An Independent Publication for Users of HP Palmtop Computers
From The Editor ...... u.s. $7.95 E Letters to the Editor ...... : .... New Third Party Q) .0 Products and Services ...... : E => z PPalmtop HP Palmtop User Groups ...... j I"--
Q) E => This Is A Hoax! ...... 1 o > If only it were true.
User To User ...... ! EduCAlC closes its doors.
The HP Palmtop Software Kit ...... l' Yellow Computing's new connectivity package bridges the gap between Windows 95/NT /3.1x desktop computers and the HP 200/100/700 LX Palmtops
LXBatch Programming ...... 1! LXBatch lets you create DOS batch files with the look and feel of the HP 200LX's built-in applications - without the need for the palmtop Developer's Kit or a C compiler.
HP Palmtop Helps Campus Technical . .. 1: Support Expert Save Time and Money The 200LX palmtop helps this technician cut down on costs by keeping vital information at his fingertips.
Troubleshooting Modem and Data ...... 2: Communications Problems Although trying to get a new modem to work can be frustrat, ing, you should be able to get your modem up and running by following this step-by-step procedure.
Palmtop Programming ...... 21 LXBatch PROGRAMMING Possibilities For Beginners and Pros From BASIC to Microsoft's C Compiler, and from COBAl to Ed Keefe Shows How Easy It Is the lotus 1-2-3 macro language, the palmtop user has lots of programming options to choose from.
Troubleshooting Basic Tips ...... 3' MODEM AND DATA Quick Tips ...... 3: 02 Communications Problems Advertiser's Index ...... 31
Files on JanuaryIFebruary 98 ON DISK ..... 31 o 744708 ~ r
Recognizedfor providing "extraordinary service for beyond expectations" - by the HP Palmtop Paper Best Tips 1997
• HP Palmtop PCs • Windows CE HPCs • Toshiba Librettos • Digital Cameras • Portable Printers • Modems • Memory Cards • Custom Cables • Cases • High Capacity Rechargeable Batteries • Customized Newton Keyboards • Wireless Modems • Accessories ...
m ...... ·'At'fjt-'.. .. ,*"" Ha i ! / For ul'I/ Foldu r Meg Hu d Snd Bin 5 t.a Lue WWW/LX and Post/LX: The graphical web browser . ~ ~~ unew ce) .- • and Internet e-mail client specifically designed for the ~ C¥~~ ~ a Vu ndore l ~ l ~ l ~ • : . : d Vvnt.ura. Publ i s h er 1 2 3 7 8 1 0 • q • s d 1 2 7 B 10 12 q • es d I00/200LX f: ~ : ln ~r~~ ~~ : t.i an a • d Quick/LX: The typing aid for the HP Palmtop Magnify: Magnifies any area of the palmtop screen, making viewing much easier. acCIS4.0 Screen ABC/LX: adds intelligence to battery charging and monitors battery usage. (.acCIS4.0: Compuserve automation program - all new look and ease of use!Supports CompuServe's "new mail", forums, weather, stock quotes and more. Much, much more ...
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• Let our team of experts find the right solution for your ~ S HIERSVSTEMS&SOFTWARE.INC. workforce's ultra-portable computing, communications ~ SHIER Sys tems & Softw are, inc. specializes in HP Palmtop Computers and accessories. This Web site & . . d provides a look at many of our products plus other use ful Information. ImagIng nee s. : =i ~~ ~:::!b=C In v::r ptrttt,i:- ~~~eH:o r::,I~!~P~s to order it todayl • Our Corporate Solutions Group can assist you with --=-...... ------needs assesments, detailed systems planning, full cost analysis, ROI calculations, WWW/Lf.. Screen business process re-engineering, connectivity (wireless and landline), training and implementation. • We can help you select the hardware and software that is right for your business. • If needed, we'll provide custom software and intranet design as well.
Contact our Corporate Solutions Office in Irvine California at 714-559-1142 or e-mail [email protected] for details on how we can help your company or organization. SHIER SYSTEMS & SOFTWARE, INC. ~ 920 Hampshire Rd, Suite A· Westlake Village, CA 91361 ~ Phone: 805-371-9391 • Fax: 805-371-9454 E-mail: [email protected] • Web Site: http://www.shier.com
In Europe or Asia, please contact our authorized agent: Rundel Detentechnik, Phone: +49716114707 Fax: +49716124473 E-mail: [email protected] Web site: http://www.rundel-d.com From The Editor The lIP Palmtop Paper
ike many HP 100/200LX users, L I don't usually do anything real flashy on my palmtop. My use of the LX is pretty straightforward and Volume 7/Issue 1 simple. I enter and view telephone January/February 1998 numbers in Phone Book, schedule Executive Editor/Publisher appointments in ApptBook, store lists Hal Goldstein in NoteTaker, and rely on Lotus 1-2-3 Publications Director for numerical computations. Richard Hall There are, however, lots of palmtop Managing Editor users who have found creative and Ralph C. Turner Art Director elaborate uses for their LXs. Consider, AI Constantineau for example, the subject of this issue's Technical Editor profile, Bob Clark, who is a technical Tom Gibson support expert. Because he uses multi Department Editors ple files in a number of different appli Ed Keefe cations (both work and personal Wayne Kneeskern Phone Book files, and multiple Carl Merkle Contributing Writers RalphC. Turner NoteTaker and Database files) he Bob Clark, Wayne E. Yang wanted to avoid having to load each Robert Causey morning those files he uses at work, and then each evening having to load Advertising his personal files. Among the things he describes in his profile is the clever Brian Teitzman Margaret Martin method he devised to automate this process. Tiffany Lisk Also in this issue, Ed Keefe reviews LXBatch, a programming tool for the Marketing HP lO0/200LX that enhances and expands the capabilities of DOS batch Peder Sweeney files and gives them the look of built-in applications. LXBatch allows you to Circulation create batch files that produce pulldown menus, dialog boxes, file-and-direc Sharon Lloyd, Marge Enright tory pick-lists, dialog buttons, and input fields, all without the need for the Executive Advisor palmtop Developer's Kit or a C compiler. Rita Goldstein If you've ever tried to connect a modem to a computer, there's a good The HP Palmtop Paper (ISSN 10656189) is published by Thaddeus Computing chance that initially you couldn't get the units to communicate with each Inc., at 110 North Court Street, Fairfield, other. Robert Causey's article on troubleshooting modem and data commu IA 52556. Periodical postage paid at nications problems should make hooking up a modem easier. Fairfield, Iowa. Subscription rates payable in U.S. dollars, checks drawn on In Basic tips, we cover almost everything you've ever wanted to know a U.S. bank, or by credit card - one about using and editing the DataCard. And in Quick Tips, Carl Merkle pro year: $39; two years: $69. Postage: U.S. and U.s. possessions free; Canada, vides a beginner's tutorial on using Lotus 1-2-3. Mexico add $6 per year; other countries Finally, a few words about the bogus press release in the News section add $18 per year. Published bi-monthly plus two bonus issues, one in April and concerning the non-existent HP 260LX. The HP Palmtop Paper's publisher; one in November. Please allow four to Hal Goldstein, and I had reservations about running this phony announce six weeks for receipt of first issue. Executive, Editorial, Circulation, Mar ment, which we received from a mlmber of people via e-mail. We suspected keting and Advertising Offices: 110 that many readers would find it as humorous as we did, but we worried that North Court Street, Fairfield, IA 52556. Telephone: (515) 472-6330, FAX: (515) some readers would take it seriously, even if we labeled it a hoax. That's not 472-1879. as preposterous as it may seem. Copyright 1998, Thaddeus Compu Years ago, when writing a computer book, I jokingly made reference to a ting, Inc., all rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced non-existent computer programming language that I called SIMPLE. I said without written permission. Reasonable that the language was so rudimentary that it contained only three commands: efforts are made to prOVide accurate and useful information, but the reader run, stop, and end. I had no idea anyone could take me seriously. But months must make his or her own investiga later, after the book had been published, I was contacted by two different tions and decisions; the Publisher and readers who wanted to know where they could get a copy of SIMPLE. Editorial Staff cannot assume any responsibility or liability for the use of It will be interesting to see if anyone contacts us and asks when HP's new information contained herein. 260LX will be available. POSTMASTER: Please send any address changes to The HP Palmtop Paper, Attn: Thaddeus Computing, Inc., 110 North Court Street, Fairfield, IA 52556.
THE HP PALMTOP PAPER JANUARY/ FEBRUARY 1998 1 Letters
version from the OB6DSK Almost all of the material that encouraging note from some files - and first thing tomor appears in The Paper is writ one who has made a living row I'm renewing my sub ten by subscribers. We encour supporting computer users scription to the The HP age every reader to submit an for over 25 years might be of Palmtop Paper! article or a basic or quick tip some encouragement or (s ee our editor's guidelines at assistance. Thanks. www.thaddeus.com or e-mail Likes PIM software William B. Phillips [email protected]). Dwight Cramer I go back a long way with The HP mailing list is a good HP portables - I still have my place for both the novice and first, an HP110, as well as Doesn't like CE coverage advanced user to find and share Likes profiles palmtop information. In order copies of the Portable Papers I am a subscriber of your I value The Palmtop Paper's to participate in this free list, all that Hal published. When my magazine and just got my user profile sections over you need is an e-mail address . copy of the November/ latest issue. Please do me one most other content in the For instructions on how to sub December issue of The HP big favor: no more Windows magazine. Every now and scribe, contact the listserve Palmtop Paper arrived today CE stuff in a magazine for then, something like the administrator, Al Kind, at wrapped in the "Your-sub the HP 200LX. I am also a January issue's Japanese fea MCHEM1@UCONNVM . scription-has-expired" notice, I subscriber to your Handheld ture will come along, but UCONN.EDU was planning not to renew. PC Magazine, so I can read usually the user profiles are Tom Gibson Why? I'd abandoned my all about Windows CE in my first stop. Technical Editor 100LX for an HP 320LX, that magazine. But for The The HP Palmtop Paper which I hated, and had gone HP Palmtop Paper, just HP Mitch Hamm [email protected] on to a Libretto as my carry 200LX stuff. OK? [email protected] anywhere device. Then I found the article Helmut Grossinger Enjoys CE coverage about running PIM (Personal Colorado Another profile fan Information Manager) soft HELMUT _GROSSINGER@ I enjoy the The Palmtop The user profiles have ware in Windows in Hal's HP-CoISprings-om1 .om.hp .com Paper a lot. Reading it always been my favorite part User-to-User column. [Using helped me decide that an of PTP and a great source of this software on a desktop lets EDITOR'S NOTE: 200LX would meet my needs ideas on how to use my you access your HP palmtop A number of members of the better than a laptop. How Palmtop. phone, appointment book, and HP Palmtop Mailing List (see ever, I have several cus solver files in the Windows below for details on the list) tomers who depend on their Jim Henry environment on your desktop. voiced similar sentiments. One WinCE HPCs, so the infor [email protected] The PIM software IS on member complained that, "If I mation and comparisons in Thaddeus Computing's 1998 wanted Windows CE coverage, the PTP are important. CD InfoBase, as well as on I would have subscribed to Several HP 320LXs were pur Physician's drug CompuServe's HPPC forum - Handheld PC Magazine." chased as a result of the arti information on palmtop in the OmniBook 500 and Another member said, "What is cles published in the PTP. OmniBook 600 sections; files disappointing is the doomsday I don' t like the WinCE K2 Consultants is offering OB5DSK.ZIP and OB6DSK. authors who use terms like HPCs myself but I try hard to produce a computer ver ZIP, respectivel)J. This software ' ... the DOS era is winding to remember that many com sion of the 1997 Lexicomp is for the HP Omnibook and is down. '" puter users view their com Drug Information Hand not supported by'HP for other What we are trying to do here puter only as something that book. I have their 1996 ver machines. Editor.] at The HP Palmtop Paper is must be endured! These end sion and use it daily. It I'd long ago ported the cover HP palmtops, and many users want SIMPLE, and would be useful for physi lOOLX appointment and tele subscribers have asked about the WinCE appears to be just cians, pharmacists, and other phone book software into my HP line of Windows CE that to them (just mentioning health care providers. The K2 Windows 95 machines, and devices, so we carry announce DOS can cause a panic). Lexicomp is a HTML version after trying 3 or 4 more mod ments and have a few articles By the way, I probably of the complete book. Since it ern PIMs, kept going back to that cover it. wouldn't have found out about is HTML, you can use it on the HP one. We do not, nor have we ever, the HPLX mailing list had I not any computer that can run a With the tips from Hal's planned on extensive coverage subscribed to the PIP. HTML viewer. Any Web article I'm now running the of Windows CE In The I don't normally write let MUCH more satisfactory Palmtop Paper. ters like this but felt a (Co ntinued on page 35
2 THE HP PALMTOP PAPER JANUARY/ FEBRUARY 1998 'j:: .:...... r·.'·-~·:~~ '~::::.~"::.. j: ..... ::::.::: ...: ..• :...... _ .. . :.: :';~' .:::.: ':.: : ...•... ~ •...... :~ .:~.:~•..f:. ;.·~:~~:: :\:::~rl:·:~··~·::·::·R·::·8.Q···· D'"'I ~...... C; ;F- ., :6·"·' .. -:.::~ ::: .:~. : ~~-: :; .~.:; ~ -II'~' :~. r;.~ ~. , . . ".':.: .' -.. :.' ... :.. ::,:.: ...... " .er' ~.LE "'.'" '-'. ':,. ~ '...... -' ...... :- ,.~ .
