Palm OS®® Frequently Asked Questions

Requirements || Installation || HotSync Issues || Storage || Page Viewing || Infrared Beaming || Deletion Sony CliéT Issues || HandspringT Visor Issues || TungstenT Issues || LifeDriveT Issues

------------------------------------------------------ Requirements (2)

1) What are the system requirements to install the Town Compass® DataViewer and Databases? You must have a Palm OS® compatible device with Palm OS® version 3.5 or higher.

2) What are the memory requirements to install the Town Compass® DataViewer and Databases? The "TC-DataViewer.prc" file is 162K. Database memory requirements vary; refer to each individual product's description for the filesize.

------------------------------------------------------ Installation (10)

1) How do I install the Town Compass® DataViewer and Database file onto my Palm OS® handheld? For installation instructions, please see the Installation Guide.

2) Why does a different program attempt to open the "TC-DataViewer.prc" file and then say that the file format is unrecognized when I double-click on the file? There is a problem with your file associations; the other program (usually graphics conversion software) is seeing the .prc file and attempting to open it. To change the file association, right-click on the "TC-DataViewer.prc" file and select "Open With", then select "Choose Program..." Scroll to the "Install Tool Application" in the program list and select it, then check the "Always use this program to open these files" box, and finally click "OK."

3) After double-clicking on the "_setup.exe" file to start the automatic installation, the "Town Compass Installer" window appears but is empty...where are the files? Make sure that you extract all of the files from within the downloaded zip before double-clicking on the "_setup.exe" file -- if you double-click on the "_setup.exe" while it is still in the zip, it can't find the other files to install because they are still compressed. You have to extract/uncompress the files from the downloaded zip to your desktop or a folder on your computer before installing them. If the Installer window is still empty even after extracting the files from the zip, then try manually installing them instead.

4) I've installed the files; how do I view my Database? Once you've successfully installed the files, tap on your handheld's "Home" icon (in the GraffitiT area). Make sure the "Category" field in the upper right corner reads "All". If not, tap and select "All". Then tap on the red Town Compass® "DataViewer" icon on the Home Screen. See the handheld Home Screen page.

5) I've installed the Database; how come it doesn't show up on my handheld Home Screen? For you to view the Database you must have the Town Compass® DataViewer installed on your handheld. See the Installation Guide for how to install this file.

6) I've installed DataViewer; why is there no Town Compass® icon on my Home Screen? First, make sure that the menu category is set to "All." If there is still no icon, try tapping on the Home icon in the lower left until you have cycled through the menus and have returned to the "All" menu (this will "Refresh" the handheld's screen). If there is still no icon, try reinstalling the "TC-DataViewer.prc" file. (Refer to the Installation Guide for more details.)

7) After I click on the "DataViewer" icon, the following message is displayed: "No database installed. Visit PocketDirectory.com to download a directory." You need to install a Database. Refer to the Installation Guide for more details.

8) Can I install more than one Database? Yes. The Town Compass® DataViewer supports multiple Databases. See the Multiple Databases page.

9) How many Databases can I have loaded at once? That depends on how much memory your handheld has, and how much of it is available. Handheld devices typically have 2 to 16 megabytes of memory, not including storage devices. The amount of available memory you have depends on how many other programs and files you have loaded. To determine how much free space you have, click the "Menu" icon on your handheld's Home Screen, then select "Info."

10) I've installed multiple Databases; how do I switch between them? The Database name appears in the upper right corner of the Database Home Page. A small "down arrow" will appear to the left of the Database name, indicating a pulldown menu. Click on the arrow to open the menu. You can toggle between different products by selecting the desired Database from the pulldown menu. (The only screen you cannot toggle between Databases is the Details Page.) If you do not see a small "down arrow", it means you have only one Database loaded. See the Multiple Databases page.

------------------------------------------------------ HotSync Issues (1)

1) I am getting an error message (most commonly "HotSync Error: Connection is lost (6410)") after trying to HotSync the product file. What can I do to fix the problem? This is a general error and could be due to a number of different reasons. Try the following tips one-by-one to resolve the problem: Check to see if your HotSync cradle/cable is connected to a USB hub; if it is, connect the cable directly to your computer instead, because hubs have been known to cause a sync problem with other users. NOTE: some PCs feature USB ports on the front that are really hubs (internal hubs). The ports on the back are often the 'real' ones, so if you are hooking your cradle to the front of your computer, try using the ports in back instead. If you are already using the port in back, then you can safely ignore/discount this as a source of the error. You may need to update your HotSync Manager. There is a known issue with the USB HotSync timing out during long operations, which results in a partial file loaded on your storage device and that can cause a fatal exception. Download the HotSync update for Windows at Palm, or for Macintosh at Palm for Mac. Make sure you have enough memory in your storage card or RAM to hold the file. If you seem to have enough memory, note that there are a couple of brand name storage cards at certain sizes that are known to cause problems (mainly some older SanDisk 256MB cards). This error may refer to a port speed setting that the HotSync Manager can't resolve, or it is set to "As fast as possible". In HotSync Manager select Options/Setup and adjust the speed settings starting with 9600, until you find the fastest setting that works. The USB cradle seems to be at fault sometimes and some users have found that using a SERIAL cradle or cable works better. You can get a serial cradle/cable from any electronics store or purchase one online. The most complete solution for ALL your USB devices is to upgrade your PC to USB 2.0 with a PCI or PCMCIA card. USB 2.0 interfaces have much better support for USB 1.1 devices like Palm OS devices than the USB 1.1 hubs. They are faster at syncing and more stable, too. We understand that it takes a very long time to sync our large product files (some of which are 80MB in size); if you do a lot of syncing on your handheld, we highly recommend investing in a Card Reader (which can also be found at any electronics store or online). It's a very useful device that reads the storage card as another drive on your computer, allowing you to completely bypass the sync process (it acts like another drive folder, so you can drag files in an instant back and forth from your desktop to your card). The Card Reader also works for other devices like digital cameras and MP3 players. A Card Reader device would probably bypass the sync error. .

