I need a software application to aid in the management of writing a novel including characters and timelines.
The character management portion must allow for the addition/deletion/editing of an unlimited number of characters. Each character will have a name, birthdate, date of death (optional) and other configurable attributes (unlimited number). For example, in some stories it may be important to track height, weight, hair color, eye color or any other physical or emotional attribute of each character. The user-defined attributes may be string, numeric, date or large string (memo) fields. It should be possible to view all of the characters and their attributes in a grid with sorting and filtering (show all characters with brown hair). It should also be possible to view a character in an easy-to-read layout -- perhaps like an index card. Similarly it should be possible to print one or all characters to any printer.
Timeline management should provide a method to enter "events" by date and time (optionally an event will have a start and end time and span the period between). For example, one might enter the opening date of the story as an event. It would be ideal if the timeline would display automatically the birthdate (and optional death date) of each character. The timeline view should be similar to a Gantt chart with bars indicating the lifespan of characters or the start and end time of user-defined events. Ideally, any attribute of a character that is a date field should also optionally appear on the timeline. It should be possible to filter out some dates on the timeline (for example, don't display character's date of gradution).
In general it should be possible to create a new "story", open an existing "story" so the end-user can work with several sets of characters and timelines independently.
If you have further questions, please let me know.
## Deliverables
1) Complete and fully-functional working program(s) in executable form as well as complete source code of all work done.
2) Deliverables must be in ready-to-run condition, as follows (depending on the nature of the deliverables):
a) For web sites or other server-side deliverables intended to only ever exist in one place in the Buyer's environment--Deliverables must be installed by the Seller in ready-to-run condition in the Buyer's environment.
b) For all others including desktop software or software the buyer intends to distribute: A software installation package that will install the software in ready-to-run condition on the platform(s) specified in this bid request.
3) All deliverables will be considered "work made for hire" under U.S. Copyright law. Buyer will receive exclusive and complete copyrights to all work purchased. (No GPL, GNU, 3rd party components, etc. unless all copyright ramifications are explained AND AGREED TO by the buyer on the site per the coder's Seller Legal Agreement).
* * *This broadcast message was sent to all bidders on Wednesday Aug 24, 2005 9:02:06 AM:
I have added a more detailed description of this project as a PDF. Please review. I hope make my selection of programmer within the next two days.
## Platform
Windows XP is the only OS that I care about right now, but if it also runs on older Windows, that would be a bonus.
I would highly prefer the development to be completed in Delphi 4, 5 or 6, but am open. Please contact me if you can deliver the project using another development tool and I will consider it.
In any case, the application source must be made available and any controls used must be built-in or freely available.