Journal "wish list" requests here, please

I should have done this first, so my apologies to those who have already posted theirs (feel free to copy and paste your ideas over here.)


Ground rules for posting to this thread

1) Be very clear (but as concise as possible) about what you would like your online journal to do. Think in terms of finishing the following sentence:

"My ideal journal would ______________________________."


2) Post just once to this thread. (Edit your post as often as you'd like, and add as many ideas as you'd like to your post - but if everyone will contain themselves to just one post, it will be much easier to sort through.)


3) Remember this is a wish-list for a new journal format, not questions on "how-to" use the current journal's features. (Those posts are welcome in other threads in this forum ;o)

Ready? Okay, give us your "dream journal" ideas, please!

Here's mine copied and pasted...will add as I think of things


I'm thinking of a thread system and maybe tabs, or even forums that you can assign titles to. Something like General Gardening for a tab, with individual threads for seed starting, greenhouse, veggie garden, yard....want list...etc. Next would come something like Home and Crafts (for me anyway) I would have threads for fabric dyeing, Christmas, cooking,..... Maybe a tab for Pets....Wildlife...the threads inside would have information that I would want to share...maybe have a 'private tab' for things that you didn't want to share on the web. Parts could be public and parts could be private...depending on the box checked at the start of the tab/forum.

I like the idea of being able to assign your own headers...lots of folks use their journals for non-gardening topics also.

I know that the programming used to create the existing journal system is awsome, and lots of folks love it...It needs to remain, but have a note that says...'If you need a simpler form of a journal , you might try the EZJournal system..click here to begin'

Someone suggested a 'Move To' button...that would be nice.

Both types of 'journals' have their place...some need the database system for detailed tracking of new hybrids or extensive gardens. Some are just more organized than me.

What I need is an actual 'journal'. I'd like to be able to assign each subject to a section and have the option of several sections. I don't need any sub categories or defaults.The date would automatically be imprinted on the 'thread' just like DG, and I could add and edit within the threads as much as I pleased.

Other than that...the option of making parts private would be nice.

If I wanted to link to the PF..a simple hyperlink that I add is all I need. Much more than this and I feel that the grown up version of the journal is necessary..and I would insert any information that needed a more advanced tracking system over there.

I hope this makes sense....I'd use a thread system quite a bit if it were similar to the way the forums and threads are set up on DG and the other sites that use this system...I can handle that and pretty much can navigate without asking for much help.

This message was edited Apr 12, 2005 8:32 AM

I agree, wholeheartedly, with Melody's idea for a "Tab" & "Thread" system. Especially for those of us who need quick access to an area of our personal and private notes.

So, since I'm a notorious 'notekeeper' and have lots of catagories that I'd like to be able to keep organized, my dream journal would be set up on the basis of Notebooks (Catagories) with Sections each with Tabs (Subjects) and "pockets" (this is where I keep scraps of paper notes and pics). My notebooks would be "3-ring" NOT sprial -bound so that I could "move" a section from one notebook to another as it suited me.

The most important thing to me is to be able to keep 'Quick notes' when there is little time to concentrate on where I really want to put a note until I have the time to 'think' about organizing.

I suppose that's my dream in a nutshell...but I'd also like to have links to pertinent "How-to" threads of my choosing, and the ability to put in links to vendor sites that I need quickly.

Thanks for the opportunity to 'dream' in DG!

~julie~

I've copied the following from my separate thread in this forum per Terry's request. (I've also added to it. :-D )

Journal Wish #1
My first wish is that I'd like to be able to add a plant to my journal from the PlantFiles. It just seems to me that I'm always making an error in spelling and it takes quite a bit of time to look up all the data I need to make a Journal entry. If I could navigate to the PF listing of say Lilium 'Kiss Me Kate' and just click on "Add to My Journal" that would be fantastic! It would then ask you to select which Journal (if you have multiple journals) and then ask which Category you want to add this new plant. Once those were selected it would take you to a Journal entry page and allow you to put in the remaining fields if desired.

