What kind of lists do you use listpro for?

[nosmohtac]

I have been trying out a demo of listpro, and was wondering what kind of things people use this program for?
I like many things about this program, but other than for a shopping list and listing my dvd collection I don't know if I can justify buying it.

[Dave Beauvais]

I have a variety of "sub-lists" in my main list file, just to ease syncing of data. I do have one particular list of things which I broke off into a separate file because it was getting to be quite large. I keep the following lists with me at all times, in no particular order of importance: Shopping list Lists of system registry settings that are useful when doing service work on client machines Software product keys and serial numbers/registration keys List of the settings for the various wireless LANs I administer or use from time to time. (Useful after a hard reset to rebuild the WLAN profiles on my iPAQ.) Settings for various ISPs (DNS, phone numbers, etc.) List of movies I want to see with details such as release dates, plot summaries, etc. List of TCP/IP ports List of restaurants I've been to and what I ordered. Sometimes helps to jog my memory when I can't remember what I got the last time. (Or reminds me what not to order again. A long, highly customized list of usernames, passwords, and other account information for well over one hundred of Web sites, online stores, etc.I use ListPro literally every day, and consider it one of the most important programs on my Pocket PC. It's honestly the first thing I install after a hard reset or when I get a new Pocket PC. This is mainly because I have all the serial numbers or registration codes to my Pocket PC software in one of the lists, making it easy to copy and paste into the programs as they are installed.

--Dave

[nosmohtac]

Thanks Dave,
I see people on the forums here often saying what you said about listpro being used daily. It seems you have quite a bit of info in those lists syncing between your desktop and your pocketpc.
Do you let all of those lists stay in the my documents folder in RAM, or do you store them on a storage card and use something like mightysync?

[Pony99CA]

I have been trying out a demo of listpro, and was wondering what kind of things people use this program for?
I keep a list of my favorite quotations and another for trip packing.

Steve

[Dave Beauvais]

... Do you let all of those lists stay in the my documents folder in RAM, or do you store them on a storage card and use something like mightysync?
Most of the lists I mentioned are actually part of one main list file that gets synced between my PPC and PC. I also have a couple other lists that I broke out of the main file which are also synced and stored in RAM. I do have some that don't get changed often (such as the TCP/IP port listings and a few others that I didn't mention) that just reside on a storage card due to their size. They are not synced automatically, though, so if I want to back them up, they must be copied manually.

--Dave

[nosmohtac]

I have been trying out a demo of listpro, and was wondering what kind of things people use this program for?
I keep a list of my favorite quotations and another for trip packing.

Steve


I like the favorite quotations idea.

[slothdog]

Everyone seems to really like this ListPro thing, but it seems pretty spendy for something that looks like a specialized notepad. What are the advantages of keeping lists there rather than in Notes?

[Crystal Eitle]

I love List Pro!!!! :ppclove:

I use it for:
- Listing daily/weekly household chores (using the lists from Flylady.net (http://www.flylady.net))
- Things I want to buy (broken down into several subcategories)
- Things to do
- Movies I want to see/books to read/records to buy/websites to check out
- Gift ideas for friends and family
- Ideas for blog entries
- Travel packing list
- Grocery shopping list (I *love* using it for this - it's so nice to have a reusable master shopping list!)
- I've also downloaded a few reference lists from the List Pro site, like a moving checklist, a list of all the NPR stations across the country, and the Modern Library Top 100 Novels list.

[Crystal Eitle]

Everyone seems to really like this ListPro thing, but it seems pretty spendy for something that looks like a specialized notepad. What are the advantages of keeping lists there rather than in Notes?

I was going to mention all the features, but there are too many to go into here. They have a 30-day demo. Try it and see whether you like it. If you don't, you can just uninstall it. I think it blows anything that comes preinstalled on the PPC out of the water.

List Pro and Pocket Informant are the two most essential apps on my PPC for keeping me organized.

