TomeRaider queries

[terrypin]

Can any TomeRaider users here help with these two initial queries I have, after starting to use it yesterday please?

Q1. After several abortive attempts (long downloads at 56 Kbps dial up), I now have a version of the Encyclopedia from www.memoware.com.

But (a) I'm intermittently getting a message saying 'Can't open' and (b) the file seems to have a lot of 'corrupted' text - nonsense text interspersed with symbols, missing words, etc.

The file I'm using, is called Encyclopedia-TomeRaider.tr and its size before moving and converting to the PPC is 7,823,808 bytes. Yet on the web it's described as 15.1 MB.

=================================

Q2. The File List displayed on opening TomeRaider appears to be listing only files in MAIN MEMORY\My Documents. I expected to be able to keep such large files on SD or CF cards.

I e-mailed Proporta about these, but meanwhile wonder if anyone here can shed light please?

Using iPAQ 2210 with WM2003.

--
Terry, West Sussex, UK

[Paul Martin]

Terry,

Sounds like it bailed out before the end. There really should be no conversion in copying it to the PPC. If you have a memory card and reader, just copy it to that instead of using Activestink...it will be much faster. Just to confirm, I'll download the file and take a peak. Do you have a friend who has a high speed connection who can download it for you?

On problem 2, yes, you can put these documents on a storage card. Here's the trick: Create a folder on the card and called it "My Documents". Some other apps have the same limitation, so this will facilitate storage of those documents, etc.

Hope this helps.

Paul

p.s. I've already downloaded 9 meg of the file so far, so you will definately need to re-download the file.

[Jereboam]

The encyclopedia you are talking about is I think the Wikipedia - formatted for TomeRaider, in which case it is about 120 Mb. I have it, although an older version I downloaded directly, and can testify that it works fine with none of the formatting issues you are getting. It's the reason I bought TomeRaider.

Here's the Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:TomeRaider_database) page...this is what you want.

I think the version you have downloaded is the German version...check the Memoware page for the actual language. That is about 16 Mb.

ALL my TR files are on a storage card. I think that TR suffers from the old My Documents mania so make sure you have created a My Documents folder on the card and have maybe a subdirectory with your TR files in there...in the TR window your files should now have a little memory icon superimposed over them.

Listen, I'm in Moscow now but am getting back to the UK on the 1st, where I have a broadband connection, so if you want just email me your address and I'll burn a copy of the full Wikipedia for you.

J'bm

[Jereboam]

Well, I checked the language and it does say English.

Nonetheless, my offer still stands for the Wikipedia - if your memory card can take it...pmradio was suggesting just what I was at the same time!

J'bm

[Paul Martin]

Well, I checked the language and it does say English.

Nonetheless, my offer still stands for the Wikipedia - if your memory card can take it...pmradio was suggesting just what I was at the same time!

J'bm

Hey, J'bm. Isn't there also a file on the storage card you will need to delete to allow browsing (named something like "ignore..") I deleted mine long ago and don't remember what it's called, just know it was recommended that I delete it.

pmradio

[terrypin]

Paul, Jereboam:

Thanks a lot both.

First, happy to say the My Documents was the issue. I'd thought I'd put my stuff in SD Card\My Documents\My Library. But, prompted by your posts, I rechecked and turned out I'd carelessly put it in SD Card\My Library! So I'm getting a nicely-populated file list now.

But following up my earlier posts, I've just tried yet again in vain to
download that darned Encyclopedia. It's this one heading the Top 20 List at
http://www.memoware.com/?screen=doc_detail&doc_id=13861&back=main

File Type: TomeRaider (.tr)
Platform: EPOC,PPC,Palm
Language: English
File Size: 15542.1 KB

My last 3 results:
----------------------
Encyclopedia-TomeRaider3rd.tr 7,641 KB 26/10/2003 23:18
Encyclopedia-TomeRaiderAgain.tr 7,717 KB 26/10/2003 22:27
Encyclopedia-TomeRaiderMon1.tr 6,659 KB 27/10/2003 19:14

* Not one even half the stated size
* All different

I seem to be able to download other large web files without problems, so this is bizarre. I've never been at the screen at the time it prematurely finishes - if indeed the original is 15.1 MB - so I don't know if anything special happens. Also, when I browse the version I've installed (which says size '7m' in the File List), it seems to be complete. At least, in the sense that its entries go from A level to Zurs. Has my curiosity aroused now...

And, yes please Jereboam, I certainly would like to take up your kind offer on Wikipedia. My 128 MB SD Card is accumulating programs and data quite fast, so I would probably clear out a little room from my 1 GB CF Card, currently used exclusively as 'jukebox' plus backup store.

--
Terry, West Sussex, UK

[Jereboam]

Paul, yeah, there is sometimes a file called ignore_my_docs with a zero-byte size and no extension, that prevents (I think) the ROM apps from having to slog through your memory card to look for files to open. I don't have it on my SD card, although I do have it in my iPaq file store. Third party apps might ignore it, I don't know.

Terry, no problem, just PM me your postal address and I'll burn a CD for you and pop it in the post. Anything else you want while I'm at it? Have a look around on Memoware, I'm probably going to download a few updated files so no hassle at all. I'll give you my email address and you can send me a list.

