Version History - iOS

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Version 3.1

NEW: Compass Features

Compass messages have a new look and Zee is smarter than ever! 

• Zee can speak messages. To download new voices, open the System Settings and choose Accessibility > Spoken Content > System Voice. Look for ENHANCED (better quality) or PREMIUM (highest quality) voices.
• Compass messages can be automatically translated into 100+ languages. Language translation happens in the iOS version of Lifecraft. If you first view a message on your iPhone or iPad, the translated message will appear in the Mac version.
• It’s now easier to start a Compass message on one device and continue it on another.
• Improved colors in the Compass view, especially when the Conrad theme is selected.

Learn more: Compass View

IMPROVED: Entry List

Instead of combining the LIST and CALENDAR in a single view, there’s now a List/Calendar control for switching between the two modes. This makes the interface much cleaner and easier to use.

Learn more: Entry List

NEW: Photo Browser

There's a new browser that makes it easier to insert photos and videos into your journal entries (requires macOS 13).

IMPROVED: More View

The More button appears above the Entry List and Entry View. The More view contains many useful commands related to journal entries. For example, you can view/change the entry Tags or have Zee speak the entry. Choose More > Insert to insert items into the selected entry.

Learn more: More Button

Other improvements

• Control-click a journal entry in the Entry List to open a shortcuts menu.
• It’s now easier to create sub-journals. See: Journal List.
• Many improvements to the Import/Export/Backup features. The Day One import feature works. Video, audio and PDF files are now correctly imported. 
• Lifecraft now uses Apple’s weather service, which provides more detailed weather forecasts. This includes 10 days of forecasts with hourly weather for each day (hours can be selected to see the conditions for that hour). This feature requires macOS 13.
• Added a setting that controls whether weather is included in printouts/PDFs.
• When an entry is printed or exported to PDF, images are now scaled better so they don’t fill the entire page width.
• A dashed list can be started in a journal entry by typing a hyphen followed by a space at the start of a line.
• Smoother animation when new messages are added to the Compass view.
• Improved journal icons.
• Many user interface improvements.
• App is faster and uses less memory.
• Lifecraft now uses the latest App Store framework for easier subscription purchasing/verification.

Bug Fixes

• Fixed a bug where the text of an entry created from a template may not be the correct color when the Conrad theme is selected.
• If a new journal entry was created by clicking “Start Writing” in a Compass message AND the Conrad theme was selected, the entry text was sometimes the wrong color (dark text on a dark background) - fixed.
• Fixed several text color problems when inserting text in a journal entry while the Conrad theme is selected.
• Fixed a bug where the text of an entry created from a template may not be the correct color when the Conrad theme is selected.
• Fixed a bug that occurred when entering an emotion between 11PM and midnight.
• If a voice recording was trimmed so the entire recording was deleted, then the recording was continued, the original recording wouldn’t actually be deleted - fixed.
• Entries weren’t always sorted by date when exporting to JSON/PDF - fixed.
• Many more bug fixes.

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Version 3.0.7

NEW: Voice Recordings

Capture your experiences using your own voice. Lifecraft can automatically transcribe your words and save them to a journal entry.

1. Create/select a journal entry.
2. Tap the More button (···) at the top of the journal entry and choose Record Audio.

Learn more: Voice Recordings

Other improvements

• If journal entry text contains images, drawings, audio, emotions, the summary text that appears in the Entry List now shows [image], [drawing], [audio], [happy], etc. This makes it easier to search for entries that contain certain media/emotion types.
• When calendar events are added to a journal entry, the text is inserted at the cursor location rather than the end of the entry.

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Version 3.0.6

IMPROVED: Navigating Journal Entries

Viewing older journal entries is much faster thanks to the improved calendar. Select a date and the entry list instantly shows the matching entries.

Learn more: Calendar View

NEW: Go to Date

Click the bar at the top of the calendar and choose "Go to Date" to quickly jump to any journal entry.

