TechTalk e-conomic blog http://techtalk.e-conomic.com the technical voice of e-conomic Fri, 06 Aug 2010 08:33:30 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc en hourly 1 techtalkeconomicbloghttp://feedburner.google.com API: Two new functions, two huge optimizations… http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/techtalkeconomicblog/~3/m_aIWWityaQ/ http://techtalk.e-conomic.com/api-two-new-functions-two-huge-optimizations/#comments Fri, 06 Aug 2010 08:33:30 +0000 Christian Estrup http://techtalk.e-conomic.com/?p=364 API: Two new functions, two huge optimizations… is a post from: TechTalk e-conomic blog

]]> As part of our ongoing commitment to make the best possible ERP integration platform available, we’ve added two new often-requested functions to the API this week:

OrderLine.GetAll() will allow you to retrieve all order lines across all orders.

Debtor.FindByPartialName() enables wildcard searches for customers by name.

Finally, bulk downloading of invoices and products have been sped up tremendously. Internal testing has shown speedups of factor 50 for invoices, and 7-8 for products.

If you’re using .NET, to use any of the new features, you’ll have to use the latest version of our .NET assembly – which is available here. The optimizations for bulk downloading of invoices and products are purely server-side, and thus, you’ll benefit from them automagically.

API: Two new functions, two huge optimizations… is a post from: TechTalk e-conomic blog

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]]> http://techtalk.e-conomic.com/api-two-new-functions-two-huge-optimizations/feed/ 0 http://techtalk.e-conomic.com/api-two-new-functions-two-huge-optimizations/ Storage upgrade, phase 2 – complete http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/techtalkeconomicblog/~3/uRDHXL2UieQ/ http://techtalk.e-conomic.com/storage-upgrade-phase-2-complete/#comments Sat, 31 Jul 2010 04:34:48 +0000 Christian Estrup http://techtalk.e-conomic.com/?p=361 Storage upgrade, phase 2 – complete is a post from: TechTalk e-conomic blog

]]> The second – and currently last – phase of our move to faster storage has now been successfully completed, and e-conomic is back online again.

Preliminary benchmarks show quite some performance improvements – although we expect this to be most noticeable as ‘much smaller peaks at high load’.

In addition to our storage upgrade, we’ve also been working on some ’softer’ optimizations, particularly for the e-conomic API. More on this shortly…

Storage upgrade, phase 2 – complete is a post from: TechTalk e-conomic blog

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]]> http://techtalk.e-conomic.com/storage-upgrade-phase-2-complete/feed/ 0 http://techtalk.e-conomic.com/storage-upgrade-phase-2-complete/ Move to faster storage – phase 1 complete http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/techtalkeconomicblog/~3/NvpnfZqfSrI/ http://techtalk.e-conomic.com/move-to-faster-storage-phase-1-complete/#comments Sat, 24 Jul 2010 00:22:51 +0000 Christian Estrup http://techtalk.e-conomic.com/?p=359 Move to faster storage – phase 1 complete is a post from: TechTalk e-conomic blog

]]> We’re happy to announce that phase 1 of our previously mentioned storage upgrade has now been completed – and rather successfully at that, with e-conomic being fully available more than 4 hours earlier than initially publicized. As such, the move itself actually reaped the first benefit of our faster storage :-)

Regardless, we once again regret any inconveniences caused by e-conomic being offline.

Move to faster storage – phase 1 complete is a post from: TechTalk e-conomic blog

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]]> http://techtalk.e-conomic.com/move-to-faster-storage-phase-1-complete/feed/ 0 http://techtalk.e-conomic.com/move-to-faster-storage-phase-1-complete/ Planned maintenance http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/techtalkeconomicblog/~3/ZpfEQnRLSqM/ http://techtalk.e-conomic.com/planned-maintenance/#comments Wed, 21 Jul 2010 08:45:19 +0000 Christian Estrup http://techtalk.e-conomic.com/?p=355 Planned maintenance is a post from: TechTalk e-conomic blog

]]> In order to support our continued growth, as well as improve performance, we’ll be moving to faster storage media during the next two weekends.

Therefore, both the e-conomic application and API will be offline during the following two periods:

Friday, July 23rd 10pm CET through Saturday, July 24th 6am CET

Friday, July 30th 10pm CET through Saturday, July 31st 6am CET

We will of course keep you updated throughout this, as well as when we’re online again.