I'm just downloading the file you're trying to get, and it seems to be going OK, although I have noticed that broken downloads cannot be resumed/restarted which is probably why you are getting partial files. I use the excellent and free Net Transport for all my 56k downloading needs, it is a super piece of software. You can download it here (http://lycos26486.l78.lycos.com.cn/default.htm), if you set it to obey speed limit you might get a smoother download...on 56k if you browse whilst downloading something your browsing activity can sometimes hurt your download connection if you have an unstable dialup connection...just drag the download link onto the drop target (should appear top left corner but move it wherever) and you download should start.

J'bm

[terrypin]

Many thanks, Jereboam. That looks a very handy program - downloading it now.

Will do as you suggest, then PM you with postal address. Very kind of you to take the trouble.

After more browsing through my TomeRaider encyclopedia in bed last night (yes, I know, very sad...), I reckon it must be corrupted. Most articles start out OK but last part is gibberish. Sent some examples to Proporta on Sunday but still no response yet. What really surprises me is that it opens at all, and works to such a degree as it does. I'd have expected a file that's only half its proper size would bomb out completely?

Using iPAQ 2210 with WM2003.

--
Terry, West Sussex, UK

[Paul Martin]

What really surprises me is that it opens at all, and works to such a degree as it does. I'd have expected a file that's only half its proper size would bomb out completely?

Terry,

If you look at the Tomeraider info on how to create a TR ebook, it's really very simple. From their help files:

All you need to turn a text file into a TomeRaider file is the tag <new>. Just enter <new> wherever you want a new entry to begin in the TomeRaider file (*.txt). Then import it into TomeRaider for Windows and your new TomeRaider file is created.

I just tried to open up a TR file in notepad..it's not readable by that format, but it makes me wonder if it's like a web page that doesn't fully load...part of it is readable, part not, as opposed to an executable file...it's all or nothing, baby.

pmradio

[pocketpcfox]

The encyclopedia you are talking about is I think the Wikipedia - formatted for TomeRaider, in which case it is about 120 Mb. I have it, although an older version I downloaded directly, and can testify that it works fine with none of the formatting issues you are getting. It's the reason I bought TomeRaider.

Here's the Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:TomeRaider_database) page...this is what you want.

I think the version you have downloaded is the German version...check the Memoware page for the actual language. That is about 16 Mb.

ALL my TR files are on a storage card. I think that TR suffers from the old My Documents mania so make sure you have created a My Documents folder on the card and have maybe a subdirectory with your TR files in there...in the TR window your files should now have a little memory icon superimposed over them.

Listen, I'm in Moscow now but am getting back to the UK on the 1st, where I have a broadband connection, so if you want just email me your address and I'll burn a copy of the full Wikipedia for you.

J'bm



Just like to pipe up and agree that Wikipedia is a tremendous resource. Also, it is very kind of you to offer to burn a copy for another Pocketpcthoughts reader.

Cheers!

[Jereboam]

Just like to pipe up and agree that Wikipedia is a tremendous resource. Also, it is very kind of you to offer to burn a copy for another Pocketpcthoughts reader.

Cheers!

Wikipedia is awesome, and amazingly well put together for a collaborative effort.

And for burning a copy, it'll take me minutes and cost me 28p for a stamp. I'm just glad to help out. Maybe Terry can update the Sussex section of the Wikipedia in return... ;)

J'bm

[terrypin]

To anyone still interested, it turns out that my problems were caused by an absurdly unrealistic limit imposed by the MemoWare service managed by Handmark. Here's a reply I got from them:

"The memoware servers are set to a one hour timeout - if it takes longer than an hour to download a file on your connection, the download will terminate."

That's an absurdly unrealistic limit for downloading files of 20 MB and more! You only have to do the arithmetic, with a few realistic assumptions about average download speeds for users with 56 kbps dial-up connections to see that it's doomed to failure. Not everyone is yet on broadband or better.

Over the last week or so I've spent scores of hours grappling with this. Today alone, my net connection has been virtually dedicated to abortive attempts to download those darned files :cry:
--
Terry, West Sussex, UK
Using iPAQ 2210 with WM2003.

[Paul Martin]

"The memoware servers are set to a one hour timeout - if it takes longer than an hour to download a file on your connection, the download will terminate."

Thanks for the update, Terry. I've occasionally had bailouts when trying to download from my dial-up connection. This explains things!

Paul

[terrypin]

Just like to pipe up and agree that Wikipedia is a tremendous resource. Also, it is very kind of you to offer to burn a copy for another Pocketpcthoughts reader.

Cheers!

Wikipedia is awesome, and amazingly well put together for a collaborative effort.

And for burning a copy, it'll take me minutes and cost me 28p for a stamp. I'm just glad to help out. Maybe Terry can update the Sussex section of the Wikipedia in return... ;)

J'bm

Jereboam: I was wondering if maybe this turned out harder to achieve than you thought? Or maybe you forgot?!

Would still appreciate it if you have the time.

Best wishes,


--
Terry, West Sussex, UK
Using iPAQ 2210 with WM2003.