Xwing Posted April 13, 2011 at 05:00 PM Posted April 13, 2011 at 05:00 PM I went ahead and coded something again. I know several forum members grabbed a copy of my "email automatically" spreadsheet that I built here and found it useful. I just built an iPhone app, based on my experiences at IGOLD this year. I felt that it would be nice to have a quick & easy way to both look up and then contact any Illinois legislator. The app "Illinois Government" (http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/illinois-government/id430118014) gives users the ability to look up their senators & representatives by zip code, address, or district #; and also gives "one-touch" contact ability via phone, email or address lookup. (Also displays legislator bio, bills, committees, and news information.) I mostly just built it because I wanted it and thought it would be cool to build. But I think other people would find it a useful tool too, if anyone is interested. Given the fact that we’re so close right now, it may be useful to have an additional method to contact our reps on the go. I’ve used it, and think it works great (although it’s obviously a very biased opinion). If anyone tries it, please let me know what you think. I want opinions, since I'm looking for ideas and additional features to include. I’ve already started working on another app, that I think will be very useful if/when HB148 passes and is signed into law. We'll see; it takes forever to build something like this from scratch in my scant free time. And my wife will kill me if I do again what I did to build this app: (basically sit down at the computer Friday night and don't stop, except for meals and sleep, until Mon morning, for 5 weekends in a row.)
EATIII Posted April 13, 2011 at 05:05 PM Posted April 13, 2011 at 05:05 PM I wish it was available for the DROID, Very cool anyway!
pyre400 Posted April 13, 2011 at 05:59 PM Posted April 13, 2011 at 05:59 PM Good work, once again! ...But dont go making XwingWife into XwingExWife
eric2281 Posted April 13, 2011 at 06:26 PM Posted April 13, 2011 at 06:26 PM That is awesome! Excellent work Xwing!
Skorpius Posted April 13, 2011 at 07:00 PM Posted April 13, 2011 at 07:00 PM Just picked it up. I like how Brady is the second demo screen. I'd like it even more if he still wasn't a senator!
Pecker Posted April 13, 2011 at 07:48 PM Posted April 13, 2011 at 07:48 PM 69 cents to you, 30 cents to Steve Jobs, and 6 cents to Pat Quinn... Thanks!
TyGuy Posted April 13, 2011 at 07:56 PM Posted April 13, 2011 at 07:56 PM Will you sell updates as the years go on?
Sigma Posted April 13, 2011 at 08:40 PM Posted April 13, 2011 at 08:40 PM You are very talented. I wish you could do one for us Droid users
Xwing Posted April 13, 2011 at 10:22 PM Author Posted April 13, 2011 at 10:22 PM I wish it was available for the DROID, Very cool anyway!I played around with the idea of porting this code to java so it'll run on Android. I probably will eventually. Will let you know when I do. Just picked it up. I like how Brady is the second demo screen. I'd like it even more if he still wasn't a senator!Yeah. I did that on purpose. Figured might as well pick one of the best for the display. In my original screenshots I had all big pro-2a senators and reps on it, but it wasn't showing the capabilities of the app as well (for instance the ability to type in part of last name and see all senators or reps w/ that last name or the ability to pull all senators / reps for a specific zip code). 69 cents to you, 30 cents to Steve Jobs, and 6 cents to Pat Quinn...Quinn sure does love to tax the heck out of everything. I was taxed even for the $99 fee to upload an app. No physical or electronic good was provided; not even much of a service; it's just the fee a developer has to pay to upload apps to apple, and yet Pat Quinn takes his $6.19. Will you sell updates as the years go on?I plan to. When we have an election in 2 years (and hopefully get in a bunch more good Senators and Reps), I do plan to update the app with all their data.
ishmo Posted April 13, 2011 at 10:47 PM Posted April 13, 2011 at 10:47 PM I'm not a techie but is there any chance you'll do something similar for a Blackberry?
jobes Posted April 14, 2011 at 04:10 AM Posted April 14, 2011 at 04:10 AM Very nice work Xwing. I fired off a few letters immediately.
Xwing Posted April 20, 2011 at 03:50 PM Author Posted April 20, 2011 at 03:50 PM Very nice work Xwing. I fired off a few letters immediately.Cool! I always send emails (and phone calls) to my reps and senators, legislators on committees, and sometimes all of them. This app just makes it easier to get their info & updates, and to contact them. Personally, I like being able to do it on the train as I commute to work. :Crying. =-(: That’s why I build it. Hope you find it useful!
Pecker Posted April 20, 2011 at 08:37 PM Posted April 20, 2011 at 08:37 PM iPad version in the works that's not just pixel doubling? A boy can dream right?
jobes Posted April 21, 2011 at 03:48 AM Posted April 21, 2011 at 03:48 AM Xwing In version 2.0 can the browser views be "pinchable" and rotate? The Bills pages and news can be tough to navigate.
race2c Posted April 21, 2011 at 02:02 PM Posted April 21, 2011 at 02:02 PM +1 on the android application...I would buy it. Cam
Xwing Posted April 22, 2011 at 05:26 PM Author Posted April 22, 2011 at 05:26 PM In version 2.0 can the browser views be "pinchable" and rotate? The Bills pages and news can be tough to navigate.Great idea. Thanks! I will see if I can add that in... You're right, the rotation would be nice on the bills, committees, news, and search by address pages. iPad version in the works that's not just pixel doubling? A boy can dream right? Regarding the iPad version, I wouldn't re-build the whole app with new functionality, but should be able to modify the existing app to handle the views so they display in full-screen on iPad... Do you have any UI/View suggestions you'd like to see implemented on iPad? The "Legislator Details" and the "Search for Legislators" screens currently blow up in iPad if I turn off "compatibility mode" on my Dev machine (compatibility mode is what the current version uses to run on the iPad.) So I will need to rebuild these 2 screens from scratch to work in full-iPad mode. If you have any thoughts on how to make those screen's UI better on iPad, please let me know... I don't have an iPad, so all I can see is the simulator.
