PalmPDF 1.3 is out

[MetaView]

PalmPDF was updated to version 1.3 today.

PalmPDF is (as far as I know) the only native PDF reader for PalmOS with "Search"-Support. It even allows the conversion to PalmDOC files on the handheld. Btw, PalmPDF also supports the converted files from Acrobat for Palm when stored as .pdb on the memory card (/PALM/Launcher/). This might allow you to even view DRM-protected files on your Palm.

If you never tried it or didn't updated your version since the last month, check out this new version and report back :-)

History for this update is:

1.3 (06/24/06 "Summer update")
- bugfix: Couldn't copy the fonts to the internal hidden volume on NVFS devices
- bugfix: Position wasn't always correct when calling a custom bookmark
- bugfix: Files from internal drive wasn't open correctly from 3rd party apps
- bugfix: when receiving a file, the .pdf extension is added if missing
- added "Exit" menu item
- added setting to control behaviour when returning from "receive file"
- added more validation checks in mark/copy code
- added code to allow bookmarks of copy-protected files
- added possibility to delete skins
- added "Back" for the presentation mode
- added possibility to configure the hard buttons

Check http://www.metaviewsoft.de/en/Software/PalmOS/Freeware/PalmPDF/index.html for the download.

One thing which is still missing but come with the next update for sure is text-reflow to fit the text into the small screen. Just stay tuned...

[mikle820forex]

thank you!

[_Em]

I've been forgetting to tell you: when I try to install the skins on your site, I get a "corrupt database" error. Maybe they just need to be zipped?

[tckober73]

Vielen Dank!

[MetaView]

_Em: might make things easier, right. But people even have problems with the zipped ZQuake file. But I think I will add one zipped archiv with all 3 skins or put them inside the main archive. Anyway, thank you for telling me.

Regards
Henk

[rowillia]

Great job, Henk! This version seems to perform a little faster on my Palm T|X than ver 1.2. I really enjoy reading ebooks, data files, etc. with your software. It's an essential, indispensable, "must have" app for the platform IMHO!
Roger

[swstar]

Bug report? :
Sometimes when the pdf is deleted, the pdb "SCBK [File Name]" is not deleted in RAM.

[bobbd]

Thanks Henk. Great product. Nice update. Wonderful support.

Bob

[MetaView]

swstar: Thanx, I'll check it. Can you tell me the filename of the pdf? I guess it might have something to do with this.

[pruss]

PalmPDF is great. One feature I'd love is to have it zoom to fit the width of the text (not the page). Alex

[FerdFerd]

PalmPDF is great. One feature I'd love is to have it zoom to fit the width of the text (not the page). Alex
I'd like that too!

[plaid]

With this version I cannot seem to scroll left or right with the nav button on my Zire72s. I can scroll up or down but not horizontal. I tried changing the horizontal settings to the different options of 8px etc but doesn't work. For now I need to just drag on the screen to move left or right. No other problems that I've seen yet. Thanks!

[MetaView]

Ups, seems I've killed it again... It was fixed in an older version and now it seems I've broke it again. Will fix it tonight.

[David Buckner]

I guess I have a problem scrolling right and left and up and down to read a page. Am I doing something wrong?
Dave

[MetaView]

I don't know. Which device and does it help when you open and close the Button config window?

[MetaView]

Ups, I'm very sorry. The definitions for the 5-way for the older Tungsten and Zires models from Palm were broken. I've now uploaded an small update (1.3a) which fixes it. You need to open the Button config window (menu: Options/Buttons) to automatically reconfigure the left/right buttons.

Regards
Henk

[tosbsas]

with version 1.3a I get an error message after loading the document - 00001400000

All documents on T3

Ruben

[tckober73]

Same here!
Happens with all my pdf files on my TX

[MetaView]

Well, it seems I need an air-condition :-) This was the debug output I've added to find the previous bug. I'm going to remove it, will upload it in a minute (1.3b).

thx
Henk

[swstar]

swstar: Thanx, I'll check it. Can you tell me the filename of the pdf? I guess it might have something to do with this.

Any pdf file I've opened, leaves that database.
with the prefix "SCBK" there.

