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Home / Software / Writehere

WriteHere™ Suite Documentation

Table of Contents

1. About WriteHere Suite
   1. Features
   2. System Requirements
2. Installing WriteHere
   1. Installing WriteHere Server on Mac OS
   2. Installing WriteHere Server on Windows
   3. Installing WriteHere on your Handhelds
3. Using WriteHere
   1. Connecting WriteHere Server to your Handheld
      1. Connecting your Palm Organizer to the WriteHere Server
      2. Connecting Your Newton Handheld to the WriteHere Server
   2. Handwriting Recognition on Your Desktop
   3. Sending Commands To Your Desktop
      1. Sending Commands From Your Palm Organizer
      2. Sending Commands From Your Newton Handheld
   4. Game Mode
      1. Supported and Unsupported Games with Game Mode
      2. Sidebar: Why So Slow?
      3. Game Mode on Newton
   5. Sending Files To Your Handheld
      1. Sending Files To Newtons
      2. Sending Files to Palm Organizers
4. Adjusting Preferences
   1. WriteHere Server Preferences
   2. WriteHere Preferences For Palm OS
   3. WriteHere Preferences For Newton OS
5. Registering WriteHere Suite
6. Troubleshooting & Frequently Asked Questions

About WriteHere Suite

WriteHere Suite is a suite of applications for Mac OS, Windows, Palm OS, and Newton OS that brings powerful handwriting recognition (HWR) from the handheld to your desktop.

Features

• Handwriting Recognition on the desktop. Use you handheld computer as a HWR engine for your desktop applications.
• Control your computer. Send keyboard commands from your handheld to the desktop.
• Gaming. Use your handheld computer as a game controller for your desktop.
• Convenience. Bring the convenience and simplicity of the handheld to the desktop world.

System Requirements

Since WriteHere works on a variety of platforms, please make sure you meet the following requirements for your handheld and desktop computers:

Installing WriteHere

Installing WriteHere Server on Mac OS

Installing WriteHere Server for Mac OS and configuring it for use is a simple, four-step process:

1. Drag the Sigma's Additions file on top of your System Folder.
2. Click OK to the alert to move the file into the Scripting Additions Folder.
3. Double-click on the WriteHere Server application file.
4. Follow the WriteHere Server Setup Assistant for configuring your computer's serial port.

Installing WriteHere Server on Windows

Installing WriteHere Server for Windows and configuring it for use is a simple, two-step process:

1. Double-click on the WriteHere Server application file.
2. Follow the WriteHere Server Setup Assistant for configuring your computer's serial port.

WriteHere Server Setup Assistant

The WriteHere Setup Assistant asks you which serial port you wish to use you communicate with your handheld computer. If you have many serial (or USB) devices, you may run into conflicts between WriteHere Server and other applications that are using the same serial ports. You can always change the port you specified in the Assistant in the WriteHere Server Preferences.

Selecting a Handheld OS will configure WriteHere specifically for that particular handheld. You can always change this in the WriteHere Server Preferences.

Installing WriteHere on Your Handheld

Installation of WriteHere for your handheld is like installing any other application. Refer to your user manual that came with your handheld for instructions on installing third-party applications.

Palm OS

Newton OS

Using WriteHere

Connecting WriteHere Server To Your Handheld

1. With the WriteHere Server application running on your desktop, select Connect from the File Menu.
2. Your computer will begin listening on the serial port of USB port that you specified. in the WriteHere Setup Assistant for your handheld computer.

You an adjust the size of the WriteHere Server window like any document window. Click on the small triangle on the left hand side of the window to toggle the display of the WriteHere Writing Window.

Serial Port Busy?
WriteHere Server will inform you if it is unable to access the serial port. An application such as communications software or your handheld computer connectivity software may be may be using the serial port.

TIP: If you getting alerts saying the serial port is busy, try turning off HotSync or other connectivity software for your handheld while using the WriteHere Server.

