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PSION SERIES 3x FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Chris Wesley 012Dec94 Welcome to the FAQ for comp.sys.psion. Find the contents table below. Questions and constructive comments are welcome. Send them to me at: Chris.Wesley@tiuk.ti.com. I. DISCLAIMER II. CREDITS III. COPYRIGHT IV. FAQ UPDATES V. NEWSGROUP NETIQUETTE 1. INTRODUCTORY INFORMATION a. What is the Series 3/3a ? b. Brief review of older Psion machines c. Comparison of Psion versus other palmtops d. User groups, CIX, Internet and Bulletin boards e. Obtaining machines: contacts and prices for f. Obtaining support: Psion addresses worldwide 2. HARDWARE a. Psion Series 3/3a hardware description b. Link, hardware and protocol details c. Power supplies: batteries & mains adaptors 3. HINTS & TIPS FOR GENERAL USE a. Known problems 4. COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE SOFTWARE, SERVICES & ACCESSORIES a. Business & Legal b. Education c. Leisure & Guides d. Navigation e. Communcations f. Utilities g. Diet, Health & Safety h. Time Management i. Mapping & Surveying j. Services k. Books & Accessories 5. SHAREWARE AND FREEWARE a. Relevant FTP and other sites. b. Other related ftp sites c. Summary of available applications; (mini-reviews?) 6. CONNECTING TO OTHER MACHINES 7. PRINTING 8. PROGRAMMING a. Overview of development possibilities b. Available books c. How to do various things/Hints & tricks I. DISCLAIMER I have taken steps to ensure that the information included here is correct, but this document is compiled in spare time for free, and I cannot resource thorough checking of all its contents. Therefore, I will not be held responsible for any consequences of your using the information contained in here. However, I am interested in making the FAQ as good as it can be, so your constructive feedback is welcome. II. CREDITS To create this document I have reviewed the Newsgroup activity at comp.sys.psion 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 the information here is provide by the newsgroup contributors, who are too numerous to credit individually. I'm just the clerk that put it all in one place. Special thanks go to Markus Illenseer, who owned the previous FAQ - from which I have also extracted useful information. Thanks also to Clive D.W. Feather [clive@sco.com], Daniel Senie [dts@world.std.com], Roger Burton-West [ubte30e@ucl.ac.uk], for extensive helpful comments on the preliminary FAQ. Other contributors are credited in the sections they provided special help in compiling. III. COPYRIGHT I assert copyright on this document. I encourage you to distributed it widely, but only in its complete and original form. IV. FAQ UPDATES For the time being at least, I 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. Contact me via the email address at the top of the FAQ, or call me at +44 234 223636. V. NEWSGROUP NETIQUETTE I thought it might be useful to include a few words about using the comp.sys.psion newsgroup. 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?) a. 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. b. 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. c. 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. d. Opinions on posting binaries differ. Placing your binaries in the archive, and referring to them in the newsgroup will not upset anyone, but it can take a week or so to get there, and it is more effort. Posting binaries to the group is very fast and low-effort, but the binary may be of little relevance to most readers, and its size may force some un-interested phone bill payers to spontaneously combust. Use common sense. A short binary of general interest is probably fine. A 4 Meg GIF of your mother is not. e. 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. 1. INTRODUCTORY INFORMATION =========================== a. What is the Psion 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. Many other applications are available commercially and from shareware outlets. More details elsewhere in the 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. b. Brief review of other Psion machines Acorn Re-badged Series 3a, aimed at education-related markets. Pocket Contains all the 3a applications, though named Book differently, plus a spell checker, thesaraus and a graph plotting application in a 2MB ROM (versus 1MB for Series 3a). Password protection capability is removed. Costs about 20 GBP more than a 3a. 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. Others 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), dialling codes database, on-screen clock) c. Comparison of Psion versus other palmtops A table comparing ther following machines is under construction. HP1000LX/95LX, Omnibook300, Sharp IQ/QZ/9000, Poquet, Wizard, Newton, PC3000, ZEOS, Palmbook d. User groups, CIX, Internet and Bulletin boards available 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 Feather: clive@sco.com] When phoning into the UK from outside it, do not dial the first zero in the number. Numbers marked "[US/CA only]" means that the number can only be called from the USA or Canada (sometimes both, sometimes only one). If no other number is specified, the person or company presumably does not want to deal with customers from elsewhere. [Clive D.W. Feather - clive@sco.com] Psion BBS Lonely Times +44 175 289 4422 [UK] +49 911 393 9034 300 [Germany] 14.4 Baud, 24hour Flightpath +44 181 759 3332 or Metcom BBS +44 181 759 6664 [UK] +44 1442 257 527 [UK] Pacific BBS Crystal Tower +44 1430 431 145 [UK] +44 817 598 244 The User Group +44 1752 894 422 [UK] Sysop: Adam Taylor Notes: Privately run, but Psion UK have an account there Dacom BBS +44 1908 260 435 [UK] Sysop: Andrew Morrow Notes: Psion Dacom, updates for PCMCIA Gold Cards Location: Milton Keynes, UK Psion GmbH BBS +49 617 237 090 [Germany] Sysop: Matthias Hlscher Notes: Series3/3a software, PCMCIA Gold Card updates Location: Bad Homburg, Germany Psion is also on CIX - the Palmtop A forum. e. Obtaining machines: contacts and prices for various countries Prices for 512K Psion are quoted for each when known, but you should review the Newsgroup for latest prices, as they change quite a bit, and I don't track those changes here very often. Marc Tebeka 2661 Emerson Street, Palo Alto, CA 94306, USA FAX: +1 415 323 4006 [USA] EMAIL: marc.tebeka@spacebbs.com Psion3a/512K: 390 dollars Jonathon Glaser New World Technologies, New York, USA 110 Greene St, Suite 1100 New York, NY 10012, USA 1 800 886 4967 [Toll free in USA only] Promises best available deal +1 212 941 4633 [worldwide access] FAX: +1 212 274 8527 UK Standard list price Psion 3a/512K: 329 pounds Various shops in Psion 