Questions regarding Palm OS from a newbie...

[constantine_j_k]

Hello,

I finally got my T5 after trying to find one in stock for 4 days...! I am relatively new in PDAs in general and my past experience was with PPCs. My feelings for the T5 are so far possitive, but I need more time in order to make safe conclusions (I couldn't resist though and I wrote some comments below...). I bought Docs to Go Premium and ZLauncher, but as I haven't received the code for the ZL yet, I haven't install it. On its was is also a Vaja case (well, it'll take 20 days or so) and I still haven't found an online store having the cradle in stock.

So far, I like the T5 and the only thing that I don't like is the lack of LED showing the charging status. How can you tell if you charge it for the first time and want to know that it has finished??? The user manual also is not very good for first time users and the box is a bit poor, when compared to the iPAQs (which even has a sticker on the upper side of the box with all the first steps).

The screen is good, better than the rx3715, but not as good as the hx4700. To be fair though, I paid less for the T5 that than what I paid for the rx3715 and therefore there is no comparison between the T5 and the hx4700. The D pad is very nice, much better than the one of rx3715 and the touchpad of hx4700. With my iPAQs I didn't use it, but now I enjoy it. The battery however is my big concern. I didn't have time to play music, movies etc and I haven't use it much as I bought it on Sunday afternoon and I had only yesterday and today afternoon to play (I really look forward for the weekend...hehe), but whever I ckeck, the battery appears to be 100%. What the hell??? With my hx4700, the battery charge was reduced by 1% every 2 or 3 minutes (with settings for saving as much power as possible)! Also, I did a test with my hx4700 where I didn't use it for 48hrs and the battery from 100% went down to 85% (no applications were running).

Palm OS seems to be a bit more difficult to get used to, when compared to Win mobile, but I am pretty sure that if I learn it then it is very efficient. I just managed to synchronize my emails with outlook and it wasn't as straight forward as with my hx4700. I had to contact Palm support, but now I have a few other issues. In outlook I have two POP accounts and although I synchronize only one, the emails from both accounts are imported. Also, I haven't managed to find how I can have my emails deleted when I delete them on the handheld.

Acrobat reader sucks big time. It is unbelievable. With my hx4700, I could put a pdf straight from the pc to the sd card and then view it from the handheld.

When I see all the "drivers", the following appear:

ROM
RAM
BUILTIN
Internal
Card - this is my SD card

I guess that in the ROM are all the applications installed. Could someone give an explanation for what's the role of each drive? Internal is the big one that Palm is so proud of...

The other thing is the fact that whenever I open the manual, the Graffiti area pops up and I cannot close it (as in other cases). How can I make it disappear? It is frustrating....

I have the impression that everything has to be short of converted in order to put in the handheld. Docs to Go opens native office docs, but in order to put them say in the internal memory, I have to use the PC program. PPCs appear to be easier in that respect as I just had to drag and drop the file.

Also, another really annoying thing is the fact that if I want to open a document from the SD card, this has to be copied and cannot be opened straight away, which takes time.

My apologies if some of my questions/comments upset someone, you have to consider that I am a newbie when it comes to the Palm OS, but I prefer it from Win mobile! As I said, I have some experience with Win mobile and most of my experience is with UNIX and Linux on PCs.

I would really appreciate any help on the questions that will be posted in this thread, as I need to know (I like to learn...) in order to start enjoying my NEW T5 as much as possible!!!!

Thank you in advance!

[Antoine]

hello constantine_j_k; i will try to address some of your issues as I had an rx3715 for about a month, and have otherwise been a PalmOS user (you can read my review of the rx3715 at BargainPDA.com for reference there)

The PalmOS has a differnt mindset than WinMobile. WinMobile still pushes MS's end of taking the desktop and making a handheld computer out of it. In terms of compatability it is a great thing, in terms of user interface, in my opinon it doesnt translate well. Though it looks and acts like WinDesktop, it also has many of the same interface faults. The PalmOS is not as stout, but it is more efficient for many simple tasks. It was not built as a desktop OS made smaller, but an organizer OS made to do more than it was designed for. That works for some and not for others.

Acrobat Reader for the PalmOS has not been updated to support the HVGA screen nor the ability of newer devices to be able to view native file docs. For that reason, AR still uses a conduit program during the sync to convert the file. It is very cumbersome and not very performance nice. I would suggest Repligo if you need a doc/pdf viewer. The files are smaller and come up faster on both WinMobile and PalmOS.

