Axim Has Problems Listing Folders on the CF Card

[BoiseNative]

I don't know how else to describe this problem other than to have you try it for yourself.

1) Create some folders on your CF card (if it doesn’t already have some). You can do this from “File Explorer” on the PPC, or use ActiveSync’s Explore. Give them unique names like CFfolder1, CFfolder2, etc.
2) Now, go into Pocket Word, Pocket Excel, or Notes.
3) Click on the folder pull-down menu and select one of the folders on the CF card. Notice that the file listing always resorts back to “All Folders” instead of the CF folder you select. This isn’t how other PocketPC’s behave!

Now try this - create folders in the “Built-in Storage” again giving them unique names (i.e. BISfolder1, BISfolder2, etc). Again go into Word, Excel, or Notes and click on the folder pull-down menu and select one of the folders you created. Notice how the file listing stays on the folder you selected instead of resorting to “All Folders” like it did with the CF card.

I don’t have an SD card, but I’d be interested to see if the problem exists on those cards too. Someone please check this out and let us know.

[Sslixtis]

You have to basically map a path to the folder.

Say you have a "Test" folder on the CF you look at All Folders no problem everything in is there. Ok, now you try to select just the "Test" folder and it goes right back to All Folders.

The way you "map" the folder is create a folder with the same name under your My Documents folder in Main Memory. Once you have that the OS will find any folders with that name no matter if they are on the SD card or CF card, so if you select that folder name now, it will stay selected and show just what is in the various "Test" folders.

Hope this helps.

Cheers!

[Sven Johannsen]

BoiseNative, You are absolutely right. I tried this on my Axim and my Jornada. The built program file dialogs (for lack of a better term) do not seem to like the external RAM folders. I happened to try it on an SD card, but same issue.

The folders we are talking about are sub folders within My Documents. For example, \SDCard\My Documents\Photos. That directory cannot be selected in the Word File dialog on the Axim, but can on a Jornada. All the files in that directory do show up in th All Folders listing, you just can't filter it by that folder. Or apparently any other folder on external RAM.

I figure it is due to the AXIM convention of calling the external folders SD card and CF Card instead of Storage Card and Storage Card2 as has been the convention.

Don't know what to say except it does seem to be a bug, and we should try to convey that to Dell.

Sslixtis - I didn't try what you suggested - essentially recreating the SD My Documents folder structure under the My Documents in RAM, but you should not have to do this. It is not neccessary on my Jornada and whatever other PPC(s) BoiseNative has.

[BoiseNative]

The way you "map" the folder is create a folder with the same name under your My Documents folder in Main Memory.

Yeah, I also experimented with this approach as a workaround to this bug. It works, but it's really lame to have to create these empty folders in the main memory "My Documents" folder to mirror the names of folders on the CF card.

So, does anyone have experience with reporting bugs to Dell? Let's start contacting them to resolve this. It's a pretty significant problem (I think so anyway).

I'm wondering if anyone with a Toshiba e740 could see if this problem exists there too. That's the only other PPC I know of that has both a CF and SD card. Maybe it's an OS issue with multiple memory card slots. I'll post in that forum too.

[Sslixtis]

I agree this is a problem, however I thought you were looking for a work around, sorry.

You don't have to do this on the HP 54x, Casio E-125, HP 56x, or the iPaq 3955. I would be interested in seeing if other multiple slot PDAs had this issue as well. It may be an OS limitation that we may need to contact MS about so we don't see it in the next version of the PPC OS. :wink:

[tccox]

interesting... Just tried test on my IPAQ 3835 with CF expansion Pak plus. Good Job sir. You've apparently discovered the first bug in Dells implemention of Pocket PC 2002. My IPAQ (dual slot SD and CF ) does NOT behave that way. Funny though, ouly seems to be a problem with Word and Excel. Should be reported to Dell though . I'm sure they're already working hard and heavy on first ROM revision. (When I first got my IPAQ it had ROM version 1.14, Now it's up to 1.20) Pretty minor bug though. Still love my AXim. And I do suspect it has something to do with how Dell names the cards......Do you object if I quote your description of the problem over on the Dell board ????

[BoiseNative]

Do you object if I quote your description of the problem over on the Dell board?

Sure, go right ahead. I'd like as much exposure to this problem as possible.

I have submitted an email to Dell's technical support for this and the Inbox attachments issue (http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=6334).

Please take a second to submit an email to Dell about this issue here http://support.dell.com/us/en/emaildell.

Thanks to all for validating this problem and helping to bring exposure to it. Hope Dell responds and quickly fixes it. Let's see how well they handle bugs.

[blazingwolf]

I have an Ipaq 3955. I tried this and I have the same problem with my CF card. It does not do this when I access files on the SD card. I even tried to create word files and place them in the files on the CF card. The word file shows up under all files but not from the folder on the Cf card.

[BoiseNative]

Well, I got a response back from Dell's email technical support, but it's more of a redirection than help.

