Jan 4, 2018
Version 3.1.0 has been released. This includes support for the 2018 control description standard, ISOM 2017, and adding a map issue point. Also includes some performance improvements.
You can see the full description of the fixes here.
Aug 29, 2017
Version 3.0.1 has been released. Various bug fixes.
You can see the full description of the fixes here.
Apr 19, 2017
Final release of version 3.0.0 has been released. It fixes issues relating to loading certain OpenOrienteering Mapper files.
You can see the full description of the new features here.
Mar 22, 2017
Beta 4 of Version 3.0 has been released. It fixed one bug with PDF file created over Beta 3. Please send your feedback to the Purple Pen mailing list.
Because this is a beta release, you must download it manually by selecting "Purple Pen 3.0.0 beta 4" from the download page.
You can see the full description of the new features here.
Mar 20, 2017
Beta 3 of Version 3.0 has been released. It adds support for Open Orienteering Mapper files, course variations and relays, and much better PDF file reading. Please send your feedback to the Purple Pen mailing list.
Because this is a beta release, you must download it manually by selecting "Purple Pen 3.0.0 beta 3" from the download page.
You can see the full description of the new features here.
Feb 18, 2017
Beta 2 of Version 3.0 has been released. It adds support for Open Orienteering Mapper files, course variations and relays, and much better PDF file reading. New to beta 2 is 64-bit execution. Please send your feedback to the Purple Pen mailing list.
Because this is a beta release, you must download it manually by selecting "Purple Pen 3.0.0 beta 2" from the download page.
You can see the full description of the new features here.
Nov 22, 2016
Beta 1 of Version 3.0 has been released. It adds support for Open Orienteering Mapper files, course variations and relays, and much better PDF file reading. Please send your feedback to the Purple Pen mailing list.
Because this is a beta release, you must download it manually by selecting "Purple Pen 3.0.0 beta 1" from the download page.
You can see the full description of the new features here.
May 23, 2016
Version 2.6.2 is released. This release adds support for IOF XML version 3, and has other enhancements for XML export. It also changes the behavior to better support high resolution displays. You can see the full list of fixes and features here. Download it from the download page.
Feb 22, 2016
Version 2.6.1 is released. This is a primarily a bug fix release, but also contains support for Polish control description text. You can see the full list of fixes and features here. Download it from the download page.
Nov 24, 2015
Version 2.6.0 is released. The biggest change is an updating of how paper sizes and print areas are handled, but also adds multi-line text in the middle of a description, Chinese (Traditional) textual descriptions, and several bug fixes, and support for the OCAD 12 file format. You can see the full list of fixes and features here. Download it from the download page.
Oct 1, 2015
Version 2.6.0 beta 1 is released. The biggest change is an updating of how paper sizes and print areas are handled, but also adds multi-text text in the middle of a description, Chinese (Traditional) textual descriptions, and several bug fixes. You can see the full list of fixes and features here. Download it from the download page. Note that you must select the beta 1 version from the detailed list of downloads; the large "Download Now" button downloads the most recent stable version (currently 2.5.0).
Jan 28, 2015
Version 2.5.0 is released. A number of feature additions: duplicate course command, custom course length, help people when moving shared controls, Japanese description text, plus other features and bug fixes. More details here.
Oct 2, 2014
Version 2.4.0 is released. This allows blending of the purple color with the background map. It also adds GPX file creation to download control locations to a mobile GPS. More details here.
Feb 27, 2014
Version 2.3.2 is released. This allows customization of the automatic gaps created when legs cross. More details here.
Feb 23, 2014
Version 2.3.1 is released. This is a bug fix release. More details here.
Feb 18, 2014
Version 2.3.0 is released. This adds several new features, including the ability to add images, rectangles, and lines to your map. More details here.
Jan 14, 2014
Version 2.2.4 is released. This adds the "white outline around numbers" option to Customize Course Appearance. More details here.
Dec 13, 2013
Version 2.2.3 is released. This fixes several bugs. More details here.
Nov 23, 2013
Version 2.2.2 is released. This fixes problems on monitors with high DPI settings. More details here.
Nov 17, 2013
Version 2.2.1 is released. This fixes a few bugs with background maps. More details here.
Nov 8, 2013
Version 2.2.0 is released. This adds display of background maps in OCAD map files. More details here.
Oct 4, 2013
Version 2.1.0 is released. This adds both the ability to use a PDF file as a map file, and also the ability to create PDF files of the final maps/courses directly. More details here.
Aug 2, 2013
Version 2.0.3 is released. This adds the ability to show the finish on parts of a multi-part course (course with map exchange).
July 23, 2013
Version 2.0.2 is released. This fixes a few bugs. You can see the full list of fixes here.
June 12, 2013
Version 2.0.1 is released. This fixes a few bugs. You can see the full list of fixes here.
June 4, 2013
Version 2.0.0 is released. This fixes a few bugs in the previous beta. You can see the full list of fixes here.