3a/512K: 270 pounds Tottenham Court Road, London UK. Dabs Direct Psion3a/512K 272 pounds Phone: [UK] +44 131 556 4114, +44 161 773 8632 +44 1772 623 000, +44 1483 797 474 Fax: +44 1772 622 917, +44 1483 799 510 Byson Computers [UK] Fax: +44 1635 874 022 Email: ian@byson.demon.co.uk Clove Technology [UK] +44 1202 302 796 Rovoreed Ltd [UK] +44 1981 250 026 Computers Direct [US/CA Only] New Hamphsire 1 1800 222 4070 Psion 3a/512K $399 Official Psion distributor for Australia: Psitech Ltd Kangy Angy +61 4362 2014 email: psitech@cix PSIAR - Argentina Avendia de Mayo 963, 3rd Floor Buenos Aires Phone: +54 1345 4052 +54 1345 2351 Fax: +54 1345 3705 Hand Held Systems - Finland Torikatu 6-A, 451000 Kouvola, Finland Phone: +35 8513 710 017 Email: Pekka Aikas - Paikas@cix Comp 3 Lda, Portugal Rua Augusto Gil 30 A/B 1100 Lisbon Phone: +3511 7972 259 Fax: +3511 7951 928 Paresa SA, Spain c/ Balmes 113, ppal 1a 08008 Barcelona Phone: +34 3451 6505 Fax: +34 3451 6231 f. Obtaining support UK Offices: Alexander House 85 Frampton St London NW8 8NQ Phone +44-171-262-5580 Main desk +44-181-566-6162 Repairs +44-171-258-7276 Technical enquiries +44-171-258-7368 Sales & customer services +44-171-262-5580 Main switchboard +44-181-258-7376 Technical support hotline +44-171-258-7242 SDK support +44-181-566-6162 Repair administration (call only with returns note number) Fax +44-171-258-7340 Email Psion_corp@cix.compulink.co.uk 73733.32@compuserve.com UK Service centre: 17-19 Bristol Road Greenford Middlesex UB6 8UP +44-181-575-9919 Psion Incorporated 555 Virginia Road, Building 5 Concord, MA 02154 USA 1 800 54 PSION [USA callers only] 1 508 371 0310 1 508 371 9611 fax 71511.3401@compuserve.com 75300.3133@compuserve.com GregPaul@aol.com Psion Incorporated 1 Sansom STreet, Suite 2000 San Fransisco, CA 94104 USA +1 415 951 4764 Psion Inc are at +1 508 371 0310 in Concord Mass. USA In the USA only, contact 1 800 54 PSION to order parts. Psion distributor in Canada is Compulsys in Ville St-Laurent, Quebec. Phone 1 800 361 0609. [US/CA only] 2. HARDWARE =========== a. Psion Series 3/3a hardware description All Psion machines are based around the "SIBO architecture", which was developed to meet common goals which span the SIBO range, including Series 3. Of paramount importance is low power usage. To this end CMOS circuits are used, the CPUs are static - meaning their clocks can be slowed down or stopped and restarted without impairing function, and the specially designed ASIC chips implement sophisticated power management, which always ensures that only those parts of the machine which are needed, are powered up. Power is provided by 2 AA batteries during normal operation. A Lithium backup battery is provided which maintains memory during battery changes. A mains adaptor inlet is provided. A system clock runs independently of the CPU even when the machine is "off". This allows it to keep time and to wake the machine up when (for example) alarms expire. A six-pin outlet is provided, through which Serial and parallel ports may be connected. A sound system implements beeps on the Series 3 through a low power peizo-electric element at two volumes. On the 3a there is a more sophisticated system employing bi-directional digital-to-analogue conversion, a conventional speaker, and a microphone, which together support the recording and playback of digitally-recorded sound. Digital sound data is compressed and expanded between 8 and 13 bits by hardware in an ASIC using the Alaw algorithm during recording and playback respectively, at a sample rate of 8KHz. This performance conforms to the ISDN standard for digital phone systems. A Series 3 buzzer emulation is also available on the 3a. For both machines, there are two expansion ports into which RAM or EPROM memory modules may be placed. In tabular form, the differences are summarised below: Item Series 3 Series 3a H A R D W A R E PROCESSOR name V30H (80C86 compatible) ASIC-9 (80C86 compatible) Bitwidth 16 16 Speed 3.84 MHz 3.84 MHz video memory access 8 bit - half speed 16 bit - full speed MEMORY Internal 128 or 256Kbyte 256 or 512Kbytes Expansion 2 slots = 16Meg max 2 slots = 16 Meg max SOUND Output device Piezo beeper Loudspeaker Capability variable pitched Beeps Any sound and DTMF [*] Digital system NONE DAC/ADC 8/13 bits Sound recording NONE 8K samples per second Telephone dialler DTMF capability DTMF capability * Further sounds can be generated if a custom device driver is written DISPLAY Physical size 126 x 45 mm approx Display size 240x80 480x160 Display depth 2 - black/white 3 - black/grey/white PARALLEL PORT Via optional link Via optional link SERIAL PORT Via optional link Via optional link Software Installed in link pod In Psion 3a ROM Max speed 9600 baud 19200 baud S O F T W A R E SYSTEM SHELL Controls applications Upgraded on Series 3a DATA Database application Upgraded on Series 3a WORD Comprehensive document Upgraded on Series 3a processing system AGENDA Personal management Major upgrades on 3a application TIME Clock and alarms manager Upgraded on Series 3a WORLD World info database Cosmetic U/G on 3a CALC Calculator Calculator Allowing OPL extension Cosmetic upgrade on 3a SHEET [*] Spreadsheet application Speadsheet application available as add-on [*] built-in * In the US, and latterly in the UK, the "Series 3s" includes the spreadsheet as standard OPL Programming application Series 3 compatibility mode also available. b. Link, hardware and protocol details Refer to appendix at the archive. [not yet present] c. Power supplies: batteries & mains adaptors Normal power is provided by two AA batteries. Standby power is provided by a small Lithium backup battery, which maintains system data during main battery changes or failure. A Psion mains adaptor is available. Reports suggest that many general-purpose mains adaptors also work, and they are cheaper. Negative polarity should be selected - ie the tip should be negative. The Psion adaptor has an indentation around the outer conductor near the tip which facilitates snug fit for improved reliability. NiCad rechargeables may be used. These proivde less energy than conventional batteries (reports suggest maybe half) and they fade rapidly once their charge is nearly gone, but - they are rechargeable, and so offer a cost effective alternative. Note that NiCads are NOT recharging while the machine is powered by the adaptor. Lithium AA batteries are now available. They are 30% lighter than alkalines, and they last longer, but they are more expensive. The link causes high battery loadings, as does the sound system. Accessing the SSDs also increases power drain. Because of the static architecture, a busy CPU drains more power than a sleeping one, so compute-intensive tasks will burn power. For these reasons, it is difficult to quote battery performance exactly, but the table below summarises reports received on the net. Alkaline NiCad Lithium Running time 40-100 20 65-100 (Hrs) Power delivered 1500 800 1600-2700 (mAh) Price each 0.5 4.5 (UKP) Comment 30% lighter d. Upgrading Solid State Disks (SSDs) Refer to appendix at the archive. [not yet present] 3. HINTS & TIPS FOR GENERAL USAGE ================================= a. Known problems & solutions 1. BATTERY WARNINGS 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. 