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Welcome to the world of thinkDB and tinyBytes!
You have just downloaded a tinyByte that must be used with thinkDB 2 on a Palm OS® device (a "Palm OS® device" means any device from Handspring, Palm Computing, Sony, IBM, or other vendors, using the Palm OS® 3.0 or higher).
thinkDB is the core product of thinkingBytes Technology. With thinkDB, you can create your own lists of names, track your own database of collectibles, keep your expenses, organize your CDs or DVDs...just about anything you can imagine. If you can make a list out of it, you can keep it in a tinyByte in thinkDB.
What is a tinyByte?
A tinyByte is a small application for storing data or keeping lists. tinyBytes are created and used in thinkDB. You can have thinkDB by itself on your Palm OS® device, but you cannot have just the tinyByte without thinkDB. Otherwise, you won't be able to see the tinyByte, and it won't do anything.
tinyBytes can be a single database file on the handheld, which is the most common way to find them. However, a tinyByte can consist of two or more files that work together to form one logical unit. In order to use the tinyByte as a whole, you need to have all of the files on your Palm OS® device so they can work together.
How to install
The first step is to make sure you have thinkDB 2 on your handheld (thinkDB version 2.0 or higher). You have to have thinkDB on your handheld before you can use the tinyByte that you just downloaded.
You will find thinkDB for download from the site that you found this tinyByte. You can also download a copy directly from our website at www.thinkingbytes.com. If you need help installing an application to your Palm OS® device, please see our FAQs for at www.thinkingbytes.com/support.
Once you have thinkDB 2 installed on your handheld, you will see it as an icon that looks like the image below:
Now you are ready to install the tinyByte that you downloaded. To install a PDB or PRC file to a handheld device, you will need to use the desktop software that came with the handheld device. Most Palm compatible handhelds ship with Palm Desktop and HotSync Manager from Palm Computing.
On a Windows PC, you can double-click on a PRC or PDB file to add it to the Install Tool.
Once the file is added to the install tool, you can click on "Add" to specify more files, or "Done".
When you click on "Done" you will see the following: "Next time you perform a HotSync operation, the listed file(s) will be installed on your handheld."
Now, perform a HotSync to install the files to the handheld device.
If you use third party software for HotSyncing your files, please consult the documentation for that software for instructions on installing files to a handheld device.
For more details, please see our FAQs for at www.thinkingbytes.com/support.
How to use your tinyByte
One you have thinkDB 2 and the tinyByte installed on your Palm OS® device, you can tap on the icon for thinkDB 2 to see a list of your tinyBytes. You can then tap on the name of the tinyByte to open it. The tinyByte you just downloaded was probably written by one of our customers, who has asked us to share it with you. Any instructions for using this particular tinyByte are provided by the author, and we have included them in the file that you downloaded. If there were no instructions from the author, there may be a file with the author's email address for you to contact them for more details.
You can find a manual for thinkDB itself at our website at: www.thinkingbytes.com/support
What else can I do with thinkDB?
thinkingBytes Technology offers a desktop tool for thinkDB, which is currently available for Windows PCs.
You can also create your own tinyBytes! We have a tinyByte tutorial, a quickstart guide, and, of course, the frequently asked questions on our website. All of these are available from www.thinkingbytes.com/support
Who do I contact if I have questions?
- The first place you want to start if you have questions is the support page at our website. Here, you will find manuals to download, Frequently Asked Questions, and other tools for using thinkDB.
- You can post your question to the thinkDB yahoo!group, which is a forum for thinkDB users. Someone else on the egroups may have already attempted this and made it work, or may be willing to help design what you are looking for.
The thinkDB forum can be accessed from: http://www.thinkingbytes.com/Subscribe.asp - Finally, you can contact us directly at support@thinkingbytes.com
Now, enjoy thinkDB!
The Thinkingbytes Team!
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