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Epoc Digest Thu, 02 Jan 2003 Volume 01 : Number 137

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Sent to: 710 subscribers

In today's Epoc Digest 31 messages:

==============================

- Re: Psion Dacom Goldcard modem V34

- Psion Dacom Goldcard modem V34

- Pocket Reader, Psion Dacom modem.

- Re: OS X, digital pictures

- Re: EPOC DIGEST V1 # 136

- My indispensable S7

- Re; OSX & EPOC

- Re; "most-used programs"

- Re: digital pictures on a Psion; SIEMENS rapid reader

- Query - Agenda to Data/Sheet Link

- "most used programs" update

- Re: Psion Ham Radio software

- Re: Tomtom cityplanner

- "most-used programs"

- Happy New Year To All

- RE: Ideas for Programs-Agenda

- HNY

- Tablet Devices

- PPP as ADSL relay, e. g. on a Mac

- dCalc: compiling the free version

- Re: Satellite tracking software

- Re: Agenda to Data/Sheet Link

- Re: digital pictures on a Psion; SIEMENS rapid reader

- Solun Santa, digital pics, Psion Gold Card

- Neuon,

- Typing with modem card in S7

- Where to look for new applications

- Dcalc 3.0 successfully built!

- Two Columns in Word / Netbook OS158

- Morse / Exporting from Encrypted files / Palm + GPS in One / EPlayM / In Depth Apps

- Re: Repairs in the US

*++++++++++&

Date: 31 Dec 2002 15:13:48 +0100

From: Rolf Vonau

Subject: Re: Psion Dacom Goldcard modem V34

Itamar Engelsman wrote at Tue, 31 Dec 2002 14:11:31 +0100 (> ):

> The literature does not give the AT commands to

> reduce this noise. Is it possible to reduce the

> noise of dialling to an "acceptable" level ?

Hi Itamar,

if you can send AT commands to your modem, here are the commands:

ATM0 always off

ATM1 on until not connected

ATM2 always on

ATM3 on after dialling until not connected

ATL0 ... L7 Volume of sound

Best Regards

Rolf

Munich

http://home.arcor.de/rhvonau/index.htm

*++++++++++&

Date: 31 Dec 2002 16:22:04 +0100

From: "Tony Cabot"

Subject: Psion Dacom Goldcard modem V34

Don't think so Itamar. I finally just turned the noise off. There is still a click when the connection is opened (and closed) but I make do without too much trouble just watching the cues "dialling, etc." in the upper corner. Tony Cabot

****Original Message

Date: 31 Dec 2002 14:11:31 +0100

From: Itamar Engelsman

Subject: Psion Dacom Goldcard modem V34

I bought this card via eBay for very little money. It worked very well first time I tried. My only problem is that it makes a tremendous noise when dialling even though I set the volume to "Quiet". The literature does not give the AT commands to reduce this noise. Is it possible to reduce the noise of dialling to an "acceptable" level ?

Best regards,

Itamar Engelsman

*******

*++++++++++&

Date: 31 Dec 2002 16:59:27 +0100

From: Trygve Henriksen

Subject: Pocket Reader, Psion Dacom modem.

Greetings and a happy new year!

Aleck Cartwright wrote:

> SIEMENS Pocket Reader - I was also wondering if anyone knows

> where I can get a cheap pen scanner, the Siemens Pocket Reader

> would be ideal, does anyone know where I could get one?

Try Maplin.

www.maplin.co.uk I think it was...

(I registered as a customer and ordered one right before Xmas. :-)

---

Itamar wrote:

> Psion Dacom Goldcard modem V34

> I bought this card via eBay for very little money. It worked very well

> first time I tried.

It's a Psion, of course it worked...

> My only problem is that it makes a tremendous

> noise when dialling even though I set the volume to "Quiet".

> The literature does not give the AT commands to reduce this noise.

> Is it possible to reduce the noise of dialling to an "acceptable" level ?

You could try adding one of these commands:

(I'm looking at the AT command set for the Nokia Data Card for my now defunct 2110, but what the.... :-)

Monitor Speaker Loudness

ATL[O/1/2/3]

(ATL0 _should_ kill the sound, I think)

Monitor Speaker Mode

ATM[0/1/2]

Not certain about what this is supposed to do.

Both are listed as 'no effect' and 'included for compatibility resons' :-)

You don't have the complete manuals, I assume?

We may have them on the office somewhere, but I'm afraid that I won't be able to look for them today...

:-)

Trygve

A pot of tea, bisquits, a blanket, Jerry Lee Lewis on the headset and a Psion in your lap...

Can life get any better?

*++++++++++&

Date: 31 Dec 2002 17:28:56 +0100

From: us

Subject: Re: OS X, digital pictures

I wrote recently about Trafic S5 and other epoc - OSX solutions on this digest- look in the archive. Suffice to say i use "JPL" (Java Psion Link) on the mac and EpocBackup on the Psion, in conjunction with a Cf card and reader and a Keyspan USB PDA adapter. Trafic s5 works in osX but all the rest work in Classic mode. Use a dedicated CFcard that has no Psion system files or folders on it, and expect it to be corrupted occasionally. Oh and Trafic s5 includes text translation between psion and mac. I think OSX is a very good OS, certainly the most epoc-like, and easy to use, and obedient of all the "big computer" systems I've tried. I'd say unless you have a nostalgic attraction to the old mac system then X is by far the best.