NEW: Media Types

Journal entries can now accept many more audio/video attachment types.

Monterey

Improved support for macOS Monterey.

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Version 3.0.5

IMPROVED: Sharing

The Share feature allows you to "clip" text, links, photos in other apps and add them to Lifecraft. When you click the Share button in another app (e.g. Safari, Photos, News) and select "Lifecraft", a Share window will appear. The Share window now displays all of your journals and entries. You can choose to save the clipping as a new entry or add it to any existing entry.

Learn more: Share Extension

IMPROVED: Database

Lifecraft is built on an industrial-strength, encrypted database. Lifecraft's Realm database has been upgraded to version 10, which is both smarter and faster.

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Version 3.0.4

NEW: Drawings

Lifecraft's text features makes writing in your journal very easy. But there's something magical about handwriting and drawings in a journal. Now you can have the best of both worlds: use the Drawing feature to insert handwriting or sketches anywhere in your journal entries. Or add a photo to your entry text and doodle on top of it.

Note: drawings are created in Lifecraft on the iPad or iPhone. Drawings can be viewed in the Mac version. 

Learn more: Drawings

IMPROVED: Photos in entry text

Photos inserted in journal entry text use ten times less memory and load much faster.

• When a photo is clicked, a contextual menu appears that includes options such as the ability to resize the photo smaller.
• Movies can now be inserted in journal entry text.
• Several improvements to the built-in photo viewer. It displays all photos in the entry text and photos are easier to delete. The viewer can be dismissed by swiping down.

Learn more: Photos & Movies

Other improvements

• Fixed a problem where the font could change if the cursor was placed immediately after a photo in the entry text.
• Fixed entry text color issues when switching from a light theme to a dark theme or vice versa.
• Fixed some minor text positioning issues.

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Version 3.0.2

Fixed some issues related to checklists, numbered/bulleted lists.

List numbering is more reliable and copying & pasting list items works better.

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Version 3.0.1

FIXED

If the Preferences/Charts window was left open while the Password Lock feature was enabled, that window wouldn't appear the next time the app was launched.

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Version 3.0.0

NEW: Emotion charts

Lifecraft can help you discover what's trending in your emotional life through the new emotion charts. You can see how your emotions change from hour to hour, or over the course of days, weeks, months or even years. There are 4 emotion chart types: Mood, Line, Bar, Column. See Emotion Charts

IMPROVED: Emotions

Multiple emotions can be added to a journal entry. Emotions can be all-day or timed with optional start/end times. Emotions are assigned intensities (Low, Medium, High, Extreme). See Adding Emotions.

REMOVED: the Emotions View

The Emotions View that was in the previous version is no longer necessary with the new emotions system. If you recorded any emotions in the Emotions View, those emotions are automatically converted to journal entries. See Emotions View (obsolete).

NEW: More button

A More button (···) appears at the top of the Journal Entry/List views. The More view makes it easier to perform common journal-related tasks (create a new entry, delete the current entry, open the emotion charts, get a journal writing prompt, insert photos, etc.) See More Button.

NEW: Journal entry linking

Added the ability to link journal entries together: choose More (···) > Copy Link to Entry. Then paste the link into a different entry so you can quickly navigate back to the original entry. See Entry View.

NEW: Journal writing prompts

Added many new journal writing prompts: choose More (···) > Prompt. Added support for Zee emojis. See Writing Prompts.

IMPROVED: Photos in entry text

If you insert a photo into the journal entry text, you can now tap the photo to open it in the photo viewer.

IMPROVED: Bulleted lists

A bulleted list can be started by typing an asterisk (*) at the start of a line.

FIXED: Lots of stuff!

Lifecraft is now more reliable and easy to use.