Here's an exerpt from their email:
"All the information about your system specifications are stored
in the PDA support queue database. They are the only people who
are authorized to provide the correct. I will not have enough
info to troubleshoot your issues. Our PDA support queue would
definitely help you out to resolve the issue.They are trained
specifically to handle all issues with AXIM PDA. The contact number for this support is 800-624-9896."

Seems like there isn't PDA technical support available through their email channels, only through the telephone. Strange since there is a Handheld/PDA "Problem Catagory" on their email submittal form.

Wish me luck as I try to describe this problem to someone over the phone...

[BoiseNative]

Funny though, ouly seems to be a problem with Word and Excel.

Is also a problem with Notes. Apparently these three applications all use the same file listing method. I'd be interested to hear from people experiencing this problem in other applications.

[BoiseNative]

Hmmm...I'm starting to see conflicting reports on this issue.

Just tried test on my IPAQ 3835 with CF expansion Pak plus...My IPAQ (dual slot SD and CF ) does NOT behave that way
I have an Ipaq 3955. I tried this and I have the same problem with my CF card. It does not do this when I access files on the SD card.

I've been on vacation this week, but I'll be back to work on 12/30 and will have access to a Toshiba e740 (another dual slot PPC). I'll be able to see if it has this same problem. I don't know if we can say with any certainty that this is a Dell Axim problem or a MS OS problem.

[TheBacklash]

I have this same problem on my Axim.

I did NOT have this problem on my Compaq 3635 with the CF sleeve.

I think i'll take my SD card to the store and put it in a Toshiba e740 and see if it can recognize my notes there. (see if it's a dual slot problem or the way of naming the cards, I think it's the later...)

I can however save by default to the main memory, then move the file to the SD card. and then access it there with no problems. haven't tried to edit the note after moving it though... (just checked, yes I can edit it after I move it.)

[TheBacklash]

Just checked the Dell support board.

this is the responce from the DELL techie ....

Thank you for using the Dell Community Forum.

This seems to be a problem with the applications that are built into Pocket PC 2002. If this is the case, then the only answer may be a hard reset. I would suggest that you try a soft reset first, and then if that does not help, then I would suggest that you back up your data and try a hard reset.



http://forums.us.dell.com/supportforums/board/message?board.id=dellpda&message.id=2587&highlight=notes+cf+card#M2587

Don't hard reset though... as you will read from another person a Hard reset does NOT change this.

[BoiseNative]

I can however save by default to the main memory, then move the file to the SD card. and then access it there with no problems.
This isn't exactly the problem I was describing when I started this thread, but you have identified a different legimate problem! This seems to more related to this other thread I started here http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=6334

You can configure Notes to save new documents to either Main memory or to Storage card 1 (Notes > Tools > Options. Then change "Save To:" to either Main Memory or Storage Card 1). The problem here is similar to the problem I described with the Inbox application. The Axim has Built-in Storage, a CF card, and an SD card. It appears that the Inbox and Notes applications (maybe other applications?) consider the Built-in Storage as the default storage card (even though it's not really a storage card - it's just spare internal flash memory available for us to use).

I don't see any quick fix for this problem. It appears that the Inbox and Notes applications were never written expecting multiple storage cards.

[TheBacklash]

I still think it has to be the non standard naming of the cards... I hope Dell (or MS) can fix this in a patch, and soon.

It's a problem that can be worked around, but why? it needs to be fixed. Hopefully Dell starts looking into the problem more than the Dell "techie" did...

[Sslixtis]

Well, I hacked my registry and renamed the storage cards, Storage Card and Storage Card 2 and that did not solve the problem. So I don't think it is the SD Card/CF Card naming convention. :?

[TheBacklash]

the problem may not be in the registry, or at least not able to be fixed in the registry...

[tccox]

And notice that problem does not occur in Acrobat Reader for Pocket PC. Accesses folders on card perfectly. So is it just a problem with Word and Excel ????? I personally prefer naming the Storage Cards SD Card and CF casr over Storage Card And Storage Card 2. So maybe a EEU from Microsoft is in order to fix problem....

[BoiseNative]

Okay everyone, I've confirmed that this problem exists on a Toshiba e740 so this appears to be an OS or an Application problem not an Axim problem! Good news, I guess. Only devices with multiple storage cards are going to see this.

On the e740, folders on the CF card list correctly in Notes, Word, and Excel. However, folders on the SD card revert to "All Folders" when attempting to list them in Notes, Word, and Excel.

Here's what I think is going on. Word, Notes, and Excel have no problems selecting the folders from main storage and from the from what the PPC thinks is the first storage card. The Axim actually has what could be considered three storage cards: Built-in Storage, CF card, and SD card. On the Axim, the first storage card appears to be the "Built-in Storage". On the e740, the first storage card appears to be the CF card. Folders appearing on any of the other storage cards will revert to "All Folders" when you try to select them using the file chooser in Word, Notes, and Excel. I suspect that these applications are all using some common OS dll for listing the folders and files, so this is probably more of an OS component problem than an application problem.

I don't know if there is a registry hack for changing what the PPC thinks is the first storage card. I'm investigating, but if someone else finds how to do it, please let us know. I'd like my Axim to consider the CF card to be the first storage card, not the built-in storage. Sslixtis, you've been in this area of the registry, any ideas here?