Journal Wish #2
When you navigate to a specific Category listing you can either "Prepare the items on this page for printing." or "Add a new item under this category". When you select the Printing option you get this WONDERFUL listing of the category entries INCLUDING the individual entries under each Journal item. I LOVE THIS! However, when I navigate to view a specific journal plant entry I get (among the many other options) the ability to "Print this item (with images)." AND "Print this item (without images)."

I would really, really like to have those options also display/print out the specific sub entries under that plant. Right now if you select either of those print options at a plant specific level you see the Initial Notes on the plant and then at the bottom, " There are 3 entries for this item." You don't get to see the specifics of the 3 entries! When you look by Category at ALL the plants in a category and then ask to Print it you get all the specifics and not " There are 3 entries for this item."

Journal Wish #3
When you are viewing a specific plant entry and select "Print this item (with images)." You don't get the actual pictures. Basically "Print this item (with images)." and "Print this item (without images)." gives you the exact same thing!

Journal Wish #4
I wish DG could be my ONLY personal garden database. Right now I keep all the info in my DG journal but then have to create a separate plant database on my computer to use with my label printer to generate permanent plant marker labels. (I use a Brother P-Touch PT-2610). The software that came with my Brother printer includes a database and it will allow you to import data. It would be GREAT if I could export my DG Journal data as a .csv file and then use it with my label printer.

Journal Wish #5
When you set up a Journal Item there are Initial Comments. You also put in a start date. I'd like it if when you View your entire entry that it displays that Start Date when viewing all the entries for that item. All the subsequent entries after the Initial one have their dates displayed. Would be nice to have the start date also shown.

Journal Wish #6
Allow To Do Items to be created that aren’t tied to a specific Journal Item. The reason is that sometimes my To Do item has more to do with general garden maintenance or an entire flower bed and not a single plant in my Journal.

Journal Wish #7
Currently you can click on the column headings in the View Category listing, but I'd like for it to sort both Ascending to Descending AND Descending to Ascending. Sometimes I want to see my list of NEWEST journal items and if I could click twice on the Begin Date heading then I'd be able to work the list "backwards".

Journal Wish #8
It would be great to be able to add a photo to an entry after the entery has been created while in the Edit Entry mode.

Journal Wish #9
Is it possible to be able to drill down to specific data using filters? I'd like to be able to see say all of the Journal Items I have with a status of "Hardened Off". Once I have that listing displayed I'd like to be able to then narrow it down to just "Daylilies" (which is a category I have.

Edited to add #7

This message was edited Apr 13, 2005 9:51 PM

Edited to add #8 and #9

This message was edited Apr 19, 2005 5:18 PM

Add plants from PlantFiles

What I would *really* like is some way to input off line, because when the server gets slow and/or my dial-up connection is slow, it's just too laborious. I end up not using it purely for that reason. (I'd pay extra!)

Also, a way to search for genus, family, etc. -- sometimes I just don't know and it's not on the tag or packet. It would be a learning tool.

And I agree, it's not easy enough to enter something, even if you don't fill in every blank. The 'add item' and 'add entry' thing confuses me every time. On the Main Page, can we just have a "new entry" button, then choose what kind it will be from a menu?

I would also like .csv or other format to keep my info in a spreadsheet on my pc -- since off-line entry is a pipe dream!

The notebook and thread ideas above sound very good. I like the idea of tabs, too.

New request Can we have a 'return to main page' button on each page? Could be just an icon, too. I often end up somewhere I didn't intend to be, then have to backtrack to start over. If there is a way to do this now, somebody please let me know! OOOPS - I guess the 'Your Journal' button does that! Duh...

This message was edited Apr 24, 2005 11:43 AM

This message was edited Apr 24, 2005 11:48 AM

Journal Wish #1 - See langbr's Journal Wish #1!

Journal Wish #2 - I'd love to have the common name of the plant listing in my journal made into a hyperlink connecting it to its counterpart in the PlantFiles. At http://davesgarden.com/journal/j/vbc/dstartz/27353/ I made a link of the first entry. But to go back and edit that page I have to redo the whole first line. It would WONDERFUL if the link were automatic.

Journal Wish #3 - A blog-like area for notes that don't follow the present DG journal format. For an example see the blog I'm keeping at http://gardeningonrosedr.blogspot.com/ . (I wish it were part of my DG journal.)

