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Epoc Digest Wed, 19 Mar 2003 Volume 01 : Number 205
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Sent to: 759 subscribers
In today's Epoc Digest 22 messages:
==============================
- Re: The Screencable Problem
- Re: Loss of remote link
- Re: Spam
- Re: New Psion - Screen Cable
- Improving "Data". New 5mx
- Colouring apps, The cable, Not found, Printing.
- Re: ADMIN
- Re: No email addresses (4 Itamar)
- RE: Subject: Please don't delete my address!
- Backup (4 Itamar)
- Showing addresses
- Re: MBMView Regis # 204
- LOOKUP in Sheet
- Re: Morton Davis -printing
- Re: EPOC DIGEST V1 # 204
- Modem joys in France
- RE: File Not found (psion)
- Dodgy Key
- Re: Julie's departure to the Pocket PC camp
- Soft reset, second hand Psion 7, Lookup Function, C700, Not found,
- Re: Printing
- Dana Data
Request to all:
--------------------
please don't include the word ADMIN in the subject, if you want your mail will be included in the digest.
(Our digest handling program bounces such mails and we have to include them manually.)
Thank you
Rolf Vonau
The Epoc Digest Team
*++++++++++&
Date: 19 Mar 2000 03:57:54 +0100
From: Korbinian Demmel
Subject: Re: The Screencable Problem
Hi Rolf
> I don't think that people have a problem with the fact
> that the screen cable will fail at some point in time,
> nor with the possible fact that the cable always fails
> at a particular spot. My impression is that people do
> realise that the cable won't last forever and ever.
You are right in this point. My biggest nightmare is of course not getting any more screencables. But thats not all, you have to pay every time about 85€ to have this problem repaired. Not to forget, that Psion itself at that time not only changed the broken displaycable but the whole screen incl. cable instead! Which was very expensive. Therefore it's no wonder that people was afraid of a broken screencable from the very first day on.
> Besides, it's very
> well possible that "those holes" in Psion's screen cable
> have a function. And that eliminating "those holes"
> creates another problem, though of a different kind.
Of course, there _has_ to be any reason why this "holes" exists. I don't believe it's because of the production procedure. (But - nobody knows...)
But there is also no question about that this is the weak point of the cable. My own two "problem childs" (one of classic and one of mxPro) were both broken exactly there! Why don't try to elminate this with a new kind of cable? Call it an alternative or solution.
Although I know that no product will work for ever, I don't lik to repair something every 2 years, even if I used it very carefully!
> I'm thus more careful and don't cry "design error" as
> quickly as is sometimes done on on-line discussion
> forums.
That's a good attitude. But changing not only the cable but also the screen is something I would call a "strange behaviour" towards the customer. It is definite a weakpoint, caused by the manufacturer or not.
--
bIS denn / best regards
Korbinian
*++++++++++&
Date: 19 Mar 2000 04:47:47 +0100
From: Korbinian Demmel
Subject: Re: Loss of remote link
Hi Neil
> Today when trying to backup my Psion 5 when choosing
> Tools , Remote link, cable. the following message
> appears
> Information
> not found
> press to continue
>Or would a soft reset do the job ? If so how do I do that ?
Yes! Perform a softreset and the problem is gone away - for short time :(
Severl months ago I've got the same problem very often. Until now, I haven't realized that this problem has gone :) (Oh yes, I remember it was very nerve-racking)
Perhaps some installed apps cause this bug. Do you have fontloader installed?
--
bIS denn / best regards
Korbinian
*++++++++++&
Date: 19 Mar 2000 04:47:50 +0100
From: Korbinian Demmel
Subject: Re: Spam
Hi list, hi Peter
> Replacing in each sender address is not enough.
Ok, there were many other good ideas.
> do not believe that the digest should display sender
> addresses at all.
That's not my opinion! The most of us should be digest reader. (Or does anyone get 20 messages a day:)
I think, it increases the "flow" of the digest enormous if the answer (and perhaps the answer of the answer) is in the same digest.
