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Copyright (C) 2006, 2007 P. Douglas Reeder

This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.

This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License for more details.

You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin St, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA

Mention of other software is for informational purposes only; it does not convey any endorsement.

All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

INTRODUCTION

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VFS Exchange is a simple utility which feeds files from the Palm OS Virtual File System into the Exchange Manager (a component of Palm OS). It allows one to import files into the appropriate application, and avoid some hassles. The effect is much like beaming the file to the handheld, with the additional option of choosing which application imports the file. Applications and data can be installed from desktop computers where you can't (or don't want to) install HotSync.

Some applications can View as well as Import. Viewing will not save the file in the application's database. Web (Blazer) and Documents To Go are perhaps the best known of these.

Some examples:
  • MIDI (.mid), WAVE (.wav), QCELP (.qcp), and Adaptive Multi-Rate a.k.a. ACELP (.amr) files can be installed into the system sound database, for use as ringtones or alarms, on some devices such as the Treo 650, 700p and 680. (All such files must be less than 64kB in size. The Treo 600 can use MIDI files. MIDI files must be single-track. AMR files must be narrow-band.)
  • Java Midlets in .jar files can be installed into IBM's J9 Java environment.
  • Applications (.prc) and databases (.pdb) can be installed from desktop machines where you can't or don't want to install HotSync, Palm Install Tool or Palm Quick Install, such as machines running Windows Vista. (This requires an SD card reader, Softick's Card Export, or Palm File Browser.)
  • HTML (.html) files can be viewed in a web browser. This is useful if your web browser does not have a command to open files, or requires arcane URLs to do so.
  • Any file that contains text can be imported into a memo or text editor.
  • The first line of any file that contains text can be displayed, using the "Preview as Text" menu item.
  • Documents To Go can view office documents or any file that contains text, without wanting to sync the file later.
  • VFS Exchange can inform you of undocumented capabilities. Did you know that Media can display MPEG-1, AVI, ASF, TIFF, device-independant bitmap (.dib) and wireless bitmap (WBMP) files? That Resco Explorer lets you receive zip archives via Bluetooth? That SiEd lets you receive and edit .c, .html, and .php files?
  • Data can be transferred from non-Palm OS devices that write SD cards (such as digital cameras), but don't support beaming or Bluetooth.
  • VCard (.vcf) files can be imported into Address Book/Contacts.
  • VCal (.vcs) files can be imported into Date Book/Calendar.
  • Different versions of an application can be stored in VFS and installed to memory as needed.
  • Seldom-used databases can be stored in a VFS directory other than /PALM/Launcher (so their application won't see them), and installed to memory when needed.
  • When you don't know what application to use with a file, VFS Exchange might be able to help.

INSTALLATION

To install VFS Exchange on your handheld, HotSync the file VFSExchange.prc to your handheld. If you have a German-language handheld (or might beam VFS Exchange to a German-language handheld) HotSync both VFSExchange.prc and VFSExchange_deDE.prc.

COMPATIBILITY

  • The handheld must support VFS, which requires at least Palm OS 3.1. A VFS volume must be mounted, which may require media not sold with the handheld.
  • Importing or viewing a file depends on another application accepting it via the Exchange Manager. Available applications and their capabilities (and bugs) vary from handheld to handheld.
  • Applications stored on a VFS volume cannot import data using the Exchange Manager. VFS Exchange itself can be run from a VFS volume, however.
  • One-handed navigation support is available on Treo 650, Treo 700p, Treo 680 and Tungsten T5 handhelds.
  • VFS Exchange has been tested with a US-English Kyocera 7135, Tungsten T, Treo 650, Treo 700p and Treo 680 and a simulated German 700p. It should work, but has not been tested with, handhelds localized to other languages with single-byte character sets.
  • VFS Exchange has no dependence on the operating system of the computer used to HotSync. However, destination applications may be sensitive to things such as the line termination character (carriage return vs. line feed).

VERSION HISTORY

1.0 Jan 2006
Initial public release
1.1 May 2006
Added installation by data type, and slightly improved error handling
1.1.1 Jun 2006
Added 700p tweak & small icons
Added German translation
Removed obsolete "Refresh Volume List" menu item
1.1.2 Mar 2007
New German translation by Daniel Seifert.
Updated documentation.
1.2.0 Apr 2007
Added View functionality. Program state saved.
Import by extension pre-checked.
1.3.0 May 2007
Changed focus from types to applications.
New "Handled by" popup list replaces three buttons.
New "Import by Extension..." menu item lists some apps that don't show up in the by-type import dialog.
New "Preview as Text..." menu item.

CONTACT

reeder.29 at osu.edu

DOWNLOAD

download VFS Exchange v1.3.0 package (includes Register Jar to allow HotSyncing Java midlets)
download PRC file only
download German overlay