2. 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. 3. 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. Psion will repair this in warranty. You can fix 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 is not a problem on newer Series 3's or 3a's. 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 lid-damages-battery-wire bug mentioned elsewhere in this FAQ. 5. 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. 6. 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. 7. WORLD PHONE NUMBERS WRONG Apparently, a number of the country codes are wrong. You can fix by editting 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 is scheduled for the UK in 1994/5. See the Phoneday item in the archive or on CIX for details and a suite of programs to fix your databases. 8. AREA CODES CAN CAUSE 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. 9. 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. 10.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. 11.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. b. Entering Unusual Characters In many applications, you can enter special characters (for example - foreign characters not found on the keyboard) by holding down control, then typing the three digits of the ASCII code for the character (ASCII code table on page 246 of the User Guide). This works for all characters in the range 32 to 255. Some lower codes are used for control purposes. There is also a quicker way to enter letters with accents, umlauts etc. CONTROL can be used with the number keys as a character modifier directive. For example, "2" is the "Add an Umlaut" command, so you can hold down CONTROL then press "2" and "o" to get a umlauted "o". Most numbers are chosen as convenient mnemonics: 2 has " above it - which looks like an Umlaut; 3 has \ which simulates a grave accent; 5 has ', which produces and acute accent, etc. See the Character set section of the user guide for details. c. Resetting the machine You should not normally need to reset your machine at all. See KILLING ROGUE PROCESSES to find out how to terminate misbehaving applications. Doing a RESET re-initializes the system's processes. It re-starts things as though it had just been powered up, and so will make many error conditions go away. Doing a reset will also remove any software patches you may have applied. These would need to be re-applied after each reset. There are two kinds of reset. A SOFT RESET or WARM reset will restart processes, but leave the contents of the RAM disk, and environment variables intact. Do this by gently pushing something like a straightened paperclip into the small hole above the ESC/On key to do a "warm reset". A HARD RESET or COLD RESET will completely re-initialize the whole machine, removing all memory contents. To do this, hold down the right shift key whilst appliying your paperclip as for a warm reset. d. Screen Snapshots From any point, you can take a screen snapshot, by holding down Psion, shift, and Control, then pressing S. The PIC file generated is placed in M:SCREEN.PIC. 4. COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE SOFTWARE ================================== This is the official Psion commercial Software list. Thanks to Psion for providing it. All telephone numbers are UK unless stated otherwise. a. BUSINESS & LEGAL Asset Tracking - Please inquire for price. from Advanced New Technology +44 182 571 3058 Equipment Inspections, PAT checks plus more all within this well proven system. Control of all items, history, inspections, overdue status, locations and status. Full PC management control interface. Pocket Publishing - GBP 49.95 from Hockney Engineers Ltd. +44 113 245 5061 The easy way to print personalised letterheads and the quick way to write every day letters, with a choice of high profile distinctive styles. For use with Canon Bubble Jet Printers or Hewlett Packard and compatible laser printers. Job Search - Please inquire for price. from Maritek +44 141 554 2492 Helps the job seeker keep track of job applications, interviews, etc. It displays details of any application, lists applications and gives breakdown of the current state of applications. Banker - Please inquire for price. from Pelican Software +1 713 242 8928 Personal finance software for the Series 3a. Banker Imports and Exports to Quicken. Very easy to use and provides features such as easy transfers, split transactions, password protection, unerase, reconciliation, pop up Calculator and Calendar, reports, printing, reminders and Tidy. DataDeLuxe - GBP 69.95 from Pocket & Soul +32 3232 3468 Database for the Series 3 and 3a. Works with all existing data files. Toggles between a record view and table view of all selected records. Contains multiple search and select options and fast alphabetical sort routine. Banking Assistant - GBP 89.95 from Portable Software +44 190 463 3918 Built around a multi-currency, multi-account system with tax handling and cash flow forecasting. Separate budget planner and petty cash recorder plus an energy monitor. Complete with over 100 sophisticated financial calculators and converters. Text Assistant - GBP 89.95 from Portable Software +44 190 463 3918 Assembles letters, memos, orders, invoices or notices without lots of typing. Lays out the page automatically. Financial documents totalled allowing discount and tax calculations. Links to the Data system to produce mail shots. Sales Assistant - GBP 89.95 from Portable Software +44 190 463 3918 Integrated order processing, stock control and customer care. Full set of output documents and management reports. Special versions available for several industries. Training Assistant - GBP 89.95 from Portable Software +44 190 463 3918 Contains a register and results recording system. Designed for use in industrial training as well as educational establishments. Allows for self assessment by students. Carries out much of the tedious analysis and report writing. Office Assistant - GBP 89.95 from Portable Software +44 19 463 3918 Designed to help co-ordinate a busy office. Integrated time facility includes project monitor. Helps with filing