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Satellite Forms

Satellite Forms

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Software development environment for creating data-driven applications for Palm OS and Pocket PC/Windows Mobile devices.
Satellite Forms is a visual integrated software development environment (IDE) that makes it easy to create data-driven applications for Palm OS and Pocket PC/Windows Mobile devices. Satellite Forms is an ideal tool for business and enterprise developers looking to build custom mobile applications, or to transform processes typically performed on paper to an electronic format for improved productivity and efficiency. Satellite Forms allows you to create usable, real-world applications without writing a single line of code. Even more sophisticated applications require minimal scripting or coding to implement.

Satellite Forms is also extensible, allowing you to add additional functionality and peripheral support using any of the 3 dozen included extensions, over 80 commercial extensions from PalmDataPro.com and other third party developers, or you can create your own using the Satellite Forms Extension API.

Release version 8 comes with several bug fixes, the addition of new script language keywords, new extensions and sample projects, and updated documentation. It delivers several improvements for both the Palm OS and Windows Mobile/PocketPC platforms. Some enhancements includes:

  • New capability to add color to forms and controls.
  • New integrated runtime -- the SatForms runtime engine and launcher icon are merged together.
  • New capability to display a splashscreen image while your app is loading.
  • New Tables Search, Lookup, and Backup script functions.
  • New native barcode scanner controls for Honeywell and Datalogic scanners.
  • New GetAppName, GetAppCreator, and GetAppVersion application properties added.
  • New FindFiles extension to search for files and folders.
  • New HyperLink control makes it simple to add colored, underlined text links that respond to pen taps.
  • New sample demonstrates how to integrate your Satellite Forms app with Google Maps for Windows Mobile.
  • Numerous bug fixes, detailed in the Satellite Forms 8 documentation.

Satellite Forms - Features


General Features New Features in version 7.2 New Features in version 7.1 Satellite Forms is a visual integrated software development environment (IDE) that makes it easy to create custom applications for Palm OS and Windows Mobile/Pocket PC devices. Satellite Forms allows you to create usable, realworld applications without writing a single line of code. Even more sophisticated applications require minimal scripting or coding to implement. Using Satellite Forms, you can create mobile applications that access valuable information from company databases-for example, customer orders or contact information.

General Features

You can design applications to be readonly or to allow users add or update data that can then be transferred back to a company database. A desktop application you create directs how Satellite Forms applications and data are processed by Microsoft ActiveSync for Pocket PC devices or Palm HotSync Manager for Palm OS devices. This means you have complete control over downloading data to the handheld and reintegrating the handheld data back into a database. You can use Satellite Forms to create applications for many tasks, including the following:
  • Sales automation
  • Health care
  • Insurance
  • Inventory control
  • Inspections
  • Distribution
  • Retail
  • Route Tracking

The Satellite Forms applications you create provide several benefits to your end users and to your company or client. They make important and useful database information portable and easy to access. They make data entry and verification fast and accurate. They reduce costs by cutting down on paperwork and eliminating the need for re-keying information.

Satellite Forms has four main components:

  1. MobileApp Designer: The visual integrated development environment (IDE) you use to design the forms and tables of your applications. MobileApp Designer allows you to create applications with multiple forms and tables.
  2. The Conduit: Manages the transfer of data to and from PalmOS handheld devices and the desktop.
  3. The Satellite Forms ActiveX control: Works with ActiveSync or HotSync technology to simplify integration with database applications.
  4. The Satellite Forms Engine: Runs Satellite Forms applications on handhelds.

Satellite Forms uses the industry standard dBase and Microsoft Access formats to transfer information between desktop and handheld devices, making the applications you create using Satellite Forms compatible with the leading database products.