Journal Wish #4 - To be able to split an entry and put it under multiple headings. I do a lot of propagating and would like to keep my entries under the date they were done. But when the plant takes root, etc. I'm forced to move it to another area or leave it where it started. Unfortunately that doesn't work as well for me as I would really like.

I have been giving this a lot of thought. I will be sure to add more ideas as they come to me.

My ideal journal would interact more easily with plant files.
I would be able to add a plant from the files directly to my journal, and vice versa, so if a plant in my journal was not in plantfiles I could add it easily.

I would be able to access plants by location, so I could choose a garden bed and see all the plants in it.

My categories and statuses would be common to every journal.

I could add pictures to milestones. Now I have to enter a milestone, and then add an entry for a picture to show first flowers, fruits, buds, etc.


I like the idea of a "blog," which is being discussed on another thread.

I could add links to seed databases, vendors, threads etc.

I could track seedlings rather than just move them into a different catagory. If the same plant could be duplicated (not cloned, as when there is more than one plant) and put in multiple categories:
i.e. a viburnum could be listed in ornamental shrubs but also in Wildlife Garden. I like the cloning feature but this would take it a step further.

Edited to add:
I would love a calendar I could make entries in, a gardener's calendar geared to my zone. It would have the usual holidays, but also moon phases, equinoxes and solstices, first and last frost dates, and appropriatley timed gardening jobs- with things that can be carried forward from one year to the next.

It would be cool to have a collage capability (with the ability to comment) to put the pics of plants in one
location/various seasons together to see how they look next to each other- this would be a great tool for planning also. I have a paper journal where I do this with cut up plant catalogs, and it really gives me a good idea of what something is going to look like. Just daydreaming now, but that's what I'm here for!




This message was edited Apr 15, 2005 7:08 PM

This message was edited Apr 15, 2005 7:17 PM

I haven't updated mine in a while but as I recall the one thing I would have liked was to be able to sort the entries anyway I want.

Thanks

Robinz

Dave's Garden is an incredible site; the mere fact that you asked this question, is one of the reasons.

SORTING: More sorting options. Here are some of the ones that I have needed/wanted:

Vendor - I track full life-cycle purchase to grave, including Vendor name.I'd like to be able to sort on this
Date of order - This would make it easier to see what hasn't arrived/is overdue
Order Status - same as above
Color - I have 35 Asiatic Lilies, if I'm looking for a red one and don't know the name, it would be helpful to have a color field and to be able to sort on it
Location - I'm a very "visual" person. Frequently, I'd like to see what is planted in a particular location,bed,section.
This is my biggest wish. more on this below.

VISUAL LAYOUT OF BEDS: (In the following, current view and existing view will indicate the journal pages which are currently available.) The ability to organize and view my garden "layout" both as a whole and by bed or section.This would be a seperate page or view from the existing one. Plants could be depicted by either symbol or (better) small thumbnail. Best case, drag & drop from current view to beds or sections (or otherwise assign w/out having to retype).Should be able to move them around within this view both to tryout ideas before planting and to handle actual relocations. Dbl clicking on symbol or thumb w/in this view would take you back to the item w/in the current view. The bed or section should be tied to the "Location" entry in current view. ("Current" view refers to the existing journal pages.)

If this is too aggressive an idea, I would find it helpful if I had ANY option to group and view my items by their location. Currently I can indicate location but cannot sort accordingly. .

LOCATION: I would like for this to behave the way status currently does so that I could assign "names" to my beds or to sections of my garden and then reuse those names from a drop-down menu. That way my locations would be consistent which would aid in sorting (another of my wishes).

MOVING ITEMS AROUND: Drag and drop between journals, catagories, etc would be awesome. If that's too much, I'd like a way to move an entire sub catagory to a different location. (If this exists, I've not found it.)

SEARCHING: The fact that I can search within my journal is very helpful. At present, the search feature appears to search on the Common Name, Cultivar, and Location (at least). I like this as the default behavior for the search function but would like to have the option to control/alther this behavior (i.e., search only on Common Name - because sometimes a word in my Location column yields pages of unwanted results; search on Vendor, Date, Comments).

