ljensen.com  Release Note Browser
Release Note Browser


It's a tool that browses REALbasic release notes! Just drag the release note file(s) that you're interested in onto the app's icon or window. Release Note Browser parses the contents, and shows them to you in nice tabular form, with a search box so that you can type a few keywords to instantly collect all notes on the features you care about, no matter where they are in any of your input files. Naturally, your inputs and window settings are remembered across sessions, you can print selected notes, etc.

Note: PDF release note files, such as used in RB 2009.1, are not yet supported.
screen shot

Download Size Format
Release Note Browser for Mac OS X 1.7 MB Zip
Release Note Browser for Windows 1.7 MB Zip
Release Note Browser for Linux 1.5 MB Zip
Release Note Browser source code (works with RB 2007r1 or later*) 128 KB Zip
Release Notes for REALbasic 3.5-5.5 ** 208 KB Zip

* And maybe back to RB 2005r1. I haven't checked that since version 1.0b025. If you do, please let me know if it compiles.

** Unless you like vintage release notes, you probably don't need this. Prior to version 1.0b017, the software could deal with only one input file at a time, so downloads contained these concatenated (and slightly edited) release note files as a convenience. They are preserved here for historical interest, along with my list of anomalies in the original files from REAL Software.

Releases
1.0b032 -  No longer accepts PDF files, such as used in RB 2009r1, which led to an exception.
03/22/09  
     
1.0b031 -  Cleaned up formatting of selected item text.
02/16/09  
     
1.0b030 -  Added Linux support.
02/12/09 -  Fixed exception in Preferences window with no input files.
-  Added Show button for Windows.
-  Eliminated many compiler warnings.
     
1.0b029 -  Fixed iteration bug that allowed some duplicates to go undetected.
02/10/09 -  Improved performance by deduping before filtering, instead of after.
     
1.0b028 -  Variable line breaks no longer confuse the duplicate detector.
02/10/09 -  Using the filter no longer confuses the duplicate detector.
     
1.0b027 -  Better version number parsing, including checking parent folders.
02/06/09 -  Source code is compatible with RB versions through 2008.
-  Eliminates duplicate release notes from view. If a duplicate note is found, only the one belonging to the earlier release note file is shown. (This affects only the display; input files are not modified.) To see all notes in all files, check the "Show duplicate notes" checkbox at the top right of the display.
     
1.0b026 -  Compatible with recent changes to HTML release note format.
01/28/09 -  Discontinued Classic release.
     
1.0b025 -  Compatible with new REALBasic 2008r2 HTML release note format.
05/09/08 -  Fixed transparency in 16-bit icon mask.
     
1.0b024 -  Compatible with changes in REALBasic 2008r1 release note format.
03/02/08 -  Source code file now uses .rbp extension.
     
1.0b023 -  Fixed bug in parsing FogBugz version numbers.
02/01/08
     
1.0b022 -  Now handles notes that have FogBugz format.
01/26/08 -  Now handles "FinalCandidate" string in the version number.
     
1.0b021 -  Now handles "alpha" and "beta" strings in the version number.
12/08/07
     
1.0b020 -  Now handles "Realease r4a1" (as seen in recent files).
08/17/06 -  Removed obsolete "Tips" section from help.
     
1.0b019 -  New input files are added to the top of the list.
05/07/06 (This might reverse the order of your saved input files. If this happens, just drag the files into the right order. You'll only have to do this once.)
  -  Added outline to app icon.
     
1.0b018 -  Better splitter rendering on Mac OS X.
01/08/06 -  Bottom splitter now obeys lock rules properly.
  -  Fixed irregularities in app icon & mask.
  -  Fixed an improper initialization in FolderItem-based preference routine.
  -  Updated help window.
  -  Added anomalies to release note file download.
     
