PSION Series 3/3a palmtop FAQ part 1/6

Archive-name: psion-faq/part1
Version: $VER: Psion FAQ v2.6 (Jun 1997)
Posting-Frequency: monthly
URL: http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/8130/faq.htm

PSION SERIES 3/3a FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)

Original author: Chris Wesley
Actual author & maintainer: Daniel Pfund

Jun97 - v2.6

Welcome to the FAQ for the comp.sys.psion.* Usenet hierarchy. Find the
contents table below. Questions and constructive comments are welcome.
Send them to me at: Pfund3@uni2a.unige.ch

IMPORTANT NOTE: this article does not contain any software infos on
the Series 3c or the Siena. I will NOT include specific informations
concerning these new machines (except hardware stuff). Maybe there
will be a Series3c/Siena FAQ written by someone else in the future?
_________________________________________________________________

-CHANGE-Indicates a change since last version
- NEW! -Indicates an addition since last version
_________________________________________________________________

Contents

part 1


I. DISCLAIMER
II. CREDITS
III. COPYRIGHT
IV. FAQ UPDATES
V. WHERE CAN I GET THIS FAQ?
VI. NEWSGROUP NETIQUETTE

1. INTRODUCTORY INFORMATION


1.1 What is the Psion Series 3/3a?
1.2 Which model should I buy?
-CHANGE-1.3 When will the "new" Psion come out?
-CHANGE-1.4 What other machines does Psion make?
1.5 What other palmtop alternatives are there?

part 2


- NEW! -1.6 Where can I purchase a Psion?
1.7 How can I contact Psion?

2. HARDWARE


2.1 Hardware specifications
2.2 What batteries does the Psion use?
2.3 How long do the batteries last?
2.4 How does the Psion measure the battery usage?
2.5 How can I make my batteries last longer?
2.6 Can I use an external power supply?
2.7 Can I upgrade my Solid State Disk (SSD)?
2.8 Can I upgrade my internal RAM?
2.9 Can I change the keyboard?
2.10 Can I use a big (normal) keyboard?
2.11 How can I build a serial link?
2.12 How can I build a parallel link?
2.13 What is this "soap on a rope" thing?
2.14 How do I print with my Psion?
2.15 Can I take my Psion through an X-Ray machine?
2.16 Can my Psion wipe out magnetic data?

3. SOFTWARE


3.1 How do I reset my Psion?
3.2 What is killing a process?
3.3 How can I save what's on the screen?
3.4 What is the soak test?
3.5 How can I find a text in my memos with Agenda?
3.6 How can I make the cursor bigger?
3.7 How can I take out the "hum" when I record sounds?
3.8 How safe is password protection?
3.9 How can I change the icon of a program?

part 3


3.10 How can I permanently change the distance units in World?
3.11 Why do some programs crash with an "Invalid arguments"
error?
3.12 Why is my Psion not switching itself off automatically
anymore?
3.13 How can I change the fonts in the system applications?
3.14 Is Perl ported to the Psion?
3.15 How do I undelete a file if I've accidentaly deleted it?
3.16 How can I synchronize my desktop agenda with my Psion's?

4. TIPS & TRICKS FOR GENERAL USE


4.1 Known hardware problems & solutions
4.2 Known software problems & solutions
4.3 Other official Psion repair centres
4.4 User groups
4.5 Online services
4.6 Bulletin boards (BBSes)
4.7 Magazines
4.8 "Anti-thief" tips
4.9 Lost/stolen Psions

5. SHAREWARE AND FREEWARE


5.1 Relevant FTP sites
5.2 WWW internet sites
5.3 Shareware for those without online access

part 4

6. CONNECTING YOUR PSION


6.1 With an IBM or clone
6.2 With an Amiga
-CHANGE-6.3 With a UNIX machine
6.4 With a Macintosh
6.5 With an Atari
6.6 With an Acorn Archimedes or Risc PC
6.7 With a serial modem
6.8 With a PCMCIA modem
6.9 With a packet radio TNC
6.10 With a cellular phone
6.11 Via the IrDA port (3c/Siena)
6.12 Terminal emulation
6.13 TCP/IP stack

part 5

7. THE EMULATOR


7.1 Limitations & bugs
7.2 Tips & tricks
7.3 Changing permanently the keyboard mapping

8. PROGRAMMING


8.1 Overview of development possibilities
8.2 OPL programming directly on the Psion
8.3 OPL programming from a PC
8.4 C Development on PC
8.5 Advanced C Development on a PC
8.6 Available books
8.7 How to do various things: tips & tricks

A. SHAREWARE/FREEWARE AVAILABLE SOFTWARE


A.1 Applications
A.2 Games

part 6

B. COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE SOFTWARE, SERVICES & ACCESSORIES


B.1 Business & Legal
B.2 Education
B.3 Drawing, Leisure & Guides
B.4 Navigation
B.5 Communications & Utilities
B.6 Diet, Health & Safety
B.7 Time Management
B.8 Mapping & Surveying
B.9 Databases
B.10 Services
B.11 Books & Accessories

_________________________________________________________________

I. DISCLAIMER

This article is provided "as is" without any express or implied
warranties. While every effort has been taken to ensure the accuracy
of the information contained in this article, neither the authors, the
maintainer or the contributors will assume responsibility for errors
or omissions, or for damages resulting from the use of the information
contained herein. This document is compiled in spare time for free,
and I cannot resource thorough checking of all its contents. However,
I am interested in making the FAQ as good as it can be, so your
constructive feedback is welcome.

This FAQ is not sponsored or endorsed by Psion PLC or any subsidary
companies they may own in any way.

This FAQ is *NOT* intended as a replacement of the User Guide which
comes with each Psion. Be sure to read that first and - most important
- please double read the manual and this FAQ before posting any
questions to the comp.sys.psion.* hierarchy!

II. CREDITS

To create this document Chris (the original FAQ author) reviewed the
Newsgroup activity of the old comp.sys.psion (it has split on the 19th
of June 1996) group over some months, used that to generate a list of
Frequently Asked Questions, used THAT to generate a FAQ structure,
then populated it with extracted wisdom from the news traffic. So a
lot of information here is provided by the newsgroup contributors, who
are too numerous to credit individually. (Chris said "I'm just the
clerk that put it all in one place.") Special thanks go to Markus
Illenseer, who owned the first (Series 3) FAQ - from which Chris also
extracted useful information. Chris also thanked Clive D.W. Feather,
Daniel Senie, Roger Burton-West, for extensive helpful comments on his
preliminary FAQ. I would like to thank Mark Gould and Jason Savage for
their precious help and comments. Other contributors are credited in
the sections they provided special help in compiling.

If you have a question which is not answered in the actual FAQ, please
Email it to me (Daniel Pfund, see address at the top of this FAQ),
otherwise if you want more information from one specific section of
this FAQ, please try to contact the author of that section first. All
the Email addresses of people mentioned in this FAQ are listed here
for convenience (in alphabetical order):

Andrew Baldwin Andrew-Baldwin@psion.com
Michael Baas Michael@psiologic.com
Daron M. Brewood dbrewood@nest.demon.co.uk
Roger Burton-West rburtonw@nyx10.cs.du.edu
Mark Chapman mavc@cix.compulink.co.uk
Steve Clack sclack@cix.compulink.co.uk
Nick Craig-Wood ncw@axis.demon.co.uk
Alban Debeaupuis A.Debeau@ellis.fdn.org
Mike Dolan m.dolan@bcs.org.uk
Tom Dolbilin tdolby@ncsa.uiuc.edu
Paul DuBois dubois@primate.wisc.edu
Clive D.W. Feather clive@demon.net
Mark Gould Mark.Gould@bris.ac.uk
Roman Habrat romek@robix.comp.waw.pl
Steve Hawtin steve@tsort.demon.co.uk
Jochen Hollmann jnhollma@immd4.informatik.uni-erlangen.de
Charlotte Holmquist ch@advivum.se
Markus Illenseer Markus@tiger.teuto.de
Erik Johansen ej@it.dtu.dk
Uwe Kallmeyer uwek@yedik.escape.de
Edwin Klement eklement@crcg.edu
Dan Ko daniel@danielko.demon.co.uk
Philippe Lebreton lebreton.p@ccmail.cgi.fr
Steve Litchfield slitchfield@cix.compulink.co.uk
Neil Masson nmasson@datlog.co.uk
Roger Muggleton hzk@cix.compulink.co.uk
Blake Nancarrow blaken@computer-ease.com
Daniel Pfund Pfund@POBoxes.com
Angus Rae angusr@festival.ed.ac.uk
Dan Ramage Damage@juno.com
Alan Roberts alanr@rd.bbc.co.uk
Konstantin I. Saliy kis@ipmce.ru
Jason Savage Jason_Savage@mbnet.mb.ca
Daniel Senie dts@world.std.com
Jochen Siegenthaler jochen.siegenthaler@alcatel.ch
Bruce Stephens stephens@math.ruu.nl
Toby Smith tcs@cs.bham.ac.uk
Oliver Wagner owagner@lsd.wupper.de
Lloyd Wasser LWasser@infowave.net
John A. Watson JAWatson@thelcastle.win-uk.net
Chris Wesley Chris@people.demon.co.uk
Walter Wright wally@ceemore.demon.co.uk

If you happen to change addresses or know the new address of someone
on this list, please Email it to me, thanks!

III. COPYRIGHT

I assert copyright on this document. I encourage you to distribute it
widely, but only in its complete and original form and if you do not
make any money out of it.

