2020.02.12 Preview Release Notes

Grindstone 4 Releases
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To preview this release, complete these steps:

  1. launch Grindstone
  2. open the main Grindstone window
  3. click the Help menu
  4. select Switch to Preview Releases
  5. click the OK button

Grindstone Pro

  • Grindstone Pro is a whole new way to show your support for Grindstone’s development even if you have no need for Grindstone Sync, and get some extras from us for doing so. Licenses are machine-specific and cost 5 USD for a month or 60 USD for the lifetime of the device.
  • Grindstone Pro disables all ads in Grindstone.
  • Grindstone Pro introduces Extensions, allowing Pro users to customize and extend the functionality of Grindstone.
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We have created several fora supporting this new feature:

Those users previewing this release of Grindstone will be issued one-month Grindstone Pro licenses during the testing period at no charge (despite what Grindstone says about pricing). Although, an Epiforge Account is still required in order to be issued a license. Lifetime licenses will be unavailable for the duration of the testing period.

2

2020.02.25 Iteration

General

  • Duplicate: It is now possible to duplicate work items, time slices, assignments, properties, and list values. This feature is accessible from the context menu when right-clicking on the above in a view and also in the toolbar of views. When the duplication is complete, the selection in the view will be changed to the newly created items. When a work item is duplicated, property values for the work item are copied as well, but not the work item’s associated assignments or time slices. When a property is duplicated, list values and property values for the property are copied as well.
  • The Help menu’s Discussion Forum and View Notes for this Release options have been updated with links to this website.
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2020.02.25-2 Iteration

Setup

  • The uninstaller and updater binaries are now digitally signed so that all executables shipped with Grindstone 4 will now work properly with an application-level security apparatus such as Microsoft AppLocker.
4

2020.02.25-3 Iteration

General

  • The fatal error (¯\__(ツ)_/¯) window now allows users to include their names and emails in the report sent to Epiforge so that they can be contacted regarding the issue. This feature requires manually checking a box to opt in on a per-report basis.
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2020.02.26 Iteration

General

  • All notifications other than those listed below will now be displayed for a maximum of ten seconds:
    • ads to buy Grindstone Pro or try Grindstone Sync
    • monitored views that require attention
    • successful Grindstone updates

Grindstone Sync

  • Whenever Grindstone has a problem communicating with Grindstone Sync or one of its changes is rejected, it will now offer the user the option of resynchronizing the local database. This means that whatever Grindstone Sync believes to be the state of the data will be taken as the given and any differences on Grindstone’s side will be discarded so that the two sides are in agreement again. This feature was introduced to address the issues suffered by a minority of Grindstone Sync users which have occasionally experienced synchronization loss due to rare and intermittent issues such as dropped packets.
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2020.02.26-2 Iteration

Grindstone Sync

  • Manually Reset Synchronization has been added to the Grindstone Sync option in the Grindstone menu.
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2020.02.26-3 Iteration

General

  • Dramatically improved the algorithm that generates technical details regarding unexpected errors.
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2020.02.28 Iteration

Diagnostic Tools

  • Added Saved Logged Exceptions option to the Diagnostic Tools option in the Grindstone menu.
11

2020.03.01 Iteration

Grindstone Sync

  • It is now possible to set a custom URL for Grindstone Sync Cloud.
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2020.03.02 Iteration

General

  • Grindstone will now confirm dialogs when the enter key is pressed while a multi-line text box has focus. A new checkbox has been added to the General tab of Options to control this behavior. Unchecking it will return Grindstone to its previous default behavior. Users may also hold down any modifier key (control, alt, or shift) while pressing enter to insert a new line without confirming the current dialog.
1 Like
13

2020.03.02-2 Iteration

Away Dialog

  • The Away Dialog will now automatically focus the first option and will check other options that get focus via use of the directional and tab keys. Now, when the Away Dialog pops up and is the foreground window, users should be able to more easily select an option and confirm the dialog using only the keyboard.
1 Like
14

2020.03.08 Iteration

General

  • Rewind: There is a feature available in the Grindstone menu that allows users to easily restore backups that Grindstone has been making of their databases. Previously, restoration of these backups would only occur if Grindstone encountered an error loading a database. Now, users may decide to travel back in time on their own.
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2020.03.09 Iteration

General

  • Easy Timeframe Editing: If, when the timeframe editor appears and is not editing a gap from the Gap Detector, the user simply selects and adds work items without ever fiddling with the time range slider below the list of work items, Grindstone will just assume the user intends that each added work item should be given an evenly divided amount of the total time. This magic will disappear if the user so much as touches either the time range sliders beneath the work items list or the manual entry date fields beneath it. Enjoy your little Easter egg, @lachiewatson. :wink:
1 Like
16

Fantastic result, thanks Daniel.

So in summary, when choosing to ‘split’ the total time (either since computer was left unattended, or when choosing to split time spent):

  • default amount of time for additional task (say, Task B) is 50% of the total time,
  • when Task B is selected then added, it is added after Task A - of which is shortened to 50%,
  • when further tasks are added, even split of time between tasks continues (1/X)
    Small improvements to make the workflow more seamless! Cheers Daniel
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2020.03.11 Iteration

Grindstone Sync

  • We fixed a defect that could cause Grindstone to become unresponsive while using a Grindstone Sync database when the computer wakes from sleep.
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2020.03.14 Iteration

General

Options

  • There are now preferences available to disable notifications about Grindstone Pro, Grindstone Sync, and Grindstone 4 announcements if the user has a current Grindstone Pro license or is connected to Grindstone Sync.