Stand Alone, Inc.

Frequently Asked Questions:

• Getting Started

  1. What is Satchel?
  2. Do I need a Backpack account to use Satchel?
  3. Does Backpack offer a 'free' plan?
  4. How do I set up my account in Satchel?
  5. Can I use OpenID with Satchel?
  6. Can I use my API key instead of a username?
  7. What is the 'hostname' Account Setup option for?
  8. Can I add more than one account?

• General Questions

  1. What does the little red number mean in the upper left corner?
  2. Can I use Satchel when I have no internet access?
  3. How do I change a list title?
  4. How do you add links or create a page of links?
  5. How do I edit my notes?
  6. How do I access my calendar in Satchel?
  7. How do I create a calendar event?
  8. Can I toggle the calendars that Satchel displays?
  9. How can I edit existing calendar events?
  10. How do I access my reminders?
  11. How do I set my journal status?
  12. Where are my whiteboards?
  13. Can I rename a page in Satchel?
  14. How often does Satchel refresh my pages?
  15. How can I manually refresh a page?
  16. Does Satchel have support for comments?
  17. Can I view my Newsroom in Satchel?

• Additional Options

  1. How do I re-order my list items?
  2. Can I share pages in Satchel?
  3. How do I send an email to a page?
  4. How do I set tags for a page?
  5. Can I re-download all of my pages at once?
  6. How do I delete/snooze reminders?

• Common Problems

  1. I keep getting an 'Invalid Credentials' error!
  2. My calendar times don't reflect my Backpack timezone!
  3. My changes don’t seem to be showing up online! How can I fix this?
  4. I changed my Backpack plan and now Satchel can't verify my account. What do I do?
  5. My calendar doesn’t seem to be updating, even though it’s checked off in the Calendar list. What’s wrong?
  6. Sometimes after deleting a page, it reappears; why?
  7. Why does Satchel not recognize some of my Textile markup?
  8. Are there any known issues with Satchel?

Getting Started

1. What is Satchel?

   Satchel is a Backpack client for your iPhone and iPod touch. If you aren't familiar with Backpack, it's a browser-based productivity tool that allows you to organize tasks, to-do lists, schedules, reminders, and more, in one place. Satchel allows you to access, edit and add to your Backpack account anywhere, even if you're offline, with your iPhone or iPod touch. For more information on Backpack, visit backpackit.com

2. Do I need a Backpack account to use Satchel?

   Yes, Satchel requires that you have a pre-existing Backpack account in order to use it. 37Signals/Basecamp has retired Backpack, and is no longer allowing users to create new Backpack accounts. Satchel will continue to work for those that still have Backpack accounts, but you cannot use Satchel if you do not have a pre-existing Backpack account.

3. Does Backpack offer a 'free' plan?

   While 37signals used to offer a free plan, they have since removed it. Sorry!

4. How do I set up my account in Satchel?

   Simply go into Satchel and enter in your username and password. If your hostname is not the same as your username, you'll have to enter that too. Tap 'Go' and Satchel will fetch all of your Backpack data.

   Alternatively, you can pre-load your user information into Satchel by clicking here and entering your Backpack data into the pre-load form.* After filling out the form, you'll be emailed a link. Simply open that email on your iPhone or iPod touch and open the link after you've already installed Satchel, and your Backpack data will automatically be added to Satchel.

   * Please note: We only use your Backpack data to send you the pre-load email – we do not store or retain it in any way, nor will we ever use the email address you provide to do anything but send you the activation email.

5. Can I use OpenID with Satchel?

   As Backpack no longer accepts OpenID accounts, you cannot use an OpenID account with Satchel.

6. Can I use my API key instead of a username?

   Yes, but you can only do so via your web browser, and if you use just your API key, Satchel will not be able to download any attachments or images. Simply click here and enter your Backpack data into the pre-load form, then open up the activation email on your iPhone or iPod touch and click the link. Your API key will automatically be inserted into Satchel.*

   * Please note: We only use your Backpack data to send you the pre-load email – we do not store or retain it in any way, nor will we ever use the email address you provide to do anything but send you the activation email.

7. What is the 'hostname' Account Setup option for?

   Backpack allows you to set unique hostnames (the name right before the backpackit.com link you use to access your pages). If you've set this to be any different from your username, you'll have to manually set this option when entering your Backpack user data into Satchel.

8. Can I add more than one account?

   Yes! After you have set up the initial account, you can add additional accounts by tapping the 'Settings' gear from the Page List, then tap 'Edit'. Under 'Available Accounts', you'll see the option add another account.

General Questions

1. What does the little red number mean in the upper left corner?

   This is the number of pending uploads and downloads. Each time you change or add an item, or refresh a page, data is transferred to and from the Backpack servers. This number is simply how many items have yet to be sent. Until it’s zero (i.e. no more pending transactions), Satchel will not have all of your latest Backpack items or edits.

   If you'd like to turn this feature off, you can do so in 'Settings'.

2. Can I use Satchel when I have no internet access?

   Yes! To go offline, go to the Page List screen and tap and hold the refresh icon . Select 'Go Offline' and you'll be able to use Satchel without receiving connectivity alerts.

3. How do I change a list title?

   To change a list title, tap on the 'Lists' icon in the bottom navigation bar, then tap on the list title you'd like to edit.

4. How do you add links or create a page of links?

   To add links, and for additional formatting questions, please see the Textile Quick Reference Sheet.

