Adding Software from Your PC to Your Palm OS

Adding software to your Palm device from your PC is a lot easier than many people think. Here's a guide to help you on your way:

1. Before you install software, you need to download it to your PC. Click the link of your desired file to download it. A pop-up box will tell you when the process has begun, either labeled as File Download or Unknown File Type. Click on the "OK" button (or "Save File" if no "OK" button appears).

A box will appear asking where to save your file to. While you can save it anywhere you please, I'd recommend creating a folder that says "Palm OS" so you can easily identify the folder later. You should also make a note of what your "Save as Type" box says. Once you've made your decision which folder to store your file in, click on "Save" to start downloading the file. A box will pop up to inform you of the download's progress. When the box disappears (or your computer is set so the box will ask you to close it when it's finished) the download is complete.

2. Remember the extension of the file you saw in the "Save as Type" box to determine if you need to decompress the file or if it's ready to go as-is. File types with an extension ending in .exe, .prc or .pdb won't have to be decompressed and you can go right on ahead to #3. Files with extensions ending in anything other than .exe, .prc or .pdb will have to be decompressed.

Make sure you have something that can decompress your file first, like an unzipping program (WinZip is a good choice, but free alternatives exist.) From your file manager, select the file that you want decompressed. To decompress the file, double-click it. If your computer is configured correctly your decompression program should automatically launch. You may see a box with a choice to "decompress" or "extract"; click it. A window will usually pop up asking where you want the file to be extracted to. You can choose anywhere on your computer, but it's a good idea to use the same folder you had your original file in to keep everything organized. An alternative would be to create a separate folder where you keep only decompressed files. Clicking "extract" will decompress the file to your specified location. If the decompression was successful, determine if you want to keep the original compressed data. Unless you're strapped for memory, you may want to keep the original in case the decompressed file ever gets corrupted.

3. Start the Palm Pilot software. Click '"Install" on the Palm desktop (on the lower right-hand corner of the screen after you launch the desktop software.) Make sure you know where you saved the files you're going to install, because the computer is going to ask you where they are. The Install Tool Window is where you'll identify the files you want transferred to your Palm OS. First, make sure your user name is the one showing in the "user" box; don't worry about this step if you're the sole user of the Palm, but if others use it as well it's important you do this. Click the "Add" button to select the file you're transferring. This will open a window so you can identify the files you're moving to the Palm. Double-click the file, which will be added to installation list. If you're adding more than one file, double-click them one at a time. When you've selected all of the files you're going to install, click the button that says "Done". The installation software on your computer will prepare the files you've marked for transfer the next time you hook up your Palm.

When the software has finished, a window will pop up telling you the files are ready to be transferred. Put your Palm in its docking station and press the "HotSync" button. The files you've selected on the computer will now be installed onto the Palm. Your applications window should now have new icons added for each program you've installed. (Some programs, like documents, may not have icons to display in the application window; in this case you'll need to look for them individually.) Once you've done this for the first time, the process should be much easier from then on.