Zoomer Tips and Tricks Copyright (c) 1993 David K Goodman Last change: Dec 7, 1993 Following is a list of tips and tricks for users of the Casio Z-7000 and Tandy Z-PDA (these devices also known as the Zoomer). It is highly recommended that you backup your unit to PC or ramcard prior to invoking some of the more risky hacks. In fact, it's recommended that you backup anyway. Recent tips are at the top, the rest are organized by ease of use and risk. Some are in the words of the original source, others are reformatted, edited or in my own words. Please submit any tips that you feel would be of benefit to others. Please don't re-post to other BBS's or services. A $10 donation to the address below would encourage me to maintain this list. Enjoy. ______ Dr. / oom /------ % Dave Goodman 448 Ignacio Bl #220-Z Novato, CA 94949 CIS: 72330,130 AOL: DKGoodman TIP: Add this to your GEOS.INI for more listed fonts. FROM: Dave Goodman RISK: The risk incurred in tweaking your .INI file By adding the line below to your GEOS.INI file, you can have more fonts listed in those applications which have a font controller. (As of this writing, none do.) You need to have performed the changes required to allow your GEOS.INI to be edited. Under the item [system] in your .INI file, add the following line: fontmenu = 02020A0006001A0012000201 If you get an application (like my Z View) which has font control, this will add the BERKELEY, BISON, LED and UNIVERSITY fonts to the MONO and SANS fonts already listed. TIP: If your Zoomer doesn't seem to turn on, try the contrast control. FROM: Dave Goodman RISK: None If you turn on your Zoomer and nothing happens, it could be that the contrast control got changed and you're just not seeing the screen. Before you start trying to take off the battery cover and hit reset, you might try setting the contrast towards maximum and see if the screen darkens. Then try the power switch again. TIP: Pull RAM card battery to erase all data, reformat card properly FROM: Dave Goodman RISK: LOSS OF DATA! Warning: Formatting a RAM card or pulling its battery will result in a loss of all data on that card. Remember, files that you think are on B: may actually be on the RAM card if the name is underlined. Be careful. Make backups. There are three methods in the Zoomer for formatting a RAM card: 1) If you insert a card that the Zoomer doesn't believe is formatted, it will automatically detect this and ask if you wish to format it to make it readable. If you agree, it will instantly format the card without further verification or progress reports. It seems like nothing happened, but it formatted your card. 2) In File Manager, select [Utilities][Format Card...] and select the Quick option. 3) In File Manager, select [Utilities][Format Card...] and don't select the Quick option. I have found that with my 2 Meg RAM card that options 2 and 3 would create a RAM card with only 512 K on it. However, by pulling the battery from the card, I found that the first, automatic format seemed to do it properly. Trying #2 or #3 would reduce the card back to 512 K. Note: you may have to wait a couple of hours (or days on some cards!) before your card will lose enough data that the Zoomer thinks it is unformatted. TIP: Use the joystick and fire buttons FROM: Dave Goodman RISK: None Many programs take advantage of the joystick and fire buttons. The joystick can be used in most text fields to move the cursor left and right. TIP: The joystick and fire buttons select and launch files in File Manager FROM: Dave Goodman RISK: None When selecting files with the File Manager, you can press the large joystick button in the left and right directions to select a file. You can press the A button to launch it. TIP: If screen goes blank after an error condition, try the power switch FROM: Dave Goodman RISK: None If you get an error message which suggests that you press a button to restart your unit, and when you do the screen goes blank, this often means that the unit has turned itself off. Turn the unit back on and it should reboot by itself. This will also happen if you manage to close all the apps. TIP: Change the .INI file to eliminate "click" sound FROM: Dave Goodman RISK: Small risk with change itself, large risk messing with .INI file If the little "click" sound annoys you every time you touch a control, and if you've already mastered the method of changing your GEOS.INI file, you can add the following to do away with this sound: [motifOptions] clickSounds = false TIP: Change Maze Runner to perform