Dear ELOG users,

starting with SVN revision 2328, custom input forms are implemented. This allows application specific formats for check lists etc. In our specific case we had to implement a shift check list, which was quite long. Furthermore the check list should be optimized for an iPad, which we take in the field and record various checks and readings (in our case some gas pressure gauges at the PSI particle accelerator). Since the standard ELOG interface was too inflexible, a completely hand-written form was needed. The form can be activated by the new configuration options Custom New Form, Custom Edit Form and Custom Display Form, one for a new entry, an entry to edit and and entry to display. In our case we used the same form for all three cases. This is how the shift check list looks under the Safari Browser on a PC:

And here is how it looks on the iPad:

Each section can be collapsed and expanded (blue arrows at the left), and various internal checks are made before the check list can be submitted.

Implementing such forms is however more something for the advanced user, since you have to hand-write HTML with CSS and JavaScript code. It can then however be a powerful method for check lists. Please find in the attachments the elogd.cfg configuration for that logbook and the shiftcheck.html source code file. It is a bit complicated since the page is a static page, elogd just serves it from the file. This requires all the dynamic functions to be implemented inside the HTML file with JavaScript. To display an entry for example, the JavaScript loads the raw data with the "?cmd=Download" command and the populates the form fields. The collapsing and expanding is done by using CSS properties. The integrated style sheet was optimized for the rendering on an iPad. Rather large fonts were chosen so that the items can be checked easily with your finger tips. Various parameters are sent between the browser and the elogd program via hidden fields and cookies. So only something for experts! But if you go through the effort and hand-write the form, it can be very handy. Note that you have to upgrade to SVN revision 2328 for the three new options.

I just implemented a new flag "List after submit = 1" which does exactly this. It brings you to the summary page after the submission of a new entry. I needed the function myself. The change is SVN revision 2327 and will be contained in the next release. 

Is it possible to automatically go back to the list view in summary mode after submitting a new message instead of displaying the new message?

I know it's possible to display a page from a file after submitting a new message  by using "Submit Page = <file>". 
It would be nice to be able to use a command like "Submit Page = <command>" where I could insert "?cmd=Back" as in the "Start page" command.

Thanks,

Mike

Hi Stefan,

I was rather hoping that was *not* going to be your answer.

I much prefer the plain ascii file format, for it allows me to edit it for "mistakes" post submission, 
shall we say. 

> > Hi Stefan,
> > 
> > I'm starting to get a similar problem to Lance's ("SQL Database").  Searching is beginning to take time.
> > 
> > In searching, I either can search one logbook (still relatively quick), or all of them.
> > 
> > I have my logbooks in groups, and often I know which group I want to search, and it would make the searching
> > much quicker were the search confined to just that group.  I don't think I've missed anything in the
> > documentation on this matter.  
> > 
> > If not a change to the elog program, is there another way of (say) arranging the logbooks that will achieve this?
> 
> You can't do that right now. I would have to extend the functionality to allow searching in groups. Also have a look 
> at https://midas.psi.ch/elogs/Forum/66901. Maybe that helps a bit in meantime.

Just use the charset = xxx option in the configuration file. 

This is not implemented at the moment. 

Uh, thank you for teaching me that something like B.E. exists. I didn't know before. Unfortunately elog relied on the underlying operating system date functions. I guess you have to convince Windows or Linux to switch to B.E., then elog will do as well. 

> Hi Stefan,
> 
> I'm starting to get a similar problem to Lance's ("SQL Database").  Searching is beginning to take time.
> 
> In searching, I either can search one logbook (still relatively quick), or all of them.
> 
> I have my logbooks in groups, and often I know which group I want to search, and it would make the searching
> much quicker were the search confined to just that group.  I don't think I've missed anything in the
> documentation on this matter.  
> 
> If not a change to the elog program, is there another way of (say) arranging the logbooks that will achieve this?

You can't do that right now. I would have to extend the functionality to allow searching in groups. Also have a look 
at https://midas.psi.ch/elogs/Forum/66901. Maybe that helps a bit in meantime.