------------------------------------------------------ Storage (1)

1) I have a storage card on my handheld; can I view the Database from it? DataViewer may be run off of Palm'sT MMC expansion cards and SD cards, Handspring'sT Springboard modules and compact flash cards, and Sony's memory sticks. All Databases work normally even if loaded on a storage card. *Note: Some storage devices use directories for file placement. In order for DataViewer to read a Database from these particular storage cards, the Database should be placed in either the \Palm\Launcher\ directory, the \Programs\TownCompass\ directory, or the \Palm\Programs\TownCompass\ directory. See the Storage Devices page.

------------------------------------------------------ Page Viewing (7)

1) I can't read the text on the Details Pages; how can I make the font larger/easier to read? Go to the Database Home Page and tap on your handheld's "Menu" icon. Select "Viewer Options." A pop-up window will appear; check the desired boxes to change the font to the Palm OS® system default font and/or make the font size larger. Note that some special characters aren't supported by the Palm OS® system default font, and therefore may be displayed incorrectly. See the Font Setting Options page.

2) What do the "Home", "Back" & "Index" buttons do? "Home": Brings you to the Database Home Page, where you can choose a Database and a subject within that Database. "Back": Appears on the "Details" page. This brings you back to the "Listings" page so you can select additional listings to view. "Index": Brings you to an alphabetical index of every SubCategory available in the Database. Our patented (Patent Pending and Patent 6,757,673) Fingerpoint® methodology cross-references from the index back to the Subject-Category-SubCategory hierarchy so other similar SubCategories can be accessed that may be grouped hierarchically, but not alphabetically.

3) Where is the "About" screen, which contains copyright & legal information? From the Database Home Page, tap the PalmT "Menu" button and select "About" from the menu bar. This will bring up the "About" screen which contains file versions, ISBN numbers, and copyright information. The "i" button at the top of the screen contains "Legal Terms and Conditions" information. You can also reach the "About" screen by tapping the Town Compass® logo wherever it appears, or by tapping on the "Powered by Town Compass®" text on any Database Home Page. See the About page.

4) Where are the software version numbers located at? From the Database Home Page, tap the PalmT "Menu" button and select "About" from the menu bar. This will bring up the "About" screen which contains the DataViewer version number and product version number. You can also reach the "About" screen by tapping the Town Compass® logo wherever it appears, or by tapping on the "Powered by Town Compass®" text on any Database Home Page. See the About page.

5) When switching between Databases, why doesn't the Database Cover Page appear sometimes? The Database Cover Page only appears upon opening the DataViewer application from your handheld's Home Screen, or when switching between Multiple Databases from the Database Home Page. The Cover Page won't appear when switching between Multiple Databases while viewing Listings or Category menus within the Database.

6) Can I copy and paste Database record information into my Palm OS® Address Book, Calendar, or Memo List? Yes. From the Details Page, where the complete record information is presented, tap the PalmT "Menu" button, select "Options" from the menu bar, and then select "Copy Record." Note that the entire text of Record is copied (but graphics are not copied). You can then go to your Address Book, Calendar or Memo List, tap the PalmT "Menu" button, select "Edit" and select "Paste" to complete your transfer of the data record. See the Details Page.

7) I found incorrect or incomplete information; what should I do? Please send information regarding inaccurate or incomplete data to support@towncompass.com; Town Compass will forward the information to the appropriate content partner for review and updating.

------------------------------------------------------ Infrared Beaming (4)

1) Can I share the Town Compass® DataViewer by beaming it to a friend who has a Palm OS® compatible device? Yes. From the Database Home Page, tap the PalmT "Menu" button, select "Beam" and then choose "Application". The DataViewer will then be beamed to your friend's handheld. Note: Beaming the DataViewer requires at least 167K of available handheld RAM. See the Beaming page.

2) Can I share a Database by beaming it to a friend who has a Palm OS® compatible device? Yes. From the Database Home Page, tap the PalmT "Menu" button, select "Beam" and then choose "Database". The Database will then be beamed to your friend's handheld. Only freeware and demo products can be beamed. Commercial products cannot be beamed from one Palm OS® handheld to another. Note: Beaming a Database requires an amount of available handheld RAM equal to the size of the file being beamed (i.e. a 200K Database requires at least 200K of available handheld RAM to beam). See the Beaming page.

