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hrjThis isn’t really so much a review as a lovingly detailed description of how I’m tweaking the app to work for me, especially in the context of both SCA and everyday packing.
The app is simply called “packing list”, although somewhat confusingly the icon for it includes the words “I {heart} travel”, which I spent some time thinking was the name instead. It’s received a couple of very useful updates in the short time I’ve owned it, so the specific details of this review may become outdated (although not the general approach, I hope).
Basic Concepts
The heart of the application is the Master Catalog, so we’ll begin there. It comes with a wide assortment of typical travel and leisure items but can be modified and added to to your heart’s content. (For that matter, you can delete items as well, so if there’s some item that you’re no way no how never going to need and it gets in your way in the lists, you can remove it.) Catalog items come with three levels of classification:
Category: As set up, these are general functional categories (Clothes, Toiletries, Gadgets, Sports & Recreation). For the moment, I’ve left this as is (other than adding new categories, of course), but there are some reasons why it could be useful to treat these as “storage location categories” when customizing the app. When using a specific packing list, the Category level can be collapsed on-screen so that only the category label is visible, in addition to the display of “items packed / items on list” numbers that tell you whether you’ve completed the category. So if you’re packing in a storage-oriented manner, the ability to visually collapse each category after dealing with that location could be convenient. Unfortunately, there’s no easy way to change the category of an existing item – you have to create a new listing in the new category and delete the old one.
Type: The next level is “Type”, so for example under clothing you might have “pants” or “underwear” as a type, or under toiletries you might have “hair care” or “body care”. The type label displays in your working packing list but can’t be collapsed and doesn’t automatically guide sorting. (Sorting is all by manual dragging … and it took me a while to figure out how to do it.) But it provides a good organizational level before …
Item: This is for specific item entries, or as specific as you want to make it. Under “pants” it could be “slacks” or it could be “grey wool flannel suit pants”. And to reiterate, you can add new items at any time you please. (You can either build new catalog items by editing the catalog, or you can add them on the fly while you build a specific packing list and they’ll be added to the master catalog.)
When you set up a specific packing list (as opposed to editing the master catalog in general), you can add additional information to an Item: number (an obvious need), weight (I suspect there’s a way to total the weight of an entire packing list – I haven’t needed to), value (useful especially in case of loss insurance claims!) and misc. notes. This information isn’t saved in the master catalog, however, so if information like weight and value are something you’re likely to use repeatedly, you need to think about creating a packing list template that includes that item. I’ll get back to this.
Building a Packing List
To create a specific packing list for a trip, you can either build it from scratch from the master catalog, or you can start with an existing packing list as a template and then edit it. As noted above, the latter method means you retain any additional information about specific items that you’ve entered. It also means that if you have repeating events that will generally need the same set of stuff, you can save yourself a lot of work. The basic process is to create a new list (by either method), name it, optionally enter a trip date (a new feature), and save, then select or add a Category, select or add a Type, and select add or edit an Item. Repeat as necessary.
When you go to pack from your list, you tap the checkbox by each item as you pack it and, as mentioned above, your Category has a status display that shows what proportion of the items in that Category have been checked.
How I Use It
My first essays into setting up SCA-related packing lists turned out to be so badly out of sync with how the program wanted to work that I ended up erasing and reinstalling the program as the simplest option. So the following is based on significant trial and error.
My goal was to maximize the flexibility of my template lists while minimizing the duplication of contents across multiple lists and minimizing the amount of customization necessary for any particular trip. To this end, I created the concept of a “module”. To some extent, I use it like adding an entire new Category, but without specific contents. This will be easier to explain if I simply give an example. I created a packing list template entitled “SCA Tent (module)”. The list contains everything necessary for setting up my medieval pavilion but no other items for the encampment unrelated to the tent itself. Then in the Master Catalog I created a Category of “Modules”, a Type “SCA” and an Item “SCA Tent”.
