Improvements that should be done.

[arkanis]

Hello,

We have been using Zimbra now for a couple of months. We are very happy with the way it works, but using it I came accross some quirks that could be improved so here I share with you guys :

1) Copy/Paste should work with every type of document. For example, co-workers aren't able to copy paste a piece of excel document (some tables for example), the tables won't appear, and sometimes not even the text in it. I suppose this is a formating problem, but it should be possible, it's a big functionality hog for us here.

Same with images, or even attachements, you can't just copy paste them inside de document.

I suppose that for the webonly version of Zimbra that could be difficult to implement, but maybe in the Desktop edition where you have things running localy, that could be resolved.

2) Once a document attached (or copy pasted inside the mail), to be able to edit it and send it, but without modifying the original. If think that when outlook attaches a mail, it directly creates the temporary file that will be joined to the mail, and when you are editing it, it does it directly on the temp file and not the original.

3) In the desktop edition to have all the different modules of Zimbra available (Documents, IM, future Briefcase). I know that you can't sync all this, but at least having them and beeing able to use them if you are online. If your are not, just get a message telling you that you are offline.

Maybe this will be on in the next release of ZM Desktop.

4) When you open a document attached to a mail, not right away download it to be able to read it, but give the option of opening it stored in the virtual memory, or download it. (I have experienced this on mac mostly)

5) You can empty you inbox folder without having to delete manualy every mail in it. Beeing able to do this with ANY folder would be great.

6) Future Briefcase, you have to upload the files you want to be available later on. A solution like the one in Alfresco would be amazing. You can just add folders that are real shares on the local network where your server is. And beeing able to navigate in different folders. That way, you can access you network share from anywhere, and you don't have to worry having to upload something or having missed on file in the upload before leaving, and everything would be synced always.

Also, beeing able to upload from other places to the server of course.

For editing the files, doing it localy is not a mess... but then you would have to upload again, then overwriting the file, etc...

Some sort of WebDav folder thing could be great, so you edit the file like you where at work.

This is a lot asking I know, but the Alfresco type of navigation is imho the best way to go. You always have your content (all of it) without having to worry about having uploaded or not. The opensource version have this... maybe you could check this out.

7) Zimlets should be synced also with the Desktop version, so you get exactly the same config.

-----------------

Have more ideas but they won't come to my mind right now... I will keep this post to date with submissions from people here so you people can check it out.


Thanks for the great piece of software that Zimbra is.

[bhickey]

Posting to the forums is good to highlight the changes you'd like to see made, but you should file RFEs in Bugzilla. The Zimbra team bases a lot of their enhancements upon the number of votes that a given item receives there.

[arkanis]

Well, I will fill one or two of those (maybe more)

I hope anyway that the developers do read this forum... since it's called "Developers"

The idea i had posting this here is to share my ideas with you guys and see what are the echos about this. Since I found this vital... what about you...

And if the devs pass by, why not post one or two lines too

I know some of the things I ask are Outlookish features... but I want to get rid of it the most possible here at our company, and in Outlook you will not be getting the advantages of briefcase, IM, Documents, etc...

P.S : We bought the network edition, and are actualy using it in production.

[jholder]

Hi - ,
First let me say thanks for the list. We always welcome comments, and reply to them when we can. Bhincky is right when it comes to Requests for enhancements. You should always search and vote. It's very democratic, and that way the most requested features get into ZCS.

But I'd like to take a moment to respond to your thoughts:

1) Copy/Paste should work with every type of document. For example, co-workers aren't able to copy paste a piece of excel document (some tables for example), the tables won't appear, and sometimes not even the text in it. I suppose this is a formating problem, but it should be possible, it's a big functionality hog for us here.

Same with images, or even attachements, you can't just copy paste them inside de document.

I suppose that for the webonly version of Zimbra that could be difficult to implement, but maybe in the Desktop edition where you have things running localy, that could be resolved.

I agree. Consistency is key. In order for us to support images, etc, we needed to support inline disposition content. I think (according to bugzilla) this has been resolved. Now we can move on to posting those other items. Not sure about the Excel spreadsheet thing. It really depends on how it gets stored in memory when you paste it. I'm guessing that it should be stored as a table, which we definitely should support.

