Version 4.0

  • Added new feature to Checklist reports. Sometimes you want a checklist for a state, but you want the highlighting and counting to reflect species seen in the Country or other ancestor location. For example, I want a checklist of Colorado but I want it to highlight things not seen in the ABA AREA so that I can focus on which things I can see in Colorado that I haven’t seen elsewhere in the ABA AREA this year. Then I don’t go chasing birds in Colorado that I have seen elsewhere in the ABA AREA already. This was not possible prior to this addition. v4.0.117
  • Fixed issue in BirdBase conversion that incorrectly associated State abbreviations with Country abbreviations. v4.0.117
  • During Backup, Birder’s Diary will now ZIP your entire Sightings Attachments folder and place it in a file in the same location as you specify for your database backup. Now you can copy/move Birder’s Diary (including your database and all of its data) along with all of your sighting attachments to a new computer easily. You can turn this feature off if your attachments folder is already on a network drive that doesn’t need to be backed up every time you backup BD. v4.0.116
  • Fixed bug in the 2nd Reconcile Window when using the Select all sightings in grid popup menu. It would randomly produce an RTE 91 error and close Diary. v4.0.115
  • Added Export capabilities to both grids in the Checklist Editor via a popup menu on either grid. v4.0.110
  • Fixed bug in Counts window created by 4.0.108. RTE 53, file not found. v4.0.109
  • Fixed bug in BirdBase conversion code. Did not recognize that lowercase 2-letter location codes in BirdBase would only mean states/provinces while uppercase would be countries/regions. E.g. “co” = Colorado, while “CO” = Colombia. v4.0.108
  • While in View/Edit, if you want to add/show many of your hidden columns, it would take several visits to the popup menu. Now there is a Show All Columns command at the top that will quickly display all hidden columns. Hiding columns is easier than showing. v4.0.108.
  • While in View/Edit, if you have a pair of UDF fields where one name contains the substring “LAT” and the other name contains the substring “LONG”, right-clicking on a sighting row will give you the option of opening Google Maps to that Lat/Long. v4.0.108
  • Added a new option to the Options window (General TAB) that disables Family/Order description updates when upgrading the BD program. This allows the user to customize Family/Order descriptions in the Taxonomy Viewer (F8) without program updates overwriting them. v4.0.107
  • Updated Sightings Import to allow for a new field called ParentLocation. This field can be used to specify the parent of the sighting location. This helps to avoid extra work when importing sightings with an unknown location. In addition, this field can contain a hierarchical list of locations to be created if they don’t already exist, and the sighting location will be added as a child to the lowest/last location in the ParentLocations field. For example, if the sighting location is “BackYard”, ParentLocation might contain “Colorado>Teller County, CO>Sunnywood Estates>My Home”. In this example, all the ParentLocation locations would be created if they don’t already exist in the proper hierarchy, and BackYard would be created under “My Home”. If a location from ParentLocations already existed, it would be used instead of being created. See also. v4.0.107.
  • Updated the Compare Sightings feature, new in v4.0. Originally it did not roll-up subspecies sightings into the species so that the comparison would also display where sightings of subspecies were different. I have added a new option that allows for the original functionality or, when checked, rolls all subspecies sightings up to the species so that you are only comparing specific-level sighting data. v4.0.103
  • Fixed issue on Sightings Import that failed to import a record if the FirstName field was provided, but blank. v4.0.101
  • Fixed bug in new Sightings Import process that caused it to create a Trip with a blank name and attach it to all sightings that do not specify a trip in the import file. v4.0.100
  • Added new BirdBase import feature that will allow users converting from BirdBase software to automatically and easily move all of their data over to Birder’s Diary. v4.0.99
  • Updated the Sightings Import functionality. If an unknown location is found in a Sightings Import file, the user was given the ability to 1) specify an existing location to use for it, 2) specify an existing parent location to add the new location under, or 3) add the new location under ‘Orphaned Locations’. Many times a new location does not fit one of those 3 options, sometimes the new location needs to be added along with intervening sub-locations under an existing location. For example, you wouldn’t want Home added under your home state. Instead you might want to have your home county and housing edition added between the two. The new window allows for this ability. This makes the Sightings Import process much easier without requiring Location editing afterwards. v4.0.99
  • Fixed a couple issues with the AviSys import process. v4.0.98
  • Added a new feature on the Sightings Comparison window. When you drag your mouse over the list of names in either of the three tables, you will get a popup of the sightings for that name that exist in your database. V4.0.96
  • Fixed bug when you attempt to delete an Observer that has sightings in the database. v4.0.95.