This section lists new products tions, EXM programs, and The program allows you to fies the task of backing up of interest to users of the HP DOS programs. (The pro search elements by name, your palmtop's C:\ drive to palmtop PCs. New Products gram can ca pture screens symbol, atomic number; a flash card. Allows you to includes descriptions of hard only in CGA graphics scan periodic data; sort by select a group of files to ware, software, books, videos, mode.) Pressing (Alt)+(3) family; show the whole peri backup, and then places training and service offerings. sends the dumps to PCX odic table; and print various them in a date-coded direc Prices listed in this section are suggested retail. You may be files. CAPLX was written by types of data. tory. By Jorgen Wallgren. Hiroyuki Sekiya (JBD00432 able to get the products for less Type: Shareware (the registration fee Type: Freeware. if you shop around. @niftyserve.or.jp). is $5.00). Available on this issue's HP Available on this issue's HP Palmtop Type: Freeware Palmtop Paper ON DISK, or from the Paper ON DISK, and also on the Web HP Palmtop Paper Staff Available on this issue's HP Palmtop program's author: Joseph F. Bork, at: www.palmtop.neVsuper.html Paper ON DISK, and also on the Web 28179 Preston Place, Westlake, OH at: www.palmtop.neVsuper.html 44145 USA. NTKPAC.ZIP • BATTERIES UN013.ZIP . The Newton Keyboard HPCLICK.ZIP • Driver allows you to connect Clicking sound utility Useful Notes (version 1.3) the Apple Newton keyboard Mack Baggette, manufactur Click is a tiny program that by Useful Software, is a to your HP 100/200LX. This er of speed and 8-MG mem adds clicking sound to the small, fast information man latest version of the driver ory upgrades, now carries a keyboard. Many users find it ager that allows you to cre (version 0.5) adds the fol special nickel metal hydride easier to type when they get ate, organize, link and lowing new features: the rechargeable (1,350 MaH) audible feedback whenever access information on elec keyboard's Apple+ \ battery for the palmtop. He the keys are pressed. Once tronic notes. (BackSlash) key combination reportedly gets about 4-6 the program is run, the click Useful notes can be thought acts as a MENU key on the weeks of use on a single ing can be toggled on or off of as being a blank pad of LX; Ctrl+Apple+ / (Slash) on charge (with light use of his by pressing (Fn)+(BACK "post-it" notes. Each time the Newton acts as the palmtop, which has a 40MB SPACE). Click was written you want to remember BREAK key on the LX; the Sundisk card always in the by Harry Konstas (72540. something, you grab the top driver works much better slot). Initial charging takes [email protected]) sheet, jot down the informa with the Filer application, about 16 hours; after that, tion, then put it wherever which uses the COM1 port Type: Freeware. you can top the batteries off you want it. Pretty soon to communicate with a PC as often as you like. Mack Available on this issue's HP Palmtop you'll have a whole bunch Paper ON DISK, and also on the Web host; several small bugs suggests using the ABC/LX at: www.palmtop.neVsuper.html of these notes. The program have been removed. Written charging software with can be run from the DOS by Toshiki Sasabe (toshiki@j. these batteries. PATCHCOM.ZIP • command line or as a TSR. email.ne.jp) Price: $12 per pair. Patchcom is a simple utility Type: Shareware. Type: Freeware. Times2Tech, 105 Maple St., Maylene, that does nothing more than Available on this issue's HP Palmtop Available on this issue's HP Palmtop AL 35114 USA; Phone: 800·239·2032, Paper ON DISK, and also on the Web connect COM1 and COM2 Paper ON DISK, and also on the Web or 205·620·1408; e·mail : mack@ at: www.palmtop.neVsuper.html at: www.palmtop.neVsuper.html times2tech .com; Web : www .times together. The program is 2tech.com handy for using your desk QVREM06.ZIP • LXGPS12.ZIP • top's internal modem with QVREMOTE is a program LXGPS (version 1.2) is a your HP palmtop. The pro to remotely control a Casio moving map GPS (Global gram;s author can be reached digital camera, the QV- SHAREWARE/FREEWARE Positioning Satellite) pro at [email protected]. 10/QV-100, from the HP gram for the 100/200LX 100/200LX. This program is Type: Copyrighted freeware. written with the PAL CAPLXI03.ZIP • Available on this issue's HP Palmtop a 200LX adaptation of libraries. The program inter Screen capture utility Paper ON DISK, and also on the Web Qvplay, created by Kenichi faces your HP palmtop to a at: www.palmtop.neVsuper.html Hayashi and itojun on a GPS receiver that communi CAPLX is a DOS TSR pro Unix platform. cates using the standard gram for capturing the PERIODIC.ZIP • screen image of the 100/ Type: Copyrighted freeware. NMEA 0183 protocol over a Available on this issue's HP Palmtop 200LX and storing the PERIODIC.ZIP contains The serial line. LXGPS can: dis Electronic Periodic Table of Paper ON DISK, and also on the Web play moving maps consist graphic data in PCX format. at: www.palmtop.neVsuper.html Once CAPLX is run (either the Elements (version 2.0), ing of user-supplied maps in which is a DOS program PCX format; provide navi from the DOS prompt or LXBACKUP .ZIP . from your AUTOEXEC.BAT that provides an easy gation-to-user-defined way file) you can create screen method for looking up an LXBackup, which is a small points, including graphical dumps from within the element, or a group of ele batch file written and com bearing indicators, distance palmtop's built-in applica- ments in the periodic table. piled with LXBatch, simpli- to waypoiont, and estimated
THE HP PALMTOP PAPER JANUARY/ FEBRUARY 1998 3 NEW PRODUCTS
time enroute; satellite tracking and sig -. - • 1 ... _~~~ " '. nal strength display; log journeys; save • _6tiIJ '~ ~ waypoints; and set your palmtop's time 1 ",,!f~~. Pdlmtop User Groups from a global positioning satellite. ~ Program by Greg Renda. Those interested in participating in an HP Palmtop users group [email protected] should contact the fol/owing individuals. Send us contact informa SPAIN - Barcelona: Julio Lazaro Crespo; Email: lazaro Type: Copyrighted freeware. tion formaUed as below ifyou wish to be added as a contact for a users group in your area. Some of the individuals listed offer mata@sumLes Available on this issue's HP Palmtop Paper ON DISK, Palmtop advice but may not be organizing an official users group. SWEDEN - Kent lIIemann; Telephone/Fax: 08- 611 4885; E and also on the Web at: www.palmtop.neVsuper.html HP Palmtop Worldwide User Group News- mail: [email protected]; or 100775.2027@ Send material about User Group activities to Conrad Cox; E-mail: compuserve. com; Also Thomas H., Tel: 46 (70) 5308970 or 76164.467 @compuserve.com; Website: www.ccnet.coml-cdcox Phone/Fax: 46 (8) 7733740; E-mail: [email protected] COMMO.ZIP . (This is a 200LX group) ARGENTINA - Buenos Aires: Miguel Angel Misseri; E-mail: Commo (version 7.5) is a high-perfor 73070.3665 @compuserve.com. Cordoba: Paul Nani; Tel: 54-51- SWITZERLAND - Alexander Gutfeldt; Landoltstrasse 28, CH- mance DOS-based telecommunications 715649; E-mail: [email protected] .ar 3007, Beme, SWITZERLAND; E-mail: 100527.2461@compuserve .com; or gutfeldt@msmail .advd.unibe.ch program that works well on the HP AUSTRALIA - Dr. Barry Collins; c/o Forensic Science Center; 100/200 LX (but doesn't work on the Tel: 08-8226-noo; E-mail: cOllib @atom.lorensic.sa.gov.au TU~KEY - Ahmet G. Gm"k; E-Irail: [email protected] HP 95LX). The program, which also AUSTRtA - Ulrich Hoesch; [email protected] UKRAINE - Linetskvy V. Oleg; Tel: (051) 36 73 51367313; Fax: (051) 24 41 25. works in Win95 and OS/2, is touted for BRAZIL- Marcos L. Pedroza; Tel: 55 84 2116162; E-mail: mpe droza@summer .com .br UNITED KINGDOM - Isleworth, Middlesex: Michael A. Brown, its speed, reliability and versatility, and MBA Group, Tel: 0181847 37n; Fax: 0181568 2402. DENMARK - Jesper E. Siig; Tel: 45 4915 60 42; Fax: 45 4916 has an easy-to-use but comprehensive Farnborough, Hampshire: David Hodges; E-mail: 1001; E-mail: [email protected];Web: http://our [email protected] macro programming language. world.compuserve.com/homepageslSiig/hpug.htm WEST INDIES - Ian Melville, c/o Frontline Marketing Agencies; EGYPT - Mohamed Farag Ahmed; Tel: 20-2-344-9680; Fax: 20- Type: Shareware. Phone: 868-642-5492; Fax:868-642-2021; E-mail: 2-344-9680; E-mail: [email protected] Available on this issue's HP Palmtop Paper ON DISK, [email protected] and also on CompuServe (HPHand, Library 9) . FRANCE - Olivier Della Valle; Tel: (1) 43 53 95 67; E-mail: [email protected] UNITED STATES: GERMANY - Eckart Prinz; Phone/Fax: +49 6151 376065. AZ-Phoenix and Tuscon - Cory L. Curtis; Tel: 602-930-9661; GERMANY / LUXEMBOURG - Gilles Kohl; E-mail: Fax 602-930-8554; E-mail: [email protected] 100114.3146@compuserve. com; Tel: +49721 693655 (after 6 palmtops @starlink.com p.m. Central European time). CA-Los Angeles - David Shier; Tel: 805-371-9391; Fax: 805- GREECE - Athens: Stavros D. Zacharakos; Tel: (+3 01) 371-9391; E-mail: [email protected]; Web sHe: http11www.shier.com 8050041; Mobile Tel: (+3) 093 254 717 24hrs.; Fax: (+3 01) 8050041...Galatsi: John Tatsiramos, c/o TAFARM, Tel: (01) CA-San Diego - Don Williams; Tel: 619-452-6267 or 619-546- 29.17.401; Fax: (01) 29.28.174. 8166; E-mail: [email protected] HOLLAND/BELGIUM - Mister G. Dongs; Tel: +31 756704205; CA-San Francisco - Conrad Cox; E-mail76164.467 @com Trans PC Card E-mail: [email protected] puserve.com Universal Parallel Port HONG KONG - Rm 8, 20/F, Blk B, Wah Kai Ind Center, 221 CO-Denver - Bill Hoeltgen; Tel: 303-933-0023; Fax: 303-971- Texaco Rd., Tsuen Wan, Hong Kong; Tel: 2409 0969; Fax: 2407 0347. 0782; E-mail: [email protected]. GA-Atfanta, - AK Avasthi, Tel: 770471-1389. HUNGARY - Zonan Matok, ORbitRADE Hungary Ltd.; E-mail: IL-Chicago - Ahmet G. Ozisik; E-mail: ago @ibm.net zmatok @orbitrade.albahu; Tel: 36 22 327 687; Fax: 36 22 327 784. KS-Manhattan - Marietha Wilson; Tel: 913-532-9775. INDONESIA - Chris Wibisono: E-mail: cwjto630 @dnet.net.id MA-Boston - Bryan Krauthamer; Tel: 617-374-9600 x 197 Dirk H. Eversbert, c/o P.T. Austindo Mitratama, Mr. Elman (work); Fax: 617-374-9620; CompuServe ID: [70444.41[. Sunarlio, JI. Gunung Sahari 2/6E, Jakarta 10610, INDONESIA. MI-Detroit - Jeff Zom; Tel: 313-489-1855 ITALY - Mr. Andrea Valdre; Tel: 39-6-87295.205; Fax: 39-6- 87295-215; E-mail: [email protected]; AlsoSalvatore ME-Orono - University Palmtop Use~s Group; E-mail: palm Fiorenzo; Tel: 39-933-8120; Fax: 39-665-7295 [email protected]; Website: www.tree.netlpalmtop MN-Minneapolis - Beth Silverwater; Tel: 612-541-5631; Fax: PC Card with Parallel Port and Instant File Transfer JAPAN - Georg O. P. Eschert; Tel: 040 1206980; Fax: 0249 21 4050. (Languages: German, English and Japanese) 612-541-5636; E-mail: [email protected] Trans PC Card adds the Parallel Port making your Palmtop KOREA- Song, Taejin, M.D.; Tel: 82-11-317-4288; E-mail: NJINY-New York - Stanley Dobrowski; Tel: 201-807-5857 100% real PC, 50 now you can connect parallel devices like placebc@chollian. dacom.co.kr (work); E-mail: [email protected] 100MB Zip, etc. and fast print to standard parallel printers. MEXICO - Francisco Bricio; Tel: (3) 6841317; E-mail: OH--<:Ieveiand - Craig de Fasselle, clo MEM, Inc., 4702 East 355th Programs for Instant (no installation or setup) transfer - 74174.1442 @compuserve.com ; Guadalajara: Juan Pablo De la St., Willoughby, OH 44094. synchronization and management of files between PCs are Monja; Tel: (523) 601-0358 (office); Fax: (523) 601-0865; E-mail: OK-Oklahoma City - Richard B. Meek; Tel: 405-842-1267. on the Card flash to save system memory. The Card (Type I, [email protected] with very low power draw) upon insertion becomes drive A:. PA4iershey - Gayle J. Leininger, E-mail: gleining @cathlab. car NEW ZEALAND - Jonathan H S Cheng; Office Tel: (025) 343- dio.hmc.psu.edu ; Gary L. Wizar, E-mail: gwizar @cathlab. Programs on Card run under DOS 5.0 and Windows using 570; E-Mail: [email protected] familiar XCOPY syntax or point and shoot intertace. Included cardio.hmc .psu.edu PANAMA / LATIN AMERICA - Aviran Yanir; Tel: 507 4410442; cable (used also for connection to peripherals) allows for SC-<:harleston - Ron Rivers, P.O. Box 31284, Charleston, SC transfer between the Card in Palmtop and PC standard Fax: 507-441-0473; E-mail: [email protected] parallel port at 30 KB/sec - 60X faster than Puma's 29417-1284; Tel: 800-864-8444; E-mail: 75023.44 @compu IntelliSync. PHILIPPINES - Carlos: Caliwara; Tel: (632) 8906229 to 36, serve.com extensions 120 & 121; Fax: (632) 9285635;E-mail: TX-Houston - Houston Area Palmtop Users Group; Tel: 713- [email protected] Trans PC Card with Trans Flex Cable, Manual, 7n-0868; E-mail: h·oracek @iapc.net Quick Reference and backup disk is $179.00 PORTUGAL - PPTUG; TeVFax: 351-1-2597216; E-mail: Washington, DC - Rick Shaddock, c/o Computer Instructors sulplano@individual. eunet.pt For more information and dealer nearest you please call: Corporation, Tel: 703-486-2222; E-mail: [email protected] SINGAPORE - Chaikin Koon; 334-B King George's Avenue, SIN '. Trans Digital Corporation WA-Bellevue - Suzanne Ow; E-mail: [email protected] 3517 Marconi Ave, Suite 203 GAPORE 208571; E-mail: chaikin @pacific.net.sg WEST INDIES - Ian Melville Frontline Marketing Agencies; Sacramento, CA 95821 SOUTH AFRICA - Don Hoggan; 19 Somers Road, Clarendon c/o Tel: (916) 482-5599 • Fax: (916) 482-5598 Tel: 868-642-5492 Fax: 868-642-2021; E-mail: [email protected] 3201 Pietermaritzburg; Fax 27331 943238; E-mail Email: [email protected]
4 THE HP PALMTOP PAPER JANUARY/ FEBRUARY 1998 i1 litLU ~l ~u www.thaddeus . com MAG A Z I N E How will you know if it is time to give up your HP100 or 200LX? It's Simple. Subscribe to Handheld PC Magazine! Subscribe and learn about Windows CE hardware and software advances. Read about the 100's of third party solutions. Study Handheld PC profiles. Glance at tips and tricks. Check out the best web sites. Handheld PC Magazine has the color and features you expect in a focused computer magazine, while still retaining the flavor and philosophy of The HP Palmtop Paper. In other words, if you like The HP Palmtop Paper, you'll like Handheld PC Magazine.
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.. .. . ll1~l~llLLLtlll ~ G- ll1~l~llLLLtlll ~ LL Annual Windows·CE BUYER'S GUIDE Mail The Reply Card Today! CALL: 800-373-6114· OUTSIDE U.S. CALL: 1-515-472-6330 COMPUSERVE: 76125,1773· E-MAIL: [email protected]· FAX: 1-515-472-1879 VISIT us ON THE WEB: www.thaddeus.com ___~ __ Thaddeu~ Computing INC • 110 North Court, Fairfield, IA 52556 NEW S NEW S NEW S NEW S NEW S This Is A Hoax!
The following "press release" was sent to our editors bye-mail. If it were only true. (It isn't.)
PALlO ALTERNATE, Calif. party business applications. Pc. HP is not correcting its admit (BUSINESS WIRE), April 1st, 1997: HP will now need to deliver ted error by bringing the useful fea Hewlett-Packard Company today new software to manage the HP tures of its HP 300LX series to the introduced the HP 260LX Palmtop 260LX palmtop PC as a component DOS environment. PC with Micro$oft® DOS 6.2, in the business, scientific or educa Coming in late 1997, HP's palm expanding to its award-winning tional environment. The ability to top PC family will further advance family of DOS Palmtop PCs. support fully mature software will the industry with the addition of a HP leads the palmtop PC mar lower a corporation's total cost of color-display model, the HP ket by concentrating on key cus ownership of computing products, 260LXC palmtop Pc. tomer needs, such as screen size, while giving network administra quality, total cost of ownership, and tors a simple, standardized means Availability, Pricing and Support a variety of operating systems. The of managing the computing assets. The HP 260LX palmtop PC is HP 260LX offers such breakthrough Other advantages of the HP 260LX expected to ship in late 1997 and features as a full-width, 16-grey palmtop PC include the high-con will be available through corporate scale, high-contrast screen with nat trast display with 16 grey shades, res ellers, as well as retail locations. ural white backlight. In late 1997, increasing visibility and clarity. A The HP 260LX has an estimated HP expects to further enhance its month-view PIM has been stan street price of $499 (U.S.). The low palmtop PC line with the HP dard for years. A dedicated storage initial price is intended to apolo 260LXC, a color-display model. slot for CompactFlash cards will gize to the 200LX's loyal customer "HP is a recognized leader in the leave the PC card slot free for a base for the foolish foray into the palmtop PC category, having now modem connection. The HP 260LX WinCE OS. It is backed by a ten turned from Windozs CE to deliver palmtop PC also comes with 16MB year unlimited warranty that offers a full-width, 640- x 240-pixel screen of RAM; 10MB of ROM; and an same-day, express-pickup-and to the DOS market," said Dennis improved Hornet chip with an delivery service. HP's color-display Hamann, worldwide marketing integrated 80486 class processor, palmtop PC, the HP 260LXC palm manager of HP's Asia Pacific PC which significantly enhances per top PC, is expected to be available Division. "By advancing the role of formance and speed. in early 1998. the DOS palmtop and offering a For owners of the popular, lIP's Growing Palmtop PC Family: new color model, HP substantially award-winning HP 200LX palmtop Value, Performance and Color advances its leadership position in PC, who purchased their units at the handheld industry." HP secured and solidified its any time, HP offers a free 260LX industry leadership with products upgrade. The lIP 260LX Palmtop PC such as its scientific calculator, circa Information on HP's upgrade Breaks Ground 1972, and its DOS-based palmtop program and additional informa Based on the DOS 6.2 operating PCs. HP took the handheld catego tion on HP palmtop PCs can be system, the HP 260LX offers corpo ry down a blind alley with the found on the World Wide Web at rate customers significant advan introduction of its Micro$oft http://www.hp.com/back_on_tra tages in mobile computing, includ Windows CE-based palmtop PCs ck, or by calling 800lim-sorry. ing easy PC synchronization and - including the HP 320LX, the first compatibility with familiar 3rd wide-screen, Windows CE palmtop
6 THEHPPALMTOPPAPER JANUARY/ FEBRUARY 1998 THE FUTURE IS IN YOUR HANDS
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~!.",~.:t_~' ,.iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii, ... ~...... iiiiiiiiii~ .. " I§'. , /V¢! The HP Palmtop Paper's CD InfoBase ~ ..... "" ...... ~ - ~,,..,.,..,-!,,,..."'" - .• - TIffi HP Palmtop NEW 1998 2-CD DELUXE EDmON: Buy or Upgrade "1be contents of the CD are great! I love having Paper's '98 CD In/oBase This Windows 2-CD set contains in hypenext searchable format all 1991-97 The HP Palmtop Papers, all the infonnation in one detailed adveniser product deSCriptions, HP 200LX User's GUide, HP100!200n OOLX Developer's Guide, single place instead of and complete DOS and 1-2-3 MicroRef manuals. You'll also find over 1000 pieces of freeware and having to search through shareware from the 1991-97 ON DISK collection/Subscriber PowerDisk!Developer's Guide plus 1000 piles of paper. " The HP Palmtop Paper's CD InfoBase e-text classics readable on the Palmtop. Thomas Rundel The HP Palmtop Paper PC In Your Pocket UP Palmtop bbok: Ideal for users, great gift for interested friends "The HP Palmtop Paper has saved me The editors nf The HP Palmtop Paper have organized some of countless hours offrustration" - Steve Mitchell their best material into a readable, practical book about the HP Subscribe Today! Included with your subscription Palmtop. The book is filled with hundreds of real-life examples are the follOWing one time bonuses: of the HP Palmtop's features and capabilities. Busy professionals • Best Tips • PC Card Review • Subscriber PowerDisk describe how they use the HP Palmtop to organize their time, information, and money to be more effective. Order directly !l7.. ';'.::;::~=-' Order back issues of The HP Palmtop from us and we'll include a disk containing most of the software ::::::;.:',',.:;...... Paper while they last mentioned in the book. Written both for users and for those Like the HP Palmtop? There's plenty of useful informa considering purchasing an HP Palmtop. PC In Your Pocket tion already published. HP 95LX users will especially benefit from nineteen 1991-94 issues, and HP 100LX and HP 200LX users will appreciate the eighteen 1995-97 (;fip Handheld PC Magazine The HP Palmtop Paper issues, Included is a Subscriber PowerDisk. Interested in Microsoft's new Windows CE operating system? What better way to stay HP 100/200IX Developer's Guide on top of it than with a magazine from the publishers of The HP Palmtop Paper?