Roger Z Posted April 22, 2011 at 07:03 PM Posted April 22, 2011 at 07:03 PM Xwing - thank you for creating this app. It is a great help for us all. Let me make a couple of minor suggestions that I think would make it a bit more user friendly. My suggestions have to do with the Find Rep part of the app and reflect my innate laziness and not your coding skill. If I choose the Enter ZIP code part of the app, the iPhone keyboard comes up but does so in the alpha configuration. Is it possible to have the keyboard appear in the numerical configuration? Zip codes require numerical input not alpha. Also, the app indicates it can handle 5 or 9 digit zip codes. The normal format for entering a 9 digit zip is XXXXX-XXXX. However, the zip code database can not handle this format. It needs to have the zip entered in the XXXXXXXXX format without the dash. Your instructions should reflect that. Also, once I have found my Reps, there should be a function for saving them to a favorites section so I can recall their information and fire off a call to their office as required. Alternately, there should be an option for saving them to my contacts list. I think an addition off this type would make the app significantly more useful. Again, these are just minor suggestions for an allready great app.
Xwing Posted April 27, 2011 at 05:40 PM Author Posted April 27, 2011 at 05:40 PM Xwing - thank you for creating this app. It is a great help for us all. Let me make a couple of minor suggestions that I think would make it a bit more user friendly. My suggestions have to do with the Find Rep part of the app and reflect my innate laziness and not your coding skill. If I choose the Enter ZIP code part of the app, the iPhone keyboard comes up but does so in the alpha configuration. Is it possible to have the keyboard appear in the numerical configuration? Zip codes require numerical input not alpha. Also, the app indicates it can handle 5 or 9 digit zip codes. The normal format for entering a 9 digit zip is XXXXX-XXXX. However, the zip code database can not handle this format. It needs to have the zip entered in the XXXXXXXXX format without the dash. Your instructions should reflect that. Also, once I have found my Reps, there should be a function for saving them to a favorites section so I can recall their information and fire off a call to their office as required. Alternately, there should be an option for saving them to my contacts list. I think an addition off this type would make the app significantly more useful. Again, these are just minor suggestions for an allready great app. Good ideas. I have already made the zip code fix (I just updated my code to handle either XXXXX-XXXX or XXXXXXXXX) and the keyboard change. It will be out on App Store in a few days. (I will be uploading it today, but takes 3-5 days to show up.) After it's on, everyone who's got an existing version can upgrade for free with one click.
Xwing Posted May 2, 2011 at 11:40 PM Author Posted May 2, 2011 at 11:40 PM iPad version in the works that's not just pixel doubling? A boy can dream right? Done In version 2.0 can the browser views be "pinchable" and rotate? The Bills pages and news can be tough to navigate. Done If I choose the Enter ZIP code part of the app, the iPhone keyboard comes up but does so in the alpha configuration. Is it possible to have the keyboard appear in the numerical configuration? Zip codes require numerical input not alpha. Also, the app indicates it can handle 5 or 9 digit zip codes. The normal format for entering a 9 digit zip is XXXXX-XXXX. However, the zip code database can not handle this format. It needs to have the zip entered in the XXXXXXXXX format without the dash. Your instructions should reflect that. Done The latest version (1.2) is out as of this weekend. Includes full iPad version (same app, but views that fit on iPad), fix for zip codes so it handles either with or without the dash, ability to pan and zoom, ability to rotate webpages, and default to the "number" keypad when entering ZIP. I also did a couple minor other tweaks and added a background. Everyone who already has a copy; you can just download the updated version free from the app store. Should have an “update” option for you. Also, please rate it on the app store. If I get a few more reviews (just needs one sentence and # of stars [hopefully 5 ]) for the ratings should be visible. Thanks!
Xwing Posted June 22, 2011 at 01:45 PM Author Posted June 22, 2011 at 01:45 PM BTW, updated the app (available as of yesterday) with the latest contact info and legislator info. A couple of legislators where appointed in the last 2 months, and several more moved their offices around. Free update for anyone who has the app. If anyone here has a chance, I would appreciate some reviews on iTunes. I've had 2 very good (5 out of 5) reviews, but it takes 5 before apple will post them.
samy12386 Posted June 24, 2011 at 06:27 PM Posted June 24, 2011 at 06:27 PM Great app. I gave u five stars. With iPhones copy and paste and great email program u can send out mass emails all day long at the touh of a thumb. Flash mobs use this technology why shouldn't we. Great app an thanks for the tools to fight.
samy12386 Posted June 24, 2011 at 06:37 PM Posted June 24, 2011 at 06:37 PM I just sent about 50 emails in the past ten mins. Copy an paste here and there but kept em all somewhat different. Great app. Great app. Great app.
samy12386 Posted June 24, 2011 at 07:53 PM Posted June 24, 2011 at 07:53 PM Funny how I only get responses from republicans.
Lou Posted June 24, 2011 at 11:52 PM Posted June 24, 2011 at 11:52 PM Funny how I only get responses from republicans. Did you mean to say freedom loving patriots? The Second Amendment is not really a partisan issue to those who have the ability to think and reason for themselves.
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