PC Repair Tracker UPDATE

[cmonova]

New version of PC Repair Tracker is out 1.36

Crazy amount of enhancements have been made but I think the one I like best is:

Service Reminders"
This is one of the features I am excited about. I hope that it is feature that will be used to bring customers back for regular service. You can now define several things such as tuneups, anti-virus renewals, etc and add them to a PC
and the system will prompt you to email these out to your users

Very nice add....

 

[cprompt]

New version of PC Repair Tracker is out 1.36

Crazy amount of enhancements have been made but I think the one I like best is:

Service Reminders"
This is one of the features I am excited about. I hope that it is feature that will be used to bring customers back for regular service. You can now define several things such as tuneups, anti-virus renewals, etc and add them to a PC
and the system will prompt you to email these out to your users

Very nice add....

I have been running various versions of the Beta 1.36 over the last month, and in addition to the service reminder, one of my favorites is the Service Request page. I've added that to my website and have already been getting requests from it. It's real easy to then turn the request into a ticket with much information already filled out.

Awesome features in this new version!

Note - also a lot more customization available in styles and colors of various parts of the interface......

Brian.

 

[Xander]

I'd be wary on that one. I already get a couple of spam a week from someone using the Contact page of my site. It wouldn't be that hard to fill in some random address and lose a valid appointment slot.

 

[cprompt]

I'd be wary on that one. I already get a couple of spam a week from someone using the Contact page of my site. It wouldn't be that hard to fill in some random address and lose a valid appointment slot.

Right now, I get very little traffic on my site. However, if I start getting spam on it, there is a Captcha piece that can be activated that will help. These get flagged in the system anyhow, and nothing happens until we call. Hopefully there won't be an issue, because it sure seems helpful already!

Brian.

 

[4ycr]

I will need to install it and see all the enhancementsd

 

[JustInspired]

Just got my PCRT update emailed to me yesterday. I haven't updated yet as don't have time to start yet.
The screen shots look good and yes there appears to be a ReCaptcha box on the service request form.
Bit nervous about the update as we rely on this so heavily now.

 

[mkeathley]

Me too. I'm on 1.31. We need out system everyday. I have been trying to think of a sure fire way to be SURE that is the updates fail I can go back to working quickly.
Directions say I must go back and do each individual update....argh. Could I just export my customer data and install new directory, then import my data?

 

[seedubya]

I updated all the way from 1.31 to 1.36 yesterday. I did each update in turn. Took about 3 hours in total being careful and testing. Everything worked out just fine.

 

[Xander]

I was mid-update but something glitched and I uploaded an older backup of the SQL somehow. Godaddy was kind enough to point me how to restore from a backup made yesterday. Now I'm just trying to get things back to normal -- all the 1.36 files are in place but a 1.35 DB and the first instruction is to update the DB before anything else.

(Backups will never be saved in that location again)

 

[cprompt]

Every time I do an update for PCRT, I first download the database from the admin menu, and then I do a complete copy of the PCRT directory to my computer. I figure that way if anything goes wrong I can restore the database and copy the entire thing back up to the site and be back where I started. I used this same technique when I changed hosting space a few months back and had no problem restoring the database and the site.

I have found that it's not worth waiting to do updates - there are too many nice features Luke adds each time! So now I simply find an hour or so on a weekend after a release and do the upgrade. I have found that Luke's directions are real precise - if I follow them, I rarely if ever have a problem.

Brian.

 

[Xander]

I keep my site mirrored in my Dropbox folder. This way I can revert it back to previous versions; works quite well... until you misclick *just once* in your FTP selection.... Dropbox can't save you there.

 

[16k_zx81]

I updated all the way from 1.31 to 1.36 yesterday. I did each update in turn. Took about 3 hours in total being careful and testing. Everything worked out just fine.

Man - you must be loving all the improvements since 1.31. Luke has done heaps since then!

 

[16k_zx81]

Im an idiot

I did the update and wiped out my DEPS files in the process.

Luckily I had a backup from ages ago ... a bit of finagling to get it all working but ended up ok. LOTS of time down the toilet fixing my F-up though.

Looks great actually. A nice aesthetic improvement. Looking forward to playing with the new features.

But yeah - just a reminder to those far smarter than me - that it pays to back up before doing the updates to save a world of pain from a mis-click.

BTW, love your work, Luke!

 

[JustInspired]

I keep my site mirrored in my Dropbox folder. This way I can revert it back to previous versions; works quite well... until you misclick *just once* in your FTP selection.... Dropbox can't save you there.

How have you set this up Xander?
Is it just a file sync program on your local machine?

 

[TheITMan]

I updated on Saturday night. I followed Luke's instructions & all went according to plan....I did however take the precaution of backing up the database & site files to my PC first, JUST IN CASE....

There are some nice improvements to the package, well done Luke for listening to your user base...

 

[thebughunter]

Me too. I'm on 1.31. We need out system everyday. I have been trying to think of a sure fire way to be SURE that is the updates fail I can go back to working quickly.
Directions say I must go back and do each individual update....argh. Could I just export my customer data and install new directory, then import my data?

I can tell you my experience. I was on 1.33 for the longest time, and recently upgraded to 1.34 last week. Following the instructions, everything worked perfectly. Took about 20-30 mins, and I deliberately worked slow. Will be upgrading to 1.35 this week, and then this weekend, hopefully 1.36.

Following the instructions, and just taking it slow, everything should be fine.

 

[Xander]

How have you set this up Xander?
Is it just a file sync program on your local machine?

I have tons of room in my Dropbox so I take advantage of it. I just keep the folder which mirrors my site in there so, in the case of most emergencies, I can go in and restore the last version (e.g. DEPS.php). My folly was thinking a few months ago that that folder would be a good place to keep a backup of the DB (because I'll know to look there! DERP). And, yesterday, I let myself get distracted by a friend in FBchat lamenting how tough her life is.

Not that we studious and thorough technicians should need it but I've also suggested in the PCRT forums that Luke package the updates differently so there are no generic DEPS/logos/etc. that might overwrite our own. Just put those in a separate folder for those installing for the first time.

 

[seedubya]

Not that we studious and thorough technicians should need it but I've also suggested in the PCRT forums that Luke package the updates differently so there are no generic DEPS/logos/etc. that might overwrite our own. Just put those in a separate folder for those installing for the first time.

↑↑↑↑↑↑↑ This! ↑↑↑↑↑↑↑

Less risk of mishaps!

 

[Blue]

Uh oh, so an update can overwrite your customizations?

Just an FYI on myself and PCRT: I'm not on the fence about purchasing; I've cocked the hammer and the safety's been off for quite some time. Just waiting for the books to say it's okay.

 

[cprompt]

Uh oh, so an update can overwrite your customizations?

Just an FYI on myself and PCRT: I'm not on the fence about purchasing; I've cocked the hammer and the safety's been off for quite some time. Just waiting for the books to say it's okay.

The update process on PCRT is to upload specific files to your webserver. The package that is released is the FULL installation which is needed for first time installations. If you are careful to follow directions, and only upload the specified files, then you will not overwrite any settings that are needed. The only exception to this is that if you have done your own tweaks to certain files, and they need to be updated, then you will need to re-do your tweaks. On the other hand, if you upload ALL the files in a particular directory, then you are going to overwrite certain files that should not be changed (specifically, the deps.php which contains settings such as database name, login info for the database, etc.).

Be sure to become a member of Acrbo before purchasing PCRT - and be sure you purchase through the Acrbo site. That knocks the price from $200 down to $125, I believe.

Brian.