[Unreal32]

I use ListPro for a Weight Watcher's Point list that is now over 1 meg in size (I keep adding to it). Combined with the PCalc program, this software really helps me keep an eye on my diet! It's very very useful

I also use ListPro to keep an extensive packing list. Since I travel a lot, a check-able packing list is essential.

Finally, I use it for a lot of other things too... shopping lists, list of Christmas/Birthday gifts (both those for my family and friends, and for me! :way to go: ).

[Dave Beauvais]

I use ListPro for a Weight Watcher's Point list that is now over 1 meg in size (I keep adding to it). Combined with the PCalc program, this software really helps me keep an eye on my diet! It's very very useful ...
Did you know you can put your ListPro files on a diet of sorts? :) In the desktop version, open -- for example -- your large WW file. Go to the File menu and select Compact List File. Keep doing this until you're told the file is as compact as it can get. You can do the same thing on the Pocket PC. I had a 4 MB file containing detailed plot summaries of show I watch that compacted down to just over 1 MB.

Especially when we're talking about Pocket PC storage space, compacting your large list files is important. (In fact, I've often wondered why Ilium Software doesn't make it compact automatically.)

--Dave

[Sunnyone]

Have you ever built a house? Right now I'm using ListPro like crazy to keep track of a bunch of house-related things (lighting fixtures needed/purchased, mistakes the builder needs to fix!!!, color choices for flooring/paint etc., list of people to notify of my upcoming move - friends, utilities etc.) And of course I love it for shopping lists. I've taken the basic list from the download website and added a bunch of stuff to it. I've also cataloged all of our CDs/DVDs/albums. It's great for noting what you've lent to whom so you can make sure it's returned.

[Unreal32]

Did you know you can put your ListPro files on a diet of sorts? :) In the desktop version, open -- for example -- your large WW file. Go to the File menu and select Compact List File. Keep doing this until you're told the file is as compact as it can get. You can do the same thing on the Pocket PC. I had a 4 MB file containing detailed plot summaries of show I watch that compacted down to just over 1 MB.

Especially when we're talking about Pocket PC storage space, compacting your large list files is important. (In fact, I've often wondered why Ilium Software doesn't make it compact automatically.)
--Dave

Doesn't seem to do much on most of my files... It shrunk my 1.02 MB file to 0.99... although that could be a huge difference if it did that for all the files!

[nosmohtac]

Thank you all, for the replies.
I am finding it more useful all the time and will have to add it to my must have list.

[cessquill]

Let's see...

I tend to have one list file with loads of lists inside it...

Daily Routine (exercise, hygiene, medication, etc.). This may sound odd, but I'm hopeless at routines, and it forces me into a baseline one.
Shopping List (very handy)
Inventories (mainly for security reasons
- CDs
- DVDs
- Videos
- Video Games
- Contents of wallet
- Equipment list & serial numbers
Packing List (for holidays, work trips, etc.)
Wanted Lists
- Books
- things for the car
- CDs & Songs
- Drinks cabinet
- Coffee stuff
- DVDs
- Misc
- Tools

I keep a lot of lists anyhow, so this was a real find to have a bit of software like this. Go get!

[Unreal32]

- I've also downloaded a few reference lists from the List Pro site, like ... the Modern Library Top 100 Novels list.

Glad to see you liked that one... that was my submission :)

[Pony99CA]

I didn't see any link to the ListPro lists, so here it is:

http://www.iliumsoft.com/site/lp/lp_lists.htm

Steve

[Jacob]

I've been trying out ListPro myself after seeing this thread.

Apparently Handango is offering a discount on ListPro Professional edition. With discount code d7ce33 it's $23 instead of $30 until April 30th.

[bigkingfun]

I don't use it every day like some of the people here, but I do use it a lot. I've got the usual things like my shopping list, trip packing list, songs I've heard and want to buy, movies, etc.

I also use it to keep track of my network addresses for those times I need to reinstall a machine. It's also got a list of the Pocket PC programs that I always load when I have to do a hard reset or buy a new one. I inevitably would forget something and not realize it until I needed to use it away from home, so I just made a list of what needs to go on my PPC.