This is a big one for me. I would like to be able to search within a catagory (only). Sometimes I like the fact that no matter where I am in my journal a search brings up all matching items within my journal; however, there are also times when I would like to be able to limit the search by catagory, journal, etc. Example: if I have an Iris whose name I can't recall except that I know it includes the word "Rose", I'd like to be able to search the Iris catagory (only) for it; otherwise, my search will return the 100's of roses listed elsewhere in my journal.

MISC:

When I click on a table header to sort by that column, I would like for that sorting criteria to remain my new default until I change it - if not forever, then maybe for the current session or even for the current page.

Because I track items from time of purchase, I would like a column for Vendor with the option to sort and search on this column. Not sure how popular this would be with others though. Using the journal in this manner (from purchase) has greatly simplified the task of tracking my orders, esp backorder. I would like to be able to recall all outstanding orders for Vendor x.

Currently, I can perform group functions for "Change Status", "Change Catagory", and "Add an Entry", all of which are very helpful. I would like to be able to do group functions on milestones, as well. For instance, I have a "Received" milestone and would like to be able to select all items in the shipment and mark them as Received as a group.

Sometimes a "Select All" with the ability to uncheck the few I don't want in the group would be helpful, as would the use of Shift-Select to Select a bunch of items at once.

Edited to add something to SEARCHING. Getting close to the end, I think. Thank you very much for asking. Sheryl

This message was edited Apr 14, 2005 4:19 PM

This message was edited Apr 19, 2005 2:04 AM

This message was edited May 6, 2005 4:46 PM

I also like langbr's Journal Wish #1.

I like Melody's "thread system" idea as well.
I keep a spiral notebook and write every day about different observations of plants, the weather, etc. I also have sections for things I am propagating, seeds I am starting, ideas about different things I want to try the next year, etc. With a thread system, I could access my info from work without having to carry around the notebook or without having to keep up with "ideas" that pop into my head which then get jotted down on scraps of paper or post-it notes!

I also like and use the journal as it is set up now, so would like to have both options : )

Vicki

I wish the Garden Journal was a little easier to work with.

Anything where you have to have two windows open to complete, 1 for the journal and 1 for instruction on how to make an entry, is way over the head of the standard user.

Perhaps along with the advanced mode, offering a simple mode would help those who want to keep a journal but don't want to spend hours trying to figure out how to do it.

Also, by the time I'm ready to update I have to reread the instructions all over again. I think that's why most people don't keep a journal or don't keep it current.

Simple mode:
1 - I don't need a space for the Family - Genus - Species - ETC.
2 - All I need is something simple like the forums:
3 - Let me name the catagory and give me a space where I can write what I did, post a photo and add a date.
4 - Allow me to post updates and new photos to that catagory as they happen and as I progress.

Quick and easy.

Cheers
Dovey

Edited my post above to add Wish #7. :-D

hi dave, thanks for giving us all the chance to give ideas for the journal. i would love to be able to put several pictures for a single entry in my journal, instead of having to post several entries just to include all of the pictures i want to be able to look at for my own reference later. maybe you will consider this when redesigning the new journal format. Thanks, Jennifer of NC

Journal wishlist 1
Ability to upload trade sheets from excel sheets (you tell us the format that the excess sheet should be in)

Journal wishlist 2
Easier way to list items than moving back/forth through hieracial menus (too cumbersome). As minimum add more "back" buttons or "bread crum" trail links to navigate. But I really hope for another system than the current.

Journal wishlist 3
A "counter" button you can increase / decrease. If you have 8 items to trade, it would be nice with a +/- button to quickly increase/descrease available amount as trades go through

Journal wishlist 4
An easy way to sort lists, e.g. we can click on thread lists in forums/gwd to search by company, thread starter, date, etc. Why can't we have the same with tradelists. When lists are shown, sort by category, name, date, etc

Hi Dave,
I am a very new user of the journal (just started in March), but I chose your site because I was going to design my own garden journal database, did some searching, and found yours "ready-made." Thanks. I've read through the suggestions so far and would add my vote to:

1)More streamlined navigation for entering new info,

2) being able to upload from the Plant File to the journal would be fantastic,

3)being able to sort by location (treated like a category or status) would be very useful, and

4) I have not explored the "To Do" section, but I need a place to put down my ideas for next year's garden.

