Handspring Visor Handheld Desktop User Manual
Visor™ Handheld
User Guide
Macintosh Edition
Copyright
Copyright © 2000 Handspring, Inc. All rights reserved. Portions copyright © 1998-2000
Palm, Inc. or its subsidiaries. All rights reserved. Handspring, Springboard, Visor, the
Handspring logo, and the Springboard logo are trademarks of Handspring, Inc., and
may be registered in some jurisdictions. Palm Computing, Palm OS, Graffiti, and
HotSync are registered trademarks, and the HotSync logo, Palm, and the Palm Computing Platform logo, are trademarks of Palm, Inc., or its subsidiaries. All other trademarks
are the property of their respective owners.
Disclaimer and limitation of liability
Handspring, Inc. and its suppliers assume no responsibility for any damage or loss resulting from the use of this handbook.
Handspring, Inc. and its suppliers assume no responsibility for any loss or claims by
third parties which may arise through the use of this software. Handspring, Inc. and its
suppliers assume no responsibility for any damage or loss caused by deletion of data as
a result of malfunction, dead battery, or repairs. Be sure to make backup copies of all
important data on other media to protect against data loss.
Important: Please read the Handspring End User Software License Agreement before
using the accompanying software program(s). Using any part of the software indicates
that you accept the terms of the Handspring End User Software License Agreement.
Software download available
Palm™ Desktop software is supplied on a CD-ROM disc. If you do not have access to a
CD-ROM drive for your computer, you can download the Palm Desktop software from
www.handspring.com.
Page ii Visor Handheld User Guide
Contents
About This Guide ....................................................................................1
Chapter 1: Introduction to Your Visor Handheld.................................3
Getting to know your Visor handheld ...............................................3
What is a Visor handheld? ...............................................................3
System requirements ........................................................................4
Upgrade information ........................................................................4
Visor components .............................................................................6
Installing the batteries ........................................................................10
Tapping and typing ............................................................................11
Tap with the stylus to get things done .........................................11
Elements of the handheld interface ..............................................12
Opening applications .....................................................................13
Using menus ....................................................................................14
Four ways to enter data ..................................................................17
Customizing your handheld..............................................................20
Palm Desktop software ..................................................................22
Connecting the cradle .....................................................................22
Using your handheld with another PIM .....................................24
Installing a Springboard module ..................................................24
Chapter 2: Entering Data in Your Visor Handheld .............................25
Using Graffiti writing to enter data ..................................................25
Writing Graffiti characters .............................................................25
Graffiti tips .......................................................................................27
The Graffiti alphabet .......................................................................28
Writing capital letters .....................................................................29
Writing numbers .............................................................................29
Graffiti numbers ..............................................................................30
Writing punctuation marks ...........................................................30
Writing symbols and extended characters ..................................31
Writing accented characters ..........................................................32
Accent strokes ..................................................................................32
Additional non-English characters ...............................................32
Navigation strokes ..........................................................................33
Graffiti ShortCuts ............................................................................33
Using the onscreen keyboard ...........................................................34
Using your computer keyboard ........................................................35
Importing data .....................................................................................35
Using an external keyboard ...............................................................36
Contents Page iii
Chapter 3: Managing Your Applications.............................................37
Using the Applications Launcher..................................................... 37
Selecting applications ..................................................................... 37
Switching between applications ................................................... 37
Categorizing applications .............................................................. 37
Changing the Applications Launcher display ............................38
Choosing preferences.........................................................................39
Installing and removing applications .............................................. 40
Installing add-on applications ...................................................... 40
Installing games ..............................................................................42
Removing applications .................................................................. 42
Removing Palm Desktop software ............................................... 43
Security................................................................................................. 44
Assigning a password .................................................................... 44
Changing or deleting a password ................................................ 45
Locking your handheld .................................................................46
Recovering from a forgotten password ....................................... 47
Chapter 4: Overview of Basic Applications.........................................49
Date Book ............................................................................................. 50
Date Book Plus ....................................................................................51
Address ................................................................................................ 52
To Do List............................................................................................. 53
Memo Pad ............................................................................................54
Calculator ............................................................................................. 55
CityTime............................................................................................... 56
Expense................................................................................................. 57
Chapter 5: Common Tasks ....................................................................59
Creating records.................................................................................. 59
Editing records ....................................................................................60
Entering text .................................................................................... 60
Edit menu ......................................................................................... 60
