New SLOWLY Comparison Tool available !
Brand new Release brings portability, ease of use, more
Dear friends, myself and Prince Bajaja have been working on a Better, Improved Slowly Stamps Comparison Tool.
This one is a GUI tool, running a PowerShell script, and can be run in any laptop or PC running Windows, or even Mac or Linux machines if the user installs PowerShell for them.
What is new and exciting ?
- not a Javascript tool anymore. We don't have the access permissions which affected our previous JS tool.
- This one offers a direct comparison of your own collection to the full SLOWLY API stamps list. So, a complete collection as can be, ideal for reference, and not invading anyone's privacy by sharing their collection URL.
- Any new, added stamps in API are included, even if we cannot get them until later date – we are in fact missing them for now.
- you can see the difference between your own collection and a friend's.
- and you can chose two modes: a quick listing showing only the 'slug' or stamp shortname. OR, get the stamp's Name and Description in full if desired.
- you can COPY the missing stamps list to the clipboard, to share with them, or to have a list handy of what stamps you could share.
- any interested user can read the source code and see that there is no harmful code.
- we encourage you to look at it, and maybe learn a bit of PowerShell programming to customize it to your needs.
- like adding a new function that you think would be handy.
We tested and all is working well.
I am calling it Beta 1 as it is the very first public release, but it's fully functional. (and has no bugs that I know of)
I posted it on Reddit, and here on the Blog later, with this info and more, screenshots, etc.
How to run it?
The code is plain text, and can be saved anywhere in your computer. You can download a copy and save in any folder you desire, on your machine.
The easiest way to start it, as it is a PowerShell script, is to:
- right click on the file;
- and select 'Run with PowerShell' from the context menu.
Right-click and Run with Powershell is easiest way
This is a native GUI tool
And as such, it's easier to run for Windows users (or Mac or Linux users who have PowerShell installed in their systems – a free software package offered by Microsoft itself).
While the code is basically a script, it invokes the GUI functions of PowerShell, and runs in that GUI environment natively.
This makes it a 'program' – you can keep it running, and do multiple comparisons, maybe between you and your closest penpal stamp collectors?
The program offers different 'Modes' as well
The first one is to compare one personal collection against a 'Reference Collection'. So you know what stamps your collection is missing.
In the past, we have hard-coded a failry large Slowly user collection into our JavaScript web based comparison tool. But that depends on how complete or updated that collection is, and it also has the problem we are kind of 'sharing' that user's name and personal collection with anyone who is curious and pokes around in the Javascript code.
Not ideal, right?
No, it wasn't. But we are now using a different method.
We are getting our 'Reference Collection' listing directly from the SLOWLY API itself. This is the motherload, and is up-to-date anytime they add any new stamp.
It also contains things like 'Hello, Macau' and 'Happy Birthday 2017' which are more Urban Legends that real, collectable stamps. (no one that I know off has the Macau issue, for example. And very very few have HB2017)
Our code does that, and queries the API anytime you start the programme. So it is always up-to-date.
We also allow you to select how you want the missing stamps listed :
- a short list, with only the 'slug', or stamp shortname, showing.
- or a detailed list with the full stamp name, plus its description.
- You control this choice with the Radio buttons. 🙂
A Short listing of a user's collection, compared to SLOWLY API
Save your personal collection to save pasting it in?
Yes, we thought that would be ideal – so it's always there, no need to find it, copy, paste.
At the very beginning of our source code, we define a variable called $UserHome, and if you edit one single line, you can make that your own desired collection address.
We included notes on the code to encourage people to do just that, as it is handy and ideal.
...just don't forget the “Quote Marks” around the URL, as noted... 😉✔
See $UserHome ? it's right on line 6, and you should CHANGE IT to your desired URL
What about the Detailed mode ?
We have it showing in the screenshot at the top of this post. Since the screenshots are pretty long vertically, I will not add another one here, but you get the idea.
The second Mode of Operation – Compare 2 User collections
This is very handy and possibly the most used function in the programme. You want to know what is different between your collection and your pal's – so maybe you can send them some surprise, missing stamps. 😎😉
This is great fun, and a delight for anyone who enjoys the Slowly stamps, when they open a new letter and get the message “You found a new Stamp!“
We make that as EASY as possible. You just need the two collection URLs.
If you took our hint and edit the source $USERHOME to point to your collection, you just need to enter the 2nd user's address.
And we included Error Checking
So, if you try to run the tool without entering the required data, it TELLS you, and does not error out.
Well, what could go wrong?
- someone tries to compare 2 collections, but leaves the 2nd address empty...
- or someone types 'mememmeme' or other gibberish in one of the input fields.
But we check for that, and tell you; the tool is ready to run if you correct the error, and enter proper data. (I am proud of that, as it was one of my personal contributions)
So, we think this is quite cool
And invite you to try it out.
Programming was a team effort, with Prince being the lead programmer, and Yann2 being the fine tooth, User Interface, Error Checking and Handling, etc. We work well together.
We acknowledge the participation of our friend Babacar in User Testing, and of Microsoft's CoPilot in assisting us on learning a new programming language.
We are releasing this under an MIT Open Source License, the terms are included in the Code itself as usual.
Get your new SLOWLY Stamp Comparison Tool HERE.
Feel free to share this tool with any penpal friends who are stamp collection fans.
Create a Custom Shortcut to start with ONE click
Time to explain how to create a local 'Shortcut' so the programme can be started in one click from your desktop... here it is:
You found our new PowerShell Slowly Stamps Comparison tool, and now what?
- First, save the release code to a file on your computer
- To make it easier to use, we will create a customized shortcut. You start it on the same folder where you saved the file.
- Then, right-click the file and choose 'Create a new shortcut'.
- A new 'shortcut' file will appear in the same directory.
- Now you right-click the new shortcut file. We need to modify it a bit.
- On the pop up window, edit the “Target” field, adding a special command before any shortcut existing text.
- The text you need to add in is:
powershell.exe -ExecutionPolicy Bypass
The finished result should be :
powershell.exe -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "C:\path\to\your\script.ps1"
The c:\path ..... is the same text as was there before. You added the “powershell part” before the path (place where the file was saved). Then press 'OK' and it will be saved.
Now, you can move or copy the shortcut to your desktop, to make it easier to find.
Double-clicking it will fire up the comparison process. Voilá... 😄
Any Comments or suggestions are welcome, thank you. 😎
Famous Last Words
This post is dedicated to my friend Mapuo33, who has greatly contributed to both our subReddit and our WIKI project. Thanks, friend. 🙂👍
Special Thank You to the folks behind this wonderful app — all the hard working people at Slowly Communications.
Letters we share, with pen pals all over the World, via the magic of the Slowly App. A modern day take in the traditional penpal experience.
Come and join us, if you are not yet using Slowly.
Follow Blog via your Fediverse/Mastodon account :
@friends-near-and-afar-letters-we-share@wordsmith.social
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