and retrieving documents. Petty cash account plus inventory and loan equipment tracking. Contact EDGE - GBP 116.33 from Total Computer Systems +44 199 257 5151 Manages prospects, sales and business contact information by integrating a relational contact database and user defined report generator with the Psion 3 Agenda, Word and Spreadsheet. Contact TEAM links 3a's with Lotus Notes sales and marketing database for 2 way data exchange. Finance Pack - GBP 49.95 for Series 3, GBP 59.95 for Series 3a. from Widget Software Ltd. +44 143 881 5444 Ideal for home finance, self-assessment for income tax, small business accounts (without VAT). Ask for the "Widget Software Guide to Getting Rich", a four page booklet containing full details on this package. Agenda Link - Please inquire for price. from Widget Software Ltd. +44 1438-815-444 Share information in your Series 3 or 3a Agenda by linking it to either Lotus Organizer or MS Schedule Plus. Agenda Link translates the data from Series 3/3a to these popular Windows information managers. Child Support and Legal Aid - Please inquire for price. from Dodona Ltd. +44 122 264 4131 ChildSupport calculates liabilities and entitlements to child support and includes welfare benefits calculations. LegalAid calculates entitlement and contributions to a Green Form, ABWOR, Civil and Criminal Legal Aid. Helper 3 and Renovator - Please inquire for price. from Ferret Information Systems Ltd. +44 122 264 4660 Helper 3 calculates Income Support, Family Credit, DWA and Housing Benefits. Renovator calculates entitlement to Renovation, Grants for Owners and Tenants, Landlords and disabled Facilities Grants. b. EDUCATION Note: The "Acorn Pocket Book" is a re-badged Series 3. Acorn Schedule - GBP 19.95 from Acorn Computers Ltd. +44 122 325 4254 Supplied on an SSD ROM card with manual. This combines a diary, personal organiser and timetable. Also includes the spell checker. Acorn Plotter - GBP 35.19 from Acorn Computers Ltd. +44 122 325 4254 A graphical plotting application meeting all curriculum needs in Math and Science for key stages 3,4 and onwards as well as most of the requirements for A-Level. Supplied on SSD with manual. Explorer - GBP 92.82 from ExpLAN UK Ltd. +44 182 261 3868 Designed to allow the introduction of an IT content to field trips and surveys by replacing the traditional pen and paper worksheet with a structured set of questions on an Acorn Pocket Book or Series 3/3a. Event - GBP 24.95 from ExpLAN UK Ltd. +44 182 261 3868 A desktop diary for Acorn RISC computers designed to work with Schedule on the Acorn Pocket Book and Agenda on the Series 3/3a. Occasion - User version GBP 69.95. Network version available. from ExpLAN UK Ltd. +44 182 261 3868 A personal organiser application for Acorn RISC computers. Comprising a diary, address book, phone book and note book. Information may be exchanged with applications running on the Acorn Pocket Book and Series 3/3a. c. LEISURE & GUIDES Miscellany - GBP 34.95 from BroadOak Computing +44 171 836 7640 Includes Biorhythms, the Series 3 character set, the date of Easter 1901-2199, Football Pools manager and draw selector, RPI price comparisons 1947-1994 (9 indices) Games for Thinkers & Gamblers. Includes Roulette, Nim, Poker Dice and Quintet. Papillons - GBP 34.95 from BroadOak Computing +44 171 836 7640 A crossword-like linked-word game. Links may be anagrams, common associations of words, homophones, puns, synonyms. Cryptic clues help you to flit from word to word. GolfCard - GBP 69.95 and Analyst - GBP 25.00 from M-P (Golf) Systems +44 181 394 2049 GolfCard is a Database and Scoring System for use on and off the golf course. Use it to score all popular match formats for 1 to 4 players, Then save course details and match for reference and analysis. Analyst allows you to monitor you and your partners' progress. It can show all or a selection of a player's scores on one course at once, and then calculate averages, eclectic scores and other statistics. Games 3 - GBP 34.95 from Widget Software Ltd. +44 143 881 5444 Seven exciting and innovative games for your entertainment. Includes Castle, a full text adventure game; Bandit, a fruit machine; Poker and Solo, classic card games; Reversi, Quad and Minesweeper. Paint and Compose - GBP 69.95 from Widget Software Ltd. +44 143 881 5444 Paint can display or print downloaded PCX, GIF, or BMP files, create new pictures or capture and print spreadsheet graphs or screen shots. Compose can create and print melodies on bass or treble clef. The Greater London Restaurant Guide - 49.95 from Mobile Software +44 181 906 0002 Find the restaurants you want but didn't know existed, quickly and easily. A wide variety of search keys ensures that you ask the questions, and Mobile Pages gives the answers. For example, all Chinese restaurants serving both Cantonese and Peking food, with a non-smoking area and highchair availability. d. NAVIGATION Air Navigator - GBP 116.33 from Dolphin Digital +44 120 248 3050 Flight Planning software for PPL through to commercial use. Flight plan, fuel consumption and cost displayed or printed. Stores aircraft and route information, full weight and balance schedule plus dB Hold, crosswind, conversions, sunrise, and sunset etc. Full European or American database available. GNAV3 & GNAV3a - GBP 149.00 (GBP 249.00 for Pooleys) from Haggis Computers +44 146 767 1243 Professional flight planning using waypoints created from latitudes and longitudes, national grid references or bearing and distances from known waypoints or a track and distance. Pooleys, Europe, US databases available. LGBK3 & LGBK3a - GBP 149.00 from Haggis Computers +44 146 767 1243 An electronic logbook for the Professional or Private pilot. Handles both Fixed Wing and Rotary Wing. Includes a CAA CAP371 calculator for flying limitations and duty hours. Produces A4 certified print outs. astroNAVCOMP - From GBP 149.00 from Intecma Associates +44 184 434 4570 Multi-leg rhumb line and Great Circle passage planning. Celestial navigation with integral almanac for sun, moon, planets and stars. Easy to use - fixes computed without plotting. Running fixes. Graphic display of D.R., fix, and position lines. Astro-Navigation - Please inquire for price. from Maritek +44 141 554 2492 Sextant sight reduction calculations done quickly. Automatically compensates for refraction, parallax and sun diameter. Equally easy for moon, planets and stars. Running fixes, use for predictions and gives time of sunrise/sunset, twilight and transits. May be combined with Navigator. Flight Analyser - Please inquire for price. from Top of the Stack +44 123 585 0157 For glider pilots and balloonists. Allows you to upload, view, analyse and