[MetaView]

swstar: found it, will release an update soon

[swstar]

swstar: found it, will release an update soon

Thanks for the effort

[pruss]

Network printing might be a nice thing to add in the unlikely case that you have spare time. :-)

For PCL output at least, it's pretty easy. I'd render in two passes to save memory, at 300 DPI, and then send it to port 9100 or (harder, because headers are needed) 515.

[MetaView]

pruss: adding print cababilities would be very cool. I bought a IR-Printer adapter but never tried it. How does the network printing work? Does it also work with local printers shared using Windows? Probably not, or? Anyway I could add such stuff and you'll need to test :-)

[hellokitty]

On Zodiac, the right hand up (blue) and down (green) buttons no longer work. Red and Yellow are mapped to zoom out and zoom in, respectively. Up and down did work in v1.2.

[pruss]

pruss: adding print cababilities would be very cool. I bought a IR-Printer adapter but never tried it. How does the network printing work?

The simplest protocol is RAW. Just send data to port 9100 as if it were a printer port.

The next simplest is lpd/lpr. The docs for that are poor, but you can look at PrintItDA source once it's implemented (soon).

Does it also work with local printers shared using Windows? Probably not, or?

Right, but there is server software one can buy, and I've seen a free Python server (see the PrintIt DA thread).

Alex

[Telyx]

On Zodiac, the right hand up (blue) and down (green) buttons no longer work. Red and Yellow are mapped to zoom out and zoom in, respectively. Up and down did work in v1.2.
The joystick handles scrolling nicely, though--up/down and left/right.

[pruss]

The simplest protocol is RAW. Just send data to port 9100 as if it were a printer port.

The next simplest is lpd/lpr. The docs for that are poor, but you can look at PrintItDA source once it's implemented (soon).

It's implemented. Here is source (BSD, feel free to change to GPL):

http://handypalmstuff.cvs.sourceforge.net/handypalmstuff/PrintIt/print.c?revision=1.2&view=markup

[MetaView]

Thx, I'm currently trying to rewrite the printer server for windows in C... After this is done, I will add the printing support. Thank you very much Alex.

[hellokitty]

The joystick handles scrolling nicely, though--up/down and left/right.

Yes, but with the joystick I find myself inadvertently scrolling left or right when I want to go down. With hard buttons one would not have this problem.

[MetaView]

hellokitty: I will readd the hard buttons.

[hellokitty]

hellokitty: I will readd the hard buttons.
Thank you very much!

[LanMan]

Is 1.3b still the latest version? PalmPDF was able to read some docs that PixelViewer wouldn't. Thanks MetaView!!! :D

[MetaView]

1.3b is still the latest version. Next version will be able to print and will have a kind or re-flow mode.

[mikle820forex]

wow that's great news. when will you release it metaview?

[MetaView]

The reflow mode is using the Palm fonts at the moment. It look not very nice. I hope I can do it a bit better, when using some of the antialiased PS fonts. Also I've promised to allow Skin files to be on the external card. I need to do it before the update. A preview can be get from http://www.metaviewsoft.de/PalmPDF_prc.zip

[mikle820forex]

wow the Reflow works great! will incorporate an option on how big the fonts are? Palm fonts are ok with me but they are way to big.

thank you so much! more power!

[MetaView]

Yes, when I switch to the nicer fonts, there will be an option to set font style and size. The way it is now, it's too big, right.

[acrothebat]

Hello, I cannot get this to download to my phone correctly. I followed the .zip instructions, and the .prc instructions, and have gotten the palmpdf.prc onto my phone, but when I click it, it says "There is no application associated with palmpdf.prc. Run the application first, then open this file from within the application."

What am I doing wrong? Thanks! :confused:

[MetaView]

It seems something went wrong. You just need to download the .prc to your phone. It's the native file format of Palm OS, there isn't any special app which should be associated with it. Please try:
1. softreset your phone (is it a Treo btw?)
if it doesn't help
2. redownload the .prc from my site
or
3. download the .zip to your desktop, unarchive it and copy the .prc to your phone using hotsync or bluetooth or copy it to your external memory card path "/PALM/Launcher/"

[acrothebat]

Thanks for the reply. I just tried it again 3 times, and it is still not working, and having the same issue. It is a Palm Treo 700w. I looked under the "version", and it says it is Microsoft Windows Mobile Version 5.0. OS 5.1.195. Is this the wrong OS for your program?