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Get all the great freeware and shareware you read about in each issue of The HP Palmtop Paper. This invaluable supplement to The HP Palmtop Paper also contains detailed infor mation from advenisers plus the full text of The HP Palmtop Paper for text search, HP 1OO /200LX Developer's Guide PLUS: Each year we compile the best palmtop tips and the best freeware and share ware and put it on two 1.44 Meg floppy disks. Included FREE with your The HP Thaddeus Palmtop Paper ON DISK subscription, or can be purchased separately, Computing INC Publisher: nJe HP Palmtop Paper and Handbeld PC MagaZine 110 North Court, Faitfield, IA 52556 TO ORDER: Please use either 800-373-6114· 1-515-472-6330 "Best Tips ON DISK" comes free with The HP Fax: 1-515-472-1879' E-Mail: [email protected] of t he order cards in t his issue. Palmtop Paper ON DISK subscription NEWS NEWS NEWS NEWS NEWS
User to User: EduCALC Closes Its Doors
Why did this major palmtop dealer go out of business I and what effect will its demise have on HP 100j200LX users?
By Hal Goldstein
fter 20 years of business, supplied for free, or at cost to des consumer mentality. More funda A EduCALC closed its doors perate users, hard-to-get parts and mentally, it has to do with where December 31, 1997. What a out-of-date manuals. calculators and palmtops are, in the shame. Its closing truly marks the We (Thaddeus Computing) product life-cycle. I would imagine end of an era. began almost 13 years ago. For a that when TVs (or cars) were first In the early '70s, Hewlett time we were in competition with invented, there were knowledge Packard engineers invented the EduCALC as we both sold HP able pioneering dealers who really pocket calculator. In a way that Portable products and services. knew and loved their product. That marked the beginning of the per When the palmtop era began, must have given way to the busi sonal computer era, as calculating EduCALC advertised with us ness of selling TVs, as TVs became power gradually became available almost right from the start. Even commodities and part of big busi to everyone. HP continued through when competing, I always had ness. the early '90s to pioneer handheld great respect for them. Of course, On the surface of it, HP and calculation, and in 1991 it invented they were in business to make a "price-is-everything" consumer the HP 95LX palmtop Pc. profit. But they really cared about consciousness deserves the blame EduCALC was there almost their customers, and they were for the demise of EduCALC. I've from the start to support "geeks," enthusiastic about the platform chronicled some of this in past well before it was "in" and lucra they supported. tive to be a geek. EduCALC sup HP benefited from EduCALC in Detect/Plot Radioactivity On Your HP 100/200LX ported progressive scientists, engi innumerable ways. At one point neers, and businesspeople who EduCALC sent out half of a million Complete RM 60 System: $149.50 catalogs educating people around wanted the latest and best of HF .-.." I '··~~-p.~.; ,.. - .7,~? calculator technology and add-ons. the world about HP calculators and . -. ~ .:r).{<.f-!:{i"~.u .... == EduCALC CEO, Jim Carter, regu continued to print one million cata '. ,.,.I _ - ...... '"f:- .. larly published a catalog that not logs per year until 1997. The fact ' ... - ~-~ -~ only enthusiastically sold, but edu that EduCALC provided technical i- \ m;- c. .. -.. c_ '...:--1 cated consumers about HP calcula support and supplied hard-to-find tor products. parts saved HP lots of dollars and While EduCALC aggressively made for a much happier customer priced products, at the same time base. Market information that VISA I Me I EURO (thanks to the expertise of Richard EduCALC supplied HP must have 1iJ order or for more informatiol! call: Nelson) it also provided free tech been invaluable. (800) 729-5397 - 45 day $ back. nical support on the products it So why is EduCALC closing its AWARE doors and what does it mean to us? Electronics= sold. Richard, with EduCALC's There are a number of reasons, I P.O. Box 4299, Wilmington DE 19807 support, helped sponsor not-for PhonelFax: (302) 655 .. 3800 profit user groups, freeware disks, think, why EduCALC can't contin E-mail: [email protected] and conferences. EduCALC also ue. It has to do with HP and with Visit us at: http://www.aw-el.com
THE HP PALMTOP PAPER JANUARY/ FEBRUARY 1998 9 NEWS: User To User columns, but HP made a number of ing a toll-free number and getting So perhaps this is just natural decisions, as well as several blun pre-sales or post-sales support evolution. However, when the ders, that severely damaged the HP from EduCALC, but then, going EduCALCs of the world can no calculator and HP 200LX market. and purchasing the product else longer do business, something is HP has decided that "industry where. When those same con lost. My wife, reading this over my standard" products have a much sumers needed a latch or a screw shoulder, asked me, so what? Why better chance at a wide following or a manual, they called EduCALC. will your readers care? I'm not than the existing high-end niche palmtop and calculator market. In the same way that under $500 HP almtops and calculators in the future will be cheaper, more Deskjet printers can be found P easy to use, and more advanced technologically. But they will everywhere, HP wants to be the premier source for handhelds. That be a commodity, and much of the enjoyment of shared discovery at is why HP is strongly supporting being at the leading edge of a new technology is coming to an end. the Windows CE operating system...... I In the meantime, the R&D and marketing of HP calculators and OK. So, HP is to blame. We con sure. Readers that know of HP 200LX palmtops seemed to sumers wanting to save a few dol EduCALC and have been served have virtually disappeared. To top lars are to blame. But I think what by them will probably be interest it off, HP grossly underestimated is really going on is the natural ed. I guess I am trying to make the the demand for 200LXs in 1997. product cycle. Computers, calcula point that the golden age of calcu That meant that for about a five tors, palmtops are no longer lators and palmtop computing may month period retailers couldn't get unique (or at least they are no have passed. palmtops to resell. That not only longer perceived or marketed as Palmtops and calculators in the severely hurt EduCALC, but it such). It is no longer just the vision future will be cheaper, more easy damaged us and most HP Palmtop aries that buy these products. to use, and more advanced techno Paper advertisers. Every school child has a calculator. logically. Eventually, they may At the same time, consumers . If Microsoft and HP have their even be more useful. But they will have been increasingly spoiled by way, every Windows user will be a commodity, and much of the computer superstores. Why pur have a handheld Pc. enjoyment of shared discovery at chase a palmtop or calculator from HP is a huge corporation, and it 'being at the leading edge of a new EduCALC when for $5 to $45 less no longer can afford to have an technology is coming to an end. you can purchase it at a super entire division devoted to selling As I mentioned in a previous store? Further, since EduCALC and 100,000 palmtops a year with editorial, we plan to stay in busi other of our advertisers such as diminishing margins. They must ness supporting 95LX/100LXj- Shier Systems are palmtop experts, sell 500,000 a year. They must do so 200LX users for some time. Based many consumers think little of call- through superstores and large cor on our renewals and a very positive porate sales. EduCALC and response selling upgrades, we will Two-Way Thaddeus Computing may have make it at least to the year 2000, Conversational Translator served a purpose, but they are no and most likely beyond. Because of longer part of the game plan. The HP Palmtop Paper and our large For 14 LII"gullges! As new HP people and new mailing lists, we are ideally situated You can't translate a foreign document with Entente, but you can do everything else: talk to foreigners and under· divisions take over calculator and to serve HP Palmtop customers as stand their replies, discuss even complex issues, print infor· palmtop marketing, the chances long as people continue to use and mal translations or send them as e·mail. Entente uses no plurals nor conjugated verbs, so translations often sound are they have little or no knowl value the 200LX. We will be selling funny, but the system is easy, understandable, and accurate. edge of the contribution and accu a large variety of palmtop-related Ask WHERE IS ... , and get the translated reply THE SHOP OF COMPUTER BE NEAR OF THE BIG CHURCH. Get informa· mulated wisdom of EduCALC or products, and we will be doing tion you need.Talk to the whole world! Thaddeus Computing. At the same repair work. 1. Entente· English to & from any language below: $79.95 time, relatively small companies As I have mentioned in the past, (aU prices postpaid.) 2, Entente II -Any language to & ftom any other, e.g.. (20-40 people) such as EduCALC my 200LX continues to be my Russian to French, wi 2 languages: $99.95 and Thaddeus Computing don't "main," most important computer. 3. Additional Iangnages @$39.95: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, German, Hungarian, Italian,]apanese, really have the resources to com For the most part, Windows CE 2.0 Korean, Polish, Portugnese, Russian, Serbo-Croatian, Spanish. pete in a much more price-sensi is a step in the right direction. For HP IOO/200LX or VGA comp"ters. tive, "product is a commodity" Color screens are appealing. But Entente environment. Our strength has nothing yet comes close to what I \441 Mariposa Avellue, Boulder CO 80302 been in our ability to support cus can do with my 8 meg double 800-409-1701 tomers, not move boxes. speed 200LX.
10 THEHPPALMTOPPAPER JANUARY/ FEBRUARY 1998 REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW
The lIP Palmtop Software Kit Yellow Computing's new connectivity package bridges the gap between Windows 95/NT/3.1x desktop computers and the HP 200/100/700 LX Palmtops, provides easy, window-to-window backup of palmtop files, and more.
By Tom Gibson
new connectivity product, Book and Appointment Book, and CD and Acrobat reader. The setup A The HP Palmtop Software Minitel software, which enables in Windows 3.1x is similarly pain Kit, is now available. you to use an HP 200LX as a less, and the CD has a nice graphi Included in the kit, which is distrib Minitel terminal. (However, as the cal interface that is pleasant to look uted by Yellow Computing, is Minitel software can only be put to at. (See Screen 2.) Transfile Win 200, a connectivity good use in France, it is only avail The shareware section of the software package that allows you to able in French.) package contains approximately connect your PC desktop computer The Windows versions of the 320 pieces of software in such cate (running Windows 95/NT / 3.1x) to Phone Book and Appointment gories as applications, tools, pic your HP 100/200/700LX and trans Book allow you to enter and edit tures and sounds, games, program fer files between the two computers data into these applications on ming, science and technology, (See Screen 1). Maximum baud rate your desktop computer, then easily databases, communications, as well for transfer is 56,200. copy the files to your palmtop. as miscellaneous files. The package also allows you to Also on the CD is shareware You are able to view the file backup the palmtop to the desktop for the HP Palmtops, Videos, the details in two different modes. The by simply dragging and dropping HP Omnigo 700LX Quick Refe first mode (see Screen 3.) shows the relevant files from one window rence Guide and 200LX manual short descriptions of the files, and to another. (both in Adobe Acrobat format), contains a small screen capture Because the Transfile Win 200 and E-text from the Project capability. The second mode (see interface is similar to the familiar Gutenberg library of electronic text. Screen 4.) provides more detailed Filer interface that we are all used to Setting up the CD on a descriptions of the files, as well as a on our palmtops, it's real easy to Windows 95 machine is as simple larger screen capture function. use. And since the connectivity soft-, as putting the CD into the CD tray. When you have found a piece ware comes equipped with English, The Autorun file starts the installa of software that you are interested German, Spanish and French ver tion and gives you the choice of in putting on your palmtop, you sions, the package should have a where you want to put the files can select the Transfile Win 200 large international appeal. that are copied to the hard drive, button from the shareware page In addition to the Transfile and also asks if you want to install and download the file to your HP Win 200 software, the kit also con the free Adobe Acrobat reader. It Palmtop right then and there. This tains a serial connectivity cable for then sets up the icons for both the is certainly a nice feature to have the HP Palmtops, a serial-to-paral leI converter, a 3.5-inch diskette with Transfile Win 200 on it, and a ABOUT THE AUTHOR CD containing the HP Palmtop Tom Gibson is Technical Editor as well as Chief Information Software Kit. Officer at Thaddeus Computing in Fairfield, IA. Tom lives with The CD contains the connectiv his wife Julie and two sons Raymond and Ryan. He is an avid ity software, Transfile Win 200, golfer, playing to an 8 handicap when his career permits. He Windows versions of the Phone can be reached at [email protected]
THE HP PALMTOP PAPER JANUARY/ FEBRUARY 1998 11 REVIEW: The HP Palmtop Software KIt available, and prevents you from loaded to the HP Palmtop. having to write down the filename The Transfile Win 200 software and location of the file for later has been available free on Hewlett downloading. Packard's Handheld Web page Some of the shareware items (http://hpcc920.external.hp.com/ included on the CD are ABC/LX, handheld/). However, there is so DBCALC, PALEDIT, FLEXPAD, much more in The HP Palmtop VR, F-PROT, BATlOO, PKZIP. Also Software Kit in addition to included are many other programs Transfile Win 200, that the larger that have been mentioned and package should be seriously con included in The HP Palmtop Paper, sidered by those who want to Screen 1. The Transfile Win 200 interface The HP Palmtop Paper ON DISK, expand the usefulness of their looks like this on your desktop PC. and our HP Palmtop Paper CD palmtop computer. InfoBase, as well as a few that we have never had in the past. There is a pretty good mix of different kinds of shareware in the approxi mately 320 files on the CD. lIP's PIM Software There are five videos included on this CD: an Omnigo 700 promo For several years HP has qui tional video, an Omnigo 700 user's etly shipped Windows versions video, a 200LX user's video, a video of HP palmtop PhoneBook, showing a Russian Cosmonaut on ApptBook, and HP Calc with the space station MIR using his HP OmniBook laptops and HP 200LX to remind him to call the desktop Vectras and Pavilions. Screen 2. The graphical interface allows for earth, and an Omnigo 700 German Using this software on a quick access to the CD's different sections. video. These are all cute, but are desktop lets you access your HP really just marketing videos from palmtop PhoneBook, ApptBook, Hewlett-Packard. and solver files in the Windows The included manuals are in . environment on your desktop. Adobe Acrobat Reader format and Although this software is for are hyper-text. This means that, if the HP Omnibook and is not you are viewing, for instance, the supported by HP for other Table of Contents, and you see a machines, we have been suc section that you want to go to, you cessfully using it on the HP move the mouse cursor over the 100/200LX for some time. This section you are interested in. This PIM software is on Thaddeus causes a hand icon on the screen to Computing's 1998 CD InfoBase. turn to a pointing finger, telling you that this is a hyperlink. If you Screen 3. This mode allows you to view short now click the left mouse button, descriptions of the files on the CD. Commercial products you are taken to that section of the mentioned in this article manual. It's super easy. The E-Text (electronic text) included is from the Project All prices are manufacturer's suggested Gutenberg, and contains about 32 retail price. It may be possible to purchase the product for less at third-party vendors. E-Texts, ranging from the Communist Manifesto by Friedrich HP Palmtop Software Kit - . Engels, to Aesop's Fables, to Price: 129,000 DM. Doctor Dolittle, by Hugh Lofting. CONTACT: Yellow Computing, Again, you can download the Computersystem GmgH, Postfach E-Text directly to your connected 1136, D-74173 Bad Friedrichshall, palmtop by highlighting the file Germany. Phone: +49 (0)7136/951143; you are interested in and clicking Fax: -49 (0)7136/951111. E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.yel Screen 4. A second mode provides more on the Install Book button. The low.de detailed descriptions of the files on the CD. E-Text section also has two differ ent readers that can be down-
12 THE HP PALMTOP PAPER JANUARY/FEBRUARY 1998 OW TO USE YOUR PALMTOP USER PROFILE
HP Palmtop Helps Campus-Roaming Technical Support Expert Save Time and Money
The 200LX palmtop helps this technician cut down on costs by keeping vital information at his fingertips.
By Bob Clark
first glance the problem Keeps 4,000 pes running Obviously, all technicians carry A. seemed simple enough to I am part of the technical support small notebooks containing tips, solve. Because my job as a staff that services the small-com tricks, and memory joggers. But technical support person was puter needs of approximately 4,000 notebooks have several weakness transferred to Utah, my spouse and pes and a dozen or so NetWare es. They are clumsy tools for rapid I expected a separation of four to and Windows NT servers. retrieval, input, and transmission six months. I wanted to find a tool The boon and bane of small of information. Also, integration of that would allow me to send and computer technical support are data contained on several sheets of receive e-mail with her, track multiple standards for small com paper into one sheet is a time-con expenses, and act as a decent per puters. Every customer expects me suming and error-prone process. sonal information manager. I antic to know or be familiar with every More than 6-Mb of data ipated using whatever new "toy" I standard that applies to his or her bought for six to twelve months. unique computing environment. In To manage the cost of my output I After looking at a variety of the previous six months I resolved focus on several benefits of my 2- handheld computers, I selected the problems with three different net Mb 200LX. First is its portability. Hewlett-Packard 200LX. That was work clients, five telnet applica Second is storage capacity. I have an act of serendipity. Today, I prac tions, three asynchronous commu six megabytes of technical support tically cannot conceive of perform nication applications, three operat data stored on a SanDisk 10Mb ing my job without the 200LX. ThEl ing systems, five operating system FlashDisk. (Actually, I have two little box enables me to manage the environments, two business appli SanDisk 10Mb FlashDisks.) Ap cost of my output effectively. cation suites, four different types of pointments are stored on my C: \ I cut down on the cost by limit print servers, and two significantly drive. You can imagine the stack of ing the time I need to research different types of file servers. paper that represents! solutions to problems. Reducing the amount of time I spend on a ABOUT THE AUTHOR problem lessens my customer's cost of doing business. Time is Bob Clark is a native of Virginia. He received a B.A. from Allentown College of St. Francis de Sales and has taken a variety money, and there is a finite amount of courses in data communications and computer science. Prior of both to accomplish any particu to moving to Utah, Bob lived in the Pacific Northwest for ten lar task. Those minutes I shave off years. There he met his ever-patient wife, Jane. Certified to teach resolving a problem are minutes Hunter Education in Washington State, Bob tries to escape the that reduce the overall cost of my digital world and visit the National Forests whenever possible. customer's products. He can be reached via e-mail [email protected].