When my mum bought a digital camera i rather stole her thunder by whipping out the CF card and copying the JPEGS across to my S5. There was no problem whatsoever. MBMview is great for viewing the pics (includes zoom,rotate, etc) but if you resize them there they are converted to 16 tone greyscale. nconvert however can resize in colour (to a set no.of pixels wide or high) though you cant see it happening. It also compreses the JPGs well - until I got the mac I made JPGs for use on my websites this way and they were not at all slow-loading. However nconvert displays pictures in Sketch so only shows 4 colours. Web will display pics if you havent got MBMView.

Simon

http://www.simon-s.net

http://www.clarsach.net

*++++++++++&

Date: 31 Dec 2002 18:14:19 +0100

From: "J. Hamwee"

Subject: Re: EPOC DIGEST V1 # 136

Itamar Engelsman wrote:

>> Subject: Psion Dacom Goldcard modem V34: Is it possible to reduce the noise of dialling to an "acceptable" level ?

I had the same problem with the same modem and a S7.

Go to Control Panel > Modems > Edit and you will see three tabs:

In the Options tab you have several choices for the loudspeaker, and in the Initialisation tab you have three boxes for settings strings.

As it was not sufficient to select 'never' in the options tab, I contacted Psion and on their recommendation input the following strings in the initialisation tab:

Init reset string - AT&FM

Data init string - ATMS=11

Fax init string - AT&FM

This was quite a long time ago, and I seldom use my Psion for dialling, but I believe that it did eliminate the noise altogether. I hope this helps.

Regards

Joseph Hamwee

*++++++++++&

Date: 31 Dec 2002 19:02:32 +0100

From: Kevin Thorne

Subject: My indispensable S7

Reading Itamar's request for input on how subscribers use their favourite applications made me think about how I use my S7 and what I may be using in the future. As my S7 will celebrate its third birthday early in the new year and as I still haven't found anything to match it (yet) I thought I'd pass on a few of my thoughts. Basically, the S7 has been almost the perfect computer for me. Three years is a fair old time in the computer world and where notebooks have got increasingly faster, better equipped and sophisticated, my dear old S7 keeps plodding along in its old EPOC way. I love the fact I can take it away with me on the weekend, safe in the knowledge that it's very unlikely to crash and I never need to bother taking a charger with me. It's light, good looking, everyone loves the keyboard and the display is fine in any conditions other than direct sunlight (when it's then useless!) I do sometimes miss the extreme portability my old 5mx offered but I just couldn't put up with that monochrome screen anymore. As a working tool my S7 offers virtually all I need. I do wish it could make leisure time more fun though - OK, so a CD drive would not be very practical on this type of machine but a fully featured Mp3 player with a headphone output jack would be great and would give this machine some much needed updating without encroaching too much on that all important battery life. I tend to work quite a lot away from home on my S7 and to be able to plug in headphones and listen to music whilst working on a boring spreadsheet would be wonderful. Oh yes, and then emailing it off to a work colleage (using nConvert to convert it to a Windows format of course!) via a Bluetooth CF card stuffed in a PC adaptor in "E" drive connected to my Bluetooth phone would be the icing on the cake :-) Anyway, the question is how much longer would I consider using the S7 before I upgrade to a new platform? The answer at the moment is I don't know. I first thought of this last summer when I aquired my Nokia Communicator. OK, so it's still EPOC but at first I thought it may be able to replace my S7 completely. I loved (and still do) its EPOC o/s but found in real life its housebrick size made it too unweildy when all I want to do is carry a phone. I also find its lack of RAM frustrating (never an issue with 16Mb on the 5mx). However, as a central communications centre it's brilliant. But my wish for a Bluetooth enabled colour 5mx never came true which would have allowed me to carry a tiny phone yet still have the facilities of a powerful EPOC machine to link with that phone when needed, with no balancing tricks trying to line up those IR ports! I'm still wistfully hoping that we may yet see Bluetooth drivers for the S7 (I believe there are rumours of a new netBook o/s supporting these but I've never yet seen the hard evidence - so far only rumours). So for now, my S7 remains my primary computer.

Regards

Kevin Thorne

*++++++++++&

Date: 31 Dec 2002 19:10:28 +0100

From: Kate Head

Subject: Re; OSX & EPOC

>>Date: 29 Dec 2002 02:57:42 +0000

>>From: niC b.

>>Subject: os x & epoc

>>is it going to be possible to connect my s7 to the osx imac?? all i really >>want to do is get html pages & emails onto my psion for bedtime reading >>& continue writing email in a cafe or on the train or anywhere else i fancy >>on my s7 then send via the mac.

>>best wishes to all,

>> nic b.

>>p.s. my old canon bjc80 will print from osx, won't it?

>> A A

>> , (=^o^)=

>> ((_(m m)

Hi there,

(Love the cat!)

It should be possible to copy files between your imac and s7 by using the Comms program on the s7, and whatever the Mac equivalent of Hyperterminal is.

You'll be OK for printing from the BJC80 as long as it has Mac drivers - hopefully another digest member will have Mac knowledge to pass on!

All the best to everyone for 2003,

Kate!!

Bromley, South East of London (soggy, but not yet flooded!)

