ScoutPalDB Beta - Setup Page

ScoutPalDB Express Setup

If you are already set up and using ScoutPalDB, update your database here

Before proceeding, you will need to know the fundamentals of operating your Windows Mobile Pocket PC PDA and computer. Refer to the user guide that came with your PDA to learn its basic operation. For example, you need to know how to turn it off and on, how to tap the screen to make choices, how to use the PDA's on-screen keyboard to enter and edit text and numbers, and how to start and close programs. You will also need to know the fundamentals of how to operate your computer to browse to a web page, how to download a file and where to find the file on your computer after the download completes, and how to copy and paste files and folders from one location to another.

If you don't know how to do internet downloads, or where to find downloaded files, or how to copy and paste files and folders, please click here to learn more. If you are simply unable to proceed, call ScoutPal and we can do the setup for you, please read the ScoutPalDB FAQ page for more information.

You will install and configure the program in steps 1 through 5, then you'll learn how to use a bar code scanner and keep the database updated in steps 6 and 7.

Print this page (show all the details first), then check off each step as you proceed so that you don't miss a step. (Show/hide all details)

Set up a way to put files and folders into the PDA's storage card:
1. The easiest and fastest way to do this is with a storage card reader attached to your computer. See details...
  - A card reader is highly recommended for the initial setup, as well as subsequent database updates, because copying to the memory card with a card reader is much faster and easier than using PDA sync cables and synchronization software. (A card reader is required for Mac users.)
  - A card reader is simply a gadget that let's you stick the PDA's little memory card into your computer so that you can read and write to it , just like a CD-ROM or floppy disk.
    (Mac users can watch this YouTube if they need to learn how to work with an SD card reader. )
  - With a card reader, the memory card will appear to the computer as a "removable storage device", and you can drag/drop and copy/paste files into or out of it, just like it was a disk drive. (In fact, an SD card looks very similar to the nearly obsolete 3.5" diskette )
  - Some newer computers have a card reader already built-in.
  - If you don't have a card reader, they are very inexpensive (some models are under $15) and you can buy them at most computer supply stores, including Radio Shack .
2. If you don't have a card reader, you will need to use Windows PDA sync software. (Apple Mac users will need to use a card reader.) The sync software provides a way to copy files and folders to the PDA's storage card, while the card is in the PDA. Once you have the PDA connected, you "explore" the PDA to open its storage card (named "SD Card" or "Storage Card" or similar), and then you can paste in files. How you explore the PDA depends on your computer operating system:
  - Windows Vista/7: explore the PDA with Mobile Device Center. See details... -- Watch Video
    1. Plug your Pocket PC PDA in to your computer, then click Start > Computer to view a list of the devices attached to your computer.
    2. You should find your Pocket PC listed there as a "portable device."
    3. If you don't see your PDA listed, you may need to first install Windows Mobile Device Center, then go back to Step i.
    4. Double-click "Pocket PC" and navigate to its storage card. .
    5. You can now paste files directly into the storage card, just like any other disk or storage device on your computer.
  - Windows XP: explore the PDA with Active Sync. See details... -- Watch Video
    1. Download and install Active Sync if you don't already have it installed on your computer.
    2. Start/Open Active Sync, and connect your PDA to the computer.
    3. Click on "Explore Device" in the Active Sync window.
    4. Double-click "My Windows Mobile Based Device" to see a list of files and folders that are on the PDA.
    5. Look for the storage card folder and open it.
    6. You can now paste files directly into the storage card, just like any other disk or storage device on your computer.
Download the ScoutPalDB setup zip file to your computer, then unzip (extract) it. See details...
(Click here if you are new to unzipping downloads.)
1. Browse to http://www.scoutpal.com/db/download and download "spdbfiles" to your computer desktop, or some other convenient and easily accessible location.
2. Go to where you downloaded, and look for "spdbfiles", its icon will look like a folder that has a zipper on its left side, like this:
3. Right-click the zip folder icon, then choose "Extract All". This will start an Extract Wizard. Click through all of the wizard's defaults, and it will finish with a new window opened to the extracted version of spdbfiles. (Click here if you are new to unzipping downloads.)
Put copies of the unzipped setup files and folders into your PDA's storage card:
IMPORTANT: You absolutely must first unzip the download (step 2) in order to get its contents properly copied over to the PDA!
1. Open a window into the storage card. See details...
  - If you have a card reader:
    1. Remove the SD card from the PDA (watch this ), and insert it into your SD card reader.
    2. Plug the reader into your computer.
    3. On most computers, a window into the storage card will automatically open.
    4. If a window is not automatically opened, go to "My Computer", and you will see the card listed as a "Removable Disk" drive letter. Double-click it to open. If your card reader has more than one slot, you may have to try multiple letters.
  - If you don't have a card reader:
    Windows Vista/7 users:
    1. Plug the PDA into the computer, then click Start > Computer.
    2. You will find the PDA listed as a "portable device." (If you don't see your PDA listed, you may need to first install Windows Mobile Device Center, then go back to Step i.)
    3. Double-click "Pocket PC" and navigate to its storage card.
    4. You can now copy a file directly into the card, just like any other disk or storage device on your computer.
    Windows XP users :
    1. Connect the PDA to the computer, and wait for Active Sync to make its connection.
    2. Click "Explore Device" in the Active Sync window.
    3. Open "My Windows Mobile Based Device", and you will see a list of files and folders that reside inside the PDA.
    4. Look for the memory card folder and open it.
2. Once you have a window opened into the storage card, copy and paste everything that's inside the unzipped spdbfiles folder into the storage card.
  (At a bare minimum, you will need the CAB folder for program setup, and the book database file named "spdb")
3. If you used a card reader, put the card back into the PDA.