Deleting records .................................................................................. 62
Other ways to delete records ........................................................ 62
Purging records................................................................................... 63
Exchanging and updating data: HotSync operations.................... 64
Performing a HotSync operation for the first time .................... 64
Categorizing records .......................................................................... 66
System-defined and user-defined categories .............................66
Finding records ................................................................................... 69
Looking up Address records ........................................................ 70
Using Find ....................................................................................... 71
Using Phone Lookup ...................................................................... 72
Page iv Visor Handheld User Guide
Sorting lists of records ........................................................................74
Making records private ......................................................................75
Hiding and masking private records ...........................................75
Attaching notes ....................................................................................77
Choosing fonts .....................................................................................78
Chapter 6: Application Specific Tasks.................................................79
Date Book .............................................................................................80
Scheduling an event ........................................................................80
Rescheduling an event ...................................................................84
Setting an alarm for an event ........................................................84
Scheduling repeating or continuous events ................................85
Changing the Date Book view .......................................................88
Working in Week View ..................................................................88
Working in Month View ................................................................90
Working in Agenda view ...............................................................90
Spotting event conflicts ..................................................................91
Date Book menus ............................................................................92
Date Book Plus.....................................................................................95
Working in Week View with Text ................................................95
Working in Year View ....................................................................96
Working in List View .....................................................................97
Working with floating events ........................................................97
Working with To Do items ............................................................99
Using the Daily Journal ................................................................100
Using templates .............................................................................101
Using snooze alarms .....................................................................102
Selecting the default Date Book ..................................................102
Date Book Plus menus ..................................................................102
Address ...............................................................................................111
Creating an Address entry ...........................................................111
Duplicating an entry .....................................................................112
Selecting types of phone numbers ..............................................113
Changing Address Entry details .................................................113
Address menus ..............................................................................114
To Do List ...........................................................................................116
Setting priority ...............................................................................116
Checking off a To Do item ...........................................................117
Changing To Do item details .......................................................117
Setting a due date ..........................................................................118
To Do Show Options .....................................................................119
To Do List menus ..........................................................................120
Memo Pad...........................................................................................121
Reviewing memos .........................................................................121
Page v
Memo Pad menus ......................................................................... 122
Calculator ........................................................................................... 123
Selecting the Calculator mode .................................................... 123
Using the Basic Calculator buttons ............................................ 123
Displaying Recent Calculations .................................................. 124
Using the Advanced Calculator mode ......................................124
Using the Advanced Calculator buttons ................................... 125
Creating a custom view ...............................................................134
Calculator menus .......................................................................... 135
CityTime............................................................................................. 136
Setting your home city .................................................................136
Selecting remote cities .................................................................. 137
Adding cities ................................................................................. 137
CityTime menus ............................................................................ 138
Expense............................................................................................... 139
Changing the date of an Expense item ...................................... 140
Entering receipt details ................................................................ 140
Customizing the Currency pick list ........................................... 142
Show Options ................................................................................143
Expense menus ............................................................................. 144
Chapter 7: Communicating Using Your Handheld............................145
Managing desktop E-Mail away from your desk ........................ 145
Setting up Mail on the desktop ................................................... 146
Synchronizing Mail with your E-Mail application .................. 146
Opening the Mail application on your handheld .................... 146
Viewing e-mail items ................................................................... 146
Creating e-mail items ................................................................... 148
Looking up an address ................................................................ 150
Adding details to e-mail items ................................................... 151
Storing e-mail to be sent later ..................................................... 154
Editing unsent e-mail ................................................................... 154
Draft e-mail .................................................................................... 155
Filing e-mail ...................................................................................156
Deleting e-mail .............................................................................. 157
Removing e-mail from the Deleted folder ................................ 157
Purging deleted e-mail ................................................................. 158