Connecting your Palm organizer to the WriteHere Server Place your Palm organizer in its cradle or attach a HotSync cable to it and your desktop computer. Turn on your Palm organizer. Tap the Applications button. Find and tap on the WriteHere application icon. The following screen appears below. Tap Connect to connect to your desktop. Begin writing. To disconnect, switch to another application or tap the Disconnect button.

Connecting your Newton handheld to the WriteHere Server Attach a serial cable from your Newton handheld to your desktop computer's serial port or USB-to-Serial Adapter. Turn on your Newton handheld. Tap Extras. Find and tap on the WriteHere application icon. Tap the WriteHere Tools button. In the list that appears, tap Connect to Remote Computer. Begin writing. To disconnect, quit the application or tap the Notify Icon at the top of the screen (the blinking star) and choose Disconnect WriteHere.

Serial Port Busy?
WriteHere will inform you if it is unable to access the serial port of your handheld computer. An application such as communications software may be may be using the serial port.

Handwriting Recognition on Your Desktop

The WriteHere Server software listens to input coming in from your handheld computer and sends it to the application who owns the cursor as if it had been typed directly from the keyboard. You can run the WriteHere Server in the background, processing handwritten input from your handheld and sending it to your favorite application!

TIP: Use the Tab key on WriteHere for the Newton OS or the Tab Graffiti character to quickly switch between fields in a web browser or database!

WriteHere for Newton OS: Superior HWR
WriteHere for the Newton OS has many features to enhance handwriting recognition on the already terrific Newton HWR engine. It features smart capitalization, Corrector+ integration, and much more. Refer to the WriteHere for Newton OS documentation for more information on this powerful product.

Sending Commands To Your Desktop

Both versions of WriteHere for Palm OS and WriteHere for Newton OS allow you to send commands to your desktop computer. That is, they allow the use of modifier keys such as Shift, Command, Option, and Control, to be sent to the desktop from the handheld.

Power's In Your Hands!
The Send Command feature brings new meaning to the phrase, the power of your desktop in the palm of your hand!

Here are instructions for access the Send Command feature of WriteHere Suite:

Sending Commands From Your Palm Organizer With WriteHere running on your Palm organizer, tap on the Send Command button. A dialog will pop up. Select which modifiers you want to send by tapping on each modifier button. In the Graffiti Writing Window, write the character you wish to send. The command-code will be sent to your computer and the Send Command dialog will disappear.

Sending Commands From Your Newton Handheld With WriteHere running on your Newton and connected to your desktop, tap on the WriteHere Tools button. In the list that appears, tap Send Remote Command. A view will appear, with checkboxes to let you select which modifier key(s) to send. Write your character in the small input window to send that command-code to your desktop.

Game Mode

If you have a handheld computer such as a Palm organizer with hardware buttons, you can configure each button to send a key to your desktop computer. This is a great feature that allows you to play games while leaning back in your chair and relaxing!

Game Mode makes playing Puyo Puyo on your Palm organizer a blast!

Activating Game Mode on your desktop With WriteHere Server running and connected to your handheld, choose Game Mode from the File Menu. The WriteHere application window will turn blue, indicating you are in Game Mode. Set your handheld computer into Game Mode. Play a game!

Activating Game Mode on your Palm organizer With WriteHere running on your Palm organizer, tap the Game Mode button. Your Palm will now send the keys that you specified in Preferences to the WriteHere Server when you press the hardware buttons. To learn how you can specify the preferences for Game Mode, see the section on Preferences.

Supported and Unsupported Games with Game Mode

Some games, such as Puyo Puyo, work great in Game Mode. However, there are a number of games, such as Bungie's Marathon, idSoftware's Quake II, and Nanosaur which take over many processes of the computer. In doing so, they prevent the WriteHere Server from receiving input from your handheld computer. We are actively looking into a way to circumvent this unfortunate problem.

Why So Slow?
The Demo Version of WriteHere slows down the input of text in Game Mode. As a result, playing games with Game Mode enabled may result in sluggish play. When registered, games run at full speed and using the hardware buttons on your handheld is nearly as fast as inputting them from the keyboard itself.

Game Mode on Newton

Because the Newton lacks any hardware buttons (except for the power switch), the Game Mode feature is not available on the current Newton version of WriteHere.