IV. FAQ UPDATES

For the time being, I (Daniel) am the keeper of the FAQ. If you have
comments or suggestions, corrections, or you have some information you
want to see added or a request that I find some new answers, please
let me know. Please contact me via the Email address at the top of the
FAQ, or if that address doesn't work anymore (will stop working around
the 20th of October 1997), then contact me at: pfund@poboxes.com which
(should) work all the time by forwarding me my mail to my current
account. If all else fails, do a web search on my name or check out my
current homepage for more info at:
http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/8130/

V. WHERE CAN I GET THIS FAQ?

You're reading it aren't you? SAVE it :-). This FAQ is part of the
"official" news.answers FAQs and is posted monthly to
comp.sys.psion.announce and cross-posted to comp.sys.palmtops,
comp.answers, and news.answers. If you don't have reliable Usenet
access, you can also retrieve the FAQ by:

FTP
This article is archived at any site that archives
news.answers.
News.answers' main archive is at rtfm.mit.edu, and this article
is available there via anonymous ftp in the directory
/usenet/news.answers/psion-faq/partX
Other news.answers FAQ archives are:

+ cnam.cnam.fr in the anonymous ftp directory /pub/FAQ
+ ftp.uu.net in the anonymous ftp directory /pub/usenet (also
available via mail server requests to netlib@uunet.uu.net, or
via uunet's 1-900 anonymous UUCP phone number)
+ ftp.cs.ruu.nl in the anonymous ftp directory pub/NEWS.ANSWERS
(also accessible via mail server requests to
mail-server@cs.ruu.nl).


You probably will find a location closer to you with the help
of archie or some other search tool. Usually, the news.answers
FAQs are held in a directory like
"usenet/usenet-by-group/news.answers/" and you would be looking
for the "psion-faq" subdirectory in there.

EMail
You can use the mailserver at rtfm: send a message containing
the lines "send usenet/news.answers/psion-faq/*" to receive all
parts or send a message containing "help" and "index" to
mail-server@rtfm.mit.edu for more information on how to obtain
seperate parts.

WWW
There is a HTMLized version of this FAQ on my homepage at
http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/8130/faq.htm (Note that
there is no "l" at the end of "htm", this is not a typo!)
Please use this site for any reference from your own web pages
because it is under my direct control and easily changeable. It
contains links to all the Psion HTML FAQ mirrors available in
the world as well as an archive file of both the text and the
HTML versions of the FAQ for easy downloading and offline
reading.
There are also numerous WWW sites archiving all the
news.answers FAQs. My favorite site is in Oxford at:
http://www.lib.ox.ac.uk/internet/news/

Please do NOT Email me or anybody else mentioned in this FAQ for the
latest version. We simply cannot handle such matters effectively.

If the date at the top of this FAQ is more than a couple months old,
there is probably a new version available online.

If you're interested to learn how I prepare this FAQ, you can check
out my page about that at:
http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/8130/howfaq.htm

VI. NEWSGROUP NETIQUETTE

I thought it might be useful to include a few words about using the
comp.sys.psion.* newsgroup hierarchy. We get a steady trickle of
transgressions and the ensuing admonishments. Maybe we can fix these
before they happen in future. Egg-sucking grannies may skip this
section. (Does that work outside the UK?)
1. READ THE FRIENDLY MANUAL (RTFM) and then the FAQ before posting
any questions! Remember that thes groups are here to help you out
but only if the answer can't be found by yourself. Also remember
that each time you're posting a question to the group, hundreds
(if not thousands) of people will read your question. If the same
questions come up again and again, people will just get bored and
not answer anymore...
2. DON'T BE RUDE. Obvious? Apparently not. Our newsgroup is an oasis
of civilization in a sea of adolescent vitriol and worse. Let's
keep it that way. Say it nicely or don't say it at all. If you
need to be uncomfortably direct, do it in personal mail - don't
post it.
3. When responding to a post, most handlers will give you an edit pad
with the original post inserted. Delete most of this, leaving only
the part which will set the context for your reply. This is more
effective communication, it cuts down on crud to scan through, and
reduces phone bills for those that pay them.
4. Official NETIQUETTE says you should not use the net for
advertising, but the prevalent view here is that the current level
of activity is useful without being obtrusive.
5. Posting binaries is definitively not recommended in the
comp.sys.psion.* usenet groups! There is a seperate Psion binaries
group called comp.binaries.psion which is a moderated group. The
moderator is Erik Johansen. If you wish to post to this group,
either Email your binary directly to the news group's Email
address: psion-binaries@it.dtu.dk and it will arrive to the
moderator or if your news program is configured correctly, post it
directly to the group. You will receive a message in return
usually in a laps of 2-3 days maximum to confirm your binary. It
has been agreed that very large programs which are not Psion
specific (ie: don't run directly on the Psion) should NOT be
posted there but to the relevant computer group. But you should
send a small message to the comp.binaries.psion group stating that
you have just posted your program. It is also common practice to
send a description of your binary; it helps to know if it's worth
downloading it or not! Usually, this description has the same
subject line but with part0(/x) suffix. All postings to this group
have been archived and are indexed on the following FTP site:
ftp.it.dtu.dk/pub/psion/index.html
6. Consider whether you should be mailing or posting. PING-PONG
personal dialogues may - or may not - be of interest to others. If
not, please don't post.
7. Post to the relevant newsgroup, and please don't cross-post!
Here's a guide to help you:
+ comp.binaries.psion
Used for ALL Psion binaries. Also used for large source code.
+ comp.sys.psion.announce
Used for posting announcements about new programs/hardware;
the FAQ is also posted to this group. This is a low volume
group and it's moderated, that means that all postings must
get approved first by the moderator (Michael L. Kaufman). If
your news server does not send your post to the moderator
(but they all do generally), you can send it yourself
directly for approval at psion@acm.org.
+ comp.sys.psion.apps
Used for posting questions/answers to all Psion related
programs; frequented by all Psion programmers to get your
feedback and ideas of course ;-)
+ comp.sys.psion.marketplace
Used for selling/buying Psion articles
+ comp.sys.psion.misc
Used for any subject which does not fall into one of the
other categories...
+ comp.sys.psion.programmer
Used for posting programming questions ( OPL / C / ... ), NOT
programs!
+ comp.sys.psion.reviews
Used for posting reviews about Psion programs/hardware. This
group is also moderated by Michael L. Kaufman and again, if
your news server is not set up correctly, you can also send
your postings directly to him at psion@acm.org.

_________________________________________________________________

1. INTRODUCTORY INFORMATION

1.1 What is the Psion Series 3/3a?

I will describe the more advanced 3a here. Refer to the hardware
section to see what you lose on the Series 3.

The Psion Series 3 and 3a are palmtop computers. Though packaged as
personal organisers, they are fully general, programmable, powerful
computers. The quality of the built-in applications, coupled with the
power saving hardware make Series 3's excellent personal organisers.
The sophisticated operating system, the hardware, the built-in
programming language, and the options to program in C and assembler
make them excellent general-purpose computers, with the major benefits
of compactness and battery endurance.

Optional link facilities can connect the Series 3 to desktop machines,
allowing data backup and access to the resources of the larger machine
from the Series 3. Modems, fax modems, printers and other peripherals
may also be connected via industry-standard serial and parallel
interfaces.

The built-in applications include a database manager, a sophisticated
word processor, time manager, world date/time and dialling codes
database, calculator and spreadsheet. The latest models (1Mb and 2Mb
RAM models) also include the spell checker/thesaurus and a patience
game (solitaire card game). Many other applications are available
commercially and from shareware outlets. More details in the last part
of this FAQ.

The built-in OPL programming system provides a structured BASIC-like
programming language with access to all the features of the machine.
This includes the ability to program polished Windows/Icons/Menus
interfaces like those found in the built-in applications.

The sound interface can record and playback digital sound. DTMF
dialling tones can be created which allow the Series 3a to dial
numbers directly through a telephone.

1.2 Which model should I buy?

This question is really a personal matter. I would definitively
suggest getting a Series3a (and not 3) because of the greater screen
resolution. As for which memory model, this depends entirely of your
needs and what you plan on doing with your Psion. In general, the more
memory the better (and keep in mind also that the 1/2Mb models offer
the spell checker/thesaurus and solitaire game which you might need).
If you're reading this, you probably have access to Psion
free/shareware also. You will see that these programs will quickly
fill up your memory ;-) so I would suggest to get the biggest model
(2Mb). If on the other hand, money is tight and you don't plan on
using much more than the Agenda and the built-in apps, then I think a
512k is big enough for you. As you can see, there is no simple
solution to this answer!

1.3 When will the "new" Psion come out?

Good question... next please!

Joke apart, nobody really knows. So please folks, just stop asking!
Before the 3c was announced, people didn't expect a new Psion until
1997, but Psion was 3 months early (just in time for Christmas,
heh?!).

The reason no one knew exactly is that Psion is quite relunctant to
give such information simply because they've learned from the past
(from Osborne computers to be more precise ;-) .

Psion have formally announced that their will be new machines during
the year 1997. By the time you read this, the new "Series 5" will
probably be available as it has been rumoured to come out during June
97. That will mean the end of this FAQ... as I'm sure the Series 5
will be a must-have fantastic palmtop!

People were hoping for Infrared comms (IrDa compliant), PCMCIA (most
debated!), RISC (ARM 7100) 32bits, pen for navigation (but hopefully
still a keyboard!), backlight ... You see that Psion have added most
of these features into the 3c!

1.4 What other machines does Psion make?

1.4.1 WorkAbout

This is the latest Psion machine. Very comparable to a Psion Series
3a, it is more robust and has an A-Z keyboard for size reasons. One
nice point: a back lit screen is present. Targeted at the vertical
market, thus not so well known to the general public.

1.4.2 Acorn Pocket Book (by Acorn)

Re-badged Series 3a, aimed at education-related markets. Contains all
the 3a applications, though named differently, plus a spell checker,
thesaurus and a graph plotting application in a 2MB ROM. Password
protection capability is removed. Costs about 20 GBP more than a 3a.

1.4.3 Series 3

The immediate predecessor to the Psion Series 3a is the Series 3. It
is the same machine in size and concept, but is more limited in many
respects. See the hardware comparison table in section 2a for a list
of differences.

