Collanos Workplace 1.0.0.10 - Release Notes

[Steven Tedjamulia]

Today we released Collanos General Availability Release, Workplace 1.0 (v1.0.0.10).

If you are not prompted automatically during start-up to download the new updates, please make sure to check for them in the Help menu under Software Updates -> Find & Install or you can also download the latest version of Collanos from www.collanos.com. We recommend that all team members update to the latest release to ensure optimal operation of Collanos Workplace and the ability to use the latest features across the entire team(s).

A. New to this Release

There are several new enhancements and fixes released in version 1.0.

1. Sound Alerts – Users can now hear sounds when objects and folders are added, modified, and deleted.  Also, when invitations and messages are received.  From the Tools>Preferences menu users can set to hear sounds for all their workspaces, only the active workspaces, or only for messages and invitations.  By default users will hear sounds for all workspaces, messages, and invitations.

2. Report Problem/Bug – If users have any problems or bugs they can go to the help menu and select Report Problem>Bug and the user will be able to enter a description and attach additional files that may help support resolve the problem.  Also, when reporting a problem/bug Workplace will automatically collect system log files that will allow Collanos’ support to better understand the user’s problem/bug and resolve it.  When users click OK, a zip file will be created and placed on the user’s desktop.  The user then needs to email this zip file to support@collanos.com.  In the next release the submission will be automated so that when clicking OK an email will automatically be sent to Collanos.

3. Copy as Link – Users can again create a link to an object in the workspace.  In the past linking was done by copying and then pasting a link or by dragging and dropping an object from one folder to another.  Now users can right click on an object and select Copy as Link and then click on Paste to paste the link to the original object.  We added Copy as Link so that the Copy and Cut functions would be similar to the operating system functions.  Also, we only have one Paste function that will paste the object based on what action (copy, cut, copy as link) was performed prior to the pasting.

4. Backup Collanos Data – Users can now backup their Collanos Workplace data by going to the Tools>Preferences section and selecting Collanos Workplace → Workplace Data.  Users need to select Backup Workplace Data and a location and then a copy of the users’ Workplace data will be created.  Make sure you backup your data to a location different then your original data location.  If you create your backup in the same folder as your original data location you will encounter problems.  Currently, backups to a network drive will not work. Users should backup their data to a local or removable drive. 

5. Retrieve Workplace Data – Users can now retrieve their Collanos Workplace data by going to the Tools>Preferences section and selecting Collanos Workplace → Workplace Data.  Users need to select Retrieve Workplace Data and the location of the data.  Retrieving Workplace data will allow users to restore backed-up data or install a new Workplace version and use previous Workplace data.  Retrieving backups should only be done to restore data and should only be used for production use if the backup was kept up-to-date with the exact same Workplace data a user had before restoring.  If a user decides to retrieve a backup that was not the last up-to-date copy, then the user will not be able to receive any data that had already been synchronized with the user previously to the restore, but that was not in the backup copy.  Collanos Workplace does not keep track of what data has been sent to a user previously but no longer exists.  In the case that users need to restore a non-up-to-date backup, the user should request other team members to re-invite the user to the space so that the user can get the most up-to-date copy of a workspace.  Currently, retrievals from a network drive will not work. Users should retrieve only data that is stored locally or in a removable drive.

6. Redirect Workplace Data – Users can now redirect their Collanos data by going to Tools>Preferences section and selecting Collanos Workplace → Workplace Data.  Users need to select Redirect Workplace Data and the location of where the data should be redirected. Make sure you redirect your data to a location different then your original data location.  If you redirect your data to the same folder as your original data location you will encounter problems.  Retrieving Workplace data will allow users to move their data from one location in their file system to another.  Currently, redirecting Workplace data to a network drive will not work.  Users should redirect data to local or removable drives. 

7. Proxy – Users can now use a proxy server to enable users to traverse company firewalls that only allow proxy connections. To configure Workplace to use a proxy server, users need to go to the Tools>Preferences section and select Connections. To configure proxy settings users will need to talk to the user’s company system administrator who can provide the necessary proxy settings (Address, Port, User Name, and Password).

8. Replication Synchronization Improvements - In a few instances where larger teams have been collaborating, there have been issues with some objects not being replicated. The objects were visible to the sender, but did not replicate with some of the other peers. The peers who did not receive the objects were typically invited by another peer after the sender peer already had sent out its changes without knowing about the new peer(s). This problem has been fixed and objects are eventually replicated to peers who did not receive them at the time of the original replication.  Replication may take as long as ten minutes and receiving peers should wait. 


B. Things we are still working on

1. Version Discrepancies – For those who upgraded to 1.0.0.10 you will see that the updated version is called 1.0.0.92. 1.0.0.92 is the same version as 1.0.0.10.  We will resolve this inconsistency in our next release.

2. Folder Structure Replication Inconsistencies and Disappearing Files and Folders – If two users move the same object or folder to different folders at the same time, then two things may happen: (1) folder structures may replicate inconsistently between users, and (2) files and folders may disappear. For now we recommend users to contact team members before re-arranging files and folders in their workspace to prevent any replication inconsistencies and disappearing files and folders.  We are working on this issue and will soon have it fixed. 

3. Save To A Workplace – In some cases users may lose all their changes to a file when trying to save a file to a Collanos workspace that they originally opened from the workspace (as opposed to opening a file from outside Collanos Workplace).  This incident has only occurred when users have worked on a file for an extended period of time.  We suggest that a user who is working on a file, which was opened from Collanos Workplace, for an extend period of time, save the file to his or her file system before importing the file into Collanos. This will assure the file is backed up.  We are working on resolving this issue and will soon have it fixed.

Thanks again for the time you spend providing us with feedback. Please feel free to reach out to us by email or through our support forum.

Sincerely,

Steven Tedjamulia
Head of Product Management
Steven DOT tedjamulia AT collanos DOT com