• Fixed several issues related to journal entry dates and time zones. Journal entries always display the original date & time, even when viewed in a different time zone.
• Fixed an issue that made it difficult to select text or tap links.
• Fixed an issue where the cursor would sometimes go behind the keyboard.
• Dates and times in journal entry text are no longer automatically turned into links.
• If multiple challenge actions appeared simultaneously, only one could be checked off.
• User-created challenges weren’t always checked off correctly.
• Multiple user-created challenges can be selected in the macOS version to make it easier to delete them.

• Fixed several issues related to macOS 11 Big Sur (e.g. some buttons icons appeared too small).

• Many other bug fixes and improvements...

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Version 2.5.2

A recent change to the App Store prevented Lifecraft from being able to verify the Lifecraft Pro subscription for some users. This version adds a workaround to that issue.

If Lifecraft isn't recognizing your subscription:

1. Quit Lifecraft and re-open it.
2. Choose Lifecraft > Preferences > Lifecraft Pro.
3. Scroll to the bottom and click Restore Purchases.

If you continue to experience problems related to your Lifecraft Pro subscription, try the suggestions in this article: Subscription Help

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Version 2.5

NEW: Zee EMOJI with 40+ expressions

Zee has been given a facelift! With more than 40 different expressions, you'll always know how Zee is feeling when you're reading your daily Compass message.

IMPROVED: Interface for writing prompts and jokes

Writing prompts and jokes now appear in their own window instead of the main Journal view. This makes the interface cleaner and easier to use.

Custom Fonts

Previously, if a custom font was applied to some text in a journal entry, the font would be reset as soon as the Return key was pressed - fixed.

Drag & Drop Photos

When a photo is dropped on a Journal entry, it's added to the entry. There's a preference that controls whether it's inserted in the entry text or the Media Gallery at the top of the entry (Lifecraft > Preferences > General > Photos).

This update fixes a problem that occurred when inserting a photo in the journal entry text while multiple entries were open.

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Version 2.4.2

NEW: Quote list type

You can use the new Quote feature to highlight text: a colored bar will appear to the left of the text. To apply a quote:

1. Place the cursor anywhere in a paragraph (you don't have to select any text).
2. Click the Aa button at the top of the journal entry to open the Font panel (shortcut: cmd-T).
3. Click the Quote button in the List section.

Alternatively, you can choose Format > Quote or type "> " at the beginning of a line to start a quote.

IMPROVED: Journal Entry Templates

You can create your own journal entry templates (see Entry Templates). This version of Lifecraft fixes a number of issues in order to make the entry templates more useful.

Plus, there's now a File > New Entry With Template command so you can create a new entry from a template.

Pasting Photos

Photos can now be pasted into journal entries. For example, you can take a screenshot and paste the screenshot into a journal entry.

Faded Photos

A recent change made by Apple caused some problems with entries that include photos. Some photos embedded in the entry text would appear "faded". This version of Lifecraft fixes that problem. If any of your journal entries exhibit this problem, you should re-add the affected photos to the entries.

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Version 2.4

NEW: Text Styles

Format your journal entries with different heading styles. Styles include Heading 1, Heading 2, Heading 3 and Body. To change a line to a heading:

1. Place your cursor anywhere on a line (you don't have to select any text).
2. Click the Aa button at the top of the journal entry to open the Font panel (shortcut: cmd-T).
3. Click one of the Heading buttons at the top of the Font panel.

NEW: Typography Settings

Choose whether your journal entries start with a heading or body text. Make your entries more readable by adjusting the line and paragraph spacing. These settings can be changed in Preferences > Text.

NEW: Automatic Lists

Rather than using the text controls to create a numbered/bulleted list, you can now simply type a number or bullet to automatically start a list.

Redesigned Font Panel

The Font panel is now easier to use. Choose which tools you want to see and hide the others.

Improved Day One Import

It's now easier to import your Day One journal entries. Day One text styles are automatically converted when they're imported into Lifecraft.

