Options
New beta release v10.5.9.7 - New license system and various improvements
- New beta release v10.5.9.7 - New license system and various improvements
-
New beta release v10.5.9.7 - New license system and various improvements
Jean Lalonde > 2020-09-28 15:59
It's been a long time since the last beta release. I'm back now with the beta release is v10.5.9.x that will become production release v11.
The main change in this release is the transition from a donation model to a paid model. QAP will now be sold for a modest price starting at $ 0.99 per month (plus $ 0.30 for transaction fees) or $ 9.99 per year. A lifetime license will also be available and a free license will be available. At first, the free edition will include all QAP features but this could change over time. Fore more info or to discuss this change, please see this thread about the transition.
The main objective of this beta release is to validate the licensing process. To run this release you will need a license code. When you will launch this release, you will be offered to get a license on the QAP test website (named "Quick Access Popup Shop Sandbox" at the URL http://edd-sandbox.jeanlalonde.ca). This is a test site. Your PayPal account or credit card will NOT be charged for this transaction.
QAP will be offered in a variety of payment options. Choose the option you want to test. In the transaction form, do NOT use your PayPal account or your real credit card number. But enter your real email address. Use this TEST info:
Credit card number: 4242 4242 4242 4242
Expiration: 4/24
Security code: 242
The confirmation email sent immediately after the test transaction contains your license code and the download links for the "Easy Setup" and "Portable ZIP" files. These will be the same file as the one you can download with the link below. If you download these files from the test site, you may see security alerts because the test site is not a "SSL" secure site. However, you should not worry about it and confirm the download or the installation.
With your license in hand, relaunch QAP and, in the "Manage License" dialog box, save your license number. This license will be valid for the duration of the beta test only.
In addition to these changes, this beta release contains some changes related to the new features already introduced in the previous beta releases (mainly the "Multiple Add" feature), some changes introduced earlier in the master release (that were not pushed yet to this beta release) and some other improvements or minor bug fixes.
Thanks for your help !
Version BETA: 10.5.9.4 (2020-09-28)
License processing
- implement a new licensing system replacing the sponsor codes; new licenses are available for a modest price and a free edition is also available
(more info: https://forum.quickaccesspopup.com/showt...p?tid=1208)
- when users launch QAP without a valid license, display the "Manage License" dialog box, where users can get a license on QAP website or to enter the license they received in a dialog box
- under the "Help" menu, replace menu item "Enter sponsor code" with "Manage your license" allowing to manage the license on QAP website (using a password sent when getting the license), remove installations, etc.
- optionally display the sponsor's name in the "Customize" window
- display the license info in the "About" dialog box with link to copy the info to the Clipboard
Adding Multiple Favorites in one dialog box
- under the "Favorite" menu, new menu item "Add Multiple Favorites" allowing to add favorites to a menu or group in one step
- filter items to import by keywords or sort them in the "Add Multiple Favorites" dialog box
- optionally exclude from the list the favorites already found in the QAP menu
- add multiple favorites (folders or applications) from the "Current Windows" to a menu or a group
- add multiple items from the "Recent Folders" or the "Recent Files"
- add multiple items from the "Frequent Folders" or the "Frequent Files"
- add multiple QAP Features or Special Folders
- add multiple favorites (folders, documents or applications) from a selected folder
Various improvements and small bug fixes
- add support for the Windows app "Windows Terminal" (with same features as for CMD command line or PowerShell)
- optimize menu creation when items are on an offline network drive (UNC) and remove unnecessary option "Retrieve icons when refreshing Frequent menus"
- fix bug when saving changes to the properties of a Shared menu
- Italian translation typos and encoding issue fixed
- other changes in production release v10.5.3 to v10.5.6
Version BETA: 10.5.9.5 (2020-09-29)
- add QAP feature "Manage License" allowing to insert this feature in the QAP menu
- rename variable name in ini file to avoid overwriting the name associated to the pre-v11 sponsor code
Version BETA: 10.5.9.6 (2020-10-01)
- Add Multiple Favorites: add favorites from a QAP ini file
- various adjustments related to license processing
Version BETA: 10.5.9.7 (2020-10-09)
- German, Italian, Protuguese-Brazil, Portuguese, Korean and French language files update for v11
- new license text in the About dialog box, setup file and portable zip file
- in portable ZIP file, update readme.txt file and merge Update_instructions.txt
- internal code cleanup
Download link:
(link removed - this beta test is now completed) -
RE: New beta release v10.5.9.4 - New license system and various improvements
dr Winchell > 2020-09-28 20:04
Hi Jean,
What do people do if they already have a registered copy? Will that be lost if trying out this beta?