Now, there are several types of trips for which I might want my medieval Pavilion. The obvious one is a multi-day SCA event, but I might take it to a day-event to use as a sunshade or even possibly on a mundane camping trip if I wanted a large tent. So in my list template for “SCA Camping Event”, one of the items is “SCA Tent Module”. When I generate a trip-specific packing list from that template and am going through and customizing the list, that entry triggers me to also generate an SCA Tent Module list for the same trip.
Similarly, all SCA event list templates include an item for “SCA Clothing Module”. Then I have specific template lists for different time/place-related outfits (e.g., “14th c. Boy Clothes) that include all the relevant component parts.
I also use the module system for keeping track of the standard contents of containers that normally are stored in a packed condition, e.g., kitchen boxes for camping, toiletries bag, etc. I can use these to keep track of (or change) the standard contents, but I don’t generate a trip-specific version of the module.
The usefulness of the module idea is that I can avoid massive duplication of contents in slightly different list templates (e.g., duplicating the tent module under both “SCA Weekend” and “SCA Day-trip with sunshade), or avoid the need for massive deletion of unwanted items from a comprehensive template (e.g., if I only had a single “SCA event” template that covered both “daytrip-with-no-infrastructure” and “long-weekend camping event”). In a non-SCA context I have modules for particular leisure activities (e.g., bicycling, hiking, skiing) or repeating types of trip needs (teaching/lecture event).
Now, what would be great would be a program that included the module idea as standard and when you generated a trip-specific list from a template, it automatically generated associated sub-lists from any module entries included in the list (and automatically deleted the entire sub-list if you deleted the module entry from the master list). In fact, I may write to the people who created the app and suggest it as an idea to consider.
Sample Templates
So where have I gone with this? I’ve created some generic master trip templates for the types of trips I take regularly:
Overnight – This is for “I’m going to be away from home overnight but with no specific purpose”. It’s so I don’t forget things like “something to sleep in” or “clean underwear”.
Weekend, professional – More than one night and generally for a conference, so the “teaching/lecture module” is included.
Weekend, casual – I haven’t populated this one yet, but it’s just as indicated.
Car camping – Like “weekend, casual” except with all the equipment for camping in the Element, and with an assumption of some sort of outdoor activity.
Xmas – I haven’t populated this one yet, but it’s a fairly standard set of stuff.
SCA Camping – Includes modules for the tent, campsite, kitchen, clothing, etc.
SCA Day, indoor – Basically clothing and eating gear.
SCA Day, outdoor – As above, but with chairs and option of the tent module for shade.
Sample Modules
Here are some things I’ve set up as modules. They fall generally into “container-related modules” (i.e., everything that gets packed into a specific standard container which then is listed in the master template), optional specific activity modules (e.g., “tent”, “teaching/lecture”, “bicycling”), and interchangeable “pick one from column A” modules (primarily costume modules).
Container-related
SCA clothing chest (includes a costume module entry, but also includes everything else that gets packed in the clothes chest for an overnight event)
SCA groceries box (mostly an empty place-holder that gets populated for a particular event)
This category also includes the “reference only” lists such as “modern camping kitchen equipment” or “lady-in-waiting basket” or “large overnight toiletries bag”.
Specific Activities
SCA tent (canvas, poles, bag of stakes and ropes, sledgehammer and stake pry-bar, banner)
Teaching/lecture (laptop & cord, projector, extension cord & plug-strip, handouts, computer files for presentation, lecture notes/script, kits or other student materials)
Bicycling (bike, helmet, toolkit, lock, water container, energy snacks, biking clothes, GPS, maps)
Interchangeable
14th c. Girl Clothes (shift, blue fitted gown, “party” gown, socks & garters, 14th c. shoes, headcloth, nebuly veil, veil pins, hood, belt, rings & brooches)
etc.
Summary
At this point, I’ve used the program to create lists for a full-out weekend SCA camping event, an SCA indoor day-event, a mundane car-camping trip, a hybrid SCA camping-out-of-my-car-and-not-cooking event (combo of basic car-camping module and SCA outdoor day-trip template), a professional conference (Kalamazoo), and an SCA teaching event (collegium). I suspect I have most of the kinks worked out at this point, although there’s still a great deal of customizing that can be done in odd moments. I should note that the program hasn’t significantly changed my approach to packing for trips, because I’ve always been a compulsive list-maker, and had a standard template of SCA gear set up in Excel that I’d been using for years. So to some extent this app is simply a more convenient way of doing what I’ve always done. And in that, it works marvelously.