Easy setup: Watch and follow along with the next steps (4 and 5) in a slideshow !

On your PDA, navigate to the storage card, then run (tap on) the .NET CF and ScoutPal DB setup programs inside the CAB folder. See details...
1. You will need to know the version of your PDA's Windows Mobile operating system. (Learn more...)
2. Put the storage card back in the PDA if you used a card reader, and/or disconnect the PDA from the computer.
3. Start the File Explorer program on the PDA (tap /Start/Programs/File Explorer/ and navigate to the storage card. (Learn more...)
4. Tap on the CAB folder to open it. You will see a list of various CAB setup files, with icons that look like this:
5. Install the Windows Mobile (WM) Microsoft .NET Compact Framework version 2. (CF):
  - Tap on WM2003.NETC... or WM5-6.NETCF..., depending on your PDA's version of Windows Mobile.
    If in doubt, try installing WM5-6.NETCF..., if that doesn't work, try WM2003.NETC...
  - Newer PDA's may tell you in an "error" message that they already have a new/newer version of the .NET CF installed, that's OK! No worries, just close the error/message window(s) and move on to step 2.f, "Install the ScoutPalDB program" (below)
  - Carefully read and follow ALL of the installation prompts to insure that the CF gets installed.
  - When/if the PDA asks you where to install, choose "Device".
  - After the installation process is finished, reboot (soft-reset) the PDA: Look for a small reset button or hole on the bottom, back or side of your PDA, and press it in with the stylus tip. For general information on how to operate your PDA, including fundamentals such as how to do a soft-reset, refer to the manufacturer's documentation, and/or search the web for help. For example, if you have a Dell Axim model X5, you could try a Google search for "soft-reset dell axim x5"
  - Confirm that the CF has indeed been installed: Tap Start/Settings/System/Remove Programs/.
  - If you don't see .NET CF in the "Remove Programs" list, it hasn't been installed correctly and you will need to repeat the installation.
6. Install the ScoutPalDB program:
  - Navigate back to the storage card in the File Explorer.
  - Tap on "ScoutPalDB", and complete its installation.
  - When/if the PDA asks you where to install, choose "Device".
  - Confirm that ScoutPalDB has indeed been installed: Tap /Start/Settings/System/Remove Programs/.
    If you don't see ScoutPalDB in the "Remove Programs" list, it hasn't been installed correctly and you will need to repeat the installation.
Start ScoutPalDB on the PDA, tap Settings to set the database file location and unlock the program. See details...
When you first start ScoutPalDB on the PDA, it will take a while to start. Be patient. When the [Seek] screen appears, tap "Settings" and:
1. Specify the full path to the database file that is displayed at the top of the Settings screen. For most users, the path will be either "sd card\spdb.dbb" or "storage card\spdb.dbb", depending on how your particular PDA names its storage card. (Learn how to find your database file path...)
  - Be sure to put a single space before the word "card".
  - Be sure to put in the backslash. (This is a backslash: "\" This is a forwardslash: "/")
  - The PDA needs to be told exactly where you put the database file when you did Step 3. For example, if you copied everything into a subfolder on the SD Card named "myfolder", then you have to include the name of that folder plus another backslash in the path, like this: "sd card\myfolder\spdb.dbb"
2. Unlock the program:
  - Note the lock Code that's displayed on the Settings screen.
  - On your Computer, browse to http://www.scoutpal.com/db/unlock and enter the lock Code exactly as it's shown on the PDA. It contains the numbers 0 through 9, (zero, not "Oh"), the letters A through F, and dashes.
  - The unlock web page will give you a Key to unlock the program on the PDA. (You may need to scroll down to see it.)
  - Enter the Key into the PDA.
  - You can leave the ScoutPal ID/password blank, but if your PDA can browse the web as a PDA/phone with web services, or with WiFi, or through a Bluetooth data connection using a separate Bluetooth cell phone, you can optionally provide your ID and password. You will then have a Fetch button available to get "live" ScoutPal lookups over the web, but again, your PDA would need a web connection in order to do the Fetch.
3. Tap OK. If the Key is not accepted, go back to the Settings screen and correct it.
4. Now test the program: Tap in a book ISBN, then tap Seek. (For a quick test, tap in the special code "x42" and then each time you tap seek, you should get back a random lookup from the database.)
  - If you get the error "Database Open Failed", it's usually because an incorrect or incomplete database file path was specified. Tap "Settings" again, and correct it. If you can't find your database file, then somehow you did not properly download and copy the database file to your storage card.