Therefore I also send the message to the person I answer.
BTW: I use three accounts: One for private and business mails (I'm a student and have less business mails:), one for all the newsletters and mailinglists and one for all those webpages who want my email for sending my password and sending "only" one newsletter a month..... (e.g. 'www.driverguide.com')
And (till now) I had no problem with spam!
But of course I would prefer someth
--
bIS denn
Korbinian
*++++++++++&
Date: 18 Mar 2003 21:14:49 +0100
From: Rolf Brunsting
Subject: Re: New Psion - Screen Cable
Dear Wajira,
<< If Psion thinks of engaging in the perfectly normal activity called product improvement, practiced by every other company, they can find some space for the cable connector at the screen end by having a little bump on the case >>
It's also a perfectly normal activity for companies to investigate what customers put forward as product enhancements and/or improvements and judge them on their technical merits. What you propose is straightforward and can be described as a "Why didn't they think of it themselves?" proposal. It replaces two soldered connections by plug/socket combinations to make the cable more service friendly. What speaks against it is that plugs and sockets have a relatively high MTBF. When the effect is that you're going to trade screen cable failures for a higher level of plug/socket problems you don't implement the idea as a manufacturer. It's then a case of - Thank you for your idea mr. Perera - Unfortunately, we're not going to implement your idea for technical reasons - We hope that this won't be a barrier for you putting new ideas forward.
<< While this may affect aesthetics a bit, I am sure majority of users will gladly trade looks for maintainability >>
Practical reality is that service friendlyness isn't high on the requirements list of the general consumer. Size, weight, looks, technical features and price are far more important. Reason why manufacturers don't concentrate as much on service friendlyness as on ease of manufacture as the latter has a direct effect on price. After all, you have to sell the product before you're ever going to service it.
--
Kind Regards,
Rolf Brunsting - Darp - Netherlands
*++++++++++&
Date: 18 Mar 2003 22:21:29 +0100
From: "Stephane Sage"
Subject: Improving "Data". New 5mx
Hello to all.
Some time ago, I have sent the following request:
"Re: "Improving" Data. A while ago I was told by the Psion techies that it was possible to modify some functions on any standard, inboard Epoc software. As I am no programmer, I would like to know whether anyone could help on 2 things, which could dramatically improve Data (and not forcing me to invest a lot of time and a few quids into another database), i.e. :
- how to modify the type and size of a field after it has been duly implemented (without erasing all data within this particular field) and
- how to launch a query on more than 1 criterium (for example: I wish to get all people, at the same time living in Grenoble (crit. nr 1), owning a 5mx (crit. nr 2) and going skiing (crit. nr 3)...
Thanks for any help."
Perhaps someone could give me a hint on the way to do that, while using the 5mx integrated (as far as I could understand) Epoc software...or redirect me to some Epoc developers.
To Ian Chapple (re. renewed production of 5mx)
Ian, could you persuade your "very good authority " at Psion to have a colour screen added to their revisited 5mx...?
Best regards
Stephane (Grenoble, France)
*++++++++++&
Date: 18 Mar 2003 22:38:27 +0100
From: Trygve Henriksen
Subject: Colouring apps, The cable, Not found, Printing.
Greetings!
Kevin Thorne wrote:
> First of all, many thanks to Martin Guthrie for making all those
> wonderful .aif files available in colour to brighten up our S7/netBook
> Extras bar - your hard work is much appreciated. This got me
> thinking about those existing Psion apps that were never colourised
> for the S7/netBook.
Sorry, but no....
To change a complete program you need to edit the source and recompile.
For example the 'title bar' at the top of some application windows:
Yes, it's filled with a bitmap loaded from a resource file, which in theory could be replaced, but it also needs to be loaded into a 'window', and that's where the problem begins.
