TOPIC: Home Inspector Pro 2.6.6.8 Beta

Home Inspector Pro 2.6.6.8 Beta For Windows has been released. Remember this is a beta version which means we've tested it in house but it hasn't been thoroughly tested in the field. If you have any problems simply install the last version 2.6.6.7 directly over the beta. We'll be working on the Mac version over the next few days. The one big feature that I had hoped would be in this version but isn't complete are the drop down boxes within narratives. That will hopefully be in the next release.

You can download the latest version at www.homeinspectorpro.com/dmdocuments/Hom...o-2_6_6_8-Update.exe

Here's a list of all the updates since 2.6.6.1 which was the last official public version. Some of these you will have seen in the last beta if you had updated. Read over the new features carefully, there's quite a few!!

NOTE: TEXAS USERS. One of the TREC attorneys has informed us that they do not want the OP-I form included in the Additional Inspector Info area. Go to Edit Documents and set this section to not print. Their is a debate about whether it's allowed at the end as an addendum either. We will keep you informed when we get a final answer.

New Feature: New default template added. If you've already installed the program before your DefaultTemplate.tpz will not be affected. You can view the new tempalte by opening up Residential Template 1. Thanks to Drew Levy for helping put this together and all of those who contributed their templates on the message boards and via email and gave us permission to use your narratives.

New Feature: Added in digital signature for inspectors under Report Settings->Inspector Signature. Currently this appears in the contract but we'll expand it's use in the future. You can click Create Signature to sign your own name using a tablet or your mouse (not the easiest), or import an external image which should be approximately 240 pixels wide by 36 pixels tall (doesn't need to exact, the program will scale it.

New Feature: Added in an Export Contacts as a CSV (Comma Separated Value) file in the address book. Using this you can export all your contacts and import them into Outlook as contacts, perform a mail/email merge, etc.

New Feature: Added in ability to use variables in Edit Documents that will pull data from the other parts of the program. The actual values will be inserted when you go to Generate the PDF. Current values that can be used should be self explanatory by their name(these are case sensitive and must include the $): $CompanyName, $InspectorName, $InspectorLicense, $InspectionDate, $ClientName1, $ClientName2, $ClientPhoneNumber, $ClientEmailAddress, $ClientInspectionAddress, $ClientInspectionAddress2, $ClientInspectionCity, $ClientInspectionZip, $ClientInspectionState, $InspectionDate, $InspectionTime, $InspectionHomeAge, $InspectionWeather, $InspectionOtherArea, $AgentNameAndCompany

New Feature: Added in ability to draw ovals in Edit Photo.

New Feature: Added in IAC2 Mold Template. Thanks to Drew Levy for creating this.

New Feature: Added in a second, more detailed Commercial template. Thanks to Drew Levy for finishing this up.

New Feature: Added in another residential template, named Residential Template 2. Thanks to Russell Spriggs, InterNACHI Chapter President in Idaho for creating this.

New Featurs: Added in new option under Report Settings->Options->Item Options to set the number of columns of narratives per Selection Panel (default set to 2) and Damage Panels (default set to 1).

New Feature: Added the option under Report Settings->Upload to mark if a report is Paid or not. This will show on the report upload site and will soon allow for payments and the blocking of reports until paid (note compelte yet).

New Feature: The font type & color that you choose for your item description will now be used in your summary as well.

Design Change: Double clicking on an item is now calculated differently due to restrictions placed by new tablet devices cauasing a double click to be hard to use at times.

Design Change: Company name is now included under the inspectors name on the signature line of the contract.

Design Change: Added the ability to safely open multiple copies of Home Inspector Pro. This will make it much easier to copy narratives between documents.

Design Change: Renamed Default Template to Residential Template. This will not effect your current templates name.

Design Change: When you click on Photos->Clear All Photos you're prompted to confirm you want to clear all the photos (a few inspectors brought up they accidently clicked this and erased their work).

Design Change: Texas ratings are now hard coded into the report when you select Texas Cover page. This means there will no longer be a need for the Texas documents. You can remove them through your document editor.

Design Change: Quite a few cosmetic changes were made to bring the Texas form more in line with the TREC 7A-1 form. The rating headers were moved into a block at the top of every page. The TREC code was placed in the bottom left corner of each page.

Design Change: Removed the Save Template As from the file menu as it was redundant with button on toolbar.

Design Change: Removed Edit Comments mode on/off from the Report Settings menu as it was redundant wtih button on toolbar.

Design Change: If the % character is used in the Client Info or Agent Info it will be removed before uploading to prevent the error.

Design Change: Error message will now popup if you're in Edit Template and try to change a Damage Panel or Selection Panel name to one that's already in use

Design Change: Prevented copying or moving a tab within the same page in the template editor to prevent conflicts. For now you can copy it to another section, edit the item names then move the copy back. In the future we'll create a work around to copy within the section.

Design Change: Disabled the ESC key when in the Edit Template to prevent accidentally losing data.

Bug Fix: Prevents the user from selecting a non image file for the logo. Before the inspector could change the file type to all files and select something other than an image resulting in an error.

Bug Fix: If only listing your company City and State the extra comma before the city name has been removed.

Bug Fix: Comma added on cover page between street address and city.

Bug Fix: Fixed problem with a blank second page appearing if you entered in every field on the cover page, used a logo and the other text box.

Bug Fix: Fixed problem with a bank page at the end of the report if the last line of the report ended on the last possible line on the page.

Bug Fix: Corrected margin issue at the top of the first section if you added an intro document.

Sincerely,

Dominic Maricic
President of Home Inspector Pro
www.HomeInspectorPro.com
Toll Free: 1-888-750-4777

Serge just reminded me that I forgot to point out that the new variables work on the Contract page as well. This is useful as you can have the program automatically pull in the clients name into the contract text itself

Dominic,

Thank you so much for all your HARD WORK!  We appreciate it! 

This latest, 2.6.6.8, has, in my opinion, a great addition: the use of  “$variables” — this is huge!  Notice in the attached Sample NOVAhi Report, I just completed, how I used it in the ”personal” cover letter included after the Cover Page.

BTW. These $variables also work on the contract page (not just in Edit Documents). Like I said, this is a great improvement—and the “hits just keep on coming!”  Thank you Dominic.

Now let's get cracking on those pull-down menus -- you "slacker"   

LOL, thanks Serge. I'm very close to completing the drop down boxes within narratives. I knew it would take me a few more days to complete though and wanted to get you guys a new version of the program to play with and test out. I figured there's enough new features here to keep you busy for awhile!

Did you notice how all the Damage Panel columns default to full width now (1 columns) and Selection Panels to 2? You can change this behavior if you want under Report Settings->Options. We got rid of the auto calculate column feature and allowed you guys to choose the number of columns instead.

The digital signatures and contacts export are big too.

I noticed the columns AND that damage panel defaults to full width!!! It was a bit frustrating before. Now with my 24" monitor, I can read all the choices!

G-R-E-A-T!    "We're having fun now!"

Just updated the version. Russ Spriggs noticed that I hadn't completely turned off the new drop down box feature if you try to add a new narrative to a damage panel. You can click the same link above and download the update again and click run to update the version you have.

You're right Serge, the columns work much better now. I threw the auto resize code out the window and gave you guys the control under Report Settings->Options. Should have done it a long time ago!