Resco Explorer 2008 for Palm OS (v4.10.3)

Product history

Version 4.10.3 Sep 20, 2008

Tab interface (FireFox style)

• Explorer now allows to use multiple views - called Tabs.
• Allow Tabs in General Options > View.
• Define a shortcut for Tab swapping in General Options > Keys.
• Adding/Removing Tabs: Use +/- icons on the sides of the Tab bar.
• You can create a new Tab also from the context menu of any folder (option New Tab)

More Tab properties

• To open the Tab context menu - long tap on the Tab area.
• Use Tab context menu to redefine the Tab name. Custom names are fixed.
• Such Tabs are kind of locked: They return to the original folder when you swap Tabs.
• You can drag file(s) onto the Tab bar.
• Filter works on the per-Tab basis

Launcher/Favorites

• Launcher: Text font customizable. (Select Font dialog)
• Launcher: Small icons mode (General Options) fits more icons on the screen.
  In the extreme case (small icons + smallest font) you get 42 apps onto one Treo screen.
• Centro / Treo 680/700p/755p:
  Explorer works as default launcher also after the soft reset. (Provided it is designated as default launcher in General Options.)
• Favorites allow for applications shortcuts.
• Copy To dialog lists Favorites as the top-level node

FTP

• FTP connection allows now both relative (old way) and absolute remote path.
  Absolute syntax: 192.168.0.3//Volumes/WDData/
  Relative syntax (relative to the user ftp root): 192.168.0.3/Volumes/WDData/
• Fix in copying from FTP server to the device RAM. (Bad connection could cause corrupted download.)

Other news

• iPhone-like Touch Scrolling can be switched on in General Options
• Thumb scrolling: Better sensitivity for the list (right panel) scrollbar
• Call interface to mOcean (easier replay of mp3's etc.) - needs mOcean 3.0.14+
• Text Editor allows copy to clipboard (menu)
• Search dialog does not show folders (substantial speed increase of the Found Files folder)

Version 4.01 Mar 05, 2008

v4.01.4

Fix in associations:

1. Automatic associations restore could copy associations valid for one drive to another drive.
   Particular problem:
   Launcher uses different app directories for the BuiltIn drive (/Applications) and for the card (/Palm/Launcher). Above bug redefined the card app directory to /Applications, which in turn caused that card apps became "invisible" for the launcher.
2. As a side effect it is possible to override (for example) Media associations in the Control Panel.

Procedure to correct old data:

1. Find the database RescoPrefBackup. If you don't have it, you have no problem. Otherwise delete this DB.
2. You can now create a new associations backup.

GUI

• Smooth scrolling of the file lists
• Search dialog improved
• The tree icon moved to the bottom toolbar
• Bottom toolbar: Cut/Copy/Paste icons substituted by a kind of Copy/Paste icons. (The decision whether to copy or move is done during the Paste phase.)
• Bottom toolbar: Duplicate icon was substituted by CopyTo.
• Search icon was integrated with the incremental search box. (The icon retains the old functionality, i.e. you can tap it.)

Bluetooth browsing

• Bluetooth FTP
  Allows your Palm to access the files on a PC, laptop, PPC, Nokia etc. Connections are created via BT Connections dialog. Condition: The target device must provide an OBEX FTP server. (Most Nokia phones, PC's with a BT dongle etc. - see Explorer documentation)
• Bluetooth server
  Explorer installation includes RescoBlueFTP.prc - a server enabling other devices to access your PDA over BT. (Similar functionality as Softick Blue Files.)
• See also BT-related settings in the General Options.

Secure Storage

• New root-level folder Secure Files. (= shortcut to the card folder /Secured)
  Any file copied to this folder gets encrypted, any file copied from this folder gets decrypted.
  Common file types (images, Office documents etc.) can be opened/edited directly from the secure storage.
• Files copied to the underlying card folder /Secured by a non-standard mean (i.e. using anything else except a copy to the root folder 'Secure Files') are identified and:
  1. These files are not listed under 'Secure Files' folder.
  2. Explorer gives a chance (once per Explorer run) to import these files.
• Secure storage uses single password that is setup at the first use.
  The password is remembered during one Explorer session plus 1 minute afterwards.
  To change the password use the context menu of the Secure Files folder. (Allowed only for empty secure storage)
• Secure storage uses 128 bit AES encryption.
  The stored documents can be opened with WinZip, 7Zip, Power Archiver. (WinRar, Total Commander do not work.)

