Licensed users of SoftBase/Collectors Edition may download the latest version of the program free of charge.  These version updates will work only with existing installations of SoftBase/Collectors Edition.  If you wish to try SoftBase on a trial basis, please download the demo. The current version is 4.1.0.0 released on February 18, 2008.  Users of version 3.0.0.0 and higher should use the Auto-Updater to check for, and install, the latest release.  Users of version 2.1.6.0 and lower please read the important information in the release notes for version 3.0.0.0 below. One note about the Auto-Updater: if you get a message saying that your version is up to date when you try to run the Auto-Updater, and these release notes indicate a newer version than what you are currently running is available, then before contacting support please clear your Internet Explorer cache (even if Internet Explorer is not your preferred web browser) and try the Auto-Updater again.  To clear the cache, start Internet Explorer and go to Tools|Internet Options... and click the Clear History button on the General tab. Upcoming Release Information Yes, we are still around!  The next release of SoftBase/Collectors Edition will be mid 2023.  We have been fixing bugs and hard at work on some great new features, including the most popular requests from our user community!  In the meantime, please feel free to send an email to our wishlist department with your ideas for new features or improvements and we will see about squeezing those requests into a future version too! Current Release Notes Version 4.1.0.0 February 18, 2008 + Added the ability to save multiple Browse grid layouts, per collection, using the features introduced in version 4.0.0.0. + Added the ability to specify the relative directory for images used in the HTML reports. Version 4.0.0.1 August 14, 2007 + Added export of Browse grid direct to Excel or HTML format. * Fixed help system problems under Windows Vista. * Fixed problem in Backup and Restore database functions where the default file association was not defined in the file dialogs. Version 4.0.0.0 June 29, 2007 + Brand new User Interface that utilizes custom effects to paint the windows. + Updates to the Browse window grid that allow custom grouping, filtering, and for numeric columns things such as Sum, Average, Count, etc. + A new "Home Page" window that shows your current collection value at a glance. * Change the default installation directory so that users with Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 10 will have fewer headaches. * Updated help files. Version 3.1.0.0 March 18, 2005 + Added color coding and underlining in the Add/Edit window to make the image control radio buttons red when there is an image attached to that image number. * Fixed a bug in the Detailed Collection Value report that caused incorrect item counts to display.  There remain certain conditions when the error occurs in the preview window, but it now prints correctly.  Please see the entry for Collection Value Details under Reports in the help system for more details. * Updated help files. Version 3.0.0.0 November 05, 2004 Important! The 3.0.0.0 and higher versions of SoftBase use a brand new database management system.  This new system was put in place because the provider of our old system has decided to deprecate the product, meaning that there will be no future bug fixes or enhancements to that product, nor will there be techincal support available to us to resolve issues we find.  We have found a new provider, and have spent the last year thoroughly testing their product for our use.  We are satisfied that this new system does everything the old one did, but with more functionality and speed.  We are also confident of this providers committment to their product. As a result of this change, users of version 2.1.6.0 and lower will need to convert their database to use the new system.  To do this, please download and install the Demo version of SoftBase.  The demo version contains a conversion program that will migrate the contents of your database from the old system to the new one and also register your license key in the new one.  The conversion program needs to be run only once, takes just a few minutes to complete, and is fully automated--requiring no input from you. Please note that the conversion program can only convert databases that have been upgraded to at least version 2.1.4.0.  If your current version is not 2.1.4.0, 2.1.5.0, or 2.1.6.0, then please download and install the 2.1.6.0 version.  After installing it, you must run SoftBase at least once to bring the old database to the level where the converter can read it.  To determine which version you are currently running, start SoftBase and select 'About' from the Help menu.  To download version 2.1.6.0, 1.9 megabytes (about two and a half minutes with a 56.6K modem, under a minute with Cable or DSL), click here and save the file to your hard disk.  Remember where you put the file! To install 2.1.6.0 after downloading, exit SoftBase (if it's running), click the Windows Start button and select Run... from the menu.  In the space provided in the Run dialog enter the full pathname of where you downloaded the file along with it's name: SB_Update.exe (for example C:\My Documents\SB_Update.exe).  Next, click the OK button.  This will start the installation program. The installation program will suggest a destination directory for the update.  If you did not specify a different installation directory when you first installed the program then you don't need to change this.  Otherwise, you will have to provide the full path to where you originally installed the program.  Click the Unzip button to extract and install the update. After you have installed the update and run version 2.1.6.0 one time, you will need to run the converter.  To do this, make sure you have the Demo version of 3.0.0.0 installed and click the Windows Start button, go to Collectible Solutions, click on "SoftBase Version Converter" and follow the instructions there.  When the program is finished, start version 3.0.0.0 of SoftBase to ensure that the conversion was successful.  