Elxis CMS Forum

Extensions => Components => Topic started by: aiden11 on August 20, 2010, 21:13:16

Title: what new futures does IOS Reservation 3.5 will have?
Post by: aiden11 on August 20, 2010, 21:13:16
I was wondering what new futures will the IOS Reservation 3.5 have?

Its a great software and does have many futures but would like to know if anything new will be added.

For example:

1- when a hotelier does cancel a reservation this might be a customer request or for reasons lets say credit card declined, can the reservation show as cancelled under their account but not deleted as is on the case when we reject any reservations, also can they add some notes on why was the reservation cancelled.
The reservation to show as cancelled is ideal for people who run a Hotel Portal so they can charge their customer the commission based on percentage.

2- The old version used to have the future of offline credit card to secure the booking without charging surety fee using any other payment processor
   I know this is a great future for people who run one hotel but for someone who runs a portal will be ideal to have the option to disable the surety fee and   enable offline credit card for securing the booking and emailed encrypted to the hotelier.

3- I would like to have some sort of invoice build in system so every month will generate an invoice based on the percentage that we charge for any booking that have gone through expect the cancelled one.
I would love to use the IOS shop but don't think it does have this future, if it can be implemented somehow only for IOS Reservation i would be the first to buy it :) because will be a handful tool.

I don't know may be am asking too much, but just something i thought.

May be you guys have other ideas, so why don't we share and see what can get done.

Thanks for the great software, Elxis and IOS Reservation do rock :)



Title: Re: what new futures does ISO Reservation 3.5 will have?
Post by: nikos on August 20, 2010, 22:20:18
A correction

ISO Reservation and ISO shop is not correct as you write it

The correct one is IOS Reservations and IOS eshop

Title: Re: what new futures does ISO Reservation 3.5 will have?
Post by: aiden11 on August 20, 2010, 23:12:06
Correction made, thanks for pointing out
Title: Re: what new futures does ISO Reservation 3.5 will have?
Post by: webgift on August 21, 2010, 10:56:00
Hello aiden 11 ;)

I think the better way to find out what will happen on the 3.5 version of IOS Reservation is to wait it's creator ( Datahell) to tell us analytically.
Now Ioannis is on vocation till Friday 27 August ! ;)


I only know that he has included an automatic system of translation. ( It's fantastic idea )
Title: Re: what new futures does IOS Reservation 3.5 will have?
Post by: datahell on August 21, 2010, 12:23:04
IOSR v3.5 is under development. There are some other posts in Greek here (https://forum.elxis.org/index.php?topic=5037.0) and here (https://forum.elxis.org/index.php?topic=5033.0) in which I have written some information regarding the new version. I can not tell much at this time regarding the new features. I will only mention some of the things that have already be done (without including those that are to be done).

Up-to-now IOS Reservations 3.5 changes in comparison to version 3.3

- Each element can be in unlimited number of languages (auto translation is also supported)
- Unlimited multilingual "apartment" types (hotels, villas, etc...)
- Multilingual terms and conditions
- Multilingual facilities and addon services
- WYSIWYG editor in rooms description
- Room charge type (per room or per number of guests)
- Special availability removed
- Special availability calendar removed
- Weekends price removed
- Room vacancy can now be set per season (in price rates).
- Minimum stay duration can now be set per season (in price rates).
- Tour operators
- Discount for children (2-12 y.o.)
- Early booking discount
- Long stay discount
- Discount for tour operators
- Increase/Decrease price for up to 3 days in the week (replacement of weekends price that was deprecated).
- Early booking, long stay, week days discounts can be enabled/disabled for each season (in price rates).
- XML export/import for price rates.
- Guests numbering information is now also available per booking item.
- Offline reservations
- New IOSR administration style.
- New inner code organization and many improvements.


Due to the many changes in IOSR the upcoming version will be the 3.5 and not the 3.4. Please do not ask me for the above features. When the time has reached I will explain all of them. You can, off course, write your feature requests.

(https://www.isopensource.com/various/IOSR35_price_rates.jpg)
Title: Re: what new futures does ISO Reservation 3.5 will have?
Post by: aiden11 on August 21, 2010, 17:03:54
Fantastic, its great to see your commitment to develop top software.
Waiting is very much worth.
Title: Re: what new futures does ISO Reservation 3.5 will have?
Post by: mgrc on August 23, 2010, 04:44:57
Wow!
Title: Re: what new futures does IOS Reservation 3.5 will have?
Post by: aiden11 on September 17, 2010, 02:18:05
The surety payments options is good future on IOSR but i would like to remove this option from hoteliers.