archive electronic barograph traces on the Series 3/3a. Features include auto scaling, multiple zooming, GPS support, automatic selection of climbs and descents and many useful utilities. Sightmaster 3 - Please inquire for price. from Dolphin Maritime Software Ltd. +44 172 845 4171 An Ocean Navigation program which includes memory of all data for navigation, Sight reduction with all corrections automatically applied, Almanac for 59 stars, the sun, the moon and all 4 planets until 2100 AD. Coastmaster 3 - Please inquire for price. from Dolphin Maritime Software Ltd. +44 172 845 4171 For the Yachtsman or professional Navigator who needs to store very large numbers of waypoints and routes. Computes intermediate points along a rhumb line, automatic route, ETA, true/apparent wind and many others. Stability Draft and Trim 3 - Please inquire for price. from Dolphin Maritime Software Ltd. +44 172 845 4171 For ship loading calculations. Storage for up to 10 ships, up to 99 voyages per ship, up to 99 cargo spaces, stores etc. per ship. All results printable via optional cable. Oil Survey 3 - Please inquire for price. from Dolphin Maritime Software Ltd. +44 172 845 4171 For oil and chemical cargoes. Up to 99 surveys may be stored. All the usual ASTM-IP tables plus many extras. Ability to print out survey with surveyor's name etc. via optional cable. NAVCOMP - From GBP 149.00 from Intecma Associates +44 184 434 4570 Passage and race planning. Multi-function multi-leg system with built-in tidal streams for N. Europe. Estimated hourly positions with graphic display of groundtrack. Up to 99 legs, 234 named waypoints with index. Wind oriented tacking. Optional NMEA +44 1183 interface. Navigator - Please inquire for price. from Maritek +44 141 554 2492 A chart table companion for navigation, passage planning and keeping a log. Unlimited waypoints/routes. Computes a detailed passage plan. Computes present positions, bearings, ground track and speed, and keeps performance data. Full GPS capability with optional receiver. Nautical Assistant - Please inquire for price. from Portable Software +44 190 463 3918 Check the European tide tables from the built-in data tables. Numerous navigational, waypoint and racing calculators included. e. COMMUNICATIONS InterData - Please inquire for price. from Lacegem Ltd. +44 161 792 2871 Gives you the power to manipulate your data effectively on your Series 3/3a and to work with, share and convert your data for use with your favourite Windows database. InterData S3 and InterData PC are supplied as a suite of two programs on a 3.5 inch disk. Interdata S3 available alone on flashpack. ESP/3 (Electronic Sales and Purchases for Series 3) - GBP 75.00 from Oak Software +44 192 681 5041 A communications base using the ESP/Net service which brings customers and producers together electronically. Additional applications can easily be written as required. Waspbox - Please inquire for price. from Wasp Software Ltd. +44 173 755 5989 Provides office machine costs recovery for professionals. Copier, fax control and direct chargeback to client account irrespective of computer software supplier. Any office machine can be made to function only when valid client codes are entered. Stand-alone or networked. Local reports or mainframe. Wasp Time Recorder - Please inquire for price. from Wasp Software Ltd. +44 173 755 5989 Portable Time Recorder for professionals. A host of features which you would have been pleased to think of yourself to make your business more fluent and profitable. Download and upload client details from network or mainframe. Report locally or on any supplier's system. Winlink - GBP 29.99 from Widget Software Ltd. +44 143 881 5444 Winlink makes communicating between a Series 3 or 3a and Windows easy. You need a Serial Link (RS232) Cable in order to use Winlink. VT100 Emulator - GBP 58.75 from Widget Software Ltd. +44 143 881 5444 Keep in touch with your office system or test equipment on site direct from the Series 3a. Use with remote system via modem or connect direct to any host requiring VT100 capability. Supports most VT100 features including underline, bold, reverse video, scrolling and keypad emulation. S3WP - Please inquire for price. from Point.X +42 224 225 347 Converts text between Series 3/3a Word processor and WordPerfect 5.1 files without losing any formatting information (styles, emphasis etc.). Database files (application DATA) can also be converted to WP 5.1 files. Utility is running from MS-DOS commands with various parameter settings. dBase Convert - Please inquire for price. from Point.X +42 224 225 347 Converts Series 3/3a database files from and to DBase file format (dBase III compatible). Also the ODB files (OPL data files) are handled. Program is MS-DOS command line driven and several parameters are provided. Agenda files can be transferred to dBase as well. S3 Backup - Please inquire for price. from Point.X +42 224 225 347 Provides simple and easy to use file backup from specified Series 3/3a disks (internal, A, B or any combination). Program runs from MS-DOS command line and can be included to the batch files. Program compares the files on Series 3 with contents of "archive" on PC to copy a new file. 3BASE - Please inquire for price. from The Turing Machine Company +31 206 533 033 A user-friendly Windows application offering data integration between your Series 3/3a database and many of the world's PC-based database applications. 3BASE will convert between Series 3, Series 3a, dBase IV, Windows Card, IIP95LX and FoxPro files and a variety of other database formats. Series 3 Tools - GBP 49.95 from Widget Software Ltd. +44 143 881 5444 Puts you in control of your Series 3/3a, telling you how much RAM you have left, how much space each file on your SSDs takes up and how to make the most of what you have left. Also includes Convert utility and Task Manager. Commander 3a -Please inquire for price. from Yellow Computing +49 713 695 1111 A toolbox of utilities for the Psion Series 3 and 3a. The Commander-Shell allows all file functions such as copying, renaming, deleting etc. Also includes a fast Database-Viewer, Data Compression, Hex Editor, SSD-Manager, Graphics view and print utility etc. f. DIET, HEALTH & SAFETY Compute-A-Diet - Please inquire for price. from Comcard Ltd. +44 190 577 8957 A complete dietary analysis system incorporating the UK National Food Database. Calculates your ideal weight, dietary requirements, daily averages and much more. US and Aus. versions also available. Risk MATRIX Assessments - Please inquire for price. from Advanced New Technology +44 182 571 3058 Full, user driven, Risk assessment system. Employs the Risk Matrix method of determining the