5. How do I edit my notes?

   To edit notes, tap on 'Notes' in the bottom page navigation and then tap on the note you'd like to edit.

6. How do I access my calendar in Satchel?

   Now that v.1.1 is available, you can access your calendar in Satchel! Simply tap on the Calendar icon to view your Backpack calendars!

7. How do I create a calendar event?

   To create a new calendar event, simply tap the '+' icon in bottom navigation bar.

8. Can I toggle the calendars that Satchel displays?

   Yes! While viewing your Calendar events, just tap the folder icon in the bottom navigation bar. Tap on each calendar turn the calendar on or off.

9. How can I edit existing calendar events?

   Unfortunately, due to limitations with the Backpack API, this feature is not available in Satchel at this time.

10. How do I access my reminders?

    To view, add and edit your reminders, simply tap on the reminders icon from the Page List screen. To create a new reminder, just tap the '+' icon at the bottom of the reminders screen.

    Please note that, at this time, Satchel doesn't offer support for recurrent reminders.

11. How do I set my journal status?

    To set your journal status, tap on the journal icon on the Page List screen. To set your status, tap on 'Status'. To create a new journal entry, tap on 'Journal' and fill out the Journal Entry field.

12. Where are my whiteboards?

    Unfortunately the current Backpack API doesn't support whiteboards, so we're unable to include them in Satchel at this time.

13. Can I rename a page in Satchel?

    You can rename a page by tapping on the page you'd like to modify, then tap 'Info' from the bottom page navigation.

14. How often does Satchel refresh my pages?

    Satchel checks for new page items hourly. If you'd like to manually refresh a page, simply tap on the page, then tap the 'More' button and press 'Reload Page'.

15. How can I manually refresh a page?

    If you'd like to manually refresh a page, you can either double-tap on the 'Contents' icon while viewing the page, or tap on 'Info' then select 'Reload Page'.

16. Does Satchel have support for comments?

    Unfortunately, due to limitations with the Backpack API, Satchel has no support for comments at this time.

17. Can I view my Newsroom in Satchel?

    Currently Satchel does not support the Newsroom, but we'll be adding it in a future release.

Additional Options

1. How do I re-order my list items?

   To change the order of your list items, simply tap on 'Lists' from the bottom page navigation, then tap 'Edit'. Unchecked list items can then be dragged to change their position in the list.

2. Can I share pages in Satchel?

   Sorry, but page sharing is not available in Satchel at this time.

3. How do I send an email to a page?

   To send an email to a page, tap on the page you'd like to email and then tap 'Info'. Tap 'Send Email to Page' and Satchel will open up Mail so you send an email to the page.

4. How do I set tags for a page?

   To add or edit a page's tags, just tap on the page you'd like to modify and tap 'Info'. If there are tags available already for the page, you'll see a list of the page's tags displayed under the page title field, otherwise you'll see the notice 'No Tags for Page'. To add, or edit, tags just tap on the tag field.

5. Can I re-download all of my pages at once?

   Yes! To manually refresh all of your pages, tap and hold the refresh icon on your Page List screen. A list of several options will appear; tap 'Reload All Pages' and all of your current pages will be refreshed.

6. How do I delete/snooze reminders?

   To delete or set a reminder to 'snooze', simply go to the Reminders list and left or right-swipe the desired reminder and tap either 'Delete' or 'Snooze'.

Common Problems

1. I keep getting an 'Invalid Credentials' error!

   First, please try using our web-based credential pre-loader, available at https://www.standalone.com/iphone/satchel, then click on the link in the email. If you're still getting the error, then unfortunately you've encountered a credential bug in Satchel. This bug has been resolved in Satchel v.1.35, now available in the App Store.

2. My calendar times don't reflect my Backpack timezone!

   Unfortunately this is the result of a bug in Satchel v.1.31. This bug has been resolved in Satchel v.1.32, which has been submitted to the App Store for approval and should be available soon. Our apologies for the inconvenience!

3. My changes don’t seem to be showing up online! How can I fix this?

   If you change your SSL setting, Satchel will need to fetch a new API key. You can go into Satchel, and from the Pages list, hold down the Refresh icon. A sheet will slide up; select 'Re-Authorize Account', and Satchel will take care of the rest.

4. I changed my Backpack plan and now Satchel can't verify my account. What do I do?

   First, try re-authorizing your account by tap-and-holding the Refresh icon on the Page List screen. A sheet will slide up; select 'Re-Authorize Account', and Satchel will take care of the rest.

   If Satchel still won't verify your account, try verifying it via our web-based authentication form, available at http://www.standalone.com/iphone/satchel.

5. My calendar doesn’t seem to be updating, even though it’s checked off in the Calendar list. What’s wrong?

   You may have a very large calendar. You’ll need to go into the Satchel Settings and turn on 'Download Large Files.

6. Sometimes after deleting a page, it reappears; why?

   If you try to delete a page you don’t own, the server will not let you. However, the Backpack API does not let Satchel know who owns which pages, so it cannot intercept this.

7. Why does Satchel not recognize some of my Textile markup?

   While Satchel does have limited Textile support, currently it doesn't support all Textile markup. We're currently working on expanding Textile support, and it should improve in future versions.

8. Are there any known issues with Satchel?

   There is a known issue where Satchel will crash if you have the following Textile code in a Backpack page: *@text@*. This issue will be resolved in the next Satchel update, but for now we suggest that you remove that markup if it's causing problems.

   If you have encountered an issue, please to email us!