What i want for my portal is to activate the offline credit card submission to secure the booking (like most booking portals booking.com, Venere etc) and those details to be send encrypted by email or fax to the hotel owner.
This future used to be on IOSR version 2 if i do remember correctly.

Also is any way that if a hotelier decides to have fax notification they can use our account so they do not have to open an account with Interfax.net.

Thanks
Title: Re: what new futures does IOS Reservation 3.5 will have?
Post by: datahell on September 17, 2010, 08:04:33
IOSR v3.x has included the "offline credit card" payment method.

The credit card number can not be sent unencrypted via e-mail for security reasons. What if someone else read the e-mail? What if the mail can not be deliverd to its final recipients and get returned back to the server administrator or someone else? That's why IOSR uses a special page available only to the hoteliers to see the unencrypted credit card number. Believe it is much better/safer this way.

You can use the same interfax settings to all hotels if you wish.
Title: Re: what new futures does IOS Reservation 3.5 will have?
Post by: aiden11 on September 17, 2010, 12:37:22
Ok I understand your point and do know that the is a offline credit card option but you need to charge surety fee for that to appear on the reservation page. Is any way I can enable it so no surety fees are required.
Title: Re: what new futures does IOS Reservation 3.5 will have?
Post by: datahell on September 17, 2010, 18:41:21
Currently IOS Reservations activates payments only if there is a fee greater than zero to pay.

I might do what you asked for in the new version (3.5) as it is not a bad idea.
Title: Re: what new futures does IOS Reservation 3.5 will have?
Post by: aiden11 on September 18, 2010, 00:45:32
Thanks for taking that on board  ;)

Are you going to give any thoughts about the the availability search for "locations" like in major booking engines or like that future on the eForum, where you can type the name or few letters and an option of different location will appear below?


Thanks again
Title: Re: what new futures does IOS Reservation 3.5 will have?
Post by: blue on September 19, 2010, 20:32:43
Congratulations for your software datahell.

Reference the coming version of IOSR, v. 3.5,  I would like to ask if new version will include some of the following features and if not may you find some of them useful

Is it possible to add few more fields to the section where are provided informations (e.t.c check in time, or if pets allowed) of the hotel?
I think it would be useful to provide fields with the follow information.
a) Children/extra beds: in which would be writen the policy of the hotel for children and extra beds (when there is such a policy)
b) Accepted credit cards: in which would me mentioned if and which credit cards are acceptable by the hotel
c) Accecibled by disabled: to verify if the hotel is accesible by disabled.


Also it would be useful when someone proceeds to make a booking for a room and there are children among the guests to be asked an extra information about the childrens ages. For example ages to be inserted in a field seperated by comas.

To the search form, to be default that the search (when a whole location is selected and not a specific sub location) will include all the sub locations of the searched location,  and this not to be an option.

Terms of use : free text,  available for each hotel, visible to the hotel details description, below information.

And a final question. Is it possible to say when the new version will be released??

Thank you in advanced!!
Title: Re: what new futures does IOS Reservation 3.5 will have?
Post by: datahell on September 19, 2010, 20:44:59
Children/extra beds: You can write anything you wish in the hotel terms. You can also charge extra beds by adding them as hotel add-on services.
Notes:
1. Version 3.5 has a special discount for children 2-12 years old (if room charge type is "per person")
2. Version 3.5 has multi-language hotel terms and uses the WYSIWYG editor to write HTML formatted terms.

Accepted credit cards: It depends on the selected payment gateway. Offline credit card payment gateway, for example, supports all major credit cards.

Accessible by disabled: You can add it in the hotel's (and/or room's) facilities.

children ages: v3.5 has much better support for children and distinguishes guests on each booked item to adults / children.

search form: There will be an improved search form in version 3.5. Note that this is a module. You can build any module you wish, working exactly as you wish. IOSR core support many things already. It is up to you to build custom modules if you wish to change the standard display style of the free provided modules.

Terms of use: Already supported, became multi-lingual in version 3.5.

new version release: Can nt tell the exact date yet. By the end of September or within the 1st, or the 2nd week of October.
Title: Re: what new futures does IOS Reservation 3.5 will have?
Post by: aiden11 on September 21, 2010, 00:40:58
At this moment we can add only one picture per room?

Can you change it on the new version so we can have more then one picture, its important for visitors to have a clear view of what are they booking.
I might have different type of double rooms so i want the client to have a clear picture of what will expect from us.

