Using PNG Graphic Files in Document Templates

When you attach city logos are other graphic files to document templates in the Document Editor it is important to use as small a file size as possible. To this end it may be worth considering using the PNG format which is often even smaller than JPGs. Even though PNG files are not included by default when you search to attach a graphic file to a document template via the Document Editor, they are supported. To find them you have to change the default "Files of Type" navigation dialog drop-down to "All Files." Then you can attach a PNG file and it should work just fine.

Tag Field Made Easier

I've just changed the Tag field on the Property Screen in ZP SQL so that it can be marked and unmarked without having to first hit Edit on the record. This is the way it worked in ZP 32 but in an effort to minimize internet calls I didn't keep it that way in ZP SQL. The downside though was that marking a record then required 3 clicks in ZP SQL instead of just the one click it took in ZP 32. The Tag field option is a great way to select a group of property records for inclusion in reports or labels from the Mailing Label report screen, but it is not really useful if the selection process is cumbersome. This change should once again make it a much more helpful option in ZP SQL.

Printing DBA's In Application Document Screens

A year ago I added a DBA field to the Contact File database and since then I have gotten several requests to be able to print that field from the Document Screens in the various application databases. I've figured out a way to add that field to the PropNames data construct that is available in every application screen so that now you can print the DBA for Owners or Occupants on permits and letters. I've created a special custom document that demonstrates all the name options using the PropNames data. You can download "Name_Options.Zip" from the Downloads page of our web site to see how this all works.

Property Linking in Staff Web Site

A few weeks ago I wrote about a new option in the Contact File Screen that makes it easy to link a contact record with multiple properties without having to go to each actual Property Screen record. Now that feature has been extended to the Staff web site. there is a new Manage Property Links option available from the Contact main page that essentially does the same thing. It provides an easy way to link a contact record to additional property records from one screen. The new page has already been uploaded to all ZP internet accounts and is ready for use!

New Property Linking Option in Contact File Screen

As you know Contact File records are designed so that any property can have as many contacts associated with it as needed, and any contact can be associated with as many property records as needed. The way the Windows screens were designed it is easy to go to a Property Screen and add new contacts to it, but not as easy to assign one contact to multiple properties. That shortcoming has been addressed with a new Link button that has been added to the Contact File Screen. Starting at a Contact File Screen you can now click on the Link button to search for other property records that the contact should have a link to and then make that link. Using this method you can quickly link a given Contact File record to multiple property records. (The updated Contact File Module with this feature is ready for download through the Installed Modules Screen.)

Rental Record Archive Option

An option has been added to ZonePro that allows users to move older records out of the Rental database. The old records are then stored in an archive database that is created just for that purpose. To use this option you would go to the ZP Toolbox screen and click on the SQL Archive Utility button. A new tab has been added here for Rental records. It only selects records that were entered at least five years ago and have a Rental Status of "Archive." These records can then be pulled out of the main database and stored in a new one. The benefit of using this tool is really just reducing the size of the Rental database and thereby speeding up report operations and other activities that sift through the full set of records. The downside is that you are removing records that may be of historical interest.

Install Tip for Path Name

I have run into an issue a couple of times where the installation path name tripped up a feature in ZonePro. The issue is that you do not want to have any spaces in the installation path name for ZonePro. So c:\zpsql\install\zpsql.exe is fine but not c:\zp  sql\install\zpsql.exe. Although most features work just fine, this issue is known to cause problems when exporting "to spreadsheet." Better to avoid.

Windows 10 Compatible For ZonePro

I'm slowly getting inquiries about ZonePro's compatibility with Windows 10. I've installed the Windows upgrade on a laptop here in the office and have not seen any problems running ZonePro SQL or ZonePro 32. If you come across a problem please let me know but I see no reason you can't upgrade to Windows 10 if desired.

Email Screen for Property Page

I've added an Email option off of the primary Property Page in the Staff Web site. It will auto-load any email addresses stored for Contacts. It also has an option to easily reference any photos or pdfs that have been uploaded for the current property record. I think this will prove useful.

Email Attachment Option

I've added a button to all the email screens in the Staff site to allow users to add an attachment to the email. I would advise not trying to attach anything over 1 MB big. I'm not sure how useful this feature will be in the context of ZonePro but I would like to hear about it.

Email Troubleshooting

I've done some work to help ensure that everyone can send e-mails via their Staff web site. I did troubleshooting of the default email server settings and they should now work for all customers. Please let me know if that is not the case. There are a few new settings added to the Email Setup page in Maintenance to enable more precise control. The Test Email page off of the Email Setup Page gives more setting information as well to aid in getting it working for each customer. I would recommend going with the default settings and a custom "From" address rather than trying to use your own mail sever. Try it out for yourself.

Photo Manipulation Options on Web

Among the changes to the photo options on the Staff web sites are two new pages for manipulating photos after they are uploaded. One page allows you to rotate your images to get the correct orientation. The second page allows you to crop a photo to remove extraneous material. These are particularly useful when using a tablet as a camera and upload device because those photos often benefit from a little maintenance.