Improved audio player

• Better design
• Ability to play (sequentially or random) the whole folder of mp3's
• Ability to stream mp3's from the net

Network

• Net/BT/FTP setup dialogs have select menu to allow the use of the clipboard
• Network context menu has new option - New BT Connection
• Net/BT drives: Context menu has the option Install to RAM if the selected file represents a DB.
• Progress dialog displays transfer speed info also for single file copy to/from a network/BT drive.
• Possibility to use secure FTP data connection; FTP connection setup > Advanced:
  1. Setup Secure Login - must not be Never
  2. Check on Encrypt Data Channel
  The success depends on the server abilities.

Display of the card folder sizes

1. Show the Size column
2. Go to the topmost folder, show the card context menu and select Explore Folders.
3. From that moment Explorer will compute the folder sizes.
4. Explorer remains responsive:
   Any pen/keyboard event interrupts the size computation - you get "?" sizes.
   (Warning: Scroll carefully so that you do not cause interrupts.)
5. To stop the folder computation switch to any non-card folder.

General Options

• General > Dim Screen for long Copy
  Gives the possibility to switch off automatic screen dimming for long copy operations. (Some users announced conflicts with utils specializing on optimizing the backlight.)
• Net > Disconnect BT on exit
• Net > Show Bluetooth icon
  This is supposed to work on all Treo phones (TX etc. has BT icon elsewhere), but T650 works strangely: The gadget is there (to the left from search field), but invisible.
• Confirm > Copying to TEMP
  Switches off the question The file needs to be copied to a temp location. Continue?
• New tab in General Options - Hot Key setup
  (Note that the hotkeys for Favorites moved here)

Other news

• Info dialog: Location field can be copied to clipboard.
• Zodiac: Support for directional keys (browsing) and other specific keys (hotkeys)
• Treo 600 is not supported anymore (smaller app size)
• File browser (e.g. CopyTo dialog) allows for folder creation - use long tap on a parent folder.
• Doc launching: added Natara Bonsai RAM databases, support for TH55 NetFront
• Speed optimizations, Bug fixes

Version 3.22 Dec 17, 2007

v3.22.3

Change in the registration for the compatibility reasons with Resco Suite

v3.22.2

Fix: Crash when intercepting sent zip file into not-running Explorer

v3.22.1

General options:

• Added the possibility to switch off green button mapping to context menu (T680 + higher models)
• The options Tap on icon/name are properly treated in the the file folders using icon view with small icons.

Documents

Documents folders are realized as a live search.

Example: If you define an image folder (e.g. query *.jpg on the whole card), then this query will be evaluated each time the folder is opened.

Previous version would remember the image set (i.e. the query result).
Both implementations has advantages and drawbacks, but since the previous implementation wasn't too popular and since the new implementation is mentally easier, we decided for a change.

Other news

• Launcher: Much faster handling of the card apps
• Favorites: Possibility to map the ALT key (Treo)
• Text editor preserves Linux/Mac/Windows line terminators
• Faster network browser in the Copy To dialog
• Live filter implementation changed: E.g. typing "re" is implemented as "re*". (Previous version took "r*e*", which wasn't a good idea.) Note that search by extension remains. E.g. ".jpg" filters all jpg files.
• Long tap on the Favorites (*) in the address bar works better.
• Online help reorganized ("Did you know?" topics)
• Several bug fixes

Version 3.21 Oct 24, 2007

Launcher

• Launcher view shows the signal strength icon. (Treo)
• Hidden card apps are not shown

MP3

• Improved mp3 loading
• Treo buttons volume/hold can be used

Other News

• Live filter in incremental search. (Switch on in General Options)
• Save as (file receive) and Create zip dialogs allow for browsing the target path.
• Copy to RAM is significantly faster (E.g. approx. 3x faster if you use network connection instead of Hotsync.)
• Improvements in the network layer
• Centro: App launching works
• Lengthy operations cause screen dimming

