Actions with Notes

đź’ˇ
Important information - added on january 17th 2023: These apps are not being updated any more. I have not been doing any Domino og Android development for several years, and I have lost interest. Your are welcome to try and get them working, but there will be no kind of support or help from me.

Intro

Find information about the newest release of Actions with Notes by going through the /android link.
The page you are looking at describes version 1.10, released on the Android Market on February 8 2012.
You can find the app in the Android market: Actions with Notes.
Mosts of the information below can also be found inside the app.

Video demo

FAQ

Q: How do I configure the host name and mail path?

A: You need to find out where your email file is located. It needs to be available on a Lotus Domino server that has HTTP enabled and that is reachable via the Internet. A good bet here is a server that runs Lotus iNotes. If you have access to your email using a browser, then that is the iNotes server we are talking about. Try logging in to your email using a browser on that server. From the URL in your browser you can now gather the hostname and path to your email file. The hostname is the bit between "http://" and the next "/". On my website the url of the blog says /something/somethingother/database.nsf and the host name then is www.jens.bruntt.dk. The mail path is the bit just after the hostname until and including ".nsf". In the example that would be /something/somethingother/database.nsf

Q: The app keeps crashing on launch. How do I fix it?

A: You need to completely remove the app from your device. After that you can re-install. In Android you need to presse something like menu->Settings->Applications ->manage applications Then find Actions with Notes, click it and then select uninstall.

Q: Can I use Lotus Notes passthru to connect to my mail?

A: No. Your mail file needs to be available on the server that you synchronize with. Lotus Notes Passtrhu only works for Lotus Notes clients, not when connecting over HTTP.

Q: My mail file is not located on a server that is accessible over the internet - what can I do?

A: First: Your mail file has to be located on a Domino server that has HTTP enabled. Otherwise Actions with Notes will not be able to synchronize with it.
It is possible to synchronize with the Domino server when your Android device is connected to a WiFi that is behind the company firewall. If your company lets you connect your phone to the company WiFi and if your mail server has HTTP enabled, then this is an option.
Also, if your company allows you to connect to the company network using VPN, you could connect using the VPN client that comes with Android and then synchronize with the Domino server that is located on the secured company network.

Q: Are there any general debugging tips?

A: A common problem is that people put in an extra space either at the beginning or the end of one of the settings. This could be the case with most of the settings (name, password, hostname etc.). If you will be using SSL you need to both put a checkmark in the SSL preference and the proper port number in the HTTP Port preference; usually 443. After having pressed the "Test connection button", you have the option of clicking menu->Mail log to developer. If you like, I can have a look at what it says in your log. Your password will not be visible in the log.

Q: Is syncing the Body text of an Action item to the andriod device planned for a future Actions with Notes release?

A: This is not planned for the foreseeable future.
About
This app pulls all your unfinished ToDo items (or Actions) from your Lotus Notes To Do. Stores these in a local database for easy offline browsing. It lets you select which Context (Category) from the ToDos to display.
You can mark a ToDo item as Done by long-pressing it in the list. This Done flag will synchronize to your Lotus Notes To Do when you activate synchronization.
You can create a new ToDo item and it will synchronize to your Lotus Notes to do when you activate synchronization
The app lets you toggle whether you want to see all your Actions or just the ones flagged with the Today flag. You can add or remove the Today flag from an Action by long-pressing it.
Synchronization is manual. You activate synchronization by pressing menu->sync.
There is an option in the preferences to let the app do a synchronization when it starts up.

Getting started

Click the menu and then Preferences to configure some information about you and your Lotus Domino server. Some notes on what needs to go in the different configuration items.
Tap the test connection button to check if your preferences will work.

Login name

Your full Lotus Notes user name. It should be in a format like this: Jens Bruntt/Copenhagen/Convergens.

Login password

Put your Lotus Domino web password here. Your web password may be different from your Lotus Notes client password.

Host name

The host name of the Domino server that holds your email database. In a format like this: www.mail.acme.com.

Mail path

The path to your email database on the Domino mail server. In a format like this: /mail/dbname.nsf.

Mail template

Either Notes 8.5.2 or eProductivity 2. Only select eProductivity 2 if you are using the eProductivity template from eproductivity.com. If you are not an eProductivity user and you are not using Notes 8.5.2 you should still give Notes 8.5.2 a try.
Choosing the eProductivity template unlocks some eProductivity-specific features that will only work if your mail template really is based on eProductivity - you can then flag Actions with the Today flag and it you can choose a Context when creating a new Action.

HTTP Port

The HTTP port to use when synchronizing to Domino. Default is 80. Do not change it unless you know that you need to.
If your Domino server is SSL-enabled you will most likely have to change the number to 443.

Use SSL

Check this if your Domino server is SSL-enabled. Remember to set the proper number in the HTTP Port preference.
A note on security: It is strongly advised that you check if SSL is available on your server and that you enable it if possible. If you don't enable SSL, your password and username will be transferred un-encrypted over the Internet, which is a potential for security issues.

launchsync

Checking this option will make the app do a synchronization with the server each time you start it.

Filter

Only makes sense to eProductivity users. If you check this option, the app will default to only show you Actions that are flagged with Today in eProductivity.
When the app is running you can toggle between showing all or showing only Today-flagged Actions by pressing Menu->Today.

Display blank category

Checking this will let the app show Actions that have no Context set. eProductivity users will probably prefer to not check this option.

Debugging

If things don't work, there is a log available that should give you some extra information about what might be wrong. Click menu and then Log to see the log. The newest entries will be at the bottom of the list.
When viewing the log, you can press the menu key and get options to clear the log or to send an email to the developer containing the log file. When sending the log file, you may change the recipient.

Security

It is highly encouraged that you enable HTTPS in the settings. This makes sure that your username, password and all your Actions are encrypted before being transferred over the Internet.
Failure to do so makes it relatively easy for others to get hold of this information. We are talking about the same username and password you are using for company email.

The username and password you put in the settings in the app are stored inside the app. Just like with login information you put into other apps on your device. Your password is not directly copyable from within the app, but someone with the right tool might be able to unpack the app and pry out your password. If the device is lost, you have to change passwords.

Privacy

The app tracks simple useage statistics. It does not track you personally, it tracks general information like which countries users are situated in, which Android versions are used and whether users are runnning current versions of the application. The purpose is to get a general picture of the use.
The statistics are generated by using the localytics.com tool set.

License

This product is free. You are allowed to use it as it is. You are not allowed to sell the product.

Feedback

Feedback is very welcome. Voting up or down in the market is fine. But if you find errors, please report them by email to android AT bruntt.dk. Leaving comments in the Market is fine, but there is no possibility of answering back.