You see, when you create those windows you specify 'colour depth', or how many colours it supports, and if you try to load a picture with too many colours... (Tends to give a 'not supported' error )
That some programs doesn't fit the larger screen of the S7/netBook, though, can usually be blamed on shortsightedness by the Author...
(Every design guide explicitly states that new devices may utilise other screen sizes, and that the program must interrogate the OS and adapt automatically)
---
vlad arghir wrote:
> Anyways, I have a tendency not to panic and a feeling for shape:
> I also wondered (others certainly did as well) what those holes in
> the cable may be good for (maybe to increase flexibilty or
> decrease the probability of creases?)
I'm not certain, but I have a strong feeling that the hole is a 'guide hole' for the automatic soldering equipment used in the production line...
Anyway, I collect old portables, PDA's and suchlike, and can't remember seeing any similar cables with holes in that place. (A corner or a section that is often flexed/bent)
Mainly, the faults I have found are cracks at one end(usually with thicker tracks and if often removed/replaced) and corrosion.
> What sort of data can be used to research whether the screen cable is
> flawed in design and/or material? Can we approximate it? What would
> be a workable approximation (you gave a partial answer a while ago)
Why not 'stress test' it?
Mount a 'reasonable sample' (Maybe 25 or so) in a mock-up and let a mechanism continually open/close it while exposing it to different temperatures and humidities.
Then see how many openings/closings they can take on average...
(Discount any that breaks in the beginning of the test; they're factory defects)
Maybe repeat the test with the German replacement cable or cables modified with tape or other reinforcements?
--
Chris Cooper wrote:
> After a hard reset and a slightly flakey restore of my files (actually
> copying rather than using the official Restore, but things seem
> generally fine), I now find that every time I switch my 5mx on,
> I get the error message 'Not found'.
Do you have any programs that runs on 'power on', like Macro5?
If so, it may be missing a file.
try reinstalling any such programs.
---
Morton Davis wrote:
> I've just bought a printer cable on eBay, and it hasn't got a manual,
> so I don't know how to get round a problem: the printer recognises
> the connection (it's a Canon BJ200, and it churns when the S5 is
> switched on), but when I try to print a sheet, it says "Cannot open
> port. Infrared or communications program may be using it.".
Have you switched off the desktop Link?
Also, you can't have anything else using serial comms either...
The Printer cable is a serial-to-parallell converter and the S5mx only has one serial device(But two physical ports and three logical devices)
:-)
Trygve
Just now toying with a Sega GameGear...
Wow! The Battery pack has a belt-clip....
*++++++++++&
Date: 18 Mar 2003 22:48:46 +0100
From: Alan Morris
Subject: Re: ADMIN
Kate Head wrote:-
<< Anything that stops me getting pornographic emails (and viruses) is OK by me. >>
Kate generally a virus will be sent to you by someone that has you in their address book - ie. someone that has already sent you a private e-mail.
By using your Psion for ALL e-mails, this will stop ALL viruses without the bother of using any anti-virus software.
You could also use more than one e-mail address, as I do. Most junk mail arrives on another address, that I just delete from the ISP's server without even downloading it. Viruses are also deleted by the same method.
--
Alan R Morris, G4ENS.
Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, UK.
Using a Psion 7 & Nokia 6210e
*++++++++++&
Date: 18 Mar 2003 23:01:16 +0100
From: David Lir
Subject: Re: No email addresses (4 Itamar)
"In my humble opinion we don't really need the email addresses, but for a situation where someone has a crisis and needs immediate help via email. In such cases I suggest that the person in question mentions his/her address in the text."
Itamar, I *respectfully* but *strongly* disagree. A great deal of the utility and enjoyment I've gotten out of this Digest so far has come from the offlist contacts I've had with other subscribers. Honestly, if the email addresses were stripped out on an indefinite basis I'd probably just unsubscribe - it would be far too frustrating to not know how to contact other subscribers and to know that they wouldn't know how to contact me if they wished to ask me a question, offer me a suggestion or help, or even merely comment on something I've said.