2) Once a document attached (or copy pasted inside the mail), to be able to edit it and send it, but without modifying the original. If think that when outlook attaches a mail, it directly creates the temporary file that will be joined to the mail, and when you are editing it, it does it directly on the temp file and not the original.

May I ask why? If you'd prefer not to modify the original, you can always save a draft. Are you looking for more of a stationary feature?

3) In the desktop edition to have all the different modules of Zimbra available (Documents, IM, future Briefcase). I know that you can't sync all this, but at least having them and beeing able to use them if you are online. If your are not, just get a message telling you that you are offline.

Maybe this will be on in the next release of ZM Desktop.

This is a great question. . .that I can't really answer. It's not that I don't have an answer, but I can't really give more information at this point. Keep an eye on the Zimbra Blog www.zimbra.com/blog

Most new and cool features are gonna be posted to there.

4) When you open a document attached to a mail, not right away download it to be able to read it, but give the option of opening it stored in the virtual memory, or download it. (I have experienced this on mac mostly)

I think you could benefit from our "View as HTML feature" in the network edition. This feature allows you to see an attachment without "opening" it. You can also download it.

5) You can empty you inbox folder without having to delete manualy every mail in it. Beeing able to do this with ANY folder would be great.

That's an interesting request, but a request none-the-less. Bugzilla Main Page file an enhancement (search first )

6) Future Briefcase, you have to upload the files you want to be available later on. A solution like the one in Alfresco would be amazing. You can just add folders that are real shares on the local network where your server is. And beeing able to navigate in different folders. That way, you can access you network share from anywhere, and you don't have to worry having to upload something or having missed on file in the upload before leaving, and everything would be synced always.

Also, beeing able to upload from other places to the server of course.

For editing the files, doing it localy is not a mess... but then you would have to upload again, then overwriting the file, etc...

Some sort of WebDav folder thing could be great, so you edit the file like you where at work.

This is a lot asking I know, but the Alfresco type of navigation is imho the best way to go. You always have your content (all of it) without having to worry about having uploaded or not. The opensource version have this... maybe you could check this out.

The Zimbra server 5.0 will support webdav. What does this mean? You can mount your briefcase as a mountable drive. A video is comin up on the blog tomorrow(i think).

7) Zimlets should be synced also with the Desktop version, so you get exactly the same config.

Planned.

Have more ideas but they won't come to my mind right now... I will keep this post to date with submissions from people here so you people can check it out.


Thanks for the great piece of software that Zimbra is.

No, thank you. It's comments and suggestions that keep us looking to make Zimbra better.

[mmorse]

Originally Posted by jholder

That's an interesting request, but a request none-the-less. Bugzilla Main Page file an enhancement (search first )

lol-almost what your asking:

Originally Posted by dkarp

In 5.0, you'll be able to empty any folder other than Inbox using the right-click action menu.

You could always: <FolderActionRequest> <action op="empty" recursive="false" id="{folder-id}"/> </FolderActionRequest> (recursive="false" is not available in older version so be careful if you have subfolders of the inbox!)

Also of note: In v5 the main system folders, inbox & sent will have message lifetimes. (obviously trash & junk can already) Bug 13435 - User-definable expiration policy for systems folders


Per the webdav:

Originally Posted by kevinh

Both Zimbra Briefcase and Zimbra Docs (notebooks) will support access via WebDav. So you can mount the folder in Windows Explorer or Finder on a Mac.

Drag `n Drop the files into Zimbra via WebDav and they get indexed so you can search them with the same search you use to search your email.

[arkanis]

Amazing things are happening right now with Zimbra with this release getting closer and closer

I saw that inline images are now part of the RC2 build. What I'm wondering is, will "inline content" be supported ? For example a simple copy/paste of an excel table, because right now... the numbers are pasted but not the grid.

Also, I was wondering if attached files could be edited after beeing attached ? So the original file would be untouched but the one sended via mail modified...

Just questions... I saw a new icon on the bar : send & add... what is it for ?

[dijichi2]

where are you watching rc2 improvements?? did i miss the announcement on the long awaited p4 proxy?

[mmorse]

Originally Posted by arkanis

I saw a new icon on the bar : send & add... what is it for ?

install the salesforce zimlet
/blog/archives/2007/11/50_coolness_part_2.html