3) Can I beam an individual Database record to a friend who has a Palm OS® compatible device? Yes. From the Details Page, where the complete record information is presented, tap the "Menu" button on the handheld screen and select "Beam Record" from the "Options" pulldown menu. The record will then be beamed to the other handheld device's Memo Pad (text only; graphics are not beamed via this particular option). See the Beaming page.

4) Can I beam an individual Footnote Lookup record to a friend who has a Palm OS® compatible device? Yes. From the Details Page, where the complete record information is presented, after tapping on a Footnote Lookup link and the Footnote Record window pops up, tap the "Menu" button on the handheld screen and select "Beam LookUp" from the "Options" pulldown menu. The entire footnote will then be beamed to the other handheld device's Memo Pad (text only; graphics are not beamed via this particular option). See the Beaming page.

------------------------------------------------------ Deletion (2)

1) I need to delete one, but not all of my Databases. How do I do that? First, select the Database you want to delete from the Database selection menu in the upper right corner. Then go to the Database Home Page and tap on your handheld's "Menu" icon. Select "Delete", and hit "OK." See the Delete page.

2) I've deleted a Database, but now I need it again. Where can I find it? You need to re-install the Database from your original file. See the Installation Guide.

------------------------------------------------------ Sony CliéT Issues (3)

1) I'm using a Sony CliéT device with Palm OS® 4.1. I keep seeing odd text on the Details Pages, such as white squares and other weird font characters; what's wrong? We have not added Unicode font compatibility to the Town Compass DataViewer program for CliéT v4.1 devices because of the complexity of the font conversion process for these particular devices. This issue affects ONLY CliéT v4.1 devices; on all other Palm OS (v3.5 - 5.x) devices, DataViewer renders the fonts correctly. This is a known issue and is in our queue of things to fix in DataViewer.

2) I'm using a Sony CliéT device with Palm OS® 4.x, and the text on the Details Pages is too large and getting cut off at the bottom; what's wrong? Go into the "Preferences" options from your Sony Clié'sT home screen, select "HiRes" in the upper-right dropdown menu, then check the "Enable High Resolution Assist" box, and finally check the DataViewer box in the "(Except for these selected applications below)" window. If that doesn't work, try unchecking the DataViewer box but leave the "Enable High Resolution Assist" box checked.

3) I'm using a Sony CliéT device with the silkscreen virtual GraffitiT area feature; why does this area of my handheld display different colors when I'm in the DataViewer program? The reason for the discoloration is due to different color table requirements between hardware displays. Some older Sony CliéT devices use an 8-bit display, while newer models use 16-bit display. We had to create a custom color table in our software coding solely for 8-bit devices in order for our graphics to look presentable. This custom color table overwrites the default color table while you are in DataViewer, which causes the discoloration of the silkscreen virtual GraffitiT area. This does not affect usability or functionality in any way.

------------------------------------------------------ HandspringT Visor Issues (2)

1) I'm using a HandspringT Visor device; why am I getting a fatal error alert when I try to open and navigate around in DataViewer? You are probably running Palm OS® v3.1 or v3.3. DataViewer requires at least Palm OS® v.3.5 in order to run correctly. Unfortunately, HandspringT devices cannot upgrade the Palm OS® because they use mask ROM instead of flash memory; this means there is no way for Visor customers with older Palm OS® versions to use our DataViewer software unless they upgrade to a newer device.

2) I'm using a HandspringT Visor device with Palm OS® v3.5; why am I getting a fatal error alert when I try to tap on a record within my Database's menu? You are probably running Palm OS® 3.5 with HS Updater v1.4. This version of the HandspringT Updater causes the fatal error to occur. To fix it, either unload the Updater 1.4, or update to 1.5. The update link is at HandspringT Support.

------------------------------------------------------ TungstenT Issues (2)

1) I'm using a TungstenT T3 device; why is the Stretch Display arrow icon in the lower right corner of the screen disabled when I'm using DataViewer? OR, Why am I getting a fatal alert error when trying to use the Expanded Stretch Display? Some older TungstenT T3 devices did not automatically support the Stretch Display. Palm has issued two resource files to update the T3: Palm DIA Updates (Download Zip with 2 .prc files -- BOTH must be installed at the same time) Tungsten T3 Update For additional details, refer to this PalmSourceT Developer Newsletter.

2) I'm using a TungstenT T5 device; how come DataViewer says "No Databases loaded" when I tap on it? If you used Drive Mode to install the Database (.PDB file) to the internal flash drive of the TungstenT T5, make sure that the file is stored in the correct folder location. In order for DataViewer to find the Database, the Database needs to be copied to the \Palm\Launcher\ folder in the internal flash drive. If there is no such folder, create a new one and name it that.

------------------------------------------------------ LifeDriveT Issues (2)

1) When attempting to install a DataViewer Database to my LifeDriveT, the device freezes and I have to do a hard reset. How do I install the Database without having to reset my LifeDriveT? Use the LifeDriveT Manager to install the DataViewer Database rather than the Quick Install Tool. Make sure to follow the directions below for where to install the file so that DataViewer can see it.