Message list options ..................................................................... 158
HotSync options ............................................................................ 160
Creating special filters ................................................................. 161
Truncating e-mail items ............................................................... 165
Mail menus .................................................................................... 166
Beaming information........................................................................ 167
Page vi Visor Handheld User Guide
Chapter 8: Advanced HotSync® Operations ....................................171
Selecting HotSync setup options.....................................................171
Customizing HotSync application settings ...................................174
IR HotSync operations......................................................................175
Preparing your computer for infrared communication ..........175
Configuring HotSync Manager for infrared communication .176
Performing an IR HotSync operation .........................................177
Returning to cradle HotSync operations ...................................177
Conducting a HotSync operation via modem...............................178
Preparing your computer ............................................................178
Preparing your handheld .............................................................180
Selecting the conduits for a modem HotSync operation .........181
Performing a HotSync operation via a modem ........................182
Creating a user profile ......................................................................182
Chapter 9: Setting Preferences for Your Handheld.........................185
Viewing preferences .........................................................................185
Buttons preferences...........................................................................186
Pen preferences ..............................................................................186
HotSync buttons preferences .......................................................188
Connection preferences ....................................................................188
Connection Types ..........................................................................189
Setting modem configurations ....................................................189
Digitizer preferences.........................................................................192
Formats preferences ..........................................................................192
Country default .............................................................................192
Time, date, week start, and numbers formats ...........................193
General preferences...........................................................................193
Auto-off delay ................................................................................194
System, alarm, and game sounds ...............................................194
Network preferences and TCP/IP software..................................195
Selecting a service .........................................................................195
Entering a user name ....................................................................196
Entering a password .....................................................................197
Selecting a connection ..................................................................198
Adding telephone settings ...........................................................198
Connecting to your service ..........................................................201
Creating additional service templates .......................................202
Adding detailed information to a service template .................202
Creating a login script ..................................................................205
Deleting a service template ..........................................................207
Network preferences menu commands .....................................208
TCP/IP troubleshooting ...............................................................208
Owner preferences ............................................................................209
Page vii
ShortCuts preferences ...................................................................... 210
Creating a ShortCut ......................................................................210
Editing a ShortCut ........................................................................ 211
Deleting a ShortCut ......................................................................211
Appendix A: Maintaining Your Handheld .........................................213
Caring for your handheld................................................................ 213
Battery considerations...................................................................... 214
Resetting your handheld ................................................................. 215
Performing a soft reset .................................................................215
Performing a warm reset ............................................................. 216
Performing a hard reset ...............................................................216
Appendix B: Troubleshooting Tips.....................................................219
Operating problems.......................................................................... 220
Tapping and writing problems.......................................................221
Application problems....................................................................... 222
HotSync problems ............................................................................ 223
Beaming problems ............................................................................ 227
Password problems .......................................................................... 228
Technical support ............................................................................. 229
Appendix C: Non-ASCII Characters for Login Scripts.......................231
Use of ^char ....................................................................................... 231
Carriage return and line feed ..........................................................231
Literal characters............................................................................... 232
Warranty and Other Product Information .......................................233
Handspring, Inc. Limited Warranty .............................................. 233
Handspring, Inc. End User Software License Agreement.......... 236
GNU Library General Public License ........................................ 238
FCC Statement................................................................................... 245
Canadian RFI Statement .................................................................. 245
Acknowledgments............................................................................246
Index ....................................................................................................247
Page viii Visor Handheld User Guide
About This Guide
Welcome to the Visor™ handheld computer. This guide is designed to
help you get up and running quickly on your handheld. It describes
all you need to know about how to use your Visor handheld and the
applications that come with it.
It walks you through:
■ Locating all the parts of your handheld
■ Viewing and entering data
■ Using your handheld with your computer
■ Personalizing your handheld with your own preference settings
After you become familiar with the basic functionality of your Visor
handheld, you can use the rest of this guide as a reference for less
common tasks, for maintaining your Visor handheld, and also as a
source of information if you have problems operating it.
About This Guide Page 1
Page 2
Chapter 1
Introduction to Your Visor Handheld
This chapter explains the physical buttons and controls on your Visor
handheld computer, how to use your Visor handheld for the first time,
and how to use HotSync
handheld and Palm™ Desktop software.
Getting to know your Visor handheld
What is a Visor handheld?
With your Visor handheld, you will no longer have trouble getting to
meetings and appointments on time, remembering people’s names
and personal details, or keeping track of all the items on your to do list.
The Visor handheld can help you improve your track record in all
these areas, both at work and at home.
You can enter all your schedule details in Date Book Plus so you can
view them by the day, week, month, year, or in list format; you can
even set an alarm to remind you of important meetings. Keep all your
contact names, addresses, phone numbers, and other details in
Address, so you can find them as soon as you need them. Add your
tasks to To Do list, prioritize them so you don’t overlook them, and
assign them a due date.
®
technology to synchronize your Visor
To make sure you don’t lose any of this important information, you
can synchronize your data with Palm Desktop software on your
computer so you always have a backup copy. You can set different
levels of security for your Visor handheld so unauthorized eyes
cannot view your data.
When you are out of the office, track your expenses for your expense
reports. You can write, edit, and view your e-mail, and then
synchronize your e-mail with your desktop E-Mail application when
you return to your office.
Chapter 1 Page 3
System requirements
To install and operate Palm Desktop software, your computer system
must meet the following requirements:
Minimum requirements
■ MacOS 8.1 or later (for USB cradle)
--or-MacOS 7.53 or later (for serial cradle)
■ Apple Macintosh or compatible computer
with a PowerPC processor
■ 8 MB RAM (memory) minimum, 16 MB recommended
■ 25 MB available hard disk space
■ VGA monitor or better
■ CD-ROM drive
■ Mouse
■ USB port (for USB cradle)
Serial port (for serial cradle)
Optional equipment
■ Modem
■ Springboard expansion modules
(such as a Springboard™ modem)
Upgrade information
If you already own a Palm OS® handheld, Handspring recommends
that you install the version of Palm Desktop software that comes with
your Visor handheld into the same folder as your current Palm
Desktop software. When you install the new version in the same
folder as the previous version, all your data is preserved. If you use
another personal information manager (PIM), you still need to install
Palm Desktop software in order to update the HotSync Manager on
your computer.
You perform HotSync operations in exactly the same way, so you can
quickly synchronize your old data with your new handheld.
To upgrade:
1. Synchronize your old handheld with your old Palm Desktop
software. This ensures that the latest information from your
handheld is on your desktop computer.
Page 4 Introduction to Your Visor Handheld
2. (Optional) To ensure against any data loss, go to the folder that
stores Palm Desktop software, copy your user name folder, and
store the copy outside the Palm Desktop software folder.
3. Follow the installation instructions in “Installing Palm Desktop
software” later in this chapter. Be sure to install the new software
in the same folder as the old software.
4. To prepare for the first HotSync operation that synchronizes your
new handheld with your new Palm Desktop software, open Palm
Desktop software, open the HotSync menu, and then choose
Conduit Settings.
Note: Be sure your user name appears in the box at the top of the
Conduit Settings dialog box. If not, select your user name.
5. For all conduits, click Conduit Settings and select the option
Macintosh overwrites handheld. Then click OK. See “Customizing
HotSync application settings” in Chapter 8 for more information.
6. Place your new handheld in the cradle and press the HotSync
button. If the User dialog box appears, select your user name.
7. Compare the applications on your old and new handhelds.
8. Beam any third party applications that did not transfer from your
old handheld to your Visor handheld, or install them from the
original files.
Each handheld must have a unique name
After you complete the upgrade process described above, you have
two handhelds with the same name. This is an undesirable situation.
Each handheld must have a unique name in order to prevent
unexpected results during HotSync operations and other
complications.
We strongly recommend that you perform a hard reset on your old
handheld. See “Performing a hard reset” in Appendix A for details.
A hard reset not only erases all data from the old handheld; it also
erases the name and makes that handheld a clean slate, ready to
receive a new name. The next time you perform a HotSync operation
with this old handheld, you are asked to give it a name. Be sure to give
it a unique name.
Chapter 1 Page 5
Visor components
Locating front panel controls
Screen
Contras t
control
Power button,
Back light
contro l
Microphone
Visor
handheld
screen
Graffiti
®
writing
area
Application
buttons
Graffiti writing area
Application buttons
Scroll buttons
Displays the applications and information stored in
your Visor handheld. It is touch-sensitive and
responds to the stylus.
The area where you write letters and numbers using
®
the Graffiti
alphabet. See Chapter 2 to learn how to
write Graffiti characters.
Activates the individual applications that correspond
to the icons on the buttons: Date Book Plus, Address,
To Do List, and Memo Pad. See “Buttons preferences”
in Chapter 9 for details on reassigning these buttons
to activate any application on your Visor handheld.
Tip: If your Visor handheld is turned off, pressing
any application button activates the handheld
and opens the corresponding application.
Scroll
buttons
Displays text and other information that extends
beyond the area of the Visor handheld screen.
Pressing the bottom scroll button scrolls down to
view information below the viewing area, and
pressing the top scroll button scrolls up to view the
information above the viewing area.
Page 6 Introduction to Your Visor Handheld
Contrast
Control
Displays the contrast control screen where you can
adjust the appearance of the screen for the clearest
screen display. Depending on the lighting conditions
or temperature of the environment where you use
your handheld, you may need to adjust the contrast.
To adjust the contrast, drag the slider or tap the
arrows to increase or decrease the contrast. To fine
tune the contrast, press the scroll buttons on the front
panel of your handheld.
Power
button/
backlight
control
Turns your Visor handheld on or off and controls the
backlight feature. If your Visor handheld is turned
off, pressing the power button turns the unit on and
returns you to the last screen you viewed.
If your Visor handheld is turned on, pressing the
power button turns the unit off. Holding the power
button down for about two seconds turns the
backlight on or off.
Microphone
Records sounds for use with Springboard expansion
modules that support this feature.
Using the backlight
If you have difficulty seeing the information on your Visor handheld,
you can use the backlight to illuminate your screen.
To activate the backlight:
■ Press the power button and hold it down for about two seconds.
Release the button when the backlight turns on.
Tip: In addition, you can assign the full-screen pen stroke to
activate the backlight. See “Pen preferences” in Chapter 9 for
more information.
To turn off the backlight:
■ Press and hold the power button for about two seconds. The
backlight also turns off automatically (after a period of inactivity)
with the Auto-off feature. See “General preferences” in Chapter 9
for more information.
Chapter 1 Page 7
Protective cover
The cover protects the Visor handheld screen when it is not in use.
To remove the cover:
1. Unclip the top of the cover from your handheld.
2. Lift the cover off your handheld.
To reattach the cover:
1. Insert the pegs on the bottom of the cover into the holes on the
bottom of your handheld.
2. Gently press the top of the cover onto your handheld until it clicks
into place.
Unclip top edge to
remove cover
Align pegs to
replace cover
Page 8 Introduction to Your Visor Handheld
Locating back panel components
Springboard
expansion slot
protector
IR port
Stylus
Springboard
expansion slot
protector
Stylus
IR port
Reset button
Battery door
USB and serial
connector
Slides in and out of the Springboard expansion
slot. You can replace the slot protector with a
Springboard expansion module to add features to
your handheld.
Slides in and out of the slot in the back panel of
the handheld. To use the stylus, remove it from
the slot and hold it as you would a pen or pencil.
Uses infrared technology to transmit data to and
receive data from other Palm OS
®
handhelds. See
“Beaming information” in Chapter 7 for more
information. You can also use the IR port to
update the information between your handheld
and computer using HotSync technology. See “IR
HotSync operations” in Chapter 8 for details.
Reset button
Under normal use, you should not have to use the
reset button. See Appendix A for information
about when and how to use the reset button.
Battery door
USB and serial
connector
Covers the batteries that power your handheld.
The connector that connects your handheld to the
cradle, which in turn connects to a USB port or
serial port on your computer. This allows you to
update the information between your handheld
and computer using HotSync technology.
Chapter 1 Page 9
Installing the batteries
To use your Visor handheld, you must install two AAA alkaline
batteries. The batteries fit behind the battery door on the back of the
handheld. See “Battery considerations” in Appendix A for more
information.
