Zoot Questions

Started by Daly de Gagne on 8/10/2007
Daly de Gagne 8/10/2007 7:07 pm
I am converting all my information management to Zoot 32.

Even without RTF, there is nothing else on the market that massages info as well as Zoot, and many of you know that I have spent the last few years looking. Zoot 32 means the search is over.

I have printed out all the help files, and attempted to peruse them carefully.

I am, however, at a loss as to the best way to set up a personal diary.

First, whether to use journal or memo database template or to start with an empty database.

Second, and I know this may sound stupid, but in the regular databases, where do entries go when they pass the recent entry stage -- is it into a storage file?

What I want to do is have my journal set up as follows

2007
January 2007
Subject/Date
Subject/Date
February 2007
Subject Date

Now I can do this manually, and drag 2007 onto the grid, and use a multipick to manually place each item after I complete it.

And I am OK with that -- but I wonder whether there is a way I can create a smart folder for each of the months, that would automatcially receive each new entry created that month.

I am sure that there must be -- but to be frank, although the help file is very clear throughout, I do not make much sense out of the rules and actions section -- and that seems to be a key to where Zoot power is.

In doing this folder assignment by by smart folder, does it matter whether I use a journal or a memo template? Again what are the pluses/minuses of each type?

And lastly, I remember reading -- but don't remember where -- that there is a simple rule so that every item is automatically assigned to a folder that contains all items. How do I set up that rule?

Thanks for your help.

Daly
Chris Murtland 8/10/2007 7:14 pm
Daly de Gagne wrote:
I am,
however, at a loss as to the best way to set up a personal diary.

First, whether to use
journal or memo database template or to start with an empty database.

I personally would use an empty database, although there isn't much difference.

Second, and I
know this may sound stupid, but in the regular databases, where do entries go when they
pass the recent entry stage -- is it into a storage file?

All items remain in the database. I believe items not assigned to any other folder will automatically be put into an Orphaned Items folder when they age out of the Recent Entries folder.

And I am OK with
that -- but I wonder whether there is a way I can create a smart folder for each of the
months, that would automatcially receive each new entry created that month.

I would just enter new items as you go and set up folders with rules such that "Date Created is on or after 8/1/2007 and Date Created is on or before 8/31/2007" (e.g., for August; repeat for each month you want to collect).

And lastly, I remember reading -- but don't remember
where -- that there is a simple rule so that every item is automatically assigned to a
folder that contains all items. How do I set up that rule?

The rule would be "Date Created is anytime."

Good luck,
Chris

Derek Cornish 8/11/2007 2:39 am
Daly -

In doing this folder assignment by by smart folder, does it matter whether I use a journal or a memo template? Again what are the pluses/minuses of each type?

I think the advantages are principally related to whether you use Outlook or not. If you use Outlook for writing short notes or longer journal entries, these can be sync'd with Zoot and ported over. If you think you might want to use this feature, then it would probably be best to use the appropriate database template. I only use the journal one, and I'm afraid I don't give much thought to organization - I just type stuff in, using the defaults :-).

Zoot32 is looking very good, isn't it?

Derek
Stephen Zeoli 8/11/2007 7:20 pm
Daly,

The beauty of Zoot is it doesn't really matter... just start saving entries in one database and then figure out how you want to organize it as you go! The only thing to think about ahead of time is what type of delimited data you want for each entry. I have a journal database in which I save bits of work-related information that don't go specifically into another database: correspondence, e-mail, reminders, etc...

Zoot32 is definitely an improvement over the 16-bit version, even though there are as yet no additional functions. (With the exception that Zoot now can reside in the system tray, where the Zooter has also been moved to.) But it runs more smoothly and quickly. Definitely looking forward to RTF!

Steve Z.