Having Problems Writing Web Pages for the PocketPC

[Martin I Pettinger]

Is there any good web sites which describe how to write web pages specifically for the PocketPC displaying a resolution of 240 x320.

Apologies if this post has appeared already. It is my first post on a PDA community, the first one I did disappeared.

I have just authored a web site:

http://www.martin.pettinger.btinternet.co.uk

The site has been tested on an iPAQ 3850 and a Jornada 540 and the site views differently. The Jornada seems to have a slightly smaller font.

The two devices which were used for testing run different OS's, the iPAQ PPC2002, the Jornada PPC 2000.

[ppcsurfr]

looks like you hard coded the width of the page.

You don't have to do that. As long as you don't have columns, it should be fine for both PPC 2000 and PPC 2002 devices.

Check out what I did in www.ppcsurfr.s5.com

No hard coding here and it works even on the desktop PC.

Just make sure that you have Fit To Screen selected in your Pocket PC.

[Martin I Pettinger]

ppcsurfr

Thanks for the comments. What I didn't explain is that I am trying to fit each web page to one screen such that the visitor does not have to scroll down the page.

I had another try with the Jornada 540 today and the fonts on the Jornada which is running the 2000 OS are smaller than the fonts on 2002 OS. I have also tweaked my iPAQ to use Cleartype fonts which look much better.

Question is should I be coding the page to view one page at a time. I need to try the jog wheel again on the Jornada 540. I wonder is it possible to browse using one thumb only.

Martin

[ppcsurfr]

Ah, okay.

Anyway I don't think it is really a hassle to use the thumb wheel on the 548. Actually using the D-pad on the 568 or iPAQ is quite easy too.

[Martin I Pettinger]

Thanks again for the comments.

I appreciate that it is quite easy to scroll with either the D pad or a jog wheel. However can one navigate using the jog wheel alone. I.e. can hyperlinks be selected or is a stylus needed to do this.

For some reason I imagined that it is possible to cycle through the hyperlinks on a web page without needing to use the stylus. I may be way of beam though so please bear with me.

Martin

[ppcsurfr]

Well as for selecting hyperlinked stuff, you will have to tap on the link either with a stylus or your fingertip. If you create an icon or a link which is larger than normal, then it will be easier using even just a fingertip.

[Thinkingmandavid]

Is there a way to use the job dial to go into the link wiht out having to use a stylus or ones finger.
I know it was asked but I dont think that part was clearly answered. It sounded as if there is a way to do it but that maybe you didnt about it or how. If so then we can expect more posts hopefully about this. I dont have the software to look at the site completely but I think it is an interesting idea for it to be viewed by PPC's.
What else do you have planned with the site and your web page building for PPC's?

[Martin I Pettinger]

My aim is to author a web site that can be viewed on the PPC platform, which can be used for eLearning. I am a qualified engineer living in Scotland who is currently collaborating / training engineers in India. The web site is being written to help engineers visualise structural design concepts, I am also giving a presentation to Scottish Industry in September in Glasgow. Details will appear on the site.

The site is only a few weeks old and my current project is adding animation to the structures whereby you can take the structure apart on screen! This model will be added to my site tonight. My next model will have voice over commentary, hopefully in mp3 format. Model after that may use svg format – which is a method of displaying 3D drawings using vectors – I think this will require the Flash plug-in.

It is a pity you cannot view the site completely. I would advise viewing the site on a desktop computer using the desktop plug-in. The desktop models also have more functions the PPC models. The reason for the jog-wheel question is that the first PPC I had chance to play with was a Jornada 540 with a jog-wheel. This was a PPC 2000 machine but I am sure that I could use PIE one handed.

Another idea of mine is that maintenance staff can dial into the structural models to visualise Health and Safety issues. This is why I want simple navigation. I guess you can use your thumbnail but I do not want to do this on the screen of my £450 device. Is that what screen protectors are for? Hope this generates more interest.