better on the Zoomer FROM: Dave Goodman RISK: None Maze Runner is a shareware game for GEOS 2.0 available on CompuServe, AOL and other BBS's. It runs on the Zoomer, but can be tweaked to look better. Try changing [Options] [Size Change] to 30 by 30, and change [View] [View at %] [Custom %] to 65. You can use the pen or [Options] [Move Controls] to navigate the maze. TIP: The Launcher icon misbehaves if you have too many WORLD files FROM: Dave Goodman RISK: Almost none If you run the Launcher menu from the hard icon bar and you don't get the menu you're used to, it could be that you have too many files in your WORLD folder. Move some of them to sub-directories and it should be good as new. TIP: Keep waiting after a reset FROM: Dave Goodman RISK: None It often seems that the Zoomer is "dead" after a reset. In fact, there should be text at the top of the screen, but it is often hard to read, and soon clears the screen. Then you sit there "forever" with a blank screen wondering if your unit has gone to that great graveyard in the sky. Just sit tight and it should come "alive" after a minute or two. TIP: Use File Transfer to Reboot GEOS FROM: Dave Goodman RISK: Almost none If you want to reload GEOS without resetting the Zoomer, run File Manager, then select from the menu [Connect] [File Transfer] [Switch...]. This will leave File Manager and exit GEOS to run a DOS program named PCCOM. Press the A or B button to exit PCCOM, and GEOS will be reloaded. It takes awhile with a blank screen to reload, so sit tight. TIP: Underlined files and folders are on a different drive FROM: Dave Goodman RISK: Ignoring this tip may result in loss of data. Underlined files and folders in File Manager are not on the B:[INTERNAL] drive. If you have folders on your RAM card or other drive which match the ones on your B: drive, then those folders and their files will appear on your B: drive. This convenience allows all of your applications to be visible and available without having to switch drives. It also means you need to pay attention to the underline so that you know where that file actually lives. TIP: Unlocking a RAM card if GEOS is still using a file on it can crash you. FROM: Mark Scardina [TeamHP] 76711,732 RISK: Ignoring this tip may result in loss of data. Be very careful about unlocking a card. If GEOS still is using the file in the background you will get an error message to relock the card and will wait for you to give your permission. Do NOT ignore this warning. If you do not relock the card within a short time it will crash. TIP: Editing your GEOS.INI file can crash you. FROM: Mark Scardina [TeamHP] 76711,732 RISK: Ignoring this tip may result in loss of data. Be VERY careful editing your GEOS.INI file. If it is invalid or gets corrupted GEOS will not load and you will have to re-initialize your machine. TIP: Enhancing hand writing recognition (HWR, HWX) FROM: Varied RISK: None To insert text: tap the pen where you wish to insert so the cursor goes there. Draw the new text. To mark text: hold the pen at the start of the text until the cursor is there, then drag the pen across the text. To mark a word, double-tap it. To delete text: mark it as described above, then start the text to replace it, or use the delete gesture to delete it. The gesture: start low, drag the pen up, do a small circle, and continue up. As if you were drawing a 'q' from the bottom up and up from the loop into a 'd'. To insert a carriage return: start a little to the right, draw a short line down, and then in the same stroke a longer line to the left, like a fallen 'L': ___| To get a space: draw a hyphen '-' and then draw another hyphen in the same location (overstrike it). Or draw a little 'b' with one stroke and then draw a slash through it. Or write each word with a large space between them, or each word below the last. Capital letters: Draw them larger than the others. When drawing text in a box, it's okay to draw the letters larger than the box. This helps in making a letter a capital. Some characters you just can't seem to get (like '!'). Use the floating keyboard. If you tap the SHIFT key you'll see the shifted characters. TIP: Don't scratch the screen with dust or sharp objects FROM: Dave Goodman RISK: Small Don't do it. Don't use abrasives or harsh chemicals on your screen. Don't use strange devices to write on the screen. Keep it clean, as dragging the pen across dust or particles can scratch. Keep your pen tip protected, and inspect it periodically for burrs. TIP: Make a PDA pen from a