The app is simply called “packing list”, although somewhat confusingly the icon for it includes the words “I {heart} travel”, which I spent some time thinking was the name instead. It’s received a couple of very useful updates in the short time I’ve owned it, so the specific details of this review may become outdated (although not the general approach, I hope).
Basic Concepts
The heart of the application is the Master Catalog, so we’ll begin there. It comes with a wide assortment of typical travel and leisure items but can be modified and added to to your heart’s content. (For that matter, you can delete items as well, so if there’s some item that you’re no way no how never going to need and it gets in your way in the lists, you can remove it.) Catalog items come with three levels of classification:
Category: As set up, these are general functional categories (Clothes, Toiletries, Gadgets, Sports & Recreation). For the moment, I’ve left this as is (other than adding new categories, of course), but there are some reasons why it could be useful to treat these as “storage location categories” when customizing the app. When using a specific packing list, the Category level can be collapsed on-screen so that only the category label is visible, in addition to the display of “items packed / items on list” numbers that tell you whether you’ve completed the category. So if you’re packing in a storage-oriented manner, the ability to visually collapse each category after dealing with that location could be convenient. Unfortunately, there’s no easy way to change the category of an existing item – you have to create a new listing in the new category and delete the old one.
Type: The next level is “Type”, so for example under clothing you might have “pants” or “underwear” as a type, or under toiletries you might have “hair care” or “body care”. The type label displays in your working packing list but can’t be collapsed and doesn’t automatically guide sorting. (Sorting is all by manual dragging … and it took me a while to figure out how to do it.) But it provides a good organizational level before …
Item: This is for specific item entries, or as specific as you want to make it. Under “pants” it could be “slacks” or it could be “grey wool flannel suit pants”. And to reiterate, you can add new items at any time you please. (You can either build new catalog items by editing the catalog, or you can add them on the fly while you build a specific packing list and they’ll be added to the master catalog.)
When you set up a specific packing list (as opposed to editing the master catalog in general), you can add additional information to an Item: number (an obvious need), weight (I suspect there’s a way to total the weight of an entire packing list – I haven’t needed to), value (useful especially in case of loss insurance claims!) and misc. notes. This information isn’t saved in the master catalog, however, so if information like weight and value are something you’re likely to use repeatedly, you need to think about creating a packing list template that includes that item. I’ll get back to this.
Building a Packing List
To create a specific packing list for a trip, you can either build it from scratch from the master catalog, or you can start with an existing packing list as a template and then edit it. As noted above, the latter method means you retain any additional information about specific items that you’ve entered. It also means that if you have repeating events that will generally need the same set of stuff, you can save yourself a lot of work. The basic process is to create a new list (by either method), name it, optionally enter a trip date (a new feature), and save, then select or add a Category, select or add a Type, and select add or edit an Item. Repeat as necessary.
When you go to pack from your list, you tap the checkbox by each item as you pack it and, as mentioned above, your Category has a status display that shows what proportion of the items in that Category have been checked.
How I Use It
My first essays into setting up SCA-related packing lists turned out to be so badly out of sync with how the program wanted to work that I ended up erasing and reinstalling the program as the simplest option. So the following is based on significant trial and error.
My goal was to maximize the flexibility of my template lists while minimizing the duplication of contents across multiple lists and minimizing the amount of customization necessary for any particular trip. To this end, I created the concept of a “module”. To some extent, I use it like adding an entire new Category, but without specific contents. This will be easier to explain if I simply give an example. I created a packing list template entitled “SCA Tent (module)”. The list contains everything necessary for setting up my medieval pavilion but no other items for the encampment unrelated to the tent itself. Then in the Master Catalog I created a Category of “Modules”, a Type “SCA” and an Item “SCA Tent”.