Sending Files To Your Handheld

You can send small text files from your desktop computer to your Newton handheld.

Sending Files To Newton Handhelds

1. When connected to your handheld, choose Send from the File Menu.
2. You can send a selected text file, the contents of the Writing Window, or the clipboard to your Newton.

Sending Files To Palm Organizers

Sending files to Palm organizers is currently not supported in this release of WriteHere Suite 1.1.

Adjusting Preferences

You can adjust many preferences for WriteHere on your desktop and handheld computers to suit your needs.

WriteHere Server Preferences

Choosing Preferences from the Edit menu brings up the following dialog box:

General Prefs

• Connecting to: Configures WriteHere Server to communicate properly with your handheld. Choose your handheld from the list of choices.
• Connect on startup: Automatically try to open the serial port specified in the Connection panel. when WriteHere Server is opened.
• Show progress: Displays a barber pole progress bar when data is being received and processed by the WriteHere Server.
• Return/Enter sends: Specify what return character to send when sending text to a handheld. Specify between Carriage Return, Linefeed, or Carriage Return/Linefeed (CR/LF).

Game Mode Prefs

• Enable Key Repeat: Turning this preference off turns off the repeating of keys in Game Mode.

Communication Prefs

• Port: Change the serial port with which WriteHere communicates to your handheld.

You should not modify the other preferences in the Communication panel or you run the risk of not being able to communicate with your handheld. Both WriteHere for the Newton and Palm OS communicate at 38400 bps, 8 data bits, 1 stop bit and no parity.

WriteHere Preferences For Palm OS

Choosing Preferences from the Options menu brings up the following dialog:

There are six hardware buttons on most Palm organizers. There are a wide range of options that each button can have in Game Mode, outlined below:

• Disabled: Pressing the button does nothing.
• Transmit Char: Pressing the button sends the character specified to the right of the popup menu.
• Exit Game Mode: Pressing the button exits out of Game Mode.
• Left: Pressing the button sends the left arrow character.
• Right: Pressing the button sends the right arrow character.
• Up: Pressing the button sends the up arrow character.
• Down: Pressing the button sends the down arrow character.
• Return: Pressing the button sends the return character.

There are two other preferences that you can configure in WriteHere for Palm OS:

• Return sends: Specify what return character to send when sending text to the desktop. Specify between Carriage Return, Linefeed, or Carriage Return/Linefeed (CR/LF).
• Disable Screen in Game Mode: Checking this box disabled all controls to the Palm organizer except for the hardware buttons. The screen will be completely disabled until you exit out of Game Mode. This feature is useful if you tend to touch the screen while in Game Mode.

WriteHere Preferences For Newton OS

Tapping on the Info Button and choosing Prefs brings up the main WriteHere Preferences View. Choose Communications to see the following dialog box:

• Hide connect dialog on connect: Does not display the introductory message when you connect to the remote computer.
• Connect through: You can have WriteHere communicate through a variety of ports, from the serial port to the IR port to the two PC Card Slots. If you have a PC Card Serial Device, WriteHere should function properly.
• Return sends: Specify what return character to send when sending text to the desktop. Specify between Carriage Return, Linefeed, or Carriage Return/Linefeed (CR/LF).

Registering WriteHere Suite

The Demo version of WriteHere Server runs for five minutes before automatically exiting. If you wish to use WriteHere beyond the five minute time period, you can order WriteHere Suite from Foundation Systems for US$19.95 safely and securely over the Internet.

When ordering, please include your name and/or your company name. We will use this information to generate your registration code that you will use to unlock your copy of WriteHere.

Upon receipt of payment, we will send you a registration code via email. To register your copy of WriteHere, follow these directions:

1. Open WriteHere Server.
2. Select About WriteHere... from the Apple (Mac OS) or Edit (Windows) menu.
3. Click Register
4. Enter your name, company name (optional) and the registration code. Click Register to save your registration. Be sure to keep your registration letter in a safe place in the event that WriteHere loses your registration (i.e hard drive crash, erased disk, etc.).

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