Cross or Parker pen using the Zoomer large pen FROM: FunkenG on AOL RISK: Almost none There is a full size pen available for the Zoomer, styled like a Mont Blanc pen. It can be purchased or had for free with a coupon. It is basically a standard ball-point click pen with a special cartridge that's plastic instead of a ball-point. You can use that cartridge in many Cross or Parker pens. It is NOT recommended that you use a dry ink cartridge, as the ball-point can damage the screen. TIP: Make a Desk Accessory by moving an app to that folder FROM: Dave Goodman RISK: Almost none The calculator is called a Desk Accessory. It has an advanced interface so that it can be closed, repositioned or re-sized, and it floats over other running programs. An application can be made into a desk accessory by moving it to the Desk Accessory folder (directory). It is recommended that you NOT have more than one copy of a program on the machine, as GEOS seems to get confused. Once a Desk Accessory is running or has a "state" file saved in the PRIVDATA\STATE directory it doesn't seem to want to be erased, because it's linked into the system. Try erasing the STATE file for it, and reboot if necessary. I'm still trying to figure out the mysteries of that myself. TIP: Drag a file to trash to delete it, or to destination to copy it FROM: Dave Goodman RISK: Same as deleting or copying files by any other method Files can be dragged in the File Manager by holding the pen on them until they change into a box, then dragging the pen without lifting to the destination. A file may be deleted by dragging it to the trash can at the lower left of the screen and lifting the pen. You will get a dialog asking if you REALLY want to do that. A file may be copied by dragging it to a folder and dropping it there. TIP: Recover "lost" memory by resetting FROM: GWRep Mike on America Online RISK: Small There is an "undocumented feature" in the Zoomer's memory management! When you switch to different applications and get the "activating XXXXXX" message, Zoomer is NOT freeing all of the memory used in it's last application. You can see this if you use the menu "File--->Info" in any application. Each time you switch to another application, Zoomer loses between 200 to 500 bytes of precious memory. I confirmed this with Casio's PDA support (1-800-HELP-PDA). They are aware of the bug. There is a very easy work around. When you see that your free resources are about 65 to 70%, or the Zoomer seems to be running slower than normal, press the reset button in the battery compartment. This frees up all memory that was "stolen" and your work is safe too. Mike TIP: Get files off and onto a Zoomer by several methods FROM: Dave Goodman RISK: Small 1) Use Palm Connect and a serial cable 2) Use PCSEND or PCGET from the SDK and a serial cable 3) Use a ramcard and another computer to 4) Use the IR port and another Zoomer 5) Use AOL and a modem (PCMCIA or external with serial cable) 6) Use a radio modem TIP: Edit ASCII files by using AOL FROM: chuck@trantor.harris-atd.com (Chuck Musciano) RISK: Almost none Most GEOS apps use a special document format, which is not compatible with the ASCII text files we're familiar with on other machines. Batch files, .INI files and many other files must be edited with an ASCII, non- document editor. Be careful when modifying files such as CONFIG.SYS, AUTOEXEC.BAT or .INI files. There is an ASCII editor on the Zoomer. Here's what Chuck says: You can use the little text editor in AOL (start AOL, skip the connect stuff, and pull down the File menu to open or create new files) to edit files. TIP: Modify the GEOS.INI file by making these changes FROM: chuck@trantor.harris-atd.com (Chuck Musciano) RISK: Possible loss of data. "Not for the faint of heart." I have discovered a way to modify the GEOS.INI file on the Zoomer to customize the Zoomer even more than that available with the included apps. First, this is not for the faint of heart. You could lose your data, and possible completely screw up your machine. For all I know, even a hard reset won't fix things. Now that I have your attention... :-) If you use the File Manager to look in B:\GEOWORKS, you'll see a file called GEOS.INI. This contains a bunch of configuration switches for GEOS and the Zoomer. It also chains to another INI, A:\NET.INI for lots of stuff that is configured in the ROM. What is important is that the chaining occurs at the start of GEOS.INI, so that anything you put in the GEOS.INI will override the system defaults programmed in