1.4.4 Series 3c

The immediate sucessor to the Psion Series3a; was launched 05Sep96
(same time as the Siena). It has the following added features:
* Infra Red connector for Psion to Psion or Psion to printer
connections
* RS232c internal connector for fast connections (upto 57k6)
* Toggleable backlight screen (US model only?)
* Data APP includes a table view and sort option
* Agenda supports a month view (finally!)
* Jotter application added
* Calc application cosmetically changed
* Sound editor included
* Filer app (sort of File manager) with the much awaited "move"
command ;-)
* OVAL run time in ROM (for programmers)
* Tips on startup a la MS
* Optional add on synchronizers for Lotus Organizer and Schedule+
* Optional self powered PC-CARD (PCMCIA) adapter

But, it must also be noted that the 3c does NOT have the definitions
in it's spelling checker/thesaurus application. Psion didn't have
enough room in the ROM to keep them.

1.4.5 Siena

This is not really a palmtop computer, but should more be classified
as a "PDA" (Personal Digital Assistant). It is basically the same as a
3a but available only in 512k/1Mb RAM versions with a half-sized
screen (240*160 pixels). It also includes Jotter but not Files nor
Oval. Next to the top half of the screen you can find a numeric
keypad. Unexpandable (no SSD slots built-in, but you can buy an SSD
adapter); has built-in RS-232 port. See Psion's web site for more
infos.

1.4.6 Organiser II series:

* CM - available in 16K only, 16x2 screen, limited software
* XP - available in 16K or 32K, 16x2 screen, limited software
(database, OPL)
* LZ - available in 32K or 64K (LZ64), 20x4 screen, introduced
notepad (basic text processor), dialing codes database, on-screen
clock)

There is an Organiser II homepage at
http://homepages.enterprise.net/djw/psion/psion.html

1.5 What other palmtop alternatives are there? (by Jason Savage)

See section 2.1 for the Psion Series 3 and 3a hardware specifications.

Make: Apple
Model: Newton MessagePad 120

Processor
Model: ARM 610
Speed: 20 Mhz
Bit size: 32-bit

Display
Type: Monochrome, reflective LCD
Pixel Screen size: 320 x 240

Memory
Size: 1MB RAM (385K user data & 639K system) or 2MB RAM (1,361K
user data & 687K system)

Expansion slots
Type: Type II PC-Card (PCMCIA 2.0)
Number: 1

Dimensions
Size (W x D x H): 10.16 x 20.32 x 2.9 cm (4.0" x 8.0" x 1.2")
Weight: 480 grams (16 ounces)

Power Requirements
Batteries: 4 x AA (main) & 1 x CR2032 (backup)
Battery Life (Approx): Up to 22 hours
Provision for AC Adaptor: Yes

Input/Output Ports
Serial (max speed): Yes, RS-422 8-pin DIN (230,000 bps)
Parallel: No
Infrared: Yes, (38,400 bps)
Other: Optional FAX modem

Keyboard: Yes, Popup virtual keyboard (QWERTY, Numeric, & Phone pad)

Included Applications:

+ Newton Intelligence (Handwriting Recognition, Object Oriented
Database Programming language and Communications services)
+ Calendar (like Agenda)
+ NewtonMail (email client)
+ To-Do Lists (like Agenda)
+ Rolodex-like Address Book (like Data)
+ Digital Ink ScratchPad
+ Calculator (like Calc)
+ World Time Clock (like World)
+ Dictionary (13,000 words)
+ Notion List Manager (like Data)

Make: Casio
Model: Z-7000 (AKA: Zoomer, Tandy Z-PDA, AST GRiDPad 2390)

Processor
Model: NEC V20
Speed: 7.7Mhz
Bit size: 16-bit

Display
Type: Monochrome reflective, touchscreen
Pixel Screen size: 320 x 256

Memory
Size: 1 Mb (384K user data & 640K system)

Expansion slots
Type: Type II PC-Card (PCMCIA 2.0)
Number: 1

Dimensions
Size (W x D x H): 10.76 x 17.62 x 2.6 cm (4.2" x 6.8" x 1")
Weight: 430 grams (15.2 ounces)

Power Requirements
Batteries: 3 x AA (main) & 2 x CR2032 (backup)
Battery Life (Approx): 100 hours (catalog: 90 hours)
Provision for AC Adaptor: Yes

Input/Output Ports
Serial (max speed): Yes, 10-pin, (19,200 bps)
Parallel: No
Infrared: Yes, (9600, Casio)
Other: Round telescoping pen

Keyboard: Yes, Virtual Pop-up software QWERTY, A-Z or International

Included Applications:

+ Date Book (like Agenda)
+ Address Book (like Data)
+ Note Book (Digital Ink Scratchpad & Document Manager with
outliner)
+ Pocket Quicken (Financial Organiser)
+ America Online (Access software for the service provider of
the same name)
+ Calculator (like Calc)
+ Forms Calculator
+ World Clock (like World)
+ Language Translator (26 languages & up 1000 words per
language)
+ Games (Solitaire, Pyramid Solitaire & UKI)
+ File Manager
+ Consumer Information
+ U.S. Information
+ World Information

Make: Hewlett Packard
Model: 200LX

Processor
Model: variable speed Hornet
Speed: 7.91 MHz
Bit size: 16-bit

Display
Type: CGA-compatible FTN liquid crystal
Pixel Screen size: 640 x 200

Memory
Size: 1 or 2MB of RAM

Expansion slots
Type: Type II PC-Card (PCMCIA 2.0)
Number: 1

Dimensions
Size (W x D x H): 16 x 8.64 x 2.54 cm (6.3" x 3.4" x 1")
Weight: 312 grams (11 ounces)

Power Requirements
Batteries: 2xAA (main) & 1xCR2032 (backup)
Battery Life (Approx): 80 hours
Provision for AC Adaptor: Yes

Input/Output Ports
Serial (max speed): Yes, 9-wire (115K?)
Parallel: No
Infrared: Yes
Other: No

Keyboard: Yes, QWERTY

Included Applications:

+ Pocket Quicken (Financial Organiser)
+ cc:Mail (E-mail client)
+ Data Communications (VT-100, ANSI & TTY emulation)
+ Lotus 1-2-3 r.2.4 (like Sheet)
+ Laplink (like Remote Link) for file transfers
+ Appointment Book (like Agenda)
+ Phone Book (like Data)
+ HP financial calculator (like Calc)
+ Memo editor with outliner (like Word)
+ Notetaker (like Notepad)
+ Database (like Data)
+ Filer (like File Manager)
+ Worldtime & Stopwatch (like World)
+ System Macros
+ Application Manager
+ Setup Utility


See also the following WWW site for a more complete comparaison
of Psion3a-HP200lx with over 170 articles:
http://www.primate.wisc.edu/people/d...ion/index.html

Make: Hewlett Packard
Model: OmniGo 100 Organizer Plus

Processor
Model: Intel 80C186 compatible
Speed: 16 Mhz
Bit size: 16-bit

Display
Type: FSTN LCD with Touchscreen
Pixel Screen size: 240 x 240

Memory
Size: 1MB RAM

Expansion slots
Type: Type II PC-Card (PCMCIA 1.0: SRAM memory cards no Flash
or Modems)
Number: 1

Dimensions
Size (W x D x H): 15.3 x 9.5 x 2.6 cm (6" x 3.7" x 1")
Weight: 329 grams (11.6 ounces)

Power Requirements
Batteries: 2 x AA (main) & 1 x CR2032 (backup)
Battery Life (Approx): ?
Provision for AC Adaptor: No

Input/Output Ports
Serial (max speed): Yes, 10-wire, (?)
Parallel: No
Infrared: No
Other: Yes, Pen

Keyboard: Yes, QWERTY (5 function keys)

Included Applications:

+ Appointment book (like Agenda)
+ Phonebook (like Data)
+ Notepad (like Word)
+ Database (like Data)
+ Worldtime and stopwatch (like World)
+ Jotter (Digital Ink Scratchpad)
+ Geoworks Book Reader
+ Financial Tools
+ Spreadsheet (like Sheet)
+ Emulated HP 12C financial calculator (like Calc)
+ Graffiti handwriting system (handwriting recognition)
+ Transfer (like Remote Link)
+ Setup Utility (like Install)
+ Solitaire

Make: Motorola
Model: Envoy Communicator

Processor
Model: Motorola Dragon 68349
Speed: 16 Mhz
Bit size: 32-bit

Display
Type: Reflective FSTN Touch Screen
Pixel Screen size: 480 x 320

Memory
Size: 1 MB

Expansion slots
Type: Type II PC-Card (PCMCIA 2.0) slots
Number: 2

Dimensions
Size (W x D x H): 14.8 x 19.2 x 2.9 cm (5.8" x 7.6" x 1.2")
Weight: 770 grams (1.7 pounds)

Power Requirements
Batteries: Rechargeable Ni-Cad (main) & 1 x CR2032 (backup)
Battery Life (Approx): 8 hours
Provision for AC Adaptor: Yes, combined with Charger

Input/Output Ports
Serial (max speed): Yes, 14-pin MagicBus (38,400 bps)
Parallel: Yes, MagicBus
Infrared: Yes, FSK compliant
Other: 2 round full length pens, 4800 bps send/receive radio
packet modem, 9600 bps FAX send modem & 2400 bps data modem

Keyboard: Optional, QWERTY

Included Applications:

+ Date Book (like Agenda)
+ World Time Clock (like World)
+ Address Book (like Data)
+ Notebook (like Agenda To-Do List)
+ Calculator (like Calc)
+ America Online (connection software for the service provider
of the same name)
+ AT&T PersonaLink (connection software for the service
provider of the same name)
+ SmartWallet

Make: Sharp
Model: ZR-5000 & ZR-5000FX AKA: Zaurus K-PDA

Processor
Model: Sharp Proprietary
Speed: ?
Bit size: 16-bit

Display
Type: DFSTN LCD, Touch screen (finger or stylus)
Pixel Screen size: 320 x 240

Memory
Size: 1MB RAM (750k user data & 250K system)

Expansion slots
Type: Type II PC-Card (PCMCIA 2.0)
Number: 1

Dimensions
Size (W x D x H): 17.0 x 10.0 x 2.54 cm (6.7" x 3.9" x 1.0")
Weight: 385 grams (13.6 ounces approx.)