Just my two cents :)
------------------------
David Lir - \\:>{o>
*++++++++++&
Date: 18 Mar 2003 23:01:33 +0100
From: David Lir
Subject: RE: Subject: Please don't delete my address!
Please ignore the preceding message. It was sent to the Digest managementand was not intended to appear in the Digest proper!
It was my mistake: I should have sent itwith ADMIN in the Subject line - oops!
------------------------
David Lir - \\:>{o>
*++++++++++&
Date: 18 Mar 2003 23:01:36 +0100
From: David Lir
Subject: Backup (4 Itamar)
"Re. Back up - The disadvantage of backing up only to a CF card is that there is no back up if you either lose your machine or something goes wrong during restoring that coud corrupt both the C disk and the CF card. Periodically backing up on a PC is a worhtwhile"
Just thought I'd mention that you could backup the backup folder itself from D: to E: using Ralph Sprenger's *excellent* Backup. This would give you two CF-based backups of RAM. I do this and I backup to my laptop and I backup my laptop's shock-resistant hard drive to an external shock-resistant hard drive too. I keep the second CF backup separate from the nB at all times and I take the first with me when I leave the netBook. Better safe than sorry!
BTW, in Backup the 'CF Backup' option only appears in the menu when a CF is inserted in the PCMCIA slot in addition to the CF slot!
------------------------
David Lir - \\:>{o>
*++++++++++&
Date: 18 Mar 2003 23:36:18 +0100
From: Kevin Thorne
Subject: Showing addresses
On the subject of whether to display email addresses on the digest or not, I think the answer to this is quite straightforward. Some contributors won't mind their addresses being displayed but some might prefer to keep it hidden so surely the answer is simply not to display the addresses on the digest by default? That way, anyone who WANTS to be contacted quickly and directly only has to include their address within the body of the message or have it in their signature. I'm one of those who would prefer NOT to have my address displayed but presently if I contribute to the digest I have no say in the matter - my address is displayed whether I like it or not.
Regards
Kevin Thorne
*++++++++++&
Date: 19 Mar 2003 00:01:59 +0100
From: Mark DEPPE
Subject: Re: MBMView Regis # 204
Dear Rolf,
Thanks for all the effort you are putting into reviving MBMVeiw, it is appreciated as are your thoughts on various courses of action.
<<<I wrote "a kind of business proposal">>>
Excellent all the best with it, I feel you will make an excellent representation for the psion community.
<<<Another aspect is that two people have already mentioned on the Digest that they see no bones in supplying their MBMView registration details to others. We may have to reckon with the fact that these details are already out and about and are reducing whatever earning potential there was left into nothing.>>>
Maybe and maybe not. From the postings I have seen these people are acting with personal integrity - I realise that this may differ for other people and is not a legal stand - and have no intention of defrauding or causing harm. I would speculate (I do not believe I am naive or gullible, I often function on an honesty trust basis and it has worked very well for me) if you were to resurrect MBMview in a commercial format that those people who have not paid for their registration codes through an inability to and have obtained them from friends or kind hearted individuals would be happy to pay for the program retrospectively, they would have to be granted an amnesty, or they could avoid declaring they ever had an illegal reg code and just pay to register even though they already have a code, as I am sure they would want to support future developments and they might want access to other resources or technical assistance. Obviously if it became freeware then the issue of those with reg codes who have not paid will not arise. Thats my thought on it and it is supported by 10 years of great support, honesty and trustworthiness from a psion community which has never ripped me off and dealt more than fairly and generously with me.
I hope your plans succeed and there will be room for understanding, and reconciliation. Peace is needed in all areas of life, let it start with us. Some harsh words have been said (understandably as people have passionate opinions) which I feel do not reflect the character of the psion community though I do understand their sentiments and appreciate where they are coming from with them, and the psion community is not a rigid business enterprise, we have room for tolerance, compassion and understanding.
