Version History

This list enumerates the larger enhancement in each version.  In addition, each release includes scores of small enhancements and bug fixes requested by our users.  For example, there were over 100 such small fixes in Version 5.1.  Based on our release notes, we figure we average about 150 fixes/enhancements per year.

Version 5.1  (Upgrade FAQ)

• Active Directory Integration - Configure IssueView to allow users to log in with their Windows UserID, and validate them via the Active Directory.  It's one less UserID for your users to remember (and for you to manage)!  You can map Windows UserIDs to a matching IssueView ID to set the users' permissions, or grant them default permissions.
  
• Preview Pane Performance Enhancement - We implemented a separate thread to retrieve data for the preview pane.  If you're downloading lots of issues, especially over a slow link, it should be a little zippier!
  
• Contacts Customizations - The Contacts records contain fields for Miscellaneous, Custom1 and Custom2.  Now you can name those fields.  Choose something nice, like Birthday or Sandwich Pref.
  
• Added MaxRows to Grid - For our larger customers we've added the ability to limit the number of rows displayed in the grid.  This prevents a single workstation from degrading performance by downloading hundreds of thousands of issues (Yikes!)
  
• Workflow Performance Enhancements - For String fields (and the Abstract), Workflow rules won't be evaluated until the user leaves the field.  This avoids evaluating and applyint workflow conditions on every keystroke.  We also now cache the results of SQL queries.  If the SQL doesn't change, we don't make another trip to the server.
  

Version 5.0  (Upgrade FAQ)

• HTML Editing - The Text Tabs now support HTML formatting.  This allows us to support things like Bold, Italics, and Underline, Bullet or Numbered Lists, and font colors .  Version 5.0 gracefully supports plain text entered in previous versions.  But 4.x and before cannot display the formatted data, so all your clients will need to be updated.  Thanks to the WebUpdate capability we added in 4.4, updating all your users is a snap!
  
• HTML Printing - Reporting is now based on XSL Stylesheets.  You can use the stylesheets we provide to produce reports just like previous versions, or you can create new ones customized to meet your needs.   Since reports are created in HTML, you can save them to a file, and email them to others.
  
• Workflow Enhancements - You can now execute Workflow rules based on the logged on user.  So you can disable or hide fields based on whether the user is in a particular Group or Project Team role.  You can also temporarily disable rules, to aid in troubleshooting. 
  
• HTML Notifications - We've added an HTML editor for email Notifications, making it much easier to create distinctive, easy to read emails.
  
• Clickable Links in Notifications - All IssueView clients have been upgraded to handle MIME links.  So when some one receives a Notification, it can include a clickable link that will open the issue in either their Win32 client, or a web browser.
  
• Attachments in Notifications - Notifications can optionally include any files that were attached.  Only the files that were attached with the current modifications are included (so you aren't always sending along every file). 
  
• Section Labels - The DetailsView now includes a SectionLabel field type.  It allows you to label groups of controls in the DetailsView
  
• Hidden Fields - You can now create fields that don't show up in the IssueView user interface.  This allows you to update these fields programmatically, without worrying that users will inadvertently change your data.  Workflow also now supports hiding fields based on Workflow conditions.
  

Version 4.4

• Web Update Wizard- The IssueView Win32 client can be configured to perform automatic web based updates.  Only clients on 4.4 or above have the automatic update functionality.  Previous clients must be updated manually.
  
• Globally Unique IDs - Issue IDs are normally unique WITHIN projects, but may be duplicated across projects.  With this option set, unique IDs are assigned to every Issue, system-wide. 
  

Version 4.3

• POP3 EMail Import Enhancements- The IvMonitor service can now monitor multiple email accounts, and import mail into a different Project for each account.  In addition, the import process has been enhanced to support Replies, which can update an existing issue.  The reply will need to have the Issue ID in the Subject, and the ID will have to have an identifiable prefix (e.g., IVS10003).
  