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New Features in Version 7.2

  • New SerialPort extension for Pocket PC includes IR and Bluetooth capability
  • New ShowImage control for PocketPC displays JPG/GIF/PNG/BMP on the form
  • New ConnectionMgr extension for PocketPC to initiate dialup TCPIP connections
  • New JanamUtils extension provides access to Janam XP20/XP30 hardware utility functions
  • New WM5Camera extension is a plugin extension for Pocket PC that enables your Windows Mobile 5 and higher applications to capture photos or videos on camera-equipped devices
  • New GetAppPath application property was added, which returns a string containing the folder path in which the application resides on the Pocket PC device.
  • New IH FileToBinField function in the InkHelper extension allows you to import a file (such as a BMP file) directly into a table binary field.
  • Improved Windows Vista compatibility.

Bugs Fixed in SatForms 7.2

  • Droplist filtering bug for PocketPC was corrected.
  • Support for reading and modifying the ReadOnly property of Pocket PC ink controls at runtime was added, to behave like Palm OS ink controls.
  • The Pocket PC Color Graphics extension has been updated to correct some color display bugs.
  • The runtime engine has been updated to work around a Palm OS NVFS (non-volatile file system) bug that would lead to "Cache QueryRecord" errors in a Satellite Forms application.
  • The Pocket PC ink control now properly ignores pen input when the ink control is not visible.
  • The RDKInst tool and Satellite Forms HotSync ActiveX control (and utility DLL) would not function correctly with Palm
  • OS HotSync 7.0.2 and Palm Desktop 6.2.

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New Features in Version 7.1

  • New CommitData script method added to the Table object, replacing the Palm OS DmSyncDatabase and Pocket PC CommitDatabase extensions
  • New feature in MobileApp Designer to automatically create an application shortcut (.Lnk) file when the Pocket PC application EXE is compiled
  • New SysUtils extension provides access to dozens of useful operating system utility functions including device ID
  • New InkHelper extension provides utility functions for Satellite Forms Ink fields, inlcuding converting the ink data into other formats such as a BMP file
  • New GPS extension provides easy access to GPS data on Windows Mobile 5 and higher devices
  • New IntermecScan control extension enables your application to control the integrated barcode scanner on many
  • Intermec industrial Pocket PC devices
  • Merged SatSyncPPC and SatSyncPPCPDB sample desktop sync projects together into one
  • Improved several extensions including Symbol PocketPC scanner control, UnitechScan control, DynamicInputArea control, and more
  • Improved documentation for application deployment, PocketPC synchronization, Quick Tour, etc.
  • Added several new QuickStart Guides to Barcode Scanning in the KnowledgeBase

Bugs Fixed in SatForms Version 7.1

  • Pocket PC PDB record deletion bug was corrected
  • Droplist control behaviour bugs for PalmOS and PocketPC were corrected
  • MobileApp Designer initial table flag bug corrected
  • MobileApp Designer compiling of PalmOS high density bitmaps bug corrected
  • Form vertical scrollbars should automatically appear and remain on Pocket PC applications that are running on display sizes that do not match the application target
  • Full detailed list of bug fixes included in Satellite Forms documentation

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Satellite Forms - System Requirements

System requirements

Development environment (minimum)

  • 200 MHz Pentium-compatible PC
  • Microsoft Windows 98/2000/NT/Me/XP
  • 50 MB available hard disk space
  • 64 MB RAM

Handheld device

  • PalmOS powered device from PalmOne, Sony, Symbol, Garmin, Samsung, Aceeca, Kyocera, Tapwave and others.
  • Pocket PC 2002/2003/2003SE or Windows Mobile 5 compatible device, such as HP iPAQ, or Dell Axim
  • Windows CE.NET 4.2 or higher devices, such as industrial handhelds from Symbol, Intermec, PSC, Psion, Unitech, HHP
  • For Palm OS devices: Palm OS 3.5 or higher and Palm Desktop 3.0 or higher
  • For Windows Mobile/Pocket PC/Windows CE.NET devices: Microsoft ActiveSync 3.5 or higher

Desktop 3.0 or higher

  • For Windows Mobile/Pocket PC/Windows CE.NET devices: Microsoft ActiveSync 3.5 or higher