🌿 AidaLog — Aided Logbook Entry Helper

AidaLog is an open-source web application designed to simplify and enhance the logbook experience for students undergoing practical training. Originally built for students at the University of Dar es Salaam, it helps reduce the burden of manual entry and lets students focus on learning, not formatting.

Whether you're tracking engineering projects, documenting lab work, or organizing weekly progress, AidaLog provides a structured, intuitive, and beautiful interface to help you log your learning — efficiently and meaningfully.

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📚 Table of Contents

• Features
• Installation
• Usage
• Configuration
• Project Structure
• Contributing
• License
• Contact

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✨ Features

• 🚀 One-Click Weekly Log Entries Automatically generate structured entries for each week — then customize as needed.

• 📐 Diagram Uploads Visualize your work by attaching supporting diagrams or charts.

• 🔐 Secure Authentication Full user system with login, registration, and password reset flows.

• 📱 Mobile-Responsive & Aesthetic UI Minimalist design with subtle animations and a clean student-first layout.

• 🌊 Parallax Animations Soft visual effects (like wave patterns) make the experience more engaging.

• 🎓 Built for Students, by a Student Lightweight, intuitive, and focused on reducing effort — not adding friction.

• 🌍 Open Source Licensed under MIT. Anyone can use, remix, and improve.

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⚙️ Installation

Prerequisites

• Python 3.10+
• Git
• Django 4.x
• Virtual environment (recommended)
• Modern browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari)

Setup Steps

1. Clone the repository

   git clone https://github.com/AidaLog/aidalog.git
   cd aidalog

2. Create a virtual environment

   python -m venv venv
   source venv/bin/activate  # Windows: venv\Scripts\activate

3. Install dependencies

   pip install -r requirements.txt

4. Apply database migrations

   python manage.py migrate

5. Collect static files

   python manage.py collectstatic

6. Run the server

   python manage.py runserver

Visit http://localhost:8000 in your browser to get started.

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🧭 Usage

🔓 Logging In

Visit /login to sign in using your email or username and password.

📝 Registering

Navigate to /signup to create a new account with:

• Username
• Email (e.g., student@udsm.ac.tz)
• Password (confirmed twice)

🔑 Forgot Password

Go to /reset and enter your email to reset your password securely.

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📔 Creating a Logbook

After signing in:

1. Navigate to the "My Logbooks" section.

2. Click "Create New" and enter:

   • Week number
   • Starting date (Monday)

3. Click "Generate Entries" to pre-fill all 5 weekdays.

4. Click "Operations" to customize daily tasks and content.

5. Upload diagrams as needed.

6. Click "Export / Print" for submission-ready output.

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🛠 Configuration

In main/settings.py:

Static files

STATIC_URL = '/static/'
STATICFILES_DIRS = [BASE_DIR / "static"]
STATIC_ROOT = BASE_DIR / "staticfiles"

Media files

MEDIA_URL = '/media/'
MEDIA_ROOT = BASE_DIR / "media"

Development mode

DEBUG = True  # Set to False in production

Ensure you configure production settings with care, including static/media serving and secret keys.

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🗂️ Project Structure

aidalog/
├── README.md
├── manage.py
├── main/                  # Django config
│   ├── settings.py
│   ├── urls.py
├── home/                  # Homepage and auth views
│   ├── templates/home/
│   ├── static/home/
├── logbook/               # Logbook feature logic
│   ├── templates/logbook/
│   ├── migrations/
├── static/                # Project-wide static files
├── media/                 # Uploaded diagrams
├── staticfiles/           # Production-ready static files
└── requirements.txt

Key Files

• static/home/assets/styles.css: Core frontend styles
• static/home/assets/js/script.js: UI animations (Anime.js, form handling)
• templates/home/index.html: Landing page
• templates/logbook/logbook_detail.html: Weekly log interface
• media/aidaLog.png: Brand asset

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🤝 Contributing

All contributions are welcome — whether you're fixing typos, adding new features, or improving the documentation.

Quick Start

1. Fork the repo https://github.com/AidaLog/aidalog

2. Clone your fork

   git clone https://github.com/YOUR_USERNAME/aidalog.git

3. Create a feature branch

   git checkout -b feature/your-feature-name

4. Make your changes Follow PEP8 and existing code style. Place new static assets in /static/home/assets/.

5. Test locally

   python manage.py runserver

6. Commit & Push

   git commit -m "Add: [short description]"
   git push origin feature/your-feature-name

7. Open a Pull Request Submit a PR with a clear explanation of what you’ve done.

Guidelines

• Keep pull requests focused and concise
• Update docs or tests if applicable
• Respect the minimalist design aesthetic
• Check existing issues or open a new one to propose features

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🪪 License

AidaLog is licensed under the MIT License. You’re free to use, modify, and share — just retain the license notice.

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👨‍🎓 Contact

• GitHub: AidaLog/aidalog
• Contact: Open an issue or submit feedback via GitHub Discussions
• Creator: Built by a UDSM student to support peers in their training journey

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💭 Final Note

“The best logs are lived, not typed.” Begin your practical training with focus, not friction.