[MetaView]

Well the Treo 700w isn't a PalmOS device. Sorry, you need to look out for a Pocket PC port of xpdf then. PocketPDF or such, maybe.

[arpi]

PalmPDF is great. One feature I'd love is to have it zoom to fit the width of the text (not the page). Alex

Yes I would love to have it, or use the already implemented 'select by window' functionality in scratchpad into a 'zoom to window' function.

By the way many thanks for PalmPDF! :)

[SoS]

Thanks for the reply. I just tried it again 3 times, and it is still not working, and having the same issue. It is a Palm Treo 700w. I looked under the "version", and it says it is Microsoft Windows Mobile Version 5.0. OS 5.1.195. Is this the wrong OS for your program?


just found this (http://www.palm.com/us/support/downloads/picsel/index.html)

dont know quite what its about but it looks like a free download for a PPC version of picselviewer for the 700w....

[wmvdg123]

If you use fontsmoother with a small font the reflow looks fine. I think palmpdf is better than picsel except it takes so long to open big documents and they open instantly in picsel.
If you have the 700w just go to adobe.com and download the reader for ppc - it works great.

[MetaView]

Ok, have a look on the next PalmPDF preview on http://www.metaviewsoft.de/PalmPDF_prc.zip
If you have a Clie, please tell me if the JogDial works. The ReFlow-mode doesn't work with all docs but when it works, you have the choice among different fonts and sizes: press the zoom in/out HW-buttons.
Skin files can be on the memory card now: /PALM/Programs/PalmPDF/ folder.

Regards
Henk

[kayge]

I can't seem to find an option for Re-flow. I know I'm just missing it, but can you hep me out?

[MetaView]

ups, my fault, it was the wrong file. It's fixed now :-)
Open the file and in the zoom list is a "ReFlow" option.

[npbeers]

what is reflow?

[MetaView]

reflow: reformating the text so it will fit into the screen width. Make reading easier on small screens.

[Greek]

I must congratulate you and thank you for this great new addition. Loading of PDF seems a little bit faster, but Reflow is very fast and it shows perfectly. There´s no need to export the text to a doc file for quick reading. Fantastic job! Thanks! :)

Regards,

[Demonstar]

Thanks for the upgrade Henk and the additions to it. Great progam.

[fairplay]

Thanks a lot, Metaview, reflow works great! But only for English texts, the cyrillic letters turns to dots.

[MetaView]

fairplay: right, the encoding problem... I need to investigate it further to find a good solution at least for most non-latin languages...

[MetaView]

Ok, thanks for the feedback. I'm still working on it and will keep this issues in my mind. Changing fonts btw. is possible just press the zoom-HW buttons (defaults to "calendar" and "phone book") to rotate through the available fonts and sizes. The release version will also include the standard system font in hires and lowres and also save this setting.
The crash also doesn't happen here, so I hope it's fixed already :-)

[MetaView]

2- is ok, I just need to hide the buttons.
1- It seems to me you use either an older version, or I ned to release another preview update. I will probably do it on sunday evening.

Regards
Henk

[ledge00]

Hi Metaview,

I tried the reflow mode last night and am quite impressed! Well Done!
However, with the e-book I'm reading there are quite a few tables and pictures.
The tables become extremely difficult to read in reflow mode and pictures don't show up at all.

Could these issues be fixed soon? I love the idea!

[MetaView]

Updated. Please check again.

About pictures: no, PalmPDF will never show pictures in the ReFlow mode.
About text formating etc.: I will try and enhance it from time to time.

[tosbsas]

zoom with the "move/link/zoom button will not work right - only shoes 200% - what am I doing wrong?

Ruben

[Greek]

Sorry, but I can´t find Reflow on this version, in the previous it was with the zoom %. Now I can read Whole Page and Full Width with the %.

Can anyone help? Thanks!