Version 4.1

• Performance Improvements - We've redesigned the way data is downloaded and displayed in the main Grid in the Win32 client.  If you're on a 100 MB LAN, you won't notice a thing.  But if you're connecting over a WAN like the Internet, the performance improvement is awesome.  It used to take us 10 seconds to download 100 issues over the internet, 4.1 will get them in 1.5 seconds.  And 1,000 issues used to take 60 seconds - 4.1 can get them in 3 seconds!  This does mean that a 1/2 second delay has been added when opening the DetailsView.  But you'll probably never notice!
  
  
• Centralized Notification Management -  Currently, email Notifications are sent from each client.  If you have users on the wrong side of a firewall, or distributed among various Domains, you may need to process Notifications from a central computer.  The Windows Server, IssueView Monitor, also does a better job of handling, recovering from, and reporting errors.
  
  
• Incoming Emails - In addition to managing Notifications, the IssueView Monitor Service can be configured to monitor a POP3 email account.  Incoming emails are imported into an IssueView project as new issues.  The Subject of the email is saved as the Abstract of the issue.  The body text of the email is saved in the first Text Tab field.  You can select which field will store the Sender.
  
  
• Spell Check  - We've added a Spell Checker to the Win32 client.  You can use it to check the spelling in Text Tab fields before saving an issue.
  
  
• Cutomer Support Portal - WebSupport, the IssueView Customer Support Portal, has been rewritten in C# for the .NET platform.  It now supports multiple custom fields (e.g., Status, Platform, OS, anything YOU need)
  
  
• DropCalendar in IssueView Web   - We've added a drop calendar to the Date fields in the .NET Web interface.
  
  
• Miscellaneous Bug fixes   - In addition to these new major features, Version 4.1 incorporates over 80 minor enhancements and bug fixes since the initial release of 4.0. 
  

Version 4.0

• Web Interface - IssueView now has a web interface that allows you to create, update and delete Issues in any project.  Administrative functions are still performed in the Win32 client.  You can download the Web Interface from http://www.IssueView.Com/IVW.exe   It is written in C# for the .NET platform, and requires an IIS Server with the .NET extensions installed.
  
  
• Workflow - Control which Fields are Required, ReadOnly, or Disabled, based on values in other fields.  You can even set a Field to a given value, or the results of a SQL Query.
  
  
• Dependent Choice Lists - An integral feature of the Workflow engine is the ability to make the contents of a choice list dependent on the value of another Field.  For example, when Severity = 'Critical', the available Prioirty choices could be constrained to display 'High' and 'Medium', but not 'Low'
  
  
• User Issue Filters - You can now limit the Issues a user can see in any given project with a Filter.  So you can restrict Customers, or Testers, or Developers, to a subset of Issues.
  
  
• ProjectLink Fields- With a ProjectLink Field the droplist values are taken from the 'Abstract' field of the linked project.  If you rightClick on the selected value, you can view and/or update its details.  This Field type effectively allows you to create joined tables in IssueView, and drill down into the details for the associated data. 
  
  
• Two Column Fields  - Fields in the DetailsView have always been limited to one column.  Now a field can be displayed over two columns, so you can see more data.
  
  
• ToolTips for Fields  - You can now add a ToolTip for your fields which will be displayed when the user hovers the mouse over the field in the DetailsView. 
  
  

Version 3.3

• Subscription Welcome Message - Optionally send a 'You've been subscribed to this Issue' e-mail when you add a Subscriber.
  
  
• Single User Per Notification - Normally a single e-mail with multiple recipients is sent. You can now choose to send each Notfication recipient an e-mail, so they aren't aware of who else is getting an e-mail
  
  

Version 3.2

• Workflow Skunkworks - A couple of customers were so anxious for workflow functionality, we built some internal functions for them, without exposing any User Interface to set up the functionality. You can use it by setting up configuration information in the Workflow table. But this feature is really for Version 4.0.  If you want to edit the table yourself, drop us an e-mail and we'll send you instructions.
  
  

Version 3.1

• Row Colors - Configure IssueView to display Issues in the Grid with ForeGround and BackGround colors based on values in each Issue.  For example, you can highlight Bugs in Red, and Requirements in Green.
  
  
• RightClick Drag- If you drag and drop an Issue from one Project to another using the Right Mouse Button (rather than the Left), when you drop the Issue you'll get a Context menu that will allow you to link the new Copy to the original.  This is very useful for responding to WebSupport Issues.
  