Now, there are several types of trips for which I might want my medieval Pavilion. The obvious one is a multi-day SCA event, but I might take it to a day-event to use as a sunshade or even possibly on a mundane camping trip if I wanted a large tent. So in my list template for “SCA Camping Event”, one of the items is “SCA Tent Module”. When I generate a trip-specific packing list from that template and am going through and customizing the list, that entry triggers me to also generate an SCA Tent Module list for the same trip.
Similarly, all SCA event list templates include an item for “SCA Clothing Module”. Then I have specific template lists for different time/place-related outfits (e.g., “14th c. Boy Clothes) that include all the relevant component parts.
I also use the module system for keeping track of the standard contents of containers that normally are stored in a packed condition, e.g., kitchen boxes for camping, toiletries bag, etc. I can use these to keep track of (or change) the standard contents, but I don’t generate a trip-specific version of the module.
The usefulness of the module idea is that I can avoid massive duplication of contents in slightly different list templates (e.g., duplicating the tent module under both “SCA Weekend” and “SCA Day-trip with sunshade), or avoid the need for massive deletion of unwanted items from a comprehensive template (e.g., if I only had a single “SCA event” template that covered both “daytrip-with-no-infrastructure” and “long-weekend camping event”). In a non-SCA context I have modules for particular leisure activities (e.g., bicycling, hiking, skiing) or repeating types of trip needs (teaching/lecture event).
Now, what would be great would be a program that included the module idea as standard and when you generated a trip-specific list from a template, it automatically generated associated sub-lists from any module entries included in the list (and automatically deleted the entire sub-list if you deleted the module entry from the master list). In fact, I may write to the people who created the app and suggest it as an idea to consider.
Sample Templates
So where have I gone with this? I’ve created some generic master trip templates for the types of trips I take regularly:
Overnight – This is for “I’m going to be away from home overnight but with no specific purpose”. It’s so I don’t forget things like “something to sleep in” or “clean underwear”.
Weekend, professional – More than one night and generally for a conference, so the “teaching/lecture module” is included.
Weekend, casual – I haven’t populated this one yet, but it’s just as indicated.
Car camping – Like “weekend, casual” except with all the equipment for camping in the Element, and with an assumption of some sort of outdoor activity.
Xmas – I haven’t populated this one yet, but it’s a fairly standard set of stuff.
SCA Camping – Includes modules for the tent, campsite, kitchen, clothing, etc.
SCA Day, indoor – Basically clothing and eating gear.
SCA Day, outdoor – As above, but with chairs and option of the tent module for shade.
Sample Modules
Here are some things I’ve set up as modules. They fall generally into “container-related modules” (i.e., everything that gets packed into a specific standard container which then is listed in the master template), optional specific activity modules (e.g., “tent”, “teaching/lecture”, “bicycling”), and interchangeable “pick one from column A” modules (primarily costume modules).
Container-related
SCA clothing chest (includes a costume module entry, but also includes everything else that gets packed in the clothes chest for an overnight event)
SCA groceries box (mostly an empty place-holder that gets populated for a particular event)
This category also includes the “reference only” lists such as “modern camping kitchen equipment” or “lady-in-waiting basket” or “large overnight toiletries bag”.
Specific Activities
SCA tent (canvas, poles, bag of stakes and ropes, sledgehammer and stake pry-bar, banner)
Teaching/lecture (laptop & cord, projector, extension cord & plug-strip, handouts, computer files for presentation, lecture notes/script, kits or other student materials)
Bicycling (bike, helmet, toolkit, lock, water container, energy snacks, biking clothes, GPS, maps)
Interchangeable
14th c. Girl Clothes (shift, blue fitted gown, “party” gown, socks & garters, 14th c. shoes, headcloth, nebuly veil, veil pins, hood, belt, rings & brooches)
etc.
Summary
At this point, I’ve used the program to create lists for a full-out weekend SCA camping event, an SCA indoor day-event, a mundane car-camping trip, a hybrid SCA camping-out-of-my-car-and-not-cooking event (combo of basic car-camping module and SCA outdoor day-trip template), a professional conference (Kalamazoo), and an SCA teaching event (collegium). I suspect I have most of the kinks worked out at this point, although there’s still a great deal of customizing that can be done in odd moments. I should note that the program hasn’t significantly changed my approach to packing for trips, because I’ve always been a compulsive list-maker, and had a standard template of SCA gear set up in Excel that I’d been using for years. So to some extent this app is simply a more convenient way of doing what I’ve always done. And in that, it works marvelously.
