I wanna write my novel on my Palm (Vx)...

[markrobcol]

Here's what I wanna do:

Write fairly long documents (i.e. exhaustive personal diary, chapters of a memoir/novel) on my Palm using my Palm keyboard.

Then I want to hotsync these doc's to my PC and edit and/or archive these doc's for further use.

So, I'm interested in suggestions for a good, all-purpose WORD PROCESSING PROGRAM FOR PALM's. The software should allow me to scroll up and down using the keyboard, search for words and create several page long documents.

Thanks,

Mark

[removed]

pEdit pro or pEdit 32 will let you create up to 32kb memos (thats 3200 characters) .. Its teh best one to use IMHBCO:)

[TheSpies]

You might want to take a look at WordSmith:

http://palmgear.com/software/showsoftware.cfm?sid=11372420020526095421&prodID=11205

[djmangen]

Echo Wordsmith as a solution. I have written 100 page documents with it. Move it over to Word for final edit, insertion of graphics, etc. Excellent software.

[plaincorgi]

i have found that a great word editing program is quickword it also comes with font bucket. i have like, 25 different fonts on mine. it also has a interface that is similiar to word.

[DrMud]

I think QuickWord and WordSmith deserve your attention. They both respond to the Keyboard differently. If you are a fast touch typist you need to try both at full speed to see if you experience a delay in writing to the screen.
I personally use QuickWord but find both have become too big, too slow and too fancy to be real tools.
DrMud

[GadgetFreak]

I have been using Wordsmith for quite a while, first on a PalmV, now on a Treo. I use it for creating and editing documents and moving them back and forth to Word. Love it. Check it out, I think there is a free demo.

[markrobcol]

Thanks to all who responded to my query. I'm now a happy Wordsmith user and loving it. (BTW: got my Palm keyboard 'used' from the Amazon.com Marketplace very cheap and it looked brand new. Keyboard, leather carrying case for it and my Palm and Wordsmith all cost LESS than the MSRP of the keyboard!)

Now a power question: Using Wordsmith greatly depleted my battery life during a recent trip -- and for the first time I got a 'low battery' message from my Palm. Any suggestions on using Wordsmith in such as way as to prolong battery life? For instance, using shorter documents? Or less formatting? Any suggestions welcome!

Thanks, markrobcol

[DrMud]

Continuous use of the Palm V without a moment or two to recover every 15 or 20 minutes will result in MORE rapid decline in battery capacity. If the back light is used that will also reduce the battery's capicity. Do you know what the voltage reading is on your Palm when fully charged? Older lithium batteries tend to decline rapidly in the first hour of use. You may want to carry an emergency recharger with you. One that use an easily obtained 9 volt battery is linked below. The Palm V unit is well down the page.
DrMud


Emergency Battery Charger (http://66.186.210.249/catalog.html)

[markrobcol]

DrMud,

Thanks for the info. I've just ordered a travel charger that should help when I'm on the road and using my Palm (without the Hot Sync/Recharger Cradle wiht me.)

I'm interested in your comment about "a moment to recover every 15 or 20 minutes." Do you mean I can slow battery loss by simply turning off my Palm for a moment or two? Or do you mean putting it in the recharging cradle for a moment or two?

I'll have to look at the voltage when full. What should it be?

markrobcol

[DrMud]

Your battery does have some limited ability to catch its breath and recover if ever so slightly. It will slow the decline especially of an older battery. You can find out the birthday of your Palm in one of two ways. You can learn to read the serial number or use a little trick. The trick goes like this. Open a new Memo and in Graffiti type the following characters: the graffiti "short cut" (looks like a lower case cursive "l", tap twice (graffiti "period") make the number "6" in the number area. Your Palm's birthday should appear. I word of WARNING these types on tricks using the same basic strokes but numbers other than ^ or 8 can erase hotsync information on the Palm or lock it up so use with care. The number 8 will reverse the backlighting which you may find makes life easier in the dark.
DrMud

[utahjazz85]

Originally posted by markrobcol
Here's what I wanna do:


wanna?

You BETTER get a good editor!

j/k, gl man!
-Jazz