risk level. Full risk action control and measures in place facilities. Full PC management control interface. Risk HRN Assessments - Please inquire for price. from Advanced New Technology +44 182 571 3058 Full, user driven, Risk assessment system. Employs the Hazard Rating Number formula technique to determining the risk level. Full risk action control and measures in place facilities. COSHH Assessments - Please inquire for price. from Advanced New Technology +44 182 571 3058 Allows H & S mangers to view COSHH details directly from the Series 3 and also enables them to undertake COSHH Assessments using the base chemical details. Full PC management control interface. Room Safety Checks - Please inquire for price. from Advanced New Technology +44 182 571 3058 The H & S Manager can walk into a room and check all safety aspects. Complete with hazard ratings, notepad and automatic action alarms directly from the Series 3 Agenda. Full PC management control interface. Visual P.A.T Inspections - Please inquire for price. from Advanced New Technology +44 182 571 3058 All electrical equipment can be checked easily and quickly for any obvious visual defects. Full recording of inspector, date, time and full results. Full history and overdue reporting. Full PC management control interface. g. TIME MANAGEMENT G-Tabs - GBP 99.95 from Gartside Neville Ltd. +44 172 233 3490 A sophisticated, easy to use system for collecting time, expense and cost data. Comprehensive facilities include activity timing, reviewing, cutting/pasting, merging, backing-up, printing and data transfer to the Psion Spreadsheet and PC-based accounting, database, spreadsheet and bespoke products. Timing Assistant - GBP 89.95 from Portable Software +44 190 463 3918 Contains a set of business and domestic timing utilities. These include a professional work timer, a scheduler plus fitness, phone and chess timers. With Data Assistant which extends the built-in Data system. Timebase - GBP 116.33 from Total Computer Systems +44 199 257 5151 Allows a service professional to record time, activity, expenses, costs and charges electronically. Available in single user form and muti-user department form. A further version can be linked to existing departmental time recording or accounts systems using Timebase LINK. h. MAPPING & SURVEYING Geographical Database - Please inquire for price. from Fawnbench Ltd. +44 127 645 1239 Displays a map of the UK from a digital database including roads, railways, and rivers with full annotation showing town and road names. Features can be searched for by name and location. Users can add their own features represented by custom icons. Planned Building/Room Inspections - Please inquire for price. from Advanced New Technology +44 182 571 3058 A complete Building/FM managers package. Buildings/Rooms can be set-up with standard blocks of questions, enabling all aspects of the room to be checked. Full hazard ratings and automatic agenda and alarms when actions are due. Asset Tracker & Portable Appliance Testing - Please inquire for price. from Surveying Technology +44 171 702 3850 A Facilities Management tool that utilises the Series 3a and interfaces with Seaward PAT testers. Simplifies using the Psion Series 3 in conjunction with a CCD barcode scanner to keep track of company assets. Survey Master Graphique - Please inquire for price. from Surveying Technology +44 171 702 3850 For creating survey drawings. A comprehensive list of commands that include entering symbols, editing data on site, calculating angles and viewing drawings on site. Download the survey drawing into AutoCAD or use DXF translator. Condition Survey Master - Please inquire for price. from Surveying Technology +44 171 702 3850 Designed for Building Surveyors and Property Managers. A fully customisable Condition Surveying system using GUI allows fully detailed internal and external works to be monitored and downloaded into the Windows database. i. SERVICES 3-Lib +44 125 251 5431 The 3-Lib Series 3/3a Public Domain & Shareware library has been established since January 1993 and currently has over 300 items available, for a nominal copying charge. Games, utilities, applications, programming guides and aides, PC-based tools, for Series 3 and 3a. Catalogue available on request. Advanced New Technology +44 182 571 3058 With a wide range of on-hand experience, work closely as partners with companies requiring custom systems to provide an effective solution in almost all aspects of business and industry. References for quality satisfaction available. Iceberg Software Ltd +44 137 181 0829 A consultancy service offering a professional team to meet your software requirements. Experience includes financial trading software, analytical, datafeed and remote Psion based access to PC applications. Can develop ideas and produce software for MS Windows, MS Windows NT and the Psion Series 3a. PNJ Consultants-Software Engineering +44 181 740 0215 A software engineering and consultancy service is provided for all types of Psion machines. Applications can be developed professionally to your requirements for use on their own or in conjunction with larger systems. Right Hand Software Ltd. +44 181 319 8576 Develop general and business applications for the Psion range of computers. Services include business requirement analysis, software design and programming in C or OPL, integration with desktop systems and implementation, training and support. The User Group - +44 175 276 8515 User group for Psion. Receive unlimited technical support, advice, newsletters, shareware, new software, discount hardware, special offers, own bulletin board, regional seminars and fun. Cost is GBP 28.00 per year. j. BOOKS & ACCESSORIES First Steps in Programming the Psion Series 3. By Mike Shaw. GBP 14.95 from Kuma Books Ltd. +44 173 484 4335 Step by step instruction of the programming process of OPL. Introduction to Using the Psion Series 3. By Rod Lawton and Issac Davis. GBP 14.95 from Kuma Books Ltd. +44 173 484 4335 Disregards all the computer jargon and concentrates on the machines abilities and potential as your own Personal Assistant. Serious Programming on the Psion Series 3. By Bill Aitken. GBP 14.95 from Kuma Books Ltd. +44 173 484 4335 Program planning and writing with many worked examples. Graphics programming on the Psion Series 3. By Bill Aitken. GBP 14.95 from Kuma Books Ltd. +44 173 484 4335 Detailed explanations of graphics programming with numerous worked out examples. Serious Programming on the Psion Series 3a. By Bill Aitken. GBP 16.95 from Kuma Books Ltd. +44 173 484 4335 Covers all the commands of the Series 3a including sound, drawing and filling in black and grey plus a major section