After you have verified the conversion, we recommend that you backup the new database while you are still in version 3.0.0.0.  To do that, select Database Backup from the Tools menu. We apologize for this inconvenience, but we believe that you will find that with the new database manager, and the changes listed below, SoftBase/Collectors Edition is better and faster than ever. + Added an automatic updater.  This feature automatically downloads and installs the most current version of SoftBase on your computer at your request.  It can also be configured to notify you when a new version is available. + Added "context tips" that provide a quick explanation of features or functions whose usage may not be immediately obvious. + Merged the Add and Edit windows into one window, and added a tree control to that window to aid in the navigation of your collection(s).  The tree viewer can sort and display data based on the contents of over a dozen fields in the Add/Edit window. + Simplified the Field Configuration utility.  The field naming and visibility functions have been split into their own setup window, and the moving and resizing operations now take place directly in the Add/Edit window. + Added a special barcode field to the Add/Edit window.  This field can be used with any barcode scanner, but is also capable of automatically decoding the output of unmodified CueCat barcode scanners. + Added the ability to paste images into the picture control in the Add/Edit window. + Added a quick picture viewer to view enlarged images from the Add/Edit window.  The viewer is also capable of opening the image in a user-specified external graphics viewer/editor. + Implemented several data security features that are allowed by the new database manager. * Various cosmetic changes Version 2.1.6.0 November 10, 2003 * Fixed issue with Key Violation errors. ! If you have version 2.1.3.0 or earlier, please also see the release notes for version 2.1.4.0. If you have already updated to version 2.1.4.0, then your database has already been converted. Version 2.1.5.0 September 24, 2003 * Fixed bug in the Add/Edit and Field Config windows that caused spurious scroll bars to appear when using themes under Windows XP. ! If you have version 2.1.3.0 or earlier, please also see the release notes for version 2.1.4.0. If you have already updated to version 2.1.4.0, then your database has already been converted. Version 2.1.4.0 August 4, 2003 Important! The 2.1.4.0 version of SoftBase implements several new features that require a onetime update of the database.  This database update automatically occurs the first time you start SoftBase after installing 2.1.4.0.  Please note that the database update could take ten or more minutes to complete.  Please allow this process to run to completion. + Enlarged Add and Edit windows when using screen resolutions of 1024x768 or higher. + Combined all fields from the Description and Custom Fields tabs of the Add and Edit windows into a scrollable region on the Description tab.  All fields can now be visible at once when using screen resolutions of 1024x768 or higher. + Added the ability to sort on up to five columns at once in the Browse window. + Added the ability to print the contents of the Browse window grid.  The entire gird, or any range of rows and/or columns may be printed. + Added the ability to export directly to a .CSV file the contents of the Browse window grid.  The entire gird, or any range of rows and/or columns may be exported. Version 2.1.3.0 May 15, 2003 * Fixed bug in the field name editor that allowed duplicate field names.  This was causing lockups in the Browse window. + While fixing that bug, added the ability to resize columns in the Browse window.  If you have changed the positioning of columns in the browser, you will have to do so again. Version 2.1.2.0 April 20, 2003 * Changed Browse Window to completely fill the application workspace at any screen resolution. * Updated the Software License Agreement to reflect our new business entity status. Version 2.1.1.0 March 16, 2003 + Added database backup and restore functions. + Added a speed key to the Browser to quickly scroll the grid to the alphabetical start of the current sort column in response to key presses. * Simplifed the custom report wizard.  It now presets the Collection Name field to the name of the current collection. * Improved the speed with which the Edit and Browse windows open when working with very large collections. * Drastically improved the speed of the Importer. * Various cosmetic changes. Version 2.1.0.0 October 20, 2002 + Added the ability to sort any column, ascending or descending, in the Browse window. + Added the ability to move columns, and retain that positioning, in the Browse window. Version 2.0.0.0 August 22, 2002 + Added custom report designer! + Added Import from comma separated (.csv) files. + Added Export to comma separated files. + Added password capability. + Added Cut, Copy, Paste popup menu to Notes field. + Added a larger copy of the Notes field to the Add and Edit windows.  This also contains a selectable word wrap on the popup menu. + Added the ability to delete items from the drop down lists of the Add and Edit windows. + Updated help file to include all new features. Version 1.4.0.0 April 9, 2002 * Fixed bug in Field Configuration window that caused the "Field 'DataFieldLabel' Must Have a Value" error. Version 1.3.0.0 January 27, 2002 + Added a feature to delete unused collections. + Updated Help file to include new Delete Collection feature. * Disallowed the use of apostrophes in collection names. Version 1.2.0.0 January 6, 2002 * Fixed a problem with Series and Manufacturer being reversed on Item Details Report. * Fixed a problem with pictures from previous items being displayed if the current item does not have a picture.  This affected the Item Details Report. * Fixed intermittent problem of the last picture viewed while updating items being assigned to the next added item. Version 1.1.0.0 January 4, 2002 * Fixed a problem with field labels not displaying correctly in Add and Edit windows. * Fixed a problem with field tab order in the Add and Edit windows. Version 1.0.0.0 December 2, 2001 Original release