Quick start guide

 

PiDirectVFS is a virtual memory manager, which allows you to directly run applications and access read-only databases stored on the expansion card without the need to transfer the complete program and/or data file to internal memory on the handheld device prior to being used.

 

Prior to using PiDirect, other programs must be used to set up a subdirectory on the memory card and also to transfer the program(s) and/or data from the desktop computer or the handheld device internal memory to the memory card subdirectory.  Specific instructions for doing this are given below.

 

Example Tasks

Four example tasks will be shown:

 

Example Task 1:  Run an application on card

This task involves creating a folder, transfer the application and setup PiDirect.

 

Step 1.  Set up the sub-directory

Use third party file manager (e.g. McFile or Filez) to create a sub-directory under Palm directory specifically reserved for files you want to access through PiDirect.

 

Fig. 1

Figure 1. Shows the ¡§/Palm¡¨sub-directory as you seen in McFile.  Use McFile to create a ¡§PiDirect¡¨ sub-directory within the Palm directory.

 

Fig. 2

Figure 2. User can see the dialog box that results from tapping the ¡§New¡¨ button on the previous screen.  Type in ¡§PiDirect¡¨ and tap ¡§OK¡¨.

Fig 3

Figure 3. Show the resulting screen of ¡§PiDirect¡¨ now appears as a folder within ¡§/Palm¡¨.

 

Step 2. Move Application

Navigating to the appropriate folder (¡§/Palm/PiDirect/¡¨), switch to the internal view

 

Fig. 4

Figure 4.  Select the application you want to run on card.  And then tap the ¡§Move¡¨ button.

Fig. 5

Figure 5.  Select the ¡§/Palm/PiDirect/¡¨ as destination folder

And tap the ¡§OK¡¨ button to start the operation.

 

Step 3. Activate PiDirect

User can either tap on the PiDirect icon or use the Palm ¡§Preferences¡¨ applications (i.e. the place you go to reset your digitizer, change the volume of alarms, etc.) to launch PiDirect.

From within the Preferences application, tap on the category control at the top right, and select PiDirect.

 

Fig. 6

Figure 6. Shows the general screen shot of PiDirectPanel:

  • The ¡§Path¡¨ is the directory that PiDirect will force the Palm to treat as if it were RAM.  Files placed on there will be visible to application.
  • The ¡§Setting¡¨ button (describe in more detail in a later section) allows you to specify applications for which PiDirect will need to pause and resume, or stop and rescan to avoid conflict and facilitate the usage of PiDirect.
  • The two push buttons are ¡§Enable¡¨ and ¡§Disable¡¨.  Tapping ¡§Enable¡¨ causes the directory specified in the ¡§path¡¨ field to be ¡§active¡¨.

 

Fig. 7

Figure 7.   Tap the ¡§Enable¡¨ button to activate PiDirect.  The ¡§Databases on card¡¨ will show the number of databases run on card.

 

Step 4. Task Finished

Fig. 8

Figure 8.  The application icon of the card¡¦s application will show up on your launcher  (with a dot before icon name for the default launcher).

 

Tap the icon and you can start the card¡¦s application and run it.

 

 

Example Task 2: Install a document reader and its database to expansion card with card reader

This task involves installing a document reader, TomeRaider, and a document (about 12M) by a card reader, and then accesses the document on Palm

 

Step 1. Copy files to PiDirect folder by card reader


Fig. 9

Figure 9.  Connect the card reader of your expansion card to your PC.  Install the necessary driver for the card reader (sometimes your system may detect it and install the driver for you).  After it is set-up correctly, you should notify that a new drive appears e.g. Removable Disk (E:).

 

 

 

 

Figure 10.  Copy the document reader, "TomeRaider.prc", and a document, "websters_encylo.pdb", to the PiDirect folder, which is "E:\Palm\PiDirect" in this case.

 


Fig. 10

 

After you have copied these 2 files, eject the card from the card reader and then insert into the expansion card slot of your Palm device.

 

 

 

Step 2. Enable PiDirect

 


Fig. 11

Figure 11.  Launch PiDirect, verify the path is "/Palm/PiDirect", and then tap on the enable button.  Please refer to Example Task 1 for details.

 

After PiDirect is enabled, you will see "Databases on card" is 2. Now you can exit from PiDirect.

 

 

 

Step 3. Run the document reader and read the document

After you exit from PiDirect you will see the TomeRaider icon. Tap TomeRaider icon to launch it and you are now ready to read the document.

 



 

 



Example Task 3:  Manage PiDirect Preference List

Palm applications commonly assume all databases reside on RAM.  Some applications do not work well with PiDirect (e.g. Some backup applications).  PiDirect need to be disable when enter those conflict applications, meanwhile PiDirect may need to rescan after entering some applications (e.g. 3rd party file manager),

 

User can set those preferences in the preference list of PiDirect; PiDirect will handle those conflict and rescan-needed applications automatically.

 

Adding applications to Preference List

Fig. 12

Fig. 13

1.      In PiDirectPanel, tap ¡§Disable¡¨ push button, the ¡§setting¡¨ button will appear.

2.      Tap on the ¡§setting¡¨ button.  The ¡§Prefs List¡¨ Form will pop up

3.      User could tap on the ¡§default¡¨ button for PiDirect to arrange those common setting for you.

4.      Tap the icon area of the conflict application to switch its state.  (Pause and resume state is commonly used to avoid conflict)

5.      Tap ¡§OK¡¨ to save the setting and exit

6.      On PiDirectPanel, tap ¡§OK¡¨ to re-enable PiDirect with the new preference.

 

 

Note: 

When entering or leaving ¡§Disable and Rescan¡¨ application, PiDirect need to clean up and rebuild the application list.  It may cause the palm device blank out for a while during processing.

 

Example Task 4: Manage PiDirect ¡§active¡¨ path (For register user only)

PiDirect allows user to specify up to 16 user-specified sub-directories, and allows user to switch between them in the PiDirectPanel

 

It is recommended user to manage their files under different sub-directories.  And switch between them simply.

 

To create and specify a new ¡§active¡¨ path

Fig. 14

Fig. 15

1.      Tap PiDirect icon to enter PiDirectPanel

2.      As show in Figure 14, tap on the path name, and the active path list will pop up

3.      Select Edit Subdirectory list¡K.

4.      Figure15. Users can create/rename/delete any enter displayed here.

5.      Tap ¡§OK¡¨ when completed

6.      Tap the path trigger again, and select the active path for PiDirect

 

Note:

The active path list just provide a simple way for user to switch between different path, user should create the sub-directory with other 3rd party file manager