  • v4.0.91 build of Birder’s Diary has some problems with respect to the new World and Location lifer celebration. This version has fixed that. v4.0.94.
  • Changed how UDF fields are sized in Checklist Entry window. Prior to this, you adjusted the width of UDF fields using the UDF manager ADJUST button. Now, you can size them in the Checklist Entry window and they will remain the size you have set. You cannot change position in the Checklist Entry window for your UDF fields, that still must be done in the UDF manager. This was in response to UDF field widths changing after upgrades for some users on the Checklist Entry window. v4.0.94.
  • Keyboard Entry mode will now celebrate World and Location lifers upon entry, unless disabled on “View | Options > Petey TAB”. If Petey is not visible or disabled, then you will get a popup message box stating the new lifer. v4.0.90.
  • Fixed bug in Taxonomy Viewer. If you changed the preferred common name or description of a node in the list, it was not showing the change without refreshing. v4.0.89.
  • A new v4.0 feature in the Reports window was not having its setting saved when you saved a report. This has been fixed. v4.0.88
  • Fixed bug in the Language/Region Editor that did not allow you to remove Lists if there were more than one with the same name. v4.0.87
  • Added new feature that allows for changing common names in a taxonomic list in bulk mode. For example, you can change all common names that use “gray” (American usage) to “grey” for a specified taxonomic list with one click of a button. This new feature is available from the Language/Region Editor page. It will preserve the case of the former name. For example, with “Gray Jay” it will become “Grey Jay”; and for “Blue-gray Gnatcatcher” it will become “Blue-grey Gnatcatcher”. v4.0.87
  • Fixed bug in Checklist reports to allow for selecting Last Name, First Name and LastFirst as output columns. LastFirst is nice when you want to print a checklist and sort it by common name. v4.0.87
  • Added new feature for updating and correcting Country/Location names. (e.g. Myanmar for Burma). v4.0.79
  • Fixed bug in Checklist Entry – Trips Style, wherein the Review button fails to list the species checked off. v4.0.75
  • Fixed Bug in Reports that failed to produce the correct counts under the most bizarre of circumstances. http://birdersdiary.com/Support/ProductForums/tabid/75/aft/15092/Default.aspx v4.0.73
  • Added Export Trips feature to the Trip Maintenance window. It will export trips in nested/indented format to a text file and then open the text file for you using your default editor. v4.0.72
  • Fixed bug in Special Reports – All Locations Summary. If you changed your US date from M/d/yyyy to yyyy/mm/dd, the All Locations Summary report would result in “RTE 32014, specified date is invalid.” v4.0.70
  • Fixed bug in Sightings Entry – Keyboard Mode that resulted in RTE 3021 after using Delete Last. This rarely happens and at least one trigger was deleting an entered sighting with View/Edit during the entry session and then clicking Delete Last in the Entry Session. v4.0.70.
  • Added Total Sightings in Database for Current Observer and All Observers to the bottom of the main window. If there is only one observer in the database, then you will only get the total count. v4.0.53.
  • Since the new Detailed Rank Report on the Counts form can take a long time depending on the Taxonomic list (local or World), number of sightings, number of lifers, memory and cpu speed of your computer, I have added a Report Depth setting that allows you to set the report depth at Order, Family, Genus or Species. If you set it at Order, you still get the counts at all the levels, you just don’t get to expand beyond the Order level. And the report takes much less time to create. Likewise, setting the report depth at Family, Genus or Species further lengthens the report creation time appropriately. Advanced feature. v4.0.53.
  • Fixed Date formatting issue for non-US computers in the new Sightings Attachment feature. v4.0.49.