-Dale -
RE: New beta release v10.5.9.4 - New license system and various improvements
Jean Lalonde > 2020-09-28 20:42
H Dale,
The license code in this release will not replace the "sponsor code" you had before. But the name (that is now optional) will replace the previous name. If you want to return to a previous QAP version, make sure the name you enter in this release with your license is the same as the one associated to your sponsor code.
This is a good point. To make it easier, I'll make sure in the next release (planned for tomorrow) that the name associated with the sponsor code is not changed when you enter your license. This will make it possible to revert to the previous version easily.
Thanks for raising this,
Jean -
RE: New beta release v10.5.9.5 - New license system and various improvements
Jean Lalonde > 2020-09-28 21:10
PS: Since it was an easy fix, I uploaded v10.5.9.5 with the change about user name a few minutes ago. I changed the link in the original post.
Jean -
RE: New beta release v10.5.9.5 - New license system and various improvements
Horst > 2020-09-29 03:10
Hello Jean,
it looks like the licensing system fails to process PayPal payment.
PayPal itself is working fine but your transaction always fails with a PayPal System Error. -
RE: New beta release v10.5.9.5 - New license system and various improvements
Jean Lalonde > 2020-09-29 06:37
Hi Horst,
The PayPal "sandbox" cannot be used with your regular PayPal account (you would have to use a test account). For the purpose of this test, it is simpler to use the credit card payment with the "fake" credit card number mentioned in the above.
For the duration of this test, I'll remove the PayPal payment. But it will be there when going live.
Thanks,
Jean -
RE: New beta release v10.5.9.5 - New license system and various improvements
dr Winchell > 2020-09-29 06:51
(2020-09-29 06:37)Jean Lalonde Wrote: Hi Horst,
The PayPal "sandbox" cannot be used with your regular PayPal account (you would have to use a test account). For the purpose of this test, it is simpler to use the credit card payment with the "fake" credit card number mentioned in the above.
For the duration of this test, I'll remove the PayPal payment. But it will be there when going live.
Thanks,
Jean
My upgrade attempt did not go well (screenshots attached)
- The option to Save my license code was blank. I tried using information
- Is using the test Credit Card information supposed to fail? It says my request was in live mode but with test data
- I tried using my license key and name from the email I received it in but received a message that the code is invalid.
This could / may be user error but I went back to version 10.5.6 and it has my license key and user name.
Best Regards. -
RE: New beta release v10.5.9.5 - New license system and various improvements
Jean Lalonde > 2020-09-29 07:16
> My upgrade attempt did not go well (screenshots attached)
Sorry about that. I see in the log that your transaction failed. It worked for other testers. What surprises me in your first screen capture is that you were on the https://quickaccesspopup.com website, not on the test website http://edd-sandbox.jeanlalonde.ca. I do not understand how you could get there?
- Is using the test Credit Card information supposed to fail? It says my request was in live mode but with test data
No, if you use it on the test site. It failed because you were on the https://quickaccesspopup.com live website (I turned it to test mode for safety).
Would you try again and see if the "Get a new license" is taking you to the edd-sandbox site?
Jean -
RE: New beta release v10.5.9.5 - New license system and various improvements
Horst > 2020-09-29 08:16
(2020-09-29 06:37)Jean Lalonde Wrote: Hi Horst,
The PayPal "sandbox" cannot be used with your regular PayPal account (you would have to use a test account). For the purpose of this test, it is simpler to use the credit card payment with the "fake" credit card number mentioned in the above.
For the duration of this test, I'll remove the PayPal payment. But it will be there when going live.
Thanks,
Jean
Ok, with the Credit card it works. -
RE: New beta release v10.5.9.5 - New license system and various improvements
Rennie Schmid > 2020-09-30 06:04
Hi Jean,
Congratulation! This worked fine for me.
I found PAYPAL a little slow but that is not your problem.
The email is a long and I suggest putting the licence key further towards the top of the email. I did not realise the license was there in my rush to test it out.
I expect you will format the email as time goes on. That may help make the sections clearer.
I also wonder if the receipt should be separate. That will allow it to be saved in case people want to use it for taxation purposes.
Rennie -
RE: New beta release v10.5.9.5 - New license system and various improvements
Jean Lalonde > 2020-09-30 08:19
> I suggest putting the licence key further towards the top of the email. I did not realise the license was there in my rush to test it out.
Good point.
> I also wonder if the receipt should be separate. That will allow it to be saved in case people want to use it for taxation purposes.
I can't. The site sends only one email with receipt and license info and a separate email for the login info. I have no control on this.