Pasting Photos

Inserting photos in your journal entries is now much easier. For example, you can copy a photo from another app and paste it directly into a journal entry.

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JULY 20, 2019

Version 2.3.1

NEW: Share Extension (for clipping content)

Use the Lifecraft "Share Extension" to clip content (text, links, photos) from other apps and save it in Lifecraft journal entries. Learn more...

NEW: Separator Lines

You can now insert separator lines in your journal entries. There are 3 ways to insert a separator line:

1. Open the Font tools and click the separator button (see image above).
2. Choose Format > Separator line (shortcut: cmd-option-S).
3. Type 3 hyphens in a row.

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JUNE 24, 2019

Version 2.3

NEW: Compass Library View

You can now see ALL past Compass messages in the Compass Library view. New messages are added every day. The messages are sorted by topic and can be searched.

1. Click the Compass button at the top of the main window to switch to the Compass view.
2. Select "Library" on the left side of the window to see all of the Compass messages.
3. Select a topic from the Topics List to see messages related to that topic.
4. Select an item from the message list.
5. The Compass message will appear on the right side of the window (requires Lifecraft Pro).

Challenges

• The Challenges icon in the main navigation bar will show a badge when new challenges are available (new challenges coming soon!)
• Challenges can be viewed in the free version of Lifecraft.

Journal Entry Text

• Tables inserted in Journal entry text (using the Format > Table command) now work correctly (previously, it was hard to select/insert text in the table).
• When copying & pasting text between journal entries, the original text style is retained (unless you use Edit > Paste and Match Style to paste the text).

PDF Export

• Journal entries can be exported to a PDF file (choose File > Export > PDF).

Timers & Stopwatches

Made it easier to manage a timer/stopwatch:

• To start a timer/stopwatch, click the Activity Button    at the top of a journal entry and choose "Start a Clock".
• To pause a timer/stopwatch, click the clock display.
• To cancel a timer/stopwatch, click the X-button that appears when paused: 

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MAY 8, 2019

Version 2.2.1

NEW: Viewing Older Compass Messages

You can view the daily Compass messages for up to 7 days after their release. So if you miss a day, you can still go back and read the message:

1. Select a date in the calendar on the left side of the Compass view.
2. The Compass message for that date will appear (if it's within 7 days).

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MAY 5, 2019

Version 2.2

NEW: Themes

Version 2.2 includes:

• Frost (default)
• Conrad (dark)
• Hemingway (vintage)

More themes will be added over time. Some themes require Lifecraft Pro.

To change the theme, choose Lifecraft > Preferences, then click the Theme button in the General preferences. If you turn on Dark Mode on your Mac, Lifecraft will automatically switch to the Conrad (dark) theme.

NEW: 130+ Journal Icons

You can change the journal icon from the File menu:

Alternatively, control-click the journal name and choose Change Journal Icon from the contextual menu.

This feature requires Lifecraft Pro.

FIX: Improved Compass/Challenge Messages

Some users haven't been able to see messages in the Compass and Challenges views. This should now be fixed.

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FEBRUARY 27, 2019

Version 2.1.3

Lists (bulleted, numbered, checklists)

To add a list to your journal entry, choose one of the list commands from the Format menu. The left side of the text can also be indented.

 

Journal Entry Templates

Journal entry templates can now be assigned to specific journals. For example, you can create a template specifically for your Work journal and a different template for your Food journal. When you create a new entry in either journal, the appropriate template will automatically be used. Read more here: Entry Templates

Hide Navigation Bar

If you find the app too complicated, you can choose to hide the navigation bar that appears at the top of the Viewer window:

This will make the interface simpler so you can focus on the content. To hide the navigation bar, choose View > Hide Navigation Bar.

How do I change views when the navigation bar is hidden?

Click the main view title. For example, in the Journal view, click "JOURNAL", then select a view from the menu that appears:

OTHER

• Fixed a problem where photos embedded in journal entry text would appear too big.