Thanks
Title: Re: what new futures does IOS Reservation 3.5 will have?
Post by: datahell on September 21, 2010, 18:11:49
In version 3.5 when you write the room's description via the WYSIWYG editor so if you wish to add more images you can add them in the room's description area.
Title: Re: what new futures does IOS Reservation 3.5 will have?
Post by: CREATIVE Options on September 21, 2010, 18:55:22
Datahell, one question from me, IOS Reservation 3.5 will run bots if you add into the WYSIWYG editor?
Title: Re: what new futures does IOS Reservation 3.5 will have?
Post by: datahell on September 21, 2010, 19:05:17
IOSR already does that since version 3.1
Title: Re: what new futures does IOS Reservation 3.5 will have?
Post by: CREATIVE Options on September 21, 2010, 19:24:30
oups...  :-[
Title: Re: what new futures does IOS Reservation 3.5 will have?
Post by: kebic on September 23, 2010, 21:05:59
Here are a couple of my suggestions for a newer version IOSR 3.5:
-First, that the administration will add options to hide the fax numbers and contact forms (administrarom can choose as it is with mail and phone)
-If there is a variant of the occupied rooms individually excluded when they occupied in one period and not the entire hotel
- As well as some users think it's a very good thing resize pictures especially if you have a lot of hotels and for correcting them pictures of a certain size.
Title: Re: what new futures does IOS Reservation 3.5 will have?
Post by: aiden11 on September 26, 2010, 20:09:48
i agree witk "kebic" the contact form should have an option to hide.
Title: Re: what new futures does IOS Reservation 3.5 will have?
Post by: datahell on September 26, 2010, 20:31:55
I will check all these mini-changes when I complete the main development, they are easy to be implemented.
I still have a lot of work to do on the very basic features of IOS Reservations (the whole source code was re-written and re-organized).

Project progress till now on the main component:
- IOSR v3.5 administration is 100% completed.
- IOSR v3.5 hoteliers control panel is 80% completed (it will be 100% complete in 2-3 days).
- IOSR v3.5 front-end is 50% completed (it will be 100% complete in about 10 days).

I estimate that IOSR v3.5 (the component) will be 100% complete till October 10, 2010.

Minor importance tasks not yet started:
- IOSR Connector/API (5-10 days)
- IOSR modules and bots update for v3.5 (max 2 days)
- IOSR documentation update for version 3.5 (max 2 days)
- IOSR 3.3 to 3.5 update script (max 4 days)
- Update language files for version 3.5 (work by translators)
- General system test (max 2 days)
- Re-build of the demo site with the new version. (max 2 days)

I estimate that I will need 15-20 days to complete the "minor" tasks.
Title: Re: what new futures does IOS Reservation 3.5 will have?
Post by: kebic on September 26, 2010, 22:24:57
Here's another suggestion to make IOSR mobile hook.  :D
Title: Any screenshots??
Post by: juanon on September 28, 2010, 20:39:05
I think you said the administrator panel was better now, can we see any screenshot?

Thanks a lot
Title: Re: Any screenshots??
Post by: datahell on September 28, 2010, 20:45:41
No, sorry.
These information will be released on time.
Title: Re: what new futures does IOS Reservation 3.5 will have?
Post by: rulez22 on October 01, 2010, 03:25:32
Will there be an easy transfer for all the locations/hotels with pictures, descriptions, rates, etc. from the previous version?
Title: Re: what new futures does IOS Reservation 3.5 will have?
Post by: datahell on October 01, 2010, 13:41:13
Yes, I will build a special update script.
Title: Re: what new futures does IOS Reservation 3.5 will have?
Post by: clifford on October 02, 2010, 15:49:17
Hi, I use the reservations system for villa & apartment rentals. An idea if possible, we charge a booking/credit card fee at a fixed % is it possible for that to be added to the system. I am sure other users would find that a benefit to.
Great system though   :D
Title: Re: what new futures does IOS Reservation 3.5 will have?
Post by: datahell on October 02, 2010, 19:10:47
This is already supported... except if you mean something else...
Title: Re: what new futures does IOS Reservation 3.5 will have?
Post by: aiden11 on October 02, 2010, 21:18:27
I think he meant charge % processing credit cards
Title: Re: what new futures does IOS Reservation 3.5 will have?
Post by: clifford on October 02, 2010, 21:34:45
Yes making a % charge for credit card payments added automatically to cost of reservation
Title: Re: what new futures does IOS Reservation 3.5 will have?
Post by: datahell on October 02, 2010, 21:37:09
The reservation's surety fee is a percentage (or an absolute value) of the total reservation cost. If you enable a payment method you can get this fee paid (via paypal, credit card, etc). So, if this is the question then, it is already supported.
Title: Re: what new futures does IOS Reservation 3.5 will have?
Post by: clifford on October 02, 2010, 22:21:37
No the booking or a credit card processing fee is an extra charge made to the customer.
ie
7 nights at 50.00       350.00 £
Booking/CC fee 4%    14.00 £
Total                      364.00£

Surety fee to secure booking (value set at 30%) 105 £

Balance payable 259 £

Title: Re: what new futures does IOS Reservation 3.5 will have?
Post by: aiden11 on October 02, 2010, 23:36:43
Can we have a future that when a customer does book a room and pays surety fees using bank transfer but then changes his mind after the bank tells them that the fee to make a transfer is too much, can go back and change their payment option?