Regards

[shahr]

Hi,
The new version looks great. I have two suggestions about the reflow mode:
1. can we get a dialouge box, where the font size ca be preselected before opening the document.
2. can the scroll be added to the reflow.

thanks.
Shahr

[gooselab]

Sorry, but I can´t find Reflow on this version, in the previous it was with the zoom %. Now I can read Whole Page and Full Width with the %.

Can anyone help? Thanks!

Regards

Hey Greek I had the same problem. If you haven't already figured it out you have to use Henks download link at the top of page four in this thread to get the preview version. If you go to his website to download you'll get the 1.3 version.

[MetaView]

shahr: What do you mean with "scroll added to the reflow"? Also your font selection is stored, so you would only adjust it once and then it will be the setting for all docs.

enotar: It uses the whole screen width. That's the maximum of text you can get. When I make it smaller, people would complain about the additional white border around...

[Greek]

gooselab: Thanks! That was it. :)

Regards,

[joaolima]

MetaView,

Are you planning to support link to another pdf (external links) ?

Thanks

Joao Lima
Brasil

[MetaView]

joaolima: not yet. What happens there at the moment? I haven't test it yet. I should, and maybe support it...

[joaolima]

MetaView,

Nothing happens... In my application I've about 1500 interlinked pdf files.
Congratulations for your work.

Thanks

Joao

[MetaView]

joaolima: ok, I need to test it, mind you to send me an example?

Also I've update the preview again. Please check it out, I think it might be the version which I will release as 1.4

Greetings
Henk

[Ralph]

Hi Henk,

I've just stumbled on PalmPDF 1.3.

Brilliant! The perfect answer to viewing pdf files on my palm.

I must echo the request of Joao above.

I also have many pdf documents which have hyperlinks to other pdf files. This is not currently supported by version 1.3. It would be great if this could incorporated in the future.

Best regards

Ralph

[SoS]

Henk,

are you planning to load 'page-by-page' at any time?? This is a great way to circumvent the heap requirements (its what picselproviewer does, as you konw, Im sure).

thanks for continuing the devlopment of this fantastic app!!

Steve

[mrp123]

are you planning to load 'page-by-page' at any time?? This is a great way to circumvent the heap requirements

I would have to second that.

[MetaView]

About the page-by-page: this will only save memory in very large files. The most dyn. Mem will be needed for temporarly rendering of the whole page in the given resolution. Then the visible part is copied and drawn to the screen.

The fonts which the ReFlow mode uses are: Times size 14 and 18, Helvetica size 14 and 18, Courier size 14 and 18, Palm Std Font in Hires, Palm Large Font in Hires, Palm Std. Font in Lores.

Henk

[MetaView]

To add: If you want support for links to other PDFs, send me a small example. Something like one main PDF and 2 or 3 PDFs which are linked by this.

[joaolima]

Hi Henk,

I've tested the external link feature of the lastest preview version. This is working OK but it's necessary to position at the correct page of target file according with the id of the link (if it exists / like an internal link resolution).

I'll send to you a small example with this. What's you email ?

Joao

[MetaView]

Check PalmPDF :-)

[MetaView]

1.4 is final: Just starting the update cycle: PalmGear.com, PdaCafe.de, www.metaviewsoft.de

[Calvados]

I am sorry if I missed the answer to my question somewhere, but I can't seem to get the buttons to work to rotate, or anything else with my TX. I go to the preference window, push the button, when it asks to, but the description of the button, does not correspond to the TX. If I push the 3rd button from the left, PalmPDF, says that is the "ToDo" button, but on the TX it is not, it is the contacts button, so when in PalmPDF if I want to rotate, I push the "button" I wanted to use to rotate, and I get contacts, not rotation. I have tried with all 4 buttons. I have even tried changing the buttons in the Palm Prefs to be the same as the "other palms", go back to PalmPDF, assign a button and it still does not work. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Calvados

[MetaView]

Per default, it is the most right button. But when you want to read in landscape, rotate before you open a file in PalmPDF. Rotation inside the app isn't fully supported.