  • Added a new post-Reconcile report feature to the Reconcile window. After you are finished with your reconciliation, the report will show you what changed from the old to the new taxonomy for things that any observer has sightings for in your database. It will also show you things you have sightings for that changed in classification, but did not require reconciliation due to a split or lump. You are prompted to run the report at the end of the reconciliation process. v4.0.48
  • Added support for SPUHs, hybrids, forms, intergrades, domestics, etc.! With the new window below, in the next bullet, you can quickly and easily add any new thing to a taxonomy. See How-To here. v4.0.46. Advanced Feature.
  • Added new single window to replace the need for the Thing Editor, Taxonomy Editor and Checklist Editor when adding a Thing to a taxonomic list. The new process is as fast as you can type (old process was about 30 seconds if you didn’t recalculate the sort order, and then it was much longer). It combines all the required features from all three editors into the minimally required features to greatly speed up creating new things or using existing things and adding them to a taxonomic list. Those of you that have edited or created taxonomic lists in the past have been much in need of this feature. It is here! The Thing, Taxonomy and Checklist Editors are still there for full functionality editing each, but the new window makes adding Things to a tax list a quick process. It is accessible in the two places where you need this feature: the Add Thing button on the Keyboard Sightings Entry window and the Add Thing button on the Taxonomy Viewer window. v4.0.40. Advanced Feature.
  • Fixed Sorting algorithm bug in Report sorting under certain circumstances. 4.0.37.
  • Added sort options to the two Taxonomy select list boxes in Sightings View/Edit Setup and Sightings Entry Setup windows. The options allow you to sort the tax lists alphabetically or by last used. v4.0.36.
  • We have brought back Checklist Reports that ONLY SHOW LIFERS! This has been a much requested feature that was removed in v3.7 with the new highlighting functionality. In removing the old feature I didn’t count on how much use Hit Lists (only showing a list of species you haven’t seen) had in Birder’s Diary. It is now back! V4.0.34.
  • The Trip Style for Checklist Entry mode now allows you to enter Counts for each Location/Trip. This one’s for Pete!
  • New feature in Checklist Entry. An accelerator (Alt+X) has been added to quickly send input focus to the Search/Find box. Type in any name (common or scientific) and press ENTER on your keyboard. That name will be selected in the grid and marked as seen. To get back to the search/find box, merely press Alt+X again and start typing your next name. Pressing ENTER on your keyboard in this box will mark that thing as seen and move input focus to the grid so that you can add comments or set other fields. This eliminates the need for your mouse when using Checklist Entry.
  • New feature added to View Sightings Setup – Only Subspecies and Only Genera/Family sightings. Clicking this will only show the sightings of subspecies or Family/Genera Things that match the rest of your search criteria. This is helpful if you want to review only your subspecies sightings and make changes or for those Genera/Family things sighted.
  • Ctrl+F3 while on the Time field in Keyboard Entry will Toggle locking the Time On or Off. You will get a message at the bottom of the entry window indicating this.
  • Sightings Import and Export feature has been enhanced to support Trips and user-defined fields (UDFs)! You can now move more easily from any other listing program to BD and support all of the data values supported in the previous listing program. See the updated information in Import/Export Data Window. You can now also transfer all of your sighting data to another user or BD program without losing the attached UDF or trip information for each sighting. On import, if the trip doesn’t exist, it will be created for you.
  • You can now ATTACH PHOTOS, VIDEOS, DOCUMENTS, SOUND FILES, etc (any recognizable Windows file) to your SIGHTINGS and/or TRIPS! You can specify the drive and folder to hold these sighting attachments (for example, you might specify a large network drive for such files) in the View | Options window, on the General TAB. You can open and view any attachments to sightings form the View/Edit window. You can search for any Sightings with attachments using a new feature in the View/Edit Setup window. ADVANCED LICENSE REQUIRED. See more info and How-To instructions here.
  • Updated Lifer Bars to show your Big Year mark on each bar!
  • Updated Multiple Species Abundance graph to output Family names, and output all names in either Common or Scientific Names!
  • Fixed RTE in Checklist Report when user sorts on Scientific Name.