*++++++++++&

Date: 31 Dec 2002 19:11:49 +0100

From: Kate Head

Subject: Re; "most-used programs"

>>Date: 29 Dec 2002 16:10:50 +0000

>>From: Itamar Engelsman

>>Subject: New idea

>>I thought it might be a nice idea if subscribers would describe a certain >>program they use a lot in more detail for the other subscribers. This could >>enhance the way we all use our Psions.

>>Looking forward to reading about your most used program.

>>Best regards,

>>Itamar Engelsman

>>London, UK

Hi there,

I've got several programs that I use a lot;

Email is used on a daily basis, as is Web/Opera (Opera seems to be able to read the whole screen of the Sunday version of Dilbert, but Web cuts off the far right hand side) (I do recommend "Get Fuzzy", an American comic strip on http://www.dilbert.com/comics/getfuzzy/index.html, with http://www.dilbert.com as a close second!),

Sheet is used on a daily basis to record my blood glucose test results in a monthly file (it really does help my diabetes control), and I can display the results for the medical profession in colourful graphs on my netBook (it impresses me!),

Having signed up to "Lifelong Learning" ages ago, Jotter is used to make study notes while reading/in class, and then transferred to a Word document to keep everything together - I usually have one Jotter entry per class, which I can then cut and paste to the Word document,

I use Mentor quite a lot when studying as it is a good program for setting out goals for studying and revising. It's good for projects as well (www.wulisoft.com),

I'm currently doing quite a lot of work with Java, so that is used quite a lot, as is the Epoc Text Editor, and Web/Opera if I'm "doing" applets - although the Epoc Java version does seem to have quite a few items not implemented "as expected" (I have to admit that if any web-work is required I tend to do it on my laptop).

All the best for 2003,

Kate!!

Bromley, South East London (soggy, but not yet flooded!)

*++++++++++&

Date: 31 Dec 2002 19:20:16 +0100

From: "Timothy Hilgenberg"

Subject: Re: digital pictures on a Psion; SIEMENS rapid reader

Hi there,

I don't post often but I thought I'd get a quick answer in just before the new year reaches our shores :-) (UK time is still only 19.16).

Answers to the above as far as I know: I've got a IXUS and I simply put the card into my 5mx and clicked on the images... it takes quite a while for a 1MB picture to be displayed on the machine...

Maplin were doing the Siemens Pocket Reader for GBP30 a few weeks ago - have a look at www.maplin.co.uk ... then you need to go to

http://www.psionleads.freeserve.co.uk/ to get a lead and bob's your uncle.

Happy New Year to all!

*++++++++++&

Date: 31 Dec 2002 19:42:49 +0100

From: "Steve Hodgson"

Subject: Query - Agenda to Data/Sheet Link

> A mate of mine who gives private music lessons has just bought a 5mx

> to help him

> manage his student appointments and billing. He wants to

> automatically search and

> link appointments (presumably by sur/name) from agenda to a data or

> spreadsheet

> file in which he can keep a running total of scheduled lessons and

> payments received.

> Can anyone out there help with any suggestions on whether/how this

> can be acheived?

When I read this it seemed like a fairly tricky problem. There is

software available to do exactly this - it allows you to track time

spent working for particular clients and then produce billing

information for each. The only one I can remember was called TimeLog

(http://site003.sv001.stepvision.com/) - this stuck in my memory

because I wrote an OPL application for my own use that I called by this

name too.

My guess is that your mate was hoping to set up this system using only

the built-in software and this is where I think things will get tricky.

The Agenda application would be great to set up repeated appointments

with students but while searches within the Agenda application would

allow the name of individual student to be searched for the resulting

list can not be exported.

One suggestion might be to use a spreadsheet to automatically calculate

each person should have paid by the current date. I use something like

this to track lottery syndicate payments and winnings but the situation

is a lot simpler as I don't need to worry about holidays,

cancellations, extra sessions and all the other factors that might

affect a teacher.

I reckon that one possible free route might be to use a powerful

database such as PsiDat (http://www.millican.info/Home/PsiDat.htm) as

the requirements are way beyond the capabilities of the built-in

database. This would allow student records to be created within a

database, using say drop-down lists for students names, automatically

filling in times and dates, then calculating payments from the data

entered. The only warning is that PsiDat is extremely powerful and has

a very steep initial learning curve in my experience. The HTML export

capabilities in PsiDat can be very useful and could probably even be

used to print a basic invoice or student record if required. One thing

to note is that you can download sample files from the website and take

them apart to see how they work.

I've just checked out the website and there is a TimeLogger template

available for PsiDat that " can track time spent on a number of

projects and generate summary reports as printed output or HTML

export". Checkout http://www.millican.info/Home/TimeLogger-PsiDat.zip.

Hope this helps.

Steve Hodgson

*++++++++++&

Date: 31 Dec 2002 20:04:36 +0100

From: Kate Head

Subject: "most used programs" update

PS The Mentor website is at www.wuli.demon.co.uk/wulisoft.htm

Sorry for the mis-information.

All the best for 2003,

Kate!!

Bromley, South East London (soggy, but still not yet flooded!)

*++++++++++&

Date: 31 Dec 2002 22:05:35 +0100

From: Alan Morris

Subject: Re: Psion Ham Radio software

Sorry for those not interested, it's a long posting.

(Andrew Longdon) wrote:-

<< Alan, I note you're a radio ham - would you know if there is any software around for the Psion similar to Hamcomm, or such? I'm interested in any decoding, put more particularly ACARS. I wonder how difficult it would be to write a program in OPL to decode such signals. I have a "Hamcomm" type decoder which should be able to be connected to the serial port of the Psion, but whether the Psion could be made to use its signal is another matter... >>

Sorry for the delayed reply Andy. The posts from "John Gilbert" and Owen H. Morgan have given some useful comments.

I use G0HZK apps and Owen is correct about using the RS232 port on a Psion. Having written some RTTY software (about 1979) for use on a CBM PET 2001 8Kb using the 'user port' and hex code / assembly code, it's not suitable on a Psion to have the UART done in software.

The "Hamcomm" decoders take power from the port, if I'm correct, and this is probably not recomended on a Psion.

I started to write PsiUi in EPOC OPL, to work with APRS, but it's never been finished. ACARS is an even more minority interest, so finding anyone willing to write an app for it is very unlikely.

Someone also asked about morse on Psions. I have morse.opo on my 5mx. It's only 1Kb so I could e-mail it to those interested.

Request by e-mail NOT ON THIS DIGEST.

It fills the screen with boxes containing the letters and numbers which are tapped. It's too slow for real morse, but probably OK for the silly slow pass speed available with new licences.

On a 3mx I have a 'Morse Trainer' app by Mike Newman, ON9CHZ, G0NFP, version 3.02.

You can set the speed of sending and the speed of characters (to get a proper speed rhythm). It has various modes and is better than the 2 oz tin with PCB that I made years ago. It was freeware, but not EPOC only SIBO.

The XYL, G1UGK will probably use it, if morse tests still exist when she gets 'roundtoit' !

The following from it's text file:-

3. RUNNING THE PROGRAM

The first time you run the program, after a screen identifying the

author (which will disappear if you hit 'Esc' or 'Enter'), you should

see a message saying that the Morse Data is being read. After about

2 seconds the program proper should start. You will initially be

in the 'Learn' mode. The idea is that you listen to the morse signal

one character at a time and try to remember which character it

represents. When you think you know, check on the screen where

it will be displayed. Hit the 'Space Bar' for the next character

or 'r' to repeat the same one again. When you get bored with this

you can hit 'Esc' and try some other modes.

The various modes are briefly described in the online documentation

(hit the 'Help' key!). They are:-

Word Sequences Used to practice reading code

Learn Mode Used to learn reading individual characters

Key Input Used to learn individual character codes

String Input Used to learn reading text strings

Speed Calibrate Used in calibration (only needed for confidence!)

Send Each Char. Used to see the complete set in order.

In most modes, the 'Esc' key will show a suitable menu and there are

also certain Key Commands. This means that while the program is #

sending morse code, you can interupt by hitting a special key. For

example, to make the program send faster code, simply hit the Right

Arrow at the bottom right of the keyboard. All key Commands are listed

in the online documentation.

Again request by e-mail NOT ON THIS DIGEST. It's about 28Kb.

Alan R Morris, G4ENS.

Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, UK.

Using a Psion 7 & Nokia 6210e

*++++++++++&

Date: 31 Dec 2002 22:06:00 +0100

From: Alan Morris

Subject: Re: Tomtom cityplanner

Mark Deppe wrote:-

<< I just brought citymaps from Clove and have returned it as the one they sent was not 2003 as I had expected - they will be getting it in early Jan they say, though I note widget already have it - I am concerned to hear what you day as I do not own or have easy access to a PC, in effect are you saying I would be better off with the older version which WILL allow me to store all the maps etc on a microdrive or large CF? >>

Mark my comments were based on the version before 2003 and I assume the other posters were also basing their comments on the same version as myself.

I would expect the 2003 version to be the same.

All of their versions are on a CD, so require Windows at some point.

The advantage of the older .SIS files for maps was that they could be copied from the CD to CF quickly (well quick if using a plug-in device like a PC card adapter). The new method requires each map to be installed via a windows PC and NOT on the Psion. Then each file in a set zipped (or some other method) to a large CF, and then deleted from a working folder until needed.

Alan R Morris, G4ENS.

Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, UK.

Using a Psion 7 & Nokia 6210e

*++++++++++&

Date: 1 Jan 2003 02:18:09 +0100

From: Itamar Engelsman

Subject: "most-used programs"

Hi Kate,

Thanks for your answer, but we already covered the general use of what programs we use a while back in the digest. My thoughts were to really take one program you use extensively and in a specific way that might be of interest to the othsubscribers to read about. For example, you could write about how you set up your spreadsheet(s) to control your diabetics which might be of interest to other subscribers with the same illness.

But thanks anyhow for your very quick response.

Best regards,

Itamar

*++++++++++&

Date: 1 Jan 2003 04:22:46 +0100

From: Keith Giles

Subject: Happy New Year To All

May you have a very happy and prosperous 2003.

Que tu aies un très heureux et prospère 2003.

Du hättest vielleicht einen sehr frohen und wohlhabenden 2003.

Lei possa avere un molto felice e prospero 2003.

Usted pueda tener un muy feliz y próspero 2003.

Você possa ter um muito feliz e próspero 2003.

Happy Cycling,

Keith

http://home.attbi.com/~ohsix827/

*++++++++++&

Date: 1 Jan 2003 05:19:13 +0100

From: "James Cooke"

Subject: RE: Ideas for Programs-Agenda

Hello all:

In response to the question of how we use the programs on our Psion's, I have a little trick I'd like to share.

I have many of the same entries I make from day to day but they aren't repeats. I found myself typing them in each time and then setting things like the entry code, font, etc. Since there's no way I could find to automate this process, I stole an idea from DateBK5 for the Palm. DateBK5 is written C.E. Stuart Dewar, who some of you may remember from his Psion programs.

I now make a copy of each of my common entries and place them all on January 1, 2020. Using Macro5, I wrote a little macro that automatically takes you to January 1, 2020. I gave it the shortcut key of FN-T (Templates). Now, when I want to make a standard entry, I just hit CTRL-T, copy the entry I want, hit the space bar to take me back to today, and paste the entry where I want it. I have PsiWin set to only sync 6 months into the future so all the entries from 2020 don't get synced to Outlook. I figure by 2020 I'll either have finally figured out which PDA I really want<g>.

Regards, Jim

*++++++++++&

Date: 1 Jan 2003 07:13:38 +0100

From: "S.S."

Subject: HNY

Hi and Hello to all the nice people around here,

With this message I just wanted to wish you a Very happy and Healthy New Year 2003!!!

kindly,

Sussan S.

------

This message contained attachments

*++++++++++&

Date: 1 Jan 2003 11:03:30 +0100

From: "Philip Bister"

Subject: Tablet Devices

Hi Everyone

Firstly, I would like to say I am a Psion enthusiast and remain so. But due to the fact that no new Psion handhelds appear to be in development, I have been taking a more serious look at Palm and Pocket PC devices.

As we probably all know, the current handheld market is mainly based on Palm OS and Pocket PC (the majority seem to me to use Palm OS).

Most Palm OS based devices have about 25% of the available screen space taken up with the graffiti area. Such a waste of space! To me the graffiti input method isn't very attractive. If we have to have a tablet form factor with no keyboard, I would prefer a virtual on screen keyboard - at least then the keyboard could be minimised to allow more space for viewing data.

So what about the Pocket PC? In short, too expensive.

Palmtop User magazine (issue 2), published an interesting article about making the most of memory on the various devices. The article stated that current versions of Palm OS cannot run applications from a memory card without first copying the application to internal memory. Therefore, there is a delay whilst the OS does this task before the application can be started.

Pocket PC fares rather better in this respect, as the OS allows applications to be run directly from a storage card.

The article states that Psion uses the most sophisticated multi tasking system of any handheld, allowing literally dozens of programs and files to be open and running at once.

The Form Factor

The tablet from factor appears to be the way things are going. Apart from handhelds, look at the tablet PC running Windows XP. Microsoft says that this will be the most popular from factor for PC's within five years.

Psion has already gone down this road also, with the netPad.

In Summary

I am sure Psion could have produced a good solution to the current handhelds in the market place. The tablet form factor must be much cheaper to

produce - no keyboard and no expensive hinge mechanism. In fact, I think Psion have already the form in place! The netPad. But at approx. £1000, for the retail consumer, its far too expensive. Why can't Psion produce an economy version of the netPad?

Or perhaps a Series 7 with a tablet form factor. Virtual on-screen keyboard, colour screen, at least one expansion slot for CF disk. But with a much lighter, less rugged casing.

Come on Psion - how about it?

Philip Bister

http://www.philipbister.ukonline.co.uk

*++++++++++&

Date: 1 Jan 2003 11:21:33 +0100

From: "Marcus von Cube"

Subject: PPP as ADSL relay, e. g. on a Mac

Hi Thomas F.VAN DER ZIJDEN and Nic B,

<OT>Happy New Year!</OT>

Thomas suggested using a "PPP clianet" on the Mac to provide an Internet connection to the Psion. This is not quite right: You need a PPP server (or demon). On Linux it is called "pppd", on my OS/2 box, the ppp.exe has a server mode. On OS/2, I call it this way:

ppp.exe 192.168.2.1:192.168.2.2 silent rtscts com1 115200

MacOS X should have a similar program to provide TCP/IP access via a serial line. If not, it should be possible to find one.

But that is only part of the deal. The machine that is connected to the Internet *must* provide NAT (Network Address Translation). The reason is simple: Only the address assigned to your

Mac by the Internet providider during dial up (or via DHCP) is reachable from the Net. Local addresses (like the 192.168.xxx.yyy stuff) must be translated by a NAT capable router. If your ADSL connection is via a separate router box, the box will do this for you. If not, the ADSL connection in your Mac has to provide NAT.

"No NAT, No Net!" at least not for other systems on your local network (a PPP connection *is* a local network with only two systems on it!)

My understandig of MochaPPP is that it provides both the PPP server and the NAT part on a

Windows machine.

One advantage of NAT is that it can help to hide your local installation completely from outside attacks (attempts to connect to your machine, e. g. via telnet or ftp). It doesn't help against trojans which take over your machine and make outbound connections but inbound traffic can be locked out.

Marcus

http://www.mvcsys.de

*++++++++++&

Date: 1 Jan 2003 14:45:26 +0100

From: "Marcus von Cube"

Subject: dCalc: compiling the free version

Thomas,

>Now that IS great news! A pity I don't know how to compile Psion source codes, so I would still have the nag screen. ;-)

>(I need a PC for that, don't I ?)

I'm still fighting, because the zip file does not contain everything we need to compile the program. This is how far I've gotten:

- I translated all the *.opl files which where plain text to OPL editor files.

- I created a Data file with 5 text fields and imported the text resources from "strings.txt".

- I downloaded and ran RSCCompiler2.opo on my netBook to compile the resource files.

