SD location bullies

[tierryhenry]

As a Palm newbie I'm struggling to understand why I'm not allowed to plonk certain files onto my T3's Ram instead of an SD card which I dont yet have.

For example, I'm not allowed to copy over an Mp3 file onto the Ram... WHY?

The Hotsync desktop facility insists it goes onto an installed SD by default... why?... this is the case with many other file formats and I cant use an Apple Mail conduit either because it insists on sending anything other than basic files to an SD card which doesnt exist.

Is there a hack to bypass this or am I being dumb?

Any advice much appreciated. Cheers.

:(

[bob.proctor]

I'm not sure, but I'm GUESSING that mp3s can't be copied into ram because they are such pigs (i.e. large files) that the Palmies didn't want you to eat up available memory too quickly by loading the live version of Inna-Da-Gadda-Da-Vida (all 48MB) onto main memory.

just a guess, somebody more closely attuned to reality may have the true answer..

FWIW.

.bobo

[tierryhenry]

:(

[bob.proctor]

there's a few hacks and utilities around that will let you move stuff where you want; (i.e. put THIS file HERE); it is possible that you may be able to brute force and ignorance the files where you want them; HOWEVER -- this could result in ugliness inside the titanium case.. be prepared for a hard reset in the event that the PDA becomes upset at what you just tried to do it...

again, FWIW.

.bobo

[bob.proctor]

cheap on eBay. just watch out for the $40 128MB SD card that carries the $92 shipping...

good luck.

[KrazyEd]

If you watch CompUSA ads, they have 256 SD for sale every
couple weeks for between $59 and $69, with no rebates needed.
if no store locally, you can order online.

[Hawking]

OK, here's the scoop...

Palm powered devices only recognize 2 file formats. A .PRC file is an application and a .PDB file is data that is used by an application. Every program you install on your Palm will contain at least one PRC and any number of PDB files (including zero).

The SD card is different. You can load any file you want onto an SD card without a problem. Remember though, that you still need to have a Palm application on the device in order to use the files on the SD card (such as an MP3).

There is a way around this. You can use RamDisk by HandWatch to fool the device into thinking that a part of its' internal memory is actually an SD card plugged into another (virtual) card slot. Basically, you install RamDisk on the device, then assign any amount of memory to it. Whatever memory you assign to it however, gets deducted from the available internal memory (whether you have any files stored on the virtual card or not). This is useful for storing smaller files such as HTML files or maybe a handful of MP3's. This is not useful for storing movies or dozens of songs though as there just isn't enough space to go around.

Your best bet is to check Ebay. I picked up a 128MB SD card for less than $40 including shipping. Yes, it is a no-name brand, but my last card was a SanDisk, and that one stopped working. The one I have now has been working fine for months.

I still use RamDisk regularly just to have some internal memory space if, for example, I want to move a file from one card to another without involving a PC card reader. On my T3 I haven't had any problems or hard resets due to using it. It seems to be quite stable.

BTW - http://www.handwatch.com

-Hawk

[tierryhenry]

Thanks people, for all your help.. I feel i'm being treated like a child by Palm, being dictated to, but, I understand... as I used to f**k-up my iPAQs by messing about with them too much.

The Mp3's arent much of an issue as I use sepearte Mp3 hardware, i just wanted the freedom.

Unfortunately I've just lost my job so have a freeze on ANY unnessasary purchases for a while...:( I think though I'll just play safe and buy a card when I'm back in the money.

Thanks again for all your very good advice.

[bob.proctor]

that sucks! best of luck finding something quickly...

[tierryhenry]

Cheers

[madkins007]

Originally posted by tierryhenry
Thanks people, for all your help.. I feel i'm being treated like a child by Palm, being dictated to, but, I understand... as I used to f**k-up my iPAQs by messing about with them too much.


Don't think of it as Palm bullying you around, rather think of it as Palm trying to give you the biggest bang for the buck.

By having some standards (such as THIS app looking HERE for info), Palm can keep the code small and simple, and fast- if you could park anything anywhere, you'd loose some speed in the scans and refreshes.

If you wanna play MP3s, get the biggest card you can afford (32Mb are really cheap now) and compress the heck out of the music- down to 64kbs mono, for example. You won't notice a ton of difference between that and the standard 128kbs when played on the Zire with normal headphones.

[strickjh05]

Or it is palm treating you like a child. Consider a pocket Pc next time. I can put any file I damn well please on my ppc with out anything whining. Sometimes I use it as a jumpdrive for my friends to give them windows software. 128mb of RAM and 19 MB ROM with a 400mhz proccessor, 3.8in screen and internal wi fi. ::drool::

[Telyx]

128MB RAM and needs it, too; comparable Pocket PC software is huge compared to Palm software with similar capabilities, and the way Pocket PC allocates RAM means you're better off with a Tungsten T3 (64MB RAM).

400MHz processor; Tungsten T3 territory.

3.8in screen; 320x240 vs T3's 320x480.

Drool? Hardly.

[madkins007]

Originally posted by strickjh05
Or it is palm treating you like a child. Consider a pocket Pc next time. I can put any file I damn well please on my ppc with out anything whining.

I don't see the advantage.

If you ran any collection of things- a tool shop, a bookstore, or a museum, you will tend to organize in ways that make it easy to quickly lay your hands on any specific item.

Sure, you could put anything anywhere, but it creates delays as you search for it. Even if you had a good map or list of what is where there is a delay compared to how it works of there is a place for everything and everything is in its place.

When these things are orgainzed in logical, compartmentalized ways, no one says that the curator or head librarian is treating you like a child- they are in fact thankful that they are not wasting time and resources in searches.