THE HP PALMTOP PAPER JANUARY/FEBRUARY 1998 13 HOW TO USE: Campus Technical Support Expert MeMO: CHARS.TXT were written specifically for the ~ ~ 200LX and greatly improve its func tionality. abcdefghiJkl~nopqr5~UVWXYZ• The 200LX allows me to cus ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ tomize a very useful and very per 0123456789 sonal environment that reflects the ! @ItS"'&: ( ) [] {} ; : ' .. <)? ~ -% ... way I think.
Screen 1. This is what the screen looks like with the palmtop's default font. An appointment that runs a macro I have set up a daily appointment in the palmtop's ApptBook so that every morning as I am driving to abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyZ work the appointment runs a ABCDEFGHI JKLMNOPQRSTUUWXVZ System Macro that's assigned to the 0123456789 Fn+Fl function key. (See Screen 3.) , @ItS ... ·&: ( ) [ ] {} ; : ...... <)7_ .. -Z ... This macro, which I've labeled "Morning," (See Screen 4.) opens the Screen 2. The screen looks slightly different when HELV200 loads its Helvetica-like font. The three appropriate files in the follow author prefers this look, finding it cleaner. ing three applications - NoteTaker,
l tifi1 Database and PhoneBook. ljiElFi : *i1i1a Appo i .~ .~ .~ .~ .~ .~ .~ .~Y .~ .~ .~ ...... m ...... _ .~ ._!+¥.!~.~ ~@!!ffi..t!. ~. i Oescr: i pt i on iUUU ...... __ . Start I i me :~ :. ??~:ii\ ...... Start Qate :. 1I?'1 ~Z. 1~~ ? ...... NoteTaker - I have an .NDB file End Tl.me No . Consecyt i ve Days i"'j that contains frequently accessed Lo!;.ation tips, tricks, and configurations for software applications, printers, and [~el:3:~:: ~Q ::: C~:::e:tatus : c~s~::th workstations. The electronic Note Hote ...... ~ Taker enables me to carry a vast .:~· iWiiii;i;iiiiiijj!iijiijjjjj_ii ··· jjiji_ i onmiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiLiij:i¥ij · · iii;;i;i;;i;:;;jjj;i ·~i ·~id amount of information that can be retrieved quickly. I do not have to Screen 3. At 6:55 a.m. each weekday this appointment runs the system macro that's assigned to lug around a lot of books, and I do the Fn+F1 function key. not have to return to my shop to research a problem. Right there in n+ : ol-n 1 ng the field, at my fingertips, I can see Fn+F2 : Ticket database if a similar problem has cropped up Fn+F3: Home before, and what was the solution. Fn+F4: Punch i n database Fn+F5: Friends Database - Three databases may Fn+F6: HoursWorked be used during the course of a day: Fn+F7: QuickHours PUNCHIN, IPIP, and TICKET. Fn+F8 : CustSyslnfo The PUNCHIN database, (See Fn+F9: Screen 5 next page) which is loaded Fn+F10:NetTamer 1.10 first, is a personal time clock which I M;tq.:WM:tiD. ·"I¥'· .- use to track how many hours I work. (I periodically turn these time Screen 4. The author uses a number of different system macros. The macro that's assigned to the Fn+F1 key opens files in his NoteTaker, Database, and Phone Book applications. sheets in, and they get tabulated and sent to another state. Sometimes, Third is speed. Because the HEL V200 makes the HP 200LX's however, the official tally doesn't 200LX is a computer, it quickly characters more readable, (See jibe with my own totals. That's stores and retrieves information. Screens 1 and 2). when the PUCHIN database on my Finally, an intangible strength of the Max DOS, which unloads and palmtop becomes really helpful in 200LX is its creative community of loads the System Manager from resolving the problem.) hobbyist programmers. Three pro memory, allows larger DOS applica The IPIP database contains grams that originated from this tions like Net-Tamer . to run, while everything I need to know to get a community are loaded every time I Buddy provides two-button macro client's TCP lIP capability enabled boot my 200LX: HEL V200 . , Max execution and battery status informa or restored (i.e., to get the client con DOS . , and Buddy • . tion at a glance. All three programs nected to the Internet). (See Screen 6 next page) In the database are the
14 THEHPPALMTOPPAPER JANUARY/ FEBRUARY 1998 alpha and numeric addresses for a DataiJase:PUNCHIN Data Item variety of sub-networks, servers, Datei:~ : :~:Z:~::~:Z:~::~:~:?::::::::::! and gateways. Included as record Time I n i:?'::=:::9.:9.:~:iJ.i:::::::::J attributes are administrator names, Type of Hours iH:i?:I:Li:J.:~:¥':::::::::::::::: : :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::8 phone numbers, pager numbers, 0 iI~::=:::9.:9.:~:iJ.i:::::] and other like data. This database Lun ch ut is extremely practical, and allows Lunch In iI?:=:::9.:9.:r.:iJ.i:::::] me to quickly get a system going. Time Out E'(::::9.:9.:r.:iJ.i::::::::::] Even if the customer knows only Tota I Hours i:9.:~:::'::9.:9.:::::::::::::::J Notes ,...... ···················1 the nickname of the system, I can still retrieve its IP address. For example, if you look at .;I3I'.. ~r; ...;m.¥M.ai,t.. M .. i'''_Wi 4£M_;rmJiM Screen 6 you can see in the Notes Screen 5. In this customized database, the author logs how many hours he works each day. field a line saying "sable=bOl comp." If I go to a user and load a .- 5e: IP IP 11/13/97 8:52 terminal emulator on his PC, I'll I P A I ph as :!;J.l,!p.p.¥.,".I".Ic::t"!.l,!p.9..Q".I".IiQ,c::.Q".I .. ······························ .... ::::::::::.::: .:::: say to him, "What is your applica Adm i n i strator i EF.~i:lT.f.i§iJ.i~$. :::: Adm i n Phone :?",f?!?c?..!?... tion?" Since users tend to know A I ternate : §I~ijt(J.§f.i:ti$.§ij :::: A It Uo i ce :?';i'J.!?:i?~: . .. , only their application name, he App I i cat i on : t::.9.~i; .. :::: : :: Env i ronment [q:8:~~?'?'i?:::· may answer, "Sable." But from my Apps poe P~f.( ::§ordon ·; poe Phone :?;Eii??~.. vantage point, that's almost useless Entry Date 1470471997 , Entry Time :~::'~~~:iJ.i. . , information. Emu I at or :T:E.J.f(:~??i? .: : : :: . . . Notes [ 8Q-"'~~~T.i?i?~ : SABLE=B01cO'i'fp ...... Searching the database M:tqlrw.·r;G--;mww-w.,i.••• "W-Ui4'w_;r:m- 'i¥i"-¥j' t However, if I press F4 (find) on the Screen 6. In this database, the Notes field is really important because it stores the application nick palmtop and enter "sable,", the names. This record contains data for an IBM mainframe which hosts several unrelated applications. database application searches the .GDB file until it finds the text - .- "sable." (In the IBM mainframe Hours: ~Total hours~ NoV Def I ne Fie I (I example, the mainframe is host to Field Name Optional Formatting at least two applications, "sable" Ticket Number Hidth ~5 I OK Date Assigned and "XOl." The actual name that Customer @ heft Phone the IBM mainframe uses for the Prob Desc o ~enter [ Cance l I o Hi ght "sable" app is "bOlcomp.") '.o a- ours Date Completed If the customer knows only the D ~uppress line if empty name of his application, I can use D Reverse name the Find function to identify the IP _:rgttM address and point of contact. Is using this database more Screen 7. This smart clip will cause only the "Total hours" and "Notes" fields to be printed. expensive than paper? Yes, but the advantage is that I do not waste the you do for ticket 83240?" The need to do to complete a job takes a user's time, and I do not waste my TICKET database on my palmtop long time and requires a lot of dif time researching the problem. My enables me to answer that type of ferent tasks. It's at these times that palmtop allows me to solve the question by using the database's my palmtop really helps out with problem right in the field. Find feature. the paperwork part of my job. Here's how I use the database. The third database is named Printing the Note and Time fields TICKET. At my place of work, First I open the database applica tion and load the TICKET file. The 8.5"xll" paper "ticket" for technical support tasks are each job has printed information assigned to technicians by a "tick Then I press F4 (find) and enter the ticket number I'm looking for, and on only half of the page (i.e., the et," which is an 8.5"xll" sheet of other half of the page is blank). the database application searches paper. Unfortunately, with the cur After completing the job, I place rent system, once I've completed a through the .GDB file for the num ber. This can take some time, espe the sheet of paper into a dot-matrix task, the ticket gets returned to the printer, scroll halfway down the person who sent it to me. cially if I have the database search through the notes, and/or I have a sheet, then tell the 200LX to print Technicians like me are then the ticket's Note and Time fields. unable to answer with precision large database. Occasionally, the work that I To print just these two fields, I simple queries, such as, "What did create a smart clip, which I call
THE HP PALMTOP PAPER JANUARY/ FEBRUARY 1998 15 HOW TO USE: Campus Technical Support Expert
11/18/97 NoteTaker now contains "mem ory joggers" and "jots, such as Selected Items o Ei Ie "Evanston, Wyoming: food, fun, and freedom," and "Lee's Chinese 10ft I I I terns HC.Qp i es :-'1 Food." Style------~ These are ideas, words and o .!...i st phrases I don't want to forget. They @ ~ustom 0 ~ item per page fZI IIiJiI PJi r:JIiIili! EFNI5Wil E5JiI5l are a form of mental short-hand, : t.{i?'j';~ :~ ::::~iji:rT.:i? :'j';:~J :: :Hi?qf.~::::: :::. .. :::S [.~etup ... ) I OK like having a string tied around my finger. Lotus 1-2-3 calculates Screen 8. The author makes these selections in the print dialog box to print the Total hours and Notes fields. time worked 'jrrnncm:' The PUNCHIN database is loaded FI $0 I may log the time I stopped work FI Qescr i pt i on FI : qi:!l~~f.!§i:!i" :iii for the day. I then execute a System FI .c.ontents Macro (see Screen 9) that loads jtF5JTtEnterTi123JfMenu}frtlme{Ei'iterJfPasteY{F5Jf2{Ei'iter:I FI :{COpy} {Enter} {Menu}qyy{Enter} {Tab} {Tab} {Tab} {Tab} {Tab }{T Lotus 1-2-3 and automatically calcu FI :ab} {Paste} {Enter} {F10} lates the hours and minutes worked FI FI for that day. FI OK Cancel The hours and minutes infor FI mation is then dropped into the correct field in the PUNCHIN data Screen~------9. This macro opens a Lotus 1-2-3 spreadsheet and calculates the hours and minutes base. Finally, my personal the author has worked during the day. PhoneBook of businesses, friends,
INDEX and so forth is loaded. Other programs that I use for ~.'49 5 work, HexCalc, HPCalc, and the 6 S-2 Appointment applets, are native 200LX applications. No one who installs, maintains, and repairs PCs can avoid arithmetic, in general, and hexadecimal math, in particu lar, for very long. The two built-in calculator applications allow me to Screen 10. LXMap is displaying a map that helps the author get around the large campus on solve problems in the field without which he works. reI ying on the customer's "Notes and Total Hours" (See My place of work doesn't print resources. Screen 7 previous page). Then I telephone directories. Instead, all For example, I was to repair the bring up the print dialog box by phone numbers are stored on a cash registers in a cafeteria. The pressing MENU File Print, and mainframe in a database that's machines were interesting devices. make the appropriate selections called the centralized directory. I A cash register communicated to a (See Screen 8.). keep a PhoneBook database on my PC via a serial connection. The PC, palmtop which is a subset of the in turn, communicated with a Unix PhoneBook - This is the last technical group's phone numbers. host via a packet driver. Somehow, application affected by the This PhoneBook is very helpful the configuration files for the net Morning macro. A Phone Book file because the network can be flaky work and serial connection became dedicated solely to work is loaded (or be down) and I can still call corrupted. which contains phone numbers, people who can help me, or contact By the time I received the ticket, pager numbers, e-mail addresses, people who need to be informed of two teams had tried to fix the and organization names of people the problem. machines, but had failed. The prob whom I may have to contact. This In the afternoon, another lem was that the communication file helps me reduce my time in the System Macro on my palmtop, driver gave error messages in hexa field. If I am in a location without called HOME, is executed. It loads decimal, but expected input to be access to the centralized directory, I a different set of files into the in decimal. Switching between can still quickly contact a variety of NoteTaker and Database applica bases was a snap, thanks to people. tions. HexCalc.