We regret any inconvenience caused by this – but we also look forward to welcoming you back to a faster e-conomic.

Planned maintenance is a post from: TechTalk e-conomic blog

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]]> http://techtalk.e-conomic.com/planned-maintenance/feed/ 1 http://techtalk.e-conomic.com/planned-maintenance/ Performance update http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/techtalkeconomicblog/~3/NwHboF_wjUE/ http://techtalk.e-conomic.com/performance-update-3/#comments Wed, 30 Jun 2010 13:03:11 +0000 Torben Schou http://techtalk.e-conomic.com/?p=351 Performance update is a post from: TechTalk e-conomic blog

]]> Following up on our last performance update, we have made a number of changes to both our hardware and software setup – working on multiple levels, such as optimizing code, tweaking our network infrastructure, updating storage, etc..

Regarding code optimization, a number of tweaks have been made. This should be particularly obvious when bulk-synchronizing data via the e-conomic API, or in general use of the Stock Management module (although said Stock Management module does still reduce the speed of a lot of operations, due to the much more complex housekeeping required).

A major change is a move of our database from traditional mechanical disks to flash (memory-based) disks. In addition to a general performance increase, this also results in much more consistent performance, thus resulting in fewer extreme peaks. This isn’t the end of our storage performance improvements, however – during the summer, we will be moving our entire setup to even faster storage.

On the database software side, we are currently looking into an update of both the database engine and operating system. However, such updates always involve a certain risk – both in terms of performance and compatibility – a risk we’re currently working hard to resolve.

Performance update is a post from: TechTalk e-conomic blog

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]]> http://techtalk.e-conomic.com/performance-update-3/feed/ 0 http://techtalk.e-conomic.com/performance-update-3/ API updates http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/techtalkeconomicblog/~3/Ds73IGsgYXs/ http://techtalk.e-conomic.com/api-updates/#comments Sun, 13 Jun 2010 13:04:35 +0000 Christian Estrup http://techtalk.e-conomic.com/?p=346 API updates is a post from: TechTalk e-conomic blog

]]> Once again, a new feature, as well as some bug fixes, have found their way to the e-conomic API.

In the new features department, cash book entries – as represented by the ICashBookEntry class – now have an Employee property. This effectively allows you to add per-employee costs to projects – just like you can already add time entries.

Additionally, two annoying bugs have been fixed:

When adding lines to a subscription, an exception is no longer thrown if no Department is specified (thanks to Claus Aaberg for reporting this in our API forum).

The recently-introduced new entry type ManualDebtorInvoice – allowing you to create customer invoice entries without creating actual invoices – can now be created with the DueDate property set.

As a final note – please remember that we’re always more than interested in your comments, questions and suggestions in our API forum.

API updates is a post from: TechTalk e-conomic blog

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]]> http://techtalk.e-conomic.com/api-updates/feed/ 0 http://techtalk.e-conomic.com/api-updates/ How to speed up your daily workflows http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/techtalkeconomicblog/~3/E8Wd5jXnPB4/ http://techtalk.e-conomic.com/how-to-speed-up-your-daily-workflows/#comments Thu, 29 Apr 2010 11:03:31 +0000 Christian Münster http://techtalk.e-conomic.com/?p=328 How to speed up your daily workflows is a post from: TechTalk e-conomic blog

]]> Hello.My name is Christian and I have an addiction; an addiction to constantly look for ways to do things easier in front of a computer. In more technical terms and from a usability point of view: how to minimize the number of steps on frequently performed work flows or to put it in laymen terms:

How to work without ever reaching for the mouse.

Some of the tricks mentioned here will only work on Windows 7. Whenever I write win or win key I’m talking about the key placed between CTRL and the ALT on most generic windows keyboards.

During the years of Windows we, the users, have been bred with the fact that using the mouse is the best way to do things, because point and click always makes sense on some level; I for one disagrees entirely on this matter. Using the mouse is the least efficient, slowest and most time consuming gadget I have ever seen when it comes to interaction with a machine. I’m sure some 3D gamers wouldn’t agree with me, but this is about work-flows, not shooting your best friend right between the eyes with an AK47.