I also use it as a goal tracker, similar to the Achieve It program that was posted here a day or two ago. It lets me set due dates, priority, etc. and make notes for each goal.

[PetiteFlower]

Hm, I think I will dl this tonight and use it to make myself a packing to-do list--I'm moving on Sunday and I feel SO disorganized! Then I'll see if it's worth buying after the 30 days :)

[sracer]

I'll buck the trend here. I've been a longtime user of ListPro... 2.01 on the BE-300 and then 3.0 on the Maestro. I really liked 2.01. It was small, quick, and solid on the BE, but 3.0 was a bit unresponsive. It oftentimes would pause and then close (losing the data that was being editted).

I was so frustrated with it that I stopped using it and began using Tombo... a freeware list/tree program with versions for both desktop pc and PPC. Although it doesn't provide the custom "database"-type features of ListPro (like an expense template), it is very solid, small, and the data size is less than half the list of ListPro.

For the price... FREE... it is worth a look.

[Pony99CA]

I was so frustrated with it that I stopped using it and began using Tombo... a freeware list/tree program with versions for both desktop pc and PPC. Although it doesn't provide the custom "database"-type features of ListPro (like an expense template), it is very solid, small, and the data size is less than half the list of ListPro.

For the price... FREE... it is worth a look.
And providing a link to Tombo (http://tombo.sourceforge.jp/En/index.html) would make it easier to look. :-)

Steve

[doogald]

I used ListPro back when I had a PsPC several years ago, and went back to it when I bought my new PPC.

I use just as others have listed:

Books I have read (including day started, day finished, a calculated field with how long it took, my rating, and a review of it that I write either as I read or shortly after finishing).

Movies I have seen, similar to the books one.

My 'wish list' of books and movies that I add as I learn of them.

A list of dialup numbers, categorized by state, for the dialup ISP that I use when traveling.


One of these days I'll get organized enough to put in our weekly grocery shopping list.

[trachy]

One of these days I'll get organized enough to put in our weekly grocery shopping list.

To get you started check out the template (http://www.iliumsoft.com/download/lists3/shopping.clf) offered on Ilium's site. It's not perfect, but it sure beat entering everything from scratch.

[doogald]

Thanks. I knew about the template; I just need the downtime to fill it up with the stuff we tend to buy regularly, and then show my wife how it works. Since my wife does most of the shopping and is a techno-phobe, this hasn't been high on the list. Though she did mention the other day the desire to have some way to print out a shopping list before she goes, so now may be the time.

[Crystal Eitle]

You shoulda seen me at the grocery store the other day. I *HATE* grocery shopping. So to make it fun, I used the grocery list on my Pocket PC, and listened to MP3s on my Casio Exilim. I was totally gadget girl. I had my Pocket PC hanging from my wrist by a strap - very convenient. Made shopping much less of a chore.

[Dave Beauvais]

... So to make it fun, I used the grocery list on my Pocket PC, and listened to MP3s on my Casio Exilim. I was totally gadget girl. ...
:ppclove: :lol:

--Dave

[jensenjb]

I finally took the plunge and bought Listpro after my 30 day trial expired. I installed it to my "built-in storage" and have noticed that lists kept on my CF card do not show up. Does anyone else have this problem? I'm thinking that the lists might need to be installed to the same storage device...

Also, Illium is offering $5.00 off their $19.95 price for visitors to the Dell Axim Site. If you're lazy, the coupon code is: DC2XAXIM.

Enjoy!

[JimDantin]

I've used Listpro for years. While it's not very handy for simple tasks or notes, it's fantastic for holding massive amounts of reference data or long-term record-keeping.

I have downloaded quite a few of the free lists from Ilium's website, especially the computer-related items. I've also developed a few lists and uploaded them for all to share.

It's quite easy to import data from other sources.

My active use right now includes maintaining a list of wines that my wife and I have tried, information on single-malt scotch that I compiled from a variety of web sources, data on my bonsai, and a wide range of personal information.

