User`s guide

HOW TO USE: Transition to the HP 3001320LX
the order displayed): (1) install
Microsoft exchange updates (not
required if you already have
installed this update from
Microsoft's Internet download site,
or if you have Microsoft Outlook,
released
with Office 97); (2) install
Microsoft Schedule+ 7.0a (not
required if you have Microsoft
Outlook); and (3) install H/PC
Explorer, which is the heart of the
desktop interface with your new
HP palmtop. Next, load the HP
CD. Although there are many free
trial software offers
on the CD, the
only
one you need immediately is
the translation program in the
directory named \HP\PIM . Setup
for these programs is easy if you
follow the menus.
When you start the HP PIM
translation program, it asks you to
locate
your 100/200LX Phonebook
(.PDB) or Appointment book
(.ADB) files. After loading the
Phonebook file, you will be shown
a fieldname conversion table. You
have the
opportunity to remap the
new field names at this time, but
you can't add fields, rename fields
or modify the database structure
like you could in Phonebook. Note
that the only PIM conversions are
the Phonebook and Appointment
Book files. There is no conversion
utility for database files.
Synchronizing PC
and palmtop files
I discovered another problem after
conversion:
H/PC picks Outlook as
the
PC's interface with the palmtop
if you have Outlook on your Pc.
However, the HP PIM conversion
program only converts Phonebook
files
into Schedule+ contact files.
You
may then need to import your
contact list into Outlook from
Exchange/ Schedule+ before you
can synchronize the PC and palm-
top files. The first conversion/ syn-
chronization I performed joined the
name and business phone fields
into the Contacts name field,
instead of placing them in the cor-
rect Contacts
database fields. This
problem resulted from
my attempt
to rename the fields being mapped.
Everything converted recognizably
after a second conversion of my
Phone Book. However, synchro-
nization with the palmtop was
another matter.
When you have connected the
desktop PC to your palmtop with
the serial cable, turn on the
300/320LX and start H/PC
Explorer on the Pc. The program
immediately begins establishing a
connection between the PC and
palmtop. H/PC Explorer shows its
progress establishing a connection
on its status bar. The palmtop
screen displays a corresponding
message. If you have an open, cor-
rectly
configured serial port, con-
necting the two machines will be
easy.
My suggestion: turn off
automatic synchronization
You have the choice when you con-
figure
H/PC Explorer to perform
automatic synchronization
between files on the PC and the HP
palmtop. I recommend turning off
automatic synchronization in
H/PC Explorer's Tools menu.
Automatic synchronization is safer,
but it takes time and may inconve-
nience
you while you wait for it to
finish.
Just remember to synchro-
nize before you disconnect the
palmtop or before you close H/PC
Explorer on the desktop.
When I finally attempted to
synchronize the files, the process
appeared to be working smoothly
for awhile. Eventually, however, I
received
an error message that the
desktop was not receiving a reply
from the palmtop. Both machines
indicated that they were success-
fully connected, so I
had no other
tools with which to test the direct
serial connection. Unfortunately, if
the number of synchronized con-
tacts does not increase after this
message, I found (using the
Troubleshooting guide in the Help
files) that the only way to eliminate
22 THEHPPALMTOPPAPER SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 1997
the sycnchronization error was to
disconnect the
two machines, reset
(reboot) the palmtop, reboot the
desktop and reconnect the
machines. A few more contacts can
then be synchronized until
it times
out again and the rebooting
process must be repeated.
After over a dozen attempts
and reboots, including a 3-1/2
hour phone call to HP Tech
Support, I finally achieved a "syn-
chronized state" between the desk-
top and palmtop files. However,
the palmtop file is not alphabetized
I
and I have not yet been able to
clean it up so that it is entirely use-
able. Frankly, conversion of this file
has been a nightmare and has
wasted at least two full days of my
time. I hope none of you experi-
ence it, but if you do, follow the
Troubleshooting instructions pre-
cisely before you bother calling HP.
They don't have a solution for the
problem (as of early June).
PC Card with Parallel Port and Instant File Transfer
Trans PC Card adds the Parallet Port making your Patmtop
100 % real PC, so now you can connect parallel devices like
100 MB Zip, etc. and fast print to standard parallel printers .
Programs for Instant (no installation or setup) transfer -
synchronization and management of files between PCs are on
the Card flash to save system memory _ The Card (Type I, with
very low power draw) upon insertion becomes drive A:.
Programs on Card run under DOS 5.0 and Windows using
familiar XCOPY syntax or pOint and shoot Interlace _ Included
cable (used also for connection to peripherals) allows for
transfer between the Card in Palmtop and PC standard
parallel port at 30 KB / sec - 60X faster than Puma 's IntelliSync.
Trans PC Card with Trans Flex Cable, Manual ,
Quick Reference and backup disk is $149.00
For more information and dealer nearest you please call:
Trans Digital Corporation
3517 Marconi Ave, Suite 203
Sacramento, CA 95821
Tel: [phone] ' Fax: [phone]
Email: 110033.3152 @ CompuServe . com