Installing Downloaded Applications Onto Your Palm handheld

Online Tutorial

brought to you by Creative Algorithms

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Installing third party software, such as software downloaded from our website, is easy to do. Once you have learned this simple task, you open up numerous uses for your handheld computer. The following is the most common way to install an application from the internet to your Palm handheld.


Step 1: Download the application


First you need to download the application from the internet. Depending on the website, you may only need to click an icon, a link, or perhaps agree to an End User Liscense Agreement (EULA) before being routed to the files. These EULA's are very standard for many applications.


Download files have several extensions:

  1. .zip This extension is for a Windows desktop and sometimes includes additional useful files. Our .zip files, for example, include the manual for the program in .pdf format. These files are compressed into one smaller file for quicker download.

  2. .exe This extension is also for a Windows desktop and is the same as the .zip, except it is a self-extracting compressed file.

  3. .sit This extension is for Macintosh desktops. It is compressed and also includes extra files, if the developer provides them. .sit is a stuff-it compressed archive.

  4. .tgz This extension is for Unix desktops, such as Linux. The extra files are also include in this compressed file, if available. .tgz is a tar archive with gzip compression.

  5. .prc This is the program file only. Sometimes these files are used by developers and Electronic Sales Distributors (ESD's) like Palm Gear and Handango to deliver programs directly Over The Air (OTA) to your handheld that has internet access. Manuals and other documents would have to be downloaded separately.


There are two ways to download an application. Most servers allow you to click on the link/icon and a download window pops up. Sometimes you have to right-click on the link/icon and choose “save link target as...” Be sure to remember where you have stored the file.


Step 2: Installing the application


  1. Uncompress the files, if necessary. Please refer to install.pdf, included with all our software, for more detailed instructions.

  2. Open your Palm desktop software. Click on File, Install.

  3. Find the file in the directory where you saved the software. Click on the software application (the .prc file) you want to install. Click Open (or Add, such as in J-pilot in Linux). Add as many files that you want.

  4. Click Done.


Step 3: Hot Sync ®


Perform the Hot Sync ® operation and the file will show up on your Palm handheld under the 'unfiled.' category.


Now you are ready to use the application!


PalmOS and HotSync are registered trademarks of Palm, Inc. Palm is a trademark of Palm, Inc. Windows is a trademark of Microsoft Corp. Macintosh is a registered trademark of Apple Computer, Inc. Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.