Unstable database?

[jdhchang]

Does anyone else have trouble with Intellect database?
I've been trying to set up a system wherein we keep a record of transactions in this law office in the memo section. However, I haven't implemented it yet, because of a number of perceived flaws.
The link to contact appears very unstable. About 50% of the notes I create do not link with the selected contact. Also, oftentimes, a created note does not appear under the memos tab. Less frequently, when I open up a memo via the memo tab, sometimes the content of the memo displays, sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes, the memo edit pane looks normal, while other times, just a blank window appears. I suppose it may be something wrong with my windows 7 (64 bit) but I don't encounter these strange problems with any other program. Sometimes, when I rebuild the database, it will work somewhat. Dragging and dropping contact to a memo or note never works. Furthermore, link only works if I have the contact name highlighted before clicking the OK button.
I love the concept of Intellect, but at least for me, it appears too unstable--which is completely contradictory to other user's experience. So, if I am missing something here, Please let me know what that may be. Thank you.

Jacob

[David]

Hi Jacob

Welcome to the forum. You have a number of questions in your post and I will do my best to answer them all. I am sure others will also jump in here.

First, I need to clarify notes versus memos. A note in Chaos terms is related to a contact, appointment or task under the notes tab. A memo is the memo module and either has a place for memo's or tables.

With all of this being said if the appointment and task are linked to the contact and you type in the notes field of that particular activity then the notes will be linked along with the activity.

I run 32 and 64 bit Windows 7 machines and have never had a problem linking contacts to activities. How are you going about establishing the link? To link a contact to an activity simply drag the contact to the desired module, or drag an email or simply create a task, appointment or memo and start typing in the contact field to search for the contact you choose.

Finally if you are with a law firm then I highly recommend legal billing to record your transactions. There are other lawyers in this forum who can help you with that one as well.

I hope this helps to answer some of your questions. I also recommend that you go to Chaos U for more detailed explanations of the features.

David

[RossHart]

Jacob:

Always delighted to welcome a colleague to the forum.

David's right: the Billing module is -- in my opinion -- the better place to keep client related memos. Here's a link to a thread I (re)posted on how it works in my office; there are other lawyers who have posted some of their methodology also.

http://www.chaosfanatics.com/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=2#p3

And feel free to ask questions.

[steveshank]

Another way you could maintain notes is to do it in your word processor or anything else, and then link in file shortcuts. However, the issue to me is your bad experience with the database. I have used chaos for my business for many years and have at least a half dozen clients who have also used it for a few years. Our experience with the database is overwhelmingly good. It is VERY stable for a desktop database. So why is your experience so bad?

How many people are accessing it?
Is write caching on for your hard drives?
where is the data located? and how good is your network?
How many clients have you got in the database? How many memos?

I'd like to learn more. I don't understand how links could work sometimes and not other times. If doing a repair fixes things for awhile and then they break again, what is happening? I'd like to know more about your situation.

I'd like to know these things and also suggest you call tech support. Something is very unusual because your experience is very very far from the norm.

[JustDave]

...Less frequently, when I open up a memo via the memo tab, sometimes the content of the memo displays, sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes, the memo edit pane looks normal, while other times, just a blank window appears...

I do see this from time to time, not only in memos but also in contact, appointment and task notes. If I close the note and reopen the note it "resets." It's apparently a display problem and not an issue with the database.

I've never had a single issue with links. I create memos from the memo module,from the contact memo tab and via drag 'n' drop. Like Steve wrote, more info on how you create and link memos would be helpful.

[Brian]

I too find from time to time need to close and reopen !ntellect but it is usually the Legal Billing module that is open when I add a contact not updating. I extensively related tasks, appointments, etc to my clients and have never observes it not working and I've been using the apps since T&C version 5.

File links of course can be a problem as they are absolute and not relative. Move a file, change a drive letter, restructure the filing system and all is lost. Only time I found a system that could follow moves was the built in functionality in Xenix and UNIX.