For instance, as I am looking at the spring bulbs I want to be able to remind myself to plant more Winter Aconites in the hillside garden in the fall .

As a new user to DG and a new user of the journal I found it weird that you couldn't use an image you already put into Plantfiles or if you upload a picture into your journal, you couldn't add it to tha common named plant in Plantfiles. Would make life easier and would cut down on DG having so many images put in twice.

Another feature that would be cool would be to redo the way the entries are made in the journal so you could do a history of a plant. Like I was going to take a picture of my plant a week in to being planted, then when it sets fruit and then whenever after that. Pretty much a history of the plant so next year I can go back and use the journal to see which tomatoes or any plants I want to plant next year based on my journal. I always thought that would be really cool and right now the journal is WAY TOO limited to do that and have it look good....

I just appreciate the free on-line journal you provide. Any improvements and simplications are greatly appreciationed!

My ideal journal would have a tab that I can click on to make general, daily journal entries. For Example:

Friday, April 14th - High of 68, Low of 44, Humidity 20%. Today my first 'Angel Face' Rose Bloomed, and my purple bearded iris bloom is going on its 4th day strong. The hostas have grown to a medium size, and most of the trees have leaves with the exception of the smaller tree in the front yard (unknown identity). The honeysuckle vine has put on its first blooms, and I am excited to see that they are red! I also just found out that I have two different kinds of spiderwart growing in my garden...one with purple flowers and the other with fushia flowers. Though I have weeded out most of my weeds, the johnny jump ups continue to be a problem.

Saturday, April 15th - High of 70, Low of 46, Humidity 30%. Today I noticed that some more winter jasmine have rooted in my garden (by layering). There are a total of 4 rooted at the moment. Several of my rose bushes have rose buds which should be opened by the end of next week. The english ivy on my oak tree is almost dead now, and I have to find a way to remove the vine from my tree. The privacy fence is starting to rot at the bottom and will need replacement within the next couple of years. The clear blue sky has made it easy to work out in the yard today and see many things that are going on in the garden. The screened porch is in need of a fresh coat of paint, and the siding could use some cleaning. The garden paths need additional filling between the rocks, and the grass needs to be fertilized.

Thanks!

Thanks for asking for our input. I'lI add wishes as I think of them.
1. I'd like to add plants to my journal from the PlantFiles AND have a hyperlink from my journal to the PlantFiles (like dstartz example). Then if I'm having problems with a plant or need more info its easy to get to the plant.
2. I'd like for one of the options to be able to see all my entries for the whole journal by date. It would take the place of a separate daily journal. I like to look back at past years and see when I did things.

I'm adding some ideas that have already been mentioned so you'll have an idea of how many of us want the changes.
3. An easier way to get around in my journal, like the threads and tabs.
4. Part of the journal private and part shared.
5. Ability to work off line. And not tie up my phone line.
6. Have the journal searchable.
7. Be able to put in general entries. ("I applied fertilizer to the raised bed today.")
The more I think about it, the more I would like to make individual entries and general entries. That could look like a daily journal if I wanted it to (by arranging it by date as an option).
8. "Access all items" would have a column for category.This message was edited Apr 29, 2005 10:27 PM

This message was edited May 2, 2005 1:01 AM

This message was edited Jun 3, 2005 8:37 PM

It'd be nice to have an easier way to update the status field. Right now I have to go into each plant's original file to update the status. As it is a status, I would like to track when it was one thing and when the status changed to another category. For example, I use the statuses of: just planted, now blooming, finished blooming, etc.

Just an idea....