Thanks for the feedback. -
RE: New beta release v10.5.9.6 - New license system and various improvements
Jean Lalonde > 2020-10-01 15:48
Probably the last release with new feature in Add Multiple Favorites. I'll send the new text in v10.5.9.1 to v10.5.9.6 to translators. We should be ready to launch v11 in one or two weeks.
Version BETA: 10.5.9.6 (2020-10-01)
- Add Multiple Favorites: add favorites from a QAP ini file
- various adjustments related to license processing
See the new download link at the bottom of the original post.
Thanks. -
RE: New beta release v10.5.9.6 - New license system and various improvements
gfroehle > 2020-10-06 10:59
(2020-09-28 15:59)Jean Lalonde Wrote: It's been a long time since the last beta release. I'm back now with the beta release is v10.5.9.x that will become production release v11.
The main change in this release is the transition from a donation model to a paid model. ....
Jean:
As you may have seen, I installed and "bought" QAP 10.5.9.6. You've developed an interesting support strategy.
The purchase routine worked OK, but it did take a while to "process". That may be on my end though, having a VPN. The install quit after the purchase and I had to reload QAP to get back to the Save License screen. No big deal.
Basically, it seems that if one intends to use QAP for >4 years, a "lifetime" purchase would be preferable. I assume that includes upgrades for the duration, but I don't recall seeing that specified (if warranted). I also assume that you are somehow "calling home" to verify that no more than the specified number of installs has happened (e.g., 2). I'm not sure how you work that, but that's your business. However, if you are doing so, a brief mention that an internet connection is required (occasionally?) to verify a valid license.
As always, I've spotted a few things, if you don't mind. In the initial donation request popup, it is spelled as "developement", with an extra "e". Elsewhere it is OK.
Under the Product section page, for Monthly you state "for two installations or more". I think you mean for each station? Otherwise, it would seem that if someone wanted to install it on 100 stations, that would be the way to go, for $1.29 / month. If you see what I mean. It's a bit ambiguous, because for the others you say $ for x number of stations.
Considering you are Canadian (and God love you for it), maybe you should specify US$? Not sure how things work in that regard.
In the Free Edition sales page, "months" is misspelled. [Edit: third bullet, "using" is used twice in a row.]
That's all I noticed for now. I'll prowl around a bit more. Meantime, thanks as always for a great program!
Greg F. -
RE: New beta release v10.5.9.6 - New license system and various improvements
Jean Lalonde > 2020-10-06 18:19
Hi Greg,
> The purchase routine worked OK, but it did take a while to "process". That may be on my end though, having a VPN.
The "sandbox" site is very slow because it is not in real use and often drop in "sleep" mode. This will not be the case on the prod site.
> Basically, it seems that if one intends to use QAP for >4 years, a "lifetime" purchase would be preferable. I assume that includes upgrades for the duration, but I don't recall seeing that specified (if warranted).
I added a "Compare" table to the products page to clarify this, among other things. Let me know if you have additional comments.
> I also assume that you are somehow "calling home" to verify that no more than the specified number of installs has happened (e.g., 2). I'm not sure how you work that, but that's your business. However, if you are doing so, a brief mention that an internet connection is required (occasionally?) to verify a valid license.
See the Compare table.
> As always, I've spotted a few things, if you don't mind. In the initial donation request popup, it is spelled as "developement", with an extra "e". Elsewhere it is OK.
Oops! This is my French taking over ;-)
> Under the Product section page, for Monthly you state "for two installations or more". I think you mean for each station? Otherwise, it would seem that if someone wanted to install it on 100 stations, that would be the way to go, for $1.29 / month. If you see what I mean. It's a bit ambiguous, because for the others you say $ for x number of stations.
I'll clarify this in a second table, to be done.
> Considering you are Canadian (and God love you for it), maybe you should specify US$? Not sure how things work in that regard.
Done under the Compare table.
> In the Free Edition sales page, "months" is misspelled. [Edit: third bullet, "using" is used twice in a row.]
Fixed.
> That's all I noticed for now. I'll prowl around a bit more. Meantime, thanks as always for a great program!
Thanks to you. This is much appreciated.
Jean -
RE: New beta release v10.5.9.6 - New license system and various improvements
gfroehle > 2020-10-06 18:46
(2020-10-06 18:19)Jean Lalonde Wrote: Hi Greg,
> The purchase routine worked OK, but it did take a while to "process". That may be on my end though, having a VPN....
Jean:
Thanks for the reply. Apologies if this doesn't make sense : I am listening to Brahms' Third Symphony.
The Compare table certainly helps. I would still suggest you add "each" somewhere in the the "Monthly" fee -- eliminate confusion -- and remove the "Name your" from "price". I simply do not believe that people will pay more. But maybe you are more charitable and optimistic than I am.