- I compiled graphs.opl, init.opl, prog.opl and real.opl to OPO-files.

- I failed compiling dcalc.opl because the MBM file for the icon, dcalcprog.mbm was missing

- I used MBMView to create dcalcprog.mbm from the first 6 bitmaps in dcalc.mbm

- Compiling dcalc.opl to dcalc.app now succeded.

- I modified update.opl to reflect the directories on my machine and ran it. All files went into

D:\System\Apps\dcalc

- In D:\System\Apps\dcalc I renamed dcalc.ren to dcalc.rsc

Starting the program causes a splash screen to appear and the application aborts with "CONE

error code 14" (something is in use). The program crashes on the emulator in the same way.

I'm still trying and I'll keep you posted.

Marcus

http://www.mvcsys.de

*++++++++++&

Date: 1 Jan 2003 21:42:06 +0100

From: Alan Morris

Subject: Re: Satellite tracking software

Owen H. Morgan wrote:-

<< Most GPS units have automatic compensation for the magnetic variation which seems to be pretty accurate, so you could get it from the GPS from the difference between your magnetic and true headings in the NMEA signal. >>

Thanks Owen for that, it's in the $GPRMC sentence, which I had forgotten about, as it was of no interest to me when I looked some time ago.

<< If other software, including things like PsiNMEA, RealMaps, Navigate etc. could all read data from the GPS at the same time, that would be very useful indeed. >>

But I can not see Palmtop providing information to anyone. It would have to be found by inspecting memory.

Alan R Morris, G4ENS.

Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, UK.

Using a Psion 7 & Nokia 6210e

*++++++++++&

Date: 1 Jan 2003 21:42:24 +0100

From: Alan Morris

Subject: Re: Agenda to Data/Sheet Link

Jorge Ramos wrote:-

<< A mate .... has just bought a 5mx .... Can anyone out there help with any suggestions on whether/how this can be acheived? >>

Jorge possibly PsiDat is the best solution. It's probably the best database on a Psion and it's very programmable. You can even get it to run and appear as a customised app.

With A Clarkson's AGENDA2.OPX (was at http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/andyc ) you could produce what's required. Taken from his readme file:-

This AGENDA2.OPX allows an OPL programmer to read and write data in an Psion EPOC32 Agenda file.

Note that there is a separate AGENDA.OPX supplied by Psion which allows day entries to be written to an Agenda. This newer OPX provides the same capabilities but in addition supports all other agenda entry types, i.e. day entries, events, todos, anniversaries and todo lists.

I wrote this in order to enable me to support the transfer of todo entries from my shareware application Plan5. Check out how Plan5 works if you want to see the AGENDA2.OPX in action.

Alan R Morris, G4ENS.

Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, UK.

Using a Psion 7 & Nokia 6210e

*++++++++++&

Date: 1 Jan 2003 21:42:34 +0100

From: Alan Morris

Subject: Re: digital pictures on a Psion; SIEMENS rapid reader

A BIG THANK YOU TO THE DIGEST TEAM.

Aleck Cartwright wrote:-

<< I have just bought a compact flash digital camera and was wondering if it is possible to open the pictures on my Psion 5mx using the compact flash card from the camera. If anyone has experience with this, please let me know how you do it. Any good software out there for managing pictures on the psion? I will use my psion to send pictures by email and upload them to my website. >>

I've had a Kodak DC215 for a few years. It came with a 4Mb CF and has 1152 x 864 resolution. (However, when I bought it and for ages, I thought it was only 640 x 480. - Couldn't understand why it was do good!)

I've never installed the CD software that come with it. It was selected as it had a CF card and putting that in a Psion 5, 5mx or 7 and using PsiWin has been the only way I've put the pics onto windows.

The display on a 5mx or 7 using standard apps had been adequate for most purposes. The 5mx screen is far too small but better than the colour display on the back of the camera, for inspecting the picture content. Copying from the small 4Mb CF to the larger ones in the 5mx (via C:) has allowed me to erase the 4Mb for more new pics.

The 7 screen is better, but not perfect. MBMView can be used (that's how I discovered the DC215 was 1152 x 864) but no advantages for me - it's just as slow as Web.

I not aware of any picture management software for a Psion. My IBM 1Gb is a good way of saving the files on the 7. After Christmas we bought a Canon G2 camera, so now the IBM 1Gb can be using in the camera.

<< I was also wondering if anyone knows where I can get a cheap pen scanner, the Siemens Pocket Reader would be ideal >>

I use one with my 5mx. They are about £30. Someone posted on the Digest recently, that they could be had from Maplin's.

Alan R Morris, G4ENS.

Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, UK.

Using a Psion 7 & Nokia 6210e

*++++++++++&

Date: 1 Jan 2003 22:24:22 +0100

From: Kevin Thorne

Subject: Solun Santa, digital pics, Psion Gold Card

Reply to Woody B:

Subject: Solun

<Jack asked: "Is Santa still in Solun?"

Jack I just checked both my Psions (5 and 5MX) and Santa was still in the lower right corner as of 1PM PST 30 Dec. Hummm, does he go away?>

Yes, he flies off for another year at midnight GMT Dec 31st :-)

Reply to Aleck Cartwright:

Subject: Re: digital pictures on a Psion

I use a Pentax E-100 which saves the images in jpeg format. I just pop the CF from the camera into my S7 and that's it, couldn't be easier! I believe there are some issues regarding the formatting of the CF card in some CF cameras but I'm sure someone will greater knowledge on this digest will be able to help, but as you already have your camera then just try popping the CF into your 5mx and see if it opens the digital snap.