Well, to start off I must say ... WOW ... you guys truly are amazing. You definitely go that extra mile! : ) And just in case you haven't noticed by the feedback, it is immensely appreciated.
Getting down to what you want to know, many ideas that others have are what I also would like to see.
- Melody's idea of "tabs" and "threads" would work for me as would the "private tab"
- Julie88's dream journal is basically what my hand-kept journal is like. I too would like to see links allowed that are needed or wanted, "How-to's" and links to vendors and such
- Langbr's idea of linkage to PlantFiles would be great. I get so confused as to what is Genus and what is Species that most of the time I just guess and try to keep that guess consistent. kaperc expanded on that a bit i think.
- dstartz "blog" area is wonderful!!!! This would be very useful indeed.
- oceangirl came up with the idea of an all-inclusive gardening calendar with moon phases, solstices, frost dates, etc. Absolutely awesome. Also like the idea of being able to add pictures to milestones. To expand, perhaps adding pictures to whatever area we choose would be good. She also voiced the idea of a collage capability -- seeing before and after pics.

I have a couple of ideas to add...
1) A drawing program that allows one to draw the basic shape of one's garden bed and "place" plants where you think they should go so that you could get an idea of what your garden will look like. Preferrably this would all be to scale to get a more accurate picture. Being able to input pictures of the plants would be very helpful; but as this is extremely complicated, I would "settle" for plant shapes that could be coloured. ;) I don't know about anyone else, but this would be useful for people like my husband and I who are re-landscaping our yard (slowly but surely) and have a communication problem. To clarify that, he understands pictures but more often than not does not understand the words coming out of my mouth. heehee [those are his words, by the way :)]
2) Another idea I had was the capability to archive last year's journal and start fresh for the new year. It would, however, be imperative that these archives were easily accessibly and that the information contained in them could be copied or brought up into the current journal.

That's all I've got for now. I will, of course, add to this as I think of anything. Just so long as someone else doesn't log it first, that is! Would hate to overload you more than you already are.

Thanks again. Can't express the gratitude. You really are the best!!
Greenmum

I just thought of something else. A few people, including myself, have expressed an interest in having a link set up to vendors, etc. What might be useful is to have this somehow linked into GardenWatchdog. This may be a help to those who are trying out new vendors and such. I didn't really have time to think this through, but if you can use it, it's yours.
Cheers.
Greenmum (again)

This message was edited Apr 16, 2005 10:15 AM

Just reading over the entries above mine and I discovered that scutler had an idea about garden layouts that was very similar to what I had in mind. Sorry about that. By the way, the rest of scutler's ideas were great also...especially the sorting ones.
Thanks again!! Still amazes me how great you guys are!

This message was edited Apr 19, 2005 9:22 AM

after reading in another thread discovered my request was already in the works.

This message was edited Apr 17, 2005 9:57 PM

I have been working on my jounal all night, trying to get it set up and updated for this year, and I'm thinking that the ability to have a master journal with all the catagories set up, and the ability to clone it to a "year" journal would be wonderful and time saving. Especially for veggie gardeners that would like to save their yearly journal for future reference, but not have to set up another one from scratch all over again for the next year.

Mass moving from journal to journal. This would be great too, and maybe somewhat the same as above. Ease in moving things is the reason my journals got so far outdated when we moved from the trailer to the house. Only about 100 foot move, but I moved all the plants in one year. I got behind because it was more time consuming to move the plants in the journal than in the garden.

Joan - just a thought. Could you make a Status for each year and then change the status of all the veggie items in your Journal to the previous year then you can start new entries using your normal Statuses. Here's what I'm kind of thinking.....

Create a new Status called "2004". Go to your veggie categories and select "Tomatoes" (or whatever you have them as) and do a Mass Change using the checkbox and the 'Change Status' button at the bottom of the listing. Change the Status to "2004" and then when you want to look at something from last year just click on the Access by Status option on your Journal Home page to select "2004". Also if you keep this years entries in the same category (Tomatoes or whatever it is) then you'll be able to see each years tomato entries with the Status indicating the year they were grown.

Just a thought. It would prevent you from having to delete entries, or create a new Journal and enter all that data again or move it.

Hi Dave!!
Thanks for aksing opinions on the journals! Personally, I love the concept. A place to keep notes on everything I do wrong (and sometimes right!) in my gardening. I'm pretty new at gardening altogether and have a lot to learn. Journaling will be a huge help! - the option to keep them open and searchable is just icing on the cake.
My only suggestion is that the journals be kept as simple as possible, and remain focused on the initial intent. It does not need to be complicated with unnecessary functionalities that most users won't need or use. Just a free-flow, searchable, open diary-style journal. I am looking forward to watching how things develop. :)
-Kathy

Maybe I haven't worked with Dave's Journal long enough, but I didn't see where a category for "Germination Date" was available for the seeds being planted. That would be helpful for me.