The biggest challenge to effective use is to understand the "list" concept. It's not a relational database! You have to think differently if you're used to database development. You can have multiple lists in one file, and you can organize the lists into folders, so one Listpro file can contain lists with many different structures. You can copy lists from one file to another, so it's easy to develop a single large file with a vast amount of related data.

Highly recommended.

[jensenjb]

After further investigation, I've answered my own question about the location of the files. They need to reside in the "my documents" folder, although it doesn't matter which storage device. Now, my new question is how to combine lists. I've downloaded several of them from the listpro site and I'd like to combine them into one file. Seems like there should be a way to do this... :?

Any suggestions are appreciated. Thanks.

[drop]

I have many of the mentioned lists: grocery, trip packing, etc. I also use it to keep track of my landscaping project. I could never remember where I planted what :oops: .

Where you the one who developed the JavaScript and PHP lists, JimDantin? I have both. I agree, Listpro is wonderful for references.

For those who have not tried Listpro, Listpro is not just a replacement for a piece of paper. Just reusability alone worth the money. I never have to write out another grocery list again. Crystal Eitle would agree with me :wink: . And Listpro's layout is better suited for a small screen than a spreadsheet. Better for both input and viewing.

[JimDantin]

Combining the lists into one file is quite easy:
(I suggest doing this on your desktop computer, but it works on the PocketPC also)
1. Open the file that has the list you want to copy.
2. In the left pane, click on the list, and then do a Copy (Edit...Copy, or ^C, or right-click...copy)
3. Open the file you want to copy into
4. Click on the left pane to highlight where you want to put the copy
5. Paste (Edit...Paste, ^V, etc.)

You can create folders in the left pane to help organise the lists. This list has many folders and lists in one file and is a good example of what's possible:
http://www.iliumsoft.com/download/lists3/elecdata.clf

[Ekkie Tepsupornchai]

Yup, ListPro is the single most important app I have. I use it to track all kinds of reference data. Definitely don't mistake this for a "note editor", because it is SO much more!!

This is really like your own customizable database... create as many fields as you want, sort on any field, filter, calculate, checkboxes, flags, etc.

It's such an understated app in terms of its appearance, but boy does it deliver big-time!

[madbart]

all you guys simply have to much time on your hands. i am sitting here thinking that it iss just another thing that i would have to update. why not just use notes in outlook?

[JimDantin]

I use Notes for routine, random bits of information. Some of my Notes entries have been in my PocketPC for years, while others are short duration.

I use ListPro lists for my ORGANIZED sets of information -- many entries of similar data. I don't tend to use ListPro for shopping lists, but I do use it to store information that I might want to categorize, search, sort, or filter. It's my general-purpose database/filing system.

I see the two applications for two distinct needs.

Download the trial version and look through the list exchange for some ideas of how different people use the product. Read the Help file to get a sense of what it's capable of. Then you can decide if it's something that would be useful to you, or just one more application to take care of.

If you don't need the flexibility of the list format, you could also use Excel or Word to prepare formatted, organized lists of information. I just found that a database or list organizer worked better for ME.

I really miss having Access in the PocketPC. I tried most of the PocketPC database programs, but didn't find one that I was comfortable with -- I wanted something that had both desktop and PocketPC versions so I could do development and data entry on the desktop, but also allowed development on the PocketPC. I also wanted something that was easy to use, rather than a program development package. The options are rather limited.

Prior to using PocketPC machines, I was a HP 200LX fanatic. I ran dBase III on that machine!

[Ekkie Tepsupornchai]

all you guys simply have to much time on your hands. i am sitting here thinking that it iss just another thing that i would have to update. why not just use notes in outlook?
You haven't been paying attention to many of these posts. Notes in outlook is fine if all you're doing is writing notes. But let's say for instance, I'm keeping a list of all CDs that I own. I can customize a ListPro list to contain fields for artist, album, year, location (if you loan CDs to friends) with all the songs listed in the "notes" field. With that simple list, you can sort or filter via any of those fields. In a list that could easily grow to include over a hundred entries, such flexibility far outweiths "notes in outlook".