MockFlow update: Smart auto-recovery function and new shortcuts

Autorecovery

Today's update contains a new feature called smart auto-recovery to prevent unexpected loss of work. Imagine you are editing a mockup and then suddenly something goes wrong (Internet fails, OS / browser hangs...), that would cause losing unsaved changes. This is now solved by a background function as MockFlow would save a copy of the design as you edit. The next time you open the mockup, MockFlow will prompt to discard, recover or even preview the lost changes before you restore them.
 
Based on user suggestions, we have added new shortcuts for navigating components in the editor. Now pressing the SHIFT + Arrow keys together will move the components by 10 pixels. This is commonly found in popular editors like PhotoShop. For a full list of available keyboard shortcuts in MockFlow - open 'mockup'->'shortcuts' from the top menu.
 
On a different note: MockStore will be officially announced in this blog tomorrow with tons of new mockup templates and extra components.

MockFlow update: Export mockup to Microsoft PowerPoint (*.ppt)

Powerpointexport

In addition to the available export options like PDF and PNG, we have now added the ability to export a mockup to the popular Microsoft PowerPoint presentation format (*.ppt extension).This feature is absolutely free for both basic and premium users. The export options are available in the 'presentation mode' of a mockup as you see in the above picture.

While the PDF format is great for printing purposes, it is not useful for making offline presentations/editing.  So exporting to a native PowerPoint format brings in the following advantages:

  • Ability to make offline presentations of a mockup like in a conference..
  • Edit and spice up the presentation if you have Microsoft Office (supports both 2003 and 2007 versions)
  • PowerPoint is an ISO format which makes it standard to exchange mockup files in businesses

 A sample presentation file exported with MockFlow is attached below.

 

Click here to download:
MockFlow_Website.ppt (229 KB)
(download)

MockFlow update: Custom Component Libraries & Zoom Control

 

Complibs

 

Today's update brings two new features in MockFlow

1. Component Libraries

If you ever thought the built-in component set in MockFlow is insufficient, then Now you can import third-party components into MockFlow or even create and s hare your own component libraries.

To create a component library: Drag-and-drop existing components and images to design using the MockFlow Editor. Once finished, the created custom component can be exported to a file using "Mockup->Export Component function" from the Top menu. This exports to a *.mflib file in your desktop. See the video demonstration for a better understanding.

To import additional components for your mockup, click "Mockup->Import Component" from the top menu and select a *.mflib file. Try it yourself with some sample mockflow library files attached to this post below. (Mobile phone interfaces, Browser frames, Shapes, Misc. Comps  -  preview: http://bit.ly/3MqJRd  ).


2. Zoom Control

This is one of the most asked features. A zoom slider is now provided in the 'presentation mode' that lets you zoom-in / zoom-out the mockup by dragging the slider. This seems to be pretty useful for previewing a large mockup and prevent scrolling.

Besides these, we are working on few big features for MockFlow that we hope reveal in the coming days.

Click here to download:
Backberry_Phone.mflib (33 KB)

Click here to download:
Chrome_Browser.mflib (8 KB)

Click here to download:
FireFox_-_Browser.mflib (15 KB)

Click here to download:
IE_Browser.mflib (15 KB)

Click here to download:
iPhone_Mobile.mflib (22 KB)

Click here to download:
List_Builder.mflib (0 Bytes)

Click here to download:
Miscellanous_Components.mflib (1 KB)

Click here to download:
Nokia_N95_Phone.mflib (32 KB)

Click here to download:
Shapes.mflib (6 KB)

MockFlow update: Data Freedom, now export/import mockup data

Datafreedom

Today's build squashes one of the drawbacks of cloud computing atleast in MockFlow. Now you can export/import your Wireframe data using the top menu ('mockup').  Exporting the Mockup Data will convert your mockup data to a *.mfx file (stands for MockFlow eXtension). This functionality brings the following benefits and I am sure would be of more interest to businesses:

  • Backup your MockFlow data yourself, despite our redundant backup system using world class Amazon services
  • Move your mockup to another wireframe project in your account
  • Import the mockup data to another MockFlow account
  • Everytime you import a *.mfx file, the current mockup data is saved as revision, so you can rollback always.

Apart from this, we are working on some very exciting features for MockFlow, so stay tuned!