by Casio and GeoWorks and everybody else. You can use the little text editor in AOL (start AOL, skip the connect stuff, and pull down the File menu to open or create new files) to edit files. However, GEOS locks the GEOS.INI file while GEOS is running, so you can't even open it from AOL. So, use the file manager to copy GEOS.INI to B:\GEOS.INI. You can then use AOL to edit this file and change things. However, the file manager will not let you copy the new version back while GEOS is running. By some fluke, GEOS on the Zoomer is configured to allow a batch file named ZDRIVER.BAT to be executed directly from the file manager. (It also likes SDISK.EXE, ZDRIVER.COM, and ZDRIVER.EXE, and PENRIGHT.BAT). The batch files are executed by exiting GEOS, invoking DOS, and when the file finishes, restarting GEOS (and all the other Zoomer stuff). To copy your new INI file into the right spot, create a file named ZDRIVER.BAT at the top level of your B: drive. In that file, put: COPY B:\GEOWORKS\GEOS.INI B:\GEOS.OLD COPY B:\GEOS.NEW B:\GEOWORKS\GEOS.INI Now, when you make changes to the GEOS.NEW file in B:\, you can execute the ZDRIVER.BAT file to copy the new INI into the Geoworks directory. When the batch file exits, GEOS restarts, reading the new batch file and modifying itself accordingly. I would suggest making an archival copy of the original GEOS.INI file somewhere safe on your B: drive, and backing everything up to another machine if you have a connection kit. Also note that many programs store configuration information in the .INI file. You should copy GEOS.INI to GEOS.NEW every time you wish to make a change, thus retaining changes since your last modification. TIP: Change GEOS.INI to recognize DOS apps and batch files FROM: chuck@trantor.harris-atd.com (Chuck Musciano) RISK: Possible loss of data. "Not for the faint of heart." Now, what should you change in the GEOS.INI file. The first thing I did was update the files that the file manager recognizes, so I can execute any DOS app or batch file. To do this, add [file manager] filenameTokens = { PENRIGHT.BAT = "gDOS",0 SDISK.EXE = "gDOS",0 ZDRIVER.EXE = "gDOS",0 ZDRIVER.COM = "gDOS",0 ZDRIVER.BAT = "gDOS",0 *.BAT = "gDOS",0 *.COM = "gDOS",0 *.EXE = "gDOS",0 } The first five entries in the filenameTokens are taken from A:\NET.INI, and are included to keep the original settings alive. The last three make all BAT, COM, and EXE files executable from the file manager. If you make this change, you can verify that it works by looking at A:\ with the file manager. Lots of files should now have the DOS icon. After making this change, you can rename the ZDRIVER.BAT file to something like NEW-INI.BAT, to make it easier to remember what it does. You can also write all sorts of DOS batch files that *don't require input* to run from the file manager. TIP: Change GEOS.INI to alter the apps launched from the hard icon bar FROM: chuck@trantor.harris-atd.com (Chuck Musciano) RISK: Possible loss of data. "Not for the faint of heart." Another good change is to rebind the applications started by the fixed icons at the bottom of the screen. Add this to your INI file at the bottom: [hardIconBar] app0 = Main\Address Book app1 = Main\Date Book app2 = Main\Note Book app3 = Main\Pocket Quicken app4 = Main\World CLock app5 = Utilities\File Manager This replaces the calculator (which is still reachable from the Launcher menu) with the file manager, so the file manager is just a tap away. This list of apps can be found in A:\NET.INI. I'd suggest copying it into your new INI to avoid errors. Since it has no tabs, AOL will let you copy and paste it :-) The apps are all referenced from the B:\GEOWORKS\WORLD directory, using the "file manager" names. You can bind anything you want, to make life easiest for you. Chuck Musciano ARPA : chuck@trantor.harris-atd.com Harris Corporation Usenet: ...!uunet!x102a!trantor!chuck PO Box 37, MS 16/1912 AT&T : (407) 727-6131 Melbourne, FL 32902 FAX : (407) 729-3363 TIP: Change GEOS.INI to provide an advanced interface FROM: Dave Goodman RISK: Possible loss of data. "Not for the faint of heart." Using the earlier tip that allows you to change your .INI file, you can change the interface so that you can reposition, resize, minimize or close applications instead of just selecting another app. Copy the following from your NET.INI on A: to your GEOS.NEW file on B: (and use NEW-INI.BAT to copy GEOS.NEW to GEOS.INI) and change to match: [uiFeatures] interfaceLevel = 3 launchModel = 3 launchLevel = 3 docControlFSLevel = 3