Documents to Go has been patched, but needs another update to get the other bugs cleaned up.

PalmOS Garnet 5.4: the reason for all of the incopatablities have to do with the update in OS that was much more than just simple bug fixes, but there was also some standarization of resolution and other things. Along with that, the Tungsten T5 sports a new memory structure. Programs are not designed for it and need to be fixed/updated. This is probably the most drastic change since PalmOS went from 3.3 to 3.5. There are some programs that were breaking the rules or just were not accounting for an OS upgrade. That is on the fault of PalmSource for not warning developers, and for PalmOne for literally making so many changes that there would be so many updates. Its good that it happened now as I think Garnet 5.4 is closer to Cobalt in function than most people think.

ROM has the OS, RAM is what you technically cannot use with the T5 but acts as a large sstroage heap; BUILTIN is the 55MB of program memory that basically acts like PalmOS formated files only space; INTERNAL is the 161MB of storage that you see when you mount the T5; and CARD is your SD card. Honestly, PalmOS makes it more complicated than it needs to be, but as I said earlier, it wasnt made for this and the fact that it does what it wasnt made to do is a good thing.

I will stop now and allow others to answer, but feel free to keep playing with your new T5 and asking questions. Peace and blessings.

[constantine_j_k]

Thanks a lot d-roC, helpful as always!

[constantine_j_k]

I would like to ask an additional question...:-)

I purchased the premium version of Documents to Go, but it doesn't seem to be very stable. I am thinking also for buying RepliGo (which doesn't allow to modify text though). What is the best combination? Keeping the professional version and buying RepliGo? I need to be able to work on word docs, but I want also to be able to view pdf files. I have the right to ask for my money back for the premium version

Thanks

[applejosh]

If you're not going to use the pdf feature of the premium edition (or anything else specific to the premium edition), then it might be wise to just used the included version of Docs To Go and get Repligo for the purpose of viewing pdf files. Or you can wait a little while (assuming you can still return the DTG premium) and see if Dataviz comes out with an updated version that fixes a lot of the problems. Since I have a T3, I don't have any issues with the current version of DTG, and Repligo would probably go unused (since the few pdf files I do need to view on my T3 can be converted with DTG (I don't usually need the pictures)). I have tried Repligo on my PocketPC, and it worked rather well. Haven't tried it on my T3, though. Best thing to do is to take advantage of the trial versions of any software. That way you can usually get a feel if it's right for you.

[constantine_j_k]

Thanks applejosh.

During HotSync, a back up is being created. In the case I need to do a hard reset, does that mean that all my files and applications will be restored?

For example, say I want to do a hard reset in order to get rid of some additional applications, will these be restored after the first HotSync? Or just my files?

Thank you

[fssia]

constantine, don't buy all the apps until u have tried them and find that u like them and will use them regularly.

One thing I really like abt Palm OS is the fact that most, if not all, of its softwares, games and etc allow you to try them for free (say for ~15 days/ 30 days, some shorter while some just give u nag screens every time u launch the softwares after the trial period). And also there is a lot of freewares around for Palm OS too (just go to freewarepalm.com).

Welcome to the Palm OS community and hope u will enjoy it as much as I do. I only joined this community in 2002 and I love it eversince! ;)

[Alsicole]

Re Hotsync. Yes it creates a backup, providing you get a full clean hotsync. This does mean it will restore in full. If, however, your T5 crashes during hotsync, which some people have mentioned, this would mean a corruption of the backup, so make sure you keep all of the installation files and registration keys for any software you buy incase you have to reinstall manually.

Re Docs to Go - DataViz are working on updating the Premium Edition (check out Lance's software thread). The Professional Edition works perfectly well at the moment, so probably best to reinstall that until Premium is updated.

[constantine_j_k]

Hello Alsicole,

what about if I do a hard reset and decide that I don't want to install some software I used to have. HotSync will put them back.

Thanks

[jjesusfreak01]

Dont wait for the reg key tu install Zlauncher. It takes a while to get it how you want it, and theres a free 30 day trial. If you still dont get the key, email ZZtechs, they give dir. on their site, and ive heard they are good about support. I received my key quickly, and really enjoy Zlauncher.

[applejosh]

what about if I do a hard reset and decide that I don't want to install some software I used to have. HotSync will put them back.

In the Palm Desktop installation directory (could be C:\Palm, C:\Program Files\Palm, C:\Program Files\PalmOne, etc.), there is a user directory, usually in the form of last name first initial. In that directory, there is a Backup directory. This has all the files that will be re-installed. If you don't want to re-install a particular program, then delete the corresponding prc(s) from that directory.