on graphics. Programmeren in OPL - Please inquire for price. from Portasoft +31 757 042 05 Describes how you design an application in OPL for the Psion Series 3 and 3a. It starts with simple programming and continues with subjects like using structures, procedures, menus and window functions. Available in Dutch. Desk Stand - GBP 16.99 from Widget Software Ltd. +44 143 881 5444 If you don't have enough hands to talk on the phone and use the Series 3 at the same time, then you need this black, anodised aluminium desk stand. The angle of display makes it easier to read the screen and reduces glare. Designed to make your Series 3/3a stand out above even the largest mound of paperwork 5. SHAREWARE & FREEWARE ======================= a. Relevant FTP and other sites. There is a Psion forum in the UK's CIX system, where software can be obtained, called the Palmtop A forum. The main Internet Psion archive is in the UK, at: src.doc.ic.ac.uk. The relevant files are under /packages/psion/icdoc. HTML: <http://src.doc.ic.ac.uk/packages/psion.icdoc/> The archive is administered by: Lee McLoughlin: Lee McLoughlin. Phone: +44 171 594 8388 Dept of Computing, Imperial College, Fax: +44 171 584 8301 180 Queens Gate, London, SW7 2BZ, UK. Email: L.McLoughlin@doc.ic.ac.uk There are other archives: ftp.uni-erlangen.de:pub/psion3/... [131.188.2.43] http://www.comlab.ox.ac.uk/oucl/users/robin.watts/Docs/ http://alife1.cs.man.ac.uk/psion (http://130.88.240.101/psion) Steve Litchfield runs a shareware library in the UK: 3-Lib Shareware for the Series 3 and Series 3a SAE for catalogue to: 8 Grove Farm, Mytchett, Surrey, GU16 6AQ, England 6. COMMUNICATIONS ================= a. MCLINK MCLINK is 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. b. 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. c. RCOM Is a beta version of Psion's replacement for MCLINK. It is available at the IC archive. It provides the 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. d. RFM RFM is also available from the archive (RFM110); it is also 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. e. CONNECTING MODEMS Psion provide 3FAX, which is a hardware and software add-on offering FAX capability and a data modem operating at 2400 baud. The 3-Link cable/software offers a standard serial interface through which standard modems can be connected, operating up to the Series 3a limit of 19.2K (9.6K for the Series3). Paraphrasing "Lord John" - w0400@ggr.co.uk: The Serial 3link cable is a null modem connection, with a male 25 way end. To work with a modem, you need to "un-null" the modem wires, so you have a straight through link. The wiring of the plug is below. Choose plugs with whatever gender you need. 2 ------------- 3 3 ------------- 2 4 ------------- 5 5 ------------- 4 6 -+----------- 20 8 -+ 20 -----------+- 6 +- 8 7 ------------- 7 The harder part is correctly configuring the modem; each modem is different. You need to configure the modem and the Series 3/3a to handshake on RTS/CTS. I do not use Xon and Xoff for flow control with the modem; these characters are passed through to whatever is connected to the modem. Using this configuration, I can consistently operate the link at full speed with no problems. Also of interest, Klaus @ ernstk@delphi.com notes: The Psion Modem Adapter (cable), Partnumber 055856, is wired like this: Pin name Pin number Direction DB-25 Mini-Din Series3 - Other DCD 1 <------------- 8 RD 2 <------------- 3 TD 3 -------------> 2 DTR 4 -------------> 20 SG 5 -------------- 7 DSR 6 <------------- 6 RTS 7 -------------> 4 CTS 8 <------------- 5 RI 9 <------------- 22 FG shield -------------- 1 f. TERMINAL EMULATION The 3-link cable software includes a dumb terminal emulation. VT100 emulators are also available. There are two in the Imperial archive: term122s.zip VT100 emulator from Psion GmbH vt100v2a.zip VT100 emulator from Widget - these are crippled versions of commercial products. 7. PRINTING =========== There are a number of ways you can print from your Psion a. Through the prallel link, connect your Psion directly to your printer. b. Through the serial link - use the printer setup dialogues appropriately. c. Use PRINT SETUP to select printing to be to a file called REM::C:\LPT1. Run MCLINK on your PC, and activate the link from the Psion. Now all print requests will go through the link to the PC printer, and MCLINK is available for file transfers - better than MCPRINT. This solution also works with RCOM. On some PCs running Windows, it may be better to print to LPT1.PRN, which traverses through the DOS/Windows device drivers slightly differently. [Daniel Senie - dts@world.std.com] d. Use RFM (see elsewhere in the FAQ) to make Psion drives visible, then use a conventional PC tool to print files from the Psion. 8. PROGRAMMING ============== A. OVERVIEW OF DEVELOPMENT POSSIBILITIES There are a number of ways in which you can program the Psion. Choose the one which fits your abilities, requirements, and budget. I. OPL programming directly on the Psion This is the most straightforward. If you can live with the cramped keyboard and screen, you can pursue this option with no further outlay, anywhere you can take your Psion. Some alleviators: i. A database of the OPL commands is available from the Imperial archive (see section 5) which you can load into the built-in DATA application. ii. Switching off the clock in the OPL editor will give you more active screen width. CONTROL/menu toggles this. iii. CONTROL/Word takes you straight to the OPL editor from the system screen. You can also make use of some of the data which follows in this section, so read on. II. OPL programming from a PC You can compose your OPL text files on your PC and send them down to the Psion with the link for translation, or you can obtain S3ATRA from the Imperial archive (Section 5). S3ATRA will translate your OPL source into .OPO format which you can then use the link to move to the Psion. In addition to translating simple OPL, S3ATRA understyands a number of C-like pre-processor commands, which make source preparation easier. As well as this advantage, source preparation on a PC allows use of the full-sized keyboard and screen, use of whatever text editor you favour, convenient storage and archival of important source code, and access to printers. There is a Psion 3 emulator for the Series 3, available in the archive, which allows you to run OPL programs on the PC. There is also an emulator for the Series 3a, which has recently been made widely available. The "Psionics files" are a collection of information for the OPL programmer who wants to know more than is in the programming manual, but who doesn't want the expense and effort of getting the