TimedOrScheduledViewsAndCategories

This page has not yet been updated for Datebk6 which DOES allow you to start saved views at specific times.

Timed Views

You might find it desirable to set up Datebk saved views (or custom views) to start up on a schedule, so that when you start Datebk, you will automatically be in a view that is appropriate to the time of day or day of week. It's not possible to do that in Datebk alone, but it can be done using some of Datebk's features and an additional program:

1. For each custom view that you want to schedule, make a "mini-applet" (see DatebkFiveManualPage:56 for details).
2. Install a third-party program that can start up applications at specific times, for example, LookAtMe, Crony. (Please add other suitable programs.)
3. Set up the scheduling program to start the Datebk mini-applets at whatever times you want. This will cause your Palm to start Datebk at those times. After that, each time you go to Datebk, it will be in last view used (unless you have configured a "Startup" view - refer to "Starting up DateBk5 with a Saved View" in DatebkFiveManualPage:54).

To give a specific example, say you have views called "Business" and "Home":

1. Rename the two views to dbBusi and dbHome - note that the names have only six characters and the first two characters are "db". (As explained in DatebkFiveManualPage:56, you can use a longer name than dbBusi but some people find applets more confusing if they use longer names; I suggest you use dbBusi until you are familiar with mini-applets.)
2. Create mini-applets called dbBusi and dbHome.
3. Test each mini-applet - each one should load the Datebk view of the same name.
4. Once you have the two mini-applets working perfectly, set up launch times for them in the scheduler program: the launch time for dbBusi could be 7am, and the launch time for dbHome could be 5pm.

Timed Categories

If your "Business" and "Home" views are very similar with the only difference being which categories are selected, then instead of using the advice above, you might want to use the "Automatically Hide & Display" feature in Datebk:

To set up Datebk to display certain categories only at certain times, go to the "Appt. Categories" menu item (in earlier versions of Datebk, this might be found under "Show/Hide Category" in the "Cat." menu). Then for any particular category, select the "P" next to the category name to see the category's Profile, and configure the category to show on particular days, or between working hours only (for more details, read about the "Automatically Hide & Display" option in DatebkFiveManualPage:64).

Tick the "Synchronize" box in the "Appt: Select Categories" screen if you want the change to propagate through all databases (todos, memos and addresses).

This page must be updated when Datebk6 is released.