In the beginning of my career as a developer, the company I worked for, had a visit from a consultant and after watching his fingers dance around the keyboard, only reaching for the mouse when browsing the internet, I set a goal for myself: If I perform an action more than once a day, I want to use the designated built-in hot key instead of the mouse. If one such is not available look for another piece of software that can. This has provided me with a healthy curiosity on how to do things faster, without compromising my work flow too.

One problem is that every software package comes with their own set of hot keys to their likings, but when you switch to another piece of software the exact same hot key does something completely different – this is expected behaviour across platforms. But not with in the same software suite. An extremely good example is how Microsoft refuses to realise that when you change the language on your Office pack you do not change every hot key in the suite to correspond with the actual translated word. For this reason, ctrl+B will change text to bold in Word on my English based desktop as opposed to some of my colleagues Danish installed desktop where I will get the search and replace window – completely unrelated in every way. Working in an international company this situation is a very normal as some people tend to move from the one department to another on say, support related issues. In my opinion a huge disaster!

How ever this is not a: Why wont the world think more like me entry but instead I will focus on some of the global hot keys found out there, that places like the before mentioned software company haven’t destroyed yet. The first few are must know hot keys for all windows users.

Alt+Tab

Still to this day, I meet users who work every day on windows machines, that does not know or use this hot key. Use it, love it, cherish it, dream about it. Once past the learning curve you’d want to marry it. Don’t reach for the mouse just to check your mail, press alt-tab and jump to your favourite mail application in less than a heart beat. Holding down CTRL instead of Win, will switch window/document within the same application.

Win+P

Now here is a hot key I know many of you didn’t know you missed. You are about to start your presentation. You move to the conference room to get started early, because you know that one time consumer could be to make the projector work. We’ve all been fiddling around with the settings in windows display settings and got a pretty good feeling about the place – but why so many options to choose from? Clone or extend, the right resolution, colors, etc. You don’t need to change all these settings do you? Instead with Win+P you only need to decide on this:

CTRL-P

Thank you Bill. I owe you one.

Win + T

Ever wondered how to move focus to the taskbar, well here it is. As you can add short cuts to the taskbar (right click any icon on the desktop-> pin to taskbar)  you sometimes find your self wanting to jump down there, just to get an overview of the number of instances of the same application you have running. Use the arrow keys to navigate around, tab to jump to any other toolbars down there.

Win+ 1/2/3/4 …

The shortcut toolbar you know from Vista and XP is history – now you fix the applications to the taskbar, to make sure they stay in the exact same spot across sessions. Right-click any running application, select pin this program to the taskbar; very useful. Now try and press Win+2 you should see the second application on your task bar getting executed. its that simple; and yes it goes all the way up to nine and zero.

Win+arrow keys

This is something thats just plain brilliance when it comes to multiple monitors. Pressing the win key and using left or right keys will move the active window to the next monitor attached to your desktop. Holding down shift makes it jump in one action. Pressing arrow up will maximize the window and the open minded reader should by now have guessed that pressing win key + down arrow will minimize the window.

Ctrl+N

This hot key creates a new document, new email, new picture or new browser window. In other words a new window of what ever type the applications like to work with – try it out.

Other useful keys

Win+pause/break gives you the system information window.  ALT+F4 closes active application – using CTRL instead will close only the active tab or document within the application. CTRL+T usually opens a new tab within your browser. Win+L locks your workstation requiring a password to unlock.

Alternatives to the mainstream products.

PDF’s are most users favourite format when it comes to sharing vital information. Its difficult to change and most, if not all, platforms can open PDF – but for some reason the mainstream product to open these simple documents have increased in size and complexity – not to mention start up time over the years.

Take a look at the total accumulated amount of files on your hard drive the Adobe PDF viewer installs. Its past 150 MegaBytes last time I checked and can take up to five-ten seconds just to open a PDF. why do I want to send emails from the adobe reader? I already have 5 applications installed that do this and they do it a lot better too. They bloat these small fast and simple applications into suites that increases in size, number of options in the toolbar and you loose focus when trying to find the save copy as button. I have tried a few but my love has been fixed on PDF-Xchange Viewer. Its small, fast, effiecient never takes more than 2 seconds to start and has excellent browser integration. Download PDF-Xchange Viewer.

If you copy-paste text forward and back between applications frequently, you dont want to be without a good clipboard organizer.