SDK. They include general explanations of system concepts, descriptions of all the system calls usable from OPL, information about some useful device drivers, and random other useful items. Much of the information is taken from the official Psion SDK manuals, with permission. Clive D.W. Feather [clive@sco.com] is widely appreciated for having taken the time to bring this information to the Psion community. Psion offer Software Development Kits - "SDKs". The lowest level is the documentation-only level. This currently includes three large ring-binders which document vast amounts of detail about the Psion. Though much is of prime relevance to C programmers, a lot of essential information can be gleened by the astute OPL programmer. System calls, file formats, transmission protocols, OS structure etc. are all to be had. The SDK costs 75 UKP. See the contacts section if you want to order it. III. C Development on PC The second level of SDK (see above) is called the "Standard SDK". It includes the documentation mentioned above, and some software on floppies. The software comprises the TopSpeed C language system, an interactive Psion debugger, some customisation files, and some examples. This costs 155 UKP. "TopSpeed C" is a general purpose development environment and C compiler. You can use it to write C programs for your PC, and the development environment allows you to add other language compilers. Psion's customisation files taylor TopSpeed C so that it can generate image files which will run on the Psion. The Psion debugger allows C programs to be debugged. Debugging can be done at the C source code level, or at assembly language level, or in a mixture of the two. The debugger also allows programs to be run locally on the PC in a form of Psion emulator, or run on the Psion itself through the serial link. A slew of very useful features are included in the debugger. Psion also provide some example programs which are referenced in the manuals. Going through these with the manual is a good way to learn about the Psion and the best way to program on it. The SPY application is amoung the examples included. It is theoretically possible to write C programs for the Psion using other compilers, but extensive expertise would be needed to avoid the pitfalls. For example, Topspeed C implements parameter passing in a way which is compatible with the Epoch operating system. Object-oriented programming is possible in this C environment. IV. Advanced C Development on a PC The highest level of SDK is the "Professional SDK". This adds the source code of various device drivers to the Standard SDK. It costs 295 UKP. B. AVAILABLE BOOKS [JOHN A WATSON: JAWATSON@THELCASTLE.WIN-UK.NET] In order of complexity, the following books are available. 1. First Steps in Programming the Psion Series 3 by Mike Shaw, 14.95 GB ISBN 0-7457-0145-0 14.95. An introduction to the basic principles of programming. 2. Graphic Programming on the Psion Series 3 by Bill Aitken, 14.95 GBP ISBN 0-7457-0156-6 14.95 As the title suggests this is for those interested in graphics. 3. Serious Programming on the Psion 3a by Bill Aitken, 16.95 GBP ISBN 0-7457-0035-7 14.95. (Series 3) ISBN 0-7457-0282-1 16.95 (Series 3a) A complete OPL programming tutorial thro' basics to advanced especially graphics including sprite design. If you're really serious (not for the faint hearted - this one). 4. Machine Code Programming on the Psion Series 3a & 3 by John Farrant, 16.95 GBP As the title suggests this book tells you how to program in 8086 machine code and assembly language. The price/package includes a fully functional two-pass assembler with tesxt editor and debugger. 5. Introduction to Using the Psion Series 3 by Ros Lawton & Isaac Davis, 14.95 GBP ISBN 0-7457-0146-9 14.95. 6. The 100 Most Frequently Asked Questions for You and Your Psion Series 3a & 3' by Richard Bloss & Adam Taylor, 9.95 GBP ISBN 0-7457-0300-3 C. HOW TO DO VARIOUS THINGS/HINTS & TRICKS [Thanks for material from Andrew Baldwin: andrew@zarquon.demon.co.uk] 1. First - reading the programming manual which came with your Psion more than once is thoroughly recommended ! 2. REVTRAN - is a reverse translator available at the archive. It turns OPO modules back into OPL - though variable names may be lost. This program allows developers to see how others have implemented their programs, and this may give valuable insights into useful programming techniques. Please note that you should not use REVTRAN to circumvent protection mechanisms, to avoid paying shareware fees, to steal programs or fragments thereof, or to do anything else illegal or anti-social. Some OPL programs are protected against reverse translation. 2. SPRITES - the manual doesn't make it clear. You can have only one sprite. You must emulate any further sprite functionality in OPL. 3. MULTI-DIMENSIONAL ARRAYS - are not provided in OPL, but they can be emulated. For example, a two dimensional array: ARRAY%(X%,Y%) may be implemented by declaring ARRAY%(Z%) (where Z%=X%*Y%). You can now access element (a%,b%) as ARRAY((b%-1)*X% + a%). Each access requires arithmetic so this will incurr a speed penalty. 4. SPEED - OPL can get slow. Here are some ideas for speeding them up. a. Where does your program spend the most time ? Find out, and concentrate on those sections. It's pointless speeding up code segments which will not impact overall speed significantly. b. The use of floating point numbers is very slow; the Series 3 calls code which emulates a floating point processing chip. Major gains can be had if you avoid floating point numbers. Often integers can be used with a mental shift of the decimal point. c. BUILT-IN FUNCTIONS like SIN can also be very slow. Sometimes it is preferable to build a table of answers and use a look-up strategy. d. On the Series 3a, make use of the procedure cache, which can keep often-used procedures in memory - thereby avoiding a heavy time penalty for loading them in. On the Series 3 there is no cache to use, but you can place the procedure code inline to avoid the overhead. There will be a readability/complexity overhead to trade off. e. Use gUPDATE to restrict screen updates, as detailed in the manual. f. OPL allows the programmer to call machine code routines, which can be highly optimized for speed. These can be built from C programs using the SDK, or with an assembler (available in the archive). Programming at low levels requires extensive knowledge of the Series 3 Operating System. During development crashes are common, and data loss may well occur. Also note that re-implementing a code segment at a lower level will not necessarily give significant speed improvements; it depends on what the code is doing. END .