A new version of MessageSender is now available.  Version 5.12.4.0 has the following changes:

• Fixed issue with the MessageSender service not recognizing changed settings until the service was restarted.  Now it will accept the changes immediately.
• Added option to automatically delete older activity log files.
• Added Detailed Log option.

If you are upgrading from a previous version of MessageSender 5, you will need to stop and uninstall the MessageSender service (this can be done in MessageSender Manager) on your network before upgrading to the new version, otherwise Windows will report errors.

You can download MessageSender 5.12.4.0 from the MessageSender home page or from My PhonePad Account.

A new version of MessageSender is now available.  Version 5.12 has the following changes:

• Minor modifications to ensure compatibility with authentication methods of some SMTP servers.

If you are upgrading from a previous version of MessageSender 5, you will need to stop and uninstall the MessageSender service (this can be done in MessageSender Manager) on your network before upgrading to the new version, otherwise Windows will report errors.

You can download MessageSender 5.12 from the MessageSender home page or from My PhonePad Account.

We are pleased to announce the re-release of PhonePad Version 4.21. Here is a summary of changes that are included in this release:

• Added an option to disable Inbox message filtering.
• Added an option to delay data connection for Remote Mode.
• Fixed issue with user accounts disabling not working correctly.
• Fixed issue with Follow Up Notes not being archived.

The new message list has not been included in this release due to technical issues with getting it to perform satisfactorily. It may reappear in 4.23 or later (changes for 4.22 have already been finalized) if we can get it to perform at an acceptable level, otherwise we will be sourcing another 3rd party grid control to replace it.

Message Filtering Disabling

Message filtering can be completely disabled under Preferences.

Data Connection Delay Option

There can be problems if you are using PhonePad in Remote Mode (Client/Server) and it is set to start up automatically when Windows starts. PhonePad may try to connect to the PhonePad Server before the network connection is ready, causing connection errors. To cater for these situations, we have added an option to delay start up connections. This setting is controlled by DBConnect.

You can set the exact amount of time for the delay in milliseconds. 1000 milliseconds = 1 second.

Upgrading Your PhonePad Database

You will need to upgrade your PhonePad database by running DBUpdate after upgrading PhonePad.

Download PhonePad Version 4.21

You can download version 4.21 by logging in to www.myphonepad.com and selecting the My Downloads option, or by going to the PhonePad download page.

Important: When you upgrade PhonePad, please make sure you don’t accidentally create a second PhonePad database. When you run DBUpdate, make sure that the Data Directory setting is pointing to your existing PhonePad data folder, and not a new folder.

A new version of MessageSender is now available.  Version 5.11 has the following changes:

• Added SMS test message option for SMS Global.
• Added check to see if MessageSender service is running.
• Added option to override email username and password requirement.
• Added loading and saving of main form size and position.
• Added menu options for recreating default message templates.
• Added button for validating PhonePad data folder setting.

If you are upgrading from a previous version of MessageSender 5, you will need to stop and uninstall the MessageSender service (this can be done in MessageSender Manager) on your network before upgrading to the new version, otherwise Windows will report errors.

You can download MessageSender 5.11 from the MessageSender home page or from My PhonePad Account.

Some users are experiencing performance issues with PhonePad Version 4.21 due to the new message list that was introduced in this version, particularly with Remote Mode connections.  If you have not yet upgraded to 4.21, we recommend holding off until we have resolved this issue.

If you already have 4.21 installed and are experiencing these issues, you can downgrade to 4.20 by downloading the PhonePad executable and overwriting your 4.21 copy of PhonePad.  There is no need to reinstall PhonePad.

You can download the PhonePad 4.20 executable using this link.

We apologize for any inconvenience.  We are working on this issue and will release an update as soon as we have resolved it.

UPDATE

We have pulled the Version 4.21 release until we resolve this issue.  The latest release version is now 4.20.

We are pleased to announce the release of PhonePad Version 4.21.  Here is a summary of changes that are included in this release:

• Completely replaced the message list control.
• Added an option to disable Inbox message filtering.
• Added an option to delay data connection for Remote Mode.
• Fixed issue with user accounts disabling not working correctly.

New Message List

The grid component used for message lists in PhonePad has always bugged me.  I’ve never liked the way the scrolling works.  As you have no doubt experienced, the scroll thumb in the vertical scroll bar only has 3 positions: top, middle and bottom.  This can be annoying to use, especially if you have a lot of messages.

There are technical reasons why it works this way, and we have been trying to overcome the restrictions for quite some time.  Over the years we have been looking for a way to replace the current grid component with something better.  The main problem has been finding a component that supports the features we require.  Well we have found it, and for the past few weeks we have been retrofitting the new message list into PhonePad.  It hasn’t been an easy task due to the way the new control works, so we had to rewrite large amounts of code to fit it in and get it working.

You may not notice much difference from the screenshot, but you will definitely see the improvement when you use it.

Message Filtering Disabling

Message filtering can be completely disabled under Preferences.

Data Connection Delay Option

There can be problems if you are using PhonePad in Remote Mode (Client/Server) and it is set to start up automatically when Windows starts.  PhonePad may try to connect to the PhonePad Server before the network connection is ready, causing connection errors.  To cater for these situations, we have added an option to delay start up connections.  This setting is controlled by DBConnect.

You can set the exact amount of time for the delay in milliseconds.  1000 milliseconds = 1 second.

Upgrading Your PhonePad Database

You do not need to run DBUpdate after installing the upgrade (there have been no database changes), unless you are upgrading from a version prior to 4.19.

Download PhonePad Version 4.21

You can download version 4.21 by logging in to www.myphonepad.com and selecting the My Downloads option, or by going to the PhonePad download page.

Important: When you upgrade PhonePad, please make sure you don’t accidentally create a second PhonePad database.  If you run DBUpdate, make sure that the Data Directory setting is pointing to your existing PhonePad data folder, and not a new folder.

PhonePad’s Caller ID feature can identify callers when they ring and automatically display their details if they are in the PhonePad Address Book.  The Received Calls feature keeps a history of all calls received, even when you’re out of the office.

To use these features though, you need more than just PhonePad.  You will need some hardware – a TAPI-compliant device (such as a modem, telephony card, etc.) connected to your computer and telephone (or phone line).  The diagram below shows how it works.  There are four main components for TAPI.

Your telephone is connected to the TAPI device, which is connected to your computer (if it’s an external device). When a call is received, the call information is sent through TAPI (which is part of the Windows operating system) to PhonePad.

Many voice modems have TAPI support but you should verify this with the vendor before purchasing.  We have a free program you can download to test any modem with TAPI: https://cybercom-software.com/blog/index.php/2011/10/testing-caller-id-on-a-tapi-device-2/

A new version of MessageSender is now available.  Version 5.09 has the following changes:

• Fixed issue with Activity Log.
• Fixed screen refreshing issue that can occur on Windows 7 machines.
• Minor fixes.

If you are upgrading from a previous version of MessageSender 5, you will need to stop and uninstall the MessageSender service (this can be done in MessageSender  Manager) on your network before upgrading to the new version, otherwise Windows will report errors.

You can download MessageSender 5.09 from the MessageSender home page or from My PhonePad Account.