For example, if I didn't want to re-install DateBk5 (which would only happen for me if I went insane), I would delete DateBk5.prc, DateBk5db.pdb, and any other DateBk5* file out of that directory before doing my initial Hot Sync following a hard reset.

I heartily recommend you make a full backup of that directory (simply copy it to somewhere else on your hard drive) before doing anything, though, just to be safe.

HTH,

[constantine_j_k]

Thanks a lot applejosh, this is exactly what I wanted to know!

[constantine_j_k]

Hello,

I just installed ZLauncher, as well as some themes, icons etc. I haven't manage though to find any backimages. Does anyone where can I find backimages and how to install them?

Thanks

[jjesusfreak01]

Hello,

I just installed ZLauncher, as well as some themes, icons etc. I haven't manage though to find any backimages. Does anyone where can I find backimages and how to install them?

Thanks
A backimage can be any picture scaled to the right size for the screen. On a T5, they must be 320x480. A good program to scale pics is IrFanView (http://www.irfanview.com)

Actually, I think ZLauncher needs either a jpeg or a bitmap file. For this purpose, bitmap is best.

[constantine_j_k]

so is it not possible to install a backimage as say an icon set (which is installed by clicking an application on the pc)? If there is this possibility, where can I download them?

If I have to do add a backimage as bitmap, how can I do this?

Cheers

[constantine_j_k]

...and some additional questions. Does anyone know how to keep as a backimage the one that was originally set (factory setting)?

When I open Documents to Go, nect to the files there is a card icon. What does it mean? Is there any icon indicating that a file is in the SD card?

Thanks

[Antoine]

constantine_j_k; I cannot answer your question abuot the images, but I think that there has been a set of downloaded images one can install, but I do not know if it was like that icon set, or jsut the individual images. On the other hand I can talk about DTG. The card icon means that the file is present on your SD card. The sync icon means that the file will sync. When you click the card icon, it will transfer the file from card to main memory or vice vera.

[constantine_j_k]

Hello d-roC! This is what I thought at the beginning, but there a few files that have this icon and they are not in the SD card for sure. The default backround images have this symbol and they are not is the SD card.........

???


Thanks

[constantine_j_k]

I found it! The icon is displayed also when something is in the internal memory....it would be nice to have different icons for the internal memory and the SD card.

[constantine_j_k]

and another question....where is possible to install applications? I always use the default location, but I would like to know what are the possibilities.

Thanks

[Antoine]

With PalmDesktop and QuickInstall, you have the option of installing to the Internal Memory or the SD card (from what I read, it has not been updated to read the three storage modes of the T5). When you install to the card, it goes to the PALM/Launcher directory unless it is music (goes to AUDIO), images (DCIM or similar folder), or videos (AUDIO I think, but there may be another folder for that too). If you want to install to a specific directory that is not one of those I mentioned, you can use programs like SyncWizard/Card Export/Pilot Install to install to a specific folder. Basically, though, some files need to be in specific directories so that the OS or the reading program can read them. For example, a dictionary program may be on your SD card in the Launcher folder, but you might have to save a dictionary database in the PALM\Programs\NameOfProgram folder so that it could be read. The only difference here is that DTG will place Word/Excel formatted docs in a documents folder on the top level of the SD card but DTG formatted ones will appear in the PALM\Programs\DTG folder.

From what I can remember from DTG (been without a palm since late Sept so forgive me there), the card icon shows up if the file is stored on the SD card. DTG will show internal docs and card docs in the same window. If you click on the card icon, when you sync, it will move to the card or vice versa (it may do it immidiately but I dont remeber that either).

[oz-nom]

I found it! The icon is displayed also when something is in the internal memory....it would be nice to have different icons for the internal memory and the SD card.

The T5 has 2 forms of memory: "handheld" which it treats the same as internal memory on other devices, and "Internal" which it treats like an SD card.

While this may seem confusing, if you think of "Internal" like a permanent SD card, that may help. All apps treat it as an SD card so thinking of it this way works.

To see where a file in DTG is actually stored, if you press and hold the card icon beside the filename with your stylus, a dialog "balloon" will appear showing you the location of that file (eg INTERNAL/Documents/).