See how to find the database file path...

Scanner Settings:
1. Scanners are simply input devices, just like a keyboard. All they do is send bar code digits into your PDA just as if you had tapped them in from a keyboard. Scanner support is an issue that is not connected with ScoutPalDB. Your scanner needs to be set up so that it can send bar code digits into any program that is running on the PDA.
2. Read the guidelines for identifying and scanning book bar codes at http://www.scoutpal.com/db/howtoscan
3. Consult the documentation that came with your bar code scanner to learn how to modify its settings and set it up to trigger a scan. Your scanner must be set up correctly and be able to scan a bar code into any PDA text entry field before it can be used with ScoutPalDB. To check the operation of your scanner, tap Start/Programs and try to scan a bar code into the Contacts or Notes program. If you can't get the scanner to operate, review the scanner documentation and/or contact the scanner manufacturer.
4. For your convenience, you will find drivers for Socket and ROV scanners in the CAB folder, just tap on the appropriate setup file.
  - If you have a Socket CF or SD scanner, after you install the driver, use the PDA "Buttons" setting to make one of the physical PDA buttons be your scan button. (For example, you can use the "voice record" button that's on the left side of most PDA's) Watch a video of the Socket Scanner driver setup procedure
    1. Tap Start/Settings/Buttons.
    2. Choose a button from the first list "1. Select a button"
    3. Now tap the list under "2. Assign a program", scroll down the list, and choose the program "SocketScan". (Be absolutely sure that you choose "SocketScan", and not some other Socket program.)
5. Scanner drivers typically have a configurable scan suffix. An "enter" command suffix will trigger ScoutPalDB to do the database seek after each scan, just like tapping the "enter" key after manually typing in an ISBN. An "enter" command is often the default scanner driver setting, but you should check it anyway. If you have a Socket scanner that is properly installed, you will see a scanner icon on the bottom-right of your Pocket PC's "Today" (or "Home") screen. Tap and hold the scanner icon to popup the Socket scanner's configuration menu. With most scanner drivers, the "enter" command is specified as "\r" or "\n". (Other scanner drivers may use "{enter}" or something similar.) If you don't need to hear a click each time a scan comes in, change the suffix to "\t " (tab space.) If your PDA has internet connectivity, and you want to change the default scan action to be "Fetch" (live lookups) instead of "Seek", set the scanner driver suffix to be exactly this: "\t \t\t " (tab space tab tab space.)

After Installation Notes:
1. You must keep the database file updated every week:
  - Download the database updates from: http://www.scoutpal.com/db/download.
  - Since you now have all the programs installed, you may choose to download just the already-unzipped database file from http://ppcdb.scoutpal.com
2. IMPORTANT: Always tap Settings, then OK, any time you update the program, database or template. Some PDA's may require that you always do a soft-reset after updating the database file.
3. The book database is derived from a list of ISBN's provided to ScoutPal under license from Amazon.com. The database is updated as often as possible, usually on Thursday evening.
4. There may be unforseen delays to database updates as new features and ISBNs are added. The date of the current database update is posted on the database download page.
5. Customizable open-source result templates can be downloaded at: http://www.scoutpal.com/db/templatecenter. Templates provide a way for you to customize the format of your lookup results, and can add logic that will alert you if/when a book meets your specific criteria of price and sales rank. Templates are open-source, allowing the ScoutPal user community to add great new features to ScoutPalDB for the benefit of all. The flexibility and additional features that can come with open-source is limited only by the imagination and ingenuity of contributing ScoutPalDB users.
6. Future premium releases of ScoutPalDB will include databases for UPC searches on products other than books.
7. This is BETA software. Be sure that you understand the limitations of BETA software before you use ScoutPalDB Beta. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beta_software