Batch Upload for Web Photos

As mentioned in previous post, I have replaced the method used to upload photos in the Staff web site. One benefit of this new method is the Add New Photos option now allows you to do a "batch" upload where you can upload up to 10 photos at one time. A new Photo record is created for each file. This is similar to the Batch Loader option in the Windows program except that you don't have an option to fill in extra fields as part of the process. You will have to edit each record created to change the Description or Linked ID, for example. But you can easily do this once the upload completes.

New Upload Screens for Photos on Web

I have replaced all of the photo upload screens in the Staff web site. The new upload screens allow you to drag and drop JPG or PDF files onto a control and provides a preview of the item before uploading. When uploading JPGs from a PC the new process resizes the image before the upload to improve upload times. This new approach should work smoother on PCs and be a big improvement on tablets as well. This affects the Photo Module upload process and the Property Cover Picture option.

New DBA Field for Contact File Database

A new field has been added to the Contact File database called "DBA" (Doing Business As). This 50 character field follows the First and Last Name fields on the main Contact File screen. The field is available with the upgrade to version 1.50 of the Contact File Module which you can download via the Installed Modules screen. This field is only viewable or printable from the Contact File screen itself. I'll be adding it to the web sites in the near future.

Simplifying Relationship Management Access

The Contact File database allows you to designate a relationship that each contact has with a particular property. The two main relationship types are "Owner" and "Occupant" but you can also add your own creations to the list of possible relationships. Previously, you had to go to Maintenance Options to get to the screen where you could edit the list of possible relationships. Now we have added a shortcut to the Change Relationship screen that lets you edit the list of possible relationships right from there. Look for the new notepad button on the Change Relationship screen.
As a side note, keep in mind that Relationship types have to be 10 characters or less.

Permit Mover for Staff Web Site

The SQL Permit Mover tool has been added to the Staff Web site. You can get to it by going to Maintenance and then the System section. The Permit Mover is part of the ZP Toolbox options in the Windows version of ZonePro SQL. It allows you to move a permit from one property to another which is useful if the permit was accidentally entered under the wrong address. I think the web version is even easier to use than the Windows version because it only presents you with drop-down boxes so there is no typing, and it gives better feedback on the chosen permit and the chosen property so that you can be sure you are making the right choices.

Expanding Source Field in Reports

There are a number of report screens in ZonePro SQL that include a Source field as part of their output (such as the Activity Report Screen). This field is a two character abbreviation of the database that the record is pulled from. Several customers have asked if their is an easy way to make this field more readable on reports by expanding "BD" to "Building Permit", for example. This can be done by using a function that evaluates the field value and outputs the alternative text. Substitute the function below for the expression in any report that prints the "Source" field. You can trim the expression down to include only those databases that matter to you. You can also edit the second argument in each pairing to read the way you want it to.

ICASE(source="ZN","Zoning Permits",source="VL","Violations",source="AP","Appeals",source="AM","Amendments",source="OT","Other Permits",source="EX","Extra Permits",source="PN","Planning",source="BD","Building",source="EL","Electrical,source="PL","Pumbing",source="MC","Mechanical",source="PJ","Project",source="RE","Rental",source="HS","Housing,source="PS","Pre-Sale",source)

Mapping Fire Hydrants in the Staff Site

I have just uploaded pages to the Custom section of the demo Staff web site that lets users map fire hydrants and keep track of them in a database. You can add hydrants visually using a map. You can look up a street address and find all the nearest fire hydrants. This is just a test system that I am working on for a customer but it is also a fun example of the kinds of things you can do with web-based data. You can play with the pages yourself by logging on at www.zpdemo.zpuser.com/staff and using the Dashboard from the Main page to go to Custom Options. From there you will see a menu of options for working with the fire hydrant maps and data.

Connecting to ArcMap 10

One of my customers, Morehead City, is messing around with GIS and ZonePro so I asked if they would send me their steps for making the connection and they were kind enough to do so. Here is what they sent:

ArcMap 10.3
- ArcCatalog -> Database Connections -> Add Database Connection
- In the dropdown box, select “SQL Server”
- Enter server and database information from Zone Pro -> “OK” (ZP Systems can give you this info.)
- Drag and drop the “vBuildCombo” database (for building permits) and/or “vViolateRep” database (for violations) from Database Connections in ArcCatalog to the table of contents in ArcMap
- Identify a unique identifier (e.g., “parcel” field) ->Click Finish
- Add the layer to the map which contains the parcel identification number. Use the layer to create a relate:
- Right click the layer -> “Joins and Relates” -> “Relate” ->
- #1 Select the field which contains the parcel number from the drop down box.
- Make sure #2 contains the correct table.
- #3 Select “parcel” from the dropdown box.
- Click “OK”

To see the connected information, click the identify tool and select a property. Identify from the layer that is connected to the Zone Pro tables. If permit activity exists, you will be able to see it by clicking the “+” sign under the layer name.

It looks like this: