Franklin SIDEKICK CONNECTIVITY User Manual

CONNECTIVITY

SOFTWARE

USER’S GUIDE

License Agreement

READ THIS LICENSE AGREEMENT BEFORE USING THE SIDEKICK CONNECTIVITY SOFTWARE KIT

YOUR USE OF THE SIDEKICK CONNECTIVITY SOFTWARE KIT DEEMS THAT YOU ACCEPT THE TERMS OF THIS LICENSE. IF YOU DO NOT AGREE WITH THESE TERMS, YOU MAY RETURN THIS PACKAGE WITH PURCHASE RECEIPT TO THE DEALER FROM WHICH YOU PURCHASED THE SIDEKICK CONNECTIVITY SOFTWARE KIT AND YOUR PURCHASE PRICE WILL BE REFUNDED. SIDEKICK CONNECTIVITY SOFTWARE KIT means the software product, hardware, and documentation found in this package and FRANKLIN means Franklin Electronic Publishers, Inc.

LIMITED USE LICENSE

All rights in the SIDEKICK CONNECTIVITY SOFTWARE KIT remain the property of FRANKLIN. Through your purchase, FRANKLIN grants you a personal and nonexclusive license to use the SIDEKICK CONNECTIVITY SOFTWARE KIT. You may not make any copies of the SIDEKICK CONNECTIVITY SOFTWARE KIT or of the preprogrammed data stored therein, whether in electronic or print format. Such copying would be in violation of applicable copyright laws. Further, you may not modify, adapt, disassemble, decompile, translate, create derivative works of, or in any way reverse engineer the SIDEKICK CONNECTIVITY SOFTWARE KIT. You may not export or reexport, directly or indirectly, the SIDEKICK CONNECTIVITY SOFTWARE KIT without compliance with appropriate governmental regulations. The SIDEKICK CONNECTIVITY SOFTWARE KIT contains Franklin’s confidential and propriety information which you agree to take adequate steps to protect from unauthorized disclosure or use. This license is effective until terminated. This license terminates immediately without notice from FRANKLIN if you fail to comply with any provision of this license.

Contents

Welcome to the Sidekick Connectivity software. This software will help you exchange information between your PC Sidekick and handheld Sidekick quickly and easily.

This connectivity software is for use with handheld BOOKMAN Sidekick organizers and Rolodex® Electronics handheld Sidekick organizers.

Note: this software was originally created for use with handheld BOOKMAN Sidekick organizers, so whenever the term BOOKMAN Sidekick or BOOKMAN appears on the screen, it refers to both handheld BOOKMAN Sidekick organizers and Rolodex Electronics handheld Sidekick organizers.

Introduction and Getting Started .......................................	3
Connecting the Serial Cable .............................................	4
Installing the Connectivity Software ..................................	5
Starting the Connectivity Software ...................................	6
Testing Your Connection ..................................................	7
Linking Files ....................................................................	8
Merging All Linked Files..................................................	12
Advanced Transfers and Merging ....................................	15
Recovering Files .............................................................	19
Backing Up and Restoring Files .......................................	20
Solutions to Common Problems.......................................	21
Your Notes .....................................................................	24
Copyrights and Patents ...................................................	25
Limited Warranty (U.S. only) ............................................	26
Index .............................................................................	27

Introduction		Getting Started

The Sidekick® Connectivity software is a powerful tool for sending information between your handheld Sidekick organizer and your computer.

Before you can send information, you must first link the files that you want to either transfer or merge.

The simplest and quickest way to combine all your linked handheld Sidekick and PC Sidekick files is to use the Merge All option. To perform more complex transfers or merges of individual pairs of linked files, use the Advanced Transfer option.

If you make a mistake when merging or transferring files, you can easily recover your most recently merging or transferring PC Sidekick files. In addition, for storage and safety, you can back up and restore all the files from your handheld Sidekick to your computer, even if you do not have PC Sidekick.

System Requirements

To use the Sidekick Connectivity software you need the following:

•The Sidekick Connectivity kit, which includes the following: The Sidekick PCconnect serial cable and the Sidekick Connectivity software. (This is packaged with certain handheld Sidekick organizers and available only through Franklin Electronic Publishers, Inc.)

•An IBM PC Compatible, 386 processor or higher.

•Microsoft Windows version 3.1 or later, or Windows 95.

•Minimum of 2 MB RAM.

•Minimum of 2 MB hard disk space.

•One available communications (COM) port on your computer.

•One 3.5” high density floppy disk drive.

System Recommendations

It is recommended that you have the following:

•PC version of Sidekick 2.0, Sidekick 95, Internet Sidekick, or Sidekick 97.

•Minimum of 4 MB of RAM.

Getting Started		Connecting the Serial Cable

If you have questions about any version of PC Sidekick, read its User’s Guide or call Starfish Software. For installation or initial configuration questions, call 1 (970) 522-4610. For all other questions, call 1 (800) 953-9995. Or visit the Starfish Software web site at http://www.starfishsoftware.com.

To obtain or inquire about the Sidekick Connectivity kit or the latest version of the connectivity software, you can call 1-800-266-5626 or visit our web site at http://www.franklin.com.

Using This Software Without PC Sidekick

If you do not have a copy of PC Sidekick (Sidekick 2.0, Sidekick 95, Internet Sidekick, or Sidekick 97), do not worry. As long as you have a computer which has Windows version 3.1 or later, or Windows 95, you will still be able to use this software to back up your handheld Sidekick organizers files on your computer. To learn how, read “Backing up and Restoring Files.”

Before you can start using the Sidekick Connectivity software, you must first connect the Sidekick PC-connect serial cable between your handheld Sidekick organizer and your computer.