Power Requirements
Batteries: 2 x AA (main) & 1 x CR-2032 (backup)
Battery Life (Approx): Up to 60 hours (~2 months)
Provision for AC Adaptor: Yes

Input/Output Ports
Serial (max speed): Yes, 15-pin proprietary, (19,200 bps)
Parallel: No
Infrared: Yes, (IrDA & ASK Compliant)
Other: Round pen & FAX modem with ZR-5000FX

Keyboard: Yes, QWERTY configuration

Included Applications:

+ Activities (like Agenda)
+ Contacts (like Data) limited to 3 files
+ Data Files (also like Data) limited to 3 files
+ Notes (Digital Ink Scratchpad)
+ Documents (like Word) with Spell Checker
+ Outline (like Outline mode in Word)
+ Home & World Clocks (like Time & World)
+ Calculator (like Calc)
+ Filer (Manages Printing, Faxing, Email & File transfers)
+ Messaging (E-mail client)
+ FAX/Sending (FAX client)
+ Terminal Mode (ASCII & VT-100 emulation)

Make: USR
Model: Pilot

Specs thanks to David Richards at dr@rci.ripco.com

Processor
Model: Motorola 68328 "Dragonball"
Speed: 16 MHz?
Bit size: 16-bit

Display
Type: Monochrome, reflective LCD
Pixel Screen size: 160 x 160

Memory
Size: 512K ROM
128K RAM (Pilot 1000), 512K (Pilot 5000), or 1Mb upgrade

Expansion slots
Type: Proprietary memory (replaces RAM)
Number: 1

Dimensions
Size (W x D x H): 3.2" x .7" x 4.7"
Weight: 385 grams (5.7 ounces approx.)

Power Requirements
Batteries: 2 x AAA (main)
Battery Life (Approx): 30 hours
Provision for AC Adaptor: No

Input/Output Ports
Serial (max speed): Yes, Proprietary edge connector (57,600
bps)
Parallel: No
Infrared: No

Keyboard: Yes, Popup virtual keyboard (QWERTY, Numeric, accent)

Included Applications:

+ Date book
+ Address book
+ To Do List
+ Memo pad
+ Calculator

End of part 1/6
_________________________________________________________________

[Go to next part]
_________________________________________________________________


All pages coming from http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/8130/
(and this is one of them!) are copyright 1996 Daniel Pfund.
--
|\ |\ PSION specialists: http://www.planet-pfund.com
| )|/ *--------------------------------------------*
|/ | http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/8130/

Archive-name: psion-faq/part3
Version: $VER: Psion FAQ v2.6
Posting-Frequency: monthly
URL: http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/8130/faq.htm

part 3

See part 1 for complete table of contents of this FAQ (including this
part's).

3.10 How can I permanently change the distance units in World? (by Ian
Phillipps)

World takes its distance cue from the printer defaults set on the
System screen (Psion-y on UK Psions). Set it to centimetres and World
will use kilometres as default.

3.11 Why do some programs crash with an "Invalid arguments" error?

Some applications (mainly free/shareware) crash with an error message
like:

ERORR in PROGRAM\PROC
Invalid arguments

This is due to changes in the UK default settings of either number
formats (System menu) or time format (Time). You could try changing
these but you're better off informing the programmer of the problem!

3.12 Why is my Psion not switching itself off automatically anymore? (by
Philippe Lebreton)

1. Obvious: because you changed the "Auto switch off" to NO.
2. You changed it to "If no external power" and you're using external
power...
3. The Series 3 will only switch off if no task is outpending (eg: a
spreadsheet is calculating in the background).
4. Some badly programmed programs do never stop performing a task. If
you know which one it is, close it. If you don't, close them all.
5. Some files are still running but you can't see them on the System
screen. These are often IMG programs which might sub-application
programs (ie: launched by another one) that you are not supposed
to see. You can attempt to see them by cycling through the running
processes with Shift-System. If you want to kill a process, you
can use Shift-Psion-k. If you cannot find any suspect processes,
then the process probably doesn't allow you to bring it to the
foreground. The only way to find these is to use SPY from Psion
and kill them from there. But beware, don't kill any SYS$xxxx
processes as these are system processes and need to be running
(otherwise your Psion would reset itself).
6. If all else really fails, do a soft reset. All your files will
still be there but your System screen needs to be re installed.

3.13 How can I change the fonts in the system applications? (by Roman Habrat)

"A time ago I sarched for a method for changing the fonts used by
standard applications. I wanted to implement polish national
characters in the fonts. No success. The only fonts one can replace
are dialog/menu fonts, "screen corner message" font and some
little, unimportant fonts used by i.e. clock. The other fonts are
opened directly from ROM by the applications.

I understand why. The Psion creators prepared methods to use other
fonts by additional applications (by opening a user's own fonts).
But user applications use also menus and dialogs. So there is
wSetSystemFont() function to change font in them. And that's all.
The creators did not foresee that one would want to change fonts in
the built-in application.

There is commercial solution for national characters problem (apart
of changing the hardware ROM). It was implemented in Czech
Republic, and now in Poland. Parts of operating system located in
memory (RAM) are replaced, and new parts are added. All English
system texts are replaced by Polish texts. The fonts are modified.
Additional key combinations are interpreted. It works. But it uses
170 KB of RAM (80 for OS, and 90 for resource files), so it is
better for 1MB/2MB models."

3.14 Is Perl ported to the Psion? (by Bruce Stephens)

"The answer is no, because of memory limitations. Something
Perl-like is surely practical, but I don't know of anything. Scheme
exists though, in a rather limited (just about useless) form; see
my "port" (more "compilation" really) of scm
http://supr.scm.liv.ac.uk/~bruce/"

3.15 How do I undelete a file if I've accidentaly deleted it?

If you've deleted your file from the internal RAM, then there's
nothing you can do to get it back. If on the other hand you've deleted
a file on a SSD, there's a chance of getting the info back. For flash
disks, you can use Konstantin I. Saliy's "Undelete" shareware. For RAM
SSDs, you'll have to phone Psion and send it in to them directly. Be
sure not to use the RAM SSD anymore or the data may get overwriten!

3.16 How can I synchronize my desktop agenda with my Psion's? (by Dr. Karl
Leo)

I tried the following approaches:
1. PsiWin from Psion: It should convert Lotus Oganizer 2.1 files, but
on my file (containing about 300 appointments and 200 To-do
items), it crashes and even takes Windows 95 down with it.This
might be related to some instabilities of Lotus Organizer files I
had to cope with from time to time. Also, PsiWin is not of much
use for my purposes since it is not able to synchronize the two
systems.
2. Thomas Lansing (100024.333@compuserve.com, Fax +49-203-372570) has
written a Shareware Windows version of Agenda called Psioman.
Although it is a very nice program, it does not reach the
functionality of programs like Lotus Organizer and Microsoft
Schedule. However, for people who do not have too large Agenda
files, the program is a good way to keep things on the PC.
3. Finally, I bought Agenda Link 2 written by John Whiting (Widget,
+44-1438-815444). This program allows to transfer Agenda files to
Lotus Organizer and Microsoft Schedule and back. Also, it allows
synchronization, with definable ways to do it (which is the master
file, automatic and manual). Apart from a few minor quirks, this
program works very well and has solved my problem.

4. TIPS & TRICKS FOR GENERAL USAGE

4.1 Known hardware problems & solutions

4.1.1 Battery warnings (see also below: "problems when opening the
machine")

The contacts to the main batteries are poor in many machines. This
causes the machine to report low battery power inappropriately, and
may cause automatic switchoff. The fix is to ensure the contacts are
clean, and making firm contact with the battery. Different battery
brands can be slightly different sizes, so pick a larger one.
Batteries with dimples in either contact are more prone to problems.
You might consider kludging a fix by bending the contacts, or decide
to return your machine for replacement. Note that when replacing dead
batteries with NiCads, you may see the REPLACE warning for a few
seconds after the new cells are inserted. This is normal, and will go
away on its own.

The backup battery may also have faulty contacts. Kathleen James
suggested putting a little piece of paper between the battery and the
contact on the top of it. Be sure not to obstruct the contact though!
She said: I kept getting the message 'Replace Backup battery!' but
never 'Backup battery is low'. Putting the paper in got rid of the
message, and Battery Info says: Good.

4.1.2 Problems when opening the machine

Opening/closing the older Series 3's can cause (possibly intermittent)
problems to the machine's power supply, which in turn can manifest
several problems mentioned in this FAQ. The constant twisting of the
lead connecting the main board to the battery contacts can cause
damage. This problem is the most serious one and is know as the
"dreaded battery lead problem". Psion will repair this in warranty.
You can fix it yourself if your machine is out of warranty. Remove the
screws behind the batteries. Sometime re-seating the two-pin connector
will give a permanent fix, otherwise, if you're handy, replace the
wires. This problem is the number one problem. If you've got a battery
problem, check these wires first! It will most likely happen to all
Psion Series 3a's after a more or less long period of time. It has
happened to me personally after two and a half years. Apparently, the
gentler you close your case, the longer the wires will last.

4.1.3 Automatic dialling

The built-in dialer is reported as variously as excellent, through
unreliable to un-useable. Sometimes it will work on internal phone
systems but not BT - sometimes vice versa. The recommendation for
improving performance is to place the Series 3 on a flat non-resonant
surface, and holding the phone just above it - not against it.

4.1.4 Alarms replaced by odd beeps

Not a bug, but a response by your machine to low battery power. When
there is insufficient power to play the chosen alarm, it makes this
noise which is designed to be loud but economical on power. Low
available power can also be caused by poor battery connections or by
the "dreaded battery lead problem" mentioned earlier.

4.1.5 Alarms come in pairs

Several people report that their machine can get into a mode whereby
alarms sound - and need to be acknowledged - twice. This problem can
be fixed by doing a soft reset or sometimes by exiting and restarting
Agenda.

4.1.6 Display problems

The Psion display flickers in bright sunlight - use an umbrella.

The LCD display works in such a way that the reflected light is
polarized. If you wear polarising sunglasses who plane of polarization
is at odds with that of the Psion, you'll see a blank screen. Fix:
Take your shades off, or get some which are not simple polarizing
lenses. Ray-Bans, for example, do not polarize in a single plane.