Understood on the French. I only speak one language, and that poorly. Please don't rub it in.
Spelling-wise (you know me), it is either "license" or "licence". (I assume the latter is French?)
The link (see table below) takes you to the same place.
Looking good! But I still have to investigate all the bells and whistles in QAP. Sigh.
Greg -
RE: New beta release v10.5.9.6 - New license system and various improvements
Jean Lalonde > 2020-10-06 18:57
> The Compare table certainly helps. I would still suggest you add "each" somewhere in the the "Monthly" fee -- eliminate confusion -- and remove the "Name your" from "price". I simply do not believe that people will pay more. But maybe you are more charitable and optimistic than I am.
This should be clearer when the table is done. The "name your price" will allow to set a bigger price to get more installations.
> Spelling-wise (you know me), it is either "license" or "licence". (I assume the latter is French?)
My understanding is that "license" is English and "licence" is French. If you see "licence" on the site, I'll have to fix it.
>The link (see table below) takes you to the same place.
It is taking you below in the same page. But the full table is still missing.
Jean -
RE: New beta release v10.5.9.7 - New license system and various improvements
Jean Lalonde > 2020-10-09 17:14
I uploaded this new release with mainly translation file updates.
Version BETA: 10.5.9.7 (2020-10-09)
- German, Italian, Protuguese-Brazil, Portuguese, Korean and French language files update for v11
- new license text in the About dialog box, setup file and portable zip file
- in portable ZIP file, update readme.txt file and merge Update_instructions.txt
- internal code cleanup
See the download link in the original post.
About the monthly "Name your price" offer discussed in the previous posts, I replaced it with the same group of options from 2 to 100 installations. This will be simpler. -
RE: New beta release v10.5.9.7 - New license system and various improvements
dr Winchell > 2020-10-12 09:53
Hello Jean,
QAP would not pop up for me today and when I investigated it, my Settings file had changed from ~195,144 to 7,990 . (This happened a couple of weeks ago with an error message but since I didn't capture the error message, I didn't report it since I didn't have any helpful information to pass along.)
So I decided to upgrade to version 10.5.9.7 Beta and I went through the 'purchasing' process. My current license wasn't shown so I went through the process to get a new one which was successful. However after getting it registered, my previous Settings were all gone again. I tried switching to a backup of my Settings file but was prompted to register again.
It finally took my personal Settings file but when I exit QAP and go back in, it resets to a much small size so I'm going back to version 10.5.6 .
If you want me to email you my Settings file let me know.
Best Regards. -
RE: New beta release v10.5.9.7 - New license system and various improvements
Jean Lalonde > 2020-10-12 10:53
Hi Dale,
> So I decided to upgrade to version 10.5.9.7 Beta and I went through the 'purchasing' process. My current license wasn't shown so I went through the process to get a new one which was successful. However after getting it registered, my previous Settings were all gone again. I tried switching to a backup of my Settings file but was prompted to register again.
Upgrading to this beta release while you have an issue with your settings file would not help solve this issue. Regarding the licensing process, everything looks normal. It is normal that switching to a backup file will prompt to register your license again.
> It finally took my personal Settings file but when I exit QAP and go back in, it resets to a much small size so I'm going back to version 10.5.6 . If you want me to email you my Settings file let me know.
Let's continue this by email. I'll contact you.
Bye,
jean -
RE: New beta release v10.5.9.7 - New license system and various improvements
Horst > 2020-10-15 15:02
What should I do with the licence expiration notification I got today. -
RE: New beta release v10.5.9.7 - New license system and various improvements
Jean Lalonde > 2020-10-15 15:04
-
RE: New beta release v10.5.9.7 - New license system and various improvements
Jean Lalonde > 2020-10-17 09:12
Hi,
Today, I launched QAP v11. This release requires a paid or free licence to be executed. These licences are available in various forms:
- in exchange of a small monthly or yearly subscription fee;
- in exchange of a one-time cost for a lifetime license, including all future upgrades (many users demanded it);
- or, for a certain period, QAP will be available for free with some license limitations, but with all the QAP features.
You will find the prices and all the details on the QAP Shop page.
The license you installed to test this beta release will soon expire. You will have to get a new licence from the QAP website to run QAP v11. For those already contacted about your license, I'll soon follow up by email.
Let me know if you have any questions or issues. Thanks for your help testing this release. Another beta test will start soon.
Jean -
RE: New beta release v10.5.9.7 - New license system and various improvements
joeNOR > 2020-10-17 10:42
I will forever be happy that someone, somewhere have balls of steel and dive into beta-testing!
Me, never, I would go totally axe murder if a production release screws my installation.
All hail you who run betas!
Regards,
joeNOR