[yoovee]

1.4 is final: Just starting the update cycle: PalmGear.com, PdaCafe.de, www.metaviewsoft.de (http://www.metaviewsoft.de)
Thanks Henk! This is great software :)
I've just downloaded the PRC version from your site, and it shows 1.3c...:o

[yoovee]

Possible problem with skin support?
Using PalmPDF v1.4 (version string still 1.3c...) on Sony CLIE TH55 (Palm OS 5.2.1)
With Sony 256MB MagicGate Memory-Stick expansion card:

At first launch, PalmPDF didn't recognize the already-existing acrobat7 skin in RAM - showed only internal.

I moved the skin to card, and at next try PalmPDF saw it & used it correctly.
Next trip to the skins menu, I see two entries for my skin - one with the underscores ("_"), and one with "%3..." instead of the underscores. Trying to delete any of them results with a crash.

I have later connected my card to my Windows 2000 PC by USB (Using Sony's Data-Import palm app) and did ScanDisk - the two skin files were gone from PalmPDF's folder.

I'm not sure what that means, but I'm afraid on installing this skin again on either my RAM or card until further feedback.

EDIT:
Ok, now it's really strange - I've deleted PalmPDF completely and emptied its card folder. I copied the acrobat7 skin into the empty folder, and re-installed latest ver. - it saw the internal and 1 occurence of the card skin - seemed good so far.
Next, when I re-opened the Skins menu, I see 2 entries for the acrobat7 skin, one having "PalmPDF: ..." caption. Further checks with Resco-Explorer confirmed it was on RAM - was this a cache of my card skin or does it now come with v1.4 or what?
Also, there's a problem - if I change settings (General/Skin) and do a Reset from the menu in the same session, the settings won't save! Later when I changed them again, exit & re-enter PalmPDF, it was saved ok.
I have a suggestion for the skin menu: Add an indication if skin is on card or RAM, and allow to move it back & forth with a simple button (see PalmFiction's [open-source] robust implementation for such tasks in their Themes/UI/Fonts...)
Also, a wish please: Don't hide my status-bar on neither the file-list nor the view screen (at least give an option to avoid that).
Thank you:)

[MetaView]

yoovee: Thx, I'll check it tonight.

[yoovee]

yoovee: Thx, I'll check it tonight.
Thank you (notice also the EDITed part of my former message for the save-settings bug & the skin question please).

BTW, What is the proper way to upgrade? Suppose I chose to move the engine to card and strip the PRC, will I have to do all that again once updating or will PalmPDF automatically update the old engine on the card for me (and strip it out from the new PRC) ?

[MetaView]

yoovee: thx, I've seen your edit, just after my post. Unfortunately, I can not reproduce your problems with the skins. Means, I have to recheck the code. You can btw. see if the skin is on the device or on the card by the name: for skins on the card the filename is given, even with the .prc extension. For skins on the device, you only see the internal DB name. Anyway, I will check the code and might later add something to move the skin from device to card and back. But it isn't on a very high priority.

About the statusbar: hm, I need to think about. I rather prefer a bigger screen, but it might be an option later.

About upgrade: just install the new copy. But you will need to strip the prc and move the new renderer to card on your own. The app doesn't remember this as a setting anywhere. It just checks for the ARMlet on the the prc and if not there, it tries to copy it from the card.

Regards
Henk

[schulj]

I've been using palmpdf version 1.3 and it's been rock solid with it on the SD card and prc stripped. With version 1.4 once the prc is stripped every now and then the program just disappears - especially after a reset. I'm using a treo 650 with zlauncher. Is anyone else having this problem? I think I also had this problem in an older versions of palmpdf.

[SoS]

I've been using palmpdf version 1.3 and it's been rock solid with it on the SD card and prc stripped. With version 1.4 once the prc is stripped every now and then the program just disappears - especially after a reset. I'm using a treo 650 with zlauncher. Is anyone else having this problem? I think I also had this problem in an older versions of palmpdf.


yes, this problemhas arisen periodically in some versions....Henk to the rescue!!! (He always does). :)

[MetaView]

Well, this time I can't remember to change anything in the app handling part. Means, I see no reason why it should disappear from the device. But I will try it for myself and maybe I find a fix... I might say, ZLauncher is the cause of all evil, but probably I'm wrong :-)