1.0b017 -  Redesigned input file interface allows multi-file browsing.
01/07/06 -  Moved input file list to collapsible panel in main window.
  -  Replaced "full path" preference with "smart version" for input file display
  -  Now stores input files using GetSaveInfo instead of AbsolutePath.
  -  Delete and backspace keys now work in input file list.
  -  Added button to show input file in Finder (Mac only).
  -  Splitters look more like OS X standard on Mac.
  -  Splitters give proper mouse pointer feedback, have bounds, remember positions.
  -  Fixed incorrect auto-sizing of preferences window.
  -  Fixed failure to remember state of Filter checkbox under some conditions.
  -  Updated parsing to handle new variation in feedback ID listings.
  -  Cleaned unused code out of MiscHelpers module (formerly LowLevelModule).
  -  Fixed bug that didn't detect multiple feedback IDs in recent files.
  -  Now opens all the feedback IDs for a note, not just the first one.
  -  New preference for feedback ID URL (in case RS changes it someday).
  -  Fixed control order in all windows.
  -  Moved release note files into separate download.
  -  Fixed errors in 5.0 Release Notes.txt.
     
1.0b016 -  Includes release notes through RB 2005r3.
09/13/05
     
1.0b016 -  Updated parsing to handle RB 2005r2 file format.
08/03/05 -  Includes release notes through RB 2005r2.
     
1.0b015 -  For easier searching, no longer removes brackets from 'type' and 'sys' fields.
06/16/05 -  Includes release notes through RB 2005r1.
  -  Updated copyright date.
     
1.0b014 -  Live filtering allows more time to type characters.
05/27/05 -  Added an application icon.
  -  Includes release notes through 5.5.5.
     
1.0b013 -  Can now print the selected note(s) via the File menu.
08/27/04 -  Found text is highlighted in bold & color (adjust via prefs).
  -  Listbox now supports Select All.
-  Removed Auto-select feature; listbox now supports Copy directly.
-  File Open now defaults to the folder the application is in.
-  Removed extra separator from Help menu on Windows.
-  Can now open TextEdit files.
-  Ignores extraneous hyphen after version number in input file.
-  No longer fooled by lines starting with '[' that aren't new notes.
-  Input file path now saved using GetSaveInfo, not AbsolutePath.
-  Recent file dialog resize nub does not appear on Windows (use window frame).
-  No longer draws spurious rectangles in selected-items box on Classic (RB bug fix).
-  No longer crashes if trying to open recent file that no longer exists (RB bug fix).
-  Updated much source code to current (5.5) coding/naming style.
-  Deleted much unused low-level code.
-  Added ".txt" to composite release note file names.
-  Added missing 5.5.1fc3 release note to 5.5 and "All" composite files.
-  Added all 5.5.3 release notes to 5.5 and "All" composite files.
-  Added 5.5 final "[Afx]" release notes to 5.5 and "All" composite files.
     
1.0b012 -  Added 5.5b1 release note file (including missing 5.5a11 notes).
01/23/04 -  Added single file with all release notes back through 3.5 cycle.
  -  Can suppress full path display via Preferences.
-  Fixed typo in copyright string.
-  Changed "Filter" to "Contains" in main window.
-  Added chasing arrows to parsing, filtering, and selecting processes.
-  Added cmd-. to cancel a long multiple selection process.
     
1.0b011 -  Added editable recent-file list to main window.
01/06/04 -  "Live" filtering can be disabled via Preferences.
  -  Typing into the filter field auto-checks the filter checkbox.
-  Preference menu item now located properly in OS X.
-  Fixed bug in Nub class dealing with shift-dragging (not evident in this app).
-  Made help window copyable, resizable, and scrollable (some RB scroll bugs remain in Classic).
-  Updated and simplified list of included release note files.
     
1.0b010 -  Made compatible with 5.2.2fc1 release note file
10/19/03   (had erroneously accepted the first line).
  -  Added 5.2.2fc1 release notes to 5.5a6-4.5 Release Notes file.
  -  Fixed a minor concatenation error in 5.5a6-4.5 Release Notes file.
-  Added draggable "nub" (a reusable class!) between edit box and list box.
-  Added preference to auto-select full note (makes copy/paste easier).
-  Added checkbox to disable filter without erasing text.
-  Added item count at bottom of window.
-  Updated instructions and added tips in help window.

This software was made with REALbasic, a rapid application development system for Macintosh and Windows. If you want to tweak the code, get the source (above) and download the free demo from REAL Software. Give it a whirl; it's quite easy.

The software and source code are free, without restrictions or warranties of any kind.

©2003-2009 Lars Jensen http://ljensen.com/releasenotebrowser