Some people have noticed problems with odd pixels, lines, rows or
patches of pixels (usually in a corner - usually the lower right
corner). These remain on (dark) all the time. In each case, there is
no real fix but to return the machine for repair or replacement.

4.1.7 An area of darker pixels appears in one corner of the LCD (by Nick
Craig-Wood)

This just seems to happen with ageing of the LCD. It doesn't appear to
get any worse, and if you have your LCD replaced it is likely to
happen again. It may be related to the stresses of the LCD in the case
but this is unverified.

4.1.8 Lifting button bar

Older Series3's had problems with the button bar at the top of the
keyboard, which has a tendency to lift off. Also, some often-used
buttons could stop working. Replacement is the best option. Glue might
help those with no warranty. See the manual for key presses which can
in all cases duplicate the function of defunct buttons (Series 3
only).

For Series 3a owners, several programs are available to help you
switch back to the System screen. The worst case is if you're stuck in
the Time app since you cannot close it anymore. It has been found out
by a 2 year old (sic!) that you can "emulate" the Sheet button with
the key combination of "up cursor, down cursor and Esc". Yes, it seems
strange but it works! This will either put you into an open Sheet file
or bring you to the Sheet icon on the System screen. To go directly to
the Sheet icon each time, press the Psion key at the same time as the
above combination.

Another such key combination has been reported by Timothy Giles: "up
cursor, p key and Esc" will emulate the Calc button. Apparently, there
is a pattern and this key sequence was found by studying the keyboard
values of keys...

Series 3a's with non functioning button bars may be due to some
impact. Pat Egan at EEIPEN@eeiatns01.eei.ericsson.se passed this nice
tip to me (originally writen by Kevin Reilly and anotated in capitals
by Pat): Kevin wrote:

"I've had this problem twice now (I think it's caused by impact;
has your machine been dropped recently?). The problem is caused by
a ribbon cable becoming detached from the 'bottom' PCB - the one
with the loudspeaker and SSD connectors. There are two solutions
depending on your bravery and/or whether the warranty's expired.
1. Send it to Psion for repair. I've not done this so I don't know
about turnaround times or costs.
2. The 'do it yourself' method. You won't need many tools (a smallish
watchmakers' screwdriver is actually sufficient) but I'd suggest
ESSD handling precautions should be taken if possible. Having said
that I once did this repair in a hotel room in Boston so workshop
conditions aren't essential

If you're confident enough to have a go, here's the method:
* Back up all the data, or copy everything to an SSD. If it's a RAM
SSD make sure the battery's OK!
AS I DO NOT HAVE BACK UP FACILITIES, I DECIDED TO HAVE A GO BY
LEAVING THE MAIN BATTERIES CONNECTED. AS IT HAPPENS ON BOTH
OCCASIONS I DID NOT LOOSE ANY FILES TO MY SURPRISE
* Remove all SSDs and batteries. Remove the four screws inside the
battery compartment and remove it by unplugging the battery lead
connector.
* Remove the two screws inside the SSD doors. You'll have to break
the warranty seal to get to one of these
* Open the Psion (take care not to damage the button bar which can
become trapped by the keyboard cover).
* Remove the keyboard cover (with the yellow legends on). This is
the tricky bit. I've found by experience that the best way is to
carefully lever the rear part up past the hinges, then lift it out
towards you.
I FOUND ON MY PSION, THE BEST WAY TO REMOVE THE KEYBOARD COVER WAS
TO LEVER THE FRONT PART OVER TWO RETAINING LUGS. A FLAT SCREW
DRIVER PUSHED INTO THE DEAD CENTRE OF THE FRONT EDGE COVER AND
TWISTED APPROX. 45 DEG. WILL REVEAL THE RETAINING LUGS. WHEN THE
FRONT EDGE IS LIFTED A FAIR AMOUNT OF FORCE IS REQUIRED TO PULL
THE BACK EDGE AWAY FROM THE HINGES
* Remove the rubber membrane with the keys on it. Carefully. Drop
all those little keys and you'll be there all night trying to
remember what goes where
* Lift the keyboard/PCB panel out, front edge first. This just
'sits' on the connections beneath; lift it up about 40 degrees and
slide it out towards you. You might have to press the comms port
cover in with the screwdriver to release it.
* Near the middle/front of the lower PCB there should be a BLUE
ribbon cable going into a socket (it's the thinner of the two
cables). This is the little baby which comes loose. PUSH THE
RIBBON LOCKS ON THE CONNECTOR FORWARD. Carefully slide the cable
into the connector then slide in the small plastic 'tabs'. These
should lock the ribbon in place. It is these tabs which detach
when the unit is dropped. I've been tempted to seal them with a
drop of adhesive but I wonder if the next drop won't then split
the ribbon cable
ON MY SECOND OCCASION I DECIDED TO TRY PREVENTING REOCCURRENCE BY
STICKING A THIN STRIP OF SELLOTAPE / SCOTCHTAPE ACROSS THE
CONNECTOR TO THE BLUE RIBBON.
* Reassembly is generally the reverse of disassembly, but take care
when refitting the keyboard/PCB board; the serial connector is a
very tight fit. Don't try to force it. It'll almost drop in when
it's positioned correctly."

4.1.9 Left hinge breaks

This might be due to excessive wear and tear on the extension port
(but unverified). It seems that it is a design flaw which Psion
doesn't want to admit... whatever the case, there is no other solution
than glue or replacement! Ali Manson (Psion Inc's Technical Manager)
stated that this problem occured in about 1.5% of all returns they
receive. So don't be scared off by the apparently huge number of
people stating having had this problem in the news groups!

A solution was posted by Charlotte Holmquist posted a solution to the
newsgroup a while ago. Steve Hawtin commented the fix with his own
version which also entailed detaching the icon bar completely. Here is
the transcript with Steve's comments as they were posted:

"You will need: mini-Philips screwdriver, xacto knife, drill, 1-2
mm diameter square nail or small drill bit, 1-2 mm diameter spring
wire, wire-cutters, pliers, tweezers (optional, depends on how big
your paws are).
______________________________________________________________

Steve: I used a small screw, by trimming the head off I managed to
get about 2mm of plain cylinder (for the hinge) with just the start
of the thred to screw it into the plastic of the icon strip.
______________________________________________________________

1. Back up ALL information
2. Make sure your back-up battery is healthy, preferably fresh (mine
wasn't fresh but it lasted through the surgery)
_____________________________________________________________

Steve: You really have three options here:
1. Attempt to last out on the backup battery like Charlotte did
2. Keep a mains adaptor plugged in
3. Give up on trying to save the contents
I went for the final one, this is because I wanted to detach the
icon strip from the Psion rather than working with the Psion
attached.
_____________________________________________________________

3. Remove battery cover
4. Remove batteries
5. Remove 4 small screws
6. Remove battery holder -- it swings out to the left, looking at the
psion from behind, battery holder on top
7. The blue battery lead is attached to a socket on the main body,
the leads run under a holder, protected by a rubber collar
8. Carefully slip the collar from under the holder and use the
tweezer (or your tiny fingers) to unplug the battery plug. Pull on
the plug, not on the wires.
9. Your psion now runs on the back-up battery.
10. You will see how everything is put together. You will notice two
springs on either end of the buttonbar.
11. Slip the loops of the spring-wires off the plastic pegs.
12. Lift the long arms of the spring-wires out of position on the
button-bar to release it.
13. Note that the button-bar still is attached by its lead to the main
machine.
_____________________________________________________________

Steve: To detach the icon bar completely:
+ Remove the backup battery if you haven't already done so.
+ Open the two drive doors, you will see two screws (one is
obscured by a warning about warranty, only remove it if you
don't mind losing your warranty).
+ Tease out the two pins holding the screen to the main body.
+ Use a screwdriver to carefully lever the keyboard circuit
board from the back of the case, note the two tabs next to
where the icon bar used to be, these need to be gently pushed
in during the levering. Make sure that the screwdriver does
not touch the circuit board (use the metal shields to push
against).
+ Once the back of the keyboard has lifted the two lugs at the
front will slip out easily.
+ You can now see the connector on the main circuit board, push
the two catches on either side until they are all the way
out, the icon ribbon will now pull out easily.

The icon strip is now completely detached from the rest of the
system.
_____________________________________________________________

14. You should now be able to manipulate the button-bar so that you
can see the place where the plastic peg of the left hinge has
broken off. You will also see where the peg fit into a hole in the
case.
15. Use a small drill to drill through the root of the peg, the spot
where you will see that it broke off from. I didn't have a small
enough drill so I used a small square nail in my drill machine.
_____________________________________________________________

Steve: To reassemble follow the above steps in reverse order. The
main "gotcha" is the pair of lugs at the front of the keyboard,
make sure they are well in before pushing the back down. The 3a
has some connectors between the back and the main circuit board
(the 3 just had wires) these seem to always just snap into place.
_____________________________________________________________

16. Cut approximately 2 cm of the wire and bend it at a right angle in
the middle.
17. Trim one end so that approximately 1-1.5 mm will reach into the
case of the psion when you've slipped it through the hole you made
in the arm of the button-bar.
18. Trim the other so that it slips down to the edge of the button
bar, in the slot where the arm of the spring normally rests. I had
to trim a bit of the plastic (approx. 0,2 mm) in the ridge to make
my wire fit. After trimming the wire will be approximately 5 mm.
19. Slip your new peg through the hole you made, into the case. Place
the other arm in the slot where the wire-spring rests.
20. Replace the spring-wires. First the long arms, then slip the loops
onto their peg.
21. The beauty of it all is that the left spring now keeps your new
peg in place: No glue needed.
22. Enjoy!"

As I said before, I won't accept responsibility for any damage
caused by trying out my tip. Just because it's worked for me, it
doesn't need to work for you. If you are unused to using your hands
or careless or impatient or simply have bad luck you can cause
damage!
______________________________________________________________

Steve: This goes double for actually delving inside the main box!