Notepad++ or Notepad2 should be mandatory for any windows machine that is used for more than email and browsing the internet; these are mostly used to open simple files or remove formatting from clipboard text found on the internet. In the end just good, simple fast text editors. Which one you like is purely a matter of taste.

How to speed up your daily workflows is a post from: TechTalk e-conomic blog

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]]> http://techtalk.e-conomic.com/how-to-speed-up-your-daily-workflows/feed/ 2 http://techtalk.e-conomic.com/how-to-speed-up-your-daily-workflows/ e-conomic is available again http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/techtalkeconomicblog/~3/ts2-a9hG2XQ/ http://techtalk.e-conomic.com/e-conomic-is-available-again/#comments Fri, 02 Apr 2010 14:59:50 +0000 Tue Skaarup http://techtalk.e-conomic.com/?p=322 e-conomic is available again is a post from: TechTalk e-conomic blog

]]> The planned system upgrade 1-2 April has been completed earlier than announced and e-conomic is now available again (from 4:15 pm 2 April).

Some of the tasks planned for this maintenance took longer than we expected. The remaining tasks will be carried out at a later date and time to be announced. We will do our very best to interrupt you as little as possible.

Sorry again for any inconvenience this scheduled maintenance might have caused you.

Now continue your Easter lunch :-)

e-conomic is available again is a post from: TechTalk e-conomic blog

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]]> http://techtalk.e-conomic.com/e-conomic-is-available-again/feed/ 0 http://techtalk.e-conomic.com/e-conomic-is-available-again/ Releasing new languages and currencies – on popular demand http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/techtalkeconomicblog/~3/vww9cT7u8Ew/ http://techtalk.e-conomic.com/releasing-new-languages-and-currencies-on-popular-demand/#comments Thu, 01 Apr 2010 08:00:10 +0000 Martin Havemann http://techtalk.e-conomic.com/?p=298 Releasing new languages and currencies – on popular demand is a post from: TechTalk e-conomic blog

]]> Due to numerous request for new languages from our users, we are releasing several new languages and currencies that will be available to our users after the Easter holidays. The languages that will be released are Quenya, Na’Vi, Klingon, and Lingua Franca, and both Republic (REC) and Federation Credits (FEC) will also be availabe as currencies. 

It is not new country versions we are releasing at this time, but only new languages that will result in all text being translated into that language but still run on the selected country version in the same way that English can be chosen as the language for all country versions.

The language of a user can be changed under: Settings -> Subscription -> Users -> Language as shown here. Don’t forget to log off and on again to activate your language selection:

Changing a users language to a new language

 You can go to our youtube channel to see a help video on how to change the language of a user. More languages will follow soon.

“Get started with e-conomic” webinars will be held in each of the new languages. Sign up here.

Releasing new languages and currencies – on popular demand is a post from: TechTalk e-conomic blog

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]]> http://techtalk.e-conomic.com/releasing-new-languages-and-currencies-on-popular-demand/feed/ 1 http://techtalk.e-conomic.com/releasing-new-languages-and-currencies-on-popular-demand/ Service disruption 1-2 April http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/techtalkeconomicblog/~3/VdAr83mIv1I/ http://techtalk.e-conomic.com/service-disruption-1-2-april/#comments Fri, 26 Mar 2010 10:48:11 +0000 Inger Lilja http://techtalk.e-conomic.com/?p=288 Service disruption 1-2 April is a post from: TechTalk e-conomic blog

]]> Please note that due to system maintenance, e-conomic will be unavailable from
 

10 pm CET on 1 April to 6 pm CET on 2 April

We will keep you updated here on the blog during the application downtime and will of course notify you as soon as the system is up and running again.

We apologise for any inconvenience related to this downtime.

 

Update 10.00 pm CET 1 April: The scheduled service disruption has now started and e-conomic is not available. We will keep you posted.

 

Update 12.00 am CET 2 April: The operation has so far taken longer than we expected. We still expect to be online again no later than 6 pm today (2 April), but part of the planned operation might need to be carried out at a later stage.

 

Update 4.15 pm CET 2 April: The planned maintenance has been completed earlier than announced and e-conomic is now available again. We did not complete all of the planned maintenance tasks and will schedule the rest of the work to a later date.

Thanks for your patience and sorry for any inconvenience related to this downtime.

Service disruption 1-2 April is a post from: TechTalk e-conomic blog

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