TOPIC: 3.6.2 Mobile Update

Entering comments is reasonably efficient as I rarely enter comments on the fly and finalise my comments the end of an inspection when I have a good understanding of the property.

No I limit my comments during data collection as they will likely need to be edited again at the end of the inspection when a full understanding of the property is known. Pictures and Captions rarely need to be edited so being able to slot them more quickly in their respected Sections (without all the clicks) would make a huge difference.

Also

I been sticking with HIP mobile and investing in android cameras / tablets and HIP mobile monthly subscriptions to give it every opportunity to work in a similar fashion as HIP Desktop, however if the android platform and your resources are limited in the short term for section by sections templates let me know so I can put this option to sleep and go back to HIP desktop.

does the restrictions in the Android Platform prevent a breakthrough in HIP Mobile, in finding a more efficient way of slotting Photo's for Section style templates as I want to make a decision whether to continue working with HIP mobile or going back to HIP Desktop

Nothing is prevented totally. If you're looking for the same thing as Bob I estimate that it'll take around 150 hours of programming. That's a month of work amongst working on other features. So it'll get done, it's just a matter of figuring out a way to do it without messing up the overall simplicity of HIP Mobile in general so that it doesn't bother all the other users.

If you're looking for the same thing as Bob I estimate that it'll take around 150 hours of programming

I don't mind what way you go as long as it speeds up slotting / captioning photos more quickly into a section style template.

If I understand you correctly

That's a month of work amongst working on other features

hopefully we will see speedier photo slotting in the next month or so. If that's the case I will stick with the HIP mobile software over HIP Desktop and keep tweaking my template to suit HIP mobile. At this stage tweaking my template may still give me some small gains but the faster slotting of photos for section style templates will make a huge difference.

A suggestion on how photo slotting could work.

• Have a "Photo Slotting Icon" which will show up at all relevant times in the screen.
• When you want to take a photo (outside of the current Section you are in) click on the "Photo Slotting Icon"

• A page will open up similar to what opens up when you are adding / reviewing photos in HIP Desktop, under the Photo section
• Then select, a section and subsection will automatically open AKA HIP Desktop and take Photo

• Then select a caption, if one is required, AKA HIP Desktop.
• Continue with inspection, entering comments within the section that you are already in, and / or keep slotting new photos in various sections as per inspectors style of report gathering.

Keep it simple as per HIP Desktop.

I was thinking something similar, though here's the problem. That would take the exact same number of clicks as it does now! What you have requires 3 clicks to select a section to slot the picture. You can get anywhere in HIP mobile to any other place in 3 clicks as well (Home Button->Section->Item). Am I missing something else?

Yes, but now you are in a different section than the one that you were first in and you will have to retract your steps to get back into that section again (an extra three clicks). The object is to have the option to stay in a particular section and slot random photos of defects in other sections.

What I am saying is that most inspectors (depending on the stage of the inspection) are in a particular section within the software and want to complete that section as best they can. Therefor it is best to have the option for the inspector to stay within that section if he wishes but have the ability (while in any particular section) to slot a photo in a different section.

Note, most inspectors can remember defects (which are unrelated to the section they are in) and enter comments later when they get into a different Section without have to immediately click back and forth between different Sections.
However (for more efficient use of HIP mobile) you have to physically take unrelated Photo's of defects as they arise, irregardless of what Section you are in (as you need to record the photo) and enter it there and then into the software.