Kind regards
Mark Deppe
*++++++++++&
Date: 19 Mar 2003 00:29:35 +0100
From: "howkins"
Subject: LOOKUP in Sheet
Andy Hayes asked how to return a value in column C associated with an
entry in the same row in column B in Sheet.
I use the Vlookup function for this.
First – as others have replied – ensure the towns in column B are listed
alphabetically in ascending order.
Then, if the first of your towns has been entered in cell B4 and the
last one is in B8 (for example) insert the following formula in cell D4:
=vlookup(“Leeds”,B4:C8,2)
This says find the word Leeds (which must be in quotation marks in the
formula) within the range of cells from B4 to C8 (you have to include
the column which has the answer you’re looking for – in this case column
C) and then return the answer which is offset 2 columns from where
“Leeds” was found. Sheet counts the first column (in this case column
B) as column 1, so offset 2 means the next column to the right – i.e.
column C in your case.
Unfortunately I don’t think you can use the EXACT function in EPOC
sheets, as others have suggested, so there is the danger that you will
get an incorrect result if you look for a town that doesn’t exist: if
you search for “Lincoln” but it doesn’t appear in column B, you will get
the answer from column C for the town which most closely matches the
spelling of Lincoln.
If I’m wrong, or anyone knows how to solve this problem, I’d be glad to
hear!
Robert Howkins in Taiwan
*++++++++++&
Date: 19 Mar 2003 02:29:31 +0100
From: "fernando moros"
Subject: Re: Morton Davis -printing
Dear Morton,
That message "Cannot..." is the message that the 5mX gives to me when the OPTION SET IN SYSTEM>TOOLS>REMOTE LINK is not the right one for the way you are printing. There are 3 available (off, cable, infrared)
I am sorry i dont understand HOW you are printing (is it via PC? or is it with the infrarred cable?) depending on wich one you are using you nedd to set the remote link to cable or infrarred. And the manual advise, once you have finished to switch back to REMOTE LINK OFF to save power when not in used.
I hope it helps.
FErnando-SKorea
*++++++++++&
Date: 19 Mar 2003 08:46:51 +0100
From: "Steve Richardson"
Subject: Re: EPOC DIGEST V1 # 204
>>This request didn't get a response when I posted it a couple of issues ago, so I'll try again:
>>After a hard reset and a slightly flakey restore of my files (actually copying rather than using the official >>Restore, but things seem generally fine), I now find that every time I switch my 5mx on, I get the error message 'Not >>found'. When I hit Continue, it disappears, and I'm returned to the System screen, but there are no ill effects >>otherwise.
>>How can I fix this minor nuisance?
Chris
I had Just this problem..after I had to do a hard reset and a restore... Turned out to be a problem with AlarmPlus - reinstalled and away it went
It could also be a macro you run on startup from Macro 5
Check that
________________________________
Steve Richardson
Microsoft Consultancy and Services
ITS Services Business,
IBM Global Services
Email: Steve_Richardson
Phone: 01962 815495 (Internal 245495) (Mobex 275925)
*++++++++++&
Date: 19 Mar 2003 09:14:21 +0100
From: Nigel Elbourne
Subject: Modem joys in France
Friends,
Some time ago I asked for help over my modem woes in France. The response from the Psion community was superb!
I have now: a) acquired Tim Schweikert's Infrared
Travel Modem; b) identified the correct plug to link it to the French phone system; c) sent this email from our house in Normandy!
Thank you to all who offered advice and encouragement over hardware, settings and ISPs.
Nigel
*++++++++++&
Date: 19 Mar 2003 09:49:46 +0100
From: "Chris Cooper"
Subject: RE: File Not found (psion)
Steve, this is brilliant! It's done the trick! Thanks!
-----Original Message-----
From: Steve RichardSent: Wednesday, 19 March, 2003 08:48
To: chris_cooper
Subject: File Not found (psion)
Chris
Re: your problem
Are you running Alarm Plus?