16 THEHPPALMTOPPAPER JANUARY/ FEBRUARY 1998 LXMAP For my job, just knowing the tive tasks.) Being able to read or Moving around from building to approximate area of the site where compose notes on the run enables building on the campus where I a building is located is good me to spend more time at home work can be an adventure. Several enough. Now when I get a ticket with my family. site maps of the complex are avail for a building that I am not familiar To really get the most out of the able, but none of them have index with, I enter the building's number 200LX as a thin communications es. In a way, that was a stroke of or name into LXMap. LXMap terminal, I use several utilities. An good luck, because if the maps had searches its index and identifies the extremely clever utility is LXPic • . indexes, I would have overlooked a section of the site where the build LXPic allows pictures to be viewed nifty little program for the palmtop ing is located. If I need finer granu on the 200LX, whether they are called LXMap • . (See Screen 10 larity, I will load a map of the spe stored in .JPG or .GIF formats. It is previous page). cific area. great to have for those times when Computers are particularly suit The HP 200LX is not strictly for friends send their children's latest ed to rapidly retrieve static infor work. I also use it after-hours as a photos. mation, and LXMap does this with very thin communications terminal But how does a person get the maps. Better yet, a person can link (i.e., it has a small footprint). photo into a usable .JPG format after the sender's e-mail program map coordinates to just about any Net-Tamer identifier (i.e., you can link a word transformed it into yet another for or a phrase or a number to a posi One of the most interesting pro mat? For those occasions, I use tion on a map). grams I have run across is Net three utilities. Most people think of maps that Tamer • . Net-Tamer allows me to If the message was UUENCOD list street names, but I configured upload/ download e-mail, post/ ED I use the UUDECODE utility in my maps to identify the names of read newsgroup chatter, telnet to UUENCODE/DECODE '96 • . If buildings (e.g., West Hall). To be hosts, and surf the Web. For my the received message was encoded honest, I think the value of LXMap Net-Tamer text editor I use in a MIME format, I use the capa is in developing a custom index. WordPerfect Office's ED program. bilities of MPACK/MUNPACK Remarkably, the process is simple (ED has a built-in macro language v. 1.5 . for DOS. and fairly quick. Here's how to do it. that allows me to automate repeti- Finally, if after decoding the Using LXMap to Develop Where there's a DoubleSlof·; there's a way ... a Custom Index First, scan a map and save it in To use 2 PC Cards at the same time - even copy files between Cards .PCX format. Using your scanner To run multiple PC Card products - SRAM, software or LXPIC, get the height fax/modem, memory cards, etc: and width of the image in pixels. To connect Type I, II and III Cards - even a Then create an index file using Type II and III at the same time <: any text editor which supports car To externally power PCMCIA Cards - for riage returns and line feeds. Keep those power hungry PCMCIA peripherals the original map handy. LXMAP To run ATA flash cards and hard drives comes with an index you can use like the notebooks can! as a template. The next thing to do DoubleSlot, PCMCIA Slot Expander - is execute LXMAP. (The format ip reaching new heights of performance for your HP Palmtop. LXMAP
THE HP PALMTOP PAPER JANUARY/ FEBRUARY 1998 17 HOW TO USE: Campus Technical Support Expert attachment I find it is a compressed instance of LXMAP which loads Commercial products file in a .ZIP format, I use the section one map, then enter "3" mentioned in this article PKUNZIP • utility from the PKZIP again. LXMAP will then locate v. 2.04g package. where building 3 is on that map. Card Dock - (About $150) Incidentally, this is taking much CONTACT: Greystone Peripherals Inc., Prefers Procomm to DataComm 130-A Knowles Drive, Los Gatos, CA longer to describe than it takes 95030, USA; Phone: 408-866-4739; Sometimes I have to get the 200LX LXMAP to actually locate the Web:www.grystone.com to emulate a Digital Equipment building. Corporation VT100 terminal, such SanDisk FlashDisk Transfile Win200 allows pain CONTACT: SanDisk Corporation, 140 as when I dial into the Kitsap less backing up of the 200LX and Caspian Court, Sunnyvale, CA 94089, County or Weber County library simple file transfers over a serial USA; Phone: 408-542-0500; Web: systems. For a while I used the connection. I used it extensively www.sandisk.com built-in DataComm program, but prior to purchasing Greystone Procomm Plus 2.01 - ($85.95) lately I have switched to Procomm Peripheral's Card Dock PC Card CONTACT: Quarterdeck Office Plus 2.01. (I prefer Procomm be reader. Transfile Win200 is a won Systems, 13160 Mindanao Way, Marina cause it has a scripting capability derful program, but being able to bel Ray, CA, 90292-9705, USA; Phone: 800-683-6696 x6326 (Mark); E-mail: which is more flexible than backup my SanDisk FlashDisk in a [email protected] DataComm.) matter of seconds rather than hours Typically I use Procomm Plus WordPerfect Office - ($129.99 made the CardDock worth the v. 6.2 upgrade) for connecting to the library or for price! Just to put the value of CONTACT: Corel, 1600 Carling Avenue, testing out communications with CardDock into perspective: I was Ottawa, Ontario, K1Z 8R7, Canada; serial devices like modems or able to install, configure, and test Phone: 800-772-6735 printers. the Card Dock and back up my As if using all those applica FlashDisk in less time than it takes Shareware/Freeware tions were not enough, I found sev to back up the FlashDisk via a seri mentioned in this article eral other programs that broaden al connection. All of the following programs are available on the usefulness of the 200LX. For When I have to run a large DOS The HP Palmtop Paper's 1998 CD InfoBase. task switching, my solution is MS application that could use (or 200BUDDY 3.0b • - A utility for the HP DOS DOSSHELL, which I use in 100/ 200LX that adds many useful fea requires) expanded memory, tures that save quite a lot of keystrokes. conjunction with MaxDOS. EMM200 • makes those applica Shareware. tions feel right at home on the EMM200 2.0 • - A utility that allows Task switching with LXMAP 200LX. DOS programs to be loaded into Here's how I use these two pro An especially fun program is expanded memory simulated on the C drive. Freeware. grams with LXMAP • . The origi Vertical Reader • . I use this applica nal campus map was too large to HEL V200 • - Utility that makes the tion when I fly from Salt Lake City, palmtop's characters more readable. put on a regular sheet of copier Utah, to Seattle, Washington, and Freeware. paper. The solution was to divide back. Flying coach on commercial LXMAP 2.0 • - Program that display the original map into sections that aircraft is an exercise in the economy city (& other types oD maps. Freeware. LXPIC 4.2 • - Utility for viewing were then put on multiple pieces of of movement. The combination of 8"xll" copier paper. The map was GIF/ICN/ PCX/ JPG and BMP graphics the little 200LX and Vertical Reader files. Freeware. divided into eight sections. An is perfect for this environment. I can MAXDOS 0.3.7 • - Allows you to overview of the whole campus read a classic novel and still be able launch from System Manager a program map was put on one sheet, and on to drop my book in my shirt pocket requiring a large amount of convention al memory. Freeware. that sheet each section is outlined when refreshments are served. and labeled ("section one," "section MPACKIMUNP ACK 1.5 • - Utility that I hope that by reading this arti can code and decode files in the MIME two," etc.). cle you can see how I improved my format. Freeware. I can have several instances of efficiency at work, and increased NET-TAMER 1.10 • - A suite of appli LXMAP running on my palmtop at my fun at home. Gathering and cations for use with the Internet. Shareware. the same time, and I can switch integrating the programs took from one to the other. For example, PKZIP 2.04G • -A file compression some effort, but it has been well program. Shareware. I'll load the overview sheet, then worth it. I hope my ideas will help UUENCODEIDECODE 96 v. 57 . enter "3" (for Building number 3). you get the most out of this Utility that converts a binary file to text LXMAP will go to that part of the remarkable little machine. so it can be transmitted via E-mail. overview image that is marked Freeware. "section one," where the building VERTICAL READER . - A program for reading ASCII text files while hold is located. Then I'll swap out the ing the 100/200LX with the hinge verti overview session, launch the cal, like a book. Postcardware. 18 THE HP PALMTOP PAPER JANUARY / FEBRUARY 1998 REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW Programmer's Corner: LXBatch Programming LXBatch lets you create DOS batch files with the look and feel of the HP 200LX's built-in applications - without the need for the HP Palmtop Developer's Kit or a C compiler. by Ed Keefe
A little background for LXBatch However, for many people, the LXBatch • your batch files can now The unique feature of the HP palm hurdles were still too high. have all these features and more. tops is their ability to run older, but Learning C and mastering all the This one program can breathe new still useful, MS-DOS programs. HP 200LX function calls might be life into dreary old batch files, all for Some HP palmtop owners have considered "overkill," when all the cost of a couple of days effort loaded their machines with Word you needed was a DOS batch file. and the price of a postcard. Perfect and dBASE III+ as well as You might even have tried writing Rob Koenis, the author of the dozens of shareware and freeware such a batch file, until you realized LXBatch program, has taken the programs. Yet, the most popular that batch files can't do everything best parts of the PAL library and programs are those that have been that a full-blown program can do. turned them into a high-level pro gramming language for the rest of custom designed for the HP But wait: here's LXBatch! . lOO/200LX (for example, acCIS, us. With the LXBatch language, PalEdit, and HV). Such programs But suppose that your batch files you won't have to wade through have the look-and-feel of the palm could have pulldown menus, dialog yards of C code and miles of error top's built-in applications. They all boxes, file-and-directory pick-lists, messages to get a program to work. use the medium sized character dialog buttons, and input fields! Just run a couple of the sample fonts. They all have pulldown Suppose they had the ability to programs that Rob provides, exam menus and they usually show the check everything from battery type ine the on-line help files, and with function key labels on the bottom and battery voltage to the number of in a couple of hours you'll have a of the screen. bytes free on a disk or in the DOS working batch file with almost any In the past, creating such look environment space! Suppose a batch feature you want. alike applications required that pro file program could switch from one OK, in all honesty, creating grammers had to learn to use the' Software Carousel session to anoth LXBatch programs is not exactly a HP palmtop Developer's Kit. They er! Suppose it could turn the HP "piece of cake." Some of the com also had to get a copy of Microsoft's pamtop Off and On. Suppose that mands and the online help will "c" compiler, which could be cost your batch files had the ability to leave you scratching your head ly and hard to come by. repeat an operation a number of and losing a few hairs in puzzle To overcome both these hur times and then quit. Well, suppose ment. But when your program is dles, the PAL (palmtop Application no more: with a little help from up and running, you'll still have Library) group, under the leader ship of Gilles Kohl, produced a ABOUT THE AUTHOR library of C functions that work A long time contributor to Hewlett-Packard Handheld sup with almost any C compiler. Using port publications, Ed Keefe is an author, editor, program the PAL library, programmers mer, computer science instructor, and part-time consultant could design MS-DOS programs in the computer industry. He is also the editor of the book with the look-and-feel of "native" PC In Your Pocket: Information When You Need It. Ed can be HP 200LX applications. reached at [email protected]
THE HP PALMTOP PAPER JANUARY/ FEBRUARY 1998 19 REVIEW: LXBatch
some hair left. Lots of C program Note the Function Key Labels mers can't make that claim! Some unique features of LXBatch LXBatch actually allows two kinds of program development: ordinary Note the .f'unct ion Key labels batch files that contain LXB com mands and LXB programs that con tain MS-DOS batch commands. As an example of the former, here's a simple batch file, called Screen 1: This screen was created by inserting LXB commands in an ordinary batch file. SHOWKEY.BAT • that uses some LXB commands.
@echooff cls IThiS is the help message D Note tl iii g labels echo This is a batch file with LXB commands pause LXB screensetup echo Note the Function Key Screen------~ 2: The "LXB message" command has put this text window on the screen. Labels another batch command, puts its If your LXB-enhanced batch file LXB display 100 100 3 Note the message at the very top of the happens to use a lot of environ function key labels screen. The LXB version of the ment variables, you may run into a LXB show keys Help View Edit same command puts a similar mes problem, especially if you try to Copy"" "" "" Save Exit sage at location 100 pixels over and run the batch file from FILER. You LXB getkey key 100 pixels down on the screen may run out of DOS environment if "%key%" == "Fl" goto help using size 3, large, fonts. The LXB ·space, and your program either show keys command fills in the won't run, or it will run and pro goto end function key labels at the bottom of duce undesirable results. If this :help the screen. (If a particular label is happens, it's time to convert your LXB message This is the help supposed to be empty, just use a batch file to a true LXB file and let message pair of double quotes.) The LXB LXBatch handle the environment getkey command waits for a key variables for you. You'll get a faster :end and then stores the value of the key running program as a reward for LXB screenrestore in the DOS environment variable your effort. You'll think you have a "key." The next command shows double-speed palmtop in your When you run the program, by just the first in a possible series of hand. highlighting the showkey.bat file "if" statements that compare the name in FILER and pressing value of %key% to a predefined A Sample LXB program ENTER, you'll get the screen key. In this case, when you press Here's an example of an LXB pro depicted in Screen 1. the Fl key, the batch file will jump gram. It's one of several sample If you press the Fl key, you'll to the :help batch-file label and exe programs contained in the LXBatch get the screen depicted in Screen 2. cute the LXB message command. archive. The showkey.bat file starts off This message command puts a text screensetup PullDown menu as a typical batch file with the window on the screen and waits demo "echo off" command followed by for any key to be pressed. message "This is an LXB sample commands to clear the screen, dis The LXB screenrestore command file lit will show how to make a playa message and "pause." The puts the screen back in text mode. PullDown menu" first enhanced command,"LXB This enhanced batch file may be screensetup," puts the LX in graph just what you need to improve some :menustart ics mode to handle subsequent LXB of your current batch files. It will pulldownclear commands. The command "echo give you interactivity at the expense pulldownitem a &File &Edit Note the Function Key Labels," of a couple of extra commands. &Help &Quit
20 THE HP PALMTOP PAPER JANUARY / FEBRUARY 1998 Q=qn·····jT$W=fSlraDImI···iM •. t¥WW'm •• i .. command is too much work, then you can compile the LXB file and turn it into a standalone EXE file. You'll be able to execute the EXE This is an LXB sample fi Ie I It will show how to ike an Pu IIDown menu , version of your program from FILER or by typing the name of the ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ file at the DOS prompt. You could also distribute this file to others without having to show them how to use LXB! Screen 3: The opening message in the LXB- example program. But wait: there's more ... and more ... and more. LXBatch will let you enhance your current batch files, or create interpreted or compiled LXB files. You'll be able to enhance your batch programs with more than 100 new commands. To try and list all these new commands would be tantamount to rewriting the documentation and help files provided by Rob Koenis; -_._--_._---_._------something that I don't want to do. Screen 4: The pulldown menu from the LXB example program. (Besides, I can't write with a Dutch accent, as Rob can.) However, if pulldownitem 1 &Open &Save you'll see the opening message. you have not yet explored the "Save &as .. " - E&xit (See Screen 3.) range of things that LXBatch files pulldownitem 2 &Cut C&opy When you press any key, the can do, here are a few of the com &Paste pulldown menu will appear and mands, just to whet your appetite. pulldownitem 3 &Help - &About will respond to the arrow keys. ShowPCX: You may be able to pulldownuse *pmenu (See Screen 4.) eliminate other PCX graphics view The thing to note about the ers by using this built-in command. if @pmenu@ == 4 goto end SAMPULL.LXB • file is the ab There's also the ShowIcon com if @pmenu@ == 101 message sence of the "LXB" key word. Since mand that will let you display the Open file the LXBatch program will interpret icons used on the HP palmtops. if @pmenu@ == 102 message the LXB file, it assumes that all Save file commands are LXB commands Sound: This command will let if @pmenu@ == 103 message except those that are obviously you play everything from a simple Save file as .. DOS commands. Also note that beep to any to the tinkertunes that if @pmenu@ == 105 goto end the "pulldownuse *pmenu" com can be played on the LX's tiny if @pmenu@ == 201 message mand replaces the "LXB getkey speaker. A companion volume Clipboard cut , key" command. This command command will set the sound level. if @pmenu@ == 202 message uses a value based on the pull Dialog commands: These com Clipboard copy down item you've chosen. It stores mands create buttons, text and if @pmenu@ == 203 message the value inside LXBatch's data input fields: all the things that go to Clipboard paste space rather than in the DOS envi make up a dialog box. There's even if @pmenu@ == 301 message No ronment space. To access the value a command called FileDialog that help of the variable you use @pmenu@ puts a file browser on the screen. if @pmenu@ == 303 message instead of the usual DOS variable You can use this command in a About I PullDown menu demo name, %pmenu%. batch file to pick one file from a go to menustart To run the SAMPULL.LXB file, list. just use the command: LXB LXB :end Check commands: Your batch FILE SAMPULL.LXB. (If you have screenrestore files can check on the status of a HP 200LX, you can use the stop almost everything that can happen undocumented FILER.lNI file to in your palmtop, e.g., CheckKey, associate an LXB file with the LXB When you run the program CheckBatt, CheckSC (Software LXBFILE command.) If typing this Carousel), CheckEOF (End Of File:
THE HP PALMTOP PAPER JANUARY/ FEBRUARY 1998 21 REVIEW: LXBatch used with the ReadFile command), CheckDrive, CheckFree, Check 1 WeekDay, CheckEnvFree, Check 2 String.
String commands: LXBatch 5 contains a panoply of string func tions that will let you parse strings that are typed into an input win dow, as well as strings that are read in from other files. Screen 5. In this example, the calc command is displaying numbers diagonally across the Conditional and go to func screen. tions: LXBatch goes beyond the usual batch file commands such as "if errorlevel", or "if /%1 == / ," pop-up menus anywhere on the Coming next month: CHOICE.LXB to offer such commands as "if (not) screen. You can then use the Compared to developing similar x
22 THE HP PALMTOP PAPER JANUARY/ FEBRUARY 1998 OW TO USE YOUR PALMTOP USER PROFILE
Troubleshooting Modem and Data Communications Problems
Although trying to get a new modem to work can be frustrating, you should be able to get your modem up and running by following this step-by-step procedure.
By Robert Causey
fter spending some time in Datacom and cc:Mail applications Assuming all went well, the A the HPHand forum on built into the lOO / 200LX. modem at the Host answers. The CompuServe, I noticed that First the application will two modems will now start a nego many people had questions related attempt to "initialize" the modem. tiation process to agree on the to modems, and data communica The purpose of this process is to speed of the connection and the tions in general. Solving modem prepare the modem for communi error handling strategy. This problems can be frustrating, but it cations and tell the modem how to process is often referred to as the doesn't have to be. communicate with other modems "handshake." This process normal Troubleshooting data communi and the application. ly takes a couple of seconds, and if cations can be difficult, in part The application will attempt to you have a modem with a speaker, because there are several hardware initialize the modem by sending an you will hear the high-pitched and software components in initialization string, or setup string squeaky tones during this time. volved, and determining where the as it is better known. The setup If all goes well, the two modems problem resides can be challeng string consists of a series of com agree on the speed of the connec- ing. Fortunately there is an easy mands that set various options in process you can follow that can the modem. I will cover this in resolve most modem and data more detail in a moment. The Project: Vision communications issues. application will then wait for the gives you I thought it might be helpful to, modem to signal that it is ready. If review some of the basics and pro all goes well the modem will indi Planning In Your Palm for $99 vide a simple modem troubleshoot cate an "OK" status and the appli For HP 100/200 and O~S-based PCs ing guide. cation will continue. The application will then Features Include: . .ii. • One Hour Learning Curve __ .....! __ The Basics instruct the modem to dial a phone • Uses 3001 with Max file size from SOl to 1 MEG Before you can troubleshoot number, either one preconfigured, • Logic Networks, Tunelines, Resource Histograms data communications, it is helpful or one the application had prompt • Critical Path, Milestones, Variable Zoom to have an understanding of the ed you to enter. • Mouse and keyboard operated for portability process involved, and some of the The modem will connect to the • NEW! Export to Lotus 1·2·3 WKS Files key components. telephone line and dial the phone The beginning of any data com number it was given. The modem Inmax Publishing Ltd. munication starts at the communi will then wait for another modem at 2673 Terrace Ave. North Vancouver cations program, or application, as the phone number that was dialed Be Canada V7R 1 B5 it is sometimes called. Some exam to answer. I'll refer to this second Tel: 604-980-9991 ples of these programs are the modem as the "Host modem." Fax: 604-985-5597
THE HPPALMTOPPAPER JANUARY/ FEBRUARY 1998 23 HOW TO USE: Troubleshooting Modem Problems tion and the error handling strate- modem gy. If you have a modern with a HP 5181-6642 speaker, it will go silent at this modem adapter point. The modern tells the application 9-pin of the success of the connection. connector Depending on the application, you may sometimes see a message on your screen indicating the connec tion success. At the same time, the modern at the Host notifies its respective application (the Host application) of the incoming call and connection. Figure 1. A serial cable and a modem adapter are being used to connect an external modem to Now that the physical path is the palmtop. established, the applications (palm top and host) will start to commu nicate. null-modern instead of the modern so we will bypass the autopilot. What happens next is deter adapter. mined solely by the two applica 6. Earlier I mentioned the setup tions, and will vary from applica 2. Open Datacom by pressing string as being a series of com tion to application. Since a majority (CTRL)+(QUICKEN). [On the mands. These. commands are used of data communications problems 100LX, press (CTRL)+(cc:MAIL).] to program, or configure, the occur before this point, I will focus modern. The " AT" command is on troubleshooting those areas. 3. Press (MENU) ~onnect ~ettings used to get the modern's attention. By prefixing it to whatever com Troubleshooting and adjust your settings as follows: Baud: 2400 mand you are testing, the modern Here is a troubleshooting tech will recognize the command; other nique that should help you isolate Interface: com2 for PCMCIA wise the command may be your problem. First we will pre moderns, corn 1 for external ignored. pare the modern and palmtop for moderns. Parity: Even Type "AT" and press (ENTER). the test. Data Bits: 7 You should get an "ok" prompt or Stop Bits: 1 "0" prompt. If you do not, your 1. For PCMCIA moderns, start Then save settings by pressing palmtop is not communicating with your modern card inserted FlO. with the modern. into the palmtop and connected to Things to check if there is no response ... PCMCIA modems roubleshooting data communications can be difficult. Fortunately a) Is the modern card seated well? Tthere is an easy process you can follow that can resolve most b) The connection settings are modem and data communications issues. not as above (see point 3). c) Modern is configured strangely. Try entering +++ (do the phone line. Also, make sure the You should now be at the main not press ENTER). palmtop has a fresh set of batteries, 4. terminal screen. We are now ready Also try typing "ATZ" and hit or is connected to the AC adapter. to begin the test. ting (ENTER). When you get an For external moderns, start with "OK" prompt, go to the next step. your modern connected to the palmtop, connected to the phone 5. The rest of the test involves Things to check if there is no line, and powered on. Also make typing the commands directly to response ... external modems the modern. Do not use the connect sure the palmtop and modern have a) Is the modern plugged in to or dial features of Datacom for this a fresh set of batteries, or are con the palmtop and turned on? nected to the AC adapter. test. The reason is the connect func b) The connection settings are In addition to HP's HP Fl015A tion causes the Datacom program not as above (see point 3). serial cable, you may also need to communicate with the modern HP's HP 5181-6642 modern adapter on autopilot during dialing. You c) The modern is configured (See Figure 1). You could also use a will need to see the modern results strangely. Try entering +++ (do
24 THEHPPALMTOPPAPER JANUARY/ FEBRUARY 1998 not press ENTER). Also try number is the speed the modems If you get an error response, try "ATZ" (ENTER). 9. are communicating at, and the ver entering each item individually. biage will describe the error han d) You have not used the cor For example, using the above dling strategy the modems are rect modem adapter. See point string, try typing: number 1. When you get an using (if any). A TV1 (ENTER) AT &C3(ENTER) "OK" prompt, go to the next If you get a "no dialtone" or "no AT &D2(ENTER) step. If you can not get an "OK" dial tone" message, this indicates a response, you may have a prob You will need to refer to your problem with the phone connec lem with your modem, cables, modem manual for the specifics of tion. Check the phone cord between or on rare occasions, your palm each command. You should get an the modem and the wall jack. Is this top. The best source of help "OK" or "a" response to each com a working jack? To find out, plug would be the modem manufac mand. If you get an error, check the into the jack a telephone that you turer, or the HPHand forum on format of the command against the know works. But even if the jack CompuServe. modem's manual. Also, note that works with a phone, you may have some modems are case sensitive. a "digital" connection, not the "ana log" connection that is required for 7. Manually enter your modem 10. If all goes well, place a call to a modem. Many businesses use setup string (get it from the a BBS manually by entering ATDT, fancy telephone systems. These sys modem's manual or the applica followed by the phone number. For tems typically support two kinds of tion). Make sure you put the "AT" example, ATDT555-1212(ENTER). connections: the "digital" connec in front of the string. For example: If all goes well, you should get con tions used for the fancy business ATV1&C3&D2(ENTER) nected without error. You will phones, and the analog connections know you are connected when you used for modems and fax 8. You should get either an "OK" see something like CONNECT machines. Digital connections will or "a" response, depending on the xxxx yyyy. You will usually see the not work with modems, and may contents of the string. word "connect," followed by a actually damage them. number and other verbiage. The Kingmax Technology, Inc. The world leader in PCMCIA, Memory, and Network Solutions. ™
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THE HP PALMTOP PAPER JANUARY/ FEBRUARY 1998 25 W TO USE YOUR PALMTOP USER PROFILE
Palmtop Programming Possibilities For Beginners and Pros
From BASIC to Microsoft's C Compiler, and from COBAL to the Lotus 1-2-3 macro language, the palmtop user has lots of programming options to choose from.
