DateBk5 V-5 release: Device-Specific Notes

This is a set of very detailed notes on each Palm OS device for those users who want to know every single detail, or who run into a problem and are looking for a solution. It also documents some special features in Datebk5 for that specific device.

Tungsten T3, T5, E, Zire-72, 31, Treo650

These devices are unlike other Palm OS devices in that they feature proprietary PIM applications and proprietary PIM databases. To provide compatibility, PalmOne installed a substantial patch to the Palm OS (the "DataManager Patch") which is intended to provide compatibility with all third party apps that access the standard PIM databases. Unfortunately, the patch has several known flaws which affect third party applications including a few that affect Datebk5, so read through this section to be aware of these known issues. In most cases, however, with the latest V-5.4a release, these flaws are side-stepped and should not affect the average user.

FIRST NOTE: if you have a Tungsten T3 (but ONLY if you have a T3) you need to install the two PRC files in the "For TungstenT3 ONLY!.zip" archive in order for the virtual graffiti feature to work properly. These libraries (AppSlipRotate.prc and StatusBarLib.prc) will override the built-in libraries in ROM and will require that you do a reset at the end of the hotsync (this is normal and only occurs once when you install these libraries). These libraries were provided by and their use endorsed by PalmOne - you may find other third party applications also requiring you to install these same libraries - you only need to do this once. Do *not* install these libraries if you have a device other than a T3.

Second NOTE T3 & E: The conduits that are shipped on your installation CD are buggy. We recommend that you replace them right away by downloading the latest version of the Palm desktop (V-4.1.4) from the PalmOne website. This will correct the problem of crossing off ToDo's failing to get crossed-off on the desktop and several other similar problems.

Third NOTE T3 & E: The DataManager patch that shipped on the Tungsten T3 and E must be updated to the fixed release on PalmOne's website for proper operation of your device: http://www.palmone.com/us/support/downloads/pim_update.html this is required in order for changes you make on the handheld to properly synchronize to the desktop.

Fourth NOTE T5: Since the Tungsten T5 normally assigns the Second hardware button for the datebook function, you will want to make sure that the Views tab of the main DateBk5 Preference panel (Options | Preferences in any view) has a '2' in the popup list next to the Date legend. This release of DateBk5 supports extended navigation through dialogs on the T5. Read the section below on the Treo-600/650 for details on all the available functionality.

If you use categories in DateBk5 and are upgrading, it's advised to make sure that you have two categories defined: Business and Personal. It appears that these new PalmOne devices look to see if these are defined and if not automatically create them and this can end up shuffling all your categories around (!). 

If you use the new encryption download to encrypt the datebook database, you must uncheck the box for having DateBk5 handling alarms as the Palm OS will otherwise crash when an alarm goes off.

If you use a backup utility, and have V-5.1 or earlier of DateBk5, you must use a utility that does not restore the classic PIM databases (most backup utilities have been updated for this, but if not, just make sure you don't restore those four databases (DatebookDB, ToDoDB, MemoDB, AddressDB). Also if you get DmWrite Errors whenever you try and create a new item in DateBk5 (or other third party apps that access the PIM databases), run dbScan (must be V-1.7b or later) and select the option to Remove All Deleted Records in order to workaround a known bug in the PalmOne DataManager patch. This latter bug was fixed in the PalmOne update listed under the third note above.

You may experience some unusually long delays when exiting DateBk5. This is caused by the PalmOne DataManager patch and only occurs if you have a large contacts database AND open it in split-screen from within DateBk5. There is also an obscure problem in writing capital letters in the graffiti area when in landscape mode - this is not a flaw in Datebk5 per se, but at this point it is not known why the Palm OS refuses to shift into upper case under certain conditions.

Sony UX-40/50/TH55 - You must install at least V-5.1b or a later release on a UX-50/UX-40 or TH55 as any older release will crash whenever alarms are accessed (due to a flaw in the way the new Sony sound libraries were implemented). Portrait (TH55) and landscape (UX-40/50) modes are fully supported. Some of the Treo keyboard navigation features work with the UX-50- for example, tapping Ctrl/M twice will bring up the split-screen menu. Note: on UX models, to have the Datebook button cycle through the views, you may need to go into the Views tab of the main DateBk5 Preference panel (Options | Preferences in any view) and put a '3' in the popup list next to the date legend since the Datebook function is on the third hardware button and not the first hardware button like most Palm OS devices.