Regards
Henk

[yoovee]

If it's any help, I use a stripped v1.4, engine on memory-stick, I don't use ZLauncher (or any other 3rd party launcher for that matter), I have done some resets, and yet PalmPDF still remains quite peacfully on my device ;)

[schulj]

Well, this time I can't remember to change anything in the app handling part. Means, I see no reason why it should disappear from the device. But I will try it for myself and maybe I find a fix... I might say, ZLauncher is the cause of all evil, but probably I'm wrong :-)

Regards
Henk

I'd have to say it can't actually be zlauncher as version 1.3 was so stable with everything else being the same. I've gone back to 1.3 for the time being. Hope you can sort it out.
:)

[_Em]

I've been using palmpdf version 1.3 and it's been rock solid with it on the SD card and prc stripped. With version 1.4 once the prc is stripped every now and then the program just disappears - especially after a reset. I'm using a treo 650 with zlauncher. Is anyone else having this problem? I think I also had this problem in an older versions of palmpdf.

This smacks of the same problem that has shown up with other apps such as YAHM.... the first thing to try is a hard reset, as your NVRAM is probably mildly corrupted. After that, you have to install the conflicting apps in the correct order to get them to stick. That probably means installing palmpdf first in this case.

[MetaView]

After an update is before an other update...
Please check out www.metaviewsoft.de/PalmPDF_prc.zip and tell me your opinions:

- added: enabled bytecode interpreter in freetype lib (thx to Theo)
- added: links to other PDFs in content list allowed (also bugfixed)
- added: mouse pointers for link, move, mark and zoom
- note: there seems to be a problem with SkinUI, Mark and Zoom doesn't really work. Please disable SkinUI for PalmPDF.


Henk

[tosbsas]

its enough to disable popup lists - than things are fine

Ruben

[MetaView]

Ok, I'll add it to the readme (well, if one will ever read it :-)

Regards
Henk

[alex_lorenzo]

I am using the latest slipstream of v 1.4, and it still is problematic in my T3, namely, horizontal scrolling. I am trying to get the best combination to read width (single column) or half width (two column) documents in landscape, either with T3 rotate or by using 270º. With t3 rotate, the horizontal scroll buttons no longer work, either in landscape or back in portrait. I have to uninstall and re-install Palmpdf. A warm reset does not help.
But this happens also after a while, not using T3rotate.
Also, in 270 mode, the vertical buttons no longer go to next/previous page, but to the end/beginning of the current page (this occurred once, not all the times).
Later on, the right-left buttons of the 5nav wouldn't work, either in 270 or in 000, in each case, the expected movement does not occur (up-down in 270 or left-right in 000).
I have seen problems like that since earlier versions. And they seem to be erratic to some extent.
I have selected pool memory, and I have personalised the buttons other than the default.
Thanks
Alex

[MetaView]

Weird... No problems here on my T3. You rotate the screen before you open the file, right? And then it doesn't work as expected?

[alex_lorenzo]

Hi,
I have investigated a little, and I managed to find a reproducible situation where the scrollinw with buttons does not work.

1) Remap the buttons: once you do this (in my case 1-zoom in, 2-zoom out, 3-close, 4-rotate, other combinations cause this as well), the rigth-left scrolling with buttons does not work (in portrait mode, pressing l-r on the 5-nav, in landscape mode, the up-down on 5nav).
T3rotate does not affect the operation of the program. It is just remapping the buttons.

2) When in 270 or 90 position (that is, the program starts in normal portrait mode, and the document opens in 0 degrees, I change the orientation with the dedicated toolbar button), the up - down scrolling (ie, with the rigth-left buttons on the 5-nav) just cycles up-down in the SAME page. When you reach the end, it goes up to the beginning again, imediately (no "Wait..." sign).

I have installed and uninstalled the latest version, and no matter what combinations of open, resize, rotate, strip, move to card, etc, I do, remapping buttons causes this problem imediately.

I hope this helps better than my previous post, which was a tad unclear.
Thanks again.
Alex

(PS: PalmPDF is an extraordinary app. I find it comfortably readable, and I have plenty of PDFs I want to read in my T3)

[alex_lorenzo]

Hi again,

I have ellaborated a litlle more in point 2) of my previous post.