Tccox, you said that you didn't see this problem with your iPaq 3835 with the CF sleeve. This seems to be the only contradiction to my explanation. Could you double check? I suspect that the SD slot is the 3835's first storage card, so folder listing should work fine. The CF sleeve is mostly likely the one that'll give you problems. Try creating a unique folder on your CF card (i.e. CFfolder1), then go into Word, Notes, or Excel and try to select that folder. Does it revert to "All Folders" or does it stick on CFfolder1?

There is a workaround to this problem as was mentioned earlier in this thread. Create empty dummy folders in main storage with names the same as those folders on the storage cards you're having troubles with. It's a pain, but it'll get us by until (if) the problem gets fixed.

[TheBacklash]

Didn't finish your entire post just yet... But I read that the Ipaq does this as well. (just read this on the Dell forum) Not just dual slot pocketPc's... It has something to do with the "built-in storage" that the Ipaq uses, as well as the Dell. I can't speak for the Toshiba on that part. But people are saying it's OS related.

I think we may find out like you pointed out some "dll" that don't like the built-in memory part of the hardware screwing with the OS's mind :lol:

[Sslixtis]

Ok, in the registry the Built-in-Storage is default, CF Card is Folder0 and the SD Card is Folder. So the OS looks at the Built-in-Storage first, CF Card second, and the SD Card last. I'm not really comfortable changing the ROM (built-in-storage), the flshdrv.dll may need to "see" the ROM as default, so i'll just live with the workaround thanks :lol:

If anyone else is feeling frisky though, I'd like to know if changing the default to the CF Card works and if there are any problems with the Built-in-Storage after the change. :wink:

Cheers!

[TheBacklash]

the workaround don't work for me... I still can't save to the CF/SD card from within notes... I still have to save to memory, then move it to the SD/CF card...

Can you save directly to the CF/SD card from within notes/word/excell now after doing the workaround? :?:

[Sslixtis]

Ok, so here's what i've found :) Excel will let you save directly to any of the 3 available locations.

Inbox, Notes and Word all have Main Memory or Storage Card 1 (if available) as the options. However with the Built-in-Storage as the default none of these programs can see the available storage. If you go into Inbox>Tools>Options>Storage you will note that Inbox doesn't "see" any Storage card. I've been scanning the Registry but have been unable to locate anyway to tell these programs to look for another location as yet.

So it looks as if you'll just have to save em and move em for now :?

[BoiseNative]

the workaround don't work for me... I still can't save to the CF/SD card from within notes... I still have to save to memory, then move it to the SD/CF card...Can you save directly to the CF/SD card from within notes/word/excell now after doing the workaround?
There are two separate issues that keep coming up in this thread. I started this thread primarily to discuss the problem of not being able to view the contents of individual folders on the CF and SD cards using the file viewer in the Notes, Word, and Excel applications. That is what the afore mentioned workaround will allow.

The other issue that keeps getting mixed into this thread is the default file storage location for Inbox, Word, Notes, and Excel. I brought this up in this thread http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=6334 . TheBacklash, you'll see that I give you credit there for expanding the problem beyond just an Inbox attachment issue! :) But, since you asked in this thread...

INBOX
For the Inbox attachments issue, I see no workaround. If you choose "Store attachments on storage card" in the options, attachments will go to built-in storage.

NOTES
There is also no apparent workaround for the Notes application. If you choose save to "Storage card 1(if available)" in the options, all notes will be saved to built-in storage.

EXCEL
Excel allows you to specify the default save location for new workbooks. To do this, start the Excel application but don't open a workbook; click on Tools (on the menubar at the bottom of the screen); click on Options; now choose a storage location under "Save new workbooks to". Notice that all of the possible storage cards & locations are available.

Also, while you have an Excel workbook open, you can click on "Tools" on the menubar, then click on "Save Workbook As...". The Save As dialog will allow you to specify where to save the workbook you are working on.

WORD
You can specify the default storage location for Word documents in a similar way to Excel, EXCEPT Word only lists "Main Memory" and "Storage Card 1" as possible storage locations. If you choose "Storage Card 1", you'll save to built-in storage.

However, while you have a Word open, you can click on "Tools" on the menubar, then click on "Save Document As...". The Save As dialog will allow you to specify where to save the document you are working on, and all the possible storage cards & locations are available.

CONCLUSION
This is all very inconsistent, and the Microsoft developers should be embarrased enough to release a fix for this! :x

[BoiseNative]

Hey, look what I found...articles that show Microsoft is aware of these and other problems related to the storage cards. Okay - NOW FIX THE PROBLEMS!

PocketWord and PocketNotes May Not List All Available Memory Storage Options
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;327537

Name of Storage Card Changes When You Add Another Storage Card
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;219617

E-mail Attachments Cannot Be Stored After You Change CompactFlash Storage Card
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;267562

Pocket PC: Attachments Are Lost When You Remove and Replace the Storage Card
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;324400