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no subject
Date: 2009-05-30 06:43 pm (UTC)Currently, I have about 10 years worth of packing lists stored as simple text files from my old PDA & just imported them into the iPhone. I'd wondered if there was a better system than having to copy & paste stuff on the desktop computer & then re-import into the phone...
no subject
Date: 2009-05-30 09:48 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-05-31 04:18 am (UTC)With the thought of "I want something like that" in mind, I ask, what prompted you to choose the iphone, and what, if anything, do you know about the other options out there? I've also heard the word "blackberry", but have no idea if those are the only two choices, or if there is a plethora of things that access internet and help one organize one's life in a smaller package than a notebook computer...
no subject
Date: 2009-05-31 05:59 am (UTC)Getting back to your more general question, the Blackberry, Treo, and iPhone have in common that they are all a combination of a PDA and a cell phone and are most efficient if you also buy an internet plan as well. I think they all have integral cameras too (certainly the Treo and iPhone do). One major difference is in the interface. The iPhone is all one big touch-screen: if you need a keyboard, one pops up on the touchscreen. The Treo and Blackberry have physical buttons for keyboard functions, although they also have some touchscreen functions. (The old Palms used a simplified handwriting recognition system, using a stylus. I don't know if that's still in use in any current models.)
The second major difference is which carriers they work with. The iPhone is currently exclusive to ATT (unless you hack the software -- which can be done, but it can cause you major problems down the road). I think the other devices may also be selective in which carriers they work with, although not quite as exclusive.
And those aren't the only hardware options, but they cover most of the types of differences. And, of course, which device you get affects what software is available to you. The iPhone applications are tightly controlled by Apple and available only through the iTunes store, but are comparatively very cheap (and often free). I bought a much smaller number of programs for the Palm/Treo devices (same operating system, same programs work on them) since they were individually more expensive and took more effort to track down. (I also ran into the problem that a lot of Palm OS applications were not entirely Apple-friendly, so they didn't always play nicely with my desktop.)
What I always tell people is that if you're the sort of person who already uses a Daytimer-like organization system, and if you already carry a cell phone everywhere, and if you have even a minimal comfort level with technology, you will probably fall in love with a smart-phone and never look back.
no subject
Date: 2009-05-31 03:19 pm (UTC)So, tell me more about data connectivity plans. How does the cost of having your phone access the internet anywhere compare to having internet access at your house? (I don't need actual dollars--they will change from places to place, but I suspect the relative cost may be reasonably similar anywhere.) Mobile phones here in Australia charge for use only when placing calls, receiving them is free (something students rely on). I think I recall that in the US they charge for amount of time using the phone, regardless of who initiated the call, but it has been five years, so I could be mistaken on that. Is internet use on your phone totally seperate from the cost of using the phone, or do you get charged for the minutes you spend on the phone doing internet stuff? Do the plans permit unlimited access? How fast is the connection? (I'm very unhappy with the Australian standard of permitting people to have some set, small quantity of "down load and upload" time per month at broadband speeds, and if you use more than that (and you will!) they slow your connection down to very, very slow.)
How about e-mail? I've been using Eudora to download my mail onto my computer for at least 15 years now, and like the fact that this means I can read my mail and compose replies even when I don't have internet access. I have no idea how that would work with a phone though--does it download the mail, or does it only work with web-based mail? I'm guessing that when you talk of "synchronization" above that it could apply to things like downloading mail rather than reading it on line, but how does it work if you access once on one and next on the other?
You talk about each type of phone working best with a single phone company's plan. Do you have any idea how transferable they are? I'll be in Italy for 18 months, and no idea what corner of the planet I'll go to thereafter, can one take one's smart phone with one easily when moving?
Re: hrmmmm...
Date: 2009-08-12 02:38 am (UTC)