To install the batteries:
1. Press the latch on the battery door and lift the battery door away
from your handheld.
2. Install the two AAA alkaline batteries supplied with your
handheld into the battery compartment.
Note: A diagram in the interior of the battery compartment
shows + and - ends of the batteries. When correctly
installed, the clips in the battery compartment secure the
batteries in place.
3. Insert the battery door back into place so that it is flush with the
back of your handheld and “clicks” into position.
Important: Do not force the battery door. When the batteries are
correctly installed, the battery door clips smoothly into
place. If you feel resistance when replacing the door,
make sure the door is aligned with the slots on the back of
your handheld, and that the batteries are firmly seated in
the battery compartment.
Page 10 Introduction to Your Visor Handheld
Tapping and typing
Tap with the stylus to get things done
Like using a mouse to click elements on a computer screen, using the
stylus to tap elements on your handheld screen is the basic action that
gets things done on your handheld.
The first time you start your Visor handheld, setup instructions
appear on the screen. These instructions include a calibration screen,
or digitizer. Calibration aligns the internal circuitry of your handheld
with its touch-sensitive screen so that when you tap an element on the
screen, the handheld can detect exactly which task you want to
perform.
Important: Always use the point of the stylus for tapping or making
strokes on the handheld screen. Never use an actual pen,
pencil, or other sharp object to write on the handheld
screen.
With your handheld turned on, you can tap the handheld screen to
perform many operations, such as the following:
■ Open applications
■ Choose menu commands
■ Initiate a global Find operation
■ Select options in dialog boxes
■ Open the onscreen keyboards
Just as you can drag the mouse to select text or move objects on your
computer, you can also drag the stylus to select text. You can also use
the stylus to drag the slider of any scroll bar.
Chapter 1 Page 11
Elements of the handheld interface
Menu bar
Command
buttons
Icons
Menu
bar
Check
box
Icons
Pick list
Command
buttons
A set of commands that are specific to the application.
Not all applications have a menu bar.
Tap a button to perform a command. Command
buttons appear in dialog boxes and at the bottom of
application screens.
Tap the icons to open applications , menus ,
Calculator , and to find text anywhere in your data
.
abc
With the cursor in an input field, tap the dot to
activate the alphabetic keyboard.
123
With the cursor in an input field, tap the dot to
activate the numeric keyboard.
Check box
When a check mark appears in a check box, the
corresponding option is active. If a check box is
empty, tapping it inserts a check mark. If a check box
is checked, tapping it removes the check mark.
Pick list
Tap the arrow to display a list of choices, and then tap
an item in the list to select it.
Page 12 Introduction to Your Visor Handheld
Previous/next
arrows
Scroll
bar
Next/
previous
arrows
Scroll bar
Tap the up and down arrows to display the previous
and next page of information; tap the left and right
arrows to display the previous and next record.
Drag the slider, or tap the top or bottom arrow, to
scroll the display one line at a time. To scroll to the
previous page, tap the scroll bar just above the slider.
To scroll to the next page, tap the scroll bar just below
the slider.
You can also scroll to the previous and next pages by
pressing the scroll buttons on the front panel of your
handheld.
Opening applications
You can use the Applications Launcher to open any application
installed on your handheld. You can also open the four main
applications — Date Book Plus, Address, To Do List, and Memo Pad
— with the application buttons on the front panel of your handheld.
Tip: When you press an application button on the front panel, you
have instant access to the selected application. You don’t even
need to turn on your handheld first.
In addition to providing a way for you to open applications, the
Applications Launcher displays the current time, battery level, and
application category.
Chapter 1 Page 13
To open an application:
1. Tap the Applications icon .
2. Tap the icon of the application that you want to open. If you have
many applications installed on your Visor handheld, tap the scroll
bar to see all of your applications.
Tip: To find an application quickly, you can write the Graffiti
character for the first letter of its name. The Applications
Launcher scrolls to the first application with a name that
begins with that letter. You can also assign application icons to
different categories. See “Categorizing applications” in
Chapter 3.