The fact that PDAs are getting faster makes the searches less obvious, but it does not mean that they are a good idea OR good programming.

[strickjh05]

why? with file explorer I can make shortcuts to anything and put it anywhere. My ppc files are so organized I can search though about 1700 documents (that right, 108 NES games 900 picture, 100 songs, 50 books and hundreds of documents like cheats, notes, papers, notes, play list's folders...) and find anything I want in literally less than 20 seconds from turn on to open. so
:P

[Hawking]

There are many Palm OS Launchers that allow you to add shortcuts so you can have one application in more than one location. There is also another app, and I can't remember which one it is...maybe FileProg, where you can list all of the files on the device or expansion card. You can search and filter the list however you like, then when you find the file you are looking for, you can tell the program to open the appropriate application to access the file.

Personally, I store all of my applications on the device ( in internal memory) and all of my data on an expansion card. When I want to access something with my laptop or desktop, I just slide the expansion card into the computer and everything is right there, no hotsync, no cables, no wireless file transfers. Besides, I don't know any PDA that has 1/2 Gig or memory anyway.


-Hawk

[strickjh05]

O yeah, I really need 128mb of ram, Im using 20mb. The other 100mb lets it run really fast while multi tasking.

Considering most of the programs i use are already installed on my pocket pc and take no ram (file explorer, picture viewer, windows media player, word, exel, ebook reader, 2 games, wifi manager, internet explorer, calendar, tasks, iTask, contacts...) I dont think having big programs is a big program. O yeah, I can run most (90%) of programs from a memory card. so :P

[madkins007]

Originally posted by strickjh05
why? with file explorer I can make shortcuts to anything and put it anywhere. My ppc files are so organized I can search though about 1700 documents (that right, 108 NES games 900 picture, 100 songs, 50 books and hundreds of documents like cheats, notes, papers, notes, play list's folders...) and find anything I want in literally less than 20 seconds from turn on to open. so
:P

Dear lord! 20 seconds? If my Palm had such bad response times, I would not bother with it. But that is a BIG difference between Palm OS and PPC- Palms are made to be quick and responsive to lookup demands, while the PPC is a mini-laptop (with all that this implies good and bad for both).

(Benchmark- it took less than 7 seconds for me to get from power-off to a document on my memory card in a 4th level folder opened, along with the doc reader. Stylus was in the silo and I used it for all commands. A search for a partial phone number took under 3 seconds, including a bit of a fumble writing the number in the Find window.)

And we, too, can put nearly all of it on memory cards, espcially with smart launchers like ZLauncher, which lets me park programs almost anywhere I want and still run them- although it will not override a programs own need for a logical place to look if it needs it.

I still don't see the problem.

[strickjh05]

yeah thats pretty weak. I have file buried at 14 folders deep.

[SoS]

Originally posted by strickjh05
yeah thats pretty weak. I have file buried at 14 folders deep.

14 huh!! well, we are all pretty impressed I can tell you!!;)

ps. what is a mabye??

[strickjh05]

lol, yeah I cant spell for squat. That is why my freeware posts are spell checked cuase they were riddled with errors.:o

[tierryhenry]

strickjh05... you're talking to all of us like we ALL have desktop Windows PCs to sync to.

Can a PPC do a proper sync to a Mac OS machine?

...put that in your 128mb and smoke it!

:mad:

[strickjh05]

lol, sorry, your right. PPC cant sync to mac. It is all billys idea though. He wants a monopoly. But hey MACs comprise, what 20% of the market share? lol

[tierryhenry]

Lol indeed.

Farrari's are not the best selling cars are they... in the UK the Fiat Panda was for many years. Point made.

Also, what's 20% of the market go to do with anything... the simple point is that Palm's are the pioneers, the sheer creators of this PDA market that exists today because of (just like Mac's) thier ability to think laterally, broadly and individually.

And... if Mac's are so sh*t then why does billy invest so much in the company?... because the quality of Apple's products and ideas scares the hell out of him.

Why did XP interfacing copy Mac OSX?

Why are all the PC desktop manufactures failing miserably in thier attempt to copy the great pioneering Apple design.

It makes me laugh also that HP has taken the Apple iPod and branded it HP... cant beat em, join em!

Simple fact, Palm syncs with 2 OS' and PPC with 1, that was my point and my point sticks, end of story.

Now why dont you p*ss off back to your PPC forum and get excited again about your 128mb!!!

:D

[strickjh05]

wow, ur mean. lol. I think Billy invested in mac becuase they were struggling that year and if the market was too PC heavy, then suits could be filed agians microsoft for monopoly laws being broken.
And I never said mac was bad, I think they are swell. lol. They are stable, fast (drools over g5) and never crash. mmmmm mac.

and what does this mean? "Why did XP interfacing copy Mac OSX?" I dont know...

And I was wondering about linux... doesnt palm sync with that too?

[tierryhenry]

:mad:

Sorry pal... I should have taken my medication an hour ago... I'm ttttoooooo defensive.

To be honest I used to be a project manager in a design firm and would yawn at all the designers (Mac heads) sneering at me for owning an 'evil' PC etc etc as if I didnt know what I was minsing not having a Mac.

I've used both PCs and Macs a lot now and am now experincing Palm after years of HP Jornada's and iPAQs so I honestly see the good in both.

Best go now, my Mac loving wife is frowning upon me for speaking to a PC head !!!!!!!

[dwinget]

Although I haven't personally tried synchronizing with Linux, I have heard it can be done. Some of the Linux distributions come with the synchronizing software for the Palm devices.