When in 270 or 90 position, scrolling changes orientation accordingly (the relative up-down and left-right work ok, but going to the previous or next page still works as if it was in 0 or 180 position: the up-down buttons on the 5nav --which due to the change in orientation give left-right movements, as expected-- are the ones that move to the previous or next page.

In 0-180 modes, the left-right buttons move left-right, as expected, and then cycle again that page. Isn't it supposed to just not move at all once the border of the page is reached?

BTW, rotating the WHOLE application with T3rotate+ does not exhibit this behaviour, I suppose because the 4-way buttons are remapped externally.
Actually, I prefer this way better, since the button bar goes to the bottom (long side) and thus I have some extra pixels to increase the width of the document. In PDFs with large types, the page width is perfectly readable with a small, but comfortable type.
Danke!

[alex_lorenzo]

Oops, sorry it's me again.

Another finding with point 1 of my post no. 100.
There is no need to remapp the buttons. Just invoking the dialog, and dismissing it without any changes cancells the left-right movements.
Thanks
Alex

[MetaView]

Alex: thank you very much, you were right. I messed up the direction keys when the button dialog was dismissed.

Rotating the page inside PalmPDF doesn't bring the same experience as when you would rotate the display (using the OS statusbar button) as you can do it before opening the PDF file. I wouldn't recommend it. But what is T3rotate+?

The wrap around when scrolling to the far right or left is a feature and saves you some scrolling when reading left-to-right or even right-to-left (as in some languages).

Anyway, the left/right bug should be fixed now. Please try it: www.metaviewsoft.de/PalmPDF_prc.zip the .prc shall be from 10/08/2006.

[alex_lorenzo]

Hi MetaView,
JUst tested the latest slipstream. It works ok now, and I have all my buttons remapped...

The wrap around feature seems logical now, but to go to the following page in 90 or 270 you have to use the left-right buttons (up-dowin the 5nav), instead of the up-down movement (up or down IN the page, and then page UP or DOWN, using the same button: as I said before, I have some PDFs which can be read comfortably in landscape mode full width, so I just have to go up or down).

As for T3rotate+, it is a hack that automatically changes the screen orientation and also can hide automatically both the DIA and the toolbar. You can set these three things (orientation, DIA, toolbar) on a per app basis, and also use the l-r-u-d buttons in the 5nav to do this on the go. Some apps respond very well to this, as some apps (including PalmPDF) do hide it automatically (BTW. hiding the toolbar in PalmPDF browse screen has some odd, although minor, effects in the menus). Some apps (older) are not prepared to hide the dia or the toolbar. In general, when some app just pops up the dia whenever you start it, I prefer t3rotate+ to put it down, and start with a full screen (I am used to on-screen grafitting). With eReader, for instance, I set it to hide the toolbar, and thus I have an extra line of text or two. Also the DIA does not pop up all the time when you open the slider.

Thanks again for your consideration
Alex

[hofs1]

I have a few questions Im testing this app for the company i work for.So far so good but a few issues 1: when palmpdf is open it refuses to let the treo go to sleep
2: any way to turn off the page search feature upon startup i run out of memory on 600 page pdf's (40meg+) many of our books are big. 3: i get a null reset error when i try to use the stylus to zoom in and out. If i can get past these issues then this may go outto a few hundred treo users

[MetaView]

hi hofs1:

1. Are speaking about the red power button? Just reconfigure the buttons: in the file browser the menu->Options->Buttons->Rotate

2. Well, 600 pages is a lot. I'm very sorry, but I don't know a way to supress it or even to move it into the storage space. Can't you split the files? PalmPDF would even allow to have links from one file to the other file or the use of a global index file.

3. It's related to the short memory when opening such a big file. PalmPDF still renders the whole page in the current zoom resolution, this might need a lot of memory. It's ok for most docs in gray scale mode on Treo 650, but a killer when using color or when opening a very large PDF.

[hofs1]

when i say "sleep" i mean to turn off the screen after not touching the treo for say 1minute (my auto off is set for 1min) the screen simply stays on untill i completely exit palmpdf. i get the memory errors even when opening the pdf if its bigger than 40meg ill look into spliiting the pdf but ill need to get a full version of adobe first.