Version 3.20 Sep 20, 2007

v3.20.3

FTP: FIX in the secure login to DriveHQ

v3.20.2

• FTP Setup dialog > Advanced:
  Secure login has 3 modes: { If Available | Always | Never }
• FIX: Copying doc/xls/ppt files resulted in removing the file extension.
• FIX: Resco Updater: Conflict between RescoBackup standard and Pro versions

v3.20.1

• Network connection can have remote folder.
• Improved Bmp loader. (Some exotic formats added.)
• DB viewer - Images display dimensions of the complete bitmap family. (Developer support)

FTP

• Support for active mode.
  Now you can connect to servers that do not allow passive connections. (Passive mode is further on the preferred mode to be used.)
• Every user can make use of a free FTP account at the FTP hosting service Drive Headquarters. This account includes 1GB storage and 1 GB download/month and can be used with Resco Backup Pro or desktop ftp clients.
• Secure FTP login (Same implementation as in Resco Backup Pro)
  Means your user name and login are transferred via safe lines.
  Explorer always attempts secure login (over SSL) and if it is not supported, the standard plaintext login follows. You can disallow fallback plaintext login in the FTP setup dialog.

Conditions for using secure login:

• Your FTP server must have this ability.
  (Ask if it supports AUTH command with the parameter 'TLS'.)
• Your handheld must support SSL transfer.
  (In other words https links in Blazer.)

File Download

• SSL in HTTP download supported. You can now use URLs starting with https://...
• Password support (Basic Mode only). You can now perform downloads that require user login.

Favorites

• Favorites added to CopyTo Dialog
• Favorites icon (asterisk) added to the address bar

Control Panel

• Time Server support (ControlPanels->Network->Time)
• Improved Preferences browser (assigns names to the system preferences records)

Secure encryption

You can now use zip with secure AES encryption. (compatible with WinZip, 7Zip, PowerArchiver, Resco Backup Pro)
Sample use cases:

• Access to the backup sets created with Resco Backup Pro
• Storing sensitive information passwords, personal data etc.

Using the encryption in combination with zip has several advantages:

• Compression decreases the output file size (less memory consumed, faster card access)
• Possibility to store several files at once.

Other news

• Keyboard Shift for multiselection (Treo)
• Disconnect on Exit option is more reliable.
• Copy To dialog: Added possibility to automatically open destination folder
• Network URL can specify remote directory using URL scheme

  \\<server>\<share>\<path>
  where path := <dir1>\<dir2>...

Version 3.10.4 | June 21, 2007

FTP

• FTP log is accessible through Info command, when the focus is on an FTP node in the tree
• FTP connection allows for the definition of the remote root directory
• Context menu for FTP nodes in the tree has the option Reset. It closes the whole tree structure under the selected node. Use to rebuild the structure after a failure.
• Preinstalled servers: Those who never used FTP, will find pre-installed sample public FTP servers.
• A number of fixes/improvements (better reconnect policy, solved problem with "too many sockets etc.)

Network

• Explorer can access local LAN networks or or remote VPN networks. (Similar functionality as WiFile) See the details
• Control Panel > Network contains basic tcp information and offers ping/tracert commands.
• General Options contain new network-rerlated options

Other news

• RAM folder view recognizes apps installed on the card. Ditto for the Control Panel > Preferences. (Consequence: Fewer unrecognized databases.)
• (User requests) Launcher view uses old multi-column format for any icon size.
• Download dialog improved (URL history, local folder defaults to the active folder - provided it is on the card)
• New control panel - Network - lists basic network info and offers ping and tracert utilities.
• Support for pdassi eBooks

Version 3.01.2 | May 24, 2007

• Formal fix: Explorer version string pointed to the previous version. (Consequence: Backup always thought that the card copy of Explorer needs to be updated.)
• Fix: Move app to another category
• FTP: File delete improved
• Clie: Fix for JogUp
• Compatibility to DocsToGo v10

Version 3.01 | May 16, 2007

Network Services

• FTP access is realized via FTP Connections dialog and the FTP node in the tree.
  FTP node works just as another card, i.e. you can copy, delete, view remote files. (etc.)
• Download File menu option enables http downloads.
• Resco Updates menu option offers handheld access to Resco downloads.
• For additional network options see the General Options dialog.