4.1.10 Key marks on display

This is a quite common problem when the Psion is new. The upper and
lower body of the case are a little too tight so when you open it
again, you see some key marks on the screen. Apparently it also has
something to do with the "oilness" of your fingers... To fix this,
either put something between the two or clean the screen with a soft
cloth.

From Philippe Lebreton:

"It is an ABSOLUTE NECESSITY to clean the marks on the display
regularly (or I'm a very strange guy), it appears that the
"oilness" can be "acidness", at least in my case. Because the marks
on the S3a where much much less visible than they where on the S3,
I did not bother to clean them, and my screen is now permanently
marked (I can feel the dent with my nail)."

From Jochen Hollmann:

"Some (greenish) displays have a protection film on the surface,
which makes these displays thicker than other (grayish) displays.
To test if this is the case, remove the gray frame with the printed
Psion logo on it carefully from the inner side. This frame is
actually glued on the display itself. You should be able to sense
the film. (It was mounted about 2mm from the outer boundary of my
display.) When removed, put the frame back to the old place.

You should wait as long as possible before you remove the
protection film, because you can do it only once in the lifetime of
your display."

4.1.11 Keys rubbing off

Unfortunately this was quite common with some older Series 3 and 3a.
Actually there seem to be several different keyboard types, so it is
not predictable if it will happen to you or not. There is no simple
solution to this problem. If your Psion is not in warranty anymore,
you can contact Psion PLC which offer a "cosmetic upgrade".

Blake Nancarrow suggests placing a piece of clear ("Magic") tape on
the key(s). He finds that the tape wears out after 1 to 2 months.

Some other people suggested to use some nail polish to protect the
keys. I have done this myself and it works quite good! The polish
wears off after some months.

4.2 Known software problems & solutions

4.2.1 World phone numbers wrong

Apparently, a number of the country codes are wrong. You can fix this
by editing the country information as required, though there is a
limited number of slots available in the database. Also note that a
complete change in area codes was done in the UK during 1994/5. See
the Phoneday program at the IC or on CIX for details and a suite of
programs to fix your databases.

4.2.2 Area codes causing problems

The Psion will dial all of the number you select. In some countries,
(not the UK) dialling the area code for a local call causes problems.
Psion's recommended fix is to have two entries for the party -
specifying the number both with and without the area code.

4.2.3 Data security with link connected

If you have the link switched on, then files can be copied from your
machine even when it is password protected. Be sure to turn the link
off to remove this possibility. Note also that the link can turn the
Psion on when it is off, and will transfer data even as the password
screen is being presented.

4.2.4 Security affected by the Macro System

Users of Tom Dolbilin's Macro System should be aware that macro key
presses work even on a password-protected Series 3.

4.2.5 Word hangs on "busy" when saving a text file forever

This is a quite annoying bug which has still not been resolved by
Psion. Actually, it is a limitation: the first paragraph should not be
bigger than 512 characters. Either start your file with a CR or make a
small paragraph ;-)

4.2.6 Size limits of inbuilt programs

The Psion Series 3(a) have a limited memory for each process they run
of 64Kb. This means that the program and it's data must always stay
below this limit. Usually you don't need to worry about this, but some
people have found out about it the hard way: they couldn't save their
document anymore. There is no way around this except to split your big
document into smaller ones. Be extra careful with the Agenda program,
make sure you regularly delete/tidy and compress it to regain space.

The Agenda files don't have to be under 64k themselves, but it is the
entries' index which must stay within this limit. It is quite possible
to have an Agenda file consisting of long memos but few entries; hence
the file could run into hundreds of k in size without a problem.

4.2.7 Shell panics - exit 130 (from Konstantin I. Saliy)

If you press home (Psion-left) in an empty directory, you will cause a
shell panic (and lose all your icon information, beware!). This is
because "home" moves to the first file and not directory entry. It was
found up to v3.4F (3c).

4.2.8 Bug in world application (from Konstantin I. Saliy)

It doesn't allow you to enter 0 (zero) as the first digit of an area
code.

4.2.9 Bug when using proportional fonts with the OPL editor

The program editor does not work correctly if you set the font to
proportional. Be sure to always leave it monospaced!

4.2.10 PostScript printing not putting a "%!PS" in the file

This is a problem with the PostScript INI file in the Psion's ROM. You
need to copy that file into your \WDR directory and then add the
"%!PS" yourself. The Psion will then use your edited INI file instead
of the ROM's.

4.2.11 Searching fault in Word Application (from Mark Chapman)

When Psion Word does a search, it breaks the text up into 256
character chunks. When doing a forward search the chunks start at the
current cursor position, and at the start of each following paragraph.
When doing backward searches the chunks start at the current cursor
position and at the end of each preceding paragraph. If the word you
are searching for straddles the join between 2 adjacent chunks, the
search fails!

This can easily be demonstrated by entering a paragraph of text which
is over 256 characters long, positioning the cursor at the start, and
then searching for the word which includes the 256th and 257th
characters.

A few ideas which reduce (but not eliminate) the problem.
1. Keep search strings as short as possible
2. Do two searches, one in forward direction from the start of the
document, and the other in the reverse direction from the end of
the document. It's far less likely that a word will be n * 256
characters from the start of a paragraph, as well as i * 256
characters from the end, where i and n are integers. (About 0.1%
failure rate with an 8 character search string, which is probably
tolerable).
3. Keep paragraphs short (difficult to keep under 256 characters!)

It shouldn't crop up in the OPL editor, (where global search and
replace is often used to change variable names), because there's
usually a return character at the end if each line, and each line will
be <256 characters?

Basic message is don't rely on global search and replace to work
properly in Word app.

4.2.12 Comms app crashes when you try to end a script that has already
ended (from Jochen Siegenthaler)

Bug still found on the 3c!

4.3 Other official Psion repair centres

Pinnock Organiser Service (POS)
Paul Pinnock
143 Streatham High Road
Streatham, London SW16
Phone: +44 181 677 9246
Vodafone: +44 831 194985
Email: 106051.2651@compuserve.com

Paul has moved (on the same street), but I lost his new address! I
believe the phone above will redirect you to his new one though.

Paul is an ex Psion employee and does an excellent job (reading the
good reports he always gets on the net and compuserve).
_________________________________________________________________

Fa. Harlander
Mr. Peter Hodac
Altmannsdorferstr. 92
A-1120 Vienna
AUSTRIA
Email: psion_harlan@pan.at

Peter also offers a 512 KB upgrade to a full 2MB machine by changing
the motherboard as well as the troublesome flexible link Kabel between
the bottom and the screen. Price around 500 USD, turnaround time 2
working days.

4.4 User groups

Club Series 3 [France & International]
Contact Alban Debeaupuis for more infos or write to:
Club Series 3
6 rue de Fecamp
75012 Paris
Phone: +33 1 40 04 92 19
Fax: +33 1 43 07 25 96
http://alex.union-fin.fr/usr/dcabuze...clubpsion.html

Club Series 3 Suisse Romand [Switzerland's french speaking part]
You can contact me directly (Daniel) by Email or write to:
Andre Robert
rte de la Maladiere 4
1022 Chavannes
Phone: +41 21 691 89 62
http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/8130/

PEAT - Psion Enthusiasts Association of Toronto [Canada]
E-mail Blake Nancarrow (blaken@computer-ease.com) for more info
or call him directly at (416) 535-1899 extension 3.
http://www.computer-ease.com/ce/psion/

PSILOG [Switzerland]
Fluelastrasse 47
8047 Zurich
Phone: +41 1 401 12 12
Fax: +41 1 401 08 15
http://www.village.ch/psilonet/

Psion Friends Vienna
Responsable: BorisMichaelv. Luhovoy
Email: bmv.luhovoy@magnet.at
Online support and private lessons at the owners workplace/home
(50 USD/hour)

Psion Users Group Netherlands (Psion gebruikersvereniging Nederland)
Postbox 82
8700 AB Bolsward
The Netherlands
Fax/BBS: +31 515 574188 (upto & including 28K8, 8N1 24H)
Sysop: Alex Brandsma

4.5 Online services

See also "Connecting your Psion" elsewhere for information on how to
connect your Psion with modems.

4.5.1 Internet

There is a Usenet newsgroup hierarchy called comp.sys.psion.* in which
even Psion employees lurk around (see first part for details of the
newsgroups). There is also the comp.binaries.psion group for binaries.
Before posting, it is considered good practice to read the messages
and get the "feel" of the group for a while (apart from thoroughly
reading through this FAQ ;-)

The comp.sys.psion.* groups are entirely archived at the IC FTP site
in the packages/psion/comp.sys.psion.*/ directories. The
comp.binaries.psion group is archived at the moderator's direct FTP
site: ftp://ftp.it.dtu.dk/pub/psion/index.html and at the IC FTP site
in the packages/psion/comp.binaries.psion directory.

4.5.2 CIX

Psion is also on CIX. Check the Palmtop A forum. There is an offline
reader for the 3a (only) called "ReadCIX"

4.5.3 Compuserve

There is a Psion discussion forum called the palmtop a forum. You can
access it by typing GO PALMTOPA. There is also an offline reader for
the 3a/c (only) called "ReadCIS".

4.5.4 AOL

There is a Psion discussion forum that you can access with GO PSION.

4.5.5 Microsoft Network

Who has experience here?