By Wayne E. Yang
palmtop owners have has a compiler for it." -- Mark Which is the best programming HP access to the world of Scardina, a sysop on CompuServe's language for the palmtop? popular programming HPHAND forum. To "e" or not to "e" - the biggest languages right in their pocket. Compilers turn programming advantage associated with pro Since the palmtop is built on the code, which can be written in any gramming in the C language is that open architecture of the old IBM text editor including Memo, into a you have ready access to the XT, we can run the wide variety of program that can run on a comput Palmtop Application Library (PAL) programs that thrive in the DOS, er. Compilers that run on the palm • . PAL is a library of functions CGA environment: everything top include Mix Power C (which coded in C that allows you to cre from Turbo Pascal to Microsoft's C Gilles recommends because it is ate programs that have the look Compiler. inexpensive and comes with an and feel of the HP's built-in func Additionally, since it does not excellent manual); Pacific C; Prolog tions. Programs such as the popu use a proprietary programming • and TIPI . (a language by Kent lar HV • (an HTML viewer for the language, it is one of the few palm Peterson that is a hybrid of BASIC palmtop) and LX Batch • (a batch tops on which you can get under and Forth . , see the Jan./Feb. 97 file enhancer) were created with the hood. issue of The HP Palmtop Paper for the help of the C functions con "What I like about the HP Palmtop more information). Other users tained in PAL (see the Mar/Apr 96 is that it can be programmed. Since the have even claimed success with the issue of The HP Palmtop Paper for information is not available, as a mere reputedly buggy Visual Basic for more on PAL). mortal you cannot program on the DOS. Given this abundance of PIM type machines." -- Gilles Kohl, choices, which programming lan "Those who want to be able to use software developer and engineer for guage or compiler do you pick? PAL should bite the bullet and learn PROCAD. c." - Ed Keefe, professor, programmer "If you polled the best program and author of PC in Your Pocket - Portability is another big plus ming minds at a large software devel Best of The HP Palmtop Paper, on the palmtop. Because the HP oper like Microsoft, you would find a (available from Thaddeus Computing). lOO/200LXs are with you all the lot of different opinions about pro Another reason why many pro time, they make great machines for gramming languages. Some program grammers prefer C is that it is con- honing programming skills in mers started on Logo, many on BASIC spare moments. Whether you're and at least one or two who had fun sitting in a New York cafe or by a with machine language while they ABOUT THE AUTHOR Carolina fireplace, it's always there were in diapers. Each one of these pro when you want to use it. grammers is going to favor the lan Wayne Yang lives in New York, guage they know best, and have special where he is an analyst in the "It is always available for those strengths and weaknesses as a result of Structured Finance & Portfolio spare moments of inspiration. Its x86 Group at Union Bank of Switzer their learning path." -- Beverly land. He is reachable via the internet compatibility is well documented and Howard. almost every programming language at l014S4.3400@compuserv e.com
26 THE HP PALMTOP PAPER JANUARY/ FEBRUARY 1998 sidered a more "pedal-to-the automatic correction of some basic the syntax that has since evolved to metal" language. It offers greater syntax errors during the program become Microsoft's Visual Basic. control over your machine, and ming process. Then there are also the share ware basic compilers for the PC thus more speed and power. "1 used to teach BASIC in the world such as ASIC, Bywater Basic, "The thing about C is that it is MBasic and Basica days . I didn't like LibertyBasic (supported by author extremely flexible and powerful. That it, and jumped to PASCAL when Carl Rundel) and TSRBasic. One of is why it is such an obvious choice. It Borland introduced Turbo Pascal 1.0 the most popular compilers for the is also considered difficult for novices. (CP/M) . Since then, BASIC has grown Unlike PASCAL, BASIC, (or for those up and is more like PASCAL. I've PC DOS world is FirstBasic • Users interested in PowerBasic can down of you who have looked at it, JAVA) C taught myself VBA in Excel and like will let you do anything that you what I see." load FirstBasic from CompuServe (GO POWERBASIC or GO want, no matter how stupid it is. This -Ed Keefe. HPHAND), or from PowerBasic's can get you into trouble." - Colin One of the biggest advantages web page (www.powerbasic.com). Cumming). of programming in BASIC can be Another way of getting summed up in one word: Micro Power Basic is to buy a copy of Start with PASCAL soft. The Redmond, W ashington Learning Basic Book for DOS, which and Migrate to C based company has been pushing includes a copy of the PowerBasic Many beginners might find C too the language for years, first as GW 2.1 compiler for $29.95. More recent difficult, and many programmers Basic (the IBM version of BASIC versions of PowerBasic are adver recommend that novices instead was known as BASIC-A), then later tised as 99.9% compatible with start with PASCAL. as Qbasic, which came bundled Qbasic. with machines. Microsoft also "PASCAL forces you to think in "From personal experience, as offered a commercial version called clear concepts. C is more flexible, but someone who learned C programming QuickBasic that offered program allows you to program 'spaghetti code;' in college, I prefer BASIC because it is mers the capability to make their that is, it supports bad programming less intimidating. Writing code in practices and strategies. Therefore, it is programs executable, (translating the code into machine language). BASIC takes less time than it does in a good idea to start with PASCAL and C (you don't have to worry about These days, Redmond's pre then migrate to C. It is very easy to defining everything if you don't want ferred version of BASIC is known migrate from PASCAL to C and you to and you don't have to remember to will more likely write well-designed C as Visual Basic, a rapid application development (RAD) environment put semi-colons after everything." code when going that way." - Dave Navoro of PowerBasic, Inc. - Andreas Garzotto, author of many which is said to have more than three million copies circulating. palmtop software products and princi Learning how to program pal of D&A Software Inc. Visual Basic has become one of the most popular RAD environments So you've picked a progra~ming language, but now how do you Keeping things BASIC for developing Windows-based applications. VB exists also in the learn how to program? BASIC continues to be one of the form of Visual Basic for Appli 1. Read a good book Comb the most popular programming lan cations, the development language shelves of your local library for guages ever. Many early IBM com now common not just to the beginners' books on programming. patibles came with versions of Microsoft Office suite of programs Bookstores are also good sources BASIC bundled with their hard~ such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint for these. Barnes & Noble often sell ware, such as GW-Basic or Basic-A. and Access, but also to non copies of QBasic for Dummies, Most machines that came with Microsoft programs such as Visio, Qbasic by Example, and Teach DOS-5.0 or later came with a the drawing program. Yourself QBasic. The Revolationary sophisticated version of BASIC by Additionally, there is a flavor Guide to QBasic teaches more Microsoft called Qbasic. Qbasic of BASIC called VBScript, which advanced techniques such as 3-D was hardly the BASIC with which can be used to create Web pages. graphics, multimedia and even cre most of us grew up. Gone were the Microsoft also supposedly has ating your own spreadsheet appli command line prompts and line plans to allow programmers to cation. I was recently able to find a numbers that turned most of us off write for Windows CE using Visual copy of Using Basic (published by of programming, back when we Basic. (Right now development for Que) at CompUSA for the closeout had machines such as the Tandy Windows CE is almost solely in price of $10. Of course, Thaddeus TRS-80. Qbasic even came with its C++). The programmer using Computing offers such resources as own integrated development envi QBasic or QuickBasic has the the HP Developer's Guide and PAL ronment that offered such things as advantage of being familiar with
THE HPPALMTOPPAPER JANUARY/ FEBRUARY 1998 27 HOW TO USE: Palmtop Programming Possibilities • (Thaddeus Computing, 800-373- and various other old DOS files 3. Find a mentor Many experi 6114). Don't forget to check the at www.microsoft.com/ win enced programmers agree that the Amazon web site for books on pro dows/ common/ aa2724. htm; best way to learn programming is gramming: www.amazon.com. look for the qbasic.exe and qba at the foot a grizzled, experienced 2. Get caught in the Web Most sic.hlp files. You can also order pro. of the major programming lan Qbasic programs from DOS "If possible do an apprenticeship guages have dozens - if not hun World (www.dosworld.com). with someone who already is highly dreds - of Websites devoted to Beginners BASIC Homepage productive in programming, or take a them. BASIC continues to be a pop (intermid.com/ basic/ qmenu.ht course at a college near you. If you're ular programming language and m) which includes ten chapters on your own, there are several good there are lots of Web resources for of a basic tutorial. books that will teach structured pro gramming and top-down-design, but the beginning progra.mmer. You There are hundreds of sample can find freeware and shareware most people need someone to guide programs and program snippets them. Without a guide most self tutorials for BASIC-related topics, (also known as source code) that such as: i/:aught programmers wind up repeat the programmer can peruse to see ing all the mistakes that other pro Qbasic (qbasic.com) - You'll how others have tackled various grammers have made." - Ed Keefe. find the Qbasic files themselves problems. "Programming books are great, but it's better if you can discuss them with a mentor or some knowledgable person. Play around with DOS batch files, lit COBOL on the HP Palmtop tl e assembly routines and read the DOS manual. In other words, learn as COBOL has been the preferred language of business and government much as you can about the machine since the mid 1960s. More computer code has been written in this lan your programming for. This may guage than all other languages combined. prove helpful in the future." - Art COBOL has become even more popular in the last couple of years as Leather, an Indepentent Windows/ we approach the millenium and face the "2000 year problem" head on. Psion Software Designer/Engineer. Many programmers who know their way around a "working environ ment" and "perform varying" statements are currently making five-fig It's best if you can find a real ured bonuses by upgrading miles and miles of legacy, COBOL code. mentor - someone who is knowl If you're interested in learning or re-Iearning COBOL on the palmtop, edgable, patient, and interested let me suggest the following inexpensive way to do just that. Buy a copy enough in you and your new pas of the book "COBOL from Micros to Mainframes," by Grauer and Villar, time that he or she will want to published by Prentice-Hall, 1994, 2nd edition (see end of this article for help you develop your skills. If you ordering information). know someone that fits that bill, The book includes a student version of the popular Realia COBOL fine. If you don't, don't worry. compiler, along with a linker, editor and an interactive debugging pro There are a number of good gram. The one limitation of the student version software is that it won't sources for this kind of help. compile programs that are more than 500 lines long. However, such long One of the most obvious programs can be broken into separate files, compiled and linked together sources is your online service - to produce executable programs. CompuServe and America Online, I'd suggest installing the software on a desktop PC before putting it on for instance. Check out the pro your palmtop. The installation instructions are in an appendix of the book, grammer's section of Compu as are some brief instructions on how to use the compiler, editor and Serve's HP Handhelds forum (GO debugger. HPHAND), the MS BASIC forum You'll probably discard the clunky, Realia editor in favor of PalEdit or (GO MSBASIC), the PC Programm VDE. You'll definitely want to keep the debugger. ers (GO PCPROG), and MS Lan The compiler is command-line driven. If you want to automate the guages forum (GO MSLANG). operation of the editor, compiler, linker and debugger, you can either use There are other programming a DOS batch file or create macros in VDE or PalEdit to accomplish this related forums on CompuServe, task. but these are good places to start. The Realia COBOL programs take up about 500 Kbytes of disk space. When you are stuck on questions The sample COBOL code takes up another 500 Kbytes. about the best way to approach a problem, or just curious about Ed Keefe where the best source of informa tion about a programming lan-
28 THE HP PALMTOP PAPER JANUARY/ FEBRUARY 1998 "Wow, is this thing fast! And all that memor !" -Robert J. Vondra, 8 Meg Doub/eSpeed 200LX owner Upgrade YOUR 200LX to 8 Meg DoubleSpeed! Now available WORLDWIDEI Free 90-Day Warranty That's right! No matter where you live, Thaddeus Computing can now upgrade your HP 200LX to 8 Meg and DoubleSpeed! Just send us your 200LX and we'll do the rest. We specialize in fast turnarounds, and U.S. customers have a I-day turnaround option. Your upgrad ed palmtop comes back to you with a free 90-Day Warranty that you can upgrade to one or two years. Still not sure? Here's what some satisfied customers have to say: "It works great!" -Steve Carder "The 8 meg, DoubleSpeed 200LXs are great!" -Craig de Fasselle "I highly recommend the Thaddeus Palmtops for anyone thinking of upgrading." -Robert J. Vondra IMPORTANT! ALL CUSTOMERS: Upgrading removes all data, so be sure to do a complete back-up before shipping . Use a~method of shipping. Upgrading voids HP warranty. See order cards in this issue for complete details. In the U.S.: In a hurry? One day Use order cards in issue or turnaround service is available for $55 shipping (instead of $9.50 5-0ay turnaround). Outside U.S.: Shipping charge is $35. contact info below. We cannot guarantee delivery time outside U.S .. Write "Used equipment for repair" on shipping container. BRAND NEW! 8 Meg DoubleSpeed HP 200LX! Why not own the BEST OF THE BEST?