2) I've installed a DataViewer Database to my LifeDriveT using the LifeDriveT Manager, but when I open DataViewer I see the message "No database installed. Visit PocketDirectory.com to download a directory." How do I get DataViewer to see the Database? Don't place the Database's .PDB file in the Applications folder in the Files folder; instead, create a folder in the LifeDriveT Manager at the same level as Files, and name it "Palm". In the Palm folder, create another folder and name it "Launcher". Then move the .PDB to the Launcher folder. So, instead of this folder: LifeDrive Manager\Files\Applications\ Try the following folder: LifeDrive Manager\Palm\Launcher\ DataViewer is not able to see the Database while the Database's file is in the Applications folder - DataViewer can only read the file from certain locations, of which \Palm\Launcher\ is one such location.

Pocket PC Frequently Asked Questions Requirements || Installation || Accessing DataViewer || Storage || Page Viewing || Infrared Beaming || Deletion Windows Mobile 5.0 ------------------------------------------------------ Requirements (2) 1) What are the system requirements to install the Town Compass® DataViewer and Databases? You must have a Pocket PC 2002/Windows Mobile 2003 or higher compatible device. For other requirements, see the Installation Guide. 2) What are the memory requirements to install the Town Compass® DataViewer and Databases? The "DataViewer.ppc.arm.cab" file requires at least 2010K handheld RAM in order to install DataViewer and its associated font files. Database memory requirements vary; refer to each individual product's description for the filesize. ------------------------------------------------------ Installation (10) 1) How do I install the Town Compass® DataViewer and Database files onto my Pocket PC handheld? For installation instructions, please see the Installation Guide. 2) After double-clicking on the "_setup.exe" file to start the automatic installation, the "Town Compass Installer" window appears but is empty...where are the files? Make sure that you extract all of the files from within the downloaded zip before double-clicking on the "_setup.exe" file -- if you double-click on the "_setup.exe" while it is still in the zip, it can't find the other files to install because they are still compressed. You have to extract/uncompress the files from the downloaded zip to your desktop or a folder on your computer before installing them. If the Installer window is still empty even after extracting the files from the zip, then try manually installing them instead. 3) I've installed the files; how do I view my Database? To view the files on your handheld, click on the "Start" menu in the top left of the screen and select "Programs". Tap on the Town Compass® DataViewer icon () in the "Programs" window. The Town Compass® DataViewer will open. See the handheld Home Screen - Programs Menu page. 4) I've installed the Database; how come it doesn't show up in my handheld Home Screen - Programs Menu? For you to view the Database you must have the Town Compass® DataViewer installed on your handheld. See the Installation Guide for how to install DataViewer. 5) I've installed DataViewer; why is there no Town Compass® icon in my Home Screen - Programs Menu? DataViewer must be run from the \Program Files\Town Compass\DataViewer\ directory on your handheld's RAM in order to work correctly. Make sure the "DataViewer.exe" file is in this directory. If it isn't, reinstall DataViewer from the original CAB file (refer to the Installation Guide for how to install DataViewer on your device). 6) After I click on the "DataViewer" icon, the following message is displayed: "No database installed. Visit PocketDirectory.com to download a directory." You need to install a Database. Refer to the Installation Guide for more details. 7) I've installed the Database, but I'm still getting the "No database installed. Visit PocketDirectory.com to download a database." message. DataViewer can only see the Database from certain locations on your handheld. Make sure the Database is placed in any one of the following directories: Root of device \Program Files\Town Compass\* \My Documents\* *Note: The Database can be placed in any subdirectory within this directory and DataViewer will still be able to find it. If the Database is in one of these directories and you still don't see it in DataViewer, try tapping on the Refresh icon () at the bottom of the screen. 8) Can I install more than one Database? Yes. The Town Compass® DataViewer supports multiple Databases. See the Multiple Databases page. 9) How many Databases can I have loaded at once? That depends on how much memory your handheld has, and how much of it is available. Handheld devices typically have 2 to 16 megabytes of memory, not including storage devices. The amount of available memory you have depends on how many other programs and files you have loaded. To determine how much free space you have, click on the "Start" menu in the top left of the screen and select "Settings". Tap on the "System" tab at the bottom of the screen, then select "Memory" from the listings. The amount of free memory is noted towards the bottom of the page. 10) I've installed multiple Databases; how do I switch between them? The Database name appears in the upper left corner while in the DataViewer program. A small "down arrow" will appear to the right of the Database name, indicating a pulldown menu. Click on the Database name to open the menu. You can toggle between different products by selecting the desired Database from the pulldown menu. See the Multiple Databases page. ------------------------------------------------------ Accessing DataViewer (3) 1) How come when I tap on the DataViewer icon in the Programs menu nothing happens (the icon becomes highlighted but DataViewer doesn't open)? You probably have a cache problem. Sometimes DataViewer gets stuck in cache on Pocket PC devices, particularly after multiple installations in a row. First, try taking your storage card out of your device