I did use 5FX a while ago which I found excellent but I didn't register it and deleted the application from my machine so I can't remember where I got it from. It offered lots of ways of managing your snaps on a Psion.

Reply to Itamar Engelsman:

Subject: Psion Dacom Goldcard modem V34

If I remember correctly the answer is unfortunately no. You can have the dialling sound on or completely off but nothing in between, even though it offers "quiet", "medium" or "loud" as options. I seem to remember this was a common complaint about the Gold Cards when the S7 first came out and offered the option of a PC card slot to use them. Do you still use your Psion IR Travel Modem, just out of interest? My third one (a replacement from a very kind ex-Psion engineer) is still faultless after four months and I'm pleased to say I've finally got one that works as it should!

Regards

Kevin Thorne

*++++++++++&

Date: 1 Jan 2003 22:36:26 +0100

From: Itamar Engelsman

Subject: Neuon,

Answer to : Thomas F.VAN DER ZIJDEN

Re. Neuon - Are they still active ? The last message I note on their website is from June 2002, half a year ago.

Best regards,

Itamar Engelsman

*++++++++++&

Date: 1 Jan 2003 22:36:38 +0100

From: Itamar Engelsman

Subject: Typing with modem card in S7

I suddenly noticed while typing a letter that in regular intervals suddenly two to three letters go missing from my letter, while I am 100% sure I did (happened just now : "perly") properly press the keys. It only happens when the modem card is inserted in the S7, not when it is out.

Is anything known about this ?

Best regards,

Itamar Engelsman

*++++++++++&

Date: 1 Jan 2003 22:43:56 +0100

From: "Steve Hodgson"

Subject: Where to look for new applications

Happy new year to everyone! Let's hope we all keep our Psions working

in 2003 and that the rumoured new netBook appears.

I was thinking back to the halcyon days of the early Psion 5 and those

websites such as Tucows and 5Alive that were updated almost daily with

new or improved applications.

These days it sees to me that there is no alternative to checking all

the developer website individually. Do any of you still use any of the

software archive sites or know if any of them are kept up to date?

Cheers,

Steve Hodgson

Tonight I am mostly drinking Clynelish to see in the New Year

*++++++++++&

Date: 2 Jan 2003 00:21:33 +0100

From: "Marcus von Cube"

Subject: Dcalc 3.0 successfully built!

Hi,

I succeded in compiling Bob Hepples Dcalc from the sources which you can download from his homepage. But beware! I had to do more than one trick to make it compile.

The main problem I had to solve (see previous post) was that the dcalc.cst file with the constants from the resource file did not match the actual resource ids!

Just to make everybody happy, I've created a multi language SIS file which can be downloaded

from http://www.mvcsys.de/download/dcalc-multi.zip.

Enjoy and tell me if something is wrong with the program or the installer! Please uninstall "dcalc 2.00" before, because I had to recreate the SIS file from scratch and it uses the same files as Bob's but has a new name!

Marcus

http://www.mvcsys.de

*++++++++++&

Date: 2 Jan 2003 01:40:37 +0100

From: Manuel Campos Galvan

Subject: Two Columns in Word / Netbook OS158

Two Columns in Word

I have started using word on both my 5mx and Netbook more frequently, and I usually deal on the PC with two column documents. I have tried porting over two column documents with NConvert, XConvert and the Psion native converter (I have not had access to my PC during the holidays, so I haven't tried with Psiwin. Does anybody know whether word manages two columns (I could not find a menu that would allow me to do so).

Netbook OS158

I have recently upgraded my netbook to this build, and although ethernet works like a dream, the OS seems to have a hard time communicating with my Goldcard 56k fax + 10mb ethernet for the purposes of sending faxes and dialing out my ISP. Upon asking opera or the email app to dial out, and clicking OK at the screen where you choose the access number and the modem (or the corresponding fax window where it ask you for the location and the modem to use) the system freezes. I have to do soft resets to bring the machine out of its stupor. Psion technical has not a clue of what is going on. Short of reinstalling the OS and all my other software piece by piece, any ideas? I have downloaded the easyswitch software from Psion's website and I have changed the profile of the card to the US to no avail. I believe on the Pscience 5 website it mentions a patch to the OS available at Psion's website, but I have not been able to find it. Anybody out there who might have it?

Answer to : Alec Cartwright

When I am traveling and carry my Nikon digital camera with me, I swap CF cards on my 5mx and upload the pictures to C and subsequently reinstall the 256mb CF card with all my software in it. I store them there in a special folder where I keep the images. I see them with MBM View and e-mail them out or index them for the return home. Please note that MBM View used (I am not aware if Lieuwe fixed this from the very early version) to convert the image to 16 grayscales if you modified it in any way (just displaying them didn't alter the color information).

Answer to Itamar:

I had the same problem with all PC Cards in my netbook. Seems it is a bug in the S7 software. You can either set the volume to "never" and you will never hear a sound (which might not be the best alternative in all situations), otherwise you can damage the hearing of those around you each time you connect.