I hope this helps,
Tim

[oz-nom]

The battery however is my big concern. I didn't have time to play music, movies etc and I haven't use it much as I bought it on Sunday afternoon and I had only yesterday and today afternoon to play (I really look forward for the weekend...hehe), but whever I ckeck, the battery appears to be 100%. What the hell??? With my hx4700, the battery charge was reduced by 1% every 2 or 3 minutes (with settings for saving as much power as possible)! Also, I did a test with my hx4700 where I didn't use it for 48hrs and the battery from 100% went down to 85% (no applications were running).
The T5 USB cable provides a trickle charge. I used mine for 2 & 1/2 days and it never dropped below 95% while the cable was in (without the charger). Over time, the USB cable alone can recharge the T5.

The other thing is the fact that whenever I open the manual, the Graffiti area pops up and I cannot close it (as in other cases). How can I make it disappear? It is frustrating....
Some apps, including some of the preloaded Palm ones, don't support the larger screen. The graffiti area automatically reappears if an application or function doesn't suppor the larger area.

Also, another really annoying thing is the fact that if I want to open a document from the SD card, this has to be copied and cannot be opened straight away, which takes time.
I haven't found this to be the case. Can you give some more detail? Is this with Documents To Go or something else?

Cheers, Tim

[constantine_j_k]

Hello,

As d-roC said, DTG will place Word/Excel formatted docs in a documents folder on the top level of the SD card but DTG formatted ones will appear in the PALM\Programs\DTG folder (I suspect this is in the RAM).

I think that this explains why when I try to open a document from the sd card (for the first time), I get a message if I want it copied in the documents. When I open DTG, in the list with all the documents (DTG folder), some of my files appear twice. One for example has the card icon (which means that is the file in the SD card) and the other doesn't. I noticed also that the file without the card icon (I am not sure if it happens always) has the synchronization icon. First of all, does the synchronization icon mean that whatever changes I do will be made also on the file located in the SD card?

It seems that DTG works with the file stored in the documents (DTG folder). What about though if I decide to open the file in the SD card. Is it still working with the file in documents? Does that mean that the files are duplicated? The reason for having files in the SD card is in order not to take space from the handheld's memory....

I am a bit confused.....

Thanks

[constantine_j_k]

...and something else, I had my T5 plugged for a few hours (it was switched off and before I started charging it, the battery level was 97%) and when I switched it on, the battery was 97%. It should indicate 100%, which it did when I switched it off and on again.

Also, yesterday I noticed that the battery indication was playing a bit as at some point was indicating 87%, then after a few seconds 86%, then 87% etc. After 5 minutes it stopped doing that.

Has anyone noticed something like that?

[fssia]

constantine, u could try out the shareware, PAjDA Battery which is requesting for beta testers now (I think the dev still testing the app).

Search within 1src for PAjDA Battery and u will come to the thread started by the dev. Alternatively, u could email him at pajdax@pajdax.com to find out if his app supports T5. ;)

[constantine_j_k]

OK, now I have the following problem. I am using ZLauncher and I set the Meltdown theme, which I downloaded from http://www.bryceart.de/ and I find it superb. The backimage has two black bars at the top and botton of the screen for the bars. The upper one is ok when I use the backimage, but not the bottom. This means that there is a grey gap between the buttons at the bottom. The backimage is 380x420. My apologies if it doesn't make sence, but I don't know how to explain it....

I must do something silly.....HELP!!!!

Thanks in advance

[jjesusfreak01]

OK, now I have the following problem. I am using ZLauncher and I set the Meltdown theme, which I downloaded from http://www.bryceart.de/ and I find it superb. The backimage has two black bars at the top and botton of the screen for the bars. The upper one is ok when I use the backimage, but not the bottom. This means that there is a grey gap between the buttons at the bottom. The backimage is 380x420. My apologies if it doesn't make sence, but I don't know how to explain it....

I must do something silly.....HELP!!!!

Thanks in advance
Do you mean 320 by 480, because if its 380 by 420 then that could be a major problem. Try reformatting the pic to 320 by 480 or 480 by 320. You can use IrfanView (http://irfanview.com) for this purpose.

[constantine_j_k]

Sorry, my mistake. The backimage is 480x320 where 480 is the height. The image is grey and it has like black sections at the top and bottom. These sections are for the top and bottom bars of ZLauncher. The top appears ok, but not the bottom, which means that the bottom bar doesn't have a black backround and grey appears at the gaps between the icons. The screen is 480x320, but at the bottom is the default bar of the Palm OS, which means that the viewable screen height is less that 480. Is this correct?

Has anyone came across with something like that? Is any setting that I don't know about?

