The 1995-1996 Subscribers Power Disk

Add new fonts to your Palmtop, make your cursor bigger and more readable, recover corrupted database files, modify the look of NoteTaker, customize your alarms with tunes and pictures, and more using programs on the new Subscribers PowerDisk!

By Ed Keefe

[We've discovered time and time again over the years that some of the best software for the HP Palmtops is free. We packed the 1995-96 Subscriber PowerDisk with over 30 such gems. I've tried to write an introduction three times highlighting the best of the best. Each time I found myself writing about over half the programs in too much detail. Instead, take a few minutes and read about these programs yourself and test the ones you think you can benefit most from.

Note: We send one Subscriber PowerDisk for each year someone subscribes. If you don't receive yours, check to make sure you've renewed your subscription. Hal Goldstein]

ADDKY-LX.EXE

ADDKEYS lets your computer memorize keystrokes, and play them back upon request. ADDKEYS works on desktop PCs and HP Palmtops. It can be used to start a program, and automatically type keystrokes that you'd have to type manually.

This archive file also includes BUFFMOVE.EXE, a small file that can be run from your AUTOEXEC.BAT program. To increase the size of the keyboard buffer to 127 keystrokes. The amazing thing about this little program is that it does not take up any memory.

AHFNT100.EXE

An easy-to-read substitute font for the HP 100/200LX that gives your Palmtop a whole new look and feel. Say goodbye to eye-fatigue when you use Andrew's fonts on your Palmtop.

BATLT-LX.EXE

BATLT-LX is a "batch file compiler" that lets you turn DOS batch files into an executable .COM files. It works on all DOS computers and will speed up and, in some cases, reduce the amount of disk space needed by a batch program. (SETUP and DECOMP on this disk are both BATLITE-compiled batch files.)

BCURS-LX

BCURS-LX.EXE contains a program that lets you turn the Palmtop's tiny cursor into a larger block cursor. You won't have any problems finding this cursor on the screen. The program is optimized for use on the HP 200LX, but it also works on the HP 100LX and any other desktop or laptop. The program is a TSR (Terminate and Stay Resident) and takes about 500 bytes of working memory.

CGHLP100.EXE

CGHLP100.EXE contains a program that makes it easier to read colored text on a black and white LCD display. You can prepare your own color-conversion file using a text editor, or you can try one of the enclosed color-conversion files.

CLFLR100.EXE

CLFLR100.EXE contains a program that will let you close the FILER application completely giving you an added 58K bytes of working system RAM memory in which to run DOS applications under System Manager. The PALCLF .EXE program works on U.S. and European versions of the HP 100/200LX. Be sure to read the documentation file before running this program.

CLPBD100.EXE

CB.COM is a tiny (175 bytes) utility that writes the contents of the System Manager clipboard to the display. There's one limitation: CB will display the first 8192 bytes in the clipboard. Anything beyond that limit is ignored.

CMC100.EXE

CMC100.EXE contains a new version of the CMCALC.EXM computer math calculator. This version runs only on the HP 100LX/ 200LX. It is System Manager compliant, so you can task-swap with any other SMC program.

The CMCALC program was originally written for the HP 95LX. That version of the program runs on the HP 100/200LX but does not take advantage of the new fonts and function keys. This new version does: and it takes up less disk space as well.

CNTDN-LX.EXE

COUNTDN is a simple count down timer that will display the minutes and seconds remaining for a given task. It is most useful when making presentations because the minutes and seconds appear full screen on the HP Palmtops. You can set the timer for up to 99 minutes and 59 seconds; start it and run other System Manager applications.

EMM200.EXE

EMM200.EXE contains an Expanded Memory Manager for the HP 100LX/200LX. If you have any DOS programs that use EMS, this program will let you run them on the HP 100/200LX. The EMM200 program was written by Hiroyuki Sekiya from Japan. This file also contains documentation translated into English by Naohiko Shimizu

FSTDB100.EXE

FASTDB is an HP 100/200LX System Manager TSR which, in most cases, significantly increases the speed of the PhoneBook DataBase, NoteTaker and Appointment Book applications. FASTDB changes the way these applications delete and store information (sometimes referred to as the Palmtop's garbage collection strategy). The TSR forces the database engine to wait until the database file is closed before removing all the deleted records and packing the file.

GARLC100.EXE

GARLC100 contains the most recent version of GARLIC.EXE, which will attempts to recover any corrupted database file. If you ever get a message that says that part of your phonebook or other database files is unreadable or record not found, you'll be glad to have this program.

GDBIO100.EXE

GDBIO100.EXE contains a program that imports and exports comma-delimited ASCII files to and from existing HP100/200LX database (*.?DB) files. It can also display the structure of a database. The import and export formats are the same, allowing round trips.

GDBS100.EXE

Various Database files for the HP 100/200LX: This archive file includes the following:

GREET100.EXE

GREET100.EXE contains two programs the will let you set the time for the daily greeting and force the daily greeting to appear upon demand.

HDM100.EXE

HDM100.EXE contains HDM.EXE, a DOS menu system with the same look and feel of the built-in application. HDM can handle up to 120 different applications. The program comes with 50 different icons that you can use in HDM. The source code for the program is also included.