If so and you've just done a restore from disk... reinstall it I had just the same a few days ago
If not..come back to me and I've got some other ideas ________________________________
Steve Richardson
Microsoft Consultancy and Services
ITS Services Business,
IBM Global Services
Email: Steve_Richardson
Phone: 01962 815495 (Internal 245495) (Mobex 275925)
*++++++++++&
Date: 19 Mar 2003 10:14:20 +0100
From: Christopher Marwood
Subject: Dodgy Key
Hi everyone,
My screen cable has just gone for the second time (first one lasted 23 months, second 22 months, consistent if nothing else...) so I am mistyping constantly on my spare MC218 with its different keyboard layout... But more irritatingly the left shift key is bad - I have to press it very hard to make it work and it makes a sort of tap sound rather than a thud sound as the rest of the keys do. Is this something I can fix myself? Its out of guarantee now, though I've never used it.
All the best, Chris
*++++++++++&
Date: 19 Mar 2003 12:02:37 +0100
From: Kevin Collins
Subject: Re: Julie's departure to the Pocket PC camp
Hi folks...
To Julie Wills:
Julie, thanks for that extremely interesting info on the Dell Axim: best of luck with it when it arrives. We'll miss you from the list when you do go...
--
Regards,
Kevin [Cork, Ireland]
*++++++++++&
Date: 19 Mar 2003 13:52:43 +0100
From: Itamar Engelsman
Subject: Soft reset, second hand Psion 7, Lookup Function, C700, Not found,
Re.: Soft reset - This subject has been discussed a number of times off late. While it is of course possible to close your machine, open the battery compartment, find a paperclip, push it in the whole, close the battery compartment again and switch on your machine (.... pffff ....) it is a lot easier to use the program Restart which gives you an icon in the Control Panel. Look at www.epocware.com., I think it was freeware.
Answer to: Eric Lindsay
Re. second hand Psion 7 - Pls keep us informed when these will be available ? A S7 for less than the price of the original 5MX sounds a good deal (maybe this is also a solution for Julie ?)
Answer to: Andy Hayes
Re. Lookup Function - I think you should use either the HLOOKUP or the VLOOKUP functions as follows :
HLOOKUP(test variable,range,row offset number)
VLOOKUP(test variable,range,column offset number)
I have not used these for quite some time, so if you need further help let me know and I'll try to refresh my memory.
Answer to: Peter Rand
RE. C700 - Yes please, let us know how you get on with this machine. As I wrote before, sooner or later we iwll all face this decision.
Answer to: Chris Cooper
Re. Not found - I suppose it means that the Psion is looking for a program it cannot find. You probably either have a macro to start a program at switch on or maybe set a program in Macro5 or Assistant to to be switched on at switch on which you don't have installed anymore after your copying back of the files. If this is not correct, you must have copied an incorrect settings file with you rmanual copying.
Best regards,
Itamar Engelsman
London, UK
*++++++++++&
Date: 19 Mar 2003 15:20:49 +0100
From: "Marcus von Cube"
Subject: Re: Printing
Morton
>"Cannot open port. Infrared or communications program may be using it."
You probably have the link running. Go to the system screen and switch it off. Even if your link is configured for the serial port, it locks out the parallel cable too. The cable is in fact a serial to parallel converter.
Marcus
http://www.mvcsys.de
*++++++++++&
Date: 19 Mar 2003 15:34:37 +0100
From: Jim Watson~Gove
Subject: Dana Data
Peter,
<<Speaking of which, I've been testing the Alphasmart Dana for the last few weeks.>>
I also am trying out a Dana to use as a WP and to explore Palm OS. The bad news is I don't have my windows machines yet to download any supplied software off of the CD.
My main criticism so far is the inability to rename a file. To rename I have to "save as", close the new file, then reopen the old file and select delete.
Is there a file manager on the disk? If not have you tried any after market file manager?
Another fault is it has a terrible spell check. From something I read on their website,they seem to be working on an upgrade.
jim - port townsend
*++++++++++&
************************************************************************
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