and then tapping on DataViewer from the Programs menu. It should open and show the message "No Databases loaded. Visit PocketDirectory.com to download a database." If so, try re-inserting the storage card and see if the product Database appears; if it doesn't immediately load, tap the refresh button while in DataViewer (the icon at the bottom of the screen that looks like a white piece of paper with 2 rotating green arrows on it). If DataViewer DOESN'T open when you take the storage card out (i.e. the icon becomes highlighted in the Programs menu but nothing else happens, or it briefly opens and then immediately quits), then unfortunately your device will require a hard reset. In this case, do a hard reset and then reinstall ONLY DataViewer, NOT the Database files, all while still leaving the storage card out of the handheld's card slot. Unfortunately this will require you to reinstall your other software programs as well; make sure to sync your Pocket PC device before performing the hard reset. 2) What does the error message "The file '\Program Files\Town Compass\DataViewer\...' is in use or is in ROM" mean when I attempt to open/delete the DataViewer program? That error message means there is a cache problem. Sometimes DataViewer gets stuck in cache on Pocket PC devices, particularly after multiple installations in a row. First, try taking your storage card out of your device and then tapping on DataViewer from the Programs menu. It should open and show the message "No Databases loaded. Visit PocketDirectory.com to download a database." If so, try re-inserting the storage card and see if the product Database appears; if it doesn't immediately load, tap the refresh button while in DataViewer (the icon at the bottom of the screen that looks like a white piece of paper with 2 rotating green arrows on it). If DataViewer DOESN'T open when you take the storage card out (i.e. the icon becomes highlighted in the Programs menu but nothing else happens, or it briefly opens and then immediately quits, or it continues to give you the same error message), then unfortunately your device will require a hard reset. In this case, do a hard reset and then reinstall ONLY DataViewer, NOT the Database files, all while still leaving the storage card out of the handheld's card slot. Unfortunately this will require you to reinstall your other software programs as well; make sure to sync your Pocket PC device before performing the hard reset. 3) What does the error message "Dataviewer.exe has performed an illegal operation and will be shut down..." mean when I attempt to open/delete the DataViewer program? That error message means there is a cache problem. Sometimes DataViewer gets stuck in cache on Pocket PC devices, particularly after multiple installations in a row (DON'T install any programs multiple times in a row on Pocket PC devices, it always causes problems - if the installation doesn't work the first time, FIRST delete all of the files that were installed and then try reinstalling). We recommend that you delete all Town Compass files from your Pocket PC and then try reinstalling first DataViewer and then the Database separately. The best way to delete files from a Pocket PC device is to use the Explore button in ActiveSync (sync your device first, then open ActiveSync on your desktop computer and then click on the Explore button). All Town Compass files will be in any of the following folders on your Pocket PC: In your internal memory: \My Documents\ \Program Files\Town Compass\ On your storage card: \Town Compass\ \Program Files\Town Compass\ Just delete the entire \Town Compass\ folder to get rid of all the files, both in internal memory and on your storage card. If you get an error message when trying to delete the files, you will need to do a reset to clear the cache. Try a soft reset first and then delete the files. If you still get an error message, you will need to do a hard reset (follow the hard reset instructions for your particular device, which can usually be found in the PDF manual). After a reset, and after you have deleted the files, make sure that you have extracted/uncompressed all the files contained in the download zip BEFORE installing them, then double-click on the _setup.exe file to start the installation process. Again, install only one file at a time to ensure success. We have complete step-by-step installation instructions available here . ------------------------------------------------------ Storage (3) 1) I have a storage card on my handheld; can I view the Database from it? DataViewer may be run off of MMC cards, SD cards, and CF cards. All Databases work normally even if loaded on a storage card. In order for DataViewer to read a Database from a storage card, the Database must be placed in any one of the following directories: Root of card \Town Compass\* \Program Files\Town Compass\ \Palm\Launcher\ \Palm\Programs\Town Compass\ *Note: The Database can be placed in any subdirectory within this directory and DataViewer will still be able to find it. It doesn't matter which directory the Database is located in as long as it is in one of these locations on the storage card. 2) How do I install DataViewer to a storage card? The easiest way to install DataViewer to a storage card is to open the automatic _setup.exe file (on a PC) and follow the instructions for automatic installation as given in our installation instructions until you get to step #5. Step #5 tells you to click "No" to the popup window question that appears in order to install DataViewer to a storage device. Failing that, we can provide the direct files that the .cab is attempting to install on your Pocket PC and give instructions on where to place these files. First, download this zip. Please follow these instructions: 1) Save the zip to your desktop on your computer, and extract all the files in the zip to your desktop. 2) Place your Pocket PC in the sync cradle/port and open ActiveSync. In the ActiveSync window on your computer, click on the "Explore" button. 