Using menus
Menus on your handheld are easy to use. Once you have mastered
them in one application, you can use them the same way in all other
applications.
The menus of each application are illustrated in the section on that
application in Chapter 4. The Edit menu is described in “Editing
records” in Chapter 4.
To open the menu bar:
1. Do one of the following:
■ Open an application (such as Memo Pad) and then tap the
Menu icon .
■ Tap the inverted tab at the top of any application’s screen
(except Calculator).
Page 14 Introduction to Your Visor Handheld
Tap inverted tab
Tap the Menu icon
In this example, three menus are available: Record, Edit, and Options.
The Record menu is selected and contains the commands New Memo,
Delete Memo, and Beam Memo.
Choosing a menu
After you open the menu bar for an application, tap the menu that
contains the command you want to use.
The menus and menu commands that are available depend on the
application. Also, the menus and menu commands vary depending on
which part of the application you’re using. For example, in Memo Pad,
the menus are different for the Memo list screen and the Memo screen.
Graffiti menu commands
Most menu commands have an equivalent Graffiti Command stroke,
which is similar to the keyboard shortcuts used to execute commands
on computers. The command letters appear to the right of the
command names. To use the Graffiti menu commands, the menu bar
must be closed.
Menu commands
Command letters
Chapter 1 Page 15
To use the Graffiti menu commands:
1. In the Graffiti text area, draw a diagonal line from the lower left to
upper right.
The Command toolbar appears for about four seconds.
Command toolbar
2. Immediately write the corresponding command letter in the
Graffiti letter area.
For example, to choose Select All in the Edit menu, draw the
Command stroke, followed by the letter “s.”
Tip: If you wait more than three seconds to write the menu
command, you need to redraw the Graffiti Command
stroke to redisplay the Command toolbar.
Command toolbar
The Command toolbar provides quick access to frequently used menu
commands. The commands available vary based on the active screen.
To use the command toolbar:
1. In the Graffiti text area, draw a diagonal line from the lower left to
upper right.
The Command toolbar appears for about four seconds.
Command toolbar
2. Tap the icon for the command you want.
Tip: If you wait more than three seconds to tap the icon, you
need to redraw the Graffiti Command stroke to redisplay
the Command toolbar.
Displaying online tips
Many of the dialog boxes that appear on your handheld contain an
online Tips icon in the upper-right corner. Online tips anticipate
questions you have in a dialog box, provide shortcuts for using the
dialog box, or give you other useful information.
Page 16 Introduction to Your Visor Handheld
To display an online tip:
1. Tap the Tips icon .
2. After you review the tip, tap Done.
Four ways to enter data
There are four ways to enter data into your Visor handheld:
■ Using Graffiti writing
■ Using the onscreen keyboard
■ Entering or importing data in Palm Desktop software and then
synchronizing with your handheld
■ Using an external keyboard
Graffiti writing
Your Visor handheld includes Graffiti writing software as the primary
system for entering text and numbers. With Graffiti writing, you write
simple strokes with the stylus and they are instantly recognized as
letters or numbers.
Write letters here Write numbers here
Division marks
Your Visor handheld also includes Giraffe, a game you can use to
practice Graffiti writing. See “Installing and removing applications”
in Chapter 3 for installation instructions. The Memo Pad application
is ideal for practicing Graffiti writing. This section explains how to
open Memo Pad and use it to practice Graffiti writing.
Chapter 1 Page 17
To open Memo Pad:
1. Press the Memo Pad application button .
2. Tap New.
Note: A blinking cursor appears on the first line of the new memo to
indicate where new text will appear.
New
memo
cursor
Tap
New
Write in Graffiti area
See “Using Graffiti writing to enter data” in Chapter 2 for more
information.
Onscreen keyboard
When you create or edit a record in an application such as Address,
you can open the onscreen alphabetic and numeric keyboards to enter
data.
Tap here for
alphabetic keyboard
Tap here for
numeric keyboard
After a keyboard is open, you can tap to open any of the other
keyboards, including the international keyboard. See “Using the
onscreen keyboard” in Chapter 2 for more information.
Note: You cannot enter Graffiti characters while using the onscreen
keyboard.