Garmin iQue3600 - this release has full support for the collapsible graffiti feature on this device. It also supports the rocker switch and button as a "jog dial" so you can select individual items (or set the preference in Advanced Settings to move by screen).

Tapwave Zodiac - this release runs properly on the Zodiac device and supports the collapsible graffiti and rotation features. You will need to go into the VIEWS tab of the main DateBk5 Preference panel (Options | Preferences in any view) and set a different default button for Date function (either '3' or '4' will work and map to the left-most and right-most D-pad buttons (respectively). The left, 5-way rocker device now functions in V-5.4 to select individual items in the Day View.

TREO 600, 650 - this release supports the 5-way Navigator dial on that device in a manner which incorporates features of the Palm Tungsten Device's Navigator and the Treo600 5-way dial. With this device, if the insert pointer is in the first character position of a field, Rocker Up/Down will move to the prior and next event on that day. Rocker Up/Down will move upwards and downwards through lines in the field and will move to the next/previous item if moved up on the top line of the field or moved down on the last line of the field. If the insert pointer is to the left of the first character and Rocker Left is pressed, Datebk5 moves to the prior day (as it would if the insert pointer were not displayed). If the insert pointer is to the right of the last character and Rocker Right is pressed, DateBk5 moves to the next day. Option/Rocker Left moves to the start of the description field first if the insert pointer is not at the start of the description and THEN moves to the prior week on the same day of the week and Option/Rocker Right moves first to the end of the description field of the current item (if the insert pointer is displayed) and THEN to the next week. To move to the next day when the insert pointer is in the left-most character position, press rocker left and then rocker right twice (at that point, no item is selected and rocker right will then continue moving to the next day on each tap) or press Option/Right and then Right.

Rocker Center acts like a push on the jog dial or Navigator button: if nothing is selected (no insert pointer), it moves to today's date. If an item is selected (insert pointer displayed), it toggles between displaying the Details, Note (if present), or Link (if present). A Long press on Rocker Center will toggle between the split-screen and the main display (important for Tungsten T5 that has no option button).

The default navigation mode in the Treo600 is somewhat flawed so don't be surprised if up/down sometimes skips a line (tight line spacing in some DateBk5 dialogs appears to confuse that logic), but the rocker left/right will always scan through each control.

If Scroll Time Then Day is not set, the cursor would normally stop at the end of the day, so if you press Rocker Down under these conditions, the Popup list on the NEW button will appear so you can select from that list to create a new event, ToDo, etc. If you press Rocker Up at the top of the day, the focus moves to the split-screen if it is open.

To get to the controls at the bottom of the screen directly, pressing Rocker Down on an empty screen or at the bottom of the screen when Scroll Time then Day is not set, or by pressing Option/Rocker Down (Option does not need to be held down). Option/Rocker down is implemented at this point in the day view, month view and list views.

A rocker up/down in the split-screen that does not move the highlight bar (because the bar is already at the top/bottom of the list), will remove  the focus from the split-screen window. If you then press Rocker Down, the focus (insert pointer) is put on the first item on the day, whilst if you press Rocker Up, the focus is put on the last item on the day.

To switch the focus quickly from split-screen to the main table or vice-versa, press the Option button and then Rocker Center.

The menu button in the day view first brings up the regular menu. Press it a second time to bring up the split-screen menu. Press a third time to close the menu.

To bring up the Saved Views Selection dialog, press Option/{Period}.

Note Dialog: To page up and down quickly, press the Option key, then rocker up will page up and rocker down will page down as long as only the same key is pressed. Any other key exits this page navigation mode and up/down will then just move the cursor up and down normally.  In similar manner, pressing the Option button will then cause subsequent presses of Rocker left to do a word left, and Rocker right to do a word right. Pressing any other key when in this mode will reset it so that they do the normal character left/right.