RAM analyzer

RAM icon view is replaced by a structured folder view with the databases sorted into reasonably defined folders. The sorting relies on CreatorID's, associations and other techniques.
Ideal tool for PDA cleaning.
Note that

• Folders can be expanded/collapsed via main menu.
• The two RAM views are toggled via button in the bottom right corner.

GUI

• Optional address bar at the top.
• Icon view with small icons uses 2-column format. (Space-efficient arrangment.)
• Many dialogs redesigned, most noticeably General Options and Backup commands.

Other news

• Favorites allow for bookmarking of frequently visited pages. The users can select a hotkey for fast access to the favorite pages.
• Number of fixes and improvements.

Version 2.72.2 | Nov 01, 2006

• Small improvements in Manage Associations dialog and Unsaved Preferences panel
• Preparation for the bug removal in the DTG interface: Should come with DTG v9.001.
• New pdf manual

Version 2.72.1 | Oct 21, 2006

Fixes

• Cursor operation on Tungsten E2
• App launching works for Treo T700p

Multiselection

Input focus was introduced in the multiselect mode. This enables selection using the 5way.
Exceptions:

• Folders cannot be selected with the center button as it is interpreted as "Open". Folder can be selected only with the pen.
• Some folders do not allow multiselection: Application categories, Control Panel

Special filters

New special filters for RAM folder:

• 'Show PIM databases'
• 'This App Files' displays known databases belonging to the application which owns selected DB

Special filters can be cancelled using either the Back button (title bar) or the Backspace key (Treo).

Another possibility to investigate app resources is the application folder under the Applications tree, where each application has the Databases and Preferences subfolders - i.e. unless they are empty. The folders display also databases/preferences with known hidden creatorID's.

(Alternative for one-panel system: Go to say /Device/Applications/All/, select an application, open its context menu and select 'Explore'.)

Documents

• Refresh deletes also non-existing links. (Old policy was to ignore bad card references as it could be due to the card swap.)
• Non-existing links display "stop" icon.
• fix: Internal Explorer player can be used for playing card mp3/wav files.

Remark:
Documents have to a lage extent similar functionality as Favorites in Resco Viewer. (Several user requests concerned introduction of the Favorites folder.)

Documents To Go v9

Efficient interface to DocsToGo v9 - faster (transfers file path instead of the whole document) and allows document editing.
Remarks:

• DTG requires that the files are closed via blue "<-" button at the bottom - not by hitting the hard home button.
• Known DTG bug: Excel documents return to the main DTG program.

Other news

• On the handhelds without the 5way button the ".." entry is suppressed in the app categories. (Typical launcher look&feel.)
• RAM Info dialog has new option: Flush DbCache.
• CopyTo dialog opens on the last selected folder.
• BackSpace key (Treo) is used subsequently to:
  1. Clear the incremental search field (top right)
  2. Cancels the RAM special filter
  3. Toggles tree panel - icon panel (2-panel mode)
• Treo 680 compatibility

Version 2.71.1 | Sep 27, 2006

Changes:

• Based on user requests old center button interface was re-enabled as an alternative. (General Options)
• Fix: 5way handling on Treo 600.

Remarks:

• Treo 600: Long press interface does not work for Treo 600, because the device does not recognize needed events.
• All devices with keyboard: Notice the Enter and Spacebar keys can also be used for the 'Open' command.

Version 2.71 | Sep 26, 2006

First Palm OS5 release only.

