Symbol Commander for Pocket PC

[marlof]

<a href="http://www.sensiva.com/newsroom/pr_09-24-02.html">http://www.sensiva.com/newsroom/pr_09-24-02.html</a><br /><br />David Gamboa sent in a press release by Sensiva announcing Symbol Commander for the Pocket PC. This software "allows users to command and control their device faster and more easily just by making gestures on the screen with the pen. They draw a "W" to launch their word processor, an "e" to check their email, simple lines to copy/paste, etc." The program takes no screen estate. Just write the Symbol on the screen, it executes the command, and it disappears again. A trial version is available through the <a href="http://www.sensiva.com">Sensiva</a> website.

[Brad Adrian]

I just tried this, because I like the idea of on-screen shortcuts. However, it seems as though the commands are not configurable; I couldn't find a way, for example, to get writing a "W" to insert a text string instead of launching Pocket Word.

Is that the way this is designed, or am I missing something? I think the info on their Web site about how feature-rich this is refers more to the Windows version than the Pocket PC version.

[palmsolo]

Brad,

I am currently reviewing this program for our site, www.pocketpclife.co.uk (shameless plug), and came across the same thing. Then it hit me to run the desktop part of the application and voila you can customize up to 156 strokes to launch applications, insert text, go to web pages, and perform commands. I highly doubt anyone could ever remember all 156 available symbols/strokes, but at least they give you the option.

Start the desktop version and the left button in the top right corner allows you to edit/add/remove the symbols. I am having fun with this program right now and hope to post my review in a couple days.

[JonnoB]

I have not tried it yet... but does this mean if I try to write in a URL using one of the non-keyboard SIM interfaces that as I write a www. url that I will invoke Pocket Word?

[Jerome Carney]

Calligrapher already has this feature built in...

OK -- At first I couldn't see what all the fuss was about "Calligrapher": it was just a Transcriber rip, and unlike Transcriber, it carried a price tag.

But eventually I gave Calligrapher a trial spin because of it's multilingual support -- I work in English, French and Spanish -- and I discovered that Calligrapher also packs something pretty incredible, something I'd been looking for forever on the PocketPC platform: a configurable macro command language

To launch a macro, you write the macro's name on the screen (1 or more characters) and draw a circle around it. For example, if I'm reading a Spanish-language AvantGo channel and I come across a word I don't know, I launch my "SL" (Spanish Lookup) macro, which copies the word, launches my Collins dictionary app, pastes the word appropriately, and voilà: I have the translation I need in one-tenth the time of a manual lookup... ¡qué chévere!

My only gripe is that the makers of Calligrapher don't market the macro feature the way they need to... If I had known about it (and believe you me, I'd been actively seeking a macro app for a while), I would have bought Calligrapher a long time ago.

[palmsolo]

JonnoB,

If I understand your question correctly you are concerned about using something like Transcriber and writing a W on your screen and launching Pocket Word. In order to use the Symbol Commander program, you have to first press a hardware button that you designate to let it know you are about to stroke a shortcut.

[JonnoB]

In order to use the Symbol Commander program, you have to first press a hardware button that you designate to let it know you are about to stroke a shortcut.

So, I must lose my normal hardware button configuration or not use transcriber?

[yvilla]

My only gripe is that the makers of Calligrapher don't market the macro feature the way they need to... If I had known about it (and believe you me, I'd been actively seeking a macro app for a while), I would have bought Calligrapher a long time ago.

Me too. I thought about trying Calligrapher over a year ago, but with Transcriber built in, I couldn't see the point, especially given its relatively high price point.

Just recently, I did decide to try it, out of my frustration that Transcriber simply won't recognize certain strokes of mine--I finally realized when using the shape selector that it's designed for right-handed people only :!:

To my surprise, since to my understanding the basic recognition engine in Transcriber is supposed to be the same as Calligrapher's, Calligrapher does do a better job in recognizing my left-handed writing.

Then I discovered the macro feature. It is for me probably the single most useful and valuable software feature I've discovered to date--and I'm going to be very glad to toss out forever all those many keyboard/input panel applications I've been trying, and trying, and trying :!: Oh, how I also wish I'd discovered this sooner; it is definitely worth the price.

[yvilla]

Don't mean to knock the program that this thread is all about--but having to first press a hardware button to signal that you're going to use a macro strikes me as more of a hassle and as a less elegant solution than Calligrapher's chosen mechanism--I believe you can much more easily and quickly draw a circle around the shortcut you are writing (it's almost just a natural continuation of your stroke).

[palmsolo]

JonnoB,

You can still use Transcriber all you want and you only lose one hardware button. This application will not start until you push a hardware button and then make the stroke. It won't launch anything if you are just using Transcriber and making strokes on your device. However, losing one hardware button to be able to launch up to 156 applications, go directly to web pages you designate, insert text, or perform commands (i.e. cut, copy, paste...) seems worth it to me.

I have only been using the program for a day and am not trying to defend it's existence or anything. From the discussion above, it looks like Calligrapher may be a good thing to try out. Does Calligrapher allow you to create macros for things like going directly to specific websites, etc. like this program advertises?

[Jerome Carney]

Does Calligrapher allow you to create macros for things like going directly to specific websites, etc. like this program advertises?

Yep, and a whole lot more... you'll be surprised how robust their PenCommander macro language is. In fact, I just emailed you a copy of the chapter covering PenCommander from the Calligrapher Manual. It's impressive.

[yvilla]

Jerome (and anyone else who uses Calligrapher macros),

Have you seen this thread at PPCPassion: http://www.pocketpcpassion.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=18591 ?

It hasn't really gotten off the ground yet, but dgames had the idea of sharing macros. I liked the idea, but don't have anything to share yet because I'm new at it still.

[Insight33]

Does anyone know how to get the assigned hardware button back to normal after removing Sensiva Symbol Commander?

[email protected]

[palmsolo]

You should be able to go to Start>Settings>Buttons and assign it back to what you want.