Ok edit to above post and adding more questions

after 2 hrs of turning things on/off i found that the brightcam program will cause palmpdf to stay on and never turn off the screen untill i exit palmpdf. if i disable brightcam it works fine ( brightcam uses treo camera to set screen and keyboard light levels on power on) i uninstalled both and tried various install orders to no avail this is the first conflict with brightcam since i installed it back in treo600 days. any ideas??

the other reason the page counting on startup gets anoying is when u fire it up on a 600page plus pdf it takes along time to open. plus it can take my memory down from 4100 free to 300k free.(all rendering in gray mode b/w looks "bad" ) although i got it to open a 1105 page service manual which must have had lighter graphics etc.

the main difference between using palmpdf vs adobe/palm is the raw pdf capabilities but if we need to convert all our manuals to adobe/palm to avoid the memory/load problems we will but palmpdf is so much nicer and more powerfull to use and im hoping i can get the split pdf file thing to fly.

one more question how is it the table of contents when using adobe/palm is in a tree like form with drop open commands that allows you to drill down into the table of contents quickly. anyway palmpdf might do this in the future.

[MetaView]

Brightcam, ok, never used this app. I can't imagine at the moment what the reason for this conflict could be.

One idea: when using PalmPDF you can also open adobe/palm converted files, when you put them on the memory card in the Palm/Launcher/ folder. They need quite less memory, but in opposite to adobe/palm you can still zoom and search and stuff.

The way the toc is presented right now isn't the nicest, right. I should have a look into adobe/palm to see how they do it.

[hofs1]

I have opened adobe/palm files with palmpdf it gives an "error pdf file damaged attempt" then it runs a few minutes and opens the file but the files that ran through the adobe converter are actually bigger than the raw pdf.

[swstar]

Oh my god, the Traditional Chinese Bug is gone!
Many thanks to MetaView!

[hofs1]

Brightcam, ok, never used this app. I can't imagine at the moment what the reason for this conflict could be.

One idea: when using PalmPDF you can also open adobe/palm converted files, when you put them on the memory card in the Palm/Launcher/ folder. They need quite less memory, but in opposite to adobe/palm you can still zoom and search and stuff.

The way the toc is presented right now isn't the nicest, right. I should have a look into adobe/palm to see how they do it.

Ok i figured out the brightcam bug which was no bug the latest release of brightcam has palmpdf and a gps software in a no auto off list. seems users wanted palmpdf to stay on while reading a pdf.seems a good idea but my problem is ill put the treo down after looking up something in a manual and come back to it and see it on the last 15min which kills battery. i installed older version for now which was before the autooff thing came out.

one more thing the skin wont stick i have the app stripped etc but i like the adobe skin better than stock skin. any ideas

[MetaView]

The skin is on the device or the memory card? I use MetalMadness and the skin is always there.

swstar: Very nice, then it was related to the kerning info for asian characters.

[LanMan]

Thanks for a very nice program, MetaView!!!

[MetaView]

LanMan: you're welcome :-)

[dgtiii]

Hi, Henk,

I know you are busy, but I am having problems with Palm PDF. I recently got a new Zodiac, and want to put the latest version of Palm PDF on it. I had the app on my last Zodiac and loved it, so I do know how to install it, or thought I did. I downloaded the lastest version from your site (the zip file). I unzipped the folder, copied the whole thing to my memory card root. From the root folder, I opened the copied Palm PDF folder, copied the .prc to my main memory, and then the 'PalmPDF' folder from your file to my memory card's Palm\Programs directory, so I have a PalmPDF folder under Palm\Programs. I cannot get the app to run. I keep getting a white screen and then it resets. Can you help? Thanks.

Del

[MetaView]

Hi Del,

sounds strange. Do you get any error output? Maybe you can enable the DebugLog? For me it sounds a bit like PalmPDF can not write to the card, but this would be strange as you used a filemanager to move stuff on the card. You might also try to remove the PalmPDF folder and let the PalmPDF.prc do the installation.

Henk