downloading applications?

[tanov]

hi, i have a samsung i300, am quite new to the site and windows based phones. i have already nearly mastered the changing of homescreens from information found on this site, so thanks.

my next question is how do i load up new applications.

do i place them on my hard drive then move them to a specific folder, if so which folder.

or use active sync.

you will have to forgive me and explain in simple english till i fathom these things out.

cheers again

[Sven Johannsen]

Two primary ways. The most common is that the new application is delivered as a windows executable (.exe) that you just run on your desktop, while the phone is connected via Active Sync. Basically what the process does is unpack the files needed for instal, open the add/remove feature of AS, copy a cab file to the phone and then it executes the cab file on the phone. Often this also installs some things on the desktop, like a manual, that becomes accesible through the start menu on the desktop.

A kind of corrolary to this method is to just run the desktop executable with nothing connected. The files will be unpacked and be ready for the next time a device is connected, at which time Add/Remove fires and the install takes place.

The second common way is to just run the cab file on the phone. The question is how do you get it? and how do you get it on the phone. As mentioned above, running an executable will unpack the files. Most of the time the cab can be found under the AS program directory on the desktop, typically in an obvious folder. Many vendors supply the bare cab file as well as the exe, because some people want, or need to, not use AS. How to get it on the phone? Can drag it over via AS, could download it directly to the phone from the web site, or could copy it to a flash card in a reader and then put the card in the phone.

A third but relatively uncommon method arises if the app is distributed as a WM executable. Then you just copy it to the phone in whatever manner seems appropriate and run it. I normally would put something like this in a directory of it's own under programs or on a flash card and make a shortcut to it in the Start menu. How do you tell one of these from a setup executable? Barring the site you got it from telling you, run it. If it's not a Desktop setup app, it'll tell you it isn't right for the OS, the desktop one.

[Mike Temporale]

Sven more than covered the bases. I just wanted to add something about CAB files. I see a lot of people having problems with them becuase they unpack them on their desktop. The desktop will treat a CAB file like a zip file. Don't open it on the desktop. You need the whole CAB on the phone for it to install.

What program(s) are you looking at installing?

[Jerry Raia]

Just FYI, when you "execute" a cab file on the phone, it will disappear after. Keep a backup copy!