Wendiex - you can create categories and milestones using whatever label you like. I created a Milestone called "Germination" and that's how I track my seedlings.

I edited my post above to include Wish List items 8 & 9, Oh MY!

I, too, would like to have an option in each PF entry, to add that item to my journal. Often when I get a new plant, my first stop is PF, to find out how to take care of it. Then, I have to go to my journal and enter the info. Would be great to have them cross-linked somehow.

Shannon

A calendar view would be nice - so that one could look at the current week or month and see at a glance what needs to be done and has already been done.

Oooooohhhh....good one, spectrum!

Ditto!

My first request is to have a much larger photo when you print out a page on a specific plant. That way you can send someone a page with info and a viewable photo so they can properly id the plant if you send more than one. Or, if you are a sucker for punishment, print out your own hardcopy. :)

I would also like to be able to export my garden journal. After you spend hours upon hours creating one, it would be nice to be able to export parts of it.

It would also be nice to be able to export a plant, it's info and photo to your tradelist straight from your journal. It would make life much easier.

Hope this helps.

Naturepatch

Naturepatch - you can now copy Journal items to your Trade List. I think Dave put that in last fall or late last summer. To access that feature you must be VIEWING a Journal Entry and below the hyperlinked text that is for Adding an Entry and Clone an Entry and all the other options there is one in there for Copy to your Trade List.

would like it to be more user friendly. Am having difficulty getting my catagories and sub catagories to line up the way i want them.

Hiya,

I would like to be able to personalize my journal as I do for my home page, i.e.; moving columns around so that I didn't have to scroll so far down the page to find my categories. Alternately, move 'Access by Category' to the top of the page with Main Menu to either the Left or the Right of this.

Being able to auto-place items to/from PlantFile would be an incredibly useful and timesaving tool.

I'd like to be able to sort any way I wish. When I first started using the journal this confused me and I thought, "mine's broken... :o(" when trying to sort in the funky ways my mind works. Then I realized, "oh, guess ya can't do that... but why not? :oP "

I would like to be able to "select" [radio box] any number of plants within a category, which tags them all, and allows me to make a broadcast "note" or "update" to them, i.e.; "Established", "Fertilized", "Pollinated", "Note to do X,Y,Z, etc.... A date would be automatically generated with the broadcast entry to all selected plants.

Many suggestions above (I didn't read all, I admit) were wonderful and very clever.
[edit: I hit the send box by accident...]
As I was saying....

Some of the ideas above I would enjoy to the fullest...

The "select all" suggestion
Tabs
PF hyperlink
Exporting items to CSV file would ROCK
Filters
Calendar - incredible suggestion!
Searching within categories

Annie

This message was edited Jun 3, 2005 6:54 PM

ADDITIONAL ENTRY

Thank you scutler! I just tried it out.

And because of that experiment... another couple suggestions....

1) I'd like to make a 2nd request for the 'select all' feature! LOLOL

2) The ability to have the sort function 'stick' when selecting the option to print items, i.e.; I'd like to be able to print by Genus, Location, Species, etc.



This message was edited Jun 4, 2005 8:56 AM

This is not a wish list item, but a response to Annie's entry. (Hope this does not violate GR #3).

Annie, If I understand your 4th request correctly [and if not please disregard my ramblings : ) ], I believe that is already available. You can select items by checking the box on the left and then "broadcast" either an entry, status change, or catagory change to all of them by selecting the appropriate "tab" at the bottom of the table. I find this feature very helpful; however, I wish that I could also "broadcast" milestones in this manner.

Dave, I added #8 to my list. There hasn't beem much activity on this thread I didn't know if its finished. I'm enjoying my diary and writing in it has prompted me to enter more in the journal too. Thanks for catering to us.:^)

I made a couple additions...

Thank you for the new Sorting!! :oD