Option/Option/Backspace or Option/Backspace/Backspace will toggle the completion status of an event or ToDo in either the main day table, split-screen display or the list view. Note: this function was implemented with Option/Return in prior versions of DateBk5

Return in the Details dialog will exit the dialog as if OK had been selected. Use Option/Rocker Up to select the Time Selector, and Option/Rocker down to select the OK button (to quickly navigate the dialog).

Option/Space in the Day View when an item is selected, pops up the context-sensitive list (as if a TapAndHold had been done on the description field of the item).

Option/Enter in the Day View when an item is selected pops up the Icon Selection Dialog.

Set Time Dialog: You do not have to use navigation to select the hours and minutes here, but can also key in the time using the numbers (no need to hit option button). Use 'a' or 'p' to select am or pm time after keying in time and use backspace to clear and start over. Enter moves from Start time to End Time and then closes the dialog. So to set the time 3:34pm, after entering the dialog, you would key in 334p{enter}{enter}. You can also navigate the dialog using the rocker button - to set the time, navigate over to the am/pm (or "hours") column and use rocker up/down to select an hour. Rocker Right moves to the minutes column where Rocker Up/Down will select 5-minute intervals - use Rocker Right to step through single minutes.

Icon Selection Dialog: when the dialog first appears the Ok button will have the focus if no icon was selected - press Rocker-Down to start out by selecting the icon at top left - press Rocker-Up to start out selecting the bottom icon in the first column. Otherwise, Rocker up/down/left/right will then move the selection. Press Rocker Center to exit the dialog with the currently highlighted icon selected. Rocker-down on all columns except the last column will move to the function buttons -- in the last column, the icon selection moves to the next page. Rocker up when the first icon on the page is selected will move to the prior page. Pressing the Option button quickly toggles between navigation mode - selecting icons and function mode (bottom function buttons selected).

Large dialogs: to facilitate navigation in large dialogs, Option/Rocker-Up/Down can be used to quickly move to the top line UI control and the bottom OK button respectively. This is implemented in the appt and ToDo details dialog, the day view's View Display Options, and all tabbed preference dialogs. In all those dialogs, you can also use the Return key to exit from the dialog. This is important on the Treo600 (Treo-650/T5 now support wrap-around so rocker down on the OK button moves to the top row etc.).

Keyguard is now temporarily disabled for the Alarm dialog when it first appears but only if you check the box in the Sounds & Buttons dialog of the Alarms tab of the main DateBk5 Preference panel (Options | Preferences in any view), so you can silence alarm repetitions by just pressing Left/Right/Up/Down on the Rocker button (or by pressing down on the alarm screen -- at top right where no controls are present). Note that after the Treo shuts off, if you manually power on and the alarm dialog is displayed, keyguard is enabled (as it should be).

In the Address Record Details screen (when you tap on an item in split-screen), the letters 'd', 'n' and 'g' on the Treo keyboard will invoke the DIAL, NOTE and GOTO buttons as a shortcut and key-accessible feature). You can also press Option/Rocker Down to highlight buttons on the bottom row and use rocker left/right to select them and Rocker down to operate the buttons.

To set a link to an appointment, select the appointment (i.e. get the insert pointer displayed in the appointment), then use Option/Rocker down to highlight the New button and use Rocker Right to get to the Link button.

Note: to have the Datebook button cycle through the views, you may need to go into the Views tab of the main DateBk5 Preference panel (Options | Preferences in any view) and put a '2' in the popup list next to the date legend since the Datebook function is on the second hardware button and not the first hardware button like most Palm OS devices.

Note, USA Users: Sprint PCS does not always provide the correct time zone from its network. You can easily verify that by simply unchecking the box ENABLE LOCAL NETWORK TIME and you will often see you are in the WRONG time zone. I am in Eastern Time, but Sprint shows Atlanta as in CENTRAL TIME (?!). Until they fix this bug, uncheck the box: Synchronize with OS/Other Apps in the ZONES tab of the main DateBk5 Preference panel (Options | Preferences in any view). The latest Treo600 Rom release may have fixed this bug.