Optimizations and code improvements

• Huge size reduction (stripping off Palm OS4 support + further optimizations)
• Safer copying: Better identification of write errors.
• Card browsing: More files system errors handled

User interface

• Long press of the center button can be used to open the context menu. (General Options)
• Incremental search works also for the folders. (In case of ambiguity files are preferred.)
• Filter preserves the file selection

Better identification of application databases

• Secret CreatorID's for a number of popular applications are recognized.
  Many so far unidentified databases display app icons. (Notice: Some apps do not define icons for all resolutions. Use default font size to see the most icons.)
• Concerns also Control Panel > Preferences with improved identification of unknown items.
• Improved orphaned list (newly identified databases are not listed)

Viewer

• Support for jpeg images coded as 24bit RGB
• Database preview displays bitmap resources as images.

Other news

• Audio: mp3/wav files can be played with Explorer (provided the device has mp3 codec; LD, T5, TX, T650, E2, Z72...)
• Multi-beam (transferring several files at once), beam from the application tree
• DB Info dialog contains extended information in the last tab (application this DB belongs to etc.)
• Improved opened list: discovered also exclusively opened files (RAM context menu / special filter):

Version 2.70 | Feb 17, 2006

Launcher

• Interface to PalmPDF (prepared for PalmPDF v1.1)
• New documents category - eBooks
• Launching from card substantially improved
• Card applications display icons similarly to the RAM apps

For techies

• List of notifications (Control panel)
• List of protected DBs (RAM / Special Filter)

Other news

• Improved mapping of the HW home button.
• Backup sets can be renamed.
  (Info about the backup date is stored in a special file called ".info".)
• Several bug corrections and optimizations

Version 2.61.1 | Dec 01, 2005

Added button for the "Toggle Icon View" (bottom right corner)

Search/Filter:
- Type/creator search is case sensitive
- DB files on the card can be searched for the type/creator as well

We originally wanted to add the multi-beam functionality. However, the implementation has a random bug that is difficult to detect. So this functionality will have to wait for the time being.

Version 2.61 | Nov 28, 2005

Documents

New root folder "Documents" allows creating virtual subfolders that can hold links to files or databases.

Documents can have can have any subfolder hierarchy creating thus a virtual file system. File links can added using drag/drop, copy/paste etc.

By default, subfolders "Documents", "Images" and "Music" are created and populated with known suitable databases.

Each document folder can have assigned a query. The query is defined via the document folder info dialog and allows to specify any combination of the RAM documents/images/music databases and a card folder/mask. E.g. you can specify this query:
All RAM images + all card "jpg;gif" files from /DCIM folder.

To activate the query call the Refresh command (document folder context menu). Refresh will add the links satisfying the query and delete invalid links.

"Invalid link" refers to non-existing RAM databases or card files. Explorer won't delete card links that point to a card that is not inserted. (Notice, that if you don't label your cards distinctly, Explorer will not recognize the card swap.)

Icon View

Explorer right pane can now be presented as an icon list. (Main menu option 'Toggle Icon View'.) The icon view may be selected independently for either Documents/Applications or the remaining folders.

General Options allow to select large or small icons.

Launcher View

When you open one of the doc/apps folders and hide the tree and the toolbar, you get the launcher view with the typical category selection combo-box. Unlike other launchers the combo-box offers not only application categories, but also the root document folders.

Treo: It is possible to swap the categories via option + left/right key.

Application interfaces

• doc, txt, rtf, xls, xml or csv files can be opened for via MobiSystems Office.
  (Needs MobiOffice v7.25+)
• Repligo interface works for documents located either in RAM or in the Repligo documents folder.
  Supported file types: Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, PDF, Project, Visio, Web pages etc.
  Needs Repligo v2.1.4+ available from http://www.cerience.com/viewers/pc.php and from http://www.repligo.com
• Documents To Go: Supports doc, xls, ppt files and (since the v8.0) also pdf files.
  Needs DTG 7.0+.

Associations

Associations-related menu options were moved to the "Manage Associations" dialog. 'Restore on each Reset' checkbox in this dialog allows the automatic restore of associations after each reset/Hotsync.

These are the 2 typical events when associations use to be modified either by OS or 3rd party applications. (Explorer tries to be the last application that modifies the associations, but this in fact cannot be guaranteed.)

External tools dialog

• Added the possibility to select user-selected tool.
• Out of the standard tools only those are listed that are installed.