3) A new window will open. Double-click on the "My Pocket PC" icon. You should see a directory named \Storage Card\, although the directory may also be named \Storage\, \SD Card\ or something similar. 4) Open \Storage Card\, and create a new folder named \Program Files\ unless there is already a folder by that name in the Storage Card listings. Note that there is a space between "Program" and "Files". 5) Open \Program Files\, and create a new folder named \Town Compass\ unless there is already a folder by that name in the Program Files listings. Note that there is a space between "Town" and "Compass". 6) Open \Town Compass\, and create a new folder named \DataViewer\ unless there is already a folder by that name in the Town Compass listings. 7) Open \DataViewer\, and create a new folder named \Fonts\ unless there is already a folder by that name in the DataViewer listings. 8) Click on the three font files that should now be on your desktop, named "TcPalm.ttf", "TcPalmb.ttf", and "TcPalmi.ttf". Either copy and paste them to the \Fonts\ folder in the ActiveSync Explore window or drag them to that window using your mouse. A pop-up window may appear noting that ActiveSync will need to convert the files. Click "OK." 9) Go back one directory level to the \DataViewer\ folder. Click on the DataViewer executable file that should also be on your desktop, named "DataViewer.exe". Either copy and paste it to the \DataViewer\ folder in the ActiveSync Explore window or drag it to that window. A pop-up window may appear noting that ActiveSync will need to convert the file. Click "OK." 10) In order for DataViewer to show up in the Programs menu on your Pocket PC device, a shortcut needs to be created and placed in the \Windows\Start Menu\ directory. This shortcut is normally created by the installation of the .cab file, so the manual installation process outlined above won't add DataViewer to your Programs menu on your device. Here's how to create a shortcut: leave the current window you worked with in step 9 open. Find your ActiveSync window. Click AGAIN on the EXPLORE button. This will cause a second window to open. Double-click on the "My Pocket PC" icon; double-click on the "Windows" folder; double-click on the "Start Menu" folder. You now have this second window pointing to your Start Menu directory. 11) Click once in the FIRST window (the one you were using in step 9). Using the RIGHT mouse button, click on the DataViewer.exe icon, and drag it into the SECOND window (the one showing the start menu directory). When you release the mouse button, a menu will pop up. Using the regular (left) mouse button, click on "Create Shortcut Here." A shortcut will be created. 12) Close all windows, quit all programs, disconnect and soft reset your Pocket PC. The DataViewer program will now be accessible from the PROGRAMS menu on the device, but will run from your storage card. After accessing DataViewer, tap on the "Refresh" icon (it looks like a white piece of paper with two rotating green arrows on it). This will make sure DataViewer can see all of your current DataViewer Databases you have loaded. 3) How do I install a DataViewer Database to a storage card? The easiest way to install a DataViewer Database to a storage card is to open the automatic _setup.exe file (on a PC) and follow the instructions for automatic installation as given in our installation instructions until you get to step #5. Step #5 tells you to click "No" to the popup window question that appears in order to install a DataViewer Database to a storage device. Failing that, we can provide the direct file that the Database's .cab is attempting to install on your Pocket PC and give instructions on where to place the file. First, download the Palm OS version of the product. Yes, the Palm OS version is the file you need, even though you are using a Pocket PC device - trust us, it will work. If you have freeware or a demo, you can download the Palm OS version for free from this website (see the Product Category links in the left sidebar for links to our products). If you need to download the Palm OS version of a commercial file, you will have to access your user account that has been created for you (we create an account for you even if you purchased the product from a different website): Go to the Password Retrieval Page to have your password sent to your email address Go to the Sign In Page to sign in with your email and password Click on the "My Order History" link in the upper right corner of the site Click on the blue button with the white order number on it to get to the Download Page On the Download Page, click on the Palm OS download button to download the Palm version zip Please follow these instructions: 1) Save the zip to your desktop on your computer, and extract all the files in the zip to your desktop. 2) Place your Pocket PC in the sync cradle/port and open ActiveSync. In the ActiveSync window on your computer, click on the "Explore" button. 3) A new window will open. Double-click on the "My Pocket PC" icon. You should see a directory named \Storage Card\, although the directory may also be named \Storage\, \SD Card\ or something similar. 4) Open \Storage Card\, and create a new folder named \Town Compass\ unless there is already a folder by that name in the Storage Card listings. Note that there is a space between "Town" and "Compass". 