  
• Word Merge Reports- You can now create a Mail Merge Template in Microsoft Word and IssueView will use it to create Reports.  Now you've got all the capabilities of Word for formatting your Reports.  (Any machine using this feature must have Microsoft Word installed).
  
  

Version 3.0

• Linking - Create Info or Update links between one or more issues. This is useful for handling duplicates, or linking Requirements to Features to Bugs.
• Import - Import data from .csv or .xls files and create issues.
• Field level permissions - Fields can be made read-only for specific groups and/or users
• Subscribe - You can subscribe people to an issue, so they'll get e-mail notifications about updates to the issue, even if it isn't Assigned to them.
• Attachment Updates - Open an attachment via IssueView, and you'll be able to edit it, and save the changes back to the database. So you open a Word doc, edit it in Word, save it, and we see the change and ask if you want to update the attached copy.
• Filter Prompts - You can specify <Prompt> for Choice fields in a filter, and you'll get prompted to select a value when you run the filter.
• Minimize to the System Tray - You can choose to have IssueView minimize to the System Tray.
• Advanced Choice Lists - Populate Choice field droplists with a SQL Query
• Record Locking - Issues are 'locked' when opened for editing.
• Click-able URLs - URL fields are now click-able in the Grid.
• Last UserID - We'll save the UserID you last logged in with, and optionally your password. It will make auto-login possible even if you aren't using your Windows ID as your IssueView UserID

Version 2.4

• Multi-Project Reporting - Reports, Charts and Graphs can now include Issues from any number of projects.
• Multi-Project Search allows you to search for text strings in multiple projects at once.
• Enhanced Searching - Searching has been enhanced to search for an 'Exact Phrase', 'Any Words', or 'All Words'. The Search window now saves the previous 20 search strings.
• Abstract Label - The 'Abstract' field can now be renamed.
• Timestamps - The Created and Updated fields can now be optionally set to include the time. We've made this optional as it takes up more room in reports, and not everyone will need this level of granularity.
• DateTime Field - A new DateTime field has been added, which stores the time as well as the date.
• New Note Positioning - New notes can now be added to either the begining or the end of 'Text Tab - Secure' fields (previously it was always at the end). This makes Notifications from WebSupport much more straightforward, as the newest information in the thread is at the top.

Version 2.3

• Project Access Restrictions - Users can be allowed access to All Projects, or any subset of Projects.  Permissions can be assigned based on specific projects.
• Named Groups for Permissions -  Assign permissions to 'Users', 'Managers', 'Guests', or whatever groups you choose to create.
• MAPI E-Mail integration allows you to export one or more issues in HTML format, launches your default MAPI compliant mail client, and attaches the Issues.
• Attachments Descriptions - Attachments can now have a description which allows you to provide more information than just the file name.

Version 2.2

• Named Timeframes for filters .  Search for Issues created 'This Week', 'Last Month', the 'Last 3 Days', etc.
• Support for SQL Server 2000 Named instances
• Fixed display problems when using Window's Large Fonts
• The Project icon in the Tree has been changed from a Folder to a Database.  So now you can easily distinguish Folders from Projects.
• Enhanced support for Parenthetical conditions in Filters

Version 2.1

• Preview Pane to display the description for each issue in the Grid.
• Complex Issue IDs - you can specify starting number, and encode literal text and/or date components in your Issue IDs.
• New URL Field type - click on the icon and browse to a URL
• WebSupport File Download - Download file attachments via the WebSupport interface

Version 2.0

• WebSupport - your customers can submit Issues into your IssueView Database from a browser.
• E-Mail notifications - completely customizeable e-mail notifications regarding changes to Issues
• Charts and Graphs - Pie, Bar, Line, over a dozen styles, including Historical Trend Analysis

Version 1.1

• Enhanced Filters to support parenthetical conditions
• Added 'Edit Current Filter' button to toolbar on main window
• Added HTML export format for Issues
• Added Export capability for User IDs and Contacts
• Internationalized date handling to fully support local date formats
• Added support for default values in Text fields
• Fixed bug where new User IDs creation would delete Template default values.
• Fixed Win9x resource leak
• Fixed sorting problem in Users Dialog