Introduction

The practice log is designed to help you to easily track the time that you spend on an activity.

When I created the system, I had practicing a musical instrument in mind. But you might want to track the time that you spend volunteering, working, exercising, or even sleeping. Whatever you are doing, the Practice Log makes it easy to track the time that you spend.

There are three applications that you can use to enter and view your practice time.

· Website: You can enter and view your time online. Just create a free account and start logging. You will be able to update your log wherever you have access to a computer.

· Android App: You can enter practice time with the free android app. The android app will share the account you create on the website and will allow you to view and update your log from your phone. The Android app also has a practice timer so that you can time your activity and automatically add it to your log.

· Windows Application: A desktop application that can either connect to the same account as the website and android app or work entirely offline. The windows application is probably the easiest to use and can handle multiple users. It is the way to go if you don't need to view or edit your log away from your computer, or if you don't want your data online.

Application specific instructions

Windows

Creating an account

When you first run the program, the log will be blank. Click the 'add user' link at the top left of the screen. You will need to decide if you want to store your data on your own computer or on the web. If you store on the web, you will need to create an account by picking a username and password. The email address is optional, but will allow your password to be reset if you forget it. If you want to be able to use the web page or android application to view or edit your log, you will need to pick web storage. If you have already created an account, select "Existing Web" and enter your login information. All your data will be downloaded to the application.

Login

Once you have added an account, you will never need to login again.

Backup

The application stores your data in %APPDATA%/PracticeLog/users.db. This directory is typically backed up by backup software, but if you need to move your data to another computer, you can copy over this file.

Export

You can also backup your data by exporting it to a CSV file that can be read by a spreadsheet program. Just click on the Export button on the top left.

Entering your time

Just enter your time directly on the calendar display. Your changes are automatically saved. Use hh:mm format to enter your time. When you click on a day, the note is displayed at the bottom left. You can use the text box to add/edit the note for that day. The "Same as Yesterday" button copies your last note to the currently selected day.

Timers

Use the Countdown or Stopwatch buttons to start a practice session. The countdown is to countdown a preset amount of time and the stopwatch counts up till stopped. When your session is over, the time will be added to today.

Web

Creating an account

The first time you visit the web page you will need to create an account or login to an account that you have created with the windows or android versions. Press the "New User" or "Login" buttons. Enter your username and password along with an email for account recovery. The calendar view will be filled in with your practice data. You shouldn't need to login again unless you move to another computer, browser, or clear your cookies. (The web site requires that cookies be enabled).

Logout

If you don't want other people who use your computer to have access to your log, you should log out after you are done.

Export

You can get a copy of your data in CSV format that can be viewed with a spreadsheet program by clicking the "Export" button.

Entering your Time

To enter time, click on the day. A dialog will be displayed with the date, time and note. Edit the data and click OK. All changes are saved as you make them.

Android

Creating an account

The first time you run the app, you will be prompted to login or create an account. Enter your username and password and an email for account recovery. Your new account will be created, and/or you will be logged into your account. The app will automatically log you in from now on.

Logout

If you want to log out, or switch users, there is a logout button in the menu.

Entering your Time

To enter time for today, just edit the time or note and press save. If you want to see/edit a different day, press the buttons to the left/right of the time or swipe left/right. You can also start a stopwatch which will count up and automatically add the time to today when you are done.

Export

There is no way to export with the Android app. But your data is saved online and you can access it and export to CSV using the web site at: http://weissoft.com/practicelog/webapp.

Which version should I use?

Windows

· Complete privacy in offline mode

· Easiest way to enter historical data

· Best if you keep a lot of notes.

· Best if you have multiple users or multiple logs.

Android

· Best if you want to time your practice sessions and automatically add the time to your log

· This is also best for use on the go.

Web

· Useful for remote access for windows application users and for android users to see old data

· The web page is the easiest to use.

Combination [Recommended]

· Web+Android: Easily add time while you practice with the android app and use the web page to view historical data.

· Windows+Android: Easily add time while you practice with the android app and use the windows application to view historical data and see statistics. This is how I use the system.

Security and Privacy:

When you create an account with any of the apps, your username and email are stored at weissoft.com. Your password is stored encrypted only. No one can access your practice time and notes without your password. Since your password is stored encrypted, it cannot be recovered if you forget it. It can be reset if you provided an email during signup.

Troubleshooting

I forgot my password

If you created your account with an email address, email me at weissoft@chadweisshaar.com and I will reset your password and mail the new password to the email address you gave when you created the account.

I can’t access my locally stored data

The data is saved at %APPDATA%/practicelog/users.db. The program is expecting to find it there, so if you have moved computers, or changed your %APPDATA% location, you will need to copy the file to the new location.

%APPDATA% is an environment variable that usually points to the AppData/Roaming directory under your user directory. You should just be able to put “%APPDATA%/practicelog” into a file explorer or start search bar. If you have the file, but no longer have access to the practice log program, the database is SQLite. You can also email it to me at weissoft@chadweisshaar.com and I will extract the data for you.

Other issues

Email me at weissoft@chadweisshaar.com