• A Brand New HP 200LX "I received my new HP a few days ago and an is well with the world. I can't get over • Upgraded to DoubleSpeed how great the doubJespeed is. Thank you • Upgraded to 8 MegaBytes and everyone at Thaddeus for putting together this excellent product." • In the Box, with Manuals - Larry castor • Full One-Year Warranty • Only $795.001 There are several advantages that make spending a little are in good shape, but they're not new. It makes a difference. extra for a Brand New HP 200LX worthwhile. Three, they come with a free one-year warranty. Plus, they One, there's no wait. Our "Like-New" DoubleSpeed 8 come with new manuals, nameplate and packaging. MegaByte 200LXs are selling faster than we can get units in, Four, you have a 30 Day Money-Back Guarantee to protect so a 6-8 week wait is possible. you. You can't go wrong! Two, they're fresh out of the box. Our "Like-New" 200LXs
3D-Day Money-Back Guarantee! ORDER NOW ... Please fill out either of the order cards in this issue and return. For Upgrades, please enclose completed order form with Palmtop. See order cards in this issue for complete Call: 800-373-6114 or 515-472-6330 FAX: 515-472-1879 Warranty and Shipping Options and Info. EMAIL: orders@thaddeus .com WEB: www .thaddeus.com MAIL: Thaddeus Computing, 11 0 N Court Street, Fairfield, Iowa 52556 USA guage might be, these forums can that it's the little successes that build tools for the HP Palmtops, includ be great resources. Generally, you the bigger successes ." - Art Leather. ing the Lotus 1-2-3 macro lan will find that there are enough guage, user keys/system macros, [EDITOR'S NOTE: All the DOS kind-hearted souls who remember the subset language in the database freeware and shareware basic com what is was like when they them engine, DOSKEY (for DOS macros), pilers mentioned in the article selves were novices that they will HPCalc/Solver, the MS-DOS batch should work on the HP Palmtops, want to help you. language, and Debug script files.] with the exception of the Mac and 4. Just do it, and have fun! Windows compilers. Several experienced HP Handheld Also, the programming section Shareware/Freeware programmers agree that one of the of PC in Your Pocket - Best of The HP mentioned in this article best ways to learn how to program Palmtop Paper (by Ed Keefe, and is, well, to just start programming available from Thaddeus Compu FirstBasic - BASIC compiler for the and have fun doing it. ting, 800-373-6114) discusses a PC. Shareware. Available on this issue's HP TeamHP member Fred Kauf number of built-in programming Palmtop Paper ON DISK Also available from man, who works as a volunteer CompuServe (GO POWERBASIC or GO HPHAND), or from PowerBasic's web page: answering questions in the http://www.powerbasic.com HPHAND forum, also recom Commercial products mentioned in this article HV - Utility: Hypertext viewer for mends that beginners dabble with W.W.Web's HTML format. Freeware. LXBatch ,a batch file enhancer Available on The HP Palmtop Paper's 1998 All prices are manufacturer's suggested retail pn'ce. It may with programming language func be possible to purchase the products for less at third·party CD InfoBase. tionality (See The HP Palmtop Paper, vendors. LXBatch (LXB.ZIP)- A batch file March/ April 1996.) Pick achievable enhancer with prQgramming language func projects that you're interested in. COBOL from Micros to Mainframes tionality .. Freeware . Available on The HP By Robert T. Grauer; 1994; 2nd edition. Palmtop Paper's 1998 CD InfoBase. "Get a project to work on, an idea ISBN: 0133107647. Price: $73 (includes PAL - The Palmtop Application Library you may have carried around for a book and disk). Contact: Pretence-Hall collection of C language functions that give while and start building it into a pro Publishing Co.; Phone: 800-223-1360. DOS programs the look and feel of 100/200L. gram. You want to keep your interest in built-in applications. Freeware. Available on Learning BASIC Book for DOS The HP Palmtop Paper's 1998 CD InfoBase. programming at an all-time high, so do Price: $29.95 (includes book and copy it slowly by wining in small bytes. A of the PowerBasic 2.1 compiler). PGY.ARC - Another small Forth pro Contact: PowerBASIC, Inc., 316 Mid gramming language compiler. Shareware. The project isn't just one big win, it's a lot HP Palmtop Paper's 1998 CD InfoBase. of little successes that build into a com Valley Center, Carmel, CA 93923; Phone: 408-659-8000; FAX: 408-659- PCC - Personal C Compiler Support is a plete program. I can't wait to see the big 8008; Orders: 800-780-7707; E-mail: popular alternative to Microsoft C and Borland picture, but I keep reminding myself [email protected] C. Registered users receive a usable debug ger and some other utilities. (Tested on the 95LX, but should run on all three palmtops.) Shareware. The HP Palmtop Paper's 1998 CD InfoBase. New! Link-A-Printer II PROLOG.ZIP - This is a freeware demo Smaller size & Attached cable version of the 16-bit Prolog DOS compiler from Logic Programming Associates (LPA). Link-A-Printer II is a serial to parallel converter PROLOG.ZIP runs standard Prolog programs that allows direct printing from your OmniGo "as is." Additional modules (optimizing com piler, debugger, examples, etc.) can be 100 to any parallel printer. It also works with obtained, together with a printed reference the HP 100/200LX $79 manual, from LPA at shareware prices. See the included file READ. DOC for more infor mation. The HP Palmtop Paper's 1998 CD Infobase. Link-A-Printer II has a built-in connectivity cable that plugs in to your OmniGo PYGMY FORTH - A small version of 100. Since it does not require batteries or extra cable Link-A-Printer II is simple the Forth programming language enhanced and easy to use. for the HP 100/200LX. Shareware.The HP Palmtop Paper's 1998 CD InfoBase. Also Available Link-A-Printer I TIPI - A small Forth programming lan Requires connectivity cable and optional battery Features auto $59 guage designed for the HP 100/200LX. onloff fixed 9600 baud Shareware. The HP Palmtop Paper's 1998 CD Greenwich Instruments LTD InfoBase. Tel: 704-875-8490 European Distributor UDFORT .ZIP - A small Forth program GlEE.. Fax: 704-875-2801 Tel: 011-44-181-302-4931 ming language compiler. Shareware. The HP .....111 Toll Free: 800-476-4070 Fax: 011-44-181-302-4933 Palmtop Paper's 1998 CD InfoBase.
30 THE HP PALMTOP PAPER JANUARY/ FEBRUARY 1998 • •• BASIC TIPS •••
. . - . All Phone B~ok Itel'ls Nal'le Burns. Betty John Doe '''IlmAMiI:''" Using and editing the DataCard Freed. Hubert Business: 515-555-1212 Hensley. Harvey HOl'le: 515-555-2345 The DataCard is a window that Jowl'lan. Cindy Fax: 515-555-3456 shows up in the list screen in the Kirk. Dr. Moors. Michael ACl'le Glass COl'lpany PhoneBook, DataBase, and NoteTaker Peters. Kathy 123 Birch Lane applications (See Screen 1.) The Roro Rooter Fairfield IA 52556 Venable. Paul DataCard, a RoloDex-type card appear Ware. Gary (2/1.1.) ing in the right hand part of the screen, . - is a feature on the HP 200LX, but not Screen 1. on the HP 100LX. You'll notice that at the bottom of the liili·;;·."· Phone Itel'l .rn·Nt...... IM· card two numbers appear inside paren theses; in our example, "(2/11 )". This indicates that there are 11 records in this file, and that the second record is highlighted and is being displayed. You can cause the DataCard to be displayed (or not to be displayed) by Note !w"if;;; ·;; jan;;; ······: toggling (CTRL)+(D), or by pressing iKids = Curley. Moe. Larry i (MENU), View, DataCard. .m.D'iiiijjjjjjjiiijj~iilDimiiiiililil.iiiiijjjjiiijiiiijjjjjfm-iiiiiiiiiiiiiiij;ii;¥ijjjjFi¥ijj The DataCard is simply a Smart Clip of some of the information from the Screen 2. fields of whatever record is highlighted :Jtjn'j"g*;_.. M,C_n,iiiJii.oI. (See Screen 2.) Business: ~Business~ By editing the DataCard Smart Clip, HOl'le: ~Hol'le'" you can customize your PhoneBook to Fax: ~Fax'" ~Col'lpany .?'" suit your needs. ~Address1.?'" Here's an example. I rarely refer to a ~Address2.?'" ~City .?'" ~State.?'" ~Zip.?", person's address or their company name, so the default DataCard is wast ing space by displaying these fields. Instead, I'm constantly referring to busi ~1DIDlII __.~ ____ 1!EI:mIlIII~ ness and home phone numbers, e-mail addresses (which I store in the Screen 3. Alternate field) and the first few lines of the Note field. What I'd like is a Screen 3. In other words, to change the So let's change the name order. DataCard that displays this information appearance and contents of the First, make sure "Name" is highlighted from a record without me having to DataCard we need to edit and change in the Edit Smart Clip Definition (Screen open that record. the DataCard Smart Clip definition. 3), then press (F4) (Edit). A "Define In order to create such a customized, The first interesting thing to note is Field" box will appear (See Screen 4 DataCard, you need to know how to edit that, although "Doe, John" appears in next page.) the DataCard Smart Clip. the record's Name field (Screen 2). Notice that the Name field is high First, open the PhoneBook applica when we look at the DataCard (Screen lighted, and that the "Reverse name" tion, then press (F5) (Clip), then use the 1) we see "John Doe." Although most of box is toggled. When this box is UpArrow or DownArrow keys to select us probably prefer this "first name, last checked, the characters that appear "DataCard" from the Smart Clip List. name" display, some of you might find before the first comma in a field get dis Then press (F4) (Edit). The "Edit Smart the names easier to read if they were played after the comma, and vice versa. Clip Definition" window will appear (See displayed as the names in a regular If you TAB down to the Reverse Screen 3.) phone book are (Le., "last name, first name box and press the (SpaceBar) the Your own DataCard Smart Clip defin name"). And even if you prefer the checkmark will disappear. Now press ition may, or may not, resemble the one "John Doe" format, knowing how to (F10) (OK), and you'll notice that the displayed in Screen 3, depending on change the order of first and last names comma and the tilde characters ("," & whether or not the definition has already can be useful in other situations besides "-") no longer are part of the Name field been edited. the DataCard display; for instance, in definition. The tilde character merely The information that's displayed in the creating Smart Clips that select data indicates that the Reverse name box is DataCard in Screen 1 has been deter from fields and sends it to the printer or checked for this field. mined by the definition that's shown in saves it to file. Now press (F10) (F10), (OK)(OK),
THE HP PALMTOP PAPER JANUARY/ FEBRUARY 1998 31 and you'll see that the top line of your :r;n.Jyh'a ....'.ItEjiilii ••.•. DataCard now reads "Doe, John". .Na~:ei-~~,~-~~Bus~ ...... ~~~~~~~~~~~ 1- -- ...... Ih Now let's look at the second line in Ho~' Field Na~e Opt. ional For~at.t.ing- the DataCard Smart Clip definition (See Fax , - 'didt.h I,--~O.;.;;K~J Screen 3). Note the presence of the ;COl ~~~!ness 0 IJ,n. .Ad, A I t.ernat.e equal sign character ("="). When the .Ad, Fax o .(",,,t.te,y· [ CancelJ .Ci· Ti t.le o Ri \~ht. equal sign character appears on a line Cat.egory Co~pany by itself, a thick line appears on the Address1 o ~uppress line if e~pt.y DataCard. When the minus sign charac Address2 121 Rever se na~e _____ IEtI1iiiiii~ ter ("-") appears on a line by itself, as it .:m:mI_ does on the sixth line of the definition, a thin line appears on the DataCard. Such Screen 4. lines can be useful to visually separate ?GnWHE,aw .. i"ICfliiIiCi··iI the contents of your DataCard (See Screen 1.) Here's another neat trick. Notice that, although the Smart Clip Definition con tains both "Address1" and "Address2" fields (See Screen 3), the DataCard con tains only the information from the record's Address1 field ("123 Birch Lane"). The presence of a question mark ("?") following "Address2" in the Smart Clip definition indicates that the "Suppress line if empty" box has been - I~s ~..c~re~ei n~-5i·rniiiiiiiiiiiii~~~~~~~~~~~1 All Phone Book It.e~s ~~~.~~~~~. ~: ~~ checked for that field. Checking the ~N~a~~~e ______"Suppress line" box prevents a blank line Burns, Bet.t.y Doe, John ~U~u~.,~-»yaIij~m~.ij;"ijI __...... B : 515- 555-1212 from appearing in the DataCard when Freed. Hubert. H:515-555-2345 there is no data in a particular field. Hensley, Harvey E - ~ail : john [email protected] . co~ Jow~an, Cindy Not.e: Wife =-Jane Now that we know how to edit the Kirk, Dr. Ki ds = Curley , Moe, Larry DataCard Smart Clip, let's create our Moors , Michael F avor.i t.e win e = .. I wan t. t.o go Pet.ers. Kat.hy t.o Mia~i" own personalized DataCard that dis Ror o Root.er Parole ends 12/11/99 plays only the following fields: Name, Venable, Paul Borrow $, he has poo~~e~ory Ware , Gary 6 (21'1.1.) 11,..,-! business phone, home phone, alter nate, and note. (The new, edited Smart Clip definition that we will create is Screen 6. shown in Screen 5) . Press (F2) (Field) and add the Home the fact that I store e-mail addresses in First, press (F5) (Clip), highlight field to line three. Then press (ENTER) the Alternate field doesn't matter, since DataCard, then press (F4) (Edit). When to move to the fourth line. I've included the "E-mail" reference in the definition window appears, press the Type "E-mail:", then press (F2) the DataCard. (DownArrow) key once. This will move (Field), highlight the Alternate field, then Here's why I like the contents of the the flashing cursor down to the second press (F10) (OK). Then press (ENTER) Note field to be displayed: although I line so that the equal sign is highlighted. to move to line five. use the Phone Book to store names and Now repeatedly press the (Del) key until On line five, type "Note:", then press telephone numbers, I'm constantly lines two through ten of the definition are (F2) (Field), highlight the Note field, referring to the odd bits of information erased. Alternately, you can hold down then press (F10) (OK). that I store in the Note field. As long as I the (Shift) key and press the DownArrow Our custom DataCard definition is put the most important information in key nine times. This will highlight lines complete, so we can press (F10) (F10) the top six lines of the Note field, this two through ten. Then press the (DEL) (OK) (OK). As you can see in Screen 6, information is always displayed. key to erase the lines. our custom DataCard looks much differ When you edit your own DataCard, The DataCard definition window will ent from the PhoneBook's default think for a moment before you start, and now contain only one line (the line with DataCard (Screen 1). decide what it is you actually use the name field on it). With the cursor on Here's why I like this particular cus PhoneBook (or DataBase or NoteTaker) the second line, press (Shift) b (Shift) 5 tomized DataCard. After using for. Once you know which fields you (Spacebar). "B: " will now appear on the PhoneBook for months and entering look at most often, you can design a second line. hundreds of telephone numbers into custom DataCard that can be especially Now press (F2) (Field). This will bring new records, I've gotten accustomed to useful. up the Define Field window. Press the the fact that the business number is on Ralph C. Turner (DownArrow) key once. When the the left and the home phone is on the Managing Editor "Business" field is highlighted, press right (see Screen 2). Because my cus The HP Palmtop Paper (F10) (OK). Now press (ENTER) to tom DataCard maintains this "left-right" [email protected] move down to line three. display of telephone numbers, it's easi Press the (Spacebar) twelve times, er for me to read . then press (Shift) h (Shift) 5 (Spacebar). I also like to be able to see at a "H:" will now appear on the third line. glance a person's e-mail address; and
32 THE HP PALMTOP PAPER JANUARY/ FEBRUARY 1998 ••• QUICK TIPS •••