Page 18 Introduction to Your Visor Handheld
Alpha
Tab
Caps lock
Caps shift
Tap here to display
alphabetic keyboard
Numeric
Tap here to display
numeric keyboard
Backspace
Carriage return
International
Tap here to display
international keyboard
Using Palm Desktop software
If you have new records you want to add to your Visor handheld and
prefer to use the computer keyboard rather than the onscreen
keyboard, enter the data in Palm Desktop software or the PIM you
have installed to use with your handheld.
After the information is in Palm Desktop software, perform a HotSync
operation to synchronize your handheld with your computer. See
“Exchanging and updating data: HotSync operations” in Chapter 5 for
more information.
HotSync
button
Chapter 1 Page 19
Importing data
If you already have data in a database on your computer, you can
import it into Palm Desktop software. You can import data stored in
computer applications such as spreadsheets and databases, or data
from another Palm OS handheld. When you import data, you transfer
the records to your Visor handheld without having to enter them
manually. See “Importing data” in Chapter 2 for more information.
Using an external keyboard
You can connect an optional keyboard accessory to the connector on
your handheld so you can type data directly into your handheld.
External keyboards are very helpful when you need to enter large
amounts of data quickly and accurately while you are away from your
computer. For more information about external keyboard accessories,
go to the web site: www.handspring.com.
Customizing your handheld
You can customize your handheld by using the Preferences
application. You can enter personal information such as your name
and address; change the time and date; view different date and time
formats when you travel; turn off sounds; and configure your
handheld to work with a modem or network. See Chapter 9 for more
information on customizing your handheld.
To open the Preferences screens:
1. Tap the Applications icon .
2. Tap the Preferences icon .
3. Tap the category pick list in the upper-right corner of the screen.
4. Tap the Preferences category you want to view.
The following procedures for setting the time and date give you an
example of how to customize your handheld. You make changes to
the time and date in General preferences.
Page 20 Introduction to Your Visor Handheld
To set the current time:
1. Tap the Set Time box.
Tap here
2. Tap the up or down arrows to change the hour.
3. Tap each minute number, and then tap the arrows to change them.
4. Tap AM or PM.
Note: Your handheld can also display time based on a 24-hour
clock. See “Formats preferences” in Chapter 9 for more
information.
5. Tap OK.
To set the current date:
1. Tap the Set Date box.
2. Tap the arrows to select the current year.
Tap arrows to select year
Tap to select month
Tap to select date
3. Tap a month.
4. Tap the current date.
Chapter 1 Page 21
Palm Desktop software
Palm Desktop software includes the same main applications as your
Visor handheld: Daily Calendar (Date Book), Contact List (Address),
Task (To Do List), and Note (Memo Pad). You can use the HotSync
feature of this software to back up and exchange data between your
handheld and your computer.
It is a good idea to back up your data in case something happens to the
data on your Visor handheld. Changes you make on your Visor
handheld or Palm Desktop software appear in both places after you
synchronize.
With Palm Desktop software, you can do the following:
■ Work with your Visor handheld applications on your computer.
Palm Desktop software duplicates the Daily Calendar (Date
Book), Contact List (Address), Task (To Do List), and Note (Memo
Pad) applications on your handheld, so you can view, enter, and
modify any data stored on your handheld.
■ Back up the data stored on your handheld with HotSync
technology and synchronize the data on your Palm Desktop
software. Synchronization is a one-step procedure that ensures
your data is always safe and up-to-date. See “Exchanging and
updating data: HotSync operations” in Chapter 5 for more
information.
■ Import and export data, so you can easily transfer data from other
desktop applications into any of your main applications. See
“Importing data” in Chapter 2 for more information.
■ Print your Palm Desktop information on any printer.
Connecting the cradle
The cradle that comes with your Visor handheld enables you to
synchronize the information on your Visor handheld with your Palm
Desktop software using HotSync technology.
Note: If your computer does not have a USB port, or it uses MacOS
8.0 or earlier, you need a serial cradle to connect to your
computer. You can purchase a serial cradle from
www.handspring.com.
Page 22 Introduction to Your Visor Handheld
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