This version fixes a bug that was recently discovered in version 3.0.8. The bug has been present since version 3.0 but was only recently discovered. The bug was fixed and a new version of the software posted on our web site within 48 hours of the discovery.

If a calendar was applied at the project level and a programme was set to use the parent's calendar (which is the default) then the calendar was not being properly applied to the activities in the programme. This resulted in the activity being drawn using the default ivan calendar.

If the calendar was applied to the programme itself (rather than the project) then the correct calendar was applied to the activity calculations.

McLachlan Software is providing Version 3.0.10 electronically as a Free Upgrade to existing licensees of IVAN who have an upgrade agreement or have purchased the software within the last 12 months.

Version 3.0.10 is the version provided to all new licencees of the IVAN software

IVAN Version 3.0.10 is available on floppy disks by contacting ivan support at McLachlan Software in Australia on +61 2 92516511 or by sending an email request with postage details to support@mclachlan.com.au>

Previously if the application was installed in a directory other than the default of "c:\ivanw" then the shortcuts that were created were not correct. This release installs and uses an additional application called makeicon.exe that creates shortcuts with the correct application path and parameters. The setup.exe program used to install ivan has been modified to make use of makeicon.exe.

Previously if users wished to create a new shortcut for ivan to point to a new database or because their existing shortcut had been deleted for some reason, they were required to do so by manually creating a shortcut in Windows and manually typing the command line required by ivan. This release includes an application (makeicon.exe) that is installed in the same directory as ivanw.exe. Makeicon.exe provides a user interface to create shortcuts with the correct command line. Makeicon.exe allows the user to browse for the database they wish to open and allows them the choice of placing the shortcut on the desktop, in the start menu or both.

IVAN Version 3.0.8.5 is available on floppy disks by contacting ivan support at McLachlan Software in Australia on +61 2 92516511 or by sending an email request with postage details to support@mclachlan.com.au>

A summary of the benefits of IVAN 3.0.8.5 follows in a question and answer style:

• No. The version of ivanw.exe included in this release is identical to the one included in the release of 3.0.8. This release provides additonal utlity applications to make installation of ivan easier as well as changing some existing utility applications or files.
  

• Windows 95 or later is required for this release.
• Ivan should also operate on Windows 3.11 but the makeicon.exe application requires Windows 95 or later. Therefore you will have to manually create the shortcuts. Since this version of ivan is the same as that in release 3.0.8 it would be better for anyone using versions of Windows older than Windows 95 to use version 3.0.8 instead.

• setup.exe : Version 1.31 is included with this release. This version has been changed to install and make use of makeicon.exe. Ivan can now be installed in any location and the shortcuts that are created by setup.exe will work correctly.
• ascfonts : This file contains the definitions for the internal ivan font. Previously a corruption was found in this file that was causing ivan to crash when the BStick ivan font was used. The file was patch and released however the BStick font now exhibited strange behaviour. We have changed the Ascfonts file in this version so that text produced with the BStick font is more legible. In particular these characters have changed: STUVWZYZ[\]^_`ab.
• makeicon.exe : Version 1.21 is included with this release. If executed this application displays a dialog box allowing users to input:
  
  1. The name of the shortcut
  2. The location of the ivanw.exe program and
  3. The location of the database they wish to use with the application.
  Makeicon.exe will then create an icon with the appropriate commandline. For system administrators who wish to provide batch processes utilising this file it is highly customisable using command line parameters. If you want details of the command line parameters contact McLachlan Software support.

• The initial stages of the install process are the same as the previous release of ivan. Near the end of the install process setup.exe will create the shortcuts for ivan. Setup.exe will ALWAYS create a shortcut on the desktop that opens the default database. Additionally setup.exe will display a dialog window requesting the location of a second shortcut. If you choose OK with no changes a shortcut called ivan will also be placed in Start Menu/Programs. If you changed the location then the ivan shortcut will be placed in the location you selected. If you choose Cancel then the second shortcut WILL NOT be created and you will only have the shortcut on the desktop.

All IVAN users should definitely upgrade to Version 3.0.8 of IVAN if they are using Windows NT or Windows 2000 .

A summary of the benefits of IVAN 3.0.8 follows in a question and answer style:

All IVAN users should definitely upgrade to Version 3.0 of IVAN because all earlier versions of IVAN are NOT YEAR 2000 Complaint and will cease to function properly after 31/12/1999.

A summary of the benefits of IVAN 3.0 follows in a question and answer style:

• To the best of our knowledge IVAN 3.0 is Y2K compliant.

• Dialogue boxes now incorporate the Microsoft Windows 3D appearance.
• The tab key can be used to move from field to field within a dialogue box.
• The "enter" key can be used to activate the dominant button (normally "OK") instead of having to click the mouse button.
• Many related dialogues have been grouped together on "tabbed property pages". Activity details, constraints and resource allocation are all available in a single dialogue box.
• Some dialogue boxes have slight modifications e.g. the dependency dialogue displays the day of the week as well as the dates.
• The dialogue box for creating a calendar provides a checkbox to inform IVAN to open the calendar for editing once it has been created.
• Resource Allocation allows the user to choose which fields (ie. quantity, rate or duration) are fixed.

• No, the IVAN calendar has been updated. Calendars can now be edited 6 months at a time. It is easier to do the following:
1. Change the year range of the calendar
2. Select or deselect regular non working days
3. Print Calendars (1 year per page)
4. Scroll through the years

• Activity Reports. In this release the dependency and resource reports have been disabled.

• Yes, in Version 3.0 it is also possible to mail a report to another user in a variety of formats including MS Excel, text (tab delimited and comma separated (CSV)). Reports in these formats can also be saved directly to disk.

• Yes, IVAN has always been able to import tab delimited text information. This feature has been upgraded in Version 3.0 to allow import of finish to start dependency information for activities and to allow importing of multiple resource allocations for each activity.

  (Search 'import' in the online help for more information on importing activity data into ivan)

• Text files can be prepared separately from IVAN in the correct format either by manually typing the data or exporting text data in the required format from other tools such as Microsoft Project or Primavera. This data can then be imported into IVAN.