Using ER5 data files without a PDA?

Paul Taylor

unread,

May 29, 2006, 9:38:45 AM5/29/06

to

Thanks to CopyAnywhere, I've created over 1800 ER5 Data files of electronics
stuff.

With no sign of a new organiser that can translate or directly use ER5 data
files, it just leaves
buying old machines to use CopyAnywhere to paste into Data files.

So now I'm wondering if its possible to write an editor program to be able
to paste into ER5 Data files on a PC.
*If* Psion release a new (Linux) netBook *With* a Data app that can use ER5
data files, *and* CopyAnywhere
function, then I don't need to struggle to write my own editor, but there's
no proof they ever will?

As far as I know, the PC ER5 "emulator" allows you to use Data files on a
PC, but there's no
equivalent of "CopyAnywhere" between Windows clipboard and the ER5 Emulator,
so you can't
copy and paste from the PC into the Data file?
- so it's back to S3-like text only entry using a keyboard. Yikes :-(

An extra bonus to writing my own editor is more features (find all -- not
just the first in each entry!, case sensitive search, whole word search,
full-screen edit, copy entry), and maybe hyperlinks to jump directly to
other data files without navigating around folders - all without changing
the ER5 file structure, so allowing continued use on a new Psion organiser,
should it appear.

I can see that making any simple change to a Data file (even show Toolbar
on/off) causes many changes to its file contents.
It's looking more complicated to understand than I was hoping, but at least
text is stored as plain ASCII.

Any tips on the ER5 Data file structure?
So far I've found that the first 12 bytes hold constants UID1,2,3 but beyond
that is deep water :-)

Thanks for any advice,
Paul Taylor

prtaylor at v21 dot me dot uk

Phil Aypee

unread,

Jun 3, 2006, 2:43:01 AM6/3/06

to

Hi Paul,

Have you tried the Java-Psion-Link (free on sourceforge)?

There might be a convertor in that.

And maybe nConvert has a WINS version.

Take care,
Phil.

"Everything in excess!
To enjoy the flavour of life, take big bites.
Moderation is for monks."

http://www.philaypee.co.uk

Paul Taylor

unread,

Jun 3, 2006, 10:28:27 AM6/3/06

to

"Phil Aypee" <phil.see...@invalid.co.uk> wrote in message
news:phil.see.website-36...@slb-newsm1.svr.pol.co.uk...

Thanks Phil.

What I want to do is write a PC program that does what the "Data" program on
the Psion does, and so uses ER5 data files as-is (a copy of the last back-up
from the dead or alive PDA), and so still show embedded pictures (Greek
characters, sketches, scans, screenshots, etc.)
Also be able to paste text into the data files from the windows clipboard --
something that the ER5 'emulator' doesn't allow?
(so it will be as easy to add text as if you were using the Psion linked to
a PC with Copy Anywhere.)

I expect that converting data files to RTF will lose any embeded pictures?

Psion seem to of left little more that a "read only" future for the ER5 data
files with embedded pictures that people have created on their ER5 machines.

"During the evolution from Psion to Symbian the operating system switched
from ASCII character encoding to Unicode. That's the reason why the ER5
databases don't work on Symbian OS."

ASCII is good enough for me!

I've spent about 10 hours googling for ER5 Data stuff, which I've yet to
compile into a single file of notes.
These were the best links I found:
http://www.thomas-milius.homepage.t-online.de/Download/Documentation/EPCDB.htm
http://software.frodo.looijaard.name/psiconv/

Thanks,
Paul

RainKap

unread,

Jun 3, 2006, 11:59:44 AM6/3/06

to

Hi Paul

If I understand your situation correctly, you have a lot of ER5 Data
files stored on your PC, which you would like to be able to monge on
your PC, for the lack of a working Psion ER5 machine.

I *think* the following approach might help: PsiWin 2.3 (free download
from the Psion Teklogix web site) will convert ER5 Data files to
(amongst other things) Microsoft Access, which can cope with embedded
images (not sure about the Greek characters...). It would be worth it
to try using PsiWin to convert the Data files on your PC to Access
(always assuming that you have access to (;) ) a copy of Access to deal
with the files when you've converted them...

I know that this is rather less than you would like to be able to do,
but it's better than nowt.

HTH

Ian Park

Paul Taylor

unread,

Jun 3, 2006, 4:36:44 PM6/3/06

to

"RainKap" <i.d.c...@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:1149350384....@h76g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...

Thanks Ian.

I didn't know that data files could be converted in full, but isn't Access
the stuff they use where I work? "It's crashed again". (I don't have it
anyway.)

I just looked in the Psiwin folder, and ran Convert Files to see what it
does.
it just shows "C:\\nB\*.*" and I won't allow me to change the folder name,
nor select any file type.
(I do backup my machine, name nB, to C:\ to minimise backup folder lengths.)
Looks like it's expecting a folder name between the drive name and the
machine name! Never mind.

