Marietta PDE™
Frequently Asked Questions

Table of Contents

1. What is a PDF file?

2. What program do I install on my Palm OS^® unit

3. Installed the PDE.prc program, but can't find it?

4. HotSync^® isn't transferring my files?

5. Where is the PalmDataEntry directory on my PC?

6. What versions of Palm OS^® do I need?

7. Can I change the barcode scanner options?

8. How do I design an application?

9. How do I copy my design to other Palm OS^® units?

10. Where's the [New Appl] button in Marietta PDE?

11. I need to put the data into Access (or Excel)...

12. The barcode scanner on my Handspring^® won't scan!

13. How do I configure the new 3D button format?  (78KB PDF file)

14. How do I print from PDE?  (80KB PDF file)

What is a PDF file?

The PDF files enclosed with this release are in Adobe Acrobat format and contain the documentation on our software.  To read them you must have Adobe Acrobat or the Acrobat reader software installed on your computer.

The Acrobat reader is free software, downloadable from almost all software-related web sites, including: www.adobe.com

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What program do I install on my Palm OS^® unit?

Use the "PDE.prc" program. It should be located on your PC in the "Palm\Add-on" subdirectory.

Note: With the Professional and Enterprise versions, there are two "PDE.prc" programs.  The version with the Design Wizard activated should be located in the
"Program Files\Marietta\PDE\Development" subdirectory.

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Installed the PDE.prc program, but can't find it?

Look for the PDE icon under the "unfiled" or "all" categories on your Palm OS^® unit.

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HotSync^® isn't transferring my files

1. Have you HotSync'ed your Palm OS® unit twice? A second HotSync® is required when first installing the Marietta PDE ™ software.
2. Check for the existence of a "PalmDataEntry" subdirectory.  Copy a test validation file into it  (for example LK$SKU.csv)
3. Check the HotSync log.   Does it have any reference to Marietta PDE?
4. Try stopping and restarting HotSync.   Then HotSync the unit again.

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Where is the PalmDataEntry directory on my PC?

The Marietta PDE ™ conduit automatically creates it after a HotSync. So if you can't find it, make sure you've followed these steps:

1. Install the PDE.prc program on your Palm OS^® unit. 
2. After the program is installed, HotSync. Watch the HotSync progress screen, and one of the displays should say "Synchronizing Marietta PDE ™"
3. Check in your unit's personal directory on the PC for the PalmDataEntry sub-directory, which should now exist!  PalmDataEntry™ is a trademark of Marietta Systems Inc.

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What versions of Palm OS do I need?

The Marietta PDE ™ software expects a operating system on your Palm OS^® unit of at least v3.0. This is compatible to the Symbol SPT1550 and SPT1800, the IBM WordPad, and the Palm Tungsten, just to name a few.  The latest versions of PDE (since v1.92) have been extended to operate on Palm OS 5 using hiRes color screens.

Our software also expects HotSync v3.x or more recent, though it may work with v2.0. Regardless, if you have an older version of HotSync^® we recommend you download a (free) upgrade of the Palm Desktop software from Palm Inc.'s web site

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Can I change the barcode scanner options?

If you are using a Symbol 1550/1700/1800 or a HandSpring with a plug-in barcode scanner from PSC or Symbol, the support of the barcode scanner is automatic.

You can configure the scanner interface with the "Barcode Preferences" menu option on the "Application Summary" screen (where you can change the application's name). Remember, any changes you make to the scanner options are applied to all PDE applications!

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How do I design an application?

You design your application on the Palm OS^® unit, using the Marietta PDE ™ Design Wizard.
Read the "Using Design Wizard" documentation file for specific information.

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How do I copy my design to other Palm OS units?

1. Each time your Palm OS^® unit is HotSync'ed, the application design is copied to your unit's backup directory on the PC. The name of the files are "$ApplDef-MSys.pdb" and "$FileDef-MSys.pdb".
2. Copy these two files into the "Palm\Add-on" directory.
3. Use the "PDE Desktop" program to install your design onto all other units associated with your PC.  The new design is issued the next time each unit is HotSync'ed.

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Where is the [New Appl] button in Marietta PDE?

Read the "Getting Started" documentation file, or follow this link for some quick information.

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I need to put the data into Access (or Excel)...?

Data is received on the PC and formatted into CSV-format ("Comma Separated") files. The record layout is consistent for all applications. You can simply import these files using the Text Import Wizard of your database or spreadsheet software. Documentation is provided on "Importing into Access".

For importing to Excel, go to configuration screen of the " PDE Desktop" program and ensure the "Quotes enclose all numeric fields" and "Spreadsheet-type (Combined) Files" options are set.

Alternatively, you can write a Visual Basic, Delphi or C++ program or DLL to perform the data import. This program can be under operator control, on a timer, or automatically invoked through a custom DLL. There's a sample CustomDLL module included in licensed releases of the Marietta PDE ™ software, with sample source code and documentation. Look in PDE's install directory for the custom DLL source code and documentation, located at "Program Files\Marietta\PDE".

Note: The Evaluation version doesn't support custom DLL's.

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The barcode scanner on my Handpsring^® won't scan?

The plug-in barcode scanners for the HandSpring^® from both PSC and Symbol Technologies don't have scan buttons.  To invoke the scanner, you press one of the four round keys near the bottom of the unit.

For the PSC Momentum^® scanner, all four buttons are activated for this purpose.

For Symbol's scanner, you use setup program (from Symbol) to configure which of these four buttons is the designated scan button.

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