Best Regards,

Manuel Cam

*++++++++++&

Date: 2 Jan 2003 08:45:58 +0100

From: Andy Hayes

Subject: Morse / Exporting from Encrypted files / Palm + GPS in One / EPlayM / In Depth Apps

Hi All

Owen asked about a morse generator. The nearest thing that I have come across is an opo file called morse.opo. It's on my netBook, but I don't know where it came from, probably Tucows. When you run it there is a "keyboard" on screen with each of the letters of the alphabet plus the numbers, except number 8 perversely. Perhaps when they needed the 8th Infantry Brigade to reinforce the crumbling Front Line, the signaller would ask for the 9th minus 1 Infantry Brigade! When you tap on the letter it 'plays' the dots and dashes that go to make up that letter. Only one letter at a time though.

Rather than get Zenobyte to write something like morse into Phoneman Pro, why not ask for high speed burst data transmission? ;-) In fact if only someone could come up with being able to compress text messages, we could send much more than 160 characters. Do me a favour and don't tell me about l v ng t th v w ls t t k p l ss sp c (leaving out the vowels to take up less space). It just doesn't work does it!?

Surely there is something more secure in an application such as Safeplace where you can't export the data from it? Have none of you ever left your Psion on the desk displaying something personal like a list of passwords? As for levels of security, has anyone considered encrypting their personal stuff with a PGP key?

I hope that the Palm and GPS in one unit work out better than the Springboard GPS that I have for a Handspring Visor. It is as though mine has to do a cold initialise every time that I use it. The acquisition time is appalling as well. On short journeys I can be there before the GPS has worked out where I am!

Can anyone tell me the name and composer of the tune called classic1 that comes with EPlayM? Its driving me nuts!

Itamar suggested that we might like to give a more in depth so as no-one had said anything by the end of Digest 136, I thought that I ought to kick things off. Data was the app that I used the most often because I needed to store details of PCs and what software they had installed on them when we were doing our Y2K preparation at work. So I would arrive at a PC, log the tag number on it as well as the software that it was running, which office it was at and which Company that office came under, plus the role of the PC. There might be an outbreak of viruses. Referring back to the original database I could add a Virus Infected? field and then check the PCs off methodically against the list and then take the appropriate action to get rid of the virus. Later we might need to run specific Y2K testing software to make sure that the hardware was going to be able to accept a date change, so another field could be added - Y2K Pass? A Y2K board might have to be fitted to the PC, so yet another field would be added.

It also helped with software testing. Each executable file in our advertising system was identified by name, it's function identified and tested to see if there were any date implications before and after Y2K rollover. Failed modules could then be reported back to the programmers for re-writing.

Being a flat file database repetitive information was added repeatedly. When Powerbase came onto the market it was like some sort of saviour for me. There was another relational database system for Psions from the Psion Users Group, if memory serves me correctly, but it was not possible to get a demo version. It wasn't cheap either so I just rushed into Powerbase. This was something that I immediately regretted. I knew nothing about relational database management systems and could not get on with Powerbase's quirkiness. I went as far as contacting the authors and was told to read the manual. I already had, but it wasn't sticking inside my head when I read it. I eventually found a tutorial running on Powerbase on the net and I religiously tuned in each week to read it. Such a valuable resource did it become that I downloaded it, printed it out and still have it on my bookshelf today. Having tables with the names of my offices in for instance saves a massive amount of typing and retyping. Just choose the name of the office from the drop down list. I was able to produce apps not dissimilar to RMRTask, but exactly to my liking not their generic 'please all' model. I am a registered user of RMRTask by the way. Its a bit like an off the peg suit though - fits fairly well. I wanted the made to measure suit and Powerbase allowed me to produce that. It was wonderful to be able to take a call from a user, start a new entry, it was automatically time stamped, type in their name, select their department, office and company from a drop down list, type in the problem and choose a priority level from a drop down list. If I had to visit them on site I would fix the problem, type in the fix, changed the Boolean Fixed? field to Y and the job would automatically be time stamped and be put into the archive.

I also set up my own address books with relational fields, but also different views. Sometimes I just want a list of names and phone numbers. I don't want the added 'confusion' and space wasting of all of the other details, this is easy in Powerbase. You can choose what you want to see and what you don't. There are so many things that can be catalogued with a database and it is surprising how often your information is required for some other related project. It has more than once saved me from having to re-visit all of the PCs again. I would be lost without a decent database application. In fact if anyone has got a legal version of the Psion User Group database application, (I am assuming that they no longer exist) I would be interested in purchasing it if the price is reasonable.

Happy New Year to you all. May your screen cables survive another year intact!

Andy Hayes

*++++++++++&

Date: 2 Jan 2003 09:53:15 +0100

From: "Alan Chambers"

Subject: Re: Repairs in the US

Hi Melvin,

You wrote:

> 1. Is there anywhere to get a REVO or Diamond Mako repaired in the U.S.? I've bought a second machine and would like to get the

> cracked screen on my old Mako replaced -- and perhaps another minor repair. I've noted mention of a repair service in Britain in

> EPOC digest. But shipping might turn out to be prohibitive.

This may have been answered by now by someone else but the route by which I found the UK repair service was via

http://www.psion.com/mypsion/repair.asp and I see there that the USA is one of the countries listed. If you select it you get to

http://www.psion.com/mypsion/Repair.asp?Country=United+States+of+America where an address, phone numbers and website address are listed for the US repair service. Obviously (being UK-based myself).

I've no idea how good that service is, but I guess it's worth a try.

Hope that helps,

Alan

*++++++++++&

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