MockFlow update: Multi-Page Export

In Today's build, we are glad to have implemented one of the most asked features for MockFlow i.e Multi-Page export for Wireframes. Until now MockFlow supported single page export to Image or a PDF document (along with comments). In addition to these operations, a multi-page export has been added that allows the user/editor to pick the pages he wants to include and export it to a PDF file.
This customization is beneficial as the editor might want to export only the finished pages or show only portions of the wireframe.

Note: Although this feature is currently enabled for users with Basic accounts, it may soon become a premium only feature.

A sample pdf has been attached below.

Multipageexport

Click here to download:
YouTube.pdf (150 KB)
(download)

MockFlow update: Version Control System (Real-Time) for mockups

Revisionhistory

Today we have released a new feature called 'Revisions' that is very useful for teams. Using this, you can check-in, check-out, preview and manage multiple revisions for a mockup. Users who have already come across a Revision Control System will be familiar with this functionality, if not don't worry as it is very simple to use.

Think 'Revision' as a save point for a Mockup. As editors make changes to their Wireframe project, they can check-in revisions (from the top menu) with notes describing the major changes they made.
Revisions can be previewed without check-out and if needed the mockup can be reverted back (its changes) to any saved point.

What's different?

  • Unlike other tools, the VCS is built-in mockflow which means nothing to install
  • It's Real-Time, when co-editors of a mockup check-in/check-out revisions others get real-time notifications

This feature is FREE. Users with basic edition can have upto 5 revisions per mockup while premium users get 30 revisions per mockup.

MockFlow update: Real-Time Design Collaboration (RTDC) & Team Accounts

Realtime

We are excited to officially announce the availability of new collaboration features in MockFlow. Labeled as 'Real-Time Design Collaboration' (RTDC), it enables teams to work-together and communicate in real-time to design wireframes for their software/websites. This feature is available FREE for both basic and premium accounts.

RTDC is broken down into the following parts:

1. Real-Time Notifier: As you see in the picture above, you will receive notifications in the editor when other co-editors of the wireframe make changes to it. The notifier not only shows who updated the wireframe but also gives you options to Refresh(1) to see his/her changes immediately or Preview(2) the changes before accepting it.

2. Team Chat:  Communication is a vital part when designing Wireframes together as a team or sharing your work with your client. Team Chat simply fills that spot, it shows whether the mockup's collaborators or currently online or not.

We see some great uses of RTDC whether your a business or freelancer and hope to bring in more new surprises using RTDC functionality. See the video below for a 1 min demo :


Team Accounts

Considering the great value of MockFlow for teams including the above feature, sharing and annotated comments, we are now introducing a new upgrade option that is suited for businesses who require more than 2 users of MockFlow. Team Accounts saves you money with the already low-price.

To apply for Team Accounts, click the 'upgrade' button in settings, enter your business details and no. of users to know your calculated discount price.

MockFlow update: Introducing Stickers

Stickers

We have introduced a new feature in today's build called stickers. Stickers are basically a collection of ready-made images that consists of buttons, widgets, seals and logos widely used in websites. For example in the above mockup of a shopping cart, you will find stickers of 'sign in with twitter', 'feedback' button, 'buy now' and some privacy seals. This gives you can idea about their uses and how they make things easier by letting you reuse commonly used stuff.

You can find stickers in the newly re-designed image manager. Being a library of its own, we would expand it based on suggestions, so bring in your ideas.

MockFlow update: Advanced Edit operations & Toggle Sidebar

Advancededitoperations

Today's update brings the following advanced edit operations and interface tweaks to Mockflow:

* Group & Un Group Components - Saves time by avoiding to re-select and re-group items

* Distribute Components  - You can distribute the horizontal or vertical space equally for a set of components

The above operations can be accessed from Edit menu at the top or using right-click.

* Toggle SideBar - ( a much asked feature ), Now MockFlow sports a toggle button like shown in the picture above to show/hide the sidebar. This is good for enlarging the width space especially in computers with lower resolutions.

As always for any issue/request, contact our support staff using the 'Report issue' box from the main application menu, we will respond at the earliest.


MockFlow update: Stamp components & enhanced multi-linking

Stamps

We have introduced a new component to MockFlow called 'Stamp'.  As it reads, the stamp component allows the user to mark his/her decision in the mockup. The stamp component provides the following labels as of now and we hope to introduce more based on specific user requests:

* Approved
* Rejected
* Pass
* Change
* Outdated
* Tick Mark
* Cross -  x

Another significant update in today's build is that now a separate link manager is provided for components that can link to multiple pages such as List, LinkBar, ButtonBar, Tab....
This actually improves the user experience when compared with the current way of linking.