[DogParkList] LOTW & eQSL

[Don Agro]

Hi Chip,

On 8-Oct-08, at 7:49 PM, C. Griffin wrote:


> I started this, I should take the heat if there is any to be had.


No heat, just a voice crying in the wilderness :)


> I am a Mac programmer. Or at least I have studied programming on and  

> off over the years and have produced a few applications. Most  

> recently I wrote a messaging program in RealBASIC. But that was a  

> few years ago and my copy of that isn't current. The main problem is  

> that I have 100 things to do and time to do 10 of them. I am  

> constantly juggling between family, church, radio, and other  

> interests. Radio has been getting more than it's fair share in the  

> past few years, partially because I have several unrelated  

> leadership positions that I'm trying to perform. Again, time is the  

> critical element. Oh, and I am still of working age and have to work  

> 40 or more hours per week to keep food on the table, a roof over my  

> head, and electrons flowing to my favorite RF gear.


I understand, I work 40 hours a week in addition to several contract  
jobs, raising 3 school age children and answer over a hundred support  
emails a day relating to the Mac Ham radio projects which I do in my  
spare time. That's not counting working on the new version of  
MacLoggerDX and a few other 'secret' projects.


> I have XCode. I've run it a few times. My 'C' skills are rusty, but  

> I could work on that. Please tell me more. Are you saying that it's  

> possible for me to extend the functionality of MLDX by using XCode?  

> Or are you suggesting that I draft some potential code for MLDX and  

> send it to you for possible inclusion?


I was suggesting that someone might want to write some new Mac Ham  
Radio applications, but MLDX is extensible through AppleScript or the  
published log file format and possible database templates or through  
ADIF.


>> Extend the functionality of existing applications like B. Scott  

>> Andersen did with his excellent Cab Converter...

>

> This is an intermediate solution. This will provide some time savers  

> but would not be a complete solution. The ideal would be for a  

> method to do it within the main application. Secondary would be some  

> additional application (script) which fills the gap.


This could be scripted but there is no point in making the hooks  
available if no one is going to use them.


> The least helpful is what we do now with manual everything.


No, less helpful would be not having ADIF export at all, or worse,  
having ADIF export that was not compatible with eQSL or LoTW. I seem  
to remember spending a couple of months getting that working properly...

<http://dogparksoftware.com/mldxlotw.html>


>> Write some AppleScripts to extend MLDX...

>

> One main stumbling block here, which I would love to know how to  

> solve or work around. That is that TSQL is not scriptable. So I need  

> a method of working around that. Now I recently found some comments  

> that the TSQL program can be run from the command line. If that is  

> true then I can probably make the script thing work. So that is  

> something I will look into on upcoming days off. If I am successful  

> I will gladly share my scripts for all (I've written many before).

>

>> I will continuously strive to improve MacLoggerDX, but it will  

>> never do everything for everyone.

>

> I wasn't asking for that, but I think it is reasonable to ask for  

> features and when popular enough that they are implemented.


That is exactly how I choose which features are implemented - how many  
people ask for it vs how much time it will take.


> I asked for a feature to MacMemories awhile ago. You told me what it  

> would take to get that feature. I have not been able to get in  

> position to provide you the necessary resource. Heck if it was just  

> a matter of funding the feature I might even be able to work with  

> you on that. I know, you have a life like the rest of us. This is  

> just a hobby. But it never hurts to ask.


Understood, but our contract rates are a bit out of the range of  
private individuals.


>> BTW Rick, I am not picking on you, I just used your post as an  

>> excuse to sound off on something that has been puzzling me for  

>> years - Where are all the Mac Ham Radio programmers ?

>

> I am here ... just not enough hours in the day to do all the things  

> I want to do ... probably the same problem you have.

>

> Thanks for considering our suggestions.


You are welcome.


> 73,

> --de Chip (N1MIE) FN41bn




73 Don Agro VE3VRW


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