to the new registrant will come from this person.
You may consider creating a new user with agent rights and call the user "Event Confirmation" or something along those lines.



Finally, because you need this database open to the web it creates an exposure to those who are proficient in Lotus technology.
To close this exposure we will want to hide the registrants information from the web even though they have access to create documents.
To do this:

• Open the "main" view

• Do the following for each of the columns in the view
  • Double Click on the column header to bring up the column properties box
  
  • Click on the "Beanie" Tab
  • Check the "Hide column if formula is true" box
  • The the following formula - @ClientType="Web"
  
  • This effectively hides the columns from web browsers but allows clients to see the data from the view.
  
  If you have any questions or comments please feel free to contact me directly

Comments (0)
Robert Brooks March 27th, 2008 12:18:42 AM

YOU... Can have anything you want out of life....If YOU are prepared to do what it takes to get it.

I tell this to my children on a regular basis. I also approach my life and business decisions with the same philosophy. Too many of us go through life simply riding the wave of what comes our way without ever giving any real thought to what would make "me" happiest. Happy is how I define success. For some folks happy is having the means to enjoy the latest technology (example: Sea Doo's, Big Screen TV's or fast computers), for others happiness might mean having plenty of time to spend with family or friends. Whatever it is that makes you most happy is how you should define your level of success.

Unfortunately, the promises of high technology from yesteryear have not delivered. I remember about 20 years ago being told by big business that technology would make all of our lives easier so that we could all have more time to pursue whatever it is that makes us happy. It hasn't turned out that way has it. For all the advances society and business has made we all work much harder and much longer than our parents did. It is rare to find ANYONE in a professional position who is NOT working during the evenings and weekends. Double digit growth for stock holders while downsizing company size (because we have technology to take care of that now) have insured it is impossible to keep a job/career unless you are willing to put in that extra time. One of my biggest pet peeves with the promise of technology is with the banking sector. We do more for ourselves now (internet banking, ATM's etc etc..) than at any other point in time yet we pay MORE in fees. The banks are doing less but charging more. There is something wrong with that picture...but I digress

Given that there is so little time in our lives for the pursuit of what really makes us happy it is no wonder we see so many incidents of rage in the workplace, road rage, or for that matter any other type of rage. That said, you need to know success is STILL available to you. It is a simple process but VERY difficult to follow through on. I submit to you that if it is important enough, you will find a way to make it happen. Here are some simple steps you can refer to that should help you stay the course.

Steps for Success.
1.        The first step toward success is knowing exactly what it is you want. This could be something simple and short term like success on a project at work, or it can be something complicated and long term like growing your small business into a mid size business. If you don't know what makes you happy how will you ever obtain happiness/success?
2.        Identify the steps to obtain your happiness. Many people stop chasing their dream at this step because they cannot identify the steps necessary to obtain it. Here are a few hopefully helpful tips to help you through this step.

1. Research. Today's world has a myriad of information available at your fingertips. The internet has provided a conduit of unlimited knowledge. Use it. Read as much as you can about your dream or what makes you happy. Decide as you read if all of the information you are reading is component of your happiness or just some of it.
2. Talk to people who already enjoy a career or spare time in that field. Talk to the ones who are happy to be there. NOT the ones who are negative. They will only sow the seeds of doubt in you. When you engage these people LISTEN to what they have to say. You don't have to follow ever piece of advice you hear, but if you listen you will know what makes sense for you and your dream.
3. Compose a list of things you must achieve to get your goal. A little thought will be required here but if you follow the two previous steps you should be able to draw up a list that makes sense for you. Remember, life is not static and therefore your to do list shouldn't be either so be sure to revisit it on a regular basis and re-evaluate if all the steps still make sense. It would be foolish to assume that things in life will never change. By extension be aware that your goals, dreams and the things that make you happy can also change. If that happens, embrace the change and apply the same methodology. The most successful people in the world will tell you that awareness of what makes you happy is the most important part of finding happiness.

3.        OK...so now you have a goal, some advice and a to do list. You are well on the way. The next thing you need to do is ask yourself every day... "What did I (or will I) do today to get closer to my goal/dream?" This is where it starts to get tougher, but if you want it bad enough you will find a way to make time to do something every day to get closer. An example would be someone who wants to make a living as a musician or singer. This person should be finding time to sing songs, or practice scales...or maybe spend time hanging out with other musicians, or reading about the music industry on the web. It does not matter what it is you do today from your list of to do's...so long as you do something. You don't need to knock a to do off your list every day...that would be absurd...but you do need to gain a little more knowledge, experience networking or perspective on your understanding of what it is you need to do. One thing I recommend is to look yourself in the mirror every morning or evening and ask yourself the question "What did I (or will I) do today"? The simple reality is that you can lie to your spouse, boss, friends or co-workers...but you cannot lie to yourself (and if you can I suggest you think of the name Sybil and seek help immediately). If you can find ways to do something EVERY DAY you will find your will obtain your goal a lot faster than if you sit and wait for it to come to you.
4.        "If at first you don't succeed, try, try again"....or as Yoda said...."do...or do not...there is no try". There are a million cliche sayings around staying positive and every one of them is true. Think of the people you like to work or associate with. It's the folks with a positive attitude and outlook that we all tend to gravitate toward. Be one of those people. Surround yourself with those people. There will be plenty of obstacles you need to overcome in the pursuit of your dreams. The people closest to you should not be one of them.
5.        Did I mention do something everyday and give yourself a stop check to make sure you are on track?
6.        Have no fear. Lee Iacocca...Bill Gates...Henry Ford...they all had one thing in common. No Fear. This lack of fear is what has enabled these men to accomplish the impossible. Fear leads to doubt...and doubt in yourself is the very last thing you can afford. ALWAYS believe in yourself. That is not to say ignore the laws of physics or reality, but believing you can accomplish anything will give you an inner strength that makes failure unlikely. We have all heard the stories of the "power of the mind"...the woman who lifted the car to save her child as an example. The laws of physics tell us that this is impossible...yet she did it. How? If I knew the answer I would be rich beyond the dreams of avarice, but since I don't I will place faith in the power of the mind and positive thought.
7.        Did I mention do something everyday and give yourself a stop check to make sure you are on track?
8.        Did I mention do something everyday and give yourself a stop check to make sure you are on track? Look in the mirror and ask yourself the question... OK...hopefully you are seeing a pattern here.
9.        Be prepared to sacrifice. Not going to the music lesson or out for that daily jog or college course on computers because there is a hockey game on, or your pals are heading out for as few drinks or an evening of dancing is not an acceptable option. To find true happiness or the realization of your dream you must make decisions that are congruent with a step towards success. making excuses not to do something every day is a nasty habit to try and quit once you begin. I have had people tell me they need to be able to live while chasing their dreams...and I agree just not at the cost of dream chasing activities. Ask any professional sports figure how many parties they miss as a teenager because of team practice or a game, or needing to be well rested for the tournament. You can bet you last dollar that they gave up a lot...but they will also tell you the pay off has more than made up for that. They are now paid very handsomely to play a game that they LOVE. Coincidentally, they are now in a position financially to be throwing the parties and usually they get invited to the hippest of parties. Not a bad trade off for a few years of discipline and sacrifice. Volunteering to gain valuable experience is a sacrifice that has a direct result. Try volunteering if you can find the time.


The simple reality is that you can have ANYTHING you want if you are willing to do WHATEVER it takes to get it. I believe thoughtful introspection, belief in yourself, determination, and a willingness to make sacrifices will get you there.


Next Blog Entry: Technical tip - Getting started creating basic workflow from Notes to MS Office

Comments (1)
Robert Brooks March 16th, 2008 08:21:15 PM

For those of you who have been reading my blog lately you will notice I have changed the formatting. That is because I have chosen to switch from the Quickr Blog Template to the Lotus Notes blog template. I tried....I really did...but could not get the blog function of Quickr 8 to do what I wanted and needed it to do.

I started with the best intentions. I wanted to show the world what a fantastic product Quickr really is so I decided to put my  blog up on a Quickr server. Unfortunately the blog function of Quickr seems to be it's weak point. RSS feeds are finicky at best and difficult to get working. Changing a blog style or placetype is not an option or if you wish to modify the .css file for the site you can but it is not overly intuitive on the best way to go about doing that.

The Notes blog by comparison is VERY easy to use. When you first initialize the site a wizard walks you through the initial set up and the default .css file has comments behind each area suggesting what might be changed to customize your site. RSS, Meta data, and tagging are all a breeze in the in the Notes blog interface and clearly marked in a manner that will help a novice coder make required changes. Nothing is hidden.

Please make sure you understand I am NOT BASHING QUICKR. It is a fantastic product for document management, work where you are functionality and project management that has the ability to pull together disparate data into a meaning manner. Unfortunately the blogs still require some work and being a somewhat technical person I understand some of the challenges the developers are facing bringing blog technology to their Quickr/QuickPlace architecture. I am sure Lotus Development will overcome these challenges, but for now....better to use the Notes version of Blog.

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Robert Brooks March 13th, 2008 01:58:07 PM

I met her just over ten years ago. She was working with the K-12 and Higher Education Institutions across Canada in an effort to bring a new concept to the world of Education (Distance Learning). A petite woman who I remember thinking reminded me of a pixie (because of the bright eyes and smile). Petite describe her only in physical stature...she had a heart larger than most can dream of, and a keen analytical mind that put most of the rest of us to shame. I suppose this is why she fit in so very well with the folks in the education space. Seeing her speak about Lotus products, the vision of Collaboration, and the value of knowledge was a treat I wish everyone could have experienced. Jamie McNaughton (as she was known at the time) was a force to be reckoned with. Such a shame IBM could never figure out how to harness her passion. We began working on seminars together and I quickly found that her passion for Lotus was something akin to my overzealousness for Lotus. This common way of thinking gave us the beginnings of a friendship that would last for years. I think we both talked each other down of the "IBM" ledge for than a few times. We seemed to be able to disengage ourselves from the politics of life at IBM when the other needed it. One afternoon I got a call from my manager at the time who told me that Jamie was diagnosed with Breast Cancer and that I would need to step up the coverage of the events we had planned. I called Jamie to see if I could arrange to see her, but she was just starting chemo and was really not feeling up to it. Eventually she got to a point where she was well enough to see me for an occasional lunch and we grew closer and closer. We would talk of how sitting at home was like a slow death to her and how she NEEDED to get back to work and spreading her passion for Lotus again. This eventually happened. She eventually became Jamie Houston again. This was not a slight on Bill by any stretch. Of all the divorced couples I have met in my lifetime these two were by far the most amicable with each other and still caring for each other (which is still the case). It was something she just felt she needed to do. Over the years we drifted in and out of each others lives until about 1 year ago when we started to work in the same space again. I knew she was getting sick again but I refused to give in to the idea that this disease could somehow beat her. After all...she was one of the TOUGHEST people I knew and a true fighter in every sense of the word. One of the last times we spoke was at an event at the Sky Dome last September. We had dinner just before the event and I, in my usual way, was trying to help her keep her head up. I think she realized that I was in denial because at one point she looked at me and said "Rob...I am dying." This hit me like a brick and I am sure she saw this because the conversation quickly went back to the Lotus event. I saw her several more times through to November and then the communications stopped. I heard she went on a leave of absense instead of disability so I assumed she was still fighting and just traveling (which is something she absolutely loved to do) .....but she wasn't returning my e-mails and messages. I am hoping she just didn't want me to see her because of what it would have done to me. Last week I got the news. Jamie had passed on Feb 20th after her long fight with cancer. I am still numb and part of me is having a hard time reconciling this fact in my mind. People like Jamie don't die .... at least not in my experiences ... not until now .... Perhaps I can't reconcile because a little piece of Jamie is still with me .... the pixie smile the bright eyes so full of life...the passion for Lotus and what is right and fair .... an unswerving willingness to help ANYONE who needed help ....guidance for those who needed guidance .... and a lifetime friendship for those who loved her, her methods, and her beliefs. Lotus Canada has lost an icon. Probably one of the only REAL Canadian Lotus icons Canada has ever had. A Canadian equivalent of an Ed Brill or Alan Lepofsky. I will do my best personally to carry on with the Lotus torch .... hopefully doing some justice to the level of expertise and passion Jamie was to and for the Lotus. She will be sadly missed by many .... and for me personally ....it will be some time before I can except she is gone physically ... probably cause I still feel her in my heart.

Comments (0)
Robert Brooks February 20th, 2008 06:32:37 PM