5) Open \Town Compass\, then click on the "TC_XXX.PDB" file that should now be on your desktop, where 'XXX' = 'Name of Product.' Either copy and paste it to the \Town Compass\ folder in the ActiveSync Explore window or drag it to that window using your mouse. A pop-up window may appear noting that ActiveSync will need to convert the file. Click "OK." 6) The Database will now be accessible through DataViewer on the device. ------------------------------------------------------ Page Viewing (5) 1) I can't read the text on the Details Pages; how can I make the font easier to read? While in a Database, tap the "Tool" menu in the bottom left of the screen and select "Options." Select the desired font from the dropdown menu in the middle of the screen, and then adjust the size of the font larger or smaller to your desired setting. See the Font Setting Options page. 2) What are the icons at the bottom of the screen for? Back (): Brings you back to the previous page so you can select other entries to view. Home (): Brings you to the Home Page, where the Database Subjects are listed. Index ( or ): Brings you to an alphabetical index of every SubCategory available in the Database. Our patented (Patent Pending and Patent 6,757,673) Fingerpoint® methodology cross-references from the index back to the Subject-Category-SubCategory hierarchy so other similar SubCategories can be accessed that may be grouped hierarchically, but not alphabetically. Search (): Brings up the Search Page, where you can enter keywords to find entries throughout the entire Database. Refresh (): Refreshes the DataViewer program. Most useful for when you can't find a Database you just installed. 3) Where is the "About" screen, which contains copyright & legal information? Tap the "Powered by Town Compass®" text near the bottom of the screen while in a Database. This will bring up the "About" screen which contains file versions, ISBN numbers, and copyright information. The "Legal Agreement" button at the bottom of the screen contains "Legal Terms and Conditions" information. You can also reach the "Legal Terms and Conditions" info by tapping the Town Compass® logo on this page. See the About page. 4) Where are the software version numbers located at? Tap the "Powered by Town Compass®" text near the bottom of the screen while in a Database. This will bring up the "About" screen which contains the DataViewer version number and product version number. See the About page. 5) I found incorrect or incomplete information; what should I do? Please send information regarding inaccurate or incomplete data to support@towncompass.com; Town Compass will forward the information to the appropriate content partner for review and updating. ------------------------------------------------------ Infrared Beaming (2) 1) Can I share the Town Compass® DataViewer by beaming it to a friend who has a compatible device? Yes. While in a Database, tap the "Tool" menu in the bottom left of the screen and select "Beam Application." The DataViewer will then be beamed to the \My Documents\ directory on your friend's handheld. Make sure they place the beamed file in the \Program Files\Town Compass\DataViewer\ directory in their handheld RAM. See the Beaming page. 2) Can I share a Database by beaming it to a friend who has a compatible device? Yes. While in a Database, tap the "Tool" menu in the bottom left of the screen and select "Beam Database." The Database will then be beamed to the \My Documents\ directory on your friend's handheld. Only freeware and demo products can be beamed. Commercial products may not be beamed from one handheld to another. See the Beaming page. ------------------------------------------------------ Deletion (3) 1) I want to exit the DataViewer program. How do I do that? The "X" in the upper right corner is a minimize button, NOT an exit button. To exit DataViewer, tap on the keyboard icon at the bottom right of the screen and then tap on "Ctl" and then "q". 2) I need to delete one, but not all of my Databases. How do I do that? First, select the Database you want to delete from the Database selection menu in the upper left corner of the screen. While in the Database, tap the "Tool" menu in the bottom left of the screen and select "Delete Database." A pop-up window will appear informing you the Database will be deleted; tap "OK." See the Delete page. 3) I've deleted a Database, but now I need it again. Where can I find it? You need to re-install the Database from your original file. See the Installation Guide. ------------------------------------------------------ Windows Mobile 5.0 (2) 1) Is DataViewer compatible with Windows Mobile 5.0 devices? At the end of the installation I get a message saying "The program you have installed may not display properly because it was designed for a previous version of Windows Mobile software." Yes, DataViewer is compatible with Windows Mobile 5.0 devices. You can safely ignore the warning message as it is only referring to extra features that are included in this new OS that we have not yet added to DataViewer. These features are not vital to the function of our software. 2) I installed DataViewer and the DataViewer Database to my Windows Mobile 5.0 device, but when I open DataViewer from the Programs menu it says "No Databases loaded." Where is the Database? On Windows Mobile 5.0 devices, the installation .cab files install the .PDB that DataViewer requires in order to view the chosen product to an incorrect folder location where DataViewer can't see the file. The .PDB just needs to be moved to the correct folder so that DataViewer can see the product. You will need to sync your device to your desktop computer, open ActiveSync on the desktop and click on the Explore button. In the window that pops up after clicking on the Explore button, double-click on "My Windows Mobile Device" or whatever the listed device says to open it, then go to the \Program Files\Town Compass\Products\ folder to find the "TC_PRODUCTNAME.PDB" file (where "PRODUCTNAME" is the name of the product you have installed). Next, open the folder tree in the window so that you can see all of your device's folders on the left side of the window. Now use your mouse to click on the .PDB file and drag it over to one of the folder locations below. Here are the correct folder locations so that DataViewer can read the file: -On your device's internal memory- \My Documents\ -On a storage card- \Town Compass\ Once the file is in one of the above folders, you should be able to see the product when you open DataViewer from the Programs menu. If the product doesn't immediately appear, tap on the Refresh icon in the lower right corner of the screen while in DataViewer on your device (it looks like a white piece of paper with two rotating green arrows on it).