Warning! Using a different serial cable may damage your handheld Sidekick files, as well as your handheld Sidekick organizer itself or your computer.

1.Turn off your computer.

2.Locate a free COM port on the back of your computer.

To learn how, read the user manual for your computer.

Caution: Even though you can plug the serial cable into a COM port, it may not be available for use. Certain internal devices may “invisibly” using the port. For more information, read “Solutions to Common Problems.”

3.Insert the 9-pin plug into the COM port.

Note which port you used (for example, COM1).

Connecting the Serial Cable

4.Turn on your computer.

5.Turn off your handheld Sidekick.

6.Firmly insert the 3.5 mm plug completely into the serial port on the right side of your handheld Sidekick and turn it on.

serial port

Caution: Make sure the serial cable plug is pushed all the way into the serial port on your handheld Sidekick organizer. If the cable is only partially installed, you will not be able to send files between your handheld Sidekick and the computer. To disconnect your handheld Sidekick, it is recommended that you remove the 3.5 mm plug from your handheld Sidekick and leave the 9- pin plug inserted in the COM port.

Installing the

Connectivity Software

Here is how to install the connectivity software for Windows version 3.1 or later, or Windows 95. This section assumes a basic understanding of the Windows environment.

Note: If you upgrade your version of PC Sidekick at a later date, you must reinstall the connectivity software and select the appropriate version of PC Sidekick.

Caution: After you have installed the connectivity software, you will be prompted to reboot Windows.

1.Insert the Sidekick Connectivity software disk into a floppy disk drive.

2.If you are using Windows 3.1 or later, select Run from the File menu in the Program Manager. If you are using Windows 95, select Run from the Start menu.

3.Type a:\setup and then click OK (with a:\ being the letter of your 3.5” floppy drive).

4.At the installation screen, click OK.

5.Select the version of PC Sidekick that is installed on your com-

Installing the

Connectivity Software

puter and then click OK.

Note: If you are using Windows 95, you are not necessarily using Sidekick 95. Make sure that the correct version of the connectivity software is installed. If you do not have a version of PC Sidekick installed on your computer, select Sidekick not installed on PC. This will allow you to only backup and restore your files.

6.Type the destination drive and directory and then click OK.

Or just click OK to select the default directory, C:/BOOKSDK.

7.Click OK.

8.Click Yes to reboot Windows.

If you do not click Yes, certain installation and startup files will not be activated until you reboot Windows.

About Connectivity Help

You can view a help message at virtually any window in the connectivity software by clicking Help on your computer. Use the scroll bars to read the help message. To exit help, click Close.

Starting the

Connectivity Software

Once you have connected the serial cable and installed the Sidekick Connectivity software on your computer, you can start using it.

1.On your computer, start the Sidekick Connectivity software.

If you are using Windows 3.1, double-click the Sidekick Connectivity icon in the BOOKMAN window.

If you are using Windows 95, select

Programs/Bookman/BOOKMAN Sidekick Connectivity from the Start menu or double-click the Sidekick Connectivity icon in the BOOKMAN window.

Note: If you close the BOOKMAN window in Windows 95, you can find it again in C:\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\BOOKMAN.

2.When the Sidekick Connectivity main window appears, click the COM port pull-down menu to match the COM port to which you connected the serial cable.

Starting the Connectivity Software Testing Your Connection

If you forget which communications port you are using, you can find it by clicking Test. To learn how read “Testing Your Connection.”

3.On your handheld Sidekick, press MENU, highlight PC Connect on the Setup menu, and then press ENTER.

The handheld Sidekick remains in this state until you start linking, transferring, or merging.

4. You now can test the connection.

Shutoff During Connection

If your handheld Sidekick automatically shuts off while connected to your computer, do not worry. Simply turn your handheld Sidekick back on and then select PC Connect from the Setup menu to reconnect.

You should test the connection when you first connect or reconnect your handheld Sidekick to your computer for the first time, whenever you disconnect the serial cable, or if you forget which COM port you are using.

Note: When you test the connection, you do not need to select a COM port on the Sidekick Connectivity main window.

1.At the main window of the Sidekick Connectivity software, click Test.

2.Click Start.

If the Status box says that your handheld Sidekick is not detected on any communications port, make sure that the serial cable is fully inserted in the serial port and that you have selected PC Connect from the Setup menu of your handheld Sidekick. Then, test your connection until it works. For more help, read “Troubleshooting.”

3.Click OK when finished.

4.Make sure the selected COM port matches the port found by the test.

Linking Files		Linking Files

Before you can merge or transfer files, you must first link them in pairs. When you link a pair of files, you create a connection between a handheld Sidekick file and a PC Sidekick file. Note: You need to link only the files that you want to merge or transfer.

You can link files in three ways:

•Link an existing handheld Sidekick file to an existing PC Sidekick file.

•Link an existing PC Sidekick file to a new handheld Sidekick file.

•Link an existing handheld Sidekick file to a new PC Sidekick file. This can only be done with cardfiles.

New files, regardless of database type, will not be created on either the handheld Sidekick or the PC Sidekick until a merge or a transfer takes place. Any new Sidekick files that have not yet been created will be double-bracketed (<<sample>>).

If you click Cancel at any time, all double-bracketed files will be removed.

Caution: If your handheld Sidekick and your computer are not properly

connected, you will not be able to link files. Read “Testing Your Connection” for more information.

To Link Cardfiles

1.On the Sidekick Connectivity main window, click Link.

The Link Databases window appears. You can exit this window by clicking Cancel. This will remove all links which were selected since you clicked Link.

2.Click the Database Type pull-down menu to select Cards, if needed.

+ 20 hidden pages