4.6 Bulletin boards (BBSes)

All numbers are given in ITU format. To dial numbers outside your
country, replace the + by your international code. To dial numbers
inside your country, replace + and the country code by your national
dialling code. For example: UK: for "+", dial "00", except for "+44"
dial "0". US: for "+", dial "011", except for "+1" dial "1". Note that
the Psion 3a at least knows how to do this. (Clive D.W. Feather)
* Crystal Tower +44 817 598 244 [UK]
* Dacom BBS +44 1908 260 435 [UK]
Sysop: Andrew Morrow
Notes: Psion Dacom, updates for PCMCIA Gold Cards
Location: Milton Keynes, UK
* Ellis BBS +33 1 43 33 15 47 [France]
* Excom BBS +41 1 781 4225 [Switzerland]
* Flightpath +44 181 759 3332 or +44 181 759 6664 [UK]
* Metcom BBS +44 1442 257 527 [UK]
* Pacific BBS +44 1430 431 145 [UK]
* Psychotic Mouse +44 149 475 8998 [UK]
Sysop: John Portwin John@lyster.demon.co.uk
Time: 9am-4pm GMT
* Psion BBS +44 175 289 4422 [UK]
* Psion GmbH BBS +49 6172 969350 [Germany]
Sysop: Matthias Hlscher
Notes: Series3/3a software, PCMCIA Gold Card updates
Location: Bad Homburg
* The User Group +44 1752 894 422 [UK]
Sysop: Adam Taylor
Notes: Privately run, but Psion UK have an account there
* Datalink BBS +44 1202 660 838 [UK] (closed down for some months)
* Skywaves BBS +44 1202 523 842 [UK] temporary replacement for
Datalink
Sysop: Francis Creese vui@cix.compulink.co.uk
* ??? +32 3 226 20 79 [Belgium]

4.7 Magazines

4.7.1 Palmtop

This is an excellent publication entirely devoted to the Psion. It is
called (quite rightly IMHO): "PALMTOP - The journal for today's Psion
user". It is an independant magazine in the B5 format running 108
pages (minimum) bimonthly. It is run by two people full time. Only
available by subscription, credit cards accepted. For more info email
Steve Clack at palmtop@aol.com or check out their web site at:
http://www.palmtop.co.uk

4.7.2 Handheld Systems (previously PDA Developers)

As the title says, this is a magazine clearly devoted to developers on
Personnal Digital Assistants (PDAs). This is a general denomination
and covers a wide range of machines, amongst which the Psion (although
this could be arguable...). It can get quite technical at times but
always very instructive with loads of examples and source code. Only
problem: being an american magazine & Psion not being too well known
over there, it tends to get quite thin on Psion articles. Published
bimonthly. For more info, contact:

Handheld Systems
293 Corbett Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94114
USA
Phone: +1 415 621 4252
Fax: +1 415 621 4922
http://www.cdpubs.com

4.7.3 Mobilis: The Mobile Computing Lifestyle Magazine (by Jason Savage)

This on-line webzine found on the World-Wide Web is devoted mainly to
all palmtops and PDAs currently on the market including the beloved
Psion series 3. Like PDA Developers, the Psion specific articles are
sparse but having Steve Clack on staff as the European Correspodent
and Psion Editor should ensure a steady flow of articles and best of
all the magazine is free. (Well almost free. You still have to pay
your service provider for connection time while you read it on-line).
Mobilis can be reached at: http://www.volksware.com/mobilis/

4.8 "Anti-thief" tips

There's nothing you can do against your Psion being stolen... on the
other hand, you can increase your chances of finding it again. It has
been suggested to put a warning message of the like "$$$ REWARD if
found - useless without password $$$" in the owner info. Not strictly
true, but you never know. If you don't want to type a password each
time you use your Psion, you should get PasOn from Andrew Lord. This
excellent utility turns the password feature on at the time you set
(usually in the night) and only asks for the password the first time
you use your Psion the next day.

4.9 Lost/stolen Psions

Mark Avey has set up an independant worldwide service to keep track of
lost or stolen Psions' serial numbers. It is available on the web at:
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/groucho/

You can register your lost/stolen freely. Be sure to also check the
pages first if you intend to buy a Psion from an unknown person.

5. SHAREWARE & FREEWARE

5.1 Relevant FTP sites

* Imperial College
ftp://src.doc.ic.ac.uk/packages/psion/icdoc/
Administrator: Lee McLoughlin lmjm@doc.ic.ac.uk
Location: London UK
Upload policy: you have to get a password from Lee first.
Note: Lee is extremely busy, so don't expect an answer for a long
time :-(
Mirror for the USA at: ftp://ftp.phone.net
* Frontiernet
ftp://ftp.frontiernet.net/pub/psion
Administrator: Fric frac@frontiernet.net
Location: Rochester, NY, USA
Upload policy: put your soft in the incoming directory.
Note: doesn't seem to be maintained anymore. If anyone has news
from Fric, please pass them on to me!
* New World Technologies
ftp://ftp.nwt.com
Administrator: ajai@nwt.com
Location: NYC, NY, USA
Upload policy: put your soft in the submit directory.
Mirror: Micro Hensa site in UK (micro.hensa.co.uk ?)
* Mirror site
ftp://ftp.cs.tu-berlin.de/pub/palmtops/psion/
Mirrors all of the above sites, extremely useful!
Location: Berlin, Germany
Upload policy: no uploads here; upload on mirrored sites.

5.2 WWW internet sites

A lot of personal Psion pages (as opposed to the official Psion page)
have appeared on the World Wide Web and the number seems to be growing
from day to day! I don't want to start a huge list here but you will
find most pages by either doing a web search on the word "Psion" or by
navigating the "Psioneers Web Ring" which you can find on my pages at:
http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/8130/

One site of great interest to programmers are the ever changing
Psionic files which document most OS Services (INTs) at:
http://www.gold.net/~cdwf/psion/psionics/

I also maintain a list of Psion programmers on the web with direct
links to their homepages. You can find all (hopefully!) programmers
homepage URLs linked at:
http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/8130/prgers.htm

5.3 Shareware for those without online access

Steve Litchfield runs a shareware library in the UK:

3-Lib
Shareware for the Series 3 and Series 3a
SAE for catalogue to:


22 Grays Crescent,
Woodley,
Berks,
RG5 3EN,
England


Phone: +44 1734 265081
Email: slitchfield@cix.compulink.co.uk
http://3lib.ukonline.co.uk

From Steve himself:

"3-Lib tries to be *the* clearing-house for new PD & shareware!
Authors can send programs in to me and I'll act as the definitive
source for others to get new versions etc from, in addition to
uploading to Compuserve, CIX, and sending floppies of new stuff to
src.doc and some BBS systems etc. Although set up originally for
people who have no access to modems, PCs etc, 3-Lib can be useful
for those who are on the net and would like large amounts of
shareware on floppy disk very cheaply!"

Alternatively, you can send him 4 HD (1.44Mb) disks and 11 UKP with a
return envelope (and stamp/IRC) to receive the best of the library.

End of part 3/6
_________________________________________________________________

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_________________________________________________________________


All pages coming from http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/8130/
(and this is one of them!) are copyright 1996 Daniel Pfund.
--
|\ |\ PSION specialists: http://www.planet-pfund.com
| )|/ *--------------------------------------------*
|/ | http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/8130/

Archive-name: psion-faq/part4
Version: $VER: Psion FAQ v2.6
Posting-Frequency: monthly
URL: http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/8130/faq.htm

part 4

See part 1 for complete table of contents of this FAQ (including this
part's).

6. CONNECTING YOUR PSION

6.1 With an IBM or clone

6.1.1 PsiWin (by Mark Gould)

PsiWin is a package for PCs running Microsoft Windows (in all its
current incarnations - 3.1, 3.11, for Workgroups, NT and 95). It
allows the Psion 3a (or 3 - although this is slightly more limited) to
be connected to the PC and for the filesystem of the Psion to be
manipulated in exactly the same way as in Windows File Manager.
Drag-and-drop copying is possible, as well as conversion of files
between Psion app formats and Windows program formats (Agenda
conversion is only possible from the 3a format). It is also possible
for 3a users to use the True-Type fonts resident on the Windows
machine when printing. Finally, there is a Windows version of Psion's
built-in Database application. PsiWin normally comes with the PC
3-Link.

6.1.1.2 What if I don't have Windows?

The standard software for connecting to DOS machines, RCOM, is
included with PsiWin. There may also be some RCOM packages available
in stores for those who don't want to buy PsiWin at all. See later for
other platforms.

6.1.1.3 What if I already have a 3-Link cable?

It is possible to buy PsiWin without also purchasing the 3link. It
should be available in stores, but if all else fails, contact Psion
directly. If you bought your 3-Link cable just before PsiWin came out,
you might even be entitled to a free copy (contact Psion)!

6.1.1.4 What conversions will PsiWin do?

The following file types are currently supported:

Psion Agenda conversions to and from:
Lotus Organizer v.1.0
Act! v.2.0
Schedule Plus

Psion Data conversions to and from:
dBase III and IV
FoxPro
Lotus Organizer 1.0
Comma separated values
Tab separated text

Psion PIC format to and from:
Windows RGB Bitmap

Psion Record (.WVE) to and from:
Windows sound (.WAV)

Psion Sheet to and from:
Quattro Pro for Windows
Works for Windows spreadsheet
Lotus 123 (.WK1 and .WK3)
Excel 4.0 and 5.0

Psion Word to and from:
Text (Windows ANSI and codepage 850)
Rich Text Format
Word Perfect 5.1, 5.2 and 6.0
Works for Windows WP 3.0
Word for Windows 2.0 and 6.0
Ami Pro 3.0

6.1.1.5 I can't run the Psion Manager - it produces a General Protection
Fault. What's the matter with it?

Early PsiWin boxes did not indicate that the minimum requirement to
run PsiWin was 4Mb RAM. Attempting to run it on a machine with less
than this will cause a GPF. The boxes now give the correct
information.

Alternatively, it may be the case that you are not running Windows in
enhanced mode. This is necessary. Some laptops don't run Windows in
enhanced mode by default. In order to enable enhanced mode, type "win
/3" at the DOS prompt.

6.1.1.6 Why is there no conversion for Schedule+ in Windows NT?

Because Psion have not written it yet.

6.1.1.7 Why is there no conversion for Schedule v.7?

Because Microsoft have not released its format yet.

6.1.1.8 How do I convert Psion files to a format which is not supported
by PsiWin?

PsiWin is designed to allow third-party developers to write their own
translators for integration into the package. There is a program
called pwaddon.zip available on CIX for this purpose. It will be made
available more generally soon.

