Fitaly 4.0 Release Candidate 1

[Ed Hansberry]

<a href="http://www.fitaly.com/board/winceforum/posts/2437.html">http://www.fitaly.com/board/winceforum/posts/2437.html</a><br /><br />My favorite input method is one step closer to being released. :) There have been a number of changes since beta 2. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/hansberry/2006/20060501-fitalyrc1.png"><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/hansberry/2006/20060501-fitalyrc1.gif" /></a><br /><b>Fitaly 4, RC1</b> - Click for VGA screenshot<br /><br />The macro language has been enriched with some new macros: macros for orientation changes enable to change the orientation by sliding for portrait, portrait upside down, landscape right handed and landscape left handed views. You can also let the macros launch any document or application.<br /><br />If you haven't given Fitaly a try yet, or are a big fan of the product looking for the latest features, you should download this version. I am sure the final will be out soon. Release Candidates are generally for stamping out final bugs and looking for quirks on various platforms.

[paschott]

Let me start by saying that I really like FITALY as an input method. Started using it back on my 2200 (my first PPC device) and never went back. The ability to input quickly using the stylus is awesome! Even on my HTC Wizard, I tend to prefer FITALY for general note-taking over the slide-out keyboard, mostly due to the need to use the stylus frequently for switching programs and other tasks, but still get better speed at times.


That being said, I like the new version, but sure wish that the uninstall/re-install worked better. I think for every version I've tried starting with 4.0 b1, I've had to manually remove all of the FITALY components before I could re-install the newer version.

Just went to the device to upgrade from b2 to RC1. I couldn't choose Keyboard and make it stick so was back to the method of manually removing FITALY again.

Had to kill the Fitaly exe in the Windows\Startup folder, soft-reset, delete all FITALY*.* files in the Windows folder, and deleted the FITALY folders under Windows (though not sure about those - I just did it in case they mattered, backed up first).


(Even more fun - the first time I installed b1 on my HTC Wizard, it wouldn't connect to the Cingular network anymore - hard reset to restore functionality and then made the mistake of picking the wrong EXE to install from 8O - another hard reset before I found the correct b2 file)

[Darius Wey]

That being said, I like the new version, but sure wish that the uninstall/re-install worked better. I think for every version I've tried starting with 4.0 b1, I've had to manually remove all of the FITALY components before I could re-install the newer version.

This is more of a Windows Mobile 5.0-related issue than a Fitaly-related issue. Fortunately, it's going to be patched in future releases of Windows Mobile - but, the question is when and which devices? Ultimately, it'll be up to the OEMs to integrate the fix in future ROM updates, but we all know how reliable they are these days. ;)

Had to kill the Fitaly exe in the Windows\Startup folder, soft-reset, delete all FITALY*.* files in the Windows folder, and deleted the FITALY folders under Windows (though not sure about those - I just did it in case they mattered, backed up first).

Usually, a soft-reset and an immediate uninstall via Remove Programs will remove Fitaly, thus allowing you to reinstall it again. Although, it seems like you had no choice but to take the difficult route. :(

[paschott]

I realize that the bug is more of a WM 5 problem and wanted to post instructions for anyone else who might have the same issue and not know where to start.

As for the other problem, FITALY's install docs say to set the SIP to "Keyboard" or other non-FITALY, then soft-reset. The problem is that this just didn't work. If I switched to anything other than FITALY and hit OK, My device stayed on FITALY - soft reset or no soft reset. I'm hoping that was just a bug in B2 and haven't actually tried it yet to be sure.

Like the program and look forward to some customizing now. I just have to watch out for the custom slides - I keep hitting a work instead of a capital letter more often than not.

Related to custom slides - anyone know how to make a date value of YYYYMMDD as a custom option? I use that for all of my dates and find myself hitting &lt;ShortDate>, then backing up to put in the extra century digits.

-Pete

[PPCRules]

Why don't they do a two-row layout for landscape mode? Anyone using this has already proven they can learn a new layout. But, of course, they probably can't get F-I-T-A-L-Y together in the same row and still claim a scientifically-derived, most-efficient layout.

[Ed Hansberry]

As for the other problem, FITALY's install docs say to set the SIP to "Keyboard" or other non-FITALY, then soft-reset. The problem is that this just didn't work. If I switched to anything other than FITALY and hit OK, My device stayed on FITALY - soft reset or no soft reset. I'm hoping that was just a bug in B2 and haven't actually tried it yet to be sure.
you have to chenge the DEFAULT sip to something other than Fitaly, then soft reset. jist switching sip's won't do anything. :)

[paschott]

As for the other problem, FITALY's install docs say to set the SIP to "Keyboard" or other non-FITALY, then soft-reset. The problem is that this just didn't work. If I switched to anything other than FITALY and hit OK, My device stayed on FITALY - soft reset or no soft reset. I'm hoping that was just a bug in B2 and haven't actually tried it yet to be sure.
you have to chenge the DEFAULT sip to something other than Fitaly, then soft reset. jist switching sip's won't do anything. :)

Confused - wouldn't this be done by using the Input control panel? That's where I went to change the SIP. If that's not it, then I definitely was doing something wrong. If that's it - I wasn't able to change the default SIP. Even then, I couldn't change the SIP which strikes me as a bug. I should still be able to choose keyboard or the handwriting recognition if I want to. That worked fine when FITALY wasn't installed. Should I have to go through FITALY's options to change my SIP?

-Pete

[ctmagnus]

Should I have to go through FITALY's options to change my SIP?

-Pete

I haven't used anything sinced v3.00, because I still use WM2003, but that's the way it's done on this version.

[Timothy Rapson]

I'm not sure I'll upgrade right away, but I like Fitaly. It is the reason I now have a Toshiba e800 instead of a new TX.
I have used Fitaly since way back in my mono Ipaq 3100 days. The Clie screen had and extra row of pixels available the bottom (because the POS uses 1/3 of the screen height for input area while PPC uses only 1/4) and Fitaly cleverly let the user istall 8-10 icons there for fast launching of apps. It was extremely handy. If they ad a kind of macro function to let me do that on my Toshiba it would help me get around faster.

[takotchi]

I notice that "ohayou gozaimasu" is spelled wrong in that screenshot... :)

[Ed Hansberry]

Confused - wouldn't this be done by using the Input control panel? That's where I went to change the SIP. If that's not it, then I definitely was doing something wrong. If that's it - I wasn't able to change the default SIP. Even then, I couldn't change the SIP which strikes me as a bug. I should still be able to choose keyboard or the handwriting recognition if I want to. That worked fine when FITALY wasn't installed. Should I have to go through FITALY's options to change my SIP?

You can't change the default SIP on a Windows Mobile device by itself. It always reverts to the QWERTY keyboard on soft reset. Fitaly adds the option to allow it in its settings.