Name mangling

is used less frequently.

Example: Database "Français" is copied to the card as "Français.pdb", while previous versions would use "Fran%E7ais.pdb" replacing ç by its hexadecimal code.

Mangling is used only for non-printable characters and characters forbidden in the file names. Full name mangling is used further on in backup.

Other news

Info dialog - added 5way navigation.

Smart history: Remembers only folders where non-trivial activity was performed.

Titlebar reorganized to better fit the launcher view. Toolbar icon replaced by a small triangle in the bottom right corner.

New special filter 'Show Documents' is accessible from the RAM context menu. As the name suggests, it shows known RAM documents.

Version 2.52 | Sep-09, 2005

News

• Treatment of databases with null records is changed:
  While in the past versions the null records were ignored, they are now preserved (copied, backed up, restored).
  This type of databases is very rare. (Used e.g. by TomTom Navigator.)
• Solved some conflicts between ROM and RAM files using the same name.
  (E.g. in Backup Verify, copying from RAM to ROM, preview of the ROM database etc.)
• T650 browsing: Shift+Up/Down is interpreted as PgUp/Dn.
• Comparison by CreatorID is case-insensitive
• Exotic RAM DB name (containing special chars such as '/', ':' etc.) are now supported.
• Copy To dialog offers copy/move choice.
• Improvements in the reception of the beamed files. (E.g. possibility to switch to Explorer.)

Bugs

• Removed crash in the Control Panel / Alarms.
• Corrected DB preview for databases with empty (null) records.
• Zip: Correct refresh of the file size after a zipped file was edited.
• Click on a ROM database: The DB is not copied to RAM anymore.
• Copying files larger than 40MB: Correction of the progress bar
• Correction for the Palm OS bug/feature, when the OS ignores the AppInfo/SortInfo blocks during the size computation.

Version 2.51.1 | Aug-15, 2005

New commands

• Install - a shortcut for copying databases from card to the RAM (accessible via Context menu)
• Card Format (Context menu)
• Copy To... - lets the user select folder, where the current selection (files, folders) will be copied.
• Export list as txt... - Same as 'Export list as memo' except it creates a card txt file. (CSV format)

Better backup

• LifeDrive users should exclude readonly DBs as these files are normally preinstalled on hard reset. (Readonly databases are listed with 'R' attribute.)
  This may prevent some conflicts at the restore phase.
• Warning: The above statement is true unless you do not modify the readonly flags yourself.
• Categories are backed up.
• etc.

Optimizations

• Folder loading much faster. (Was problem mainly with the LifeDrive)
• Improved support for small fonts: faster drawing, more lines per page
• Cursor: Longer scrolling subsequently increases the scroll speed.
• Cursor: T650: optionKey + Up/Down is interpreted as PgUp/Dn

Other news

• Search/filter dialogs allow for search by DbType/Creator
• TCPMP player and eReader reader supported
• Txt/bin viewers offer the possibility to delete the viewed file.
• DB viewer displays locked attribute for the record databases.
  (Locked records have "Ln" suffix in the record list, where "n" is the lock count.)

Version 2.50.1 | May-24, 2005

• Bug correction: Backup sets not recognized after a hard reset until the HotsyncId was defined.
• Databases with records larger than 64K can be zipped, copied to RAM, card etc.

Version 2.50 | May-07, 2005

Speed and other optimizations

• Backup slightly faster
• Restore faster more than 2 times
• Incremental update is much faster. (Depends on... In some case even 10 times.)
• Backup encryption was speeded up approx. 10 times (at least for ARM machines) so that it now adds only some 10% to the time of the non-encrypted backup.
• Verify substantially faster
• Remembering database selection takes much less space

Backup functionality

• Allows DB records longer than 64K
• Correctly treats non-ascii DB names
• Allows optional crc computation (compatibility to the other zippers)
• Possibility to exclude old PIM databases
• Net Library added to the exclude list (dangerous to restore)
• eBooks are not compressed in the fast compression mode because they are as a rule already compressed and the usual gains are up to 10%.