Microsoft Smartphone Frequently Asked Questions Requirements || Installation || Storage || Page Viewing || Infrared Beaming || Deletion Windows Mobile 5.0 Orange SPV Issues || Samsung i600 Issues || Motorola MPX-200 Issues ------------------------------------------------------ Requirements (2) 1) What are the system requirements to install the Town Compass® DataViewer and Databases? You must have a Windows Mobile Microsoft® Smartphone compatible device. For other requirements, see the Installation Guide. 2) What are the memory requirements to install the Town Compass® DataViewer and Databases? The "DataViewer.spv.arm.cab" file requires at least 2007K handheld RAM in order to install DataViewer and its associated font files. Database memory requirements vary; refer to each individual product's description for the filesize. ------------------------------------------------------ Installation (10) 1) How do I install the Town Compass® DataViewer and Database files onto my Smartphone? For installation instructions, please see the Installation Guide. 2) After double-clicking on the "_setup.exe" file to start the automatic installation, the "Town Compass Installer" window appears but is empty...where are the files? Make sure that you extract all of the files from within the downloaded zip before double-clicking on the "_setup.exe" file -- if you double-click on the "_setup.exe" while it is still in the zip, it can't find the other files to install because they are still compressed. You have to extract/uncompress the files from the downloaded zip to your desktop or a folder on your computer before installing them. If the Installer window is still empty even after extracting the files from the zip, then try manually installing them instead. 3) I've installed the files; how do I view my Database? To view the files on your Smartphone, navigate to the "Programs" menu. Tap on the Town Compass® DataViewer icon () in the "Programs" menu. See the Home Screen - Programs Menu page. 4) I've installed a Database; how come it doesn't show up in my Smartphone Home Screen - Programs Menu? For you to view the Database you must have the Town Compass® DataViewer installed on your Smartphone. See the Installation Guide for how to install DataViewer. 5) I've installed DataViewer; why is there no Town Compass® icon in my Home Screen - Programs Menu? DataViewer must be run from the \Program Files\Town Compass\DataViewer\ directory on your Smartphone's RAM in order to work correctly. Make sure the "DataViewer.exe" file is in this directory. If it isn't, reinstall DataViewer from the original CAB file (refer to the Installation Guide for how to install DataViewer on your device). 6) After I click on the "DataViewer" icon, the following message is displayed: "No database installed. Visit PocketDirectory.com to download a directory." You need to install a Database. Refer to the Installation Guide for more details. 7) I've installed the Database, but I'm still getting the "No database installed. Visit PocketDirectory.com to download a database." message. DataViewer can only see the Database from certain locations on your Smartphone. In order for DataViewer to read a Database from the Smartphone RAM, the Database must be placed in any one of the following RAM directories: .  Root of device .  \Program Files\Town Compass\* .  \My Documents\* *Note: The Database can be placed in any subdirectory within this directory and DataViewer will still be able to find it. 8) Can I install more than one Database? Yes. The Town Compass® DataViewer supports multiple Databases. See the Multiple Databases page. 9) How many Databases can I have loaded at once? That depends on how much memory your Smartphone has, and how much of it is available. Handheld devices typically have 2 to 16 megabytes of memory, not including storage devices. The amount of available memory you have depends on how many other programs and files you have loaded. 10) I've installed multiple Databases; how do I switch between them? The Database name appears in the upper left corner while in the DataViewer program. Press the "Product" button in the lower left to see what other Databases are available. You can toggle between different products by selecting the desired Database from the menu. See the Multiple Databases page. ------------------------------------------------------ Storage (1) 1) I have a storage card on my Smartphone; can I view the Databases from it? DataViewer may be run off of MMC cards, SD cards, and CF cards. All Databases work normally even if loaded on a storage card. In order for DataViewer to read Databases from storage cards, the Databases should be placed in any of the following storage card directories: .  Root of card .  \Town Compass\* .  \Program Files\Town Compass\ .  \Palm\Launcher\ .  \Palm\Programs\Town Compass\ *Note: The Database can be placed in any subdirectory within this directory and DataViewer will still be able to find it. It doesn't matter which directory the Database is located in as long as it is in one of these locations on the storage card. ------------------------------------------------------ Page Viewing (4) 1) I can't read the text on the Details Pages; how can I make the font easier to read? While in the Database, press the "Menu" button in the bottom right and select "Options." Select the desired font and adjust the size of the font larger or smaller to your desired setting. See the Font Setting Options page. 2) Where is the "About" screen, which contains copyright & legal information? Press the "Menu" button at the bottom right while in a Database, then select the "About" option in the popup menu. This will bring up the "About" screen which contains file versions, ISBN numbers, and copyright information. The "Legal Agreement" button at the bottom right contains "Legal Terms and Conditions" information. See the About page. 3) Where are the software version numbers located at? Press the "Menu" button at the bottom right while in a Database, then select the "About" option in the popup menu. This will bring up the "About" screen which contains the DataViewer version number and product version number. See the About page. 4) I found incorrect or incomplete information; what should I do? Please send information regarding inaccurate or incomplete data to support@towncompass.com; Town Compass will forward the information to the appropriate content partner for review and updating. ------------------------------------------------------ Infrared Beaming (2) 1) Can I share the Town Compass® DataViewer by beaming it to a friend who has a compatible device? No. The DataViewer program cannot be beamed to another device from the Smartphone. See the Beaming page. 2) Can I share a Database by beaming it to a friend who has a compatible device? Yes, but only freeware and demo products can be beamed (commercial products may not be beamed from one handheld to another; doing so is a violation of our copyright policy). While in the Database, press the "Menu" button in the bottom right and select "Beam Database." The Database will then be beamed to the \My Documents\ directory on your friend's Smartphone. Note: In order for DataViewer to read a Database from the Smartphone RAM, the Database must be placed in any one of the following RAM directories: .  Root of device .  \Program Files\Town Compass\* .  \My Documents\* *The Database can be placed in any subdirectory within this directory and DataViewer will still be able to find it. See the Beaming page. ------------------------------------------------------ Deletion (2)