FindHack User's Guide

(Read all of this, please!)

Copyright 1997-2000 by Florent Pillet, All Rights Reserved.
FindHack is a $10 shareware product. Please register!
FindHack Web Site: http://perso.wanadoo.fr/fpillet/
Mirror Web Site:
http://fpillet.free.fr/
E-mail:
Florent.Pillet@wanadoo.fr
Alternate e-mail:
fpillet@kagi.com


Table of contents

  1. About FindHack
  2. Installing FindHack
  3. Upgrading from a previous version
  4. Configuring and using FindHack
  5. Tips and tricks
  6. Compatibility with other hacks
  7. Limitations and troubleshooting
  8. Pay For Your Sharewares!
  9. Send your comments and suggestions
  10. Other fine products from the author
  11. Changes history


1. About FindHack

FindHack is a replacement for the Palm's Find function. It is compatible with all PalmPilot and IBM WorkPad units, Palm III, Palm IIIc, Palm IIIx, Palm V, Palm VII, HandSpring Visors, Symbol SPT, TRG and all other PalmOS-based devices. FindHack brings the following enhancements:

2. Installing FindHack

FindHack is a HackMaster extension. It is not an application, and can not be run alone. To install it, you first need to install HackMaster from Daggerware. You can download HackMaster from the HackMaster Web Site:

http://www.daggerware.com/hackmstr.htm

You can also download HackMaster from many Palm-oriented web sites. All web sites providing software for your Palm handheld also offer HackMaster.

Note: HackMaster is shareware. Please support shareware!

 

3. Upgrading from a previous version

If you have a previous version of FindHack installed on your Palm handheld, make sure you first deactivate it by going to the HackMaster application and unchecking the checkbox left to the 'FindHack' line. If you do not deactivate FindHack before installing the new version, your Palm handheld will most certainly crash the next time you try to do a Find.

Install FindHack and HackMaster on your Palm (if HackMaster is already installed, you do not need to reinstall it).

 

4. Configuring and using FindHack

Once you have installed HackMaster and FindHack, start the HackMaster application. You will see a list of installed hacks, including FindHack. On the left, a checkbox lets you activate or deactivate FindHack. On the right, the question mark brings FindHack's About box.

 

Tap in the + sign to set FindHack preferences. You can now enter up to 4 permanent searches, which will appear at bottom of the recent searches pop-up menu when you do a Find.


You can also preselect where each text will be searched by taping the arrow next to each line: in all applications, in built-in applications (Memo Pad, Date Book, To-Do List, Mail, Expense), in the current application or in the current text field (when applicable).

 

Tap the Apps... button to access the apps selection screen. This lists all the apps on your Palm handheld and lets you select which apps should not be searched. Only apps with a checkmark in front of them will be searched. To set or remove the checkmark, simply tap the name of the application.

 

Once you have activated FindHack, the next time you do a Find the standard Find dialog box will be replaced with FindHack's. You'll notice an arrow at right of the text field: tap on it to select a recent search or one of the permanent searches you have configured.

Select where you want to search by tapping one of the buttons: All Apps for all applications, Built-Ins for built-in applications, Curr. App for the current application. This is very useful, especially if you often need to search an address or a meeting and you have lots of applications installed on your handheld.

Finally, if you were editing a text field when you invoked Find, a Text button becomes available. This lets you search the next occurence of the search string withing the current text field, starting from the position of the cursor.

 

5. Tips And Tricks

There are many ways to use FindHack in a productive fashion:

 

6. Compatibility with other hacks

FindHack is fully compatible with all other hacks. If you are using TealMagnify, you should take some extra steps to ensure that both hacks will work properly.

Doing so is very easy: go to the HackMaster application. You see a list of installed hacks. The order of the list is important: if you see TealMagnify appear AFTER FindHack, you should uncheck the checkbox on the "TealMagnify" line, then check it again. This will move TealMagnify at top of the list: now you are sure that it is called first.

 

7. Limitations and troubleshooting

 

  1. Why FindHack won't improve Find in some applications

    FindHack has two levels of improvement:

    First, it lets users select whether they want to find text in the current application, in built-in applications or in all applications. It also remembers the last searches you did. This is compatible with all applications.

    Second, it lets you find text even if it is not at beginning of a word. This functionality will work only if applications use the standard PalmOS services to perform the find. Some applications have a custom, proprietary way of doing a Find because they store data in a specific way. FindHack can not help you find text not at beginning of a word in these applications.

  2. What happens in low memory conditions

    FindHack needs a bit more memory than the original Find function in the Palm handheld. When you tap the Find button, FindHack first checks how much memory remains in the current application, and if it considers it is not enough, it directs you to the original Find function.

  3. My Palm crashes after I tap the Find button

    Too often, badly designed applications tend to crash when doing a Find. FindHack itself proved to be very reliable and has never been the cause of the crashes. There are several steps you can take to solve this problem:

    1. Use the "Applications To Search" dialog in FindHack's settings dialog to remove suspect applications when searching, then repeat your Find to see if it still crashes. Repeat this step until you find the culprit.
    2. Deactivate FindHack and check whether the same search crashes your Palm handheld with the built-in Find.
    3. As a last resort, drop me a note so that I can help you solve this problem.

       

  4. FindHack finds items which are marked 'private' when private items are hidden

    This problem may occur if an application allows you to search in private items when in "Hide Private Data" mode. FindHack can not prevent an application from doing this because it has no control over which items the application looks into. You should report the problem to the author of the application.

  5. I use ActionNames. When searching the "Current Application", FindHack does not find items in Action Names

    This problem occurs because Action Names does not store Todo items, Datebook items or Contact items in its own database, but rather in the Palm's built-in applications' databases. To be able to find an item in Action Names, the user must at least let FindHack search in the "Built-In" databases.

8. Pay For Your Sharewares!

The shareware distribution model allows authors to make very cheap software available to users. Also, shareware authors usually update their software as often as needed, and paying for the software you use keeps authors motivated!

You can register FindHack online at the following sites:

 

9. Send your comments and suggestions!

If there is any improvement you would like, please send your suggestions to Florent Pillet (e-mail: Florent.Pillet@wanadoo.fr). Registered users are notified by e-mail when a new version is available. Also, please remember to send any e-mail address change to the author if you want to continue receiving update e-mails.

Your e-mail and address and user information is kept as confidential data. It is not given or sold to anyone else.

 

10. Other fine products from the author

Have problems accessing special characters in Graffiti? Can't get mathematical symbols? Check out SymbolHack, a nice add-on that gives you easy access to a palette with hard-to-type characters!

Use a Macintosh? Want to mount your Palm on your desktop like a disk and do drag-and-drop installs and backups? Would like to drop a text file on your Palm and have it automatically converted to a DOC document? Don't wait! Check out Palm Buddy, the state of the art Mac-based backup and install companion for your Palm connected organizer!

Also make sure you give a try to BrainForest from Aportis Technologies, the definitive Outliner, Action Item, Checklist and Project Manager for the 3Com Palm Connected Organizer! BrainForest is now available with a Macintosh and Windows desktop companion offering the same, uncompromised functionality!

11. Changes history

FindHack 3.0 (May, 2000)

FindHack 2.8 (March 10th, 1998)

FindHack 2.7 (March 9th, 1998)

FindHack 2.6 (End February 1998)

FindHack 2.5 (February 1998)

FindHack 2.1 (January 1998)

FindHack 2.0 (December 1997)

FindHack 1.0 (April 1997)

 


FindHack is Copyright (c) 1997-2000 by Florent Pillet, All Rights Reserved.