6.1.1.9 Why is there no Windows version of the Agenda?

Perhaps the most requested addition to the PsiWin package is a Windows
version of the Agenda, for those who do not have a diary program on
their PCs (or who do not trust the conversion process). Psion say they
decided not to include such a program for a variety of reasons. The
justification for including the Windows Database Manager was that
people could take advantage of the larger keyboard and screen of their
PCs to enter large amounts of data. This was not thought to be an
issue for Agenda users. Simply, Psion had to make a number of choices,
and in their judgment a Windows Agenda was a lower priority than other
things.

From Matthew Powell, mcp26@cam.ac.uk:

RS Components (tel. 01536 201234 in the UK) used to advertise an
Agenda program "compatible with the Psion" for Windows. They included
a screenshot and it looked pretty horrible. Anyone who has access to
their catalogue could look for it - it was on the same page as the
Psions.

6.1.1.10 Why can't I access the PC drives from the Psion?

This is a problem for those who use the option in Agenda to tidy to a
file on a remote PC (amongst others). The answer is hidden away in the
help file, which says the following:

If you want to access PC drives from your Psion (they will appear,
in dialogs, with "REM::" before their drive letter), edit the
PSIONPRC.INI file in your "Windows" directory, and remove the "-x"
from the end of the following line:

engine=prcenwin.exe -x

6.1.1.11 I'm having difficulty printing from my Psion through Psion
Print. What's wrong with it?

On some setups using early versions of PsiWin, it wasn't possible to
print to certain network printers, or just the first page of a
document was printed. Psion released a file to fix this called
pp_fix2.zip, which is available on CIX and Compuserve as well as at
the site maintained by the moderator of comp.binaries.psion
(ftp://ftp.id.dtu.dk/pub/psion/index.html). This site has the file as
it was posted to comp.binaries.psion, in five parts. Frontiernet also
has a copy of this file in the pub/psion/addon directory.

6.1.1.12 Why can't I reconnect to the Psion once I have disconnected it?
(by Angus Rae)

I posted a comment about a problem I was having with PsiWin locking up
my machine. I had originally blamed it on my video card (it's a
Diamond Stealth 32, and the usual mantra is "if it's named after an
aircraft or a snake it's probably causing the crash") but after
WinLink3 gave me the same problems I started wondering, and
remembering some problems I was having with Trumpet Winsock a while
back. So, a quick trawl through Microsoft's Knowledge Base revealed
that the serial port drivers for Windows for Workgroups have a few
little problems. (A few big problems IMHO, but your mileage may vary.)
It seems to apply to machines with higher specification 16550 UARTs on
local buses. I have 16550AF UARTs on a VESA local bus. There is a fix;
replace the file SERIAL.386 with a different version. I believe, but
don't quote me on this, that the version from Windows 3.1 would do,
but the file WG1001.EXE in the Microsoft SoftLib has a copy which
works, which you can get to from http://www.microsoft.com If you do a
search in the Windows Knowledge base for WG1001 and appnote you can
get the full info.

6.1.1.13 My conversions from Agenda to Lotus Organiser cause an
Application error. What is wrong?

It has been suggested that one source of such problems is an out of
date copy of a file called ctl3dv2.dll. A nice man at Psion has
suggested the following approach:

Currently we sneak a bonus copy of ctl3dv2.dll onto disk 1,
uncompressed, for just this scenario, but it's not on all versions. If
you don't have it, then I guess the best thing is to close all Windows
apps, rename your current ctl3dv2.dll out of the way, then reinstall
PsiWin and see if that solves it.

If it doesn't, then I'm afraid it's going to come down to some fairly
standard testing to narrow it down to:
* what if you use different date ranges or entry types on the
"Convert what" dialog (though it sounds unlikely to me)
* do Database conversions work (as they use a similar "convert what"
system)
* do your Organizer and Lotus INI files look OK in \windows
* does it happen with nothing else running in Windows
* can you change anything about the setup (eg try it on another PC)

If none of these work, then check the answer to question 6.1.1.12.

6.1.1.14 I have another problem with PsiWin

Many problems with PsiWin are caused by having 32-bit file access
enabled. Try disabling this (in the Control Panel, Enhanced, Virtual
Memory). If the problem recurs, try asking in comp.sys.psion.apps (or
Psion Technical Support).

6.1.1.15 Serial port tip (from Mike Dolan)

Under the Lose95 Control Panel, check the COM port settings. Ensure
that if you have 16550 FIFO buffers, the receive buffers are set to
maximum, and the transmit buffers are set to minimum.

6.1.2 MCLink

MCLINK was the software which comes with Psion's 3-Link cable. It runs
on the host PC (at the DOS prompt) or Mac to provide data transfer
capability. When MCLINK is running on the PC/Mac, the Series 3 can see
host drives as remote drives, and can access the data on them.
Similarly the command interface in the MCLINK program can be used to
access or copy data to/from the Series3. MCLINK can also be used to
print Series 3 data by copying it to REM::C:\LPT1. MCLINK works under
OS/2 and under the DOS emulator with Linux (Free Unix on PC). It had
reliability problems under Windows for Workgroups 3.11. It supports
only COM1 and COM2 ports.

6.1.3 SLink

SLINK is a cut-down version of MCLINK, provided by Psion. It may work
in non-standard configurations where MCLINK will not. Since it is
smaller, it may cure space problems.

6.1.4 RCom

Was Psion's replacement for MCLINK. It is available at the IC archive.
It provides all the capability of MCLINK and adds a range of other
features, including handling of Rich Text format files; backup,
compress and equalize functions, a large range of DOS-like commands,
from which scripts can be generated, and a Windows interface. Though
it's documentation claims that RCOM is "more like a network
connection", this is not yet a reasonable claim. When RCOM is running,
the host machine can only see the Series 3 via the RCOM interface.

6.1.5 RFM

RFM is also available from the archive (RFM110); it is in beta
release. RFM installs a TSR on the host PC; a small process is also
run on the Series 3. When set up, the system makes the Series 3 drives
look completely like PC drives, and vice versa. PC file management
tools can be used with great convenience to manipulate files on both
machines transparently. RFM cannot be installed or removed under
Windows, but will run under Windows. RFM will lock your machine up
occassionally; in this case, turn the link off at the Series 3. Rest
the PC after the link icon disappears from the Series 3, or you may
need to reset both machines.

From Roman Habrat: It is possible to install, use and uninstall RFM
under Windows. Two things need to be done:
* use DOS SETVER ("setver rfm.exe 6.20") to set the DOS version
number reported to RFM (required for Win 95 only since it uses DOS
7.0)
* prevent RFM from detecting Windows (For Win95: check the option
inOS session Properties ->

-> Program ->
-> Advanced ->
-> "Prevent MS-DOS-based program from detecting Windows")

6.2 With an Amiga

For a long time, Amiga users had to resort to using the X/Y-Modem
protocols to transfer files back and forth with their Psions... that
was before Oliver Wagner gratified us with his great program:
AmigaNCP. To be able to use this program, you will need the PC version
of the cable (3-Link) which connects to your standard RS232 serial
port of your Amiga. You cannot buy the PC 3-Link without the PC
software anymore (PsiWin) but you can use an Acorn 3-Link cable which
is exactly the same and should cost less than the PC version.

AmigaNCP fully implements Psion's NCP protocol and thus allows you to
see your Psion as a remote drive of your Amiga and vice versa! File
transfers are now as easy as drag and drop. The program also contains
a simple text transfer mode which allows you to directly convert Psion
ASCII files to Amiga/UNIX type; it supports multi-serial cards and
needs WB 2.0+. AmigaNCP is shareware and available from the IC FTP
site or any Aminet site in the comm/misc directory. There is also a
WWW site devoted to AmigaNCP where you can always get the latest
version and read more about it: http://www.vapor.com/support/AmigaNCP/

This is definitively a must for all Amiga users!

6.2.1 Graphics support on the Amiga

There is a progam called "ViewPic" (by Marko Schuster) written in GFA
basic and available on any Aminet site. It supports black and grey and
even works with the stone age WB 1.3! Doesn't support multiple
pictures in a single file.

6.3 With a UNIX machine (by Edwin Klement)

Using the Psion's 3-Link cable data transfer between a Psion and a
UNIX workstation can be provided in several ways. One way is to use
NFS capabilities to mount the Psion only to the workstation, where it
is attached to via the serial cable. This is an easy way to capture
filesystem operations (e.g, change directory, list contents of
directory, move and copy files) in a program. All the UNIX commands
can be used on the PSION file system. Supported architectures are
SunOS 4.1.3, HPUX 9/10, Linux, AIX 3.2, Solaris 2.3/2.4/2.5, and SGI
IRIX 5.3/6.2. The software you need to run in order to mount the PSION
via NFS can be found in several PSION archives or look for the latest
"p3nfs" version directly on it's home site:
ftp://ftp.uni-erlangen.de/pub/psion3/local/utilities/

There is another proprietary program for Sun workstations that allows
transfer of files and a limited number of file operations over the
serial cable. It uses a proprietary protocol and has a command line
interface. There is a facility for automatically filtering files, a
backup utility and a mechanism for supporting scripts to automate
frequently used operations. This program called "suncom" was written
by Tim Graves at tim.graves@uk.sun.com. This program is provided AS
IS, no warranty of ANY kind is provided either by Tim Graves or Sun
Microsystems.

David MacKay mackay@mrao.cam.ac.uk has written an article concerning
his experience with hooking a psion up to a workstation. It's located
at: http://wol.ra.phy.cam.ac.uk/mackay/psion/psion.html

6.4 With a Macintosh (information taken from Paul DuBois' WWW site, see last
question for address)

You will need the Mac version of the 3-Link cable. This is almost the
same as the PC version, only the plug which goes into your Mac
changes; you can even make an adapter yourself if you already have the
PC version. For the software, you need "Psion Link" or "MCLink" for
Macintosh. Both come with the Mac 3-Link cable.

6.4.1 Psion Link

Psion Link allows you to see Psion disks from the Macintosh and
transfer files between machines using drag and drop. (You do this
within Psion Link's windows; the Psion doesn't appear as a volume on
the desktop.) It runs on any Macintosh with System 6.0 or later.

6.4.2 MCLink