HPALR100.EXE

This program makes the HP 100/200LX sound an appointment alarm even when System Manager has been terminated. This should keep you on time even if you're running a DOS application that requires you to close and exit System Manager.

HPCLC100.EXE

HPCLC100.EXE contains a keyboard clicker' for the HP Palmtops. You can toggle the clicking sound on/off on demand by pressing the SCRL key ((Fn)- (BackSpace)).

HV100.EXE

HV100.EXE contains a program that will let your HP 100/200LX display files like those seen on the World Wide Web. Such files are called HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) files. There are many Gigabytes of valuable information available in HTML format. This information is now accessible from the HP Palmtops.

IBRWS100.EXE

IBRWS100.EXE contains a program to allow users of the HP 100/200LX to view Palmtop icons quickly and simply. The program will also convert Windows icons to Palmtop icons. The program shows both an actual size and expanded view of an icon on the screen.

We've added 55 icons to let you give this application a good workout. There's one caution: Do NOT put all these files in the root directory of your C drive (or the A drive for that matter) or you may wind up with more files than the root directory can handle. Put the program in a subdirectory and move all the icon files to that directory and then run the program.

IRDA100.EXE

IRDA100.EXE contains driver software that updates the 100LX/ 200LX the infrared port to simulate IRDA standards. The driver will let you beam files to the LaserJet 5, which uses the most recent IR standards. IRDA100 does have some limitations (see the enclosed IRDA.DOC file) however we thought it was worth holding up the PowerDisk just so we could include this new driver.

LPRO100.EXE

LxPro is a TSR (Terminate and Stay Resident) utility program designed for the HP 100LX, 200LX, and 1000CX Palmtop PC's. LxPro monitors such things as battery voltages, card status, serial power statuses. It will let you change such things as serial port configuration, battery type, display time out, beeper volume, video mode. It also can show the ASCII codes of any character that is typed or viewed on the screen, and let you do simple computer math. The program works equally well in both System Manager and MS-DOS.

LXB100.EXE

LXB100.EXE contains a program that will give DOS batch files the look and feel of the HP 100/200 LX's built-in applications! LXB commands will let your batch files do such things as present a list of files in a pick-list, turn the charger on and off, turn the serial port on and off, set the volume of the speaker, get user input. The documentation file is short since all the instructions are available in the LXB program's Help function. There's even an undocumented feature! If you have the HP Communications Pack on your desktop, use the DOS command SET LXBTEST=YES before starting CPACK. Use the DOS icon in the CPACK's Application Manager to drop to DOS and run LXB.EXE on your desktop.)

MAPT100.EXE

MAPT100.EXE contains a program that will let you view a PCX type picture of a map and point out a specific location with a cursor. The location can be linked to an item in a database so you can switch between the map and a description of the area on the map. The program contains its own installation program which, as the documentation warns, takes 1 minute and 40 seconds to execute on the HP 100/200LX.

MPLAY100.EXE

MPLAY100.EXE contains a program that lets you play custom alarm .SND files larger than 512 notes.

We've included several .SND files in this archive. The files are described in the SND-LOG.TXT file. See also, PAT.ZIP for even more custom SND files.

N2GDB100.EXE

N2GDB100.EXE contains a pair of programs that will let you convert a NoteTaker file (NDB) into a DataBase (GDB) file, so you can modify its structure, and then move it back again into NDB format. NOTE: the two programs require that DOS's DEBUG program be in the same directory as the utilities and the files being converted.

PAT100.EXE

PAT100.EXE contains a program to customize your alarms with tunes and pictures. PAT can associate different tunes with different types of alarms (this permits you to identify type of appointment (work, personal, etc.) without having to look at the screen), PAT can also display a customized message box, and even a PCX file that you specify.

TIMBL100.EXE

TIMBL100.EXE contains a simple time keeping system for the HP 200LX. Press (Fn)-(F1) when you start a project and (Fn)-(F2) when you stop. This system will track your hours and save your notes on each project.

TREE100.ZIP

TREE Graphic

 TREE100.EXE, contains a program that creates patterns of trees on the screen of your 100/200LX. You can change the number, the size, and the speed of drawing of these trees. If you enjoy watching fish in an aquarium or waves on a beach, then you'll enjoy watching trees grow on the screen of your HP Palmtop.

We've omitted the source code for this program to save space on the disk. If you need the source code, please download the file TREE.ZIP from Lib 11 of the HPHAND forum on CompuServe.

TYPER-LX.EXE

TYPER-LX.EXE contains TYPER .EXE, The Typing Exerciser. This is a training program/game to help you improve your typing speed on the Palmtop.

VCLOK100.EXE

VCLCK Graphic

 VCLOK100.EXE contains a program that displays the time of day in characters large enough to be seen without squinting. It's handy for those times when you wish you had a clock, but all you have is your handy HP 100LX (or 200LX). Visible clock can also be an audible clock if you want: you can set it to chime on the hour or quarter-hour. Visible clock is not an alarm clock, though: the built-in Stopwatch or Appointment Book applications provide that functionality.