Other news

• Zipper faster by 25% (ARM only)
• Zipper is able to work with smaller memory. (Makes sense mainly for Palm OS4 users.)
• Rename of files with very long names possible
• Tungsten E2 compatibility
• 2 cards with identical labels are now tolerated.
• NVFS handhelds: comparison NVFS size vs. DB size is now possible in the PALM_DM folder of the built-in drive. This was necessitated by the changed naming convention palmOne applied to the newest handhelds.

Removed bugs

• Crashes when working with databases with records larger than 64K
• Bug in the name mangling for non-ascii database names
• Prevents creation of empty __smll__.zip file (in case of elimination of small databases), that in turn occasionally resulted in the "Backup Corrupt" error message.

Compatibility

Name mangling is incompatible to the previous release. The consequence is that databases with names containing non-standard characters use different names in the backup set than the previous version.

Comments on NVFS

More NVFS problems resolved, but the success of all backup operations is further on matter of chance. Suggested policy:

• Stop background apps. (At least those discovered by Backup.)
• Run backup.
• In case of a crash update the interrupted backup.
• When ready, run Verify. Delete all different files and run Backup Update again. (Keep in mind, that some databases are naturally modified - e.g. preferences and various caches. Differences in those files do not signify any problem.)

Comments on PIM databases

The following concerns T3+ palmOne handhelds. (T3, T5, T650, E2)

These handhelds should switch on "Skip old PIM DBs", while the remaining devices may ignore this setting.

Old PIM databases: This term represent AddressDB, DatabookDB, MemoDB, ToDoDB.
These DBs are emulated on T3+ palmOne handhelds. Actual PIM data are stored in other databases.

This is the palmOne statement:
In general, the backup policy should be: If the new PIM databases and the compatibility layer are present on the device, don't back up (export/import) the old PIM databases and leave everything else as they are...

The 'PIMsSupportStatus-pdmE' database should be backed up as well, because it does not only contain 'cleanup' information for the old PIM databases, it also cleans up the new ones whenever they have empty records (which typically happens when the old PIM databases are being accessed and then the device resets)...

Version 2.42 | Mar-21, 2005

Backup verification

• Verify backup menu option enables reliable check of the selected backup. The function performs bytewise comparison of every backup-ed database to the original RAM database.
• The same option is available in the backup itself.

Other news

• Html files on the card can be opened if you have one of these browsers: WebPro 3+, Blazer 3+, NetFront (Clie), Novarra 3+.
  These browsers can't handle local files: Blazer 2, Clipper, AvantGo, EudoraWeb
• Delete of documents copied from the card to RAM prior to launching associated app after the viewing has finished.
  Remark: The document changes are not saved back to the card! (Should be done in the future.)

T5/T650

• RAM info includes the DbCache state.
• New column added - NVFS size. While the original Size column reports the size when the DB is dumped to the card, NVFS size reports the size on the NVFS drive. This size is usually higher.
• Backup-related dialogs are equipped with additional safety measures:
  • The dialogs check for the presence of risky background tasks that are known to cause a crash after DbCache gets filled. (I.e. those apps are not prepared to work around the Palm OS bugs.)
  • Restore dialog checks DbCache and a suggestion to reboot is issued if the free space is too low. (Nevertheless, the restore might succeed even without the reboot. The reboot just decreases the probability of the DbCache corruption.)

In the past weeks we found workarounds for several NVFS bugs. However, increased care is further on advisable. This includes:

• Deactivation of the risky background tasks.
• Verification of the backup results.
• Preliminary reset (or warm reset as its safer form) can be used as the last resort.

