AEPs from TNHG at ACT! Visions 2005

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AEPs from TNHGatACT! Visions 2005

• ACT!2005 Enhancement Products
• from
• The New Hampton Group

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What we will cover

• Folders and their content
• TNHG.ini
• 4 basic architectures
• The trigger command structure and content
• Troubleshooting with Log files

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Folders (Part 1)

• C\Program Files\TNHG
• \TNHG.ini
• \ApplicationName
• Application Name.exe
• Application Name Installation and Usage Guides
• Sample trigger files
• Trigger.log
• Plugin.log
• Various supporting files (.dlls, .txts)
• TAG.ACT.dll
• TNHGCustomControlsCS.dll
• TNHGCustomControls.dll
• VbPowerPack.dll

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Folders (Part 2)

• C\Program Files\ACT\ACT for Win 7\Plugins
• ADNApplicationName.dll
• ApplicationName.dll
• ApplicationNamePlugin.dll
• Various supporting files (these will probably be
  phased out)
• TAG.ACT.dll
• TNHGCustomControlsCS.dll
• TNHGCustomControls.dll
• VbPowerPack.dll

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Folders (Part 3)

• C\Program Files\ACT\ACT for Win 7\Tools
• ApplicationOrControlName.dll
• This makes it available to be added as a tool
  for use in the Layout Designer

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TNHG.ini

• Always in the C\Program Files\TNHG folder
• Settings, preferences, counters, etc.
• Used instead of the Windows Registry
• Avoids Anti-Virus Trojan Horse syndrome
• Easier to edit and manipulate
• Classic ini file format
• Application Name section header
• ParameterName value
• Change the value if you need to, but leave the
  name alone

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Basic Architectures

• Self-contained program
• Plugin
• Custom Control
• Trigger

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Self-contained Program
AEP
ACT! SDK dlls
ACT!2005 Database
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Self-contained Program

• Example Batch Field Creator
• Operates OUTSIDE of ACT!, independent of the ACT!
  User Interface (UI)
• ACT! does NOT need to be running
• Self-contained in its own folder (except )
• TNHG.ini file entries to remember last-use
  settings
• Controlled by user input and interaction

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Plugin
AEP
ACT! UI
ACT! SDK dlls
ACT!2005 Database
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Plugin

• Examples
• Delete Company Lookup
• Layout Manager
• Limited Access Manager
• Select-A-Quote
• Part of ACT!2005
• ACT! DOES need to be running
• Installed into its own \TNHG\subfolder AND in
  \ACT for Win 7\Plugins subfolder
• Activated with ACT! menu or action
• Controlled by user input interaction

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Custom Control
ACT!2005 Database
ACT! UI
AEP
ACT! Layout
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Custom Control

• Examples
• Radio Buttons
• Volume Knob
• Progress Bar
• Odometer
• Part of ACT!2005 Layout
• ACT! DOES need to be running
• Installed into its own \TNHG\subfolder AND in
  \ACT for Win 7\Tools subfolder
• Add tool to the Layout Designer, then use it on
  a layout
• Displays ACT! data in non-text format

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Trigger
Command arguments
ACT! UI
AEP
ACT! SDK dlls
DOS .bat file
ACT!2005 Database
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Trigger

• Examples
• Account Number Generator
• Auto Fill Fields
• Copy Fields Contents
• Field Calculator
• Part of ACT!
• ACT! DOES need to be running
• Installed into its own \TNHG\subfolder AND in
  \ACT for Win 7\Plugins subfolder
• Activated with ACT! field trigger or menu
• Controlled by command line argument

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Command Line Arguments

• Tell the trigger what to do this time
• Could be specified as part of the trigger or
  custom command in ACT! 5/6, but canNOT be part of
  the trigger in ACT!2005
• So, AEPs use a DOS .bat file for the trigger
• The .bat file gives the AEP its command line

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Command Line Argument Format

• Examples
• ?EC ?LltUser 7gtltUser 4gt, ltQtygtltCountgt
• ?TltCUser 4gtI-D(4)-S(6) ?RM
• ?AltCAmt DuegtltARategtltCQtygt ?VT
• Detailed instructions in products
• Installation and Usage Guide

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Command Line Arguments

• Each argument is of the form
• ?X
• Examples
• ?E Entity designation is
• ?F File name is
• ?L List is
• ?T Template is
• ?A Algorithm is

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Command Line Arguments-Entities

• Entity type designations
• Contact C
• Group G
• Company A
• My Record M
• Activity V
• Note N
• History H
• Opportunity O
• Opportunity Item I
• Secondary Contact S

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Command Line Arguments-Fields

• Fields names in carats, either
• ltfieldnamegt
• Or
• ltefieldnamegt
• Examples
• ltCAddress 1gt (Address 1 field on current Contact
  record)
• ltACitygt (City field on current Company record)
• ltGDescriptiongt (Description field on current
  Group record)
• ltUser 1gt (User 1 field from current record of
  type implied by entity spec)

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Command Line Arguments-Fields

• ACT! v5/6 used field numbers
• ACT!2005 uses field NAMES
• Names must be EXACTLY what you see in Tools gt
  Define fields
• Spelling
• Upper/lower case
• Spacing
• Punctuation
• ltUser1gt ltUser 1gt ltuser1gt ltUSER1gt
• Are all DIFFERENT

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Command Line Arguments-View

• ?VT
• Yes, please display the viewer window, let me
  verify the command, and make me pull the
  trigger
• Provides access to
• Help menu
• About
• Register

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Command Line Arguments - .bat

• The DOS .bat file replaces the functionality of
  earlier versions of ACT! that allowed a trigger
  to contain the command line
• Opens a black DOS window ? but
• You can use this to alert the user to wait until
  ACT! finishes it work ?
• or you can immediately hide the DOS window

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Using the DOS Window

• Sometimes a trigger will take a while to operate
• Users get impatient and start clicking around
• The DOS window will close when the program
  finishes, so

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Hiding the DOS Window

• You can immediately hide the DOS window
• ConsoleTool.exe /hide
• ConsoleTool.exe is included in each install, and
  is found in the \TNHG folder above the
  AEP-product-specific folder
• The DOS Window flash is a training issues ?

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Troubleshooting with Log files

• Each AEP creates a log of events
• Log file(s) found in \TNHG\subfolder
• Command.log, Plugin.log, product.log
• Log files are cleared every day
• Logging is on by default
• Turn logging on/off using \TNHG\subfolder\LogToggl
  e.exe (found on
• Start gt Programs gt TNHG gt productname gt Logging
  Control menu)

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Turning Logging On and Off
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Troubleshooting with Log files

• Empty? gt trigger never fired, so check
• the ACT! field trigger setting
• the .bat file program path and name
• Error messages indicate problems in the command
  line argument or operations within ACT!

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Custom Solution Creation

• Many ACCs choose to remain consultants and not
  become programmers
• Need a source of custom solutions to meet client
  requirements
• Dont say No say Lets ask Geoff!
• Examples (ACT!2005)

• Custom Account Number Generator
• Associate Activity Series with Group
• ACT! fields into Excel spreadsheet template

• Accumulate YTD and LifeTime sales totals to
  Contact field
• Convert MS Access data to ACT!
• Periodic update of ACT! with accounting data

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The New Hampton Group

• Custom solutions
• ACT! Enhancement Products
• www.tnhg.com
• geoff_at_tnhg.com