I'm prepared to spend "as long as it takes" experimenting with the ER5 data
files, as if I can understand what does what, then I should be able to write
a PC program with many user-interface enhancements (mostly search), without
needing to change from the ER5 data file structure. (I've spent 10 years
creating 1800+ files, so it may be 'trivial' by comparison to make a
compatible windows Data program?)

My 7book is still working at this point, but its over 6 years old now (had
three Series 3 machines in the 4 years before, so the upgraded S7 has lasted
very well, dropped onto tarmac twice, and only recently got a new netBook
Pro battery :-)

Paul

Paul Taylor

unread,

Jun 3, 2006, 4:42:15 PM6/3/06

to

p.s. the Greek characters are just small pictures that I've stored in a
"Symbols" entry in Jotter, which can be copied and pasted into any word/data
file etc.

Paul

Mike

unread,

Jun 4, 2006, 5:14:53 AM6/4/06

to

Hi Paul,

I believe that there is a new ER5 machine on the market, produced by ex
Psion employees.

See www.posltd.com

Regards, Mike

"Paul Taylor" <no way> wrote in message news:4483...@news.greennet.net...

Charly

unread,

Jun 6, 2006, 12:50:24 PM6/6/06

to

Mike wrote:
> Hi Paul,
>
> I believe that there is a new ER5 machine on the market, produced by ex
> Psion employees.
>
> See www.posltd.com
>
> Regards, Mike
>

Incredible !!!

Btw these are not new machines, these are the classical famous Psion machines :
Revo, 5mx, NetBook, etc...

There are making money with these or more with the services (support, repairs,
...) or multimedia machines ?

I can't believe what I see ;-)

Charly
(still using my Ericsson MC218 = rebranded Psion 5MX)

Charly

unread,

Jun 6, 2006, 1:22:08 PM6/6/06

to

Mike wrote:
> See www.posltd.com

VIRUS WARNING !

When trying some of the free download (PsiWin), I got a message from my
anti-virus software : the file/page contained a trojan.

Just for your information... Perhaps a fake threat, but take care just in case...

Charly

Mike

unread,

Jun 6, 2006, 2:55:21 PM6/6/06

to

Errrr.......

The new PDA looks does look like a 5MX but is much better, I am told.
(As I have a new, spare, 5MX sitting on the shelf I have not bothered to
enquire more deeply).

POS Ltd have been repairing and refurbishing Psion machines for years,
thankfully.

;-)
Yawn......

Regards, Mike

"Charly" <no....@no.email> wrote in message
news:4485b271$0$20899$636a...@news.free.fr...

Aidan Karley

unread,

Jun 7, 2006, 7:35:10 AM6/7/06

to

In article <6eCdnR-WdLu...@bt.com>, Mike wrote:
> The new PDA looks does look like a 5MX but is much better, I am told.
> (As I have a new, spare, 5MX sitting on the shelf I have not bothered to
> enquire more deeply).
>

32MB as standard, for starters. Also I think the screen is more
capable
> 16-level greyscale, 640 x 240 pixels, view full-page width
>
while the original Psion screens could only do 4 levels of grey. EPOC is
16-colour internally, IIRC, so that shouldn't cause display problems. I
hope. (images of an application that renders one part of the screen as
colour 13 and a different part as colour 14 because the programmer knew
that they'd appear the same on the 4-grey of the screen. But I guess such
issues would have come out with the colour screens anyway.

--
Aidan Karley, FGS
Aberdeen, Scotland
Written at Wed, 07 Jun 2006 10:14 +0100, but posted later.

Aidan Karley

unread,

Jun 7, 2006, 7:35:10 AM6/7/06

to

In article <4485b9e1$0$20863$636a...@news.free.fr>, Charly wrote:
> When trying some of the free download (PsiWin), I got a message from my
> anti-virus software : the file/page contained a trojan.
>
> Just for your information... Perhaps a fake threat, but take care just in case...
>

There is some *extremely* dodgy "spyware "detection" software out there.
Recently I tried some (because my AV had gone off for the second time this year!)
to be told that I had 13 pieces of spyware onboard, lead by one it detected on the
basis of a file called COMWIZ.exe . Apparently that file name was used by a piece
of spyware that came out in 2003. Unfortunately for the sellers of this spyware, I
have been using that particular piece of software since 1992 (on Win3.0), so I had
doubts about the veracity of the "spyware detector".
Work it out - you get a free download of a spyware detector, which is linked
to a paid-for spyware *cleaner*. Does it pay you, as a developer, to have low
numbers of false positives, or high numbers? Not difficult, is it?
Which reminds me ...

--
Aidan Karley, FGS
Aberdeen, Scotland

Written at Wed, 07 Jun 2006 10:20 +0100, but posted later.

Otto Sykora

unread,

Jun 9, 2006, 8:34:05 AM6/9/06

to

as far as I can see it, (go to sales) they have only reconditioned 5mx
to sell, nothing new

Message has been deleted

basic pharma

unread,

Dec 20, 2023, 3:38:25 AM12/20/23

to