Version 2.41 | Feb-24, 2005

Main menu is formally reorganized (user request), "Repair Exchange Prefs" renamed to "Repair Associations"

T5/T650

• Focus ring works in several dialogs
• Corrected: Closing of the main menu when the search box had the focus

Backup

• Files opened for exclusive access are skipped,
• PIM databases, T3 DIA patch etc. allowed
• 'ResetAfterInstall' attribute is checked (Implies reset after the restore is completed)
• Explorer version on the card checked
• Backup file selection remembered

Removed bugs

• Restore did not find the archived backups on the handhelds with multiple cards.
• Crash in 'Backup Associations'
• Moving apps among categories
• Crash when accepting downloaded zip (T600)
• Crash when viewing images via Media application

Version 2.40 | Jan-31, 2005

Backup

• Backup and restore to and from your expansion cards
• Very fast backup solution
• Customize what is backed up or restored
• Advanced file selection filter
• Optional encryption and compression of backup files
• Incremental backup possible
• Multiple backups possible
• Multiple device/users can backup to the same card
• Backup uses zip format and allows the same manipulations as any other zip archive. (The only difference is that because of speed reasons the backup does not compute crc.)
• OS4 handhelds should use zip "Store" mode as the compression would take too long.

Network Connectivity

Explorer co-operates with WiFiGenie - a powerful utility that allows access to remote drives as if they were on the handheld. This way you can exchange images, songs etc. between a PC and your handheld, or download important data from the web.
WiFiGenie works for

• Treo 600/650,
• WiFi-enabled device (Tungsten/C, several Clie models),
• devices with PalmOne SDIO WiFi card (T3, T5, Zire 72)
• Bluetooth Palm OS devices like Tungsten T, T2, & T3, which can connect to a Bluetooth access point

Resco Explorer will add more enhanced network management tools in the future releases.

Other news

• Exporting file list to the memopad (main menu)
• Special RAM filters showing locked or opened databases (RAM context menu)
• Improved toolbar (switchable from the title bar)
• Improved preferences (hacks etc. recognized)
• Direct launching of Kinoma player files
• Lot of things were optimized (e.g. zip)

Version 2.30 | Nov-11, 2004

Upgrade v2.30.5

Removed bugs:

• Copying of a DB with deleted records to the card
• Compressing a card folder with a password
• Accepted local date format in the search dialog

Interfacing to external apps

Direct launching of iSilo, Wordsmith, TiBR, TealDoc, LionDoc, ReadThemAll, mmPlayer, AeroPlayer.
Several popular applications could not be included, as they do not offer suitable control interface.

Viewers, players, readers

• "External Tools" dialog allows to select default reader, viewer and audio player.
• "Show player console" command allows displaying a small PocketTunes/AeroPlayer console if they are running. Command is not available for the other audio players.

Associations

Associations and HotSync control panels merged together.
The associations can be added/deleted and the respective HotSync path defined. (This e.g. provides a way to copy any file to the card.)
The list of associations is sortable.
Associations can be backuped and later restored. This helps to recover associations lost e.g. by reset.

Preferences

Saved/unsaved preferences organized as folder with separate items. (One record = one item.)
Preferences are thus sortable and the relation to the application can be traced easily.
Individual records can be viewed or deleted.

Context menu

Several new objects offer context-sensitive menu on long pen tap:

• Up title bar button shows a kind of a path bar.
• Back/forward buttons let the user select previously visited folders.
• Shift button offers multi-select actions.
• Column setup available either as an option dialog or on a long tap of the column header. (Column locking removed as this feature caused confusion.)

Built-in viewer

• Text mode uses the standard text viewer (contents limited to the first 64K)
• Text viewer allows small fonts. (HiRes devices only; available via menu)

Other news

• Category tree can be edited (delete, drag between categories)
• Folder drag&drop (or copy&paste) possible
• New tree nodes: RAM and ROM
• DB info dialog allows changing of the DbType and CreatorId (use with care)
• Browser history is preserved across a sublaunch of an external application

Version 2.20 | Sep-12-2004

The new version is substantially faster and contains several bug corrections.

The new features include:

• Improved multiselection support
• Files received offline (beam, download...) are automatically shown at the next Explorer start
• Non-blocking wait indicator introduced. (Shares the location with the memory indicator)
• New option 'Center button opens menu' (works only for the list)
• New context menu option for RAM: 'Show orphaned files' shows databases with CreatorId's not found among the installed apps.
• HotSync Control panel allows for editing of the HotSync paths
• "Apply to all" added to the confirmation dialogs during the multiple delete
• Non-blocking wait indicator introduced. (Shares the location with the memory indicator)