Title: Re: what new futures does IOS Reservation 3.5 will have?
Post by: datahell on October 03, 2010, 00:02:37
The customer can change the selected payment method as long as the fee is unpaid.
On IOSR 3.5 the hotelier/admin can now EDIT the reservation. He can change even the prices/fees!

By The way, I just completed the hoteliers control panel of IOSR 3.5. Added many things such as Reservations reports (view or download in XLS or CSV format), edit reservations, add offline reservations, copy rooms, mail customers, manage translations, etc. Almost all back-end functionality became available in hoteliers control panel. The hotelier's control panel is also SSL/TLS secured. I attach a low-quality/reduced screenshot from the hotelier's reservations list page.

[attachment deleted by admin]
Title: Re: what new futures does IOS Reservation 3.5 will have?
Post by: datahell on October 03, 2010, 00:16:48
And here is attached a low-quality/scale screenshot of the edit reservation page. Notice that the hotelier/admin is now able to change prices for each individual booked item.

[attachment deleted by admin]
Title: Re: what new futures does IOS Reservation 3.5 will have?
Post by: aiden11 on October 03, 2010, 22:10:43
cant wait to be released :)
Title: Re: what new futures does IOS Reservation 3.5 will have?
Post by: datahell on October 03, 2010, 22:59:43
The more you wait for the v3.5 release the better will be as I continuously add new features. IOSR 3.5 provides the hoteliers unlimited options and new possibilities.

I currently work on the IOS Reservations Connector. With the IOSR Connector you will be able to accept transparently bookings from other sites. By saying transparently I mean that the customer will not see where the booking site is located. It is like the whole reservation takes place on the remote site. The system is consisted by 2 parts: a server (IOSR 3.5+) and one or more clients (remote sites). The external/remote sites can be any sites, even without any CMS on them, they only need to be able to run PHP 5.x.

The IOSR Connector will be released as an IOSR plug-in purchased separately in 2 versions:
a. For 1 external site (very cheap version).
b. For unlimited external sites.

(https://www.isopensource.com/various/IOSR35_Connector.jpg)

More info soon.

[attachment deleted by admin]
Title: Re: what new futures does IOS Reservation 3.5 will have?
Post by: rulez22 on October 04, 2010, 23:56:18
How about ability to change dates from american way (in search calendar, back office, etc, YYYY-MM-DD) in to more realistic DD-MM-YYYY?

Also in back office, in Room (where you can set rates with seasons) it is very hard to make stop sales
Lets say you have seasons set with rates and want to make stop sale (season not available), it becomes very complicated and time consuming.
I hope you understand what I mean, if not, I can provide clearer example.
Thanks for the nice piece of software!
Title: Re: what new futures does IOS Reservation 3.5 will have?
Post by: datahell on October 05, 2010, 00:04:44
The date format will be set automatically based on the user current language.

I know that it can be complicated, but this complexity is being added by the hotelier, IOSR can support that. This is the important thing.
Most hotels have simple rates. But if you have rates that goes up and down every day like shares on a stock exchange it is not IOSR that adds the complexity, it is you.
Title: Re: what new futures does IOS Reservation 3.5 will have?
Post by: rulez22 on October 05, 2010, 10:55:30
The date format will be set automatically based on the user current language.

I know that it can be complicated, but this complexity is being added by the hotelier, IOSR can support that. This is the important thing.
Most hotels have simple rates. But if you have rates that goes up and down every day like shares on a stock exchange it is not IOSR that adds the complexity, it is you.
1) Great!

