Exporting data from Basecamp

In Basecamp, it's easy to export your messages, comments, to-do lists, milestones, and time tracking data in XML format.

Customers sometimes ask: "Do you have any suggestions for a product to open the XML Basecamp export?" Our answer: Firefox is probably the easiest way to open up the exported file. Just drag the file into the browser and you'll get a nice folding tree (plus you can use cmd-f to search it). Other solutions: Any simple text editor and most other browsers will also open the file.

Note: You can also export time tracking data on a project-by-project basis by going into a project, clicking the Time tab, and then clicking the "Create a report" link. Once you create the report, click the "Export this table to CSV" link at the bottom of the report.

Add Anywhere makes Backpack "infinitely useful and easy"

The new Add Anywhere feature in Backpack has been getting rave reviews at the forum.

And here's what Dave Caolo of Kaylow Media had to say about it...

The folks at 37signals have added a fantastic new feature to Backpack. It’s called Add Anywhere, and lets you position new content anywhere on a page, right as you create it. Previously, new content appeared at the top of the page, and had to be dragged to its desired location. I didn’t mind the old create-and-drag procedure, but now that it’s gone, I’m happy about it.

Backpack just gets better and better. It’s infinitely useful and easy. Unlike many other sites that use Ajax to be flashy, Backpack is simply useful. I love it.

If you want to learn more about how we implemented Add Anywhere, check out
this Design Decisions post at Signal vs. Noise.

Apple profiles Copenhagen design studio shiftcontrol, a Basecamp customer

shiftcontrol: Automobility is an Apple Pro profile of an innovative Copenhagen design studio. The sidebar of the profile reveals that shiftcontrol uses Basecamp to collaborate on projects.

More on the studio:

Jørgen Skogmo and Patrik Svensson are on the move — and so is their work. Their Copenhagen design studio, shiftcontrol, creates computer-mediated interactive experiences that are generated in real-time. They appear in venues as disparate as high-tech installations and high-fashion shops for clients that include the Italian design house Prada and Danish TV...Recently, the firm developed a sophisticated information visualization project for the Volkswagen visitor center called Autostadt, located near the company’s factory in Wolfsburg, Germany, where the first VW was made.

PackRat adds support for newest Backpack features

PackRat is a desktop client for Backpack which lets you use your Backpack data when you can't be online. The newest version brings Packrat in line with the new Backpack. That means better syncing, better page display, support for dividers, etc.

You can try PackRat for free for up to five pages. Here's more on how it works:

Before you hit the road for the first time with PackRat, just sync up with Backpack and your data is duplicated in PackRat's database. View it to your heart's content. Edit it to your heart's content. View it in ways only a desktop application can. When you get back online, PackRat will automatically inform Backpack of all your changes and Backpack will be up to date. From then on you can just use PackRat and your Backpack site is automatically kept up to date.

How Sounds are Active rocks Basecamp

Chris Schlarb uses Basecamp to run his independent record label, Sounds are Active, and work on audio/video projects for clients. He's also got a solo album coming out on December 4th on Sufjan Stevens' record label Asthmatic Kitty and he's using Basecamp now to coordinate the press and promotional campaign for the album. Chris talked with us about how Basecamp helps him coordinate his projects.

How do you use Basecamp and why do you like it?
Sounds Are Active is an independent record label based in Long Beach, California. I personally handle everything from recording and production to art direction to marketing and press mail out. I began using Basecamp two years ago and in that time I have coordinated twenty releases including the critically acclaimed documentary film 40 BANDS/80 MINUTES!

The group of people that might work on any given project are contributing from Los Angeles, Calgary, Indianapolis, Chicago, San Francisco, New York and Buenos Aires. It's hard to imagine going back to strict email correspondence with them all. The ease of communication in Basecamp allows for efficient delegation and a sense of personal responsibility for everyone working on a project. When you have all of the information in front of you it's easier to chart a course of action.