May 27, 2013
Version 2.0.0 Beta 3 is released. This fixes a few bugs in the previous beta. You can see the full list of fixes and features here. Download it from the download page. Note that you must select the beta 3 version from the detailed list of downloads; the large "Download Now" button downloads the most recent stable version (currently 1.2.2).
May 22, 2013
Version 2.0.0 Beta 2 is released. This fixes several bugs in the previous beta. Most importantly, printing bugs are fixed and files are backward compatible with version 1.2. You can see the full list of fixes and features here. Download it from the download page. Note that you must select the beta 2 version from the detailed list of downloads; the large "Download Now" button downloads the most recent stable version (currently 1.2.2).
April 1, 2013
Version 2.0.0 Beta 1 is released. This adds many new features. You can see the full list of new features here. Download it from the download page. Note that you must select the beta version from the detailed list of downloads; the large "Download Now" button downloads the most recent stable version (currently 1.2.2).
March 11, 2013
Version 1.2.2 is released. This adds an German translation, thanks to Andrea Schultze.
February 13, 2013
Version 1.2.1 is released. This adds an Estonian translation, thanks to Tarmo Klaar.
December 16, 2012
Version 1.2.0 is released. This includes support for OCAD version 11 files, and a few bug fixes. You can see the full list of fixes here.
October 8, 2012
Version 1.1.5 is released. This includes two new translations, and a few bug fixes. You can see the full list of fixes here.
April 7, 2012
Version 1.1.4 is released. This includes three new translations, and a few bug fixes. You can see the full list of fixes here. This a fix to 1.1.3, which had a buggy install program.
April 2, 2012
Version 1.1.3 is withdrawn, due to a buggy installation program.
April 1, 2012
Version 1.1.3 is released. This includes three new translations, and a few bug fixes. You can see the full list of fixes here.
November 6, 2011
Version 1.1.2 is released. This includes some small additional features, and several bug fixes. You can see the full list of fixes here.
October 8, 2011
Version 1.1.1 is released. This includes a brand new Norwegian translation, and several bug fixes. You can see the full list of fixes here.
July 7, 2011
Version 1.1.0 is released. This includes OCAD 10 support, more flexibility in course numbering, control numbers, and score courses, and single step creation of files for RouteGadget. You can see the full list of fixes here.
September 8, 2010
Version 1.0.2 is released. This makes Purple Pen more resilient to unexpected data in OCAD files, and also adds a white-out area special object. You can see the full list of fixes here.
March 28, 2009
Version 1.0.1 is released. This fixes two bugs in 1.0.0. You can see the full list of fixes here.
March 19, 2009
Version 1.0.0 is released. This has a few bug fixes from 1.0 release candidate, and updates the French and Swedish translations.You can see the full list of fixes here.
March 3, 2009
At long last (sorry it has been so long), a new update is ready. This is 1.0 release candidate 1. This release now is translated into French and Swedish, and also has some nice new features. I plan to have a 1.0 release in a few weeks, only fixing any bugs that people might come across. Thus, it would be great if people can try out the new release as soon as possible and report any problems.
You can see the full list of changes and fixes here.
October 31, 2008
Instructions for how to help translate Purple Pen to other languages has been posted here. If you have some time and are a fluent speaker of another language, please consider helping translate Purple Pen!
October 18, 2008
The hosting for the code, bug reports, hoped-for-features of Purple Pen has been moved from SourceForge to LaunchPad.
July 8, 2008
Beta 3 of Purple Pen is ready. This release fixes a couple of nasty bugs and hopefully makes printing work well on all printers. There are also some new features: the All Controls display has several enhancements, and the new Event Audit report checks your event for many possible problems.
You can see the full list of changes and fixes here.
April 15, 2008
Beta 2 of Purple Pen has finally been released. The main new features are listed in the new item below. You can see the full list of changes and fixes here.
I hope that the new version works well for many of you. As always, please let me know what fixed and features you would like to see in the future.
February 26, 2008
Work continues on Beta 2 of Purple Pen. Hopefully it can be released in March. Stay tuned!
Here are a few of the new features that will be in Beta 2:
- You can easily change the map file associated with an event. Also, if the map file cannot be found when an event is opened, PP kindly asks you to find the map file.
- A JPEG, TIFF, or BMP file can be used instead of an OCAD map for the map file. You must specify the resolution of the bitmap and the scale of the map manually in this case.
- A new report to show the lengths of all legs.
- Control descriptions on the map now appear in black instead of purple.
- You can customize the text associated with any description symbol. This is especially useful for the special item symbols. You can also add a key at the bottom of description to show what the special item symbols denote.
- Purple Pen now correctly displays and print almost all features just like OCAD, so the Print Courses command now is recommended for use. For those few features it doesn't support, PP will detect and warn you before you print.
Please keep the feedback coming! It is very useful in deciding what features are really needed.