  • Added Compare Sightings feature! You can now compare any two sets of sightings in Birder’s Diary to show what each set had a) in common, b) unique to one set, and c) unique to the other set. Quickly find out what you saw and your partner did not see on a recent trip; and vice versa. Compare Warbler sightings this year to Warbler sightings for the past 10 years at a given location. No limits!  ADVANCED LICENSE REQUIRED.
  • Added new button to Checklist Reports Tab that will allow you to quickly update the Checklist data for the selection location using copy/paste from any web site’s checklist! For example, if you are travelling to South Africa to bird, and feel that you checklist data is not up to date with the latest information, you can use this to quickly update and correct that data before printing your checklist.
  • Sort dropdown in the Reports Output Columns editor now says “No Sort” instead of nothing if no sort is specified. In addition, “No Sort” is now the default text for a newly added column/field. Also added Info section on how to Sort your reports on this window.
  • Checklist reports now display how many on the checklist have been seen at the checklist location, in addition to how many on the checklist have been seen anywhere.
  • Added “Export List to Spreadsheet” feature to the Reconcile window. This allows you to output a complete list of all Things that require reconciliation and then open that list in an editor or spreadsheet.
  • Added Endemic support to Checklist and Sightings Reports!
  • Fixed bug in View/Edit Edit function if user has selected multiple taxonomic lists and then selects the same sighting more than once; causing RTE 457.
  • Fixed bug in Backup wherein user does not specify file extension. Subsequent copy back to database file fails to find backup file.
  • Updated Taxonomic Filter to make it easier to use. It remembers settings and auto-filters on level.
  • Ctrl+F3 in View/Edit Sightings Setup, while in Begin or End date fields will copy current date to other field. A useful shortcut.
  • Renamed WarblingVireo.wav to Diary-BirdSong.wav. Users can replace this with any wav file of their choosing to play at startup!
  • Fixed bug in Change Report Taxonomy window where it failed if you did not check Trip reports.
  • Added UDFs (user-defined fields) to the Life List Report!
  • Fixed bug in Add Location where it fails and ocrrupts the location table if one of the fields exceeds the maximum length.
  • You can modify the name of your taxonomy now using the Edit function of the Taxonomy Viewer.
  • Added a Sightings radio button to the Single Species abundance window. If selected, it will sum sightings records instead of min/max counts for each sighting record.
  • Added feature to the View | Options window that will reset all Ignored popup and Tip messages. Pressing this button will allow you to reactivate and see all Tips you have previously set to not show again.
  • Added a Band Code editor for editing band codes in Birder’s Diary and the thing they are associated to.
  • Added ability to import Band Code CSV files with name matching. So you can now update your band code data based on the latest published information.
  • Add Trip Notes font size dropdown to the Sightings Report Tab.
  • The Clements button in the Reconcile process will now auto-search the Cornell/Clements website for the bird in question so that you can review the changes that occured.
  • Added an “Include Sightings” checkbox to the Checklist Report. This will include on your checklist report, any sightings of things you have that are not already associated with the Checklist location.
  • Updated the Counts feature to provide BIG Year, Month and Day counts as well as to produce Order/Family/Genus and Species counts. You can output more detailed reports of each of these new counts. The BIG counts get output to your default spreadsheet program and opened automatically. The Taxon Count report outputs to a web browser file; is interactive and opens in your default browser automatically.  ADVANCED LICENSE REQUIRED for the Taxon Count report.
  • Fixed Checklist Entry mode where min/max count gets corrupted on entry after scrolling list to the right.
  • Allow multiple taxonomies to be selected and used in Checklist Entry mode.
  • New Rosetta Stone functionality. It now has just a simple text entry field where you can enter any Common, Alias or Scientific name and view a cross reference of that thing in your database. From the cross reference window, you can show range information or display the thing in the Taxonomy Viewer.
  • Fixed bug in Checklist Editor wherein the Overwrite checkbox was not used in the Subspecies button click.
  • Fixed a bug in the All Locations Special Report that did not allow you to specify the top location.
  • New option on multiple species Abundance graph to count sightings records instead of min or max counts.