2) Let me explain it better. Let's get an example. Say you have 1 year with only 5 seasons covering this year (thats usual practice for most hotels). Then let's say you have a stop sale (date range when hotel is "not available", hotel is full)
It is hard to put this "stop sale" in because you have to first change the dates in these seasons (clear it up for "stop sale season") otherwise "date check" won't let you do it (it will overlap) and then insert this season and make it "not available" (tickbox).
Wouldn't it be easier to have below all seasons "stop sale overriding" with "from" and "to" which will automatically make hotel "not available" for these dates?
Title: Re: what new futures does IOS Reservation 3.5 will have?
Post by: datahell on October 05, 2010, 17:53:26
The "not available" checkbox has been discontinued in v3.5.
Now, to make a room not available you just set the "vacancy" for that period to 0 (see screenshot (https://forum.elxis.org/index.php?topic=5108.msg34606#msg34606)). It wont take you more than 10 seconds to add a new season with "stop sales".
Title: Re: what new futures does IOS Reservation 3.5 will have?
Post by: rulez22 on October 05, 2010, 20:16:40
The "not available" checkbox has been discontinued in v3.5.
Now, to make a room not available you just set the "vacancy" for that period to 0 (see screenshot (https://forum.elxis.org/index.php?topic=5108.msg34606#msg34606)). It wont take you more than 10 seconds to add a new season with "stop sales".

On that particular screenshot, for example you have
from 2010-08-01 to 2010-08-31
from 2010-09-01 to 2010-11-30
and let's say you have a stop sale from 2010-08-20 to 2010-10-10
It will be hard to put it in.
Title: Re: what new futures does IOS Reservation 3.5 will have?
Post by: datahell on October 05, 2010, 20:22:53
You have first to modify the 2 existing seasons and make them:
from 2010-08-01 to 2010-08-19
from 2010-10-11 to 2010-11-30

and then add a new one:
from 2010-08-20 to 2010-10-10 with vacancy = 0
Title: Re: what new futures does IOS Reservation 3.5 will have?
Post by: rulez22 on October 05, 2010, 20:38:17
You have first to modify the 2 existing seasons and make them:
from 2010-08-01 to 2010-08-19
from 2010-10-11 to 2010-11-30

and then add a new one:
from 2010-08-20 to 2010-10-10 with vacancy = 0

Yes, that was the point, it is complicated and time consuming unfortunately.
If there is "override seasons with stop sales" it will be much easier, it can even be done with ajax script or something like that without complex programming.
Just a suggestion.
Title: Re: what new futures does IOS Reservation 3.5 will have?
Post by: datahell on October 05, 2010, 20:39:38
This feature already uses AJAX! I told you that it wont take you more than 10 seconds to do that....
Title: Re: what new futures does IOS Reservation 3.5 will have?
Post by: rulez22 on October 05, 2010, 21:03:12
Brilliant!
Title: Re: what new futures does IOS Reservation 3.5 will have?
Post by: aiden11 on October 11, 2010, 20:48:33
So are we near there yet :) ?
Title: Re: what new futures does IOS Reservation 3.5 will have?
Post by: datahell on October 11, 2010, 21:07:11
10-20 days
Title: Re: what new futures does IOS Reservation 3.5 will have?
Post by: aiden11 on October 27, 2010, 19:39:49
Has the new version been released yet as i can see it has been completed on the IOSR website?

Title: Re: what new futures does IOS Reservation 3.5 will have?
Post by: CREATIVE Options on October 27, 2010, 19:46:26
I think before the release must be completed the Modules and the Connector.
For more info wait for an answer from Datahell.
Title: Re: what new futures does IOS Reservation 3.5 will have?
Post by: datahell on October 27, 2010, 21:02:15
IOS Reservations 3.5 development is complete. But this is only for the main system (the component).

I still have to update modules and bots, complete the IOSR Connector, write the documentation, do translations, test the system thoroughly, (maybe) build one more payment method, re-create the demo site and complete the 3.3 to 3.5 automatic update script. Please consider the sub-projects statuses as shown on isopensource.com (https://www.isopensource.com) web site to stay informed.
Title: Re: what new futures does IOS Reservation 3.5 will have?
Post by: rulez22 on October 28, 2010, 02:26:53
Personally think that testing system thoroughly and "3.3 to 3.5 automatic update script" is a priority. Thanks!

UPDATE: Is it possible to delete this script+database and install 3.5 version from scratch or can it be activated only once?
I already have 3.3 version with not many hotels in and need features from 3.5
Can't wait for this update script, also 7th is  just expected date for release.
Title: Re: what new futures does IOS Reservation 3.5 will have?
Post by: aiden11 on November 02, 2010, 16:42:44
In version 3.3 the google map does show the satellite view as default, will this change on the 3.5 version or there is another way to show the map view instead?
Title: Re: what new futures does IOS Reservation 3.5 will have?
Post by: datahell on November 02, 2010, 18:30:38
Open this file:
administrator/components/com_reservations/includes/resmap.class.php
Go to line 31
Change this:
private $maptypedef = 'G_SATELLITE_MAP';
To this:
private $maptypedef = '';
Save the file, done!