Which features do you use most?
I use Writeboard on every project to collaborate on press releases and promotional copy. Then I use Milestones and To-Do lists for simple goal and time oriented tasks. After we mail out press materials it's incredibly easy to keep track of all reviews, interviews and activity by simply creating a message and adding a "reviews" category. I've booked three US tours using similar combinations within Basecamp.

What did you use before and why did you switch?
I was using Microsoft's Entourage program to incorporate project management, email and contacts before I jumped in to Basecamp. Thankfully, I've been able to downsize to Apple Mail and Address Book and I'm much happier. Entourage isn't set up for collaboration whereas the ease of sending someone a Basecamp URL allows for immediate movement on a project.

Create an electronic invite with Backpack

Niranjan V., President of Applied Materials Toastmasters, wrote us an email detailing how he used Backpack to create an electronic invite.

Since you called for examples of interesting Backpack pages in your recent blog post (Liven up your pages with embedded Google maps), here's the link to the "evite" for our recent Toastmasters speech contest.

This link was emailed to many dozens of people and we got around 80 people to sign up and attend this event. While I was aware of Backpack for some time, this was the first time I used it for a "real" application. I was pleasantly surprised about how easy it was to use. The ability to embed Google Maps and add images (hosted on other websites) was very handy!...

Some of the attendees wanted to know more about using Backpack to create such pages for their own events and I'm sure Backpack will only get more popular within the Toastmaster community in the SF Bay Area!

Here's the Backpack invite page Niranjan used (full invite here).

Do you use a 37signals product in an interesting or noteworthy way? Let us know.

Related: Liven up your pages with embedded Google maps [Product Blog]

New: Sort files by size in Basecamp

Another new Basecamp change we just rolled out: You can sort by file size within the "Files" tab (it's one of the sorting options in the right sidebar).

This is especially useful when you're nearing your file size limit and you want to free up some space. Just sort by size and delete any big files that you don't need anymore and you'll have more room.

Basecamp: Writeboard comments now show up on Dashboard and Project Overview

Writeboard comments are a great way to offer feedback on a proposal, blog post, marketing copy, or anything else you might write in a Writeboard (see an example).

But there used to be a catch for Basecamp customers: Writeboard comments sometimes went unnoticed since you had to visit the actual Writeboard itself to see if anyone had posted a new comment.

No more! Now, any new Writeboard comments show up on your Dashboard and Project Overview pages.

When there's a Writeboard comment, you'll be in the know. We hope you enjoy this change.

The Tech Brief: Campfire is a great alternative to in-person meetings

Campfire Heats up the Typical Meeting is a post at The Tech Brief which talks about why Campfire is a great alternative to conventional meetings.

Meetings are simplified with Campfire, allowing you to talk through a protected chat client that automatically dates and categorizes the transcript; eliminating the need for a note-taker. Transcripts are also categorized in a user friendly format, allowing you to search by multiple criterions.

Campfire also allows you to upload files 10MB or less in size; allowing the chatters in your room to view logos, text documents and even code. The three latest files uploaded are conveniently located along the side of the chat screen. This can greatly facilitate the progress of your meeting, allowing you collaborate in an open field. Users are able to view documents close up rather than looking up at a projection screen which should enhance participation.

In regards to participation, in a chat environment, it is beneficial to let users type as they come up with ideas. There is no longer a worry of interrupting others or the inevitable fear of public speaking...Campfire allows people, miles apart, to work together better and easier than ever.

Are you part of a team that uses Campfire to work together? We're looking for more Campfire case studies so let us know.

NY Times: Basecamp is "a powerful project management and collaboration tool"

Denise Caruso is executive director of the Hybrid Vigor Institute, which studies collaborative problem-solving, and the author of Securing Very Important Data: Your Own (NY Times). In the article, she briefly discusses her use of Basecamp.

A powerful project management and collaboration tool called Basecamp allows teams to store online entire project management plans, including performance targets, to-do lists, files, collaborative documents and messages. Provided by 37Signals L.L.C., based in Chicago, Basecamp has more than a million users around the world, including me.