Thanks

[constantine_j_k]

I noticed also than when I don't specify any backimage, there is black backround behind the bottom buttons. This suggests to me that the backimage goes on top of the theme....if that makes any sense.

[jjesusfreak01]

I noticed also than when I don't specify any backimage, there is black backround behind the bottom buttons. This suggests to me that the backimage goes on top of the theme....if that makes any sense.
I havent used this theme, but it now sounds like this could be the problem. The backimage extends past the vg and the status bar. You do not need to crop any off. Ill probably try the theme now.

[constantine_j_k]

well, this happens with almost any theme I have tried. Is there any setting for having the theme on top the backimage?

Thanks

[jjesusfreak01]

well, this happens with almost any theme I have tried. Is there any setting for having the theme on top the backimage?

Thanks
I have everything transparent, so the image is always under the theme. The T5 may not support this. If I had one I could compare, but I dont, so I cant.

[constantine_j_k]

can you tell me how you set it to be transparent? There may be a setting for this that I haven't find yet.

Thanks

[applejosh]

What buttons at the bottom? Are you talking about the standard DIA buttons (i.e. the Home, Menu and Find buttons), or are you talking about the bottom bar of ZLauncher? If you can't see the bottom bar of ZLauncher, try hitting the menu button, and toggle bottom bar. If you're saying you can't see the very bottom DIA row of buttons (something native to the T3 and not part of ZLauncher), then have you installed any custom DIA skins lately? I'm having problems following what the problem is exactly (could be the Nyquil having an effect).

[jjesusfreak01]

can you tell me how you set it to be transparent? There may be a setting for this that I haven't find yet.

Thanks
How about ya post a screen capture pic so we know what you are talking about? I think it would be helpful.

[constantine_j_k]

I have attached two photos. The first one is with no backimage (yellow backround) and the second one is with the backimage.

Thanks

[constantine_j_k]

I am not talking about the DIA buttons, but for the bottom bar of ZLauncher. When I use the theme with no backimage (the same thing happens with other themes I have tried), the bottom buttons have a black bar behind them. When I use the backimage (which is grey with two black stripes at top and bottom), I can see the one at the top, but the buttons at the bottom don't have a black bar behind them and thus you can see little grey gaps between them. I hope that if you take a close look at the two photos you will understand what I mean. It is difficult to explain it...

[constantine_j_k]

This is the actual backimage.

[applejosh]

Unfortunately, I think 1src is cropping images, so I (think I) can see the start of the bottom grey bar in the standalone backimage. However, I can't see it for certain. What is the size of the actual image (in terms of pixels)? It might be becase the image is too long. In the pic without the backimage, I do see the grey "bar" at the bottom, but I think that may be put there by ZL (actually, whatever theme you are using) if there is no backimage selected. I just tried this on my T3. With a background selected, the bottom bar is "transparent" and the back image shows through. If I have no backimage, then the theme puts a background (in my case, I was using Aquawood I think, so it looked "woody"). If you don't know the dimensions of the image, send it as an attachment in a PM (I think we can have attachments here).

Thanks,

[constantine_j_k]

The backimage is 480x320 so it should fit ok. The other theory is that 480x320 is the screen size, but at the bottom there is the DIA bar.....I am confused in terms of what is going on.

Thanks applejosh!

[applejosh]

I believe the 320x480 size is the screen size, minus the DIA. (I never really checked, though.) The DIA is just a few extra pixels at the bottom for the buttons, time, bluetooth icon, etc., so that <i>should</i> be beyond the extent of the backimage. At least I think that's the way it is.

[applejosh]

I'm thinking I was wrong. I just took a screen capture, and it is 320x448, without the DIA status bar. So, maybe the gray bar in the backimage is behind the DIA. That coupled with the fact that if you select no backimage, the theme puts its own background behind the bottom and top bars might explain what you're seeing. (Of course I'm just guessing for the most part, but my observations using this theme/backimage conform to that line of thinking.)

[constantine_j_k]

So, can you suggest any solution...? I tried to crop the image but I have to crop a bit from the middle of it and leave the width as it is. I cannot really do that with the software I have.

The strange thing is that all the themes I tried have the same problem. I am thinking that might be a setting. I am confused.....

Thanks

[applejosh]

I can't think of anything off the top of my head. Maybe someone who's more knowing in the ways of graphics, themes, etc. will chime in. I'm pretty much just an end user when it comes to this stuff. I've never really paid much attention to it, unfortunately.

[constantine_j_k]

Thanks anyway, I will appreciate all your efforts!

:-)