Password recovery Here's another custom stockholders. We'll create a sound alarm file, this one of spreadsheet that shows how Jan Brands (jrbrands@win. the 1812 overture: many shares each stockhold tue.nl) has created a small Special wake·up er owns and what percent (8-Kb) freeware utility pro K1 T150 L64 04FF L32A+ sound file age of the total shares each gram that finds the password 05CDC 04A+ 05C L 16D I am hard to wake up, so this holds. While doing this, we'll in files that have been creat 04A+A+ P16" L64 04FF is how I cope. I replaced the cover the following basic ed by the DataBase, Notes, L32A+ 05CDC 04A+ 05C default sound file with a cus spreadsheet tasks: Phone Book, Appointments L 16D 04A+A+ P16" L64 GG tom file that starts with one 1. How to create mixed and WorldTime (*.gdb, *.ndb, L3205CDD+DCDD+DC quiet beep, then a pause, (relative and absolute) for *.pdb, *.adb and *.wdb) appli 04G L 1605C P16" then a somewhat louder mulas. These will be used to cations on the HP 100/200LX L6404FF L32A+ 05CDC beep, another pause, etc. create percentages and palmtop. 04A+FA+FDF L 16A+ T150 Then the loud beeps are totals. HPCRACK • takes advan K1 L64 04FF L32A+ 05CDC connected and get a water 2. How to create a per tage of the fact that the pass 04A+ 05C L 16D 04A+A+ fall effect, then a pause, then P16" L64 04FF L32A+ centage formula. word to a password-protect the waterfall becomes fright 3. How to copy formulas. ed file is saved in the file 05CDC 04A+ 05C L 16D ening, and I am awake for 04A+A+ P16" L64 GG This task makes it easy to itself, protected in a simple certain by then! create duplicates of the per (although insufficient) way. L3205CD D+DCD D+DC (To use a custom sound file, 04G L 1605C P16" centage formula that you will The program does not work the file needs' to be named create. with password-protected L6404FF L32A+ 05CDC c:\_dat\alarm.snd. The file 04A+FA+FDF L 16A+ 4. How to format numbers. Memo files or Pocket must be in ASCII format, and These are used to show the Quicken files, which seem to can be created, in the MEMO It should all be on one long percentages properly. For use a different way of storing editor. Once the file is creat line. This alarm is in the file example: 50.000%, instead the password. ed go into Appointment Book 1812.SND • . of 0.5. The program has two legiti and press (MENU) Options, mate uses. First, its exis Fred Kaufman Getting started Alarm-Beep. Then TAB down Let's start with the spread tence should serve as a and select Custom. From TeamHP warning that the password 7[RTF bookmark start: sheet shown in Screen 1, then on, whenever an alarm _Hlt407079815j5[RTF bookmark end: next page. protection for many of your goes off, the beeps that are files on the HP LX is not suf _Hlt407079815jI622616@com First, enter the data into the in the c:\_dat\alarm.snd file puserve.com appropriate cells, as shown. ficient to protect highly sensi will sound.) tive data. Create the dashed lines that Here are the contents of my appear in cells B4 to D4, and Second, the program will be custom sound file: invaluable if you ever forget in B8 to D8 as follows: . Go to the password to a file. Just t200 v1 k1 000 164 d cell B4 and type the backs lash run HPCRACK, find out the p1p1p1p1p1 v2 gg v3 Lotus 1·2·3 key and the minus key ( \ - ). lost password, then open p1 p1 p1 p1 'fffp1 p1 001 fg fundamentals This will fill the cell with dash your file. p1 p1 v3 164 abc p1 p1 p1 p1 es. Now do the same in cell Lotus 1-2-3 is one of the To use HPCRACK, first c+ a + a bacad a f a ea fag ae B5, and so on. most powerful and useful make a backup of the file for abagabaga+aa+aa+cegde applications built into the HP Creating relative formulas which you can't remember fceaarlee+ ff +gg+aceceace Palmtop PC. It's great to The basic task at hand is the password. Then go to the faced fdfdbcdge 003 abacad keep lists, add up numbers, to first figure out the total DOS prompt and type: abacadbcbdb ebcbdbec number of shares held by the dcecfcdcecfcfgfdfafeede and perform a myriad of cal Hpcrack
THE HPPALMTOP PAPER JANUARY/ FEBRUARY 1998 33 1. Place cell pointer on C9. Bll: [W141 2. Type in: @sum( 3. Press the UpArrow key until the cellpointer is on C5. B (On the second line of 1-2-3, up in the left hand corner, it will display "@sum(C5") STOCKHOLDER SHARES % 4. Press the period key to John Jones 50000 anchor the first cell refer Jane Jones 25000 ence. The second line will Judy Sl'Iit.h 25000 now display "@sum(C5 .. C5". 5. Press the DownArrow TOTALS key. 1-2-3 will begin blocking out the range. Press the DownArrow key until the range C5 through C7 is c-97 93:33 PH blocked out. Then finish the Screen 1. This screen shows our Stockholder spreadsheet with labels and data already entered. formula by pressing the close parenthesis key and then pressing (ENTER). Cell C9 should now display the total Bll: [W141 number of shares. Creating a percentage B • formula 1 2 Again, the percentage of 3 STOCKHOLDER SHARES % shares owned is a function of 4 the number owned and the 5 John Jones 5eJeJeJeJ eJ.5 total number of shares in 6 Jane Jones 25eJeJeJ eJ.25 existence. 7 Judy Sl'Iit.h 25eJeJeJ eJ.25 1. Move your cellpointer to 8 9 TOTALS leJeJeJeJeJ cell D5, where we'll create leJ the first percentage formula. Notice that the Mode Indicator in the upper right 13 hand corner of 1-2-3 says ~ I - 02:1.3 PH "READY" (Le., Lotus is ready Screen 2. Our stockholder spreadsheet now shows the formula from D5 copied to D6 and D7. for you to enter data or a for mula). Now press the plus key, "+". Notice that the Bll: [W141 Mode Indicator changed to "VALUE" (because you entered a plus sign, Lotus B assumes you are going to enter a value). Note that the STOCKHOLDER SHARES % second line in the upper left corner of the screen now has John Jones 50.000 50.0000% a "+" in it. This line displays Jane Jones 25.000 25.0000% anything you are entering. Judy 5'Plit.h 25.000 25.0000% 2. Now press the Left Arrow key. Notice that the TOTALS 100.000 Mode indicator changed to "POINT." Instead of entering a value, Lotus is letting you pOint at the value you want to 02:1.4 PH enter. Note that the second Screen 3.The spreadsheet now displays the properly formatted numbers and percentages. line in the upper left corner of the screen reads "+C5", and the cell pointer is highlighting that the formula on the sec Notice that the Mode key, which is an "absolute cell C5. ond line in the upper left cor Indicator changed to reference" toggle switch. 3. Now press the divide ner of the screen changed to "POINT," the formula on the Notice that the formula on key "f'. Notice that the Mode "+C51", and the cell pointer second line in the upper left the second line changed to Indicator changed to went back to cell D5. corner of the screen changes "+C5/$C$9". Keep pressing "VALUE." Lotus "knows" you 4. Now press the to "+C5/C9", and the cell (F4) slowly until the formula need to enter another value DownArrow key four times pointer highlights cell C9. on the second line is to finish the division. Note and the LeftArrow key once. 5. Then press the (F4) "+C5/C$9". Then press
34 THE HP PALMTOP PAPER JANUARY/ FEBRUARY 1998 Hot J(eys: C 0 F G " R + - < > ~t EY ~ns to n , IL 42°96'N 87-41'W "oon Cloc k (HP200 : 12- 19- 1997 53 rr=iI ato Sun st ) oon -~I continued from p. 2 12- 1.9 Rise 07 : 1.5 St!'t 10 ; 53 Letters: 1.2- 1.9 S.t 1.6 121. Rise 2211.2 1.2- 29 R i s t!' 91' 11.5 Long Nights "oon 1.2- 20 s.t 16 ; 2 2 Browser can display HTML. my day-to-day practice. I carry "C~~n?~; : eYbt::1~ s > The 1996 version came with a my 200LX into exam rooms with Alt . 24 . 1.° - 4.4- Azi", . 172.7° freeware HTML viewer me. I can check pill strengths, designed for HP palmtops. interactions, doses etc., in a few Screen 4. The drugs are listed alpha seconds. I call it "my computer ized cheat sheet" and most (ENTER). [Note: One of the article ... ie. start with "Lotus betically by both trade and nice things about Lotus is 1-2-3 is one of the most. ... ") generic name. There is also a patients find it very acceptable. that when you copy formulas category listing, so you could K2 wants at least 15 orders from one cell to another, Car/Merkle look up "beta blockers" and before they will produce the Lotus adjusts the cell refer Director of Corporate Projects find a list of all the drugs in 1997 version. Here is their ences when needed. Shier Systems & Software, Inc. that category. contact information: Sometimes you do not want car/@shier.com Each drug's entry includes this to happen. If this is the entries for: trade and generic K2 Consultants, Inc. case, you create an absolute names, category, pregnancy 33 Green Heron Lane cell reference in the formula category, contra indications, Nashua, NH 03062 adverse reactions, interac 603-551-5544 (v) as described in this exam A great free program ple.] The mixed reference tions, mechanism of action, 508-842-3666 (f) formula in cell D5 is now The following freeware dosages, forms, nursing 617-497-1243 (Sales) complete. program is among the selec issues and toxicology. [email protected] tions found on this issue's The 1996 package takes up www.skyscape.com/k2 Copying formulas HP Palmtop Paper ON DISK. 6.5 Meg of disk space un You can re-enter the The program can also be compressed. It did compress Steve Carder, MD above formula in Cells D6 downloaded on the Internet to 2.2 Meg with Jam (a disk Family Practice and D7. But that takes too at www.palmtop.net/super. compression program similar S_ [email protected] much time. It's easier to sim html. (See the New Products to Stacker). ply copy the formula from section for additional free I have found it very useful in D5. With the cell pointer on ware and shareware selec D5: tions.) Press: (MENU) (C) (ENTER) (DownArrow) (.) (DownArrow) MOONCK17.ZIP . I£P Productlndex (ENTER). After you press the Moon Clock displays the HP Products contact information: Authorized HP computer dealers worldwide (i.e. the same last key the spreadsheet should phase of the moon and gives place you can purchase an HP LaserJet). To locate an authorized dealer in the USA, call 800- look like Screen 2. 443-1254. You can also purchase the 95LX & 100/200LX and tts accessories from : EduCALC the position of the sun and at 800-677-7001, Fax: 714-582-1445; Your One-Stop Palmtop Shop at 800-709-9494 or 608- Formatting numbers moon or the times of rising 752-1537, Fax: 608-752-9548; Notebook Supply Warehouse at 800-566-6832 or 714-753- We'll fix the appearance of and setting (Screen 4, a 8810, Fax: 714-753-8812; PDA Direct at 800-279-4732 ext 130; Shier Systems at 805-371- the numbers next. bove). This new version of 9391 , Fax: 805-371-9454. 1. First let's make the the program was written just HP 300LX (F1220A)--$499 (est.) spreadsheet display all num for the HP 100/200LX by Bill HP 320LX (F1221A)- $699 (est.) HP 200LX 4 MB (HP F1216A)- $599 . . bers with commas separating Quinlan (bquinlan@com (versions available Include: US English, UK English, German, Spanish, French , Portugese, Japanese thousands and displaying no puserve.com). and Korean) decimal places. Do so by HP 200LX 2MB (HP F1061A) - $499 pressing: (MENU) (W) (G) Shareware/Freeware HP 1000CX 2 MB Palmtop PC (HP F1222A) -$449 (F) (,) (0) (ENTER). Unfortu mentioned in this article (versions available include: US English, UK English , German, Spanish, and French) nately, this doesn't display HP OmniGo 700LX - $NA HPCRACK.ZIP • - Utility (Combination HP 2OOLX, fax software and Nokia GSM cellular phone.) the percentages properly. Up that finds passwords for 1.8 Mb Flash Disk (HP F1024A, with Stacker) - $199 to this point, they are dis protected files. Available 6 Mb Flash Disk (HP F1215C, with Stacker).- $425 played as fractions, and .5 on this issue's HP Palmtop 10Mb Flash Disk (HP F1 013C, with Stacker) - $600 really means 50%. Paper ON DISK. 20 Mb Flash Disk (HP F1014C, with Stacker) - $999 2. Fix the appearance of MOONCK17.ZIP • AC/DC Adapter (HP F1011A)-$39.95 the percentages by moving USA/Canada (Opt. ABA); Europe (Opt. ABB); Australia (Opt. ABG); South Africa (Opt. ABO); United Program that displays Kingdom (Opt ABU). the cell pointer to cell D5. phases of the moon. PC Connectivity Cable (HP F1015A) - $24.95 Then press: (MENU) R F P 4 A vailable on this issue's MAC Connectivity Cable (HP F1 016A) - $24.95 (ENTER) (DownArrow) HP Palmtop Paper ON 100/200LX Connectivity Pack - $119.95 (DownArrow) (DownArrow) DISK. U.S. (HP F1021B): In1emational (HP F1021C) (DownArrow) (ENTER). ConnecVAdapter Kit - $24.95 (HP F1023A) Your spreadsheet will now ALARM.ZIP • - Contains 4 adapters for connecting the 100I200LX to modems, pnnters, and PCs. Palmtop Maintenance Kit (replacement parts) (F1216-60998) (US only) - $20 look like Screen 3. two sound files for the palmtop's ApptBook Service Agreements (2-year extension) - $85. You now have a template For U.S. HP Palmtop users. Units must be under warranty to extend. ready to insert new data. alarm. Available on this issue's HP Palmtop Paper Contact: HP, Corvallis Service Center, USA; Phone: 503-757-2002. (xx start here with Merkle's NOTE Prices listed are suggested retail pnee. Dealer pnees may val)' ON DISK. "Lotus 1-2-3 Fundamentals"
THE HP PALMTOP PAPER JANUARY/ FEBRUARY 1998 35 How To Contact Us Products Advertised in This Issue of Please note: The HP Palmtop Paper does not and cannot provide technical support. There are a number of ways to get in touch The HP Palmtop Paper with The HP Palmtop Paper staff. You can write, mail us a disk with your comments, COMPANY PRODUCT PHONE/FAX NUMBERS PAGE NUMBER send CompuServe or Internet e-mail, fax, or call. Our mailing address and contact infor Accurite Floppy Drives for 100/200LXIDouble Slot .....510-668-4900 ; Fax:51 0-668-4905 ...... 17 mation is: Aware Micro Roentgen Radiation Monitor ...... 302-655-3800 ; Fax: 302-655-3800 ...... 9 Thaddeus Computing, INC Entente Two-Way Conversational Translator ...... 800-409-1701 ...... 10 110 N. Court St. Fairfield, IA 52556 USA EXP Computer ThinFax Modem ...800-EXP-6922 ext. 641 or 714-453-1020; Fax: 714-453-1319 ...... BC Phone: 515-472-6330 Greenwich Link-A-Printer ...... 800-476-4070 or 704-875-8490; Fax: 704-875-2801 ...... 30 or 800-373-6114 Fax:515-472-1879 Inmax CGA VGA Graphics Pack Vision ...... 604-980-9991 ; Fax: 604-985-5597 ...... 23 Internet: [email protected] Kingmax Micro Peripherals ...... 714-454-9888 ; Fax: 714-454-9499 ...... 25 CompuServe: 76125,1773 PDA, Inc. Mobile & PDA Expo '98 ...... 415-252-8008; Fax: 415-252-8055 ...... 7 TO SUBSCRIBE, change address, or clear up Shier Systems Cables, software, accessories, Web lirowser .805-371-9391; Fax: 805-371-9454 .... . IFC any problem with your subscription, contact our subscription department. Call or fax us at Thaddeus Computing ...... 800-373-6114 or 515-472-6330; Fax: 515-472-1879 the phone numbers above. E-mail us at: [email protected] Thaddeus Palmtops: Double-Speed 8 Meg Palmtop, new and upgrade ...... 29 New 1998 CD InfoBase; 2-CD Deluxe Edition ...... IBC TO ADVERTISE in The HP Palmtop Paper Knowledge products: Subscriptions, HP Palmtop Tech Ref. Manual, Ref. Books, CD ...... 8 contact Brian Teitzman, Margaret Martin or Tiffany Lisk at phone: 515-472-1660 or 800- Handheld PC Magazine ...... 5 809-5603; Fax: 515-472-8409. Trans Digital Trans PC Card-Universal Parallel Port ...... 916-482-5599; Fax: 916-482-5598 ...... 4 Technical Support HP Technical Support - HP offers technical support from 8 am - 5pm P.S.T. Phone: 970- 392-1001. Shareware and Freeware Index On-Line Support-offered by these bulletin January/February 1998 board services: o COMPUSERVE: GO HPHAND FORUM Software on The HP Palmtop Paper ON DISK - Call 800-848-8990 or 614-457-8650. PRODUCT FUNCTION CIS FORUM / LIBRARY TYPE PAGE o AMERICA ON LINE: Keyword ALARM.ZIP Two sound files for ApptBook's alarm. NA Freeware 33 PALMTOP - Call 888-265-8001 for membership information. CAPLX103.zIP Utility: DOS TSR screen capture program. NA Freeware 3 COMMO.ZIP Application: telecommunications program. NA Shareware 4 o INTERNET NEWS GROUPS: news:comp.sys. palmtops.hp; FORLOOP.ZIP Example program for LXBatch. NA Freeware 22 news:comp.sys.handhelds HPCLlCK.ZIP Utility that adds clicking sound to typing. NA Freeware 3 How to Submit an Article HPCRACK.ZIP Utility: recover passwords that you've lost. NA Freeware 33 LXB30.ZIP LXBatch ver 3.0: batch tool for the LX. NA P-cardware 22 The richness of The HP Palmtop Paper comes from the contributions of Palmtop PC LXBACKUP.ZIP Easy backup of C drive to FLASH card. NA Freeware 3 users. We and your fellow users welcome NA Freeware 3 your submissions. (We do not offer payment LXGPSI2.ZIP Application: A moving map GPS program. for articles, your reward is knowing that MOONCKI7.ZIP Program that displays phases of the moon. NA Freeware 35 you've helped others.) NTKPAC.ZIP Newton keyboard driver, ver. 0.5. NA Freeware 3 If you have a good idea and want to "go for it," send it in via CompuServe e-mail PATCHCOM.ZIP Utility that connects COM 1 and COM2. HPHAND, LIB 1 Freeware 3 [75300,2443), Internet: hal_goldstein@thad deus. com, or send disk or hard copy to Hal PERIODIC.ZIP DOS program: look up the elements. NA Shareware 3 Goldstein or Ralph C. Turner at the above address. Alternatively you can send an out PTP37.zIP Text: The HP Palmtop Paper, Jan/Feb 1998 NA NA NA line of your idea. We will try to guide you as QVREM06.ZIP Control Casio digital camera from the LX. NA, Freeware 3 to when and whether we would use the arti cle and contact you if we need clarification or README.ZIP Text: cover letter to the HP Palmtop Paper ON DISK. NA NA NA have any suggestions - please include your phone number. We may want to use an article SAMPULL.ZIP Example program for LXBatch. NA Freeware 22 but for a variety of reasons you may not see it Freeware for many months. Please understand that we SHOWKEY.ZIP Example batch file for LXBatch. NA 22 cannot promise to run any particular article at UNOI3.ZIP Application: an information manager. NA Shareware 3 any particular time. If you can, especially if you write a Palmtop Profile, send us a photo of yourself. TO ORDER the CD InfoBase or HP Palmtop Paper ON DISK, see page 8
36 THEHPPALMTOPPAPER JANUARY/ FEBRUARY 1998 HP Palmtop Paper's 98 CD InfoBase The Only HP Palmtop Upgrade That Has It All. To get the most from your HP 100/200LX pahntop, you need 3 advanced upgrades on 1 convenient PCMCIA card. First, you need to send and receive both faxes and data at an exceptional 14,400 bps speed. Second, you need fax/modem software that operates easily with the same HP function keys and commands you already use ... without the hassle of downloading software and without consuming precious hard disk space. Third, you need Flash memory for fast, easy access to all your software applications and for efficiently storing data. Plus you need to fax from and receive faxes into your Flash memory for extra convenience. And, most of all, you need the flexibility to use all your upgrade features together or independently, without inserting and removing separate fax/modem and memory cards. Now you can have it all with ThinFax 1414LXM. ALL THE ADVANCED UPGRADE FEATURES YOU NEED ... ON 1 CONVENIENT POICIA CARD. EXP's award-winning MiniFax™ software. High-speed fax/modem. 2 or 4 MB Flash memory. They're all built into the ThinFax 1414LXM card. That's why ThinFax 1414LXM is the Qlli: upgrade that's a must for your HP palmtop. So call the toll-free number today for complete ThinFax 1414LXM specifications and the name of an EXP dealer near you. CliIll: 714-453-1020 or Fmt: 714-453-1